Who was Odysseus? Odysseus was a Grecian hero, mortal, and the king of Ithaca who was known for his cunning and intellect. In his origin story, he’s born to Laërtes and Anticlea. He has a wife and son: Penelope and Telegonus, respectively. According to Britannica, “Homer (author) portrayed Odysseus as a man of outstanding wisdom and shrewdness, eloquence, resourcefulness, courage, and endurance. In the Iliad, Odysseus appears as the man best suited to cope with crises in personal relations among the Greeks, and he plays a leading part in achieving the reconciliation between Agamemnon and Achilles. Odysseus’s bravery and skill in fighting are demonstrated repeatedly, and his wiliness is shown most notably in the night expedition he undertakes with Diomedes against the Trojans.” After this war, Odysseus returns back to his homeland: Ithaca. However, this is not without trial and tribulation from the forces that lurk within Grecian myths and legends.

Odysseus’ journeys have been discussed in many different forms of literature. In the novel The Odyssey written by Homer,  we are presented with Odysseus’s reoccurring problems he has through the land of the Lotus-Eaters, the Cyclops, the cannibalistic Laestrygonians, the island of Circe, his encounters with the Sirens, Scylla and Charybdis, and more. Moreover, one of the more popular, modern pieces within the mythology community is an Epic musical that details the story of Odysseus. Nine sagas sing songs about the beginning of Odysseus’ story until the end; these sagas are as follows: Troy Saga, Cyclopes Saga, Ocean Saga, Circe Saga, Underworld Saga, Thunder Saga, Wisdom Saga, Vengeance Saga, and Ithaca Saga. A personal favorite of mine is the song “Dangerous” from the Vengeance Saga.

If you like reading Greek mythology, then I highly recommend listening to the Epic musical playlists sagas 1-9 and let us know your favorite!