# The Odyssey (DD-728)

> The Odyssey is an ancient Greek epic poem in 24 books, traditionally attributed to Homer and generally dated to around the late 8th or early 7th century BCE. It follows Odysseus, king of Ithaca, on his ten-year return from the Trojan War: blinding the Cyclops Polyphemus, a year with the sorceress Circe, sailing past the Sirens tied to his mast, and finally reclaiming his home from his wife Penelope's suitors. Counting the war, he's away for twenty years. The Reel was posted on July 18, 2026, the day after Christopher Nolan's film adaptation opened in U.S. theaters.

- Department: History (also People)
- First published: 2026-07-18
- Last updated: 2026-07-18
- Permalink: https://detailenjoyer.com/case/the-odyssey/
- Author: Marcus Easterling (DetailEnjoyer), The Detail Department

## On the timeline

- **July 17, 2026**: Christopher Nolan's film adaptation opens in U.S. theaters

Full timeline: https://detailenjoyer.com/timeline/?case=the-odyssey

## Quick facts

- **DD-728-F01**: The Odyssey has 24 books and is traditionally attributed to Homer. _(Write-up · Exhibit A (The poem))_
- **DD-728-F02**: Odysseus is away from Ithaca for twenty years: ten at war and ten traveling home. _(Write-up · Exhibit B (The journey))_

## Write-up

Homer's epic of Odysseus's ten-year voyage home. Posted the day after Christopher Nolan's film adaptation opened.

1. **The poem**: The Odyssey is a Greek epic in 24 books of dactylic hexameter, traditionally attributed to Homer, the poet also credited with the Iliad. Scholars generally date it to around the late 8th or early 7th century BCE, and who 'Homer' was is still debated.
2. **The journey**: After the fall of Troy, Odysseus spends ten years trying to get home to Ithaca. Counting the war, he's gone for twenty. Much of the voyage is told in flashback at the court of the Phaeacians.
3. **The trials**: He blinds the Cyclops Polyphemus, which angers Poseidon. He stays a year with the sorceress Circe, who turns his men into pigs, and he hears the Sirens' song while tied to the mast with his crew's ears plugged with wax.
4. **Homecoming**: Back in Ithaca, disguised as a beggar, Odysseus and his son Telemachus defeat the suitors who have courted his wife, Penelope.
5. **Still retold**: Christopher Nolan's film adaptation opened in U.S. theaters on July 17, 2026, the day before this Reel was posted, with a global opening of about $264 million.

## Related case files

- [Orwellian (DD-045)](https://detailenjoyer.com/case/orwellian/): Another case about a classic work of literature

## Reel vs. record

- **Missing context**: authorship is traditionally attributed to Homer, but who Homer was is debated. The poem is generally dated to around the late 8th or early 7th century BCE.
- **Precision**: the journey home takes ten years, but Odysseus is away for twenty in total, counting the Trojan War.
- **Missing context**: the Sirens' song is deadly only because it lures sailors to their deaths. Odysseus hears it safely, tied to the mast while his crew's ears are plugged with wax.
- **Missing context**: the second half of the poem is set in Ithaca, where Odysseus defeats the suitors pursuing Penelope.
- **Timing**: the Reel was posted on July 18, 2026, the day after Christopher Nolan's film adaptation opened in U.S. theaters.

## Video: The Odyssey: Homer's Epic of Odysseus's Ten-Year Voyage Home

- Duration: 21.8 s · Published: 2026-07-18
- File: https://detailenjoyer.com/assets/videos/Da7xJ_Ex0jX.mp4

### Transcript

DID YOU KNOW? The Odyssey is one of the foundational works of western literature, telling the story of the Greek hero Odysseus and his ten-year journey home following the Trojan War. Along the way, he encounters legendary challenges, including the Cyclops Polyphemus, the enchanting Circe, and the deadly songs of the sirens. Its influence can still be seen in modern storytelling nearly three millennia after it was first composed. NOW YOU KNOW!

## Questions & answers

**Q: Who is traditionally credited with the Odyssey?**  
A: It's traditionally attributed to Homer. _(Source: Write-up · Exhibit A (The poem) · Wikipedia: Odyssey; Encyclopaedia Britannica: Odyssey)_

**Q: How many books does the Odyssey have?**  
A: 24 books. _(Source: Write-up · Exhibit A (The poem) · Wikipedia: Odyssey; Encyclopaedia Britannica: Odyssey)_

**Q: How long is Odysseus away from Ithaca in total?**  
A: Ten at war plus ten getting home. _(Source: Write-up · Exhibit B (The journey) · Wikipedia: Odyssey; Encyclopaedia Britannica: Odyssey)_

**Q: What does Circe turn Odysseus's men into?**  
A: She turns them into pigs. _(Source: Write-up · Exhibit C (The trials) · Wikipedia: Odyssey; Encyclopaedia Britannica: Odyssey)_

**Q: How does Odysseus survive the Sirens?**  
A: He's tied to the mast while the crew's ears are plugged with wax. _(Source: Write-up · Exhibit D (Homecoming) · Wikipedia: Odyssey)_

## Sources

- [Wikipedia: Odyssey](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Odyssey)
- [Encyclopaedia Britannica: Odyssey](https://www.britannica.com/topic/Odyssey-epic-by-Homer)
- [AP News: 'The Odyssey' opens with $264.1 million globally (July 19, 2026)](https://apnews.com/article/odyssey-box-office-christopher-nolan-923bf602d99b1c9c4aeb462d377b59c4)
- [Box Office Mojo: The Odyssey (2026)](https://www.boxofficemojo.com/releasegroup/gr359027461/)

## Cite this case file

Easterling, Marcus. "The Odyssey." The Detail Department (DetailEnjoyer), case file DD-728, last updated Jul 18, 2026. https://detailenjoyer.com/case/the-odyssey/