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CostasNarrativeXP 2026 July feature
"The Odyssey" by Homer
Published in 700-800 BCE

Translated by Robert Fagles

A profound exploration of human identity and resilience. True homecoming is not a matter of geographic travel, but a grueling psychological journey to reclaim one’s self and humanity through the restoration of vital relationships.

Book XIII-XXIV
00:29 XIII Ithaca at Last
28:57 XIV The Loyal Swineherd

1:03:40 XV The Prince Sets Sail for Home

1:38:39 XVI Father and Son

2:07:38 XVII Stranger at the Gates

2:46:28 XVIII The Beggar-King of Ithaca

3:13:37 XIX Penelope and Her Guest
3:51:36 XX Portents Gather

4:16:44 XXI Odysseus Strings His Bow

4:44:17 XXII Slaughter in the Hall

5:14:25 XXIII The Great Rooted Bed

5:37:30 XXIV Peace

Characters
Odysseus - The battle-hardened and incredibly cunning king of Ithaca whose twenty-year struggle to return home serves as the ultimate test of human resilience and identity.

Telemachus - Odysseus's coming-of-age son who transforms from a passive, fatherless prince into a courageous and essential brother-in-arms to reclaim his household.

Penelope - Odysseus’s brilliant and fiercely loyal queen who uses her exceptional wit and psychological grit to stall a hundred aggressive suitors for years.

Athena - The goddess of wisdom and strategic warfare who acts as the divine architect of the entire story, constantly orchestrating and protecting the family's survival.

Antinous - The cruel, arrogant, and politically ambitious leader of the suitors who serves as the primary antagonist by plotting to murder Telemachus and usurp the throne.

Costa's Wordbook
Cyllenian - related to Mount Cyllene in Arcadia, Greece, or to Hermes, who was born on the mountain

Danaan - interchangeable with Achaeans and Argives, to describe the Greek forces who fought at the Trojan War and journeyed home

Lave v arch. to wash, bathe, or flow against something like water against a shore

Hellespont - (modern-day Dardanelles) the launching point of Odysseus's journey home from Troy

Selections of 2026
Brave New World, The Little Prince, Songs of a Dead Dreamer, Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde, Anne of Green Gables, Wuthering Heights, East of Eden, The Stranger, The Godfather, The Murder of Roger Ackroyd, The Odyssey, Inferno, The Two Towers, Den of Thieves, Winnie the Pooh, The House at Pooh Corner.

Milestones
2021: 0 Full soundtrack, no editing, wife commentary, summary outline, irregular release
2022: 2.0 DaVinci editing, wordbook, book intro, AI voice + thumbnail, chapter summary, scheduled release
2023: 2.1 Descript, CapCut, Suno score, character intro, weekly release
2024: 2.2 Standard condenser mic, Audacity, ChatGPT annotation + illustration, timestamp, 1-hour content
2026: 2.3 Gemini definition, JP, CN, PT subtitles on selected YouTube videos

Platforms
YouTube, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Reddit, Amazon Music, Firstory, Pocket Casts, KKBOX, Castbox, Noice, Podcast Addict, SoundOn, Castro, Player FM