The Odyssey - Opening

I

Tell me, Muse, about the man of many turns, who many

Way wandered when he had sacked Troy's holy citadel;

On the ocean he suffered many pain within his heart,

Striving for his life and his companion's return.

But he did not save his companions, though he wanted to:

They lost their own loves because of their recklessness.

The fools, they devoured the cattle of Hyperion,

The Sun, and he took away the day of their return.

Begin the tale somewhere for us also, goddess, daughter of Zeus.

A NORTON CRITICAL EDITION
Homer

THE ODYSSEY

A VERSE TRANSLATION
BACKGROUNDS
CRITICISM

SECOND EDITION

Translated and Edited by

ALBERT COOK

BROWN UNIVERSITY

W .W. NORTON & COMPANY . New York . London

Copyright 1993, 1974, 1967 by Albert Cook

All rights reserved

The text of this book is composed in Electra, with display in Bernhard. Composition and manufacturing by the Maple-Vail Book Group.

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Homer.

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