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Homer's epic tale of Achilles and the Trojan War, now in a beautiful gift edition for the Union Square & Co. Signature Gilded Editions line. Set during the siege of Troy, The Iliad, along with The Odyssey, is a foundational work in Western literature and is considered one of the greatest epic poems of all time. It is also one of the oldest extant works of literature still widely read by modern audiences today. Complete with epic battles, larger-than-life characters like Achilles, and the mercurial Greek gods, The Iliad remains one of the most significant war stories ever told.

Step into the timeless epic of Homer’s The Odyssey, where myth and destiny collide. Packaged in a stunning foiled cover.Follow legendary Odysseus, a king and hero forged in the fires of the Trojan War, as he embarks on a long and perilous journey that will push him to his limits.This is no ordinary voyage, though, as he and his crew find themselves on islands where mortals were never meant to tread. There are mythical creatures to battle at every turn – from the monstrous Cyclops Polyphemus to the spellbinding Sirens who wish to lure and deceive. And with each storm, sent by vengeful Poseidon, Odysseus must remember the real reason for this journey: home.His kingdom of Ithaca is under threat from those who are convinced their king has been lost in war. His wife, Penelope, and son, Telemachus, cling to hope, waiting for his return.Odysseus must rise to reclaim what is his and prove that no distance and no god can stand between a hero and his destiny.

The Odyssey, besides being one of the world's first and best adventure stories, is a poem of great subtlety, rich in irony and sophisticated characterisation. The poet's art is amply illustrated by books XIX and XX, in which Odysseus, disguised as a beggar, spends the night in his own palace and lays plans for his awesome revenge. Particularly memorable is the episode in which Penelope converses with her husband without suspecting his identity. In this edition, Richard Rutherford provides not only detailed comment on the action, characterisation and style of the books in question, but also, in an extensive introduction, a general survey of the Odyssey as a whole, laying special emphasis on the qualities of the second half of the poem. He also attempts to contribute to the literary criticism of the poem on a verbal level, by considering the poet's use of formulae, rhetorical technique and similes. This volume is intended for readers of the Odyssey at all stages. The commentary gives ext

'Grey-eyed Athena sent them a following breeze, the fresh- blowing westerly, whistling over the wine-dark sea'Twenty years after setting out to fight in the Trojan War, Odysseus is yet to return home to Ithaca. His household is in disarray: a horde of over 100 disorderly and arrogant suitors are vying to claim Odysseus' wife Penelope, and his young son Telemachus is powerless to stop them. Meanwhile, Odysseus is driven beyond the limits of the known world, encountering countless divine and earthly challenges.But Odysseus is 'of many wiles' and his cunning and bravery eventually lead him home, to reclaim both his family and his kingdom. The Odyssey rivals the Iliad as the greatest poem of Western culture and is perhaps the most influential text of classical literature. This elegant and compelling new translation is accompanied by a full introduction and notes that guide the reader in understanding the poem and the many different contexts in which it was performed and read.

A lushly illustrated edition of Homer's epic tale recounting Odysseus' fraught voyage home after the Trojan War, now distinctively packaged as a deluxe edition from Union Square & Co. Tell me, O muse, of that ingenious hero who traveled far and wide after he had sacked the famous town of Troy... So starts Homer's The Odyssey, the classic account of the Greek hero Odysseus and his ten-year journey home following the glories and horrors of the Trojan War as recounted in The Illiad. In this prose retelling of Homer's epic poem, we follow Odysseus and his shipmates as they weather one danger after another, from the sorceress Circe to the one-eyed Cyclops to the six-headed monster Scylla. Replete with classic drawings and colorful illustrations, a foil-stamped cover, gilded edges, and a silk ribbon, this beautiful new edition of The Odyssey is just as gripping to read now as when it was first told to rapt Greek audiences 2,500 years ago.