Summary : The Odyssey / Rendered into English prose for the use of those who cannot read the original

This volume presents a full prose translation of the Odyssey, serving as a supplement to the author's previous work titled The Authoress of the Odyssey published in 1897. The complete translation was originally prepared alongside an epitomised version, but it is now published in full to provide English readers with accessible text accompanied by useful notes. The preface addresses two main contentions regarding the epic poem. First, the Odyssey was written entirely at and drawn from Trapani on the west coast of Sicily, with the wanderings of Ulysses functioning as a periplus around the island. Second, the entire poem was composed by a very young woman living in Trapani who depicted herself under the guise of Nausicaa. These two main contentions have been previously presented to the public through the Athenaeum and the Johnian Eagle without facing any significant rejoinder or counter-argument. Consequently, the author proceeds with confidence in these conclusions while offering the translation alongside illustrations, an appendix featuring a plan of Ulysses house, and explanatory paragraphs. To demonstrate the stylistic approach, a portion of the translation is compared directly with an existing prose version by Messrs Butcher and Lang, illustrating the necessary liberties taken when rendering poetry into readable prose. The author also discusses the relationship between the Iliad and the Odyssey, noting that the writer of the later epic was thoroughly familiar with the Iliad and borrowed freely from it. Scholars and university presses are encouraged to publish Greek texts that clearly highlight these shared passages using distinct typography and marginal references. Recognizing this heavy borrowing helps resolve several long-standing puzzles within the Odyssey that otherwise confuse readers. Finally, the text outlines the structural composition of the epic, asserting that it combines two distinct poems that were merged together. The first poem covers the Return of Ulysses, including the Phaeacian episode and his personal adventures, while the second poem focuses on Penelope and the suitors along with the voyage of Telemachus. Minor editorial details concerning classical text editions and punctuation conclude the introductory remarks.