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After leading the Greeks to victory in the Trojan War with the 'Trojan Horse' ruse, Odysseus sets sail for his home, Ithaca, with his men. However, they face numerous trials during their voyage. • The Wrath of the Cyclops: While searching for food, they encounter the giant Polyphemus in a cave. After losing several comrades, Odysseus blinds the giant to escape. Since the giant was the son of Poseidon, god of the sea, Odysseus is cursed, causing his journey home to be severely derailed. • Circe the Witch and the Sirens: They encounter the witch Circe, who turns his men into pigs. Later, Odysseus barely survives the song of the Sirens—who lure sailors to their doom—by having his men tie him to the mast. • Scylla and Charybdis: Navigating the strait between the six-headed monster Scylla and the whirlpool monster Charybdis, he loses most of his remaining crew. • Calypso's Island: After losing his last ship and all his men, he drifts to the island of the nymph Calypso, where he is held captive for seven years. Finally released by the command of Zeus and the help of Athena, he sets out for Ithaca on a raft. 2. Mid-story: The Situation in Ithaca (The Struggles of Wife and Son) • As Odysseus has not returned for 20 years (10 years of war + 10 years of drifting), people believe he is dead. • The palace in Ithaca is overrun by rude suitors seeking to marry his wife, Penelope, and seize the throne, wasting his wealth and acting with insolence.