← Back to the archive★ Support my pages
DD-728Historyalso PeopleFiled Last updated

The Odyssey

Short answer: The Odyssey is an ancient Greek epic poem in 24 books, traditionally attributed to Homer and generally dated to around the late 8th or early 7th century BCE.

It follows Odysseus, king of Ithaca, on his ten-year return from the Trojan War: blinding the Cyclops Polyphemus, a year with the sorceress Circe, sailing past the Sirens tied to his mast, and finally reclaiming his home from his wife Penelope's suitors. Counting the war, he's away for twenty years. The Reel was posted on July 18, 2026, the day after Christopher Nolan's film adaptation opened in U.S. theaters.

VideoWrite-up4 sources
More like this★ Support my pagesCite this file

What should you know about The Odyssey?

Quick facts. Each one stands alone and has a stable ID you can cite.

  1. The Odyssey has 24 books and is traditionally attributed to Homer.

    DD-728-F01 · Write-up · Exhibit A (The poem)

  2. Odysseus is away from Ithaca for twenty years: ten at war and ten traveling home.

    DD-728-F02 · Write-up · Exhibit B (The journey)

Video transcript: The Odyssey: Homer's Epic of Odysseus's Ten-Year Voyage Home

DID YOU KNOW? The Odyssey is one of the foundational works of western literature, telling the story of the Greek hero Odysseus and his ten-year journey home following the Trojan War. Along the way, he encounters legendary challenges, including the Cyclops Polyphemus, the enchanting Circe, and the deadly songs of the sirens. Its influence can still be seen in modern storytelling nearly three millennia after it was first composed. NOW YOU KNOW!

Burned-in captions, read frame by frame (see transcript.md) · 21.8s Reel ·

Video coming soonThe Odyssey · Instagram Reel
The Odyssey: Homer's Epic of Odysseus's Ten-Year Voyage Home Instagram Reel · · 21.8s

The write-up

Homer's epic of Odysseus's ten-year voyage home. Posted the day after Christopher Nolan's film adaptation opened.

  1. Exhibit A

    The poem

    The Odyssey is a Greek epic in 24 books of dactylic hexameter, traditionally attributed to Homer, the poet also credited with the Iliad. Scholars generally date it to around the late 8th or early 7th century BCE, and who 'Homer' was is still debated.

  2. Exhibit B

    The journey

    After the fall of Troy, Odysseus spends ten years trying to get home to Ithaca. Counting the war, he's gone for twenty. Much of the voyage is told in flashback at the court of the Phaeacians.

  3. Exhibit C

    The trials

    He blinds the Cyclops Polyphemus, which angers Poseidon. He stays a year with the sorceress Circe, who turns his men into pigs, and he hears the Sirens' song while tied to the mast with his crew's ears plugged with wax.

  4. Exhibit D

    Homecoming

    Back in Ithaca, disguised as a beggar, Odysseus and his son Telemachus defeat the suitors who have courted his wife, Penelope.

  5. Exhibit E

    Still retold

    Christopher Nolan's film adaptation opened in U.S. theaters on July 17, 2026, the day before this Reel was posted, with a global opening of about $264 million.

Questions people ask about The Odyssey

Who is traditionally credited with the Odyssey?

It's traditionally attributed to Homer.

Source: Write-up · Exhibit A (The poem) · Wikipedia: Odyssey; Encyclopaedia Britannica: Odyssey

How many books does the Odyssey have?

24 books.

Source: Write-up · Exhibit A (The poem) · Wikipedia: Odyssey; Encyclopaedia Britannica: Odyssey

How long is Odysseus away from Ithaca in total?

Ten at war plus ten getting home.

Source: Write-up · Exhibit B (The journey) · Wikipedia: Odyssey; Encyclopaedia Britannica: Odyssey

What does Circe turn Odysseus's men into?

She turns them into pigs.

Source: Write-up · Exhibit C (The trials) · Wikipedia: Odyssey; Encyclopaedia Britannica: Odyssey

How does Odysseus survive the Sirens?

He's tied to the mast while the crew's ears are plugged with wax.

Source: Write-up · Exhibit D (Homecoming) · Wikipedia: Odyssey

Test Your Knowledge

All quizzes →

5 questions, all from this case file. Answers are revealed instantly.

  1. Who is traditionally credited with the Odyssey?

    1. Homer
    2. Virgil
    3. Sophocles
    4. Ovid
    Show the answer

    Answer: A. Homer It's traditionally attributed to Homer. Source: Write-up · Exhibit A (The poem) · Wikipedia: Odyssey; Encyclopaedia Britannica: Odyssey

  2. How many books does the Odyssey have?

    1. 12
    2. 24
    3. 36
    4. 100
    Show the answer

    Answer: B. 24 24 books. Source: Write-up · Exhibit A (The poem) · Wikipedia: Odyssey; Encyclopaedia Britannica: Odyssey

  3. How long is Odysseus away from Ithaca in total?

    1. Ten years
    2. Twenty years
    3. Five years
    4. Forty years
    Show the answer

    Answer: B. Twenty years Ten at war plus ten getting home. Source: Write-up · Exhibit B (The journey) · Wikipedia: Odyssey; Encyclopaedia Britannica: Odyssey

  4. What does Circe turn Odysseus's men into?

    1. Pigs
    2. Birds
    3. Stone
    4. Fish
    Show the answer

    Answer: A. Pigs She turns them into pigs. Source: Write-up · Exhibit C (The trials) · Wikipedia: Odyssey; Encyclopaedia Britannica: Odyssey

  5. How does Odysseus survive the Sirens?

    1. He's tied to the mast
    2. He sails at night
    3. He kills them
    4. He takes another route
    Show the answer

    Answer: A. He's tied to the mast He's tied to the mast while the crew's ears are plugged with wax. Source: Write-up · Exhibit D (Homecoming) · Wikipedia: Odyssey

Cite this case file

Easterling, Marcus. "The Odyssey." The Detail Department (DetailEnjoyer), case file DD-728, last updated Jul 18, 2026. https://detailenjoyer.com/case/the-odyssey/

Permalink: https://detailenjoyer.com/case/the-odyssey/ · Last updated

Markdown version

Cite a single fact by its ID, for example DD-728-F01 → https://detailenjoyer.com/case/the-odyssey/#DD-728-F01