The Odyssey, Books 19 & 20

Night falls on Ithaca as the stranger in rags prepares for justice. In Book 19, Odysseus and Telemachus spirit away the weapons, Penelope cross-examines the beggar, and faithful Euryclea knows her king by an old scar. In Book 20, sleepless prayers and thunderous omens announce the reckoning: loyal Eumaeus and Philoetius arrive, the suitors feast and taunt, and the seer Theoclymenus foresees their doom. William Johnston delivers a vivid, propulsive performance of Samuel Butler’s lucid prose translation, balancing tenderness and tension as vengeance draws near. This focused installment carries you to the very brink of the legendary bow contest—where loyalty, cunning, and fate converge. Perfect for first-time listeners and lifelong lovers of the classics alike.