Gods and Monsters in Homer’s Odyssey: Quick Facts

Written and fact-checked by

The Information Architects of Encyclopaedia Britannica

Photos and Videos

oil painting "Poseidon at Sea" by an unknown Italian artist, c. 1640, from a private collection. Central figure is the bearded sea god Poseidon enthroned in a shell chariot pulled by four sea horses through waves, holding a trident and golden orb amid tritons, nereids, cherubs, and rocky shores

Minerva appearing as Telemachus to Odysseus

Etching by Theodoor van Thulden shows Odysseus's men slaughtering Helios's sacred cattle on a ship, with Helios in a chariot and Neptune threatening in the foreground.

Sandro Botticelli: Birth of Venus

Edward Burne-Jones: The Wine of Circe

Odysseus's encounter with Polyphemus

Illustration of a Greek warrior in armor next to large text reading "Who's who in the ODYSSEY" on a blue background.

A large wooden Trojan horse is labeled with a blue box reading "FICTION" and an arrow pointing to it, illustrating myth versus reality in Homer's Odyssey.

See All Videos and Images →

Topics

Greek mythology Homeric epics Is the Odyssey a True Story?Homer’s Odyssey vs. Christopher Nolan’s Film: Changes from Poem to Screen How long was Odysseus gone?Geography of Homer’s Odyssey: Mapping Odysseus’s Epic Voyage Emily Wilson on the Odyssey 12 Greek Gods and Goddesses