The epic tale of Odysseus and his ten-year journey home after the Trojan War forms one of the earliest and greatest works of Western literature. Confronted by natural and supernatural threats--shipwrecks, battles, monsters and the implacable enmity of the sea-god Poseidon--Odysseus must test his bravery and native cunning to the full if he is to reach his homeland safely and overcome the obstacles that, even there, await him. E. V. Rieu's translation of the Odyssey was the very first Penguin Classic to be published. For this edition, Rieu's text has been revised, and a new introduction by Peter Jones complements the original introduction.