Book 1

THE GODS IN COUNCIL—MINERVA’S VISIT TO ITHACA—THE CHALLENGE FROM TELEMACHUS TO THE SUITORS.

The gods decide that Ulysses should be able to go home except for Neptune. Minerva goes to Ithaca to talk to Telemachus.

Book 2

ASSEMBLY OF THE PEOPLE OF ITHACA—SPEECHES OF TELEMACHUS AND OF THE SUITORS—TELEMACHUS MAKES HIS PREPARATIONS AND STARTS FOR PYLOS WITH MINERVA DISGUISED AS MENTOR.

Telemachus complains to the Assembly in Ithaca about the suitors and sets out for Pylos (without telling his mother).

Book 3

TELEMACHUS VISITS NESTOR AT PYLOS.

Telemachus visits Nestor and recruits his sons to join him on his journey.

Book 4

THE VISIT TO KING MENELAUS, WHO TELLS HIS STORY—MEANWHILE THE SUITORS IN ITHACA PLOT AGAINST TELEMACHUS

Telemachus hears Menelaus’s story and learns that his father has been held captive by Calypso. The suitors plan to kill Telemachus when he returns.

Book 5

CALYPSO—ULYSSES REACHES SCHERIA ON A RAFT.

POV turns to Ulysses and his time with Calypso. She is told to let Ulysses go and she helps him build a raft and sent him on his way.

Book 6

THE MEETING BETWEEN NAUSICAA AND ULYSSES.

Ulysses meets the Phaeacian princess Nausicaa and she takes him to meet her father Alcinious.

Book 7

RECEPTION OF ULYSSES AT THE PALACE OF KING ALCINOUS.

Ulysses is received by King Alcinous. Minerva makes him appear more impressive than he was.

Book 8

BANQUET IN THE HOUSE OF ALCINOUS—THE GAMES.

Ulysses competes in the games.

Book 9

ULYSSES DECLARES HIMSELF AND BEGINS HIS STORY—-THE CICONS, LOTOPHAGI, AND CYCLOPES.

Ulysses conquered the Cicions. He was driven for nine days by the foul winds to the island of the Lotus Eaters, where he had to remind and force his men to keep traveling home. Story of the cyclopeses. Ulyesses blinds the cyclops and his men escape by hanging underneath the sheep’s stomachs.

Book 10

AEOLUS, THE LAESTRYGONES, CIRCE.

Ulysses spent a year with Aeolus son of Hippotas. They sailed for many days and arrived at the Leasrtygones’ and killed them out of self defense. Circe turned Ulysses’ men into pigs. Ulysses received help from Mercury. Ulysses then made an agreement with Circe to sleep with her in exchange for his men’s freedom. They stayed with her for a year. She sent them to the Underworld so that Ulysses could converse with the dead regarding his home and his family.

Book 11

THE VISIT TO THE DEAD.

Ulysses visits the dead and receives word about his home country and his family. He talks to his mother and other fallen heroes from Troy.

Book 12

THE SIRENS, SCYLLA AND CHARYBDIS, THE CATTLE OF THE SUN.

Ulysses’ journey with multiple near death experiences as written above.

Book 13

ULYSSES LEAVES SCHERIA AND RETURNS TO ITHACA.

Ulysses finally gets home to Ithaca.

Book 14

ULYSSES IN THE HUT WITH EUMAEUS.

Ulysses finds shelter in Eumaeus’ home and pretends to be the old man as which Minerva disguised him as. He declares the Ulysses is alive and coming home. Eumaeus does not believe him but helps him as he thinks he is a kind and good man.

Book 15

MINERVA SUMMONS TELEMACHUS FROM LACEDAEMON—HE MEETS WITH THEOCLYMENUS AT PYLOS AND BRINGS HIM TO ITHACA—ON LANDING HE GOES TO THE HUT OF EUMAEUS.

Telemachus returns to Ithaca with Theoclymenus (a fugitive prophet) and goes to the hut of Eumaeus. Eumaeus explains his backstory to Odysseus. He was taken form his home because a female servant fell in with some pirates and she took Eumaeus with her when she left with them. He was sold to Ithaca to Laertes who took care of him and gave him a comfortable life.

Book 16

ULYSSES REVEALS HIMSELF TO TELEMACHUS.

Telemachus arrives at the hut and Eumaeus kisses him and welcomes him home. Telemachus sends Eumaeus to tell Penelope of his return. Athena removes Odysseus’ old man disguise and he reveals himself to Telemachus. He doesn’t believe at first and accuses Odysseus of being a god trying to trick him. Eventually, Telemachus is convinced and a very heartfelt reunion occurs. They plot against the suitors to kill them for what they’ve done. Meanwhile, the suitors plot to kill Telemachus. Antinous is explaining his plan to the other suitors and Amphinomus declares that he will not kill him until he knows that the gods are fine with it. Penelope overhears this and confronts Antinous. Eurymachus lies to Penelope and tells her that he would never plot against Telemachus all while he was doing just that in his mind.

Book 17

TELEMACHUS AND HIS MOTHER MEET—ULYSSES AND EUMAEUS COME DOWN TO THE TOWN, AND ULYSSES IS INSULTED BY MELANTHIUS—HE IS RECOGNISED BY THE DOG ARGOS—HE IS INSULTED AND PRESENTLY STRUCK BY ANTINOUS WITH A STOOL—PENELOPE DESIRES THAT HE SHALL BE SENT TO HER.

Telemachus goes and meets with his mother to reassure her of his health. He enlists Eumaeus to bring odysseus to town so that he could beg for food. Eumaeus and Odysseus meet a servant named Melanthius who throws multiple insults at them and Odysseus considers beating the snot out of him but refrains from doing so. Once outside the palace gates, Odysseus recognizes a dog that he trained as a puppy named Argos that he left behind when he fought at Troy. The dog recognizes him and wags his tail but he is too weak from neglect that he can not go and greet his master. Argos dies happy from seeing his master again. Odysseus is told by Athena to go through the suitors and test their innocence by begging for food. All of them are confused but give him food except for Antinous who argues with Odysseus until finally chucking a chair at him. Everyone is appalled and disappointed in his behavior. Penelope asks Eumaeus to send Odysseus up so that he could tell her his story and if he’s heard any news about her husband (he is still in disguise at this point and everyone thinks that he is an old friend of odysseus) She is told to wait and speak to him until nightfall so that they could speak uninterrupted.

Book 18

THE FIGHT WITH IRUS—ULYSSES WARNS AMPHINOMUS—PENELOPE GETS PRESENTS FROM THE SUITORS—THE BRAZIERS—ULYSSES REBUKES EURYMACHUS.

Book 19

TELEMACHUS AND ULYSSES REMOVE THE ARMOUR—ULYSSES INTERVIEWS PENELOPE—EURYCLEA WASHES HIS FEET AND RECOGNISES THE SCAR ON HIS LEG—PENELOPE TELLS HER DREAM TO ULYSSES.

Book 20

ULYSSES CANNOT SLEEP—PENELOPE’S PRAYER TO DIANA—THE TWO SIGNS FROM HEAVEN—EUMAEUS AND PHILOETIUS ARRIVE—THE SUITORS DINE—CTESIPPUS THROWS AN OX’S FOOT AT ULYSSES—THEOCLYMENUS FORETELLS DISASTER AND LEAVES THE HOUSE.

Book 21

THE TRIAL OF THE AXES, DURING WHICH ULYSSES REVEALS HIMSELF TO EUMAEUS AND PHILOETIUS

Book 22

THE KILLING OF THE SUITORS—THE MAIDS WHO HAVE MISCONDUCTED THEMSELVES ARE MADE TO CLEANSE THE CLOISTERS AND ARE THEN HANGED.

Book 23

PENELOPE EVENTUALLY RECOGNISES HER HUSBAND—EARLY IN THE MORNING ULYSSES, TELEMACHUS, EUMAEUS, AND PHILOETIUS LEAVE THE TOWN.

Book 24

THE GHOSTS OF THE SUITORS IN HADES—ULYSSES AND HIS MEN GO TO THE HOUSE OF LAERTES—THE PEOPLE OF ITHACA COME OUT TO ATTACK ULYSSES, BUT MINERVA CONCLUDES A PEACE.