--- product_id: 1261045 title: "The Odyssey" price: "₱1572" currency: PHP in_stock: true reviews_count: 13 url: https://www.desertcart.ph/products/1261045-the-odyssey store_origin: PH region: Philippines --- # 4.6/5 rating #1 in Epic Poetry Epic ancient tale The Odyssey **Price:** ₱1572 **Availability:** ✅ In Stock ## Summary > 📖 Unlock the legendary journey that shaped storytelling forever! ## Quick Answers - **What is this?** The Odyssey - **How much does it cost?** ₱1572 with free shipping - **Is it available?** Yes, in stock and ready to ship - **Where can I buy it?** [www.desertcart.ph](https://www.desertcart.ph/products/1261045-the-odyssey) ## Best For - Customers looking for quality international products ## Why This Product - Free international shipping included - Worldwide delivery with tracking - 15-day hassle-free returns ## Key Features - • **Top-Ranked Classic:** Ranked #1 in Ancient & Classical Poetry and Epic Poetry—join the elite readers' circle. - • **Enduring Popularity:** Over 9,500 glowing reviews prove this is a must-have for any serious reader or professional bookshelf. - • **Rich Cultural Legacy:** Explore themes of heroism, morality, and mythology that shaped Western literature. - • **Masterful Translation:** Robert Fagles’ acclaimed translation brings Homer’s complex narrative to life with clarity and power. - • **Timeless Epic Adventure:** Dive into one of the earliest and most influential adventure stories ever told. ## Overview The Odyssey, translated by Robert Fagles, is a top-ranked epic poem that chronicles Odysseus’ adventurous return from the Trojan War. Celebrated for its rich narrative and cultural significance, this classic holds a 4.6-star rating from over 9,500 readers and remains a cornerstone of ancient literature and modern literary study. ## Description desertcart.com: The Odyssey: 9780140268867: Homer, Robert Fagles, Bernard Knox: Books Review: Great book - Wonderful book to give people lessons and encourage for the life. Excellent translation. Review: A Riveting Adventure Tale - As I said in a recent review of Robert Fagles' translation of the Iliad into English, there are very few people on the planet with the necessary knowledge to judge his work as a translator of Homer, and so I cannot comment on the quality of the translation other than to say that I enjoyed the end product immensely. I'll confine my comments more narrowly towards the poem itself and Homer, its author. After reading Fagles' translations of the Iliad and the Odyssey I am struck by one thing and that is this. At no time do any of the major characters (Achilles, Odysseus, etc.) show regret for killing any of the numerous people that they do. They may regret that they offended the gods in some way but that is not the same thing as admitting moral culpability. So for example, in Book 9 of the Odyssey, Odysseus recounts how after leaving Troy (which he sacked) his ships attacked the city of Ismarus, home to the Cicones. His men killed all the men of the town and took all the women as sex slaves. Never once does Odysseus show regret for this action which took place after the Trojan War was already over. Never once does any god or goddess (e.g., Athena) chastise him for this action or punish him for it. He and his men are punished for other lesser offenses such as killing the cows of the Sun, but the attitude that Homer clearly has is that all things are fair in war. This is clearly the attitude of Homer's own times and it stands in stark contrast to our own. The Homeric gods do not uphold a consistent standard of morality applicable to all human beings. Indeed, since they fight amongst each other and since they each have their own agenda all that a man need do to survive is to find favor with a particular god or goddess who will protect him. And that seems to be what Odysseus does with Athena protecting him although Poseidon wants him to suffer. So the question of whether Odysseus is morally right would not even enter Homer's mind. It is beside the point. If we keep this point in mind I think we can understand the flow of the poem much better. It does seem ironic that a man like Odysseus would be zealous for supplicants' rights, supposedly granted by Zeus, in the case of himself being the supplicant (e.g., in Phaeacia, etc.) while at the same time refusing Leodes in Book 22 who pleads for his life. Odysseus lops off his head with a sword. Apparently Homer sees no contradiction in this since no explanation is ever given, but then again Odysseus is the man of twists and turns. I doubt his moral rectitude was ever the main point. Homer makes him out to be somewhat prickly and unapproachable. If he were written today we would call Odysseus the antihero which is quite ironic given that he is one of the prime archetypes of the Greek hero. Of course, the travels and travails starting with the island of the Cyclops are great fun. It's hard to imagine that Homer had some historical itinerary in mind although I would note that at the time of writing the Odyssey (725 - 675 BCE) the Greeks were exploring and establishing colonies around the entire Mediterranean. There must have been fabulous sailors' tales in circulation concerning the strange people the Greeks were coming into contact with. This would have been similar to the fantastic tales that came out of the European age of exploration in the 16th and 17th centuries. All it would take would be for Homer to latch onto some of the more outrageous tales and adapt them to his own needs. Book 11 which has Odysseus and crew voyage to Hades, the Land of the Dead, was quite interesting although it was never quite explained why the spirits in Hades couldn't build their own ships and leave Hades the way Odysseus did. In any case the Odyssey is a lot of rollicking good fun for the most part. It is one of the first adventure stories ever told and it's still a great read all these centuries later. ## Technical Specifications | Specification | Value | |---------------|-------| | ASIN | 0140268863 | | Best Sellers Rank | #1,555 in Books ( See Top 100 in Books ) #3 in Ancient & Classical Poetry #4 in Epic Poetry (Books) #57 in Classic Literature & Fiction | | Customer Reviews | 4.7 4.7 out of 5 stars (4,302) | | Dimensions | 8.4 x 5.7 x 1.5 inches | | Edition | Reprint | | ISBN-10 | 9780140268867 | | ISBN-13 | 978-0140268867 | | Item Weight | 1.32 pounds | | Language | English | | Print length | 541 pages | | Publication date | November 29, 1999 | | Publisher | Penguin Classics | | Reading age | 18 years and up | ## Images ![The Odyssey - Image 1](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/81g0AATkO9L.jpg) ## Customer Reviews ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Great book *by X***U on January 26, 2026* Wonderful book to give people lessons and encourage for the life. Excellent translation. ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ A Riveting Adventure Tale *by T***G on April 16, 2014* As I said in a recent review of Robert Fagles' translation of the Iliad into English, there are very few people on the planet with the necessary knowledge to judge his work as a translator of Homer, and so I cannot comment on the quality of the translation other than to say that I enjoyed the end product immensely. I'll confine my comments more narrowly towards the poem itself and Homer, its author. After reading Fagles' translations of the Iliad and the Odyssey I am struck by one thing and that is this. At no time do any of the major characters (Achilles, Odysseus, etc.) show regret for killing any of the numerous people that they do. They may regret that they offended the gods in some way but that is not the same thing as admitting moral culpability. So for example, in Book 9 of the Odyssey, Odysseus recounts how after leaving Troy (which he sacked) his ships attacked the city of Ismarus, home to the Cicones. His men killed all the men of the town and took all the women as sex slaves. Never once does Odysseus show regret for this action which took place after the Trojan War was already over. Never once does any god or goddess (e.g., Athena) chastise him for this action or punish him for it. He and his men are punished for other lesser offenses such as killing the cows of the Sun, but the attitude that Homer clearly has is that all things are fair in war. This is clearly the attitude of Homer's own times and it stands in stark contrast to our own. The Homeric gods do not uphold a consistent standard of morality applicable to all human beings. Indeed, since they fight amongst each other and since they each have their own agenda all that a man need do to survive is to find favor with a particular god or goddess who will protect him. And that seems to be what Odysseus does with Athena protecting him although Poseidon wants him to suffer. So the question of whether Odysseus is morally right would not even enter Homer's mind. It is beside the point. If we keep this point in mind I think we can understand the flow of the poem much better. It does seem ironic that a man like Odysseus would be zealous for supplicants' rights, supposedly granted by Zeus, in the case of himself being the supplicant (e.g., in Phaeacia, etc.) while at the same time refusing Leodes in Book 22 who pleads for his life. Odysseus lops off his head with a sword. Apparently Homer sees no contradiction in this since no explanation is ever given, but then again Odysseus is the man of twists and turns. I doubt his moral rectitude was ever the main point. Homer makes him out to be somewhat prickly and unapproachable. If he were written today we would call Odysseus the antihero which is quite ironic given that he is one of the prime archetypes of the Greek hero. Of course, the travels and travails starting with the island of the Cyclops are great fun. It's hard to imagine that Homer had some historical itinerary in mind although I would note that at the time of writing the Odyssey (725 - 675 BCE) the Greeks were exploring and establishing colonies around the entire Mediterranean. There must have been fabulous sailors' tales in circulation concerning the strange people the Greeks were coming into contact with. This would have been similar to the fantastic tales that came out of the European age of exploration in the 16th and 17th centuries. All it would take would be for Homer to latch onto some of the more outrageous tales and adapt them to his own needs. Book 11 which has Odysseus and crew voyage to Hades, the Land of the Dead, was quite interesting although it was never quite explained why the spirits in Hades couldn't build their own ships and leave Hades the way Odysseus did. In any case the Odyssey is a lot of rollicking good fun for the most part. It is one of the first adventure stories ever told and it's still a great read all these centuries later. ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Great story, readable translation *by D***B on December 20, 2025* Nothing I can say about this that hasn't already been said. An amazing story and a very readable translation. ## Frequently Bought Together - The Odyssey - The Iliad - The Aeneid (Penguin Classics Deluxe Edition) --- ## Why Shop on Desertcart? - 🛒 **Trusted by 1.3+ Million Shoppers** — Serving international shoppers since 2016 - 🌍 **Shop Globally** — Access 737+ million products across 21 categories - 💰 **No Hidden Fees** — All customs, duties, and taxes included in the price - 🔄 **15-Day Free Returns** — Hassle-free returns (30 days for PRO members) - 🔒 **Secure Payments** — Trusted payment options with buyer protection - ⭐ **TrustPilot Rated 4.5/5** — Based on 8,000+ happy customer reviews **Shop now:** [https://www.desertcart.ph/products/1261045-the-odyssey](https://www.desertcart.ph/products/1261045-the-odyssey) --- *Product available on Desertcart Philippines* *Store origin: PH* *Last updated: 2026-04-23*