Homer's epic chronicle of the Greek hero Odysseus' journey home from the Trojan War has inspiredwriters from Virgil to James Joyce. Odysseussurvives storm and shipwreck, the cave of the Cyclopsand the isle of Circe, the lure of the Sirens' songand a trip to the Underworld, only to find hismost difficult challenge at home, where treacheroussuitors seek to steal his kingdom and his loyalwife, Penelope. Favorite of the gods, Odysseusembodies the energy, intellect, and resourcefulnessthat were of highest value to the ancients and thatremain ideals in out time.

In thisnew verse translation, AllenMandelbaum--celebrated poet and translator of Virgil's Aeneid and Dante's Divine Comedy --realizes the power and beauty of the originalGreek verse and demonstrates why the epic tale of The Odyssey has captured the humanimagination for nearly three thousandyears.