MN Readalong : Homer’s The Odyssey in 2026

[EineReiseDurchDieZeit]

Proposing 2 chapters a month so for January

1. Athene Visits Telemachus
2. The Debate In Ithaca

Convening at the end of each month

Everyone welcome!

Thanks for the summaries @Stowickthevastand @RomanMum.
What is the other thread about colours? I'd missed the blue painted ship but did note blue-haired Poseidon and red-cheeked ships.
I really enjoyed books 9 and 10. The translation continues to be so engaging, much more than the one I read previously.
I was puzzled why the Cyclops says "my people think nothing of that Zeus...nor any god". Why would he say that when he's the son of Poseidon?
Like others have said, Odysseus really makes a big mistake with the Cyclops, and in the rest of these two books we're seeing the curse start to take shape. There's a good argument that Odysseus is a terrible failure, since he loses every single man in his fleet, and not a hero at all!

In book 10 it is really painful when they sail within sight of people tending fires on the coast of Ithaca (another little detail I loved) only to be blown back to Aeolia again.
The arrival at Laestrygonia when they meet a princess fetching water, is like a horrible topsy turvy version of Odysseus meeting princess Nausicaa back on Phaeacia (bearing in mind Odysseus is talking to the Phaeacians at this point) - instead of a sweet naive pretty girl who wants to marry him we have a huge monster who wants to eat him.
On Circes island I love the encounter with Hermes, and the final lines "who can see the gods go by unless they wish to show themselves?" It is pretty funny how Odysseus gives himself the ultimate get out of jail free card by telling the Phaeacians at this point that he had to have sex with Circe (for a YEAR!!) because Hermes told him to. Sure, sure he did 🤥

Edited typo

I find it really difficult to listen to whole books just on audio Eine. Maybe do a mix?

What date for books 11-12?

27th June @ShackletonSailingSouth

I'm finding the book very readable Eine.

@ShackletonSailingSouth there was a chat on the 50 book thread about a book called The World According to Colour. One of the points was that blue is the last colour named in most languages.

I really enjoyed these two books - I found the description of Polyphemus surprisingly exciting (even though I know the story well).