The first sentence already makes it extremely obvious what the book will discuss. “The cunning hero, The wanderer, blown off course time and again After he plundered Troy’s sacred heights.” immediately allows the reader, provided that they are somewhat well versed in Greek mythology, to grasp who the “cunning hero” is. Odysseus, after “plundering Troy’s sacred heights”, was taken off course multiple times. First, he landed on the island of the cyclops Polyphemus, Poseidon’s son, and after some trickery and planning, made it off the island and left behind a very angry cyclops. Poseidon, in an act of revenge, caused Odysseus’ ship to once again land far away from Ithaca. Next, when the proem speaks about the fact that his men didn’t make it back, it is referring to the men who were eaten or turned into swine that Odysseus could not help. The longer that it goes on, the more it is apparent that it speaks of Odysseus. Also the title is the “Odyssey” so there’s that piece of evidence, too.
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