Timeline of the Odyssey. Initially, beginning at the beginnings of Books I and V, there are two counts of days, with their correlation coming only in Book , with the meeting of Telemachus and Odysseus.

Situation at the beginning: Odysseus has been harassed on his return from Troy by the god Poseidon in revenge for the blinding of his son the Cyclops Polyphemus; Odysseus is a prisoner of Calypso, who wishes to make him her husband and immortal, on Ogygia; Odysseus longs to return to Ithaca and his wife Penelope. In Ithaca, suitors are wasting Odysseus’ substance feasting and seeking to marry Penelope; Penelope still hopes for Odysseus’ return; Telemachus approches the age of majority and thus a crisis of ownership of his house and stores. First Series, Day 1 Book 1 Council of the gods—Zeus has decided that Odysseus is to return—the plan is for Athena to help Odysseus and Hermes to announce Zeus’ decision to Calypso. Athena, disguised as Mentes, begins to prepare Ithaca by convincing Telemachus to order the suitors out and to seek news of Odysseus in Pylos and Sparta. First Series, Day 2 Book II Assembly—Telemachus invokes the Justice of Zeus to exhort the suitors to leave his house, and informs them of his plan to seek news. With the aid of Athena, now disguised as Mentor, he embarks for Pylos. First Series, Day 3 Book III Arrival at Pylos, ruled by Nestor. Telemachus asks news of his father. Nestor tells of the quarrel of Agamemnon, wanting to stay at Troy, and Menelaus, wanting to return home. Odysseus initially accompanies Nestor, Menelaus, and others homeward, but then turns back. The Myrmidons, Idomeneus, and Nestor return home. Menelaus is blown off course towards Egypt. When Agamemnon eventually returns home, he is killed by Aegisthus, the lover of his wife, Clytemnestra, and they are killed in turn by Agamemnon’s son Orestes. Athena, disguised as Mentor, departs, assuming the form of an osprey, and Nestor knows he has been visited by her. All retire in the palace. First Series, Day 4 Book III Nestor offers sacrifice to Athena and gives Telemachus a chariot and team with which to go overland to Sparta. First Series, Day 5 Books III and IV Nestor’s son Peisistratus takes Telemachus to Sparta—they find a wedding feast in progress, celebrating the double wedding of Menelaus’ and Helen’s son and daughter. Menelaus laments the war and Odysseus’ unknown fate most of all. Menelaus and to a greater extent Helen have inklings of Telemachus’ identity. Peisistratus confirms these inklings. Helen drugs the wine to wash away their sadness. She tells the story of how it was Odysseus who made contact with her to prepare the plot of the horse. Menelaus relates how it was Odysseus alone that made the ploy of the horse succeed by restraining the men from responding to the simulated voices of their wives. First Series, Day 6 Book IV Telemachus tells Menelaus of the suitors and asks for news of Odysseus. Menelaus forecasts their doom. Menelaus tells the story of how Proteus, the Old Man of the Sea, revealed to Menelaus in Pharos that Ajax was dead, Agamemnon had been murdered, that Menelaus himself would not die in Argos (?) but would go to the Elysian fields, and that the one who still wandered was Odysseus, who was the prisoner of Calypso. It is unclear how long Telemachus should remain at Sparta. Meanwhile, in Ithaca, the suitors contrive a plot to kill Telemachus on his return. Penelope learns of the plot, but her sister appears in a dream to reassure her. The suitors lie in wait… Second Series, Day Book V Hermes announced to Calypso that Zeus 1 has decided Odysseus is to return home. Odysseus and Calypso make love one last time (which is excised in our Dover Edition). Second Series, Book V Odysseus Builds raft Days 2-5 Second Series, Book V Odysseus sails east towards Scheria, the Days 5-21 (17 land of the Phaeacians, by keeping the days) Bear on his left. Second Series, Day Book V Poseidon realizes what is happening and 22 brings a violent storm that wrecks the raft. Ino gives him her immortal veil to protect him Second series, Days Book V Odysseus drifts 22-23 Second Series, Day Book V Odysseus spies coast of Scheria. Athena 24 helps him via controlling the winds and suggesting useful thoughts. He prays to the river and comes ashore. He sleeps sheltered under two trees. Second Series, Day Books VI and VII In the night, Athena comes to Nausicaa, 25 daughter of Alcinous, King of the Phaeacians, in a dream and suggests that she wash her clothes the next day in the river, since she will probably be getting married soon. Athena gives Odysseus a commanding and handsome aspect, despite his pitiful condition. Nausicaa has an idle fantasy about marrying him and tells him to follow her wagon at a discreet distance to her father’s park. He arrives at the park and prays to Athena that he get home as soon as possible. Athena shrouds him in mist and appears as a little girl and directs him to the palace. He enters and, on the instructions of both Nausicaa and Athena, goes to the Queen, Arete, clasps her knees in supplication, and asks to be taken home. Without saying who he is, he tells his story from Ogygia to the palace, and is welcomed. Alcinous offers him his daughter’s hand.