The Odyssey was first composed in Homeric Greek in the seventh or eighth century, and was first translated to English in the sixteenth century. Divided into twenty four books, it follows the king of Ithaca, whose journey home after the legendary Trojan War is filled with perils and obstacles that put his life at risk. When Odysseus has not returned after ten years, he is presumed dead, leaving his wife to contend with 108 men fighting for her hand in marriage.
Key themes include hospitality, return, and omens. Scholars often compare the Odyssey to the Epic of Gilgamesh; both heroes are known for travelling to the ends of the earth, and receiving directions from divine helpers. Most scholars also agree that Homeric epics originated as part of an oral tradition over hundreds of years - though much debate exists surrounding the relationship between Homer's works, and even whether Homer existed at all.
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