The Odyssey Timeline
1.
At Athena's urging, the gods on Mount Olympus decide it is time for Calypso to free Odysseus.
2.
Telemachus sets sail to find information about his father.
3.
Nestor tells Telemachus that he should ask King Menelaus about his father.
4.
King Menelaus tells Telemachus that Odysseus is being held by Calypso.
5.
Calypso holds Odysseus captive for seven years. Eventually, the other gods command her to release Odysseus. She does so,
and Odysseus builds a raft and sets sail. Poseidon, who holds a grudge against Odysseus, destroys the raft in a storm.
Odysseus washes up on an island. read book 5
6.
A young girl named Nausicaä finds Odysseus and leads him to the city. read book 6
7.
Athena appears to Odysseus and leads him to the palace of Alcinous. The king invites Odysseus to the feast if he will
entertain them for a while. read book 7
8.
The next day, the king holds a party for Odysseus. They play games and a minstrel sings for Odysseus. read book 8
9.
Odysseus begins telling his tale in the courts: after the Trojan war, Odysseus and his men set sail from Troy. They plunder
the Cicones but are routed by reinforcements. On the island of the lotus eaters, some men eat the food of the enchanting
inhabitants and loose all hope of home. On the Island of the Cyclops, Odysseus's curiosity causes him trouble: he and twelve
others are imprisoned by the cannibal Polyphemus. They blind him in order to escape. read book 9
10.
At Aeolia, the wind king Aeolus offers to help Odysseus. He bags up all the winds and places them on Odysseus's ship. But
Odysseus's foolish crew open the bag, thinking it is treasure. The winds become a storm and blow the ships back to the
island. Aeolus is angry at their irresponsibility and sends them away. They arrive at an island inhabited by cannibals who
destroy all of the ships except for Odysseus's. Next they land on Aeaea, where the enchantress Circe lives. She turns some of
the men into pigs. Later, she restores them and sends Odysseus on a lone quest to the Land of the Dead. read book 10
11.
In the Land of the Dead, Odysseus sees his mother who died while waiting for him to return home. Next, A blind prophet
named Teiresias gives Odysseus a warning and a promise: Odysseus will arrive home, but all the other men will die. read
book 11
12.
Odysseus and his men return to Aeaea. Circe warns him of three perils that await him: the Sirens, Scylla, and Charybdis.
They set sail and manage to avoid the danger. After their adventures, they arrive at the island of Helios. Eventually, the crew
get discouraged and kill the holy cattle for food. Zeus kills all the crew except for Odysseus, who arrives at Calypso's island.
read book 12
13.
Odysseus finishes telling his tale and King Alcinous gives him passage to Ithaca. Athena disguises him as an old beggar.
read book 13
14.
Odysseus travels to the hut of his old swineherd, Eumaeus. Eumaeus doesn't recognize Odysseus because of the disguise,
but he politely entertains Odysseus. read book 14
15.
Athena appears to Telemachus and advises him to return to his home. read book 15
16.
Telemachus meets his father. read book 16
17.
Telemachus, followed by Odysseus, travels to the palace. There, Odysseus is first recognized by his faithful hunting dog,
Argos. read book 17
18.
Another beggar from the local town arrives and tries to drive Odysseus out. read book 18
19.
Still disguised as a beggar, Odysseus tells Penelope that he met Odysseus in his travels. The nurse recognizes Odysseus by
his scar, but Odysseus quickly tells her not to tell Penelope. read book 19
20.
Odysseus is nervous about his upcoming task. Athena reassures him that the suitors will die. read book 20
21.
Penelope creates a test to prevent the suitors from marrying her: they must string Odysseus's huge bow—a task that only he
can do. All the others fail, but Odysseus is successful. The suitors still ignore the beggar.
22.
Odysseus defeats the suitors.
23.
Penelope finally recognizes Odysseus as her husband.
24.
Odysseus visits his father, king Laertes, but the relatives of the suitors have gathered to revenge. Laertes kills the leader, but
Athena interrupts them before anything else can happen. She commands them to end the violence.