Literature
The Odyssey: the hero's journey home
The Odyssey, attributed to Homer and composed in the 8th century BC, tells of the journey home of Odysseus, king of Ithaca, after the Trojan War. But it is not just an adventure: it is a poem about faithfulness, cunning and homesickness. Odysseus faces monsters such as Polyphemus, the sorceress Circe, the Sirens and the strait between Scylla and Charybdis, even refusing the immortality offered by Calypso in order to return to his wife Penelope and his son Telemachus. Waiting for him in Ithaca are also the Suitors, the pretenders who want to marry Penelope and usurp the throne. With the help of Athena and his son, Odysseus takes his revenge and reconquers his home. But the most moving moment is that of Argos, his faithful dog, who recognizes him after twenty years and dies immediately after seeing him again. Because the Odyssey is not just the tale of a journey: it is the story of one who, after having seen the world, discovers that the most precious thing is always home.
