The Odyssey

　　木馬入城，十年特洛伊大戰的煙塵落幕，希臘聯軍將領收甲揚帆，率部各歸故里，唯獨那智勇卓絕的奧德修斯因神作梗，漂萍四海，又顛沛十載，失盡隨從，方得返回伊薩卡，復要用計誅除他去國期間群居句中向王后皮奈洛普逼婚的王孫貴胄，始與堅貞睿智的母后重敘天倫。

　 　「伊利亞圍城記」多寫任性爭勝的奧林匹斯山諸神，以及命運潮汐裡起伏掙扎的英雄，意近悲劇；在「奧德修斯返國記」，荷馬將他廣闊的目光掃向山下的世界， 崇高瑰偉的悲壯境界，化為人性情味十足的浪漫風調。述全局則大氣磅礡、表人事則具體入妙，固是荷馬詩心圓照的一貫本色，側於情節之渾成巧構、心理之精微洞 識、角色性格之交錯多姿，更使這部傳頌千古的流浪還鄉記成為西方小說百世不祧的始祖。

　　本書中譯本<<奧德修斯返國記>>由聯經出版公司出版

　　Homer's great epic, The Odyssey, is perhaps Western literature's first adventure story, and certainly remains one of its finest. It describes King Odysseus of Ithaca's epic, ten-year quest to return home after the Trojan War. He encounters giants, sorceresses, sea-monsters and sirens, while his wife Penelope is forced to resist the suitors who besiege her on Ithaca. Both an enchanting fairy tale and a gripping drama, The Odyssey is immensely influential, not least for its rich complexity and the magnetism of its hero.

　　This Macmillan Collector's Library edition uses a translation by T. E. Lawrence, now remembered as 'Lawrence of Arabia' and the author of Seven Pillars of Wisdom. First published in 1932, his translation took four years to complete and has been continuously in print ever since. It is recognized as the first translation to be both faithful to the original text and written in accessible language. This edition also features an afterword by Ben Shaw.

　　Designed to appeal to the book lover, the Macmillan Collector's Library is a series of beautiful gift editions of much loved classic titles. Macmillan Collector's Library are books to love and treasure.

　　荷馬（Homer,約公元前9世紀—前8世紀），相傳為古希臘的游吟詩人，生于小亞細亞，創作了不朽史詩《伊利亞特》和《奧德賽》，統稱《荷馬史 詩》。關于荷馬其人，學界目前沒有確切證據證明荷馬的存在，所以也有人認為他是傳說中被構造出來的人物。而關于《荷馬史詩》，大多數學者認為是當時經過幾 個世紀口頭流傳的詩作的結晶。《荷馬史詩》語言簡練，情節生動，形象鮮明，結構嚴謹，是西方第一部重要的文學作品，影響極為深遠。

　　Homer is a legendary ancient Greek epic poet, traditionally said to be the creator of the epic poems the Iliad and the Odyssey. Homer's works form the groundwork of the Western Canon and are universally praised for their genius. Their formative influence in shaping many key aspects of Greek culture was recognized by the Greeks themselves, who considered him as their instructor.