Odyssey

Odyssey
By Homer; Translated & Narrated by Stanley Lombardo
Parmenides Audio, 2006. 10 CDs. Nonfiction

One of the greatest heroes of all time, Crafty Odysseus, is the focus of this ancient yet enduring story. The Odyssey is the story of Odysseus' return home from the Trojan War. Odysseus spent 10 years with the other Greeks trying to take down the Trojans. He spends the next ten years trying to return home (difficult when the Gods are against you).

He begins with 12 ships and many crew members. He eventually is a lone man on raft. When he does arrive back in Ithaca he does so incognito, disguised as a beggar. From this vantage he determines who of his household has been loyal and who hasn't. Ultimately, those that have been disloyal or have been preying upon his household are all killed by Odysseus and his son, Telemachus. This is fantastic adventure story.

I listened to this on CD and found the narration quite enjoyable. Stanley Lombardo, the translator, reads the main text and Susan Sarandon reads the general introduction and the introduction to each chapter. Prior to each segment was music--drums, pipe, etc. and the sound of the surf--a nice touch.