Biblonia

Biblonia

The Axial Age Ulysses

Dr Cristian Ispir's avatar
Dr Cristian Ispir
Jun 02, 2025
∙ Paid
Joseph Mallord William Turner | AN ULYSSES DERIDING POLYPHEMUS AFTER JOSEPH TURNER (1829) | MutualArt
J.M.W. Turner, Ulysses deriding Polyphemus (1892), National Gallery

Few figures in Western literature have travelled as far—literally and metaphorically—as Ulysses.

In Homer’s Odyssey, Ulysses (Odysseus in Greek, of course) is the archetypal wanderer: cunning, resilient, and, above all, homesick. His nostos, or homecoming, is the emotional engine of the …

This post is for paid subscribers

Already a paid subscriber? Sign in
© 2025 Cristian I · Privacy ∙ Terms ∙ Collection notice
Start your SubstackGet the app
Substack is the home for great culture