- Odysseus
- , ODYSSEYOdysseus, in Greek legend, was the king of Ithaca and a leading reek hero of the Trojan War. He was the son of Laertes and Anticle the husband of Penelope, and the father of Telemachus. At first unwilling to go to the Trojan War, he feigned madness by yoking an ass and an ox to a plow and sowing salt. But Palamedes, son of the king of Nauplia, who was seeking recruits for service in the war, placed the infant Telemachus in front of the plow, whereupon Odyssesus proved his sanity by turning aside. At Troy, Odysseus was renowned for his bravery, wisdom, and cunning. His wanderings after the capture of Troy, his return to Ithaca, and his vengeance upon Penelope's suitors, who had taken advantage of his absence, are related in Homer's Odyssey.Odysseus spent seven of his ten years of absence on an island where he was detained by the nymph Calypso, and one year on another island, detained by the enchantress Circe, who transformed his crew into swine to prevent human voyeurism. According to a post-Homeric legend, Odysseus was slain accidentally by Telegonus, his son by Circe. The epic poem of Homer records the adventure of Odysseus (called Ulysses by the Romans) on his homeward voyage from Troy. Odysseus displayed craftiness on his long voyage to Ithaca, guiding his ship home in spite of Circe and the Cyclops and past the Sirens as well. His voyage, regarded by many as the greatest travelogue of all times, gave birth to the word odyssey to mean a long journey or campaign, especially one featuring many changes of fortune, or an e tended adventurous wandering.
Dictionary of eponyms. Morton S. Freeman. 2013.