The Odyssey as a Post-War Work

“History is written by the victors.” While The Odyssey is not exactly a piece of nonfiction literature, the quote can still be applied here. The entire epic poem reads as an oral recollection of a grand tale, so it must have been told after the story was over, or post-‘Odysseus vs. suitors’ war. Also, at various points of the work, whenever the swineherd Eumaios says something, it is preceded by, “And you replied, Eumaios – O my loyal swineherd” (16, Line 71) which makes it sound like either Homer or Odysseus is telling the whole tale to the swineherd after the conflict was all over. What makes The Odyssey most like a post-war work though, is the grandeur of the story. Odysseus is a hero to rival all other heroes and his deeds and adventures are even more extravagant. There definitely was a lot of polishing and exaggeration in this piece about our protagonist and it reads as a tale told by a bard or a minstrel to entertain after this conflict was over. Odysseus was the victor, and him and those who heard his story, only heard his gassed up version of it.