Legends of the Ancient World: Odysseus
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Narrated by:
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Sallie Downing
About this listen
Odysseus is, without question, one of the most fascinating figures in classical mythology. Indeed, despite being an ancillary character in The Iliad, he was so beloved by ancient audiences that he warranted his own spin-off, The Odyssey. He was endemic throughout Greek thought and art, appearing in statues, theatrical pieces, poems, and orations, and he was equally prevalent in later Roman culture. Unlike other notable figures of classical antiquity who were forgotten during the Middle Ages (including a fair few who, unlike Odysseus himself, actually existed outside the realm of legend), Odysseus' fame endured, and he made regular appearances in Medieval and Renaissance literature, including a memorable turn in Dante's Inferno.
To this day Odysseus remains a highly popular character, having appeared on both the big and small screens, having been featured in a slew of novels, and even making appearances in Japanese anime and Japanese videogames. Characters inspired by Odysseus and his adventures are a staple of modern fiction, and locations said to match those from the Odyssey are scattered throughout the Mediterranean, particularly in Greece and Italy.
The true root of Odysseus' mass appeal is that he is a figure of startling complexity. Unlike other main characters in the Epic Cycle, Odysseus does not conform to any particular archetype. While Odysseus' defining characteristic is clearly his intelligence - he was known to the Greeks almost universally as "Cunning Odysseus" - he is no mere schemer, as he was also considered one of the bravest and most renowned warriors to fight in the Trojan War.
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The Trojan War is the most famous conflict in history, the subject of Homer's Iliad, one of the cornerstones of Western literature. Although many listeners know that this literary masterwork is based on actual events, there is disagreement about how much of Homer's tale is true. Drawing on recent archaeological research, historian and classicist Barry Strauss explains what really happened in Troy more than 3,000 years ago. For many years it was thought that Troy was an insignificant place that never had a chance against the Greek warriors who laid siege and overwhelmed the city.
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Good summary of a great myth and its realities.
- By Kenneth M. Northrup on 07-09-20
By: Barry Strauss
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The War That Made the Roman Empire
- Antony, Cleopatra, and Octavian at Actium
- By: Barry Strauss
- Narrated by: Jacques Roy
- Length: 9 hrs and 59 mins
- Unabridged
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Following Caesar’s assassination and Mark Antony’s defeat of the conspirators who killed Caesar, two powerful men remained in Rome—Antony and Caesar’s chosen heir, young Octavian, the future Augustus. When Antony fell in love with the most powerful woman in the world, Egypt’s ruler Cleopatra, and thwarted Octavian’s ambition to rule the empire, another civil war broke out. In 31 BC one of the largest naval battles in the ancient world took place—more than 600 ships, almost 200,000 men, and one woman—the Battle of Actium.
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Highly detailed accounts
- By LEE on 03-28-22
By: Barry Strauss
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Alexander the Great
- Journey to the End of the Earth
- By: Norman F. Cantor
- Narrated by: Bronson Pinchot
- Length: 4 hrs and 20 mins
- Unabridged
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In this succinct portrait of Alexander the Great, distinguished scholar and historian Norman Cantor draws on the major writings of Alexander's contemporaries, as well as the most recent psychological and cultural studies to illuminate this most legendary of men - a great figure in the ancient world whose puzzling personality greatly fueled his military accomplishments.
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FIVE STAR BOOK!!!!
- By Fun Lovin Lady on 09-25-12
By: Norman F. Cantor
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Marco Polo
- From Venice to Xanadu
- By: Laurence Bergreen
- Narrated by: Paul Boehmer
- Length: 16 hrs and 29 mins
- Unabridged
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As the most celebrated European to explore Asia, Marco Polo was the original global traveler and the earliest bridge between East and West. A universal icon of adventure and discovery, he has inspired six centuries of popular fascination and spurious mythology. Now, from acclaimed author Laurence Bergreen, comes the first fully authoritative biography of one of the most enchanting figures in world history.
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Educational and Entertaining but a bit repetitive
- By PETER on 01-02-13
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Homer Box Set: Iliad & Odyssey
- By: Homer, W. H. D. Rouse - translator
- Narrated by: Anthony Heald
- Length: 25 hrs and 2 mins
- Unabridged
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Homer’s Iliad and Odyssey are unquestionably two of the greatest epic masterpieces in Western literature. Though more than 2,700 years old, their stories of brave heroics, capricious gods, and towering human emotions are vividly timeless. The Iliad can justly be called the world’s greatest war epic. The terrible and long-drawn-out siege of Troy remains one of the classic campaigns. The Odyssey chronicles the many trials and adventures Odysseus must pass through on his long journey home from the Trojan wars to his beloved wife.
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Oddball Translation
- By Joel Jenkins on 05-11-17
By: Homer, and others
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The Rise of Athens
- The Story of the World's Greatest Civilization
- By: Anthony Everitt
- Narrated by: Michael Page
- Length: 16 hrs and 25 mins
- Unabridged
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Filled with tales of adventure and astounding reversals of fortune, The Rise of Athens celebrates the city-state that transformed the world - from the democratic revolution that marked its beginning through the city's political and cultural golden age to its decline into the ancient equivalent of a modern-day university town. Anthony Everitt constructs his history with unforgettable portraits of the talented, tricky, ambitious, and unscrupulous Athenians who fueled the city's rise.
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Good but not great. With some disturbing opinions.
- By Anthony on 06-25-19
By: Anthony Everitt
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Angels & Demons
- Myths, Legends & History: 2 Books in 1
- By: KIV Books
- Narrated by: Tom Chandler
- Length: 2 hrs and 13 mins
- Unabridged
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Angels have been a critical part of humanity for as long as we can imagine. Often depicted as benevolent beings, they have been at the center of many religious texts, especially in Abrahamic religions, Christianity especially.
By: KIV Books
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The Buried Book
- The Loss and Rediscovery of the Great Epic of Gilgamesh
- By: David Damrosch
- Narrated by: William Hughes
- Length: 7 hrs and 22 mins
- Unabridged
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One day in 1872, self-taught Assyriologist George Smith was sifting through a pile of clay tablets when he realized he was reading about "a flood, storm, a ship caught on a mountain, and a bird sent out in search of dry land". This is the riveting story of the discovery of the world's first literary epic, the "Epic of Gilgamesh".
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interesting- but not for everyone
- By J Michael on 07-16-08
By: David Damrosch
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The Story of the Volsungs
- The Volsunga Saga
- By: Anonymous
- Narrated by: Antony Ferguson
- Length: 4 hrs and 34 mins
- Unabridged
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Originally written in Icelandic in the 13th century AD by an anonymous author, The Story of The Volsungs is a legendary saga based on Norse mythology. The epic describes the legendary history and heroic feats of several generations of mythic Viking families and derives from many sources, including preexisting Edda, or heroic poems, Norse legends, historical events, and orally transmitted folklore. The saga is imbued throughout with themes of power, jealousy, love, vengeance, and fear.
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Passionate, Poetic, Bloody, Heroic, & Tragic Saga
- By Jefferson on 03-28-12
By: Anonymous
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When Montezuma Met Cortes
- The True Story of the Meeting That Changed History
- By: Matthew Restall
- Narrated by: Steven Crossley
- Length: 16 hrs and 6 mins
- Unabridged
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In 1519, the Spanish conquistador Hernando Cortés first met Montezuma, the Aztec emperor, at the entrance to the capital city of Tenochtitlan. This introduction - the prelude to the Spanish seizure of Mexico City and to European colonization of the mainland of the Americas - has long been the symbol of Cortés' bold and brilliant military genius. Montezuma, on the other hand, is remembered as a coward who gave away a vast empire and touched off a wave of colonial invasions across the hemisphere. But is this really what happened?
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Flawed, but worth it for those interested.
- By "J" on 02-16-18
By: Matthew Restall
What listeners say about Legends of the Ancient World: Odysseus
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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- Diogenes of Sinope
- 09-30-16
Not much here
Not much here. Basically the audiobook retells the myths with little reflection or discussion. The historical and cultural background is rather superficial. The author does not seem to know the scholarship and the narrator struggles with Greek names. I've read other books from this (Charles River) series and they offered much more substance, context, analysis and depth. There is more serious content on the wikipedia page than in this audiobook. I would not recommend this to my students.
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