Episode 05: The Sleep of Odysseus

In The Sleep of Odysseus, we see Odysseus/Ulysses sailing towards Ithaca on his way back from Troy. As the shores of his native island appear on the horizon, Odysseus falls asleep, losing command of his ship, which is diverted from Ithaca by contrary winds. Having missed the opportunity to return home, he is condemned to many more years of perilous voyage before he can set foot on Ithaca again.

In this episode, Elena Borelli discusses The Sleep of Odysseus with Geoffrey Brock. The poem starts at minute 16.50.

From Giovanni Pascoli, Last Dream. Translated by Geoffrey Brock. New York: World Poetry Books, 2019. Used by permission of the author.