It seems almost impossible for a contemporary reader fully to grasp The Odyssey without an education in classical mythology, archaeology, and geography. But this masterly companion to Homer's epic bridges the gulf that separates us from the Homeric world. Its scholarly introduction, illustrations, chronology, and hundreds of specific line references permit us to understand what The Odyssey meant to its original audience and to sift through the layers of meaning and cultural reference it has acquired for later readers. | A Guide to The Odyssey by Ralph Hexter, Paperback | Indigo Chapters