A plan takes shape among the gods, and action finally replaces delay. With Odysseus’ return now agreed upon, Athene proposes a division of labor that will set both father and son on their paths homeward.

In this passage from The Odyssey, Athene urges Zeus to send Hermes to Ogygia to command Calypso to release Odysseus, while she herself prepares to intervene in Ithaca. Disguised as a mortal stranger, she descends from Olympus to stir resolve in Telemachus and confront the disorder consuming his father’s household.

This moment matters because it marks the first direct intervention of the gods in human affairs—Odysseus’ long return is no longer abstract, and Telemachus’ story is about to begin.

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New to the journey? Start from the beginning at: http://theodysseypodcast.com

Want to talk theories, themes? Join the conversation on our Discord: https://discord.gg/Sg2prdm

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Listen wherever you get your podcasts, or follow along on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC036TeD3DkuF1VSCQJfKGtw

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Odyssey is a daily podcast reading one page at a time from Homer’s classic epic — every day. Whether you’re starting from the beginning or joining mid-journey, each episode brings you deeper into the story of The Odyssey.

A divine argument sharpens the fate of a man far from home. As the gods debate justice and mercy, the suffering of Odysseus is brought fully into view—lonely, trapped, and aching for the sight of his own land once more.

In this passage from The Odyssey, Book I continues with Athene speaking in defense of Odysseus before Zeus, recounting his isolation on a distant island and the sorrow that nearly breaks his will. Zeus responds by clarifying the true source of Odysseus’ torment: the enduring anger of Poseidon, born from the blinding of the Cyclops Polyphemus, and tempered only by the limits of divine consensus.

This moment matters because it sets the terms of Odysseus’ return—his survival assured, his journey still contested, and the gods themselves poised to intervene.

⸻

New to the journey? Start from the beginning at: http://theodysseypodcast.com

Want to talk theories, themes? Join the conversation on our Discord: https://discord.gg/Sg2prdm

Support the project on Patreon and receive full-length, story-only audio after each book: https://patreon.com/gruntworkpod

Listen wherever you get your podcasts, or follow along on YouTube

⸻

Odyssey is a daily podcast reading one page at a time from Homer’s classic epic — every day. Whether you’re starting from the beginning or joining mid-journey, each episode brings you deeper into the story of The Odyssey.

A poet’s invocation opens the door to a long-delayed homecoming, shaped as much by divine will as by human error. In this opening passage of The Odyssey, the Muse is called upon to tell of Odysseus—his wanderings after Troy, the losses of his companions, and the single mistake that sealed their fate. While the rest of the Greek heroes have returned home, Odysseus remains stranded, held by the nymph Calypso, as the gods quietly turn their attention back toward him.

Set during a council of the gods in Book I, this passage establishes the moral framework of the epic: mortals suffer not only by fate, but by their own choices. Zeus reflects on the recent death of Aegisthus—killed by Orestes despite clear divine warnings—underscoring a central theme of responsibility that will echo throughout the poem.

This is the moment where the story formally begins: Odysseus is remembered, judged, and finally set back into motion.

⸻

New to the journey? Start from the beginning at: http://theodysseypodcast.com

Want to talk theories, themes? Join the conversation on our Discord: https://discord.gg/Sg2prdm

Support the project on Patreon and receive full-length, story-only audio after each book: https://patreon.com/gruntworkpod

Listen wherever you get your podcasts, or follow along on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC036TeD3DkuF1VSCQJfKGtw

⸻

Odyssey is a daily podcast reading one page at a time from Homer’s classic epic — every day. Whether you’re starting from the beginning or joining mid-journey, each episode brings you deeper into the story of The Odyssey.