Odysseus is asked to join the Trojan war by King Agamemnon, to avenge the taking of Helen of Troy from his brother Menelaus. He leaves behind his beloved wife Penelope, and young son, in his kingdom, Ithaca.

Stuck on the beaches outside the walls of Troy for ten years, Odysseus has the idea to invade using the infamous Trojan Horse. Troy falls and Odysseus sets off on his journey home.

After a nine day storm the crew land on the island of the lotus eaters. The inhabitants offer some of the crew lotus to eat, but when they do they lose their memories and any desire to return home.

Odysseus drags his men off the island, ties them to the ship, and sets sail.

Zeus sends a fierce storm and pushes the ship further off course, until they land on a lush island. They explore and find a large cave with homemade cheese and sheep, but after lingering too long they discover it is home to the cyclops, Polyphemus.

They are trapped and have to escape by blinding him with a spear and pretend to be sheep. It works but the cyclops’ father is Poseidon and he curses their journey.

Meanwhile, back at home Odysseus’ wife Penelope hears news that others have returned from war, but not her husband. Angry suitors are forcing her to re-marry so they can be King.

She tells them that she must weave a funeral shroud for her father-in-law before she can choose a new husband which delays things, as each night she secretly un-weaves the progress she has made.

After escaping the cyclops the crew land on the island of the Laestrygonians, a race of giant cannibals. There, most of the ships and crew are killed.

They flee and find their way to the island of Aeaea where they encounter the goddess-sorceress Circe.

At first she is an enemy and turns all the crew into pigs apart from Odysseus. She tries to poison him but it doesn’t work and she discovers who he is.

He was prophesied to come and so she turns the crew back, and helps them, by giving Odysseus guidance on how to get home via the Underworld.

Odysseus sails to the edge of the world and speaks to the dead. The prophet Tiresias tells him suitors are betraying him at his household, and that they must not eat the cattle on Helios.

He talks to some of his deceased crew, his mother who died of grief in his absence, and Achilles who says:

“I'd rather slave on earth for another man -than rule down here over all the breathless dead.”

Other advice Circe gave Odysseus was to put beeswax in their ears when passing the singing sirens whose song lures sailors with desire, so he does.

All the crew are made to close their ears, except

Odysseus wants to hear so he ties himself to the mast as they pass. The sirens sing and he struggles with all his might to escape and go to them, but they pass safely.

Odysseus and his crew make it to Scylla and Charybdis a passage between a six headed monster and a whirlpool that would destroy the ship. Odysseus must choose to destroy them all or sacrifice six men to the beast. He chooses the

latter - A rock and a hard place.

The crew are starving and so rest on Thrinacia with the cattle of Helios. The wind traps them there for a month, and the crew all eat the cows (except for Odysseus), despite the warning. As they leave Zeus strikes them down and only Odysseus survives.

The ship is destroyed and Odysseus washes up on the shores of Ogygia, home to the daughter of Atlas, the nymph Calypso.

She looks after him and she falls in love. He is in paradise, eternal life, a beautiful partner, abundent food, but he isn’t happy. He wants to go home to his wife.

After seven years on the island, Zeus sees his unhappiness and commands Calypso to let him go. He builds a raft and sets off to Ithaca.

Odysseus has been away from home for twenty years and the suitors are growing tired. He washes up on the shore of Ithaca and, dressed as a beggar, plans their destruction with his now older son.

Penelope, still wanting to wait for her husband holds a contest:

“whoever could string Odysseus' great bow and shoot an arrow through twelve axe heads would win her hand.”

Many try and fail, until the beggar steps up and does it. Odysseus reveals himself, and with his son, slaughters the other suitors and wins back Penelope. He is home.