Wikipedia - User contributions [en]

Quo Vadis? (miniseries)

2024-07-02T00:48:23Z

89.164.191.195:

{{Short description|1985 Italian TV miniseries}}
{{Other uses|Quo vadis (disambiguation)}}
{{Infobox film
| name = Quo Vadis?
| image = Quo Vadis? (miniseries).jpg
| caption =
| director = [[Franco Rossi (director)|Franco Rossi]]
| producer = {{ubl|Elio Scardamaglia|Francesco Scardamaglia}}
| based_on = {{based on|''[[Quo Vadis (novel)|Quo Vadis]]''|[[Henryk Sienkiewicz]]}}
| writer = [[Ennio De Concini]]
| narrator =
| starring = {{ubl|[[Klaus Maria Brandauer]]|[[Max von Sydow]]|[[Frederic Forrest]]|[[Cristina Raines]]|[[Francesco Quinn]]}}
| music = [[Piero Piccioni]]
| cinematography = [[Luigi Kuveiller]]
| editing = [[Giorgio Serrallonga]]
| distributor =
| released = {{Film date|1985|2|24}}
| runtime = 6 hours
| country = various
| language = English Italian
| budget =
}}

'''''Quo Vadis?''''' is a [[1985 in television|1985]] international [[television miniseries]] made by [[Radiotelevisione Italiana]], [[France 2|Antenne 2]], Polyphon Film- und Fernsehgesellschaft, [[Channel 4|Channel 4 Television]], [[Televisión Española]] and [[Radiotelevisione svizzera di lingua italiana|Televisione Svizzera Italiana]] (TSI). It was directed by [[Franco Rossi (director)|Franco Rossi]] and produced by Elio Scardamaglia and Francesco Scardamaglia. The script was by [[Ennio De Concini]] based on the 1896 novel ''[[Quo Vadis (novel)|Quo Vadis]]'' by [[Henryk Sienkiewicz]].<ref name=Grasso>Aldo Grasso, Massimo Scaglioni. ''Enciclopedia della Televisione''. Garzanti, Milano, 1996 – 2003. {{ISBN|881150466X}}.</ref>

The series lasts six hours and was originally shown in six one-hour episodes.<ref name="Grasso"/>

==Plot summary==
{{Expand section|date=March 2023}}

==Cast==
* [[Klaus Maria Brandauer]] as Nero
* [[Frederic Forrest]] as Petronius
* [[Cristina Raines]] as Poppaea
* [[Barbara De Rossi]] as Eunice
* [[Francesco Quinn]] as Marcus Vinicius
* [[Max von Sydow]] as The Apostle Peter
* Marie-Theres Relin as Licya
* [[Gabriele Ferzetti]] as Piso
* [[Ángela Molina]] as Acte
* [[Massimo Girotti]] as Aulus Plauzius
* [[Françoise Fabian]] as Pomponia
* [[Philippe Leroy]] as Paul of Tarsus
* [[Leopoldo Trieste]] as Chilo
* [[Olga Karlatos]] as Epicaris
* [[Marko Nikolić (actor)|Marko Nikolic]] as Tigellinus
* [[Georges Wilson]] as Pedanius
* [[Marisa Solinas]] as Polybia
* [[Annie Belle]] as Myriam
* Valerija Brkljač as Epafrodito
* [[Radomir Kovačević]] as Ursus

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* {{IMDb title|89870}}
* {{allMovie title|39931}}

{{Quo Vadis (novel)}}
{{Franco Rossi}}
{{Rai original series}}
{{Televisión Española original series}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:1985 films]]
[[Category:Films based on works by Henryk Sienkiewicz]]
[[Category:Films directed by Franco Rossi]]
[[Category:Films set in classical antiquity]]
[[Category:Television dramas set in ancient Rome]]
[[Category:Italian drama films]]
[[Category:Italian television miniseries]]
[[Category:Depictions of Nero on television]]
[[Category:Cultural depictions of Poppaea Sabina]]
[[Category:Cultural depictions of Saint Peter]]
[[Category:Cultural depictions of Paul the Apostle]]
[[Category:Television series set in the 1st century]]
[[Category:1980s Italian films]]
[[Category:Television series set in the Roman Empire]]

{{1980s-Italy-film-stub}}

Quo Vadis? (miniseries)

2024-07-02T00:47:52Z

89.164.191.195:

Eneide (TV serial)

2024-07-02T00:09:04Z

89.164.191.195:

{{short description|1971 Italian television serial}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2020}}
{{Use British English|date=October 2020}}
{{Infobox television
| image =
| image_size =
| image_alt =
| caption =
| genre = [[Adventure fiction|Adventure]], [[mythology]]
| creator =
| based_on = ''[[Aeneid]]'' by [[Virgil]]
| screenplay = Arnaldo Bagnasco Vittorio Bonicelli [[P. M. Pasinetti]] Mario Prosperi [[Franco Rossi (director)|Franco Rossi]]
| director = Franco Rossi
| starring = [[Giulio Brogi]] [[Olga Karlatos]]
| narrated =
| theme_music_composer = [[Mario Nascimbene]]
| country = Italy Germany France Yugoslavia
| language = Italian
| num_series =
| num_episodes = 7
| producer =
| editor = [[Giorgio Serrallonga]]
| cinematography = [[Vittorio Storaro]]
| runtime = 311 minutes 100 minutes (theatrical)
| company =
| budget =
| network = [[Rai 1|Programma Nazionale]]
| first_aired = {{Start date|1971|12|19|df=yes}}
| last_aired = {{End date|1972|1|30|df=yes}}
}}

'''''Eneide''''' is a seven-episode 1971–1972 Italian television drama, adapted by [[Franco Rossi (director)|Franco Rossi]] from [[Virgil]]'s epic poem the ''[[Aeneid]]''. It stars [[Giulio Brogi]] as [[Aeneas]] and [[Olga Karlatos]] as [[Dido]], and also stars [[Alessandro Haber]], [[Andrea Giordana]] and [[Marilù Tolo]]. [[RAI]] originally broadcast the hour-long episodes from 19 December 1971 to 30 January 1972. A shorter theatrical version was released in 1974 as '''''Le avventure di Enea'''''.

==Plot==
'''Episode 1:''' The city of [[Troy]] is in ruins after the [[Trojan War]]. One of the survivors is the [[demigod]] [[Aeneas]], who escaped with a Trojan fleet. He arrives at [[Carthage]] in North Africa, where the queen [[Dido]] asks him to tell his story. He begins by telling her about the [[Trojan Horse]].

'''Episode 2:''' Aeneas tells Dido how he travelled on the Mediterranean Sea and visited [[Delos]], where an [[oracle]] told him to find the "ancient mother". He decided to travel west.

'''Episode 3:''' After having heard Aeneas' story, Dido dismisses him. She is however fascinated by his search for the earth mother and cannot sleep. She tells him to go and find her in the land [[Hesperia (mythology)|Hesperia]], located in the north.

'''Episode 4:''' Aeneas finds a community of Trojan survivors on an island. [[Juno (mythology)|Juno]] instigates the Trojan women to set fire to the fleet, but it is saved by rainfall.

'''Episode 5:''' Aeneas' mother [[Venus (mythology)|Venus]] guides him to the underworld to receive strength from his father's shadow. The Trojans arrive at the [[Tiber]] in [[Latium]], where a prophecy says that [[Lavinia]], the daughter of the king [[Latinus]], will marry a foreigner. Aeneas develops a bond with [[Turnus]], king of the [[Rutuli]].

'''Episode 6:''' After advice from Latinus, Aeneas visits the inland, where an old Greek man tells him legends. Intrigues involving Lavinia and Turnus stir up conflict between the Trojans and the Latins.

'''Episode 7:''' To solve the conflict, Aeneas challenges Turnus in single combat to the death. He wins and marries Lavinia. On his deathbed, Latinus bequeaths his land to Aeneas.

==Cast==
{{multiple image
| align = right
| total_width = 320
| image1 = Anna Maria Gherardi Eneide.jpg
| alt1 = The actress Anna Maria Gherardi
| image2 = Andrea Giordana Eneide.jpg
| alt2 = The actor Andrea Giordana
| footer = Anna Maria Gherardi as Amata and Andrea Giordana as Turnus
}}
* [[Giulio Brogi]] as Aeneas
* [[Olga Karlatos]] as Dido
* [[Andrea Giordana]] as Turnus
* [[Marilù Tolo]] as Venus
* Vasa Pantelic as [[Anchises]]
* Arsen Costa as [[Ascanius]]
* Marisa Bartoli as [[Andromache]]
* Angelica Zielke as [[Creusa of Troy|Creusa]]
* Ilaria Guerrini as Juno
* [[Alessandro Haber]] as [[Misenus]]
* Christian Ledoux as [[Palinurus]]
* Jaspar Von Oertzen as [[Evander of Pallantium|Evander]]
* Jagoda Ristic as Lavinia
* [[Anna Maria Gherardi]] as [[Amata]]
* [[Janez Vrhovec]] as Latinus

==Production==
[[Franco Rossi (director)|Franco Rossi]]'s [[The Odyssey (1968 miniseries)|1968 television adaptation]] of [[Homer]]'s ''[[Odyssey]]'' had been a success in Italy and elsewhere in Europe, and was followed by an adaptation of the ancient Roman author [[Virgil]]'s epic poem the ''[[Aeneid]]''.<ref name="exoticeroticheroic">{{cite book |last=García Morcillo |first=Marta |year=2020 |chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=2wvBDwAAQBAJ&pg=PA82 |chapter=Exotic, Erotic, Heroic? Women of Carthage in Western Imagination |editor1-last=Carlà-Uhink |editor1-first=Filippo |editor2-last=Wieber |editor2-first=Anja |title=Orientalism and the Reception of Powerful Women from the Ancient World |location=London and New York |publisher=Bloomsbury Academic |page=82 |isbn=978-1-3500-5010-5}}</ref> Like in Rossi's ''Odyssey'', [[Roberto Rossellini]]'s television works and [[Pier Paolo Pasolini]]'s films such as ''[[Oedipus Rex (1967 film)|Oedipus Rex]]'' (1967) and ''[[Medea (1969 film)|Medea]]'' (1969) provided inspiration for the use of natural locations and sometimes intentionally anachronistic set and costume designs.<ref>{{cite book |last=García Morcillo |first=Marta |year=2015 |chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=DaugBgAAQBAJ&pg=PA139 |chapter=The East in the West: The Rise and Fall of Ancient Carthage in Modern Imagery and in Film |editor1-last=García Morcillo |editor1-first=Marta |editor2-last=Hanesworth |editor2-first=Pauline |editor3-last=Lapeña Marchena |editor3-first=Óscar |title=Imagining Ancient Cities in Film: From Babylon to Cinecittà |location=London and New York |publisher=Routledge |page=139 |isbn=978-0-415-84397-3}}</ref> The exterior scenes set in [[Carthage]] were filmed in the [[Bamyan]] valley in Afghanistan, where one of [[Buddhas of Bamyan|the giant Buddha statues]] was used to represent an unnamed pre-Tyrian god.<ref name="exoticeroticheroic" />

==Reception==
''Eneide'' premiered on the Italian public television network [[RAI]]'s channel [[Rai 1|Programma Nazionale]], where it aired from 19 December 1971 to 30 January 1972.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.raiplay.it/programmi/eneide |title=Eneide |language=it |publisher=[[RaiPlay]] |access-date=12 October 2020}}</ref> Like Rossi's ''Odyssey'' before and his ''[[Quo Vadis? (miniseries)|Quo Vadis?]]'' in 1985, it was well received and distributed internationally.<ref>{{cite book |last=Pomeroy |first=Arthur J. |year=2017 |chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=3kwnDwAAQBAJ&pg=PT341 |chapter=Franco Rossi's Adaptations of the Classics |editor-last=Pomero |editor-first=Arthur J. |title=A Companion to Ancient Greece and Rome on Screen |location=Malden, Massachusett |publisher=Wiley-Blackwell |page=253 |isbn=978-1-118-74135-1}}</ref> In 1974, a theatrical version edited down to 100 minutes was released in Italian cinemas as ''Le avventure di Enea'' ({{Literal translation|The adventures of Aeneas}}).<ref>{{cite web |author=Cinematografo |url=https://www.cinematografo.it/cinedatabase/film/le-avventure-di-enea/14020/ |title=Le avventure di Enea |language=it |publisher=Fondazione Ente dello Spettacolo |access-date=12 October 2020}}</ref>

==See also==
* [[The Odyssey (1968 miniseries)]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
* {{IMDb title|id=0271898|title=}}

{{Aeneid}}
{{Franco Rossi}}
{{Rai original series}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:1971 Italian television series debuts]]
[[Category:1972 Italian television series endings]]
[[Category:1970s television miniseries]]
[[Category:Italian television miniseries]]
[[Category:Works based on the Aeneid]]
[[Category:Television shows based on poems]]
[[Category:Television series based on classical mythology]]
[[Category:Cultural depictions of Dido]]
[[Category:Films directed by Franco Rossi]]
[[Category:Films scored by Mario Nascimbene]]
[[Category:Italian adventure television series]]
[[Category:Italian drama television series]]
[[Category:Italian-language television shows]]

Eneide (TV serial)

2024-07-02T00:08:38Z

89.164.191.195:

{{short description|1971 Italian television serial}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2020}}
{{Use British English|date=October 2020}}
{{Infobox television
| image =
| image_size =
| image_alt =
| caption =
| genre = [[Adventure fiction|Adventure]], [[mythology]]
| creator =
| based_on = ''[[Aeneid]]'' by [[Virgil]]
| screenplay = Arnaldo Bagnasco Vittorio Bonicelli [[P. M. Pasinetti]] Mario Prosperi [[Franco Rossi (director)|Franco Rossi]]
| director = Franco Rossi
| starring = [[Giulio Brogi]] [[Olga Karlatos]]
| narrated =
| theme_music_composer = [[Mario Nascimbene]]
| country = Italy Germany France Yugoslavia
| language = Italian
| num_series =
| num_episodes = 7
| producer =
| editor = [[Giorgio Serrallonga]]
| cinematography = [[Vittorio Storaro]]
| runtime = 311 minutes 100 minutes (theatrical)
| company =
| budget =
| network = [[Rai 1|Programma Nazionale]]
| first_aired = {{Start date|1971|12|19|df=yes}}
| last_aired = {{End date|1972|1|30|df=yes}}
}}

'''''Eneide''''' is a seven-episode 1971–1972 Italian television drama, adapted by [[Franco Rossi (director)|Franco Rossi]] from [[Virgil]]'s epic poem the ''[[Aeneid]]''. It stars [[Giulio Brogi]] as [[Aeneas]] and [[Olga Karlatos]] as [[Dido]], and also stars [[Alessandro Haber]], [[Andrea Giordana]] and [[Marilù Tolo]]. [[RAI]] originally broadcast the hour-long episodes from 19 December 1971 to 30 January 1972. A shorter theatrical version was released in 1974 as '''''Le avventure di Enea'''''.

==Plot==
'''Episode 1:''' The city of [[Troy]] is in ruins after the [[Trojan War]]. One of the survivors is the [[demigod]] [[Aeneas]], who escaped with a Trojan fleet. He arrives at [[Carthage]] in North Africa, where the queen [[Dido]] asks him to tell his story. He begins by telling her about the [[Trojan Horse]].

'''Episode 2:''' Aeneas tells Dido how he travelled on the Mediterranean Sea and visited [[Delos]], where an [[oracle]] told him to find the "ancient mother". He decided to travel west.

'''Episode 3:''' After having heard Aeneas' story, Dido dismisses him. She is however fascinated by his search for the earth mother and cannot sleep. She tells him to go and find her in the land [[Hesperia (mythology)|Hesperia]], located in the north.

'''Episode 4:''' Aeneas finds a community of Trojan survivors on an island. [[Juno (mythology)|Juno]] instigates the Trojan women to set fire to the fleet, but it is saved by rainfall.

'''Episode 5:''' Aeneas' mother [[Venus (mythology)|Venus]] guides him to the underworld to receive strength from his father's shadow. The Trojans arrive at the [[Tiber]] in [[Latium]], where a prophecy says that [[Lavinia]], the daughter of the king [[Latinus]], will marry a foreigner. Aeneas develops a bond with [[Turnus]], king of the [[Rutuli]].

'''Episode 6:''' After advice from Latinus, Aeneas visits the inland, where an old Greek man tells him legends. Intrigues involving Lavinia and Turnus stir up conflict between the Trojans and the Latins.

'''Episode 7:''' To solve the conflict, Aeneas challenges Turnus in single combat to the death. He wins and marries Lavinia. On his deathbed, Latinus bequeaths his land to Aeneas.

==Cast==
{{multiple image
| align = right
| total_width = 320
| image1 = Anna Maria Gherardi Eneide.jpg
| alt1 = The actress Anna Maria Gherardi
| image2 = Andrea Giordana Eneide.jpg
| alt2 = The actor Andrea Giordana
| footer = Anna Maria Gherardi as Amata and Andrea Giordana as Turnus
}}
* [[Giulio Brogi]] as Aeneas
* [[Olga Karlatos]] as Dido
* [[Andrea Giordana]] as Turnus
* [[Marilù Tolo]] as Venus
* Vasa Pantelic as [[Anchises]]
* Arsen Costa as [[Ascanius]]
* Marisa Bartoli as [[Andromache]]
* Angelica Zielke as [[Creusa of Troy|Creusa]]
* Ilaria Guerrini as Juno
* [[Alessandro Haber]] as [[Misenus]]
* Christian Ledoux as [[Palinurus]]
* Jaspar Von Oertzen as [[Evander of Pallantium|Evander]]
* Jagoda Ristic as Lavinia
* [[Anna Maria Gherardi]] as [[Amata]]
* [[Janez Vrhovec]] as Latinus

==Production==
[[Franco Rossi (director)|Franco Rossi]]'s [[The Odyssey (1968 miniseries)|1968 television adaptation]] of [[Homer]]'s ''[[Odyssey]]'' had been a success in Italy and elsewhere in Europe, and was followed by an adaptation of the ancient Roman author [[Virgil]]'s epic poem the ''[[Aeneid]]''.<ref name="exoticeroticheroic">{{cite book |last=García Morcillo |first=Marta |year=2020 |chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=2wvBDwAAQBAJ&pg=PA82 |chapter=Exotic, Erotic, Heroic? Women of Carthage in Western Imagination |editor1-last=Carlà-Uhink |editor1-first=Filippo |editor2-last=Wieber |editor2-first=Anja |title=Orientalism and the Reception of Powerful Women from the Ancient World |location=London and New York |publisher=Bloomsbury Academic |page=82 |isbn=978-1-3500-5010-5}}</ref> Like in Rossi's ''Odyssey'', [[Roberto Rossellini]]'s television works and [[Pier Paolo Pasolini]]'s films such as ''[[Oedipus Rex (1967 film)|Oedipus Rex]]'' (1967) and ''[[Medea (1969 film)|Medea]]'' (1969) provided inspiration for the use of natural locations and sometimes intentionally anachronistic set and costume designs.<ref>{{cite book |last=García Morcillo |first=Marta |year=2015 |chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=DaugBgAAQBAJ&pg=PA139 |chapter=The East in the West: The Rise and Fall of Ancient Carthage in Modern Imagery and in Film |editor1-last=García Morcillo |editor1-first=Marta |editor2-last=Hanesworth |editor2-first=Pauline |editor3-last=Lapeña Marchena |editor3-first=Óscar |title=Imagining Ancient Cities in Film: From Babylon to Cinecittà |location=London and New York |publisher=Routledge |page=139 |isbn=978-0-415-84397-3}}</ref> The exterior scenes set in [[Carthage]] were filmed in the [[Bamyan]] valley in Afghanistan, where one of [[Buddhas of Bamyan|the giant Buddha statues]] was used to represent an unnamed pre-Tyrian god.<ref name="exoticeroticheroic" />

==Reception==
''Eneide'' premiered on the Italian public television network [[RAI]]'s channel [[Rai 1|Programma Nazionale]], where it aired from 19 December 1971 to 30 January 1972.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.raiplay.it/programmi/eneide |title=Eneide |language=it |publisher=[[RaiPlay]] |access-date=12 October 2020 }}</ref> Like Rossi's ''Odyssey'' before and his ''[[Quo Vadis? (miniseries)|Quo Vadis?]]'' in 1985, it was well received and distributed internationally.<ref>{{cite book |last=Pomeroy |first=Arthur J. |year=2017 |chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=3kwnDwAAQBAJ&pg=PT341 |chapter=Franco Rossi's Adaptations of the Classics |editor-last=Pomero |editor-first=Arthur J. |title=A Companion to Ancient Greece and Rome on Screen |location=Malden, Massachusett |publisher=Wiley-Blackwell |page=253 |isbn=978-1-118-74135-1 }}</ref> In 1974, a theatrical version edited down to 100 minutes was released in Italian cinemas as ''Le avventure di Enea'' ({{Literal translation|The adventures of Aeneas}}).<ref>{{cite web |author=Cinematografo |url=https://www.cinematografo.it/cinedatabase/film/le-avventure-di-enea/14020/ |title=Le avventure di Enea |language=it |publisher=Fondazione Ente dello Spettacolo |access-date=12 October 2020 }}</ref>

==See also==
* [[The Odyssey (1968 miniseries)]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
* {{IMDb title|id=0271898|title=}}

{{Aeneid}}
{{Franco Rossi}}
{{Rai original series}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:1971 Italian television series debuts]]
[[Category:1972 Italian television series endings]]
[[Category:1970s television miniseries]]
[[Category:Italian television miniseries]]
[[Category:Works based on the Aeneid]]
[[Category:Television shows based on poems]]
[[Category:Television series based on classical mythology]]
[[Category:Cultural depictions of Dido]]
[[Category:Films directed by Franco Rossi]]
[[Category:Films scored by Mario Nascimbene]]
[[Category:Italian adventure television series]]
[[Category:Italian drama television series]]
[[Category:Italian-language television shows]]

Eneide (TV serial)

2024-07-02T00:08:14Z

89.164.191.195: /* Cast */

{{short description|1971 Italian television serial}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2020}}
{{Use British English|date=October 2020}}
{{Infobox television
| image =
| image_size =
| image_alt =
| caption =
| genre = [[Adventure fiction|Adventure]], [[mythology]]
| creator =
| based_on = ''[[Aeneid]]'' by [[Virgil]]
| screenplay = Arnaldo Bagnasco Vittorio Bonicelli [[P. M. Pasinetti]] Mario Prosperi [[Franco Rossi (director)|Franco Rossi]]
| director = Franco Rossi
| starring = [[Giulio Brogi]] [[Olga Karlatos]]
| narrated =
| theme_music_composer = [[Mario Nascimbene]]
| country = Italy Germany France Yugoslavia
| language = Italian
| num_series =
| num_episodes = 7
| producer =
| editor = [[Giorgio Serrallonga]]
| cinematography = [[Vittorio Storaro]]
| runtime = 311 minutes 100 minutes (theatrical)
| company =
| budget =
| network = [[Rai 1|Programma Nazionale]]
| first_aired = {{Start date|1971|12|19|df=yes}}
| last_aired = {{End date|1972|1|30|df=yes}}
}}

'''''Eneide''''' is a seven-episode 1971–1972 Italian television drama, adapted by [[Franco Rossi (director)|Franco Rossi]] from [[Virgil]]'s epic poem the ''[[Aeneid]]''. It stars [[Giulio Brogi]] as [[Aeneas]] and [[Olga Karlatos]] as [[Dido]], and also stars [[Alessandro Haber]], [[Andrea Giordana]] and [[Marilù Tolo]]. [[RAI]] originally broadcast the hour-long episodes from 19 December 1971 to 30 January 1972. A shorter theatrical version was released in 1974 as '''''Le avventure di Enea'''''.

==Plot==
'''Episode 1:''' The city of [[Troy]] is in ruins after the [[Trojan War]]. One of the survivors is the [[demigod]] [[Aeneas]], who escaped with a Trojan fleet. He arrives at [[Carthage]] in North Africa, where the queen [[Dido]] asks him to tell his story. He begins by telling her about the [[Trojan Horse]].

'''Episode 2:''' Aeneas tells Dido how he travelled on the Mediterranean Sea and visited [[Delos]], where an [[oracle]] told him to find the "ancient mother". He decided to travel west.

'''Episode 3:''' After having heard Aeneas' story, Dido dismisses him. She is however fascinated by his search for the earth mother and cannot sleep. She tells him to go and find her in the land [[Hesperia (mythology)|Hesperia]], located in the north.

'''Episode 4:''' Aeneas finds a community of Trojan survivors on an island. [[Juno (mythology)|Juno]] instigates the Trojan women to set fire to the fleet, but it is saved by rainfall.

'''Episode 5:''' Aeneas' mother [[Venus (mythology)|Venus]] guides him to the underworld to receive strength from his father's shadow. The Trojans arrive at the [[Tiber]] in [[Latium]], where a prophecy says that [[Lavinia]], the daughter of the king [[Latinus]], will marry a foreigner. Aeneas develops a bond with [[Turnus]], king of the [[Rutuli]].

'''Episode 6:''' After advice from Latinus, Aeneas visits the inland, where an old Greek man tells him legends. Intrigues involving Lavinia and Turnus stir up conflict between the Trojans and the Latins.

'''Episode 7:''' To solve the conflict, Aeneas challenges Turnus in single combat to the death. He wins and marries Lavinia. On his deathbed, Latinus bequeaths his land to Aeneas.

==Cast==
{{multiple image
| align = right
| total_width = 320
| image1 = Anna Maria Gherardi Eneide.jpg
| alt1 = The actress Anna Maria Gherardi
| image2 = Andrea Giordana Eneide.jpg
| alt2 = The actor Andrea Giordana
| footer = Anna Maria Gherardi as Amata and Andrea Giordana as Turnus
}}
* [[Giulio Brogi]] as Aeneas
* [[Olga Karlatos]] as Dido
* [[Andrea Giordana]] as Turnus
* [[Marilù Tolo]] as Venus
* Vasa Pantelic as [[Anchises]]
* Arsen Costa as [[Ascanius]]
* Marisa Bartoli as [[Andromache]]
* Angelica Zielke as [[Creusa of Troy|Creusa]]
* Ilaria Guerrini as Juno
* [[Alessandro Haber]] as [[Misenus]]
* Christian Ledoux as [[Palinurus]]
* Jaspar Von Oertzen as [[Evander of Pallantium|Evander]]
* Jagoda Ristic as Lavinia
* [[Anna Maria Gherardi]] as [[Amata]]
* [[Janez Vrhovec]] as Latinus

==Production==
[[Franco Rossi (director)|Franco Rossi]]'s [[The Odyssey (1968 miniseries)|1968 television adaptation]] of [[Homer]]'s ''[[Odyssey]]'' had been a success in Italy and elsewhere in Europe, and was followed by an adaptation of the ancient Roman author [[Virgil]]'s epic poem the ''[[Aeneid]]''.<ref name="exoticeroticheroic">{{cite book |last=García Morcillo |first=Marta |year=2020 |chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=2wvBDwAAQBAJ&pg=PA82 |chapter=Exotic, Erotic, Heroic? Women of Carthage in Western Imagination |editor1-last=Carlà-Uhink |editor1-first=Filippo |editor2-last=Wieber |editor2-first=Anja |title=Orientalism and the Reception of Powerful Women from the Ancient World |location=London and New York |publisher=Bloomsbury Academic |page=82 |isbn=978-1-3500-5010-5 }}</ref> Like in Rossi's ''Odyssey'', [[Roberto Rossellini]]'s television works and [[Pier Paolo Pasolini]]'s films such as ''[[Oedipus Rex (1967 film)|Oedipus Rex]]'' (1967) and ''[[Medea (1969 film)|Medea]]'' (1969) provided inspiration for the use of natural locations and sometimes intentionally anachronistic set and costume designs.<ref>{{cite book |last=García Morcillo |first=Marta |year=2015 |chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=DaugBgAAQBAJ&pg=PA139 |chapter=The East in the West: The Rise and Fall of Ancient Carthage in Modern Imagery and in Film |editor1-last=García Morcillo |editor1-first=Marta |editor2-last=Hanesworth |editor2-first=Pauline |editor3-last=Lapeña Marchena |editor3-first=Óscar |title=Imagining Ancient Cities in Film: From Babylon to Cinecittà |location=London and New York |publisher=Routledge |page=139 |isbn=978-0-415-84397-3 }}</ref> The exterior scenes set in [[Carthage]] were filmed in the [[Bamyan]] valley in Afghanistan, where one of [[Buddhas of Bamyan|the giant Buddha statues]] was used to represent an unnamed pre-Tyrian god.<ref name="exoticeroticheroic" />

==Reception==
''Eneide'' premiered on the Italian public television network [[RAI]]'s channel [[Rai 1|Programma Nazionale]], where it aired from 19 December 1971 to 30 January 1972.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.raiplay.it/programmi/eneide |title=Eneide |language=it |publisher=[[RaiPlay]] |access-date=12 October 2020 }}</ref> Like Rossi's ''Odyssey'' before and his ''[[Quo Vadis? (miniseries)|Quo Vadis?]]'' in 1985, it was well received and distributed internationally.<ref>{{cite book |last=Pomeroy |first=Arthur J. |year=2017 |chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=3kwnDwAAQBAJ&pg=PT341 |chapter=Franco Rossi's Adaptations of the Classics |editor-last=Pomero |editor-first=Arthur J. |title=A Companion to Ancient Greece and Rome on Screen |location=Malden, Massachusett |publisher=Wiley-Blackwell |page=253 |isbn=978-1-118-74135-1 }}</ref> In 1974, a theatrical version edited down to 100 minutes was released in Italian cinemas as ''Le avventure di Enea'' ({{Literal translation|The adventures of Aeneas}}).<ref>{{cite web |author=Cinematografo |url=https://www.cinematografo.it/cinedatabase/film/le-avventure-di-enea/14020/ |title=Le avventure di Enea |language=it |publisher=Fondazione Ente dello Spettacolo |access-date=12 October 2020 }}</ref>

==See also==
* [[The Odyssey (1968 miniseries)]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
* {{IMDb title|id=0271898|title=}}

{{Aeneid}}
{{Franco Rossi}}
{{Rai original series}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:1971 Italian television series debuts]]
[[Category:1972 Italian television series endings]]
[[Category:1970s television miniseries]]
[[Category:Italian television miniseries]]
[[Category:Works based on the Aeneid]]
[[Category:Television shows based on poems]]
[[Category:Television series based on classical mythology]]
[[Category:Cultural depictions of Dido]]
[[Category:Films directed by Franco Rossi]]
[[Category:Films scored by Mario Nascimbene]]
[[Category:Italian adventure television series]]
[[Category:Italian drama television series]]
[[Category:Italian-language television shows]]

Eneide (TV serial)

2024-07-02T00:06:48Z

89.164.191.195:

{{short description|1971 Italian television serial}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2020}}
{{Use British English|date=October 2020}}
{{Infobox television
| image =
| image_size =
| image_alt =
| caption =
| genre = [[Adventure fiction|Adventure]], [[mythology]]
| creator =
| based_on = ''[[Aeneid]]'' by [[Virgil]]
| screenplay = Arnaldo Bagnasco Vittorio Bonicelli [[P. M. Pasinetti]] Mario Prosperi [[Franco Rossi (director)|Franco Rossi]]
| director = Franco Rossi
| starring = [[Giulio Brogi]] [[Olga Karlatos]]
| narrated =
| theme_music_composer = [[Mario Nascimbene]]
| country = Italy Germany France Yugoslavia
| language = Italian
| num_series =
| num_episodes = 7
| producer =
| editor = [[Giorgio Serrallonga]]
| cinematography = [[Vittorio Storaro]]
| runtime = 311 minutes 100 minutes (theatrical)
| company =
| budget =
| network = [[Rai 1|Programma Nazionale]]
| first_aired = {{Start date|1971|12|19|df=yes}}
| last_aired = {{End date|1972|1|30|df=yes}}
}}

'''''Eneide''''' is a seven-episode 1971–1972 Italian television drama, adapted by [[Franco Rossi (director)|Franco Rossi]] from [[Virgil]]'s epic poem the ''[[Aeneid]]''. It stars [[Giulio Brogi]] as [[Aeneas]] and [[Olga Karlatos]] as [[Dido]], and also stars [[Alessandro Haber]], [[Andrea Giordana]] and [[Marilù Tolo]]. [[RAI]] originally broadcast the hour-long episodes from 19 December 1971 to 30 January 1972. A shorter theatrical version was released in 1974 as '''''Le avventure di Enea'''''.

==Plot==
'''Episode 1:''' The city of [[Troy]] is in ruins after the [[Trojan War]]. One of the survivors is the [[demigod]] [[Aeneas]], who escaped with a Trojan fleet. He arrives at [[Carthage]] in North Africa, where the queen [[Dido]] asks him to tell his story. He begins by telling her about the [[Trojan Horse]].

'''Episode 2:''' Aeneas tells Dido how he travelled on the Mediterranean Sea and visited [[Delos]], where an [[oracle]] told him to find the "ancient mother". He decided to travel west.

'''Episode 3:''' After having heard Aeneas' story, Dido dismisses him. She is however fascinated by his search for the earth mother and cannot sleep. She tells him to go and find her in the land [[Hesperia (mythology)|Hesperia]], located in the north.

'''Episode 4:''' Aeneas finds a community of Trojan survivors on an island. [[Juno (mythology)|Juno]] instigates the Trojan women to set fire to the fleet, but it is saved by rainfall.

'''Episode 5:''' Aeneas' mother [[Venus (mythology)|Venus]] guides him to the underworld to receive strength from his father's shadow. The Trojans arrive at the [[Tiber]] in [[Latium]], where a prophecy says that [[Lavinia]], the daughter of the king [[Latinus]], will marry a foreigner. Aeneas develops a bond with [[Turnus]], king of the [[Rutuli]].

'''Episode 6:''' After advice from Latinus, Aeneas visits the inland, where an old Greek man tells him legends. Intrigues involving Lavinia and Turnus stir up conflict between the Trojans and the Latins.

'''Episode 7:''' To solve the conflict, Aeneas challenges Turnus in single combat to the death. He wins and marries Lavinia. On his deathbed, Latinus bequeaths his land to Aeneas.

==Cast==
{{multiple image
| align = right
| total_width = 320
| image1 = Anna Maria Gherardi Eneide.jpg
| alt1 = The actress Anna Maria Gherardi
| image2 = Andrea Giordana Eneide.jpg
| alt2 = The actor Andrea Giordana
| footer = Anna Maria Gherardi as Amata and Andrea Giordana as Turnus
}}
* [[Giulio Brogi]] as Aeneas
* [[Olga Karlatos]] as Dido
* [[Andrea Giordana]] as Turnus
* [[Marilù Tolo]] as Venus
* [[Vasa Pantelic]] as [[Anchises]]
* [[Arsen Costa]] as [[Ascanius]]
* [[Marisa Bartoli]] as [[Andromache]]
* [[Angelica Zielke]] as [[Creusa of Troy|Creusa]]
* [[Ilaria Guerrini]] as Juno
* [[Alessandro Haber]] as [[Misenus]]
* [[Christian Ledoux]] as [[Palinurus]]
* [[Jaspar Von Oertzen]] as [[Evander of Pallantium|Evander]]
* [[Jagoda Ristic]] as Lavinia
* [[Anna Maria Gherardi]] as [[Amata]]
* [[Janez Vrhovec]] as Latinus

==Production==
[[Franco Rossi (director)|Franco Rossi]]'s [[The Odyssey (1968 miniseries)|1968 television adaptation]] of [[Homer]]'s ''[[Odyssey]]'' had been a success in Italy and elsewhere in Europe, and was followed by an adaptation of the ancient Roman author [[Virgil]]'s epic poem the ''[[Aeneid]]''.<ref name="exoticeroticheroic">{{cite book |last=García Morcillo |first=Marta |year=2020 |chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=2wvBDwAAQBAJ&pg=PA82 |chapter=Exotic, Erotic, Heroic? Women of Carthage in Western Imagination |editor1-last=Carlà-Uhink |editor1-first=Filippo |editor2-last=Wieber |editor2-first=Anja |title=Orientalism and the Reception of Powerful Women from the Ancient World |location=London and New York |publisher=Bloomsbury Academic |page=82 |isbn=978-1-3500-5010-5 }}</ref> Like in Rossi's ''Odyssey'', [[Roberto Rossellini]]'s television works and [[Pier Paolo Pasolini]]'s films such as ''[[Oedipus Rex (1967 film)|Oedipus Rex]]'' (1967) and ''[[Medea (1969 film)|Medea]]'' (1969) provided inspiration for the use of natural locations and sometimes intentionally anachronistic set and costume designs.<ref>{{cite book |last=García Morcillo |first=Marta |year=2015 |chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=DaugBgAAQBAJ&pg=PA139 |chapter=The East in the West: The Rise and Fall of Ancient Carthage in Modern Imagery and in Film |editor1-last=García Morcillo |editor1-first=Marta |editor2-last=Hanesworth |editor2-first=Pauline |editor3-last=Lapeña Marchena |editor3-first=Óscar |title=Imagining Ancient Cities in Film: From Babylon to Cinecittà |location=London and New York |publisher=Routledge |page=139 |isbn=978-0-415-84397-3 }}</ref> The exterior scenes set in [[Carthage]] were filmed in the [[Bamyan]] valley in Afghanistan, where one of [[Buddhas of Bamyan|the giant Buddha statues]] was used to represent an unnamed pre-Tyrian god.<ref name="exoticeroticheroic" />

==Reception==
''Eneide'' premiered on the Italian public television network [[RAI]]'s channel [[Rai 1|Programma Nazionale]], where it aired from 19 December 1971 to 30 January 1972.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.raiplay.it/programmi/eneide |title=Eneide |language=it |publisher=[[RaiPlay]] |access-date=12 October 2020 }}</ref> Like Rossi's ''Odyssey'' before and his ''[[Quo Vadis? (miniseries)|Quo Vadis?]]'' in 1985, it was well received and distributed internationally.<ref>{{cite book |last=Pomeroy |first=Arthur J. |year=2017 |chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=3kwnDwAAQBAJ&pg=PT341 |chapter=Franco Rossi's Adaptations of the Classics |editor-last=Pomero |editor-first=Arthur J. |title=A Companion to Ancient Greece and Rome on Screen |location=Malden, Massachusett |publisher=Wiley-Blackwell |page=253 |isbn=978-1-118-74135-1 }}</ref> In 1974, a theatrical version edited down to 100 minutes was released in Italian cinemas as ''Le avventure di Enea'' ({{Literal translation|The adventures of Aeneas}}).<ref>{{cite web |author=Cinematografo |url=https://www.cinematografo.it/cinedatabase/film/le-avventure-di-enea/14020/ |title=Le avventure di Enea |language=it |publisher=Fondazione Ente dello Spettacolo |access-date=12 October 2020 }}</ref>

==See also==
* [[The Odyssey (1968 miniseries)]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
* {{IMDb title|id=0271898|title=}}

{{Aeneid}}
{{Franco Rossi}}
{{Rai original series}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:1971 Italian television series debuts]]
[[Category:1972 Italian television series endings]]
[[Category:1970s television miniseries]]
[[Category:Italian television miniseries]]
[[Category:Works based on the Aeneid]]
[[Category:Television shows based on poems]]
[[Category:Television series based on classical mythology]]
[[Category:Cultural depictions of Dido]]
[[Category:Films directed by Franco Rossi]]
[[Category:Films scored by Mario Nascimbene]]
[[Category:Italian adventure television series]]
[[Category:Italian drama television series]]
[[Category:Italian-language television shows]]

Odysseus and the Isle of the Mists

2024-07-01T23:55:45Z

89.164.191.195:

{{Infobox film
| name = Odysseus and the Isle of the Mists
| image = [[Image:Odysseus-Voyage-to-the-Underworld-2008-poster.jpg|220px|Odysseus and the Isle of the Mists]]
| caption = Promotional poster
| writer = Brook Durham Kevin Leeson
| producer = Jamie Goehring Kirk Shaw
| starring = [[Arnold Vosloo]] [[Steve Bacic]] [[J. R. Bourne]] Randal Edwards
| director = Terry Ingram
| music = [[Michael Richard Plowman]]
| cinematography = C. Kim Miles
| editing = Gordon Williams
| studio = Plinyminor
| distributor = Omni Releasing
| released = {{Film date|2008|02|15|United States}}
| runtime = 92 minutes
| language = English
| country = United Kingdom Romania Canada
}}
'''''Odysseus and the Isle of the Mists''''' is a 2008 [[feature film]] directed by Terry Ingram and produced by Plinyminor in association with the [[Syfy|Sci Fi Channel]] in [[Vancouver]], B.C.

King [[Odysseus]] has been away from [[Homer's Ithaca|Ithaca]] for twenty years. The first ten he spent fighting the [[Trojan War]]; the last ten he spent fighting to get home. Among his adventures is the tale [[Homer]] felt was too horrible to tell, the missing book of the [[Odyssey]] known as "The Isle of the Mists". Here the Warrior King and his men face the Goddess of the Underworld and her winged horrific creatures, intent on bringing death and destruction to humanity.

==Plot==
An elderly Homer (Perry Long) sits down in his home and begins writing a lost installment of the Odyssey, the tale of the Isle of the Mists, a story he felt was too terrible to tell before.

Years prior, Homer (Randal Edwards) is a member of Odysseus's ([[Arnold Vosloo]]) crew as they sail back to Ithaca following the Trojan War. The crew also includes [[Perimedes]] ([[JR Bourne]]), [[Eurylochus (mythology)|Eurylochus]] ([[Steve Bacic]]), Christos (Michael Antonakos) and others. During their travels, they become lost in a deep fog and encounter [[vampires|strange flying creatures]] who kill several men and drink their blood. The only thing that can kill the creatures is a wooden stake through the heart. In disarray, the crew lands at an island, the fabled Isle of the Mists, to repair their ships and recover from the attack.

After more encounters with the winged creatures, the crew meets a mysterious woman ([[Stefanie von Pfetten]]) who takes them to her refuge in the woods. Much to their surprise, the creatures seemingly ignore her and do not invade her sanctuary. Some of the crew remains suspicious even as they accept food and shelter from the woman. They learn of the Hellfire Cross, a mystical sword sealed by the gods on the island, that they come to believe can help them survive. The remaining crew decide to recover the Hellfire Cross as part of their plan to relaunch their ship.

After receiving visions from [[Athena]] ([[Sonya Salomaa]]), Odysseus realizes the mysterious woman is not what she seems. She uses her powers to transform into Odysseus's wife [[Penelope]] ([[Leah Gibson]]) and seduces him. Her failure to account for Penelope aging since the last time Odysseus saw her makes him realize the illusion, but only after he has sex with her. Odysseus and his remaining men realize her true identity: [[Persephone]], the wife of [[Hades]] who has been banished to the Isle of the Mists and sealed there by the Hellfire Cross. Persephone reveals that the winged creatures are her children by Hades, and that she plans to escape the island with them to rule the world. Furthermore, she is now pregnant with a son by Odysseus.

Odysseus and his men escape to the cave where the Hellfire Cross is sealed and obtain it, but all except Odysseus and Homer die. They are confronted by Persephone, who thanks them for her freedom and attempts to convince Odysseus to serve her, as the Hellfire Cross cannot be wielded by a god. When he refuses, she tells them she will merely wait until her mortal son is born and ages instead. She starts to set the winged creatures free on the world and attempts to force Odysseus to cut his own throat, but he overcomes her power and impales her through the stomach, killing Persephone, their son and all the creatures. Some time after Persephone's death, Odysseus and Homer return to the sea and continue back to Ithaca.

Completing his story, the aged Homer muses about the origins of the winged creatures, how they could only be killed by a stake through the heart, and how they fear the sign of the cross. On the Isle of the Mists, Eurylochus - who was attacked by the creatures in the cave - has transformed into one of the creatures and flies off freely into the world.

==Cast==
* [[Arnold Vosloo]] as [[Odysseus]]
* Randal Edwards as [[Homer]]
** Perry Long as Elderly Homer
* [[Steve Bacic]] as [[Eurylochus (mythology)|Eurylochus]]
* [[JR Bourne]] as [[Perimedes]]
* [[Stefanie von Pfetten]] as [[Persephone]]
* Michael Antonakos as Christos
* [[Sonya Salomaa]] as [[Athena]]
* [[Leah Gibson]] as [[Penelope]]

== External links ==
* {{IMDb title|0945580}}

{{Odyssey navbox}}

[[Category:2008 films]]
[[Category:Syfy original films]]
[[Category:Television shows based on the Odyssey]]
[[Category:Films set in the Mediterranean Sea]]
[[Category:Films set on islands]]
[[Category:2000s English-language films]]
[[Category:2000s American films]]

Odysseus and the Isle of the Mists

2024-07-01T23:55:36Z

89.164.191.195:

{{Infobox film
| name = Odysseus and the Isle of the Mists
| image = [[Image:Odysseus-Voyage-to-the-Underworld-2008-poster.jpg|220px|Odysseus and the Isle of the Mists]]
| caption = Promotional poster
| writer = Brook Durham Kevin Leeson
| producer = Jamie Goehring Kirk Shaw
| starring = [[Arnold Vosloo]] [[Steve Bacic]] [[J. R. Bourne]] Randal Edwards
| director = Terry Ingram
| music = [[Michael Richard Plowman]]
| cinematography = C. Kim Miles
| editing = Gordon Williams
| studio = Plinyminor
| distributor = Omni Releasing
| released = {{Film date|2008|02|15|United States}}
| runtime = 92 minutes
| language = English
| country = United Kingdom Romania Canada
}}
'''''Odysseus and the Isle of the Mists''''' is a 2008 [[feature film]] directed by Terry Ingram and produced by Plinyminor in association with the [[Syfy|Sci Fi Channel]] in [[Vancouver]], B.C.

King [[Odysseus]] has been away from [[Homer's Ithaca|Ithaca]] for twenty years. The first ten he spent fighting the [[Trojan War]]; the last ten he spent fighting to get home. Among his adventures is the tale [[Homer]] felt was too horrible to tell, the missing book of the [[Odyssey]] known as "The Isle of the Mists". Here the Warrior King and his men face the Goddess of the Underworld and her winged horrific creatures, intent on bringing death and destruction to humanity.

==Plot==
An elderly Homer (Perry Long) sits down in his home and begins writing a lost installment of the Odyssey, the tale of the Isle of the Mists, a story he felt was too terrible to tell before.

Years prior, Homer (Randal Edwards) is a member of Odysseus's ([[Arnold Vosloo]]) crew as they sail back to Ithaca following the Trojan War. The crew also includes [[Perimedes]] ([[JR Bourne]]), [[Eurylochus (mythology)|Eurylochus]] ([[Steve Bacic]]), Christos (Michael Antonakos) and others. During their travels, they become lost in a deep fog and encounter [[vampires|strange flying creatures]] who kill several men and drink their blood. The only thing that can kill the creatures is a wooden stake through the heart. In disarray, the crew lands at an island, the fabled Isle of the Mists, to repair their ships and recover from the attack.

After more encounters with the winged creatures, the crew meets a mysterious woman ([[Stefanie von Pfetten]]) who takes them to her refuge in the woods. Much to their surprise, the creatures seemingly ignore her and do not invade her sanctuary. Some of the crew remains suspicious even as they accept food and shelter from the woman. They learn of the Hellfire Cross, a mystical sword sealed by the gods on the island, that they come to believe can help them survive. The remaining crew decide to recover the Hellfire Cross as part of their plan to relaunch their ship.

After receiving visions from [[Athena]] ([[Sonya Salomaa]]), Odysseus realizes the mysterious woman is not what she seems. She uses her powers to transform into Odysseus's wife [[Penelope]] ([[Leah Gibson]]) and seduces him. Her failure to account for Penelope aging since the last time Odysseus saw her makes him realize the illusion, but only after he has sex with her. Odysseus and his remaining men realize her true identity: [[Persephone]], the wife of [[Hades]] who has been banished to the Isle of the Mists and sealed there by the Hellfire Cross. Persephone reveals that the winged creatures are her children by Hades, and that she plans to escape the island with them to rule the world. Furthermore, she is now pregnant with a son by Odysseus.

Odysseus and his men escape to the cave where the Hellfire Cross is sealed and obtain it, but all except Odysseus and Homer die. They are confronted by Persephone, who thanks them for her freedom and attempts to convince Odysseus to serve her, as the Hellfire Cross cannot be wielded by a god. When he refuses, she tells them she will merely wait until her mortal son is born and ages instead. She starts to set the winged creatures free on the world and attempts to force Odysseus to cut his own throat, but he overcomes her power and impales her through the stomach, killing Persephone, their son and all the creatures. Some time after Persephone's death, Odysseus and Homer return to the sea and continue back to Ithaca.

Completing his story, the aged Homer muses about the origins of the winged creatures, how they could only be killed by a stake through the heart, and how they fear the sign of the cross. On the Isle of the Mists, Eurylochus - who was attacked by the creatures in the cave - has transformed into one of the creatures and flies off freely into the world.

==Cast==
* [[Arnold Vosloo]] as [[Odysseus]]
* Randal Edwards as [[Homer]]
**Perry Long as Elderly Homer
* [[Steve Bacic]] as [[Eurylochus (mythology)|Eurylochus]]
* [[JR Bourne]] as [[Perimedes]]
* [[Stefanie von Pfetten]] as [[Persephone]]
* Michael Antonakos as Christos
* [[Sonya Salomaa]] as [[Athena]]
* [[Leah Gibson]] as [[Penelope]]

== External links ==
* {{IMDb title|0945580}}

{{Odyssey navbox}}

[[Category:2008 films]]
[[Category:Syfy original films]]
[[Category:Television shows based on the Odyssey]]
[[Category:Films set in the Mediterranean Sea]]
[[Category:Films set on islands]]
[[Category:2000s English-language films]]
[[Category:2000s American films]]

Ulysses (1954 film)

2024-07-01T21:55:20Z

89.164.191.195:

{{more citations needed|date=October 2015}}
{{Infobox film
| name = Ulysses
| image = Ulysses 1954 poster.jpg
| caption = American theatrical poster
| director = [[Mario Camerini]] [[Mario Bava]] (uncredited)
| producer = [[Dino De Laurentiis]] [[Carlo Ponti]]
| writer = [[Franco Brusati]] Mario Camerini [[Ennio De Concini]] Hugh Gray [[Ben Hecht]] [[Ivo Perilli]] [[Irwin Shaw]]
| starring = {{plainlist|

* [[Silvana Mangano]]
* [[Kirk Douglas]]
* [[Anthony Quinn]]
* [[Rossana Podestà]]
* [[Jacques Dumesnil]]
* [[Daniel Ivernel]]
* [[Sylvie (actress)|Sylvie]]
}}
| music = [[Alessandro Cicognini]]
| cinematography = [[Harold Rosson]] [[Mario Bava]] (uncredited)
| editing = [[Leo Catozzo]]
| released = {{Film date|1954|10|06|Italy|1955|10||USA|df=y}}
| studio = [[Lux Film]] [[Paramount Pictures]] Producciones Ponti-de Laurentiis Zénith Films
| distributor = Paramount Pictures (USA)
| runtime = 117 min.
| country = Italy United States France
| language = Italian English
| budget = [[Italian lira|₤]]500 million (approximately $800,000)
| gross = [[Italian lira|₤]]1,800 billion (Italy)
}}

'''''Ulysses''''' ({{Lang-it|Ulisse}}) is a 1954<ref name=Mereghetti>{{cite book|last=Paolo Mereghetti|title=Il Mereghetti - Dizionario dei film|publisher=B.C. Dalai Editore, 2010|isbn=8860736269}}</ref> [[fantasy film|fantasy]]-[[adventure film]] based on [[Homer]]'s epic poem ''[[Odyssey]]''. The film was directed by [[Mario Camerini]], who co-wrote the screenplay with writer [[Franco Brusati]]. The original choice for director was [[Georg Wilhelm Pabst]] but he quit at the last minute.<ref>''Dino de Laurentiis Obituary'', ''The Guardian'', 11 November 2010</ref> The film's cinematographer [[Mario Bava]] co-directed the cyclops Polyphemus segment (uncredited).

In the film [[Silvana Mangano]] plays two roles, as [[Penelope]], the faithful wife of [[Odysseus|Ulysses]] and the sorceress [[Circe]]. American star [[Kirk Douglas]] plays the Greek hero, [[Odysseus|Ulysses]], while [[Anthony Quinn]] plays Antinous.

==Plot==
The palace of [[Odysseus|Ulysses]], king of [[Homer's Ithaca|Ithaca]], is beleaguered by a horde of suitors wooing his wife [[Penelope]] after his failure to return from [[Trojan War|the war]] against the city of [[Troy]]. Penelope has promised under pressure to marry one of her many suitors, who under the leadership of [[Antinous son of Eupeithes|Antinous]] squander her husband's wealth and land. She holds them off by telling them she first wants to finish her tapestry, but she unweaves it every night to stall. Telemachus, the son of Ulysses and Penelope, is sick of the suitors' behavior and decides to search for his father.

In the meantime, on the nearby island of [[Scheria|Phaeacia]], royal princess [[Nausicaa]] and her handmaidens find a [[Shipwrecking|shipwrecked]] man washed up on the shore. Due to his ordeal, the stranger has lost his memory, not even remembering his name. He is taken in by Nausicaa's parents, [[Alcinous|King Alcinous]] and [[Arete|Queen Arete]], and in short time he and Nausicaa fall in love. Just on the day they are scheduled to be married, however, the stranger, longing to remember who he really is, returns to the shore and stares out to the sea. And as he does so, his lost memories begin to stir.

Gradually, the stranger remembers that he is Ulysses, who was lost at sea when his ship was blown off course in a storm during his return voyage to Ithaca, as a consequence of his desecrating [[Neptune (mythology)|Neptune's]] temple during the sacking of Troy. Going ashore on an unknown island to forage for food, they intrude on the cave of the [[Cyclopes|cyclops]] [[Polyphemus]], who locks them inside and then eats one of Ulysses' men. Upon the giant's complaint about the taste of human flesh, Ulysses suggests for Polyphemus to collect grapes for making wine. After Polyphemus leaves, Ulysses and his men prepare a stake to blind the cyclops after getting him drunk. The plan succeeds, and after Ulysses has taunted the blinded giant into removing the rock from the cave entrance, the Greeks make their escape.

Some time afterwards, Ulysses' ship passes the rock of the [[Siren (mythology)|sirens]]. Eager to learn what they sound like, Ulysses has himself tied to the mast while his men plug their ears to resist their enchanting singing, and is tormented when the sirens speak to him with the voices of his family. After passing the rocks, a strange current pulls the ship towards [[Aeaea|another island]]. Leaving his men to explore, Ulysses returns to find them all missing, captured and transformed into pigs by the mistress of the island, the sorceress [[Circe]]. Circe, who has fallen in love with Ulysses after learning of his heroics, strives to keep him here, but Ulysses forces her to return his men to their original forms. Persuaded by Circe to stay for a while, he stirs resentment in his men, who want to return home. Ignoring Circe's warning that Neptune will strike them down if they leave, they set out to sea on their own and perish in a storm. Blaming Circe for allowing them to die, and determined to return to his family, Ulysses begins building a raft. Circe tries to make him stay and enjoy an eternal life by her side by calling forth the dead from [[Greek underworld|the underworld]], including Ulysses' crew and his lost comrades-in-arms from Troy, but then his recently deceased mother [[Anticlea]] appears before him, telling him of Penelope's plight. With Ulysses' resolve reaffirmed, the embittered Circe lets him go, daring him to defy Neptune's wrath.

With his memory fully restored, Ulysses reveals his identity and sets out for home, breaking Nausicaa's heart. Returning to his palace disguised as a beggar, he meets Penelope, pretending to be an old friend of her husband. Upon witnessing her despair and faithfulness for him, he suggests that she hold a contest to determine the suitor who shall marry her the next day: stringing Ulysses' hunting bow and fire an arrow through a dozen axe heads. As he turns to leave, he stops to pet his old hunting dog [[Argos (dog)|Argos]]. Telemachus, who has just returned, witnesses this, and he and Ulysses reveal themselves to each other.

The next day, Penelope stages the archery contest, with Ulysses attending in his disguise. When the suitors are unable to string the bow, Ulysses taunts them into letting him try and succeeds with his shot, thus revealing his identity. With the assistance of Telemachus and the servants still loyal to him, Ulysses locks down the feast hall and slays all the suitors. After the slaughter is complete, Ulysses reunites with Penelope to rebuild their long-strained bond.

==Cast==
{{castlist|
* [[Kirk Douglas]] as [[Odysseus|Ulysses]]
* [[Silvana Mangano]] as [[Penelope]]/[[Circe]]
* [[Anthony Quinn]] as [[Antinous son of Eupeithes|Antinous]]
* [[Rossana Podestà]] as [[Nausicaa]]
* [[Jacques Dumesnil]] as [[Alcinous]]
* [[Daniel Ivernel]] as [[Eurylochus (mythology)|Eurylochus]], 2nd in command on Ulysses' ship
* [[Sylvie (actress)|Sylvie]] as [[Eurycleia]], Lady-in-waiting of Penelope
* [[Franco Interlenghi]] as [[Telemachus]]
* [[Elena Zareschi]] as [[Cassandra]], Trojan prophet
* [[Evi Maltagliati]] as [[Anticlea]]
* [[Ludmilla Dudarova]] as [[Arete (moral virtue)#Personification|Arete]]
* [[Tania Weber]] as Leucantho
* [[Piero Lulli]] as [[Achilles]]
* Ferruccio Stagni as [[Mentor]]
* [[Alessandro Fersen]] as [[Diomedes]]
* [[Oscar Andriani]] as Calops
* [[Umberto Silvestri]] as [[Polyphemus]]
* [[Gualtiero Tumiati]] as [[Laertes (father of Odysseus)|Laertes]]
* Teresa Pellati as [[Melantho]]
* [[Mario Feliciani]] as [[Eurymachus]]
* [[Michele Riccardini]] as [[Leodes]]
}}

==See also==
* [[List of historical drama films]]
* [[Greek mythology in popular culture]]
* [[Peplum (film genre)]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* {{IMDb title|id=0047630|title=Ulysses}}
* {{Rotten Tomatoes|id=1022299-ulysses|title=Ulysses}}

{{Ben Hecht}}
{{Odyssey navbox}}
{{Mario Camerini}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:1954 films]]
[[Category:1950s American films]]
[[Category:1950s English-language films]]
[[Category:1950s fantasy adventure films]]
[[Category:1950s French films]]
[[Category:1950s historical adventure films]]
[[Category:1950s historical fantasy films]]
[[Category:1950s Italian films]]
[[Category:1950s Italian-language films]]
[[Category:American fantasy adventure films]]
[[Category:American historical fantasy films]]
[[Category:English-language French films]]
[[Category:English-language Italian films]]
[[Category:Films based on the Odyssey]]
[[Category:Films directed by Mario Camerini]]
[[Category:Films produced by Dino De Laurentiis]]
[[Category:Films scored by Alessandro Cicognini]]
[[Category:Films set in the Mediterranean Sea]]
[[Category:Films with screenplays by Ben Hecht]]
[[Category:Films with screenplays by Irwin Shaw]]
[[Category:French fantasy adventure films]]
[[Category:French historical fantasy films]]
[[Category:Italian fantasy adventure films]]
[[Category:Italian historical adventure films]]
[[Category:Lux Film films]]
[[Category:Paramount Pictures films]]
[[Category:Peplum films]]
[[Category:Sword and sandal films]]

Ulysses (1954 film)

2024-07-01T21:54:38Z

89.164.191.195:

{{more citations needed|date=October 2015}}
{{Infobox film
| name = Ulysses
| image = Ulysses 1954 poster.jpg
| caption = American theatrical poster
| director = [[Mario Camerini]] [[Mario Bava]] (uncredited)
| producer = [[Dino De Laurentiis]] [[Carlo Ponti]]
| writer = [[Franco Brusati]] Mario Camerini [[Ennio De Concini]] Hugh Gray [[Ben Hecht]] [[Ivo Perilli]] [[Irwin Shaw]]
| starring = {{plainlist|

* [[Silvana Mangano]]
* [[Kirk Douglas]]
* [[Anthony Quinn]]
* [[Rossana Podestà]]
* [[Jacques Dumesnil]]
* [[Daniel Ivernel]]
* [[Sylvie (actress)|Sylvie]]
}}
| music = [[Alessandro Cicognini]]
| cinematography = [[Harold Rosson]] [[Mario Bava]] (uncredited)
| editing = [[Leo Catozzo]]
| released = {{Film date|1954|10|06|Italy|1955|10||USA|df=y}}
| studio = [[Lux Film]] [[Paramount Pictures]] Producciones Ponti-de Laurentiis Zénith Films
| distributor = Paramount Pictures (USA)
| runtime = 117 min.
| country = Italy United States France
| language = Italian English
| budget = [[Italian lira|₤]]500 million (approximately $800,000)
| gross = [[Italian lira|₤]]1,800 billion (Italy)
}}

'''''Ulysses''''' ({{Lang-it|Ulisse}}) is a 1954<ref name=Mereghetti>{{cite book|last=Paolo Mereghetti|title=Il Mereghetti - Dizionario dei film|publisher=B.C. Dalai Editore, 2010|isbn=8860736269}}</ref> [[fantasy film|fantasy]]-[[adventure film]] based on [[Homer]]'s epic poem ''[[Odyssey]]''. The film was directed by [[Mario Camerini]], who co-wrote the screenplay with writer [[Franco Brusati]]. The original choice for director was [[Georg Wilhelm Pabst]] but he quit at the last minute.<ref>''Dino de Laurentiis Obituary'', ''The Guardian'', 11 November 2010</ref> The film's cinematographer [[Mario Bava]] co-directed the cyclops Polyphemus segment (uncredited).

In the film [[Silvana Mangano]] plays two roles, as [[Penelope]], the faithful wife of [[Odysseus|Ulysses]] and the sorceress [[Circe]]. American star [[Kirk Douglas]] plays the Greek hero, [[Odysseus|Ulysses]], while [[Anthony Quinn]] plays Antinous.

==Plot==
The palace of [[Odysseus|Ulysses]], king of [[Homer's Ithaca|Ithaca]], is beleaguered by a horde of suitors wooing his wife [[Penelope]] after his failure to return from [[Trojan War|the war]] against the city of [[Troy]]. Penelope has promised under pressure to marry one of her many suitors, who under the leadership of [[Antinous son of Eupeithes|Antinous]] squander her husband's wealth and land. She holds them off by telling them she first wants to finish her tapestry, but she unweaves it every night to stall. Telemachus, the son of Ulysses and Penelope, is sick of the suitors' behavior and decides to search for his father.

In the meantime, on the nearby island of [[Scheria|Phaeacia]], royal princess [[Nausicaa]] and her handmaidens find a [[Shipwrecking|shipwrecked]] man washed up on the shore. Due to his ordeal, the stranger has lost his memory, not even remembering his name. He is taken in by Nausicaa's parents, [[Alcinous|King Alcinous]] and [[Arete|Queen Arete]], and in short time he and Nausicaa fall in love. Just on the day they are scheduled to be married, however, the stranger, longing to remember who he really is, returns to the shore and stares out to the sea. And as he does so, his lost memories begin to stir.

Gradually, the stranger remembers that he is Ulysses, who was lost at sea when his ship was blown off course in a storm during his return voyage to Ithaca, as a consequence of his desecrating [[Neptune (mythology)|Neptune's]] temple during the sacking of Troy. Going ashore on an unknown island to forage for food, they intrude on the cave of the [[Cyclopes|cyclops]] [[Polyphemus]], who locks them inside and then eats one of Ulysses' men. Upon the giant's complaint about the taste of human flesh, Ulysses suggests for Polyphemus to collect grapes for making wine. After Polyphemus leaves, Ulysses and his men prepare a stake to blind the cyclops after getting him drunk. The plan succeeds, and after Ulysses has taunted the blinded giant into removing the rock from the cave entrance, the Greeks make their escape.

Some time afterwards, Ulysses' ship passes the rock of the [[Siren (mythology)|sirens]]. Eager to learn what they sound like, Ulysses has himself tied to the mast while his men plug their ears to resist their enchanting singing, and is tormented when the sirens speak to him with the voices of his family. After passing the rocks, a strange current pulls the ship towards [[Aeaea|another island]]. Leaving his men to explore, Ulysses returns to find them all missing, captured and transformed into pigs by the mistress of the island, the sorceress [[Circe]]. Circe, who has fallen in love with Ulysses after learning of his heroics, strives to keep him here, but Ulysses forces her to return his men to their original forms. Persuaded by Circe to stay for a while, he stirs resentment in his men, who want to return home. Ignoring Circe's warning that Neptune will strike them down if they leave, they set out to sea on their own and perish in a storm. Blaming Circe for allowing them to die, and determined to return to his family, Ulysses begins building a raft. Circe tries to make him stay and enjoy an eternal life by her side by calling forth the dead from [[Greek underworld|the underworld]], including Ulysses' crew and his lost comrades-in-arms from Troy, but then his recently deceased mother [[Anticlea]] appears before him, telling him of Penelope's plight. With Ulysses' resolve reaffirmed, the embittered Circe lets him go, daring him to defy Neptune's wrath.

With his memory fully restored, Ulysses reveals his identity and sets out for home, breaking Nausicaa's heart. Returning to his palace disguised as a beggar, he meets Penelope, pretending to be an old friend of her husband. Upon witnessing her despair and faithfulness for him, he suggests that she hold a contest to determine the suitor who shall marry her the next day: stringing Ulysses' hunting bow and fire an arrow through a dozen axe heads. As he turns to leave, he stops to pet his old hunting dog [[Argos (dog)|Argos]]. Telemachus, who has just returned, witnesses this, and he and Ulysses reveal themselves to each other.

The next day, Penelope stages the archery contest, with Ulysses attending in his disguise. When the suitors are unable to string the bow, Ulysses taunts them into letting him try and succeeds with his shot, thus revealing his identity. With the assistance of Telemachus and the servants still loyal to him, Ulysses locks down the feast hall and slays all the suitors. After the slaughter is complete, Ulysses reunites with Penelope to rebuild their long-strained bond.

==Cast==
{{castlist|
*[[Kirk Douglas]] as [[Odysseus|Ulysses]]
*[[Silvana Mangano]] as [[Penelope]]/[[Circe]]
*[[Anthony Quinn]] as [[Antinous son of Eupeithes|Antinous]]
*[[Rossana Podestà]] as [[Nausicaa]]
*[[Jacques Dumesnil]] as [[Alcinous]]
*[[Daniel Ivernel]] as [[Eurylochus (mythology)|Eurylochus]], 2nd in command on Ulysses' ship
*[[Sylvie (actress)|Sylvie]] as [[Eurycleia]], Lady-in-waiting of Penelope
*[[Franco Interlenghi]] as [[Telemachus]]
*[[Elena Zareschi]] as [[Cassandra]], Trojan prophet
*[[Evi Maltagliati]] as [[Anticlea]]
*[[Ludmilla Dudarova]] as [[Arete (moral virtue)#Personification|Arete]]
*[[Tania Weber]] as Leucantho
*[[Piero Lulli]] as [[Achilles]]
*Ferruccio Stagni as [[Mentor]]
*[[Alessandro Fersen]] as [[Diomedes]]
*[[Oscar Andriani]] as Calops
*[[Umberto Silvestri]] as [[Polyphemus]]
*[[Gualtiero Tumiati]] as [[Laertes (father of Odysseus)|Laertes]]
*{{ill|Teresa Pellati|it}} as [[Melantho]]
*[[Mario Feliciani]] as [[Eurymachus]]
*[[Michele Riccardini]] as [[Leodes]]
}}

==See also==
* [[List of historical drama films]]
* [[Greek mythology in popular culture]]
* [[Peplum (film genre)]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* {{IMDb title|id=0047630|title=Ulysses}}
* {{Rotten Tomatoes|id=1022299-ulysses|title=Ulysses}}

{{Ben Hecht}}
{{Odyssey navbox}}
{{Mario Camerini}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:1954 films]]
[[Category:1950s American films]]
[[Category:1950s English-language films]]
[[Category:1950s fantasy adventure films]]
[[Category:1950s French films]]
[[Category:1950s historical adventure films]]
[[Category:1950s historical fantasy films]]
[[Category:1950s Italian films]]
[[Category:1950s Italian-language films]]
[[Category:American fantasy adventure films]]
[[Category:American historical fantasy films]]
[[Category:English-language French films]]
[[Category:English-language Italian films]]
[[Category:Films based on the Odyssey]]
[[Category:Films directed by Mario Camerini]]
[[Category:Films produced by Dino De Laurentiis]]
[[Category:Films scored by Alessandro Cicognini]]
[[Category:Films set in the Mediterranean Sea]]
[[Category:Films with screenplays by Ben Hecht]]
[[Category:Films with screenplays by Irwin Shaw]]
[[Category:French fantasy adventure films]]
[[Category:French historical fantasy films]]
[[Category:Italian fantasy adventure films]]
[[Category:Italian historical adventure films]]
[[Category:Lux Film films]]
[[Category:Paramount Pictures films]]
[[Category:Peplum films]]
[[Category:Sword and sandal films]]

Ulysses (1954 film)

2024-07-01T21:53:39Z

89.164.191.195:

{{more citations needed|date=October 2015}}
{{Infobox film
| name = Ulysses
| image = Ulysses 1954 poster.jpg
| caption = American theatrical poster
| director = [[Mario Camerini]] [[Mario Bava]] (uncredited)
| producer = [[Dino De Laurentiis]] [[Carlo Ponti]]
| writer = [[Franco Brusati]] Mario Camerini [[Ennio De Concini]] Hugh Gray [[Ben Hecht]] [[Ivo Perilli]] [[Irwin Shaw]]
| starring = {{plainlist|

* [[Silvana Mangano]]
* [[Kirk Douglas]]
* [[Anthony Quinn]]
* [[Rossana Podestà]]
* [[Jacques Dumesnil]]
* [[Daniel Ivernel]]
* [[Sylvie (actress)|Sylvie]]
}}
| music = [[Alessandro Cicognini]]
| cinematography = [[Harold Rosson]] [[Mario Bava]] (uncredited)
| editing = [[Leo Catozzo]]
| released = {{Film date|1954|10|06|Italy|1955|10||USA|df=y}}
| studio = [[Lux Film]] [[Paramount Pictures]] Producciones Ponti-de Laurentiis Zénith Films
| distributor = Paramount Pictures (USA)
| runtime = 117 min.
| country = Italy United States France
| language = Italian English
| budget = [[Italian lira|₤]]500 million (approximately $800,000)
| gross = [[Italian lira|₤]]1,800 billion (Italy)
}}

'''''Ulysses''''' ({{Lang-it|Ulisse}}) is a 1954<ref name=Mereghetti>{{cite book|last=Paolo Mereghetti|title=Il Mereghetti - Dizionario dei film|publisher=B.C. Dalai Editore, 2010|isbn=8860736269}}</ref> [[fantasy film|fantasy]]-[[adventure film]] based on [[Homer]]'s epic poem ''[[Odyssey]]''. The film was directed by [[Mario Camerini]], who co-wrote the screenplay with writer [[Franco Brusati]]. The original choice for director was [[Georg Wilhelm Pabst]] but he quit at the last minute.<ref>''Dino de Laurentiis Obituary'', ''The Guardian'', 11 November 2010</ref> The film's cinematographer [[Mario Bava]] co-directed the cyclops Polyphemus segment (uncredited).

In the film [[Silvana Mangano]] plays two roles, as [[Penelope]], the faithful wife of [[Odysseus|Ulysses]] and the sorceress [[Circe]]. American star [[Kirk Douglas]] plays the Greek hero, [[Odysseus|Ulysses]], while [[Anthony Quinn]] plays Antinous.

==Plot==
The palace of [[Odysseus|Ulysses]], king of [[Homer's Ithaca|Ithaca]], is beleaguered by a horde of suitors wooing his wife [[Penelope]] after his failure to return from [[Trojan War|the war]] against the city of [[Troy]]. Penelope has promised under pressure to marry one of her many suitors, who under the leadership of [[Antinous son of Eupeithes|Antinous]] squander her husband's wealth and land. She holds them off by telling them she first wants to finish her tapestry, but she unweaves it every night to stall. Telemachus, the son of Ulysses and Penelope, is sick of the suitors' behavior and decides to search for his father.

In the meantime, on the nearby island of [[Scheria|Phaeacia]], royal princess [[Nausicaa]] and her handmaidens find a [[Shipwrecking|shipwrecked]] man washed up on the shore. Due to his ordeal, the stranger has lost his memory, not even remembering his name. He is taken in by Nausicaa's parents, [[Alcinous|King Alcinous]] and [[Arete|Queen Arete]], and in short time he and Nausicaa fall in love. Just on the day they are scheduled to be married, however, the stranger, longing to remember who he really is, returns to the shore and stares out to the sea. And as he does so, his lost memories begin to stir.

Gradually, the stranger remembers that he is Ulysses, who was lost at sea when his ship was blown off course in a storm during his return voyage to Ithaca, as a consequence of his desecrating [[Neptune (mythology)|Neptune's]] temple during the sacking of Troy. Going ashore on an unknown island to forage for food, they intrude on the cave of the [[Cyclopes|cyclops]] [[Polyphemus]], who locks them inside and then eats one of Ulysses' men. Upon the giant's complaint about the taste of human flesh, Ulysses suggests for Polyphemus to collect grapes for making wine. After Polyphemus leaves, Ulysses and his men prepare a stake to blind the cyclops after getting him drunk. The plan succeeds, and after Ulysses has taunted the blinded giant into removing the rock from the cave entrance, the Greeks make their escape.

Some time afterwards, Ulysses' ship passes the rock of the [[Siren (mythology)|sirens]]. Eager to learn what they sound like, Ulysses has himself tied to the mast while his men plug their ears to resist their enchanting singing, and is tormented when the sirens speak to him with the voices of his family. After passing the rocks, a strange current pulls the ship towards [[Aeaea|another island]]. Leaving his men to explore, Ulysses returns to find them all missing, captured and transformed into pigs by the mistress of the island, the sorceress [[Circe]]. Circe, who has fallen in love with Ulysses after learning of his heroics, strives to keep him here, but Ulysses forces her to return his men to their original forms. Persuaded by Circe to stay for a while, he stirs resentment in his men, who want to return home. Ignoring Circe's warning that Neptune will strike them down if they leave, they set out to sea on their own and perish in a storm. Blaming Circe for allowing them to die, and determined to return to his family, Ulysses begins building a raft. Circe tries to make him stay and enjoy an eternal life by her side by calling forth the dead from [[Greek underworld|the underworld]], including Ulysses' crew and his lost comrades-in-arms from Troy. But then his recently deceased mother [[Anticlea]] appears before him, telling him of Penelope's plight. With Ulysses' resolve reaffirmed, the embittered Circe lets him go, daring him to defy Neptune's wrath.

With his memory fully restored, Ulysses reveals his identity and sets out for home, breaking Nausicaa's heart. Returning to his palace disguised as a beggar, he meets Penelope, pretending to be an old friend of her husband. Upon witnessing her despair and faithfulness for him, he suggests that she hold a contest to determine the suitor who shall marry her the next day: stringing Ulysses' hunting bow and fire an arrow through a dozen axe heads. As he turns to leave, he stops to pet his old hunting dog [[Argos (dog)|Argos]]. Telemachus, who has just returned, witnesses this, and he and Ulysses reveal themselves to each other.

The next day, Penelope stages the archery contest, with Ulysses attending in his disguise. When the suitors are unable to string the bow, Ulysses taunts them into letting him try and succeeds with his shot, thus revealing his identity. With the assistance of Telemachus and the servants still loyal to him, Ulysses locks down the feast hall and slays all the suitors. After the slaughter is complete, Ulysses reunites with Penelope to rebuild their long-strained bond.

==Cast==
{{castlist|
*[[Kirk Douglas]] as [[Odysseus|Ulysses]]
*[[Silvana Mangano]] as [[Penelope]]/[[Circe]]
*[[Anthony Quinn]] as [[Antinous son of Eupeithes|Antinous]]
*[[Rossana Podestà]] as [[Nausicaa]]
*[[Jacques Dumesnil]] as [[Alcinous]]
*[[Daniel Ivernel]] as [[Eurylochus (mythology)|Eurylochus]], 2nd in command on Ulysses' ship
*[[Sylvie (actress)|Sylvie]] as [[Eurycleia]], Lady-in-waiting of Penelope
*[[Franco Interlenghi]] as [[Telemachus]]
*[[Elena Zareschi]] as [[Cassandra]], Trojan prophet
*[[Evi Maltagliati]] as [[Anticlea]]
*[[Ludmilla Dudarova]] as [[Arete (moral virtue)#Personification|Arete]]
*[[Tania Weber]] as Leucantho
*[[Piero Lulli]] as [[Achilles]]
*Ferruccio Stagni as [[Mentor]]
*[[Alessandro Fersen]] as [[Diomedes]]
*[[Oscar Andriani]] as Calops
*[[Umberto Silvestri]] as [[Polyphemus]]
*[[Gualtiero Tumiati]] as [[Laertes (father of Odysseus)|Laertes]]
*{{ill|Teresa Pellati|it}} as [[Melantho]]
*[[Mario Feliciani]] as [[Eurymachus]]
*[[Michele Riccardini]] as [[Leodes]]
}}

==See also==
* [[List of historical drama films]]
* [[Greek mythology in popular culture]]
* [[Peplum (film genre)]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* {{IMDb title|id=0047630|title=Ulysses}}
* {{Rotten Tomatoes|id=1022299-ulysses|title=Ulysses}}

{{Ben Hecht}}
{{Odyssey navbox}}
{{Mario Camerini}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:1954 films]]
[[Category:1950s American films]]
[[Category:1950s English-language films]]
[[Category:1950s fantasy adventure films]]
[[Category:1950s French films]]
[[Category:1950s historical adventure films]]
[[Category:1950s historical fantasy films]]
[[Category:1950s Italian films]]
[[Category:1950s Italian-language films]]
[[Category:American fantasy adventure films]]
[[Category:American historical fantasy films]]
[[Category:English-language French films]]
[[Category:English-language Italian films]]
[[Category:Films based on the Odyssey]]
[[Category:Films directed by Mario Camerini]]
[[Category:Films produced by Dino De Laurentiis]]
[[Category:Films scored by Alessandro Cicognini]]
[[Category:Films set in the Mediterranean Sea]]
[[Category:Films with screenplays by Ben Hecht]]
[[Category:Films with screenplays by Irwin Shaw]]
[[Category:French fantasy adventure films]]
[[Category:French historical fantasy films]]
[[Category:Italian fantasy adventure films]]
[[Category:Italian historical adventure films]]
[[Category:Lux Film films]]
[[Category:Paramount Pictures films]]
[[Category:Peplum films]]
[[Category:Sword and sandal films]]

The Odyssey (1968 miniseries)

2024-07-01T21:51:00Z

89.164.191.195: /* External links */

{{Infobox television
| image = Odissea_Bekim Fehmiu.jpg
| caption = [[Bekim Fehmiu]] as [[Odysseus]]
| alt_name =
| genre = [[Mythology]], [[adventure]]
| creator =
| based_on = {{based on|''[[Odyssey]]''|[[Homer]]}}
| director = [[Franco Rossi (director)|Franco Rossi]] [[Mario Bava]] [[Piero Schivazappa]]
| creative_director =
| developer =
| presenter = [[Giuseppe Ungaretti]]
| starring = [[Bekim Fehmiu]] [[Irene Papas]]
| voices =
| narrated =
| theme_music_composer =
| opentheme =
| endtheme =
| composer = [[Carlo Rustichelli]]
| country = Italy France Germany Yugoslavia
| language =
| num_seasons =
| num_episodes = 4-8
| list_episodes =
| executive_producer = Vittorio Bonicelli
| producer = [[Dino de Laurentiis]]
| editor =
| location = Italy [[Yugoslavia]]
| cinematography =
| camera =
| runtime = 446 minutes 110 minutes (cut edition)
| channel =
| first_aired = {{Start date|1968|03|24|df=yes}}
| related =
}}
'''''The Odyssey''''' ({{lang-it|Odissea }}) is an eight-episode European TV miniseries broadcast on [[RAI]] (Italian state TV) in 1968 and based on [[Homer]]'s ''[[Odyssey]]''. An Italian, Yugoslavian, German and French ([[ORTF|Radiodiffusion-Télévision Française]]) coproduction, it was directed by [[Franco Rossi (director)|Franco Rossi]],<ref name="Buonanno2012"/> assisted by [[Piero Schivazappa]] and [[Mario Bava]]; the cast includes [[Bekim Fehmiu]] as [[Odysseus]] and [[Irene Papas]] as [[Penelope]], [[Samson Burke]] as the [[Cyclops]], as well as [[Barbara Bach]] as [[Nausicaa]], and [[Gérard Herter]]. Several critics consider the series to be a masterful representation of the ancient world.<ref name="Pomeroy2017">{{cite book|author=Arthur J. Pomeroy|title=A Companion to Ancient Greece and Rome on Screen|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=3kwnDwAAQBAJ&pg=PT341|date=1 June 2017|publisher=Wiley|isbn=978-1-118-74144-3|pages=341–}}</ref>

==Plot==
{{Long plot|date=July 2020}}
===First episode: Telemaco and Penelope===
[[File:Odyssey (1968 miniseries) - Penelope.png|thumb|left|[[Penelope]] while weaving the canvas]]

[[Athena]], happy that King [[Odysseus|Ulysses]] is close to returning to his native island [[Homer's Ithaca|Ithaca]], located to the west of [[Greece]], under the guise of King [[Mentes (King of the Taphians)|Mentes]], arrives in Ithaca to make sure that Ulysses' return is pleasant, but it is not so: although welcomed with respect by the twenty year old Prince [[Telemachus]], Mentes discovers that the palace of the king of Ithaca is besieged by numerous arrogant nobles of the region, the [[Suitors of Penelope|suitors]], who anxiously wait for Queen Penelope to decide to take a new husband between them, supposing that Ulysses died since twenty years have passed since his departure for Troy, looting without reserve the cellar and the pantry of the palace. Penelope tries to take time by declaring to the processors that she must weave a canvas in honor of her father-in-law [[Laertes (father of Odysseus)|Laertes]], but with this pretext every night she undoes it and starts it again the next morning.

Telemachus, at the suggestion of Mentes (who disappears as he came), announces a town meeting to be able to know who is on his side to be able to chase away the suitors and who is willing to follow him on the land to ask for information about Ulysses to King [[Nestor (mythology)|Nestor]], the oldest commander who participated in the war. The suitors also arrive at the assembly, claiming to be right in the king's long absence and the fact that Penelope is spending too much time weaving the web. To these answers, the people of Ithaca are silent and dare not oppose, yet the soothsayer Egizio, noting a hawk perched on the battlements of the palace, sees the success of Telemachus' journey, but is derided by the suitors. The next morning, Telemachus is joined by his father's friend and adviser [[Mentor (Odyssey)|Mentor]] (again Athena in disguise) who gives him a boat and sailors to get to [[Pylos]], by Nestor. Before leaving, Telemachus asks the nurse [[Eurycleia of Ithaca|Eurycleia]] not to say anything to Penelope. During the night, [[Melantho]], a young female servant of the palace who is a lover of Eurymachus, one of the suitors, betrays Penelope by revealing to the suitors what Penelope does to her canvas at night. Discovered, Penelope is forced to finish the shroud without apology.

The next day, the suitors noticed the absence of Telemachus and discovered, threatening a boat seller, that he really started to look for news about his father. Concerned that his research is successful, [[Antinous of Ithaca|Antinous]], chief of staff, suggests an ambush by Telemachus. Arriving in Pylos in the middle of a sacrificial ceremony at [[Poseidon]], Telemachus joins the king after the ceremony. Nestor tells Telemachus of the evening before he returns from Troy: there were those who, like Ulysses, wanted to punish the allies of the Trojans and those like [[Menelaus]] who wanted to go home; after several discussions, the Achaean fleet separated and Nestor no longer knew about Ulysses, so he advised Telemachus to go to [[Sparta]], to Menelaus, with his son [[Peisistratus of Pylos|Pisistratus]], who would guide him. [[Medon (mythology)|Medon]], the wine bearer, on hearing the suitors, runs to warn Penelope who, after a moment of anger at Eurycleia for not having told her anything, prays for the safety of her son.

At night, Penelope receives in a dream Athena's visit, under the guise of her sister Iftime, who assures her that the gods watch over her son and also about Ulysses. Finally the figure of Ulysses is presented: a lonely man at the head of a miserable raft at the mercy of the waves that move him away from his final destination.

=== Second episode: Ulysses, Nausicaa and Calypso ===
At the beginning of the second episode there is a discussion between [[Zeus]] and Athena in which the two agree that Poseidon has tortured Ulysses enough and that it is time for his suffering to end. Ulysses is shipwrecked on an island and, having found a refuge, wanders into a grove of trees and asleep on a bed of fallen leaves. The island in which Ulysses arrived is [[Scheria]], governed by the [[Phaeacians]], and Athena arrives in a dream to the young princess [[Nausicaa]], in the guise of a distant friend and enters the dreams of the girl, telling her that she should prepare herself for her now near marriage and go with the maids to the mouth of the river to do the laundry. The next day Nausicaa goes to the mouth and after doing the laundry, the princess starts to play with the maids, when she sees in the bushes a dirty man, naked and caked with salt and leaves with which he slept on. All the girls run away except for Nausicaa, who is staring in astonishment at the desperate man. Ulysses also remains somewhat captivated by the beauty of the girl and compares her to a goddess, then begging her to take him with her to the palace to clean up the debris of the waters.

[[File:Odyssey (1968 miniseries) - Odysseus and Nausicaa.png|thumb|left|The meeting between [[Odysseus|Ulysses]] and [[Nausicaa]]]]

As ordered by the goddess and also by her heart, Nausicaa has him washed and dressed by the maids, but she asks that, out of discretion, he did not follow her to the palace, or the young people would believe she had chosen him as a husband. Accepting the wishes of the girl, Ulysses goes alone to the city, while an internal voice (Athena) suggests to him how to behave in front of the sovereigns: [[Alcinous]] and [[Arete (mythology)|Arete]]. The nobles and monarchs of the palace, suspicious of all the foreigners who come to their land, fill him with questions, only to apologize for their abrupt and gruff interrogation, after they recognize in the hero a good man with nothing to hide. In reality, in order not to cause a stir, Ulysses pretends to be a shipwrecked traveler in search of protection. Alcinous tells that long ago his people, ruled by his grandfather, resided in the Land of the [[Cyclopes|Cyclops]], monstrous and violent beings, who continually threatened their lives; so they decided to move with the help of the gods to a new island, paying the price of being isolated and unknown to any traveler, except Ulysses.

Hosted in the palace, Ulysses knows that the Phaeacians are peaceful and that they know how to build boats that never sink and never get lost, but have stopped building them worried by a prophecy: Poseidon, their protector, would have punished the Phaeacians by destroying the crew of the ship that will accompany an enemy on board. Ulysses, meanwhile, spends a lot of time with Nausicaa, telling her that until a few weeks ago he had been a prisoner in [[Ogygia]] for seven years, an islet in which the beautiful nymph [[Calypso (mythology)|Calypso]] is exiled, to whom Ulysses mentally resisted, until ordered by the gods, she didn't allow him to go on a raft.

A few days later, Odysseus is invited to see the games that will decree a husband for Nausicaa. The champion asks the guest to participate in the sword contests, but Ulysses refuses, in order not to be recognised, at least until the athletes question his strength, making Ulysses so angry that not only he beats all the participants, but also risks to kill one. Ulysses asks Alcinous for forgiveness, but he demands to know his name rather than to hear his apologies.

=== Third episode: the fall of Troy and the island of the Lotus-eaters ===
[[File:Odyssey (1968 miniseries) - Trojan horse.png|thumb|left|The [[Wooden horse of Troy|wooden horse]] discovered on the shores of [[Troy]]]]

For the victory of the athletes, the blind aedes [[Demodocus (Odyssey character)|Demodocus]] tells everybody the history of the last thing he saw before losing his sight: the fall of Troy. Ten years had passed since the beginning of the war, but neither of the two factions gave up, until one day, on the shores of Ilium, the Trojans found the achaean camp deserted and a gigantic [[Wooden horse of Troy|wooden horse]] on the beach. While [[Priam]] and many other citizens interpreted it as an offer of the Achaeans to Poseidon to secure a safe journey, the priest [[Laocoön]] understands that it is a trap, or an offer asking that the god destroy the city. The priest is so sure of what he said that he thrust a spear in the belly, almost piercing Ulysses and the others hidden inside. On the verge of burning it, Priam stops Laocoön and orders for the horse to be brought inside the city to repent the offense made to the god. Ulysses' plan works: with the horse inside the walls, the Acheans come out of the sculpture, warn the hidden companions and Troy is conquered. The tragedy is unstoppable and on that same night, after having feasted and celebrated, the Trojans are wiped out by the Greeks; this is the destiny also of Priam, of [[Deiphobus]], the new husband of [[Helen of Troy|Helen]], and of [[Astyanax|Astianax]], the baby son of [[Hector]] and [[Andromache]], who is forcefully taken from his cradle and thrown out of the walls by [[Neoptolemus]], the cruel son of [[Achilles]]. Remembering these atrocities, Ulysses starts to cry softly, shaken by violent shivers, and Demodocus, after realising it, recognize him under the shock of all people.

Meanwhile, Telemachus and Pisistratus arrive in Sparta, where Menelaus and Helen have just returned from their journey, unlike Ulysses. The sovereigns welcome Telemachus who, contrary to his expectations, finds himself in front of two sad spouses, severely tested by the fatigue of the war and the fate of the survivors. Agamemnon, says the king, was killed by his wife [[Clytemnestra]], and many met the same death in their homes. The ruler says that the last time he heard about Ulysses, he heard from [[Proteus]], who also told him how to go home. In order to calm the spirits, Elena drugs the wine of her husband and of the guests to relieve their pain and tells of the time she saw Ulysses before Troy was conquered: after being beaten to death by his friend [[Diomedes]] to appear as a beggar, he had entered the city presenting himself as a Phrygian soldier attacked by his drunken comrades. The priestess [[Cassandra]], famous for her misfortune to predict future events but without ever being believed, immediately believes him and confides in him that she knows that her city is destined to lose, if the [[Palladium (classical antiquity)|Palladium]] of Athena were to be stolen from the temple. After Cassandra goes away, Helen arrives, who has become the widow of [[Paris (mythology)|Paris]], who immediately recognizes Ulysses, although battered and bleeding, cursing his coming. Ulysses, furious, threaten her of playing the double-cross and unnecessarily wasting time in that palace, since the entire army of Greece is fighting for her; he finally leaves her, warning her against her husband Menelaus.

[[File:Odyssey (1968 miniseries) - Lotus-eaters.png|thumb|The village of the [[Lotus-eaters]]]]

Now discovered, Ulysses tells the Phaeacians the misadventures that cost him his return home, his fleet and companions. Departing from Troy with 12 ships and many companions, he first loses 6 men for each of his ships in the land of the [[Cicones]], allies of the Trojans. Later he loses 11 of his 12 ships in the land of the [[Laestrygonians]], giants that sink ships that have entered the port; only the ship of Ulysses is saved, who for precaution had kept it out of the port. With the only surviving ship, Ulysses lands on the Mediterranean coast of Africa, inhabited by strange people called [[Lotus-eaters|Lotophagi]], or eaters of an aphrodisiac flower called [[Nelumbo|Lotus]]. Three companions are sent scouting, but after several hours they never return. Worried, Ulysses goes to look for them and arrives in an immense garden with poor houses. All the inhabitants smile and rave about laughing, and among them there are also the three friends of Ulysses. They have completely lost their memory because they ate the dust obtained from the crushing of the flowers of that field, the Lotus, and now they don't want to leave the island. Even when Ulysses tries to remind them of their wives, children and loved homes, the drunken companions do not express the slightest consideration and continue to devour the lotus with a laugh. Then Ulysses takes them all and binds them on the ship, to continue the journey.

Having landed on another island, Ulysses and twelve of his companions go to get supplies and so they go hunting until, following enormous human footsteps, they discover a huge and rough cave. Intrigued, the sailors enter and discover a huge deposit of cheese, milk and ricotta, and utensils belonging to a giant: the bowls that contain the food are huge, and so are an ax and the bed. However, Ulysses, deaf to the insistence of his companions who would like to leave after having taken the cheese, believes he can establish a dialogue with the inhabitant whose skills in making knots and producing good ricotta he appreciates. In any case, there is no more time to escape because the animals of the flock arrive in the cave.

=== Fourth episode: Polyphemus and the gift of Aeolus ===
[[File:Odyssey (1968 miniseries) - Odysseus and Poliphemus.png|thumb|[[Odysseus|Ulysses]] talking with [[Polyphemus]]]]

The cave is inhabited by a monstrous giant with feral habits named [[Polyphemus]]. The cyclops is horrible to behold, full of hair like a beast and with a single eye in the middle of the forehead. The companions fall to the ground in terror as soon as they see him blocking the entrance to the cave with a huge boulder and asking them in a booming voice to introduce themselves. Ulysses, trying to protect his friends, asks Polyphemus for hospitality, since they need food, and to respect the laws of the powerful and vengeful god in regard to visitors [[Zeus]]. Polyphemus bursts into a thunderous and terrifying laugh, declaring that he is the son of [[Poseidon]] and therefore above any law and that he does not have to obey anyone, not even the other gods. The men run away terrified, but Polyphemus takes one and crushes it in his hand; then he grabs another, fainted from shock, and dashes him violently against a stone, and then eats them both. Ulysses would like to kill him, immediately after he has gone to bed, but is held back by his friends, including his cousin [[Eurylochus of Same|Eurilochus]]. If Ulysses had killed the Cyclops while asleep, then no one would have had the strength to remove the gigantic boulder from the entrance, and so the hero is forced to wait the end of the night. The next day, however, he gets an idea and orders his companions to take a large olive branch and sharpen it, while the Cyclops goes out to graze the herd. Subsequently, Ulysses draws lots for the companions who should distract the Cyclops, while he hides the trunk, but the chosen ones are not fast enough and Polyphemus devours them too.

All the prisoners are about to lose hope, were it not for the astute Ulysses, who decides to make the Cyclops drink the wine he had brought with him from the ship as a gift for the inhabitants of that land, a special wine, so concentrated that to be drunk normally it should be diluted with as many as 20 measures of water. Having filled a large bowl, Ulysses barely grabs it with both arms and hands it to Polyphemus, who, although suspicious of the new drink, tastes it, immediately becoming crazy for it and demands more. Ulysses, wanting to get him drunk, brings him another full bowl, which Polyphemus empties. Ulysses, at the request of Polyphemus to reveal his name, replies that he is called "Nobody", whereupon the Cyclops laughs and says that as a reward he will eat him last. Ulysses, without wasting time, after the Cyclops has fallen asleep dead drunk, calls to him his friends who heat the tip of the tree trunk: the prisoners intend to blind Polyphemus so that he can make them escape by opening the entrance. The companions, including Ulysses, take the smoking trunk and approach the bed of Polyphemus, climbing on it and positioning themselves directly behind the monster's head to better implant the trunk. With a shout of encouragement Ulysses and his companions thrust the pole, but the cry of pain of Polyphemus is so chilling and resounding that it makes them all fall to the ground, while the Cyclops, waving his hands, creates a great disorder and noise in the cave. He also calls screaming at his Cyclops neighbours who, rushing up outside the cave, ask what or who is doing him harm. To the answer "Nobody wants to kill me!" the other Cyclops tell Polyphemus that they can do nothing and that he must pray to Poseidon and abandon him.

After a night of constant and agonizing cries, the next morning Polyphemus opens the cave door to let the sheep and goats out to graze. The companions tie themselves to the bellies of the sheep joined in groups of three bound with ropes, clinging to the bellies of the middle animal, except Ulysses who clings under the fleece of the ram of the herd, so as not to be recognized by the Cyclops, who touches the sheep one by one on the back and sides but never thinking to feel them underneath. The ram comes out last and Polyphemus, after having said words of affection towards the head of the herd, pronounces a curse against Ulysses calling his father Poseidon to him. While his companions hurry to get back on the boat, Ulysses prefers to stay on earth for a moment longer to mock Polyphemus by telling him his real name, that it was Ulysses, the king of Ithaca, who blinded him. Polyphemus, mad with rage, climbs a ledge, cursing him and throwing various boulders against the ship, begging his father to wreck the enemy's boat. Shortly after leaving, Ulysses is forced to land on the island of [[Aeolus (Odyssey)|Aeolus]], the god master of the wind, due to bad sea conditions.

[[File:Odyssey (1968 miniseries) - Odysseus and Aeolus.png|thumb|left|The meeting between [[Odysseus|Ulysses]] and [[Aeolus]]]]

Continuing the story, Ulysses arrives on the island of Aeolus and decides to venture alone. Entering a palace, Ulysses enters a huge and opulent banquet room filled with blue steam and "[[erotes]]" (flutist kids) playing various instruments and distributing wine. At the end of the room there was a large table full of all kinds of good things, with Aeolus seated in the center and his family at his sides: his wife Cyane, and their sons and daughters, whom he had married to each other to keep the family together. Aeolus is old and stout with silver hair, and asks the hero to eat with them, telling of his exploits of the Trojan war. Ulysses will stay to eat for several months, telling and repeating his stories about him several times, until he asks the god to let him go. Aeolus agrees and moreover decides to give him all the winds of [[Boreas (god)|Boreas]] and [[Leveche]] that dominate the world. First, however, he asks Ulysses if any gods persecute him, in which case he could not have given him his gift; Ulysses lies, keeping silent about the fact that Poseidon, after the episode of Polyphemus, is hostile to him. Aeolus, then, gathers all the winds and encloses them in a large sack made with the tanned skin of a ram, and gives them to Ulysses as long as he never opens the jar so as not to trigger a natural cataclysm. Ulysses promises and goes to the ship, to resume the voyage; thanks to the winds he would have reached Ithaca much earlier than expected. The companions, intrigued by the sack, believing that it contained riches, one day, just as the coasts of the much desired island are beginning to be glimpsed, open the bag while Ulysses was sleeping exhausted, being tossed back and forth across the [[Mediterranean Sea]]. Ulysses stops to reflect on his misfortunes, while the queen comments that after all he deserves all his troubles for not being vigilant and for having set himself against the gods, visiting unknown lands and disobeying the orders of friends with deception.

=== Fifth episode: the island of Circe and the descent to the Underworld ===
Having landed on a new and unknown island, Ulysses together with his companions decide to visit it to see if it was inhabited by beasts or bloodthirsty men. He divides the expedition into two groups: one commanded by [[Eurylochus of Same|Eurilochus]] and the other by himself. Entering the thick wood, however, the group of fillet is attacked by no one knows what and people are transformed into pigs. Meanwhile, Ulysses meets a shepherd boy, actually [[Hermes]], who tells him the sad fate of the other group. Ulysses would like to rush to their aid, but the god stops him, telling him that this is a spell of the sorceress [[Circe]], mistress of the island, and that to free his friends he must first of all eat a sacred flower. After that the hero would have presented himself to the sorceress and would have been led to her abode; Circe would certainly deceived him, by giving him a potion to drink, but Ulysses would have remained immune and would be seized by a terrible desire to stab the sorceress, but restraining himself.

[[File:Odyssey (1968 miniseries) - Odysseus and Circe.png|thumb|left|[[Odysseus|Ulysses]] together with [[Arete (mythology)|Arete]] while he tells her his adventure.]]

Ulysses hears this prophecy and goes into the garden where he meets a woman, beautiful and terrible at the same time, who subjects him to riddles and tests, but Ulysses, protected by Hermes, solves them all. Circe, realizing that this man is different from all her other victims, decides to take him home to make him drink some wine. Suddenly Ulysses finds himself in a strange abode full of climbing plants and cages containing animals and birds of all kinds, all prisoners of the sorceress, but he is immediately invited to sit by Circe who offers him a golden cup. Ulysses, knowing that he is immune to her poison, drinks it all in one gulp, yet suffering greatly from her poison. Meanwhile, Circe laughs heartily, thinking that soon the unfortunate person would turn into a pig too, but suddenly she goes pale and begins to become terribly ugly: she has realized that her powers are ineffective on the hero. Ulysses, angrier than ever, rushes with the sword drawn to the sorceress, but then remembers the prophecy and does not kill her, but he orders her to take him to her friends. Circe, suddenly returned beautiful and more docile than ever, takes him to a stable where pigs grunt desperately and turns them back into the people they were before. However, due to the sudden metamorphosis, the companions find themselves confused and do not even recognize Ulysses, running away every time he tries to talk to them. Circe then takes the opportunity to hold back the hero a little longer, since the effect of the magic on his companions would disappear in a few days, and she spends passionate nights of love with him.

Circe, to ensure that the hero decides to stay with her forever, makes him drink a magic potion that makes him forget his beloved island, and makes him invisible in front of his companions. With Circe, Ulysses will spend a full year, and only the intervention of his companions, tired of living on the ship doing nothing, will bring the hero back to reason. Ulysses asks Circe to be let go once and for all and she, albeit reluctantly, accepts, but before leaving she confides him some secrets and above all orders him to go to the [[Greek underworld|Underworld]]. Indeed, since many of the gods are hostile to him, Ulysses has a uncertain and dangerous destiny when he sails on the sea and so he needs the prophecies of the blind diviner [[Tiresias]], who died aged over 700 years, so that he can sail peacefully to in Ithaca.

[[File:Odyssey (1968 miniseries) - Odysseus and Tiresias.png|thumb|The meeting between [[Odysseus|Ulysses]] and [[Tiresias]]]]

Ulysses, as Circe had told him, walks through the woods of the island, until he reaches a dark cave dug into the earth. The dark place where Ulysses finds is bleak, lifeless and full of fog. The hero is afraid because to him it seems like an intricate labyrinth full of columns and dead caves and above all he does not see a living soul. Indeed, Circe had advised him to take a black young goat with him to slaughter, so that the souls of the deceased could appear and approach, with the hope that among them there was also Tiresias. Ulysses performs the rite and immediately a group of mournful, weeping and sighing people appears, covered by heavy gray cloaks that leave only their faces uncovered. All of them come dangerously close to the victim's blood to drink it, but Ulysses drives them away with his sword: only Tiresias should have quenched his thirst. The group disappears and the soothsayer finally appears: he is white-haired, with a long beard and communicates only by speaking in a whisper, and Ulysses invites him to drink. When Tiresias gets up from the ground, his figure appears even more ghostly, as he drips kid's blood from his mouth and he begins to communicate his future journey to Ulysses. He will still have to face many dangers and only in the tenth year after the destruction of Troy Ulysses will be able to embrace his family again, but he will not stay in Ithaca for long because, driven by his desire for knowledge, he will make another journey which will be the last of his life.

[[File:Odyssey (1968 miniseries) - Odysseus and Achilles.png|thumb|left|[[Odysseus|Ulysses]] meets the spirit of [[Achilles]]]]

Ulysses does not understand everything and leaves Tiresias to feed on the goat again, to venture deeper into the Underworld. He sees a soul: it is that of [[Agamemnon]] who reveals to him that he was stabbed in treason together with the concubine [[Cassandra]] by his wife [[Clytemnestra]]. The woman was still upset by the ancient sacrifice of her daughter [[Iphigenia]] at the behest of her father, since the gods did not allow him departure for Troy, and she now had one more reason to slaughter Agamemnon: his betrayal with the Trojan prophetess. Agamemnon warns the hero when he returns to Ithaca: no woman is faithful to her husband and above all she will try to kill him after so many years away, and this could also happen with Penelope and Telemachus. Agamemnon's weeping soul goes away and Ulysses, more shocked than ever, meets another one: the spirit of the brave [[Achilles]], who died at the hands of the god Apollo and the arrows of [[Paris (mythology)|Paris]]. Achilles appears more lugubrious than Agamemnon and confides in Ulysses that he would rather be a slave to the most vile and cruel master in the world than be forced to rule the dead in Hades. The last spirit that Ulysses meets in the Underworld is the mother [[Anticlea]]. Ulysses asks her how she died and she, crying, communicates that she died waiting for the arrival of her son in Ithaca. Then Ulysses realizes the atrocity and uselessness of the war fought for so many years in Troy to take back the bride of a betrayed king, and to have wasted time in continuous journeys in the Mediterranean, without realizing that the loved ones died of despair waiting for him to Ithaca; remembering this, he weeps bitterly at the feet of the spirit. His mother invites him not to despair and to hurry on his return to the island because if he is still late, his father [[Laertes (father of Odysseus)|Laertes]], who had long since retired to live like a filthy hermit among animals, will soon die of a broken heart, too.

Ulysses also becomes aware of the abuses of the suitors who infest his palace by undermining Penelope's innocence, and hearing these words is seized by a wave of anger, but first tries to hug in vain his mother's knees, who disappears every time she is touched. Going towards the exit, Ulysses sees another soul: it is his friend [[Elpenor]], who died a few moments ago due to his intoxicated state. In fact the companions, on the world of the living on the island of Circe, had given themselves to mad joy to drive away the worries and Elpenor, who had drunk too much, had fallen from a ledge breaking his neck. Ulysses promises to the soul that he will have a worthy burial once he gets back up and so he will do, burying him right on the island's beach, shouting his name together as many times as enough to reach the ears of the distant mother.

Circe communicates terrible things to Ulysses about his next travels: the first trial to face is the crossing of the rock of the fearsome [[Siren (mythology)|sirens]], then he will have to overcome the gorge of [[Scylla]] and [[Charybdis]]. It is believed that this was only overcome by [[Jason]] with the [[Argonauts]] thanks to the help of a god, an epic feat narrated by [[Apollonius of Rhodes|Apollonius Rhodius]] in the ''[[Argonautica]]''. The last effort of Ulysses will be the stop on the island of the Trident, where there are grazing cows sacred to the god [[Helios]], or the Sun, inviolable if one did not want to loom in the wrath of the divine master. Circe confides all these things to Ulysses and then vanishes, leaving him confused and amazed. The hero communicates the stages to his companions and invites them to leave, but something has changed in them: they are slowly losing faith in their leader.

=== Sixth episode: the Sirens, Scylla and Charybdis, the island of the Sun and the return to Ithaca ===
[[File:Odyssey (1968 miniseries) - Odysseus and the sirens.png|thumb|[[Odysseus|Ulysses]] is tied to the [[Mast (sailing)|mast]] by [[Eurylochus of Same|Eurilochus]]]]

Encouraged his companions to embark to return to Ithaca, Ulysses resumes his journey, immediately approaching the rock of the [[Siren (mythology)|sirens]]. These are beings not visible to man, although the legend wants them with the bodies of rapacious birds and the heads of beautiful women, and they have the power to enchant travelers with their voice, to finally make them smash with the boat on the rock. The companions believe that Ulysses has gone mad, as he wants to cover their ears with wax so that they do not hear the voice. Ulysses, to show them that he is perfectly lucid, is tied by [[Eurylochus of Same|Eurilochus]] to the mainmast, recommending him to hold tighter if he begged to untie him. The ship has now reached the rock and while skirting it, Ulysses glimpses the bones of the unfortunate sailors victims of the Sirens and finally begins to hear their voices that penetrate his mind, obscuring it. The voices insistently invite Ulysses to land on the island so that he can end his days in joy and carefree after so many years of fighting and living in pain, but Eurilochus holds him tight and so Ulysses, severely tested by the power of the Sirens, manages to overcome the rock with his companions.

The second stage is the crossing of a narrow gorge between two huge rocks: [[Scylla]] and [[Charybdis]]. However, Ulysses, believing he was wasting too much time in the crossing and not getting out of it alive, took another longer route that brought him to the island of the Trident, consecrated to the god [[Helios]] (the Sun) for the cows grazing the grass.

[[File:Odyssey (1968 miniseries) - Odysseus and the cows of the Sun.png|thumb|left|[[Odysseus|Ulysses]] tries to convince the companions not to kill the cows of the Sun]]

The ship lands on the beach and immediately a great calm falls on the area, preventing the companions from resuming the journey soon. In fact, Ulysses was reluctantly forced by his friends Heraclius, Eurilochus, [[Polites (friend of Odysseus)|Polites]] and Filetor, who no longer had faith in their commander; now sailors can only hope for the food they own and the prey to fish. Ulysses no longer knows what to do because Circe's prophecy had told him that if anyone dared to kill a single cow, the entire fleet would be annihilated by the gods. The hero does everything to prevent his companions, now exhausted for weeks by hunger and lack of food, from doing it, but one day when he climbs a cliff to implore Zeus, a misfortune occurs. Eurilochus has a heifer killed and feasts with the others all night; Ulysses does not even scold him because he already knows that the fate of those unfortunates is sealed. In fact, after leaving the island due to the sudden return of the wind, a terrible storm unleashed by Poseidon arrives and wrecks the ship with his companions. Only Ulysses is saved on a beam and is tossed for seven days in the sea until he arrives on the island of Calypso.

After the sad tale of all his misadventures, Ulysses asks King Alcinous for a new ship and a crew to reach the now nearby Ithaca and the good king grants it to him. Arriving on the beloved island, Ulysses, since he hadn't seen it for twenty years, no longer recognizes anything about his homeland and immediately asks a shepherd for information about the place. The boy is none other than his protector [[Athena]] who, to put him to the test, asks him who he is. Ulysses, keeping his personal details hidden, tells him that he is an unfortunate sailor from [[Egypt]] and Athena praises him for his shrewdness, transforming him into an old beggar so that he is not immediately recognized by the inhabitants and family members, so that he can better plan his revenge. When the boy is gone, Ulysses arrives in the house of [[Eumaeus]], the pig keeper and most trusted servant of Ulysses, who welcomes him amicably as tradition dictates to any guest, obviously not recognizing him. Ulysses is amazed by the goodness of the man and begins to ask questions about the fate of that unfortunate fighter who left for Troy and never returned home, leaving his wife and son desperate, who went in search of him. Eumaeus tells everything in detail and Ulysses, although tempted to show him who he really is, does not.

[[File:Odyssey (1968 miniseries) - Telemachus and Odysseus.png|thumb|The meeting between [[Odysseus|Ulysses]] and [[Telemachus]]]]

Meanwhile, Telemachus returns to the island of [[Pylos]] from [[Sparta]], more disheartened than ever, and lets the soothsayer [[Theoclymenus|Theoclimenus]] on board, convinced that he can tell him something about his father; by now Telemachus is willing to do anything and is ready to believe anyone's testimony. Getting that man on board proves to be an excellent action for Telemachus because Theoclimenus advises him to reverse the route to Ithaca, not passing through the Strait of [[Samos]], since a snare of suitors was waiting there. Telemachus arrives safely in Ithaca and goes at night to the house of Eumaeus where Ulysses is also waiting for him. Then the goddess Athena appears to the hero and tells him that now he can finally reveal himself to his trusted family members and the night ends with a tender and moving embrace between Ulysses and his son weeping with joy. The following day the three plan the way to enter the court, relying on the help of Eumaeus and Penelope, while the ship returns to the port with the suitors, more angry than ever for the failed coup.

Penelope is worried about her son's fate, but is reassured when she sees him appear safe and sound on the doorstep with Theoclimenus, and invites them to wash themselves and then eat. Refreshed, Telemachus approaches her mother, gently resting his head on her knee, and asks her what Ulysses was like before her birth. Happy, Penelope remembers when her husband, poorer than ever, came to her house to ask for her hand, although chased away by her future father-in-law. He, knowing that Penelope loved him secretly, went towards her chariot and the girl had chased him, begging him to let her up. The father, beside himself with rage, stood in front of the chariot, but Ulysses overtook him anyway, avoiding him and married Penelope. The episode ends with Theoclimenus who foretells the arrival of Ulysses in a few days and Eumaeus who leads his master Ulysses, always dressed as a beggar, to the court.

=== Seventh episode: Ulysses beggar at the court and the eve of the final competition ===
[[File:Odyssey (1968 miniseries) - Odysseus beggar.png|thumb|[[Odysseus|Ulysses]] appears in front of the [[Suitors of Penelope|suitors]] dressed as a beggar]]

Ulysses is accompanied by Eumaeus to the palace, but first he stops in front of an old and decrepit dog: it is [[Argos (dog)|Argos]], the dog loved by Ulysses, now dying, who recognizes his master, even after twenty years of absence, and finally dies happy. At the prompting of Athena, in his beggar's disguise, he approaches the suitors for alms. The welcome of the suitors is rude and cruel: they mock and insult him, not knowing what fate awaits them in a few days. The episode is one of the most characteristic of the entire work because there is a continuous connection of the narrative that passes both through the mouth of a male voiceover (as happened in the other episodes) and into the lips of muses in the guise of handmaids. Telemachus cannot endure for long the abuses of the suitors against his father who is even beaten by Antinous, leader of the suitors, when he approaches the latter for alms. As if that were not enough, the corpulent Arnaeus (known as [[Arnaeus|Irus]]) also arrives at the court, who boasts of being the strongest of all beggars and bullies Ulysses, fearing that the latter wants to steal his place. The suitors propose to make them fight by giving away a choice piece of roast meat and they head into the courtyard. At first it seems that Arnaeus is about to win but then the bully's blows awaken an ancient wrath in Ulysses' chest, who knocks him down with a single well-aimed blow on the jaw. Bleeding and staggering, Arnaeus falls to the ground and Ulysses places him in front of a column, with a stern warning not to challenge him any further or suffer a worse fate.

He is later summoned to meet with Penelope, to speak with the queen in private. Penelope is intrigued by that stranger and she would like to know more about him. Ulysses lies anyway and tells her that he is Aethon, brother of the Cretan king [[Idomeneus of Crete|Idomeneus]], sons of [[Minos]], but he claims to have known Ulysses, describing in every detail his cloak with the golden buckle depicting a dog tearing a deer. Penelope is amazed and even deludes herself to recognize her beggar as her husband, but Ulysses controls his emotions by reminding her that he is only a Minoan warrior who fell from grace after the Trojan War.

[[File:Odyssey (1968 miniseries) - Odysseus and the axes.png|thumb|[[Odysseus|Ulysses]] while placing the axes for the competition]]

[[Eurycleia of Ithaca|Eurycleia]], the oldest and wisest handmaid in the palace, is called to wash the beggar's feet and, going up to the knee, she recognizes a scar. This is the wound inflicted on the hero by a wild boar many years earlier during a hunting trip. The nurse has finally recognized her master, but he covers her mouth, fearing that she may, even if unwilling, ruin all her plans for revenge. Eurycleia is sworn to silence and Ulysses goes to the stables where a young cowherd is feeding a bullock: it is [[Philoetius (Odyssey)|Philoetius]], hired by Ulysses when he was a ten-year-old boy; not even he recognizes his master. Eumaeus, knowing everything, is equally silent.

The day long-awaited by suitors is approaching, that is the one in which Penelope will decide who will be the new husband and king of Ithaca; indeed, the rude suitors had not yet brought gifts for the queen and she, to buy time, had demanded that they bring them to her. On the same day as the delivery of the gifts, Penelope had ordered that a competition be organized with the [[Bow (weapon)|bow]] of Ulysses and her winner would become her new husband. Both Ulysses and Penelope pass the night before the appointed day sleepless; the first is strongly tempted to reveal himself to the bride, the other has a vision. Indeed, she imagines a large group of geese being mowed down by the arrival of a large eagle and she fears for joy and fear for the true arrival of her beloved husband.

The fateful day arrives and Penelope goes to take Ulysses' bow. It was believed that no one except the hero was able to stretch it, because the master had made it from the horns of an ox sacred to the gods and smeared it with grease every time before using it and always lifted the rope when he didn't need it. Telemachus also wants to register for the competition, to prevent one of the suitors from winning and holds the bow, but he is unable to pull the string. While Antinous prepares for the deed, he sees the beggar Ulysses placing side by side on a horizontal beam twelve axes with a large hole in the middle of the blade, so that there was a single and perfect invisible line between the holes of each blade.

=== Eight episode: victory of Ulysses and the recognition of Penelope ===
[[File:Odyssey (1968 miniseries) - Odysseus and Penelope.png|thumb|[[Odysseus|Ulysses]] together with [[Penelope]]]]

Antinous tries to draw the bow but it is impossible for him; the other suitors are also unsuccessful. Then Ulysses, in his beggar disguise, asks humbly to be able to try to thread the bow. All the suitors mock him for daring to be their equal, but Penelope steps in and gives him permission to do so. Ulysses skillfully draws the bow, shooting the arrow and making it pass through all the holes in the shutters. He then turns towards Antinous and kills him with an arrow to the side. The suitors are in a shock at his deed, then Ulysses strips off his rags and reveals himself to them, sending them in a panic. Eurymachus, the second foremost of the suitors, lays the blame on Antinous for being the instigator of wasting the palace resources and offers recompensation for everything they had consumed but Ulysses rejects his proposition and proceeds to shoot him and the other suitors. They begin to panic and try to escape his wrath but they are unable to, for the doors had been locked beforehand on Ulysses' orders. They do not even have a weapon to defend themselves: all of these had been sneaked away by Telemachus and Eumaeus the previous night. With the help of Telemachus and the loyal servants Eumaeus the swineherd and Philoetius the cowherd, Ulysses slaughters all suitors. Not even one is saved, and the maids who had betrayed the trust of Queen Penelope by consorting with the suitors are made to clean up the blood and gore and dispose of the bodies of the dead suitors before being punished themselves for their disloyalty by hanging.

Finally Ulysses has taken his revenge and is waiting for nothing but to go to the room of Penelope, who has witnessed terrified and amazed at the carnage. The woman is not yet fully convinced that the warrior is Ulysses, but she lets him into the room. The recognition occurs when Penelope proposes to move the nuptial bed, to which Ulysses replies that this is impossible, because that bed had been built by himself by carving it from a huge tree trunk, around which he had then built his palace. Penelope then has no more doubts and she embraces the groom crying and laughing with joy. Ulysses, moved by her, tells her all her misfortunes and with her he spends a long and happy night of love; in fact the [[Aurora (mythology)|Aurora]] prolongs the night by passing several days. The final part of the episode tells of the pacification, through the intercession of Mentor and Athena, between Ulysses and the relatives of the suitors, who are seeking vengeance for their deaths. When the clash between the two parties in the fields near Laertes' hut (where Ulysses had gone with his family) seems inevitable, at the urging of Mentor and Athena, Ulysses first lays down his arms, kneeling in a sense of respect for the relatives of the young dead, then the same is done by the father who led the opposing party, thus sanctioning the pacification.

==Cast==
{{colbegin}}
* [[Bekim Fehmiu]]: [[Odysseus]] (Ulisse)
* [[Irene Papas]]: [[Penelope]]
* [[Renaud Verley]]: [[Telemachus]] (Telemaco)
* Roy Purcell: [[Alcinous]] (Alcinoo)
* [[Marina Berti]]: [[Arete (mythology)|Arete]]
* [[Scilla Gabel]]: [[Helen of Troy|Helen]] (Elena)
* [[Barbara Bach]]: [[Nausicaa]]
* [[Juliette Mayniel]]: [[Circe]]
* Kyra Bester: [[Calypso (mythology)|Calypso]] (Calipso)
* Michèle Breton: [[Athena]] (Atena)
* Constantin Nepo: [[Antinous of Ithaca|Antinous]] (Antinoo)
* [[Ivica Pajer]]: [[Eurylochus of Same|Eurylochus]] (Euriloco)
* [[Samson Burke]]: [[Polyphemus]] (Polifemo)
* [[Fausto Tozzi]]: [[Menelaus]] (Menelao)
* [[Jaspar von Oertzen|Jaspar Von Oertzen]]: [[Nestor (mythology)|Nestor]] (Nestore)
* [[Franco Balducci]]: [[Mentor]] (Mentore)
* Husein Cokic: [[Eumaeus]] (Eumeo)
* Branko Kovacic: [[Laertes (father of Odysseus)|Laertes]] (Laerte)
* Vladimir Leib: [[Aeolus (Odyssey)|Aeolus]] (Eolo)
* [[Karl-Otto Alberty]]: [[Eurymachus]] (Eurimaco)
* Maurizio Tocchi: Leocritus (Leocrito)
* [[Ilija Ivezić]]: [[Ctesippus]] (Ctesippo)
* Petar Buntic: Filetor (Filettore)
* Duje Novakovic: [[Elpenor]] (Elpenore)
* Sime Jagarinac: Heraclius (Eraclio)
* Petar Dobric: [[Polites (friend of Odysseus)|Polites]] (Polite)
* [[Franco Fantasia]]: [[Mentes (King of the Taphians)|Mentes]] (Mente)
* Voyo Goric: [[Philoetius (Odyssey)|Philetius]] (Filezio)
* [[Luciano Rossi]]: [[Theoclymenus]] (Teoclimeno)
* [[Giulio Donnini]]: [[Tiresias]] (Tiresia)
* [[Bianca Doria]]: [[Anticlea]]
* [[Sergio Ferrero]]: [[Peisistratus of Pylos|Pisistratus]] (Pisistrato)
* [[Enzo Fiermonte]]: [[Demodocus (Odyssey character)|Demodocus]] (Demodoco)
* Stefanella Giovannini: [[Cassandra]]
* [[Peter Hinwood]]: [[Hermes]] (Ermete/Hermes)
* Miodrag Loncar: [[Arnaeus|Irus]] (Iro)
* Hrvoje Svob: [[Phemius]] (Femio)
* Giulio Cesare Tomei: [[Priam]] (Priamo)
* Rolf Boysen: [[Agamemnon]] (Agamennone)
* [[Gérard Herter]]: [[Laocoön]] (Laocoonte)
*Nona Medici: Iftime
* [[Mimmo Palmara]]: [[Achilles]] (Achille)
* [[Giancarlo Prete]]: [[Suitors of Penelope#List of Suitors of Penelope|Euryades]] (Euriade)
* Andrea Saric: [[Melantho]] (Melanto)
* [[Orso Maria Guerrini]]: [[Leodes]] (Leode)
* Ada Morotti: Cyane (Ciane)
* [[Laura Nucci]]: Antinoo's Mother
{{colend}}

==Production==
[[File:Scilla Gabel e Piero Schivazappa 02.jpg|thumb|Scilla Gabel (Helen) on set with the assistant director [[Piero Schivazappa]]]]
The miniseries was produced principally for broadcasting on the state televisions of Italy, Germany and France.<ref name="Cavallini2007">{{cite book|author=Eleonora Cavallini|title=Omero mediatico: aspetti della ricezione omerica nella civiltà contemporanea: atti delle giornate di studio, Ravenna, 18-19 gennaio 2006|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=O2ZiAAAAMAAJ|year=2007|publisher=D. U. Press|isbn=978-88-95451-05-3}}</ref> There are 8 episodes in the original version, running a total of 446 minutes. Each episode is preceded by an introduction in which poet [[Giuseppe Ungaretti]] read some verses of the original poem.<ref name="Giachery2012">{{cite book|author=Emerico Giachery|title=Ungaretti e il mito|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=mADp9jsjnLEC&pg=PA26|year=2012|publisher=Edizioni Nuova Cultura|isbn=978-88-6134-973-5|pages=26–}}</ref>

Special effects were designed by [[Mario Bava]] (who outright directed the [[Polyphemus]] episode)<ref name="Howarth2002">{{cite book|author=Troy Howarth|title=The Haunted World of Mario Bava|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Ac9VDwAAQBAJ&pg=PT325|year=2002|publisher=BearManor Media|pages=325–|id=GGKEY:X5Q62N9EWKC}}</ref> and [[Carlo Rambaldi]].<ref name="Buonanno2012">{{cite book|author=Milly Buonanno|title=Italian TV Drama and Beyond: Stories from the Soil, Stories from the Sea|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=OJs81Yn5FscC&pg=PA37|year=2012|publisher=Intellect Books|isbn=978-1-84150-459-9|pages=37–}}</ref>

The exteriors were shot entirely in Yugoslavia, which offered a scenery that was similar to the lands of Ancient Greece.<ref name="Lupi">{{cite web |last1=Lupi |first1=Giordano |title=Odissea – Le avventure di Ulisse (Film Tv, 1969) |url=http://www.futuro-europa.it/21352/cultura/odissea-le-avventure-ulisse-film-tv-1969.html |date=16 October 2016|website=Futuro Europa |accessdate=26 December 2018}}</ref>

==Release==
The show ran on television in Europe between 1968 and 1970. In Italy alone, the episodes had an audience of over 16 million viewers. The entire television series was dubbed into English, ran several times on the TVO network in Ontario, Canada, and was broadcast in the US by CBS years later in 1978. An abridged theatrical version (running only 110 minutes) was released to European theatres as well, also available in English, but the English dub was later lost. There are DVD editions still available in Italian and German.

==Reception==
The adaptation is considered by some to be the most faithful rendering of Homer's epic on screen,<ref name="LovattVout2013">{{cite book|author1=Helen Lovatt|author2=Caroline Vout|title=Epic Visions: Visuality in Greek and Latin Epic and its Reception|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=fo2bBQAAQBAJ&pg=PA170|date=15 August 2013|publisher=Cambridge University Press|isbn=978-1-316-26499-7|pages=170–}}</ref> by including most of the characters and events, as well as by attempting to fill with graphic details.<ref name="RengerSolomon2012">{{cite book|author1=Almut-Barbara Renger|author2=Jon Solomon|title=Ancient Worlds in Film and Television: Gender and Politics|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=lTgyAQAAQBAJ&pg=PA205|date=13 November 2012|publisher=BRILL|isbn=978-90-04-24192-3|pages=205–}}</ref>

==See also==
* [[Eneide (TV serial)]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
* [https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0064750/ IMDB page]
* [http://www.superstrangevideo.com/gallery.asp?prodID=3161&prodTitle=Odissea Pictures]
* [https://www.raiplay.it/programmi/odissea/ ''The Odyssey''] on [[RaiPlay]]

{{Odyssey navbox}}
{{Franco Rossi}}
{{Mario Bava}}
{{Rai original series}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Odyssey}}
[[Category:1960s Italian television miniseries]]
[[Category:1968 Italian television series debuts]]
[[Category:1968 Italian television series endings]]
[[Category:1960s French television miniseries]]
[[Category:1968 French television series debuts]]
[[Category:1968 French television series endings]]
[[Category:French drama television series]]
[[Category:Italian drama television series]]
[[Category:German drama television series]]
[[Category:Television series set in ancient Greece]]
[[Category:Television series based on classical mythology]]
[[Category:Films directed by Franco Rossi]]
[[Category:Films based on the Odyssey]]
[[Category:Films directed by Piero Schivazappa]]
[[Category:Films set in the Mediterranean Sea]]
[[Category:Television shows based on the Odyssey]]
[[Category:Agamemnon]]
[[Category:Cassandra]]
[[Category:Cultural depictions of Helen of Troy]]
[[Category:Cultural depictions of Achilles]]

The Odyssey (1968 miniseries)

2024-07-01T21:50:10Z

89.164.191.195:

{{Infobox television
| image = Odissea_Bekim Fehmiu.jpg
| caption = [[Bekim Fehmiu]] as [[Odysseus]]
| alt_name =
| genre = [[Mythology]], [[adventure]]
| creator =
| based_on = {{based on|''[[Odyssey]]''|[[Homer]]}}
| director = [[Franco Rossi (director)|Franco Rossi]] [[Mario Bava]] [[Piero Schivazappa]]
| creative_director =
| developer =
| presenter = [[Giuseppe Ungaretti]]
| starring = [[Bekim Fehmiu]] [[Irene Papas]]
| voices =
| narrated =
| theme_music_composer =
| opentheme =
| endtheme =
| composer = [[Carlo Rustichelli]]
| country = Italy France Germany Yugoslavia
| language =
| num_seasons =
| num_episodes = 4-8
| list_episodes =
| executive_producer = Vittorio Bonicelli
| producer = [[Dino de Laurentiis]]
| editor =
| location = Italy [[Yugoslavia]]
| cinematography =
| camera =
| runtime = 446 minutes 110 minutes (cut edition)
| channel =
| first_aired = {{Start date|1968|03|24|df=yes}}
| related =
}}
'''''The Odyssey''''' ({{lang-it|Odissea }}) is an eight-episode European TV miniseries broadcast on [[RAI]] (Italian state TV) in 1968 and based on [[Homer]]'s ''[[Odyssey]]''. An Italian, Yugoslavian, German and French ([[ORTF|Radiodiffusion-Télévision Française]]) coproduction, it was directed by [[Franco Rossi (director)|Franco Rossi]],<ref name="Buonanno2012"/> assisted by [[Piero Schivazappa]] and [[Mario Bava]]; the cast includes [[Bekim Fehmiu]] as [[Odysseus]] and [[Irene Papas]] as [[Penelope]], [[Samson Burke]] as the [[Cyclops]], as well as [[Barbara Bach]] as [[Nausicaa]], and [[Gérard Herter]]. Several critics consider the series to be a masterful representation of the ancient world.<ref name="Pomeroy2017">{{cite book|author=Arthur J. Pomeroy|title=A Companion to Ancient Greece and Rome on Screen|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=3kwnDwAAQBAJ&pg=PT341|date=1 June 2017|publisher=Wiley|isbn=978-1-118-74144-3|pages=341–}}</ref>

==Plot==
{{Long plot|date=July 2020}}
===First episode: Telemaco and Penelope===
[[File:Odyssey (1968 miniseries) - Penelope.png|thumb|left|[[Penelope]] while weaving the canvas]]

[[Athena]], happy that King [[Odysseus|Ulysses]] is close to returning to his native island [[Homer's Ithaca|Ithaca]], located to the west of [[Greece]], under the guise of King [[Mentes (King of the Taphians)|Mentes]], arrives in Ithaca to make sure that Ulysses' return is pleasant, but it is not so: although welcomed with respect by the twenty year old Prince [[Telemachus]], Mentes discovers that the palace of the king of Ithaca is besieged by numerous arrogant nobles of the region, the [[Suitors of Penelope|suitors]], who anxiously wait for Queen Penelope to decide to take a new husband between them, supposing that Ulysses died since twenty years have passed since his departure for Troy, looting without reserve the cellar and the pantry of the palace. Penelope tries to take time by declaring to the processors that she must weave a canvas in honor of her father-in-law [[Laertes (father of Odysseus)|Laertes]], but with this pretext every night she undoes it and starts it again the next morning.

Telemachus, at the suggestion of Mentes (who disappears as he came), announces a town meeting to be able to know who is on his side to be able to chase away the suitors and who is willing to follow him on the land to ask for information about Ulysses to King [[Nestor (mythology)|Nestor]], the oldest commander who participated in the war. The suitors also arrive at the assembly, claiming to be right in the king's long absence and the fact that Penelope is spending too much time weaving the web. To these answers, the people of Ithaca are silent and dare not oppose, yet the soothsayer Egizio, noting a hawk perched on the battlements of the palace, sees the success of Telemachus' journey, but is derided by the suitors. The next morning, Telemachus is joined by his father's friend and adviser [[Mentor (Odyssey)|Mentor]] (again Athena in disguise) who gives him a boat and sailors to get to [[Pylos]], by Nestor. Before leaving, Telemachus asks the nurse [[Eurycleia of Ithaca|Eurycleia]] not to say anything to Penelope. During the night, [[Melantho]], a young female servant of the palace who is a lover of Eurymachus, one of the suitors, betrays Penelope by revealing to the suitors what Penelope does to her canvas at night. Discovered, Penelope is forced to finish the shroud without apology.

The next day, the suitors noticed the absence of Telemachus and discovered, threatening a boat seller, that he really started to look for news about his father. Concerned that his research is successful, [[Antinous of Ithaca|Antinous]], chief of staff, suggests an ambush by Telemachus. Arriving in Pylos in the middle of a sacrificial ceremony at [[Poseidon]], Telemachus joins the king after the ceremony. Nestor tells Telemachus of the evening before he returns from Troy: there were those who, like Ulysses, wanted to punish the allies of the Trojans and those like [[Menelaus]] who wanted to go home; after several discussions, the Achaean fleet separated and Nestor no longer knew about Ulysses, so he advised Telemachus to go to [[Sparta]], to Menelaus, with his son [[Peisistratus of Pylos|Pisistratus]], who would guide him. [[Medon (mythology)|Medon]], the wine bearer, on hearing the suitors, runs to warn Penelope who, after a moment of anger at Eurycleia for not having told her anything, prays for the safety of her son.

At night, Penelope receives in a dream Athena's visit, under the guise of her sister Iftime, who assures her that the gods watch over her son and also about Ulysses. Finally the figure of Ulysses is presented: a lonely man at the head of a miserable raft at the mercy of the waves that move him away from his final destination.

=== Second episode: Ulysses, Nausicaa and Calypso ===
At the beginning of the second episode there is a discussion between [[Zeus]] and Athena in which the two agree that Poseidon has tortured Ulysses enough and that it is time for his suffering to end. Ulysses is shipwrecked on an island and, having found a refuge, wanders into a grove of trees and asleep on a bed of fallen leaves. The island in which Ulysses arrived is [[Scheria]], governed by the [[Phaeacians]], and Athena arrives in a dream to the young princess [[Nausicaa]], in the guise of a distant friend and enters the dreams of the girl, telling her that she should prepare herself for her now near marriage and go with the maids to the mouth of the river to do the laundry. The next day Nausicaa goes to the mouth and after doing the laundry, the princess starts to play with the maids, when she sees in the bushes a dirty man, naked and caked with salt and leaves with which he slept on. All the girls run away except for Nausicaa, who is staring in astonishment at the desperate man. Ulysses also remains somewhat captivated by the beauty of the girl and compares her to a goddess, then begging her to take him with her to the palace to clean up the debris of the waters.

[[File:Odyssey (1968 miniseries) - Odysseus and Nausicaa.png|thumb|left|The meeting between [[Odysseus|Ulysses]] and [[Nausicaa]]]]

As ordered by the goddess and also by her heart, Nausicaa has him washed and dressed by the maids, but she asks that, out of discretion, he did not follow her to the palace, or the young people would believe she had chosen him as a husband. Accepting the wishes of the girl, Ulysses goes alone to the city, while an internal voice (Athena) suggests to him how to behave in front of the sovereigns: [[Alcinous]] and [[Arete (mythology)|Arete]]. The nobles and monarchs of the palace, suspicious of all the foreigners who come to their land, fill him with questions, only to apologize for their abrupt and gruff interrogation, after they recognize in the hero a good man with nothing to hide. In reality, in order not to cause a stir, Ulysses pretends to be a shipwrecked traveler in search of protection. Alcinous tells that long ago his people, ruled by his grandfather, resided in the Land of the [[Cyclopes|Cyclops]], monstrous and violent beings, who continually threatened their lives; so they decided to move with the help of the gods to a new island, paying the price of being isolated and unknown to any traveler, except Ulysses.

Hosted in the palace, Ulysses knows that the Phaeacians are peaceful and that they know how to build boats that never sink and never get lost, but have stopped building them worried by a prophecy: Poseidon, their protector, would have punished the Phaeacians by destroying the crew of the ship that will accompany an enemy on board. Ulysses, meanwhile, spends a lot of time with Nausicaa, telling her that until a few weeks ago he had been a prisoner in [[Ogygia]] for seven years, an islet in which the beautiful nymph [[Calypso (mythology)|Calypso]] is exiled, to whom Ulysses mentally resisted, until ordered by the gods, she didn't allow him to go on a raft.

A few days later, Odysseus is invited to see the games that will decree a husband for Nausicaa. The champion asks the guest to participate in the sword contests, but Ulysses refuses, in order not to be recognised, at least until the athletes question his strength, making Ulysses so angry that not only he beats all the participants, but also risks to kill one. Ulysses asks Alcinous for forgiveness, but he demands to know his name rather than to hear his apologies.

=== Third episode: the fall of Troy and the island of the Lotus-eaters ===
[[File:Odyssey (1968 miniseries) - Trojan horse.png|thumb|left|The [[Wooden horse of Troy|wooden horse]] discovered on the shores of [[Troy]]]]

For the victory of the athletes, the blind aedes [[Demodocus (Odyssey character)|Demodocus]] tells everybody the history of the last thing he saw before losing his sight: the fall of Troy. Ten years had passed since the beginning of the war, but neither of the two factions gave up, until one day, on the shores of Ilium, the Trojans found the achaean camp deserted and a gigantic [[Wooden horse of Troy|wooden horse]] on the beach. While [[Priam]] and many other citizens interpreted it as an offer of the Achaeans to Poseidon to secure a safe journey, the priest [[Laocoön]] understands that it is a trap, or an offer asking that the god destroy the city. The priest is so sure of what he said that he thrust a spear in the belly, almost piercing Ulysses and the others hidden inside. On the verge of burning it, Priam stops Laocoön and orders for the horse to be brought inside the city to repent the offense made to the god. Ulysses' plan works: with the horse inside the walls, the Acheans come out of the sculpture, warn the hidden companions and Troy is conquered. The tragedy is unstoppable and on that same night, after having feasted and celebrated, the Trojans are wiped out by the Greeks; this is the destiny also of Priam, of [[Deiphobus]], the new husband of [[Helen of Troy|Helen]], and of [[Astyanax|Astianax]], the baby son of [[Hector]] and [[Andromache]], who is forcefully taken from his cradle and thrown out of the walls by [[Neoptolemus]], the cruel son of [[Achilles]]. Remembering these atrocities, Ulysses starts to cry softly, shaken by violent shivers, and Demodocus, after realising it, recognize him under the shock of all people.

Meanwhile, Telemachus and Pisistratus arrive in Sparta, where Menelaus and Helen have just returned from their journey, unlike Ulysses. The sovereigns welcome Telemachus who, contrary to his expectations, finds himself in front of two sad spouses, severely tested by the fatigue of the war and the fate of the survivors. Agamemnon, says the king, was killed by his wife [[Clytemnestra]], and many met the same death in their homes. The ruler says that the last time he heard about Ulysses, he heard from [[Proteus]], who also told him how to go home. In order to calm the spirits, Elena drugs the wine of her husband and of the guests to relieve their pain and tells of the time she saw Ulysses before Troy was conquered: after being beaten to death by his friend [[Diomedes]] to appear as a beggar, he had entered the city presenting himself as a Phrygian soldier attacked by his drunken comrades. The priestess [[Cassandra]], famous for her misfortune to predict future events but without ever being believed, immediately believes him and confides in him that she knows that her city is destined to lose, if the [[Palladium (classical antiquity)|Palladium]] of Athena were to be stolen from the temple. After Cassandra goes away, Helen arrives, who has become the widow of [[Paris (mythology)|Paris]], who immediately recognizes Ulysses, although battered and bleeding, cursing his coming. Ulysses, furious, threaten her of playing the double-cross and unnecessarily wasting time in that palace, since the entire army of Greece is fighting for her; he finally leaves her, warning her against her husband Menelaus.

[[File:Odyssey (1968 miniseries) - Lotus-eaters.png|thumb|The village of the [[Lotus-eaters]]]]

Now discovered, Ulysses tells the Phaeacians the misadventures that cost him his return home, his fleet and companions. Departing from Troy with 12 ships and many companions, he first loses 6 men for each of his ships in the land of the [[Cicones]], allies of the Trojans. Later he loses 11 of his 12 ships in the land of the [[Laestrygonians]], giants that sink ships that have entered the port; only the ship of Ulysses is saved, who for precaution had kept it out of the port. With the only surviving ship, Ulysses lands on the Mediterranean coast of Africa, inhabited by strange people called [[Lotus-eaters|Lotophagi]], or eaters of an aphrodisiac flower called [[Nelumbo|Lotus]]. Three companions are sent scouting, but after several hours they never return. Worried, Ulysses goes to look for them and arrives in an immense garden with poor houses. All the inhabitants smile and rave about laughing, and among them there are also the three friends of Ulysses. They have completely lost their memory because they ate the dust obtained from the crushing of the flowers of that field, the Lotus, and now they don't want to leave the island. Even when Ulysses tries to remind them of their wives, children and loved homes, the drunken companions do not express the slightest consideration and continue to devour the lotus with a laugh. Then Ulysses takes them all and binds them on the ship, to continue the journey.

Having landed on another island, Ulysses and twelve of his companions go to get supplies and so they go hunting until, following enormous human footsteps, they discover a huge and rough cave. Intrigued, the sailors enter and discover a huge deposit of cheese, milk and ricotta, and utensils belonging to a giant: the bowls that contain the food are huge, and so are an ax and the bed. However, Ulysses, deaf to the insistence of his companions who would like to leave after having taken the cheese, believes he can establish a dialogue with the inhabitant whose skills in making knots and producing good ricotta he appreciates. In any case, there is no more time to escape because the animals of the flock arrive in the cave.

=== Fourth episode: Polyphemus and the gift of Aeolus ===
[[File:Odyssey (1968 miniseries) - Odysseus and Poliphemus.png|thumb|[[Odysseus|Ulysses]] talking with [[Polyphemus]]]]

The cave is inhabited by a monstrous giant with feral habits named [[Polyphemus]]. The cyclops is horrible to behold, full of hair like a beast and with a single eye in the middle of the forehead. The companions fall to the ground in terror as soon as they see him blocking the entrance to the cave with a huge boulder and asking them in a booming voice to introduce themselves. Ulysses, trying to protect his friends, asks Polyphemus for hospitality, since they need food, and to respect the laws of the powerful and vengeful god in regard to visitors [[Zeus]]. Polyphemus bursts into a thunderous and terrifying laugh, declaring that he is the son of [[Poseidon]] and therefore above any law and that he does not have to obey anyone, not even the other gods. The men run away terrified, but Polyphemus takes one and crushes it in his hand; then he grabs another, fainted from shock, and dashes him violently against a stone, and then eats them both. Ulysses would like to kill him, immediately after he has gone to bed, but is held back by his friends, including his cousin [[Eurylochus of Same|Eurilochus]]. If Ulysses had killed the Cyclops while asleep, then no one would have had the strength to remove the gigantic boulder from the entrance, and so the hero is forced to wait the end of the night. The next day, however, he gets an idea and orders his companions to take a large olive branch and sharpen it, while the Cyclops goes out to graze the herd. Subsequently, Ulysses draws lots for the companions who should distract the Cyclops, while he hides the trunk, but the chosen ones are not fast enough and Polyphemus devours them too.

All the prisoners are about to lose hope, were it not for the astute Ulysses, who decides to make the Cyclops drink the wine he had brought with him from the ship as a gift for the inhabitants of that land, a special wine, so concentrated that to be drunk normally it should be diluted with as many as 20 measures of water. Having filled a large bowl, Ulysses barely grabs it with both arms and hands it to Polyphemus, who, although suspicious of the new drink, tastes it, immediately becoming crazy for it and demands more. Ulysses, wanting to get him drunk, brings him another full bowl, which Polyphemus empties. Ulysses, at the request of Polyphemus to reveal his name, replies that he is called "Nobody", whereupon the Cyclops laughs and says that as a reward he will eat him last. Ulysses, without wasting time, after the Cyclops has fallen asleep dead drunk, calls to him his friends who heat the tip of the tree trunk: the prisoners intend to blind Polyphemus so that he can make them escape by opening the entrance. The companions, including Ulysses, take the smoking trunk and approach the bed of Polyphemus, climbing on it and positioning themselves directly behind the monster's head to better implant the trunk. With a shout of encouragement Ulysses and his companions thrust the pole, but the cry of pain of Polyphemus is so chilling and resounding that it makes them all fall to the ground, while the Cyclops, waving his hands, creates a great disorder and noise in the cave. He also calls screaming at his Cyclops neighbours who, rushing up outside the cave, ask what or who is doing him harm. To the answer "Nobody wants to kill me!" the other Cyclops tell Polyphemus that they can do nothing and that he must pray to Poseidon and abandon him.

After a night of constant and agonizing cries, the next morning Polyphemus opens the cave door to let the sheep and goats out to graze. The companions tie themselves to the bellies of the sheep joined in groups of three bound with ropes, clinging to the bellies of the middle animal, except Ulysses who clings under the fleece of the ram of the herd, so as not to be recognized by the Cyclops, who touches the sheep one by one on the back and sides but never thinking to feel them underneath. The ram comes out last and Polyphemus, after having said words of affection towards the head of the herd, pronounces a curse against Ulysses calling his father Poseidon to him. While his companions hurry to get back on the boat, Ulysses prefers to stay on earth for a moment longer to mock Polyphemus by telling him his real name, that it was Ulysses, the king of Ithaca, who blinded him. Polyphemus, mad with rage, climbs a ledge, cursing him and throwing various boulders against the ship, begging his father to wreck the enemy's boat. Shortly after leaving, Ulysses is forced to land on the island of [[Aeolus (Odyssey)|Aeolus]], the god master of the wind, due to bad sea conditions.

[[File:Odyssey (1968 miniseries) - Odysseus and Aeolus.png|thumb|left|The meeting between [[Odysseus|Ulysses]] and [[Aeolus]]]]

Continuing the story, Ulysses arrives on the island of Aeolus and decides to venture alone. Entering a palace, Ulysses enters a huge and opulent banquet room filled with blue steam and "[[erotes]]" (flutist kids) playing various instruments and distributing wine. At the end of the room there was a large table full of all kinds of good things, with Aeolus seated in the center and his family at his sides: his wife Cyane, and their sons and daughters, whom he had married to each other to keep the family together. Aeolus is old and stout with silver hair, and asks the hero to eat with them, telling of his exploits of the Trojan war. Ulysses will stay to eat for several months, telling and repeating his stories about him several times, until he asks the god to let him go. Aeolus agrees and moreover decides to give him all the winds of [[Boreas (god)|Boreas]] and [[Leveche]] that dominate the world. First, however, he asks Ulysses if any gods persecute him, in which case he could not have given him his gift; Ulysses lies, keeping silent about the fact that Poseidon, after the episode of Polyphemus, is hostile to him. Aeolus, then, gathers all the winds and encloses them in a large sack made with the tanned skin of a ram, and gives them to Ulysses as long as he never opens the jar so as not to trigger a natural cataclysm. Ulysses promises and goes to the ship, to resume the voyage; thanks to the winds he would have reached Ithaca much earlier than expected. The companions, intrigued by the sack, believing that it contained riches, one day, just as the coasts of the much desired island are beginning to be glimpsed, open the bag while Ulysses was sleeping exhausted, being tossed back and forth across the [[Mediterranean Sea]]. Ulysses stops to reflect on his misfortunes, while the queen comments that after all he deserves all his troubles for not being vigilant and for having set himself against the gods, visiting unknown lands and disobeying the orders of friends with deception.

=== Fifth episode: the island of Circe and the descent to the Underworld ===
Having landed on a new and unknown island, Ulysses together with his companions decide to visit it to see if it was inhabited by beasts or bloodthirsty men. He divides the expedition into two groups: one commanded by [[Eurylochus of Same|Eurilochus]] and the other by himself. Entering the thick wood, however, the group of fillet is attacked by no one knows what and people are transformed into pigs. Meanwhile, Ulysses meets a shepherd boy, actually [[Hermes]], who tells him the sad fate of the other group. Ulysses would like to rush to their aid, but the god stops him, telling him that this is a spell of the sorceress [[Circe]], mistress of the island, and that to free his friends he must first of all eat a sacred flower. After that the hero would have presented himself to the sorceress and would have been led to her abode; Circe would certainly deceived him, by giving him a potion to drink, but Ulysses would have remained immune and would be seized by a terrible desire to stab the sorceress, but restraining himself.

[[File:Odyssey (1968 miniseries) - Odysseus and Circe.png|thumb|left|[[Odysseus|Ulysses]] together with [[Arete (mythology)|Arete]] while he tells her his adventure.]]

Ulysses hears this prophecy and goes into the garden where he meets a woman, beautiful and terrible at the same time, who subjects him to riddles and tests, but Ulysses, protected by Hermes, solves them all. Circe, realizing that this man is different from all her other victims, decides to take him home to make him drink some wine. Suddenly Ulysses finds himself in a strange abode full of climbing plants and cages containing animals and birds of all kinds, all prisoners of the sorceress, but he is immediately invited to sit by Circe who offers him a golden cup. Ulysses, knowing that he is immune to her poison, drinks it all in one gulp, yet suffering greatly from her poison. Meanwhile, Circe laughs heartily, thinking that soon the unfortunate person would turn into a pig too, but suddenly she goes pale and begins to become terribly ugly: she has realized that her powers are ineffective on the hero. Ulysses, angrier than ever, rushes with the sword drawn to the sorceress, but then remembers the prophecy and does not kill her, but he orders her to take him to her friends. Circe, suddenly returned beautiful and more docile than ever, takes him to a stable where pigs grunt desperately and turns them back into the people they were before. However, due to the sudden metamorphosis, the companions find themselves confused and do not even recognize Ulysses, running away every time he tries to talk to them. Circe then takes the opportunity to hold back the hero a little longer, since the effect of the magic on his companions would disappear in a few days, and she spends passionate nights of love with him.

Circe, to ensure that the hero decides to stay with her forever, makes him drink a magic potion that makes him forget his beloved island, and makes him invisible in front of his companions. With Circe, Ulysses will spend a full year, and only the intervention of his companions, tired of living on the ship doing nothing, will bring the hero back to reason. Ulysses asks Circe to be let go once and for all and she, albeit reluctantly, accepts, but before leaving she confides him some secrets and above all orders him to go to the [[Greek underworld|Underworld]]. Indeed, since many of the gods are hostile to him, Ulysses has a uncertain and dangerous destiny when he sails on the sea and so he needs the prophecies of the blind diviner [[Tiresias]], who died aged over 700 years, so that he can sail peacefully to in Ithaca.

[[File:Odyssey (1968 miniseries) - Odysseus and Tiresias.png|thumb|The meeting between [[Odysseus|Ulysses]] and [[Tiresias]]]]

Ulysses, as Circe had told him, walks through the woods of the island, until he reaches a dark cave dug into the earth. The dark place where Ulysses finds is bleak, lifeless and full of fog. The hero is afraid because to him it seems like an intricate labyrinth full of columns and dead caves and above all he does not see a living soul. Indeed, Circe had advised him to take a black young goat with him to slaughter, so that the souls of the deceased could appear and approach, with the hope that among them there was also Tiresias. Ulysses performs the rite and immediately a group of mournful, weeping and sighing people appears, covered by heavy gray cloaks that leave only their faces uncovered. All of them come dangerously close to the victim's blood to drink it, but Ulysses drives them away with his sword: only Tiresias should have quenched his thirst. The group disappears and the soothsayer finally appears: he is white-haired, with a long beard and communicates only by speaking in a whisper, and Ulysses invites him to drink. When Tiresias gets up from the ground, his figure appears even more ghostly, as he drips kid's blood from his mouth and he begins to communicate his future journey to Ulysses. He will still have to face many dangers and only in the tenth year after the destruction of Troy Ulysses will be able to embrace his family again, but he will not stay in Ithaca for long because, driven by his desire for knowledge, he will make another journey which will be the last of his life.

[[File:Odyssey (1968 miniseries) - Odysseus and Achilles.png|thumb|left|[[Odysseus|Ulysses]] meets the spirit of [[Achilles]]]]

Ulysses does not understand everything and leaves Tiresias to feed on the goat again, to venture deeper into the Underworld. He sees a soul: it is that of [[Agamemnon]] who reveals to him that he was stabbed in treason together with the concubine [[Cassandra]] by his wife [[Clytemnestra]]. The woman was still upset by the ancient sacrifice of her daughter [[Iphigenia]] at the behest of her father, since the gods did not allow him departure for Troy, and she now had one more reason to slaughter Agamemnon: his betrayal with the Trojan prophetess. Agamemnon warns the hero when he returns to Ithaca: no woman is faithful to her husband and above all she will try to kill him after so many years away, and this could also happen with Penelope and Telemachus. Agamemnon's weeping soul goes away and Ulysses, more shocked than ever, meets another one: the spirit of the brave [[Achilles]], who died at the hands of the god Apollo and the arrows of [[Paris (mythology)|Paris]]. Achilles appears more lugubrious than Agamemnon and confides in Ulysses that he would rather be a slave to the most vile and cruel master in the world than be forced to rule the dead in Hades. The last spirit that Ulysses meets in the Underworld is the mother [[Anticlea]]. Ulysses asks her how she died and she, crying, communicates that she died waiting for the arrival of her son in Ithaca. Then Ulysses realizes the atrocity and uselessness of the war fought for so many years in Troy to take back the bride of a betrayed king, and to have wasted time in continuous journeys in the Mediterranean, without realizing that the loved ones died of despair waiting for him to Ithaca; remembering this, he weeps bitterly at the feet of the spirit. His mother invites him not to despair and to hurry on his return to the island because if he is still late, his father [[Laertes (father of Odysseus)|Laertes]], who had long since retired to live like a filthy hermit among animals, will soon die of a broken heart, too.

Ulysses also becomes aware of the abuses of the suitors who infest his palace by undermining Penelope's innocence, and hearing these words is seized by a wave of anger, but first tries to hug in vain his mother's knees, who disappears every time she is touched. Going towards the exit, Ulysses sees another soul: it is his friend [[Elpenor]], who died a few moments ago due to his intoxicated state. In fact the companions, on the world of the living on the island of Circe, had given themselves to mad joy to drive away the worries and Elpenor, who had drunk too much, had fallen from a ledge breaking his neck. Ulysses promises to the soul that he will have a worthy burial once he gets back up and so he will do, burying him right on the island's beach, shouting his name together as many times as enough to reach the ears of the distant mother.

Circe communicates terrible things to Ulysses about his next travels: the first trial to face is the crossing of the rock of the fearsome [[Siren (mythology)|sirens]], then he will have to overcome the gorge of [[Scylla]] and [[Charybdis]]. It is believed that this was only overcome by [[Jason]] with the [[Argonauts]] thanks to the help of a god, an epic feat narrated by [[Apollonius of Rhodes|Apollonius Rhodius]] in the ''[[Argonautica]]''. The last effort of Ulysses will be the stop on the island of the Trident, where there are grazing cows sacred to the god [[Helios]], or the Sun, inviolable if one did not want to loom in the wrath of the divine master. Circe confides all these things to Ulysses and then vanishes, leaving him confused and amazed. The hero communicates the stages to his companions and invites them to leave, but something has changed in them: they are slowly losing faith in their leader.

=== Sixth episode: the Sirens, Scylla and Charybdis, the island of the Sun and the return to Ithaca ===
[[File:Odyssey (1968 miniseries) - Odysseus and the sirens.png|thumb|[[Odysseus|Ulysses]] is tied to the [[Mast (sailing)|mast]] by [[Eurylochus of Same|Eurilochus]]]]

Encouraged his companions to embark to return to Ithaca, Ulysses resumes his journey, immediately approaching the rock of the [[Siren (mythology)|sirens]]. These are beings not visible to man, although the legend wants them with the bodies of rapacious birds and the heads of beautiful women, and they have the power to enchant travelers with their voice, to finally make them smash with the boat on the rock. The companions believe that Ulysses has gone mad, as he wants to cover their ears with wax so that they do not hear the voice. Ulysses, to show them that he is perfectly lucid, is tied by [[Eurylochus of Same|Eurilochus]] to the mainmast, recommending him to hold tighter if he begged to untie him. The ship has now reached the rock and while skirting it, Ulysses glimpses the bones of the unfortunate sailors victims of the Sirens and finally begins to hear their voices that penetrate his mind, obscuring it. The voices insistently invite Ulysses to land on the island so that he can end his days in joy and carefree after so many years of fighting and living in pain, but Eurilochus holds him tight and so Ulysses, severely tested by the power of the Sirens, manages to overcome the rock with his companions.

The second stage is the crossing of a narrow gorge between two huge rocks: [[Scylla]] and [[Charybdis]]. However, Ulysses, believing he was wasting too much time in the crossing and not getting out of it alive, took another longer route that brought him to the island of the Trident, consecrated to the god [[Helios]] (the Sun) for the cows grazing the grass.

[[File:Odyssey (1968 miniseries) - Odysseus and the cows of the Sun.png|thumb|left|[[Odysseus|Ulysses]] tries to convince the companions not to kill the cows of the Sun]]

The ship lands on the beach and immediately a great calm falls on the area, preventing the companions from resuming the journey soon. In fact, Ulysses was reluctantly forced by his friends Heraclius, Eurilochus, [[Polites (friend of Odysseus)|Polites]] and Filetor, who no longer had faith in their commander; now sailors can only hope for the food they own and the prey to fish. Ulysses no longer knows what to do because Circe's prophecy had told him that if anyone dared to kill a single cow, the entire fleet would be annihilated by the gods. The hero does everything to prevent his companions, now exhausted for weeks by hunger and lack of food, from doing it, but one day when he climbs a cliff to implore Zeus, a misfortune occurs. Eurilochus has a heifer killed and feasts with the others all night; Ulysses does not even scold him because he already knows that the fate of those unfortunates is sealed. In fact, after leaving the island due to the sudden return of the wind, a terrible storm unleashed by Poseidon arrives and wrecks the ship with his companions. Only Ulysses is saved on a beam and is tossed for seven days in the sea until he arrives on the island of Calypso.

After the sad tale of all his misadventures, Ulysses asks King Alcinous for a new ship and a crew to reach the now nearby Ithaca and the good king grants it to him. Arriving on the beloved island, Ulysses, since he hadn't seen it for twenty years, no longer recognizes anything about his homeland and immediately asks a shepherd for information about the place. The boy is none other than his protector [[Athena]] who, to put him to the test, asks him who he is. Ulysses, keeping his personal details hidden, tells him that he is an unfortunate sailor from [[Egypt]] and Athena praises him for his shrewdness, transforming him into an old beggar so that he is not immediately recognized by the inhabitants and family members, so that he can better plan his revenge. When the boy is gone, Ulysses arrives in the house of [[Eumaeus]], the pig keeper and most trusted servant of Ulysses, who welcomes him amicably as tradition dictates to any guest, obviously not recognizing him. Ulysses is amazed by the goodness of the man and begins to ask questions about the fate of that unfortunate fighter who left for Troy and never returned home, leaving his wife and son desperate, who went in search of him. Eumaeus tells everything in detail and Ulysses, although tempted to show him who he really is, does not.

[[File:Odyssey (1968 miniseries) - Telemachus and Odysseus.png|thumb|The meeting between [[Odysseus|Ulysses]] and [[Telemachus]]]]

Meanwhile, Telemachus returns to the island of [[Pylos]] from [[Sparta]], more disheartened than ever, and lets the soothsayer [[Theoclymenus|Theoclimenus]] on board, convinced that he can tell him something about his father; by now Telemachus is willing to do anything and is ready to believe anyone's testimony. Getting that man on board proves to be an excellent action for Telemachus because Theoclimenus advises him to reverse the route to Ithaca, not passing through the Strait of [[Samos]], since a snare of suitors was waiting there. Telemachus arrives safely in Ithaca and goes at night to the house of Eumaeus where Ulysses is also waiting for him. Then the goddess Athena appears to the hero and tells him that now he can finally reveal himself to his trusted family members and the night ends with a tender and moving embrace between Ulysses and his son weeping with joy. The following day the three plan the way to enter the court, relying on the help of Eumaeus and Penelope, while the ship returns to the port with the suitors, more angry than ever for the failed coup.

Penelope is worried about her son's fate, but is reassured when she sees him appear safe and sound on the doorstep with Theoclimenus, and invites them to wash themselves and then eat. Refreshed, Telemachus approaches her mother, gently resting his head on her knee, and asks her what Ulysses was like before her birth. Happy, Penelope remembers when her husband, poorer than ever, came to her house to ask for her hand, although chased away by her future father-in-law. He, knowing that Penelope loved him secretly, went towards her chariot and the girl had chased him, begging him to let her up. The father, beside himself with rage, stood in front of the chariot, but Ulysses overtook him anyway, avoiding him and married Penelope. The episode ends with Theoclimenus who foretells the arrival of Ulysses in a few days and Eumaeus who leads his master Ulysses, always dressed as a beggar, to the court.

=== Seventh episode: Ulysses beggar at the court and the eve of the final competition ===
[[File:Odyssey (1968 miniseries) - Odysseus beggar.png|thumb|[[Odysseus|Ulysses]] appears in front of the [[Suitors of Penelope|suitors]] dressed as a beggar]]

Ulysses is accompanied by Eumaeus to the palace, but first he stops in front of an old and decrepit dog: it is [[Argos (dog)|Argos]], the dog loved by Ulysses, now dying, who recognizes his master, even after twenty years of absence, and finally dies happy. At the prompting of Athena, in his beggar's disguise, he approaches the suitors for alms. The welcome of the suitors is rude and cruel: they mock and insult him, not knowing what fate awaits them in a few days. The episode is one of the most characteristic of the entire work because there is a continuous connection of the narrative that passes both through the mouth of a male voiceover (as happened in the other episodes) and into the lips of muses in the guise of handmaids. Telemachus cannot endure for long the abuses of the suitors against his father who is even beaten by Antinous, leader of the suitors, when he approaches the latter for alms. As if that were not enough, the corpulent Arnaeus (known as [[Arnaeus|Irus]]) also arrives at the court, who boasts of being the strongest of all beggars and bullies Ulysses, fearing that the latter wants to steal his place. The suitors propose to make them fight by giving away a choice piece of roast meat and they head into the courtyard. At first it seems that Arnaeus is about to win but then the bully's blows awaken an ancient wrath in Ulysses' chest, who knocks him down with a single well-aimed blow on the jaw. Bleeding and staggering, Arnaeus falls to the ground and Ulysses places him in front of a column, with a stern warning not to challenge him any further or suffer a worse fate.

He is later summoned to meet with Penelope, to speak with the queen in private. Penelope is intrigued by that stranger and she would like to know more about him. Ulysses lies anyway and tells her that he is Aethon, brother of the Cretan king [[Idomeneus of Crete|Idomeneus]], sons of [[Minos]], but he claims to have known Ulysses, describing in every detail his cloak with the golden buckle depicting a dog tearing a deer. Penelope is amazed and even deludes herself to recognize her beggar as her husband, but Ulysses controls his emotions by reminding her that he is only a Minoan warrior who fell from grace after the Trojan War.

[[File:Odyssey (1968 miniseries) - Odysseus and the axes.png|thumb|[[Odysseus|Ulysses]] while placing the axes for the competition]]

[[Eurycleia of Ithaca|Eurycleia]], the oldest and wisest handmaid in the palace, is called to wash the beggar's feet and, going up to the knee, she recognizes a scar. This is the wound inflicted on the hero by a wild boar many years earlier during a hunting trip. The nurse has finally recognized her master, but he covers her mouth, fearing that she may, even if unwilling, ruin all her plans for revenge. Eurycleia is sworn to silence and Ulysses goes to the stables where a young cowherd is feeding a bullock: it is [[Philoetius (Odyssey)|Philoetius]], hired by Ulysses when he was a ten-year-old boy; not even he recognizes his master. Eumaeus, knowing everything, is equally silent.

The day long-awaited by suitors is approaching, that is the one in which Penelope will decide who will be the new husband and king of Ithaca; indeed, the rude suitors had not yet brought gifts for the queen and she, to buy time, had demanded that they bring them to her. On the same day as the delivery of the gifts, Penelope had ordered that a competition be organized with the [[Bow (weapon)|bow]] of Ulysses and her winner would become her new husband. Both Ulysses and Penelope pass the night before the appointed day sleepless; the first is strongly tempted to reveal himself to the bride, the other has a vision. Indeed, she imagines a large group of geese being mowed down by the arrival of a large eagle and she fears for joy and fear for the true arrival of her beloved husband.

The fateful day arrives and Penelope goes to take Ulysses' bow. It was believed that no one except the hero was able to stretch it, because the master had made it from the horns of an ox sacred to the gods and smeared it with grease every time before using it and always lifted the rope when he didn't need it. Telemachus also wants to register for the competition, to prevent one of the suitors from winning and holds the bow, but he is unable to pull the string. While Antinous prepares for the deed, he sees the beggar Ulysses placing side by side on a horizontal beam twelve axes with a large hole in the middle of the blade, so that there was a single and perfect invisible line between the holes of each blade.

=== Eight episode: victory of Ulysses and the recognition of Penelope ===
[[File:Odyssey (1968 miniseries) - Odysseus and Penelope.png|thumb|[[Odysseus|Ulysses]] together with [[Penelope]]]]

Antinous tries to draw the bow but it is impossible for him; the other suitors are also unsuccessful. Then Ulysses, in his beggar disguise, asks humbly to be able to try to thread the bow. All the suitors mock him for daring to be their equal, but Penelope steps in and gives him permission to do so. Ulysses skillfully draws the bow, shooting the arrow and making it pass through all the holes in the shutters. He then turns towards Antinous and kills him with an arrow to the side. The suitors are in a shock at his deed, then Ulysses strips off his rags and reveals himself to them, sending them in a panic. Eurymachus, the second foremost of the suitors, lays the blame on Antinous for being the instigator of wasting the palace resources and offers recompensation for everything they had consumed but Ulysses rejects his proposition and proceeds to shoot him and the other suitors. They begin to panic and try to escape his wrath but they are unable to, for the doors had been locked beforehand on Ulysses' orders. They do not even have a weapon to defend themselves: all of these had been sneaked away by Telemachus and Eumaeus the previous night. With the help of Telemachus and the loyal servants Eumaeus the swineherd and Philoetius the cowherd, Ulysses slaughters all suitors. Not even one is saved, and the maids who had betrayed the trust of Queen Penelope by consorting with the suitors are made to clean up the blood and gore and dispose of the bodies of the dead suitors before being punished themselves for their disloyalty by hanging.

Finally Ulysses has taken his revenge and is waiting for nothing but to go to the room of Penelope, who has witnessed terrified and amazed at the carnage. The woman is not yet fully convinced that the warrior is Ulysses, but she lets him into the room. The recognition occurs when Penelope proposes to move the nuptial bed, to which Ulysses replies that this is impossible, because that bed had been built by himself by carving it from a huge tree trunk, around which he had then built his palace. Penelope then has no more doubts and she embraces the groom crying and laughing with joy. Ulysses, moved by her, tells her all her misfortunes and with her he spends a long and happy night of love; in fact the [[Aurora (mythology)|Aurora]] prolongs the night by passing several days. The final part of the episode tells of the pacification, through the intercession of Mentor and Athena, between Ulysses and the relatives of the suitors, who are seeking vengeance for their deaths. When the clash between the two parties in the fields near Laertes' hut (where Ulysses had gone with his family) seems inevitable, at the urging of Mentor and Athena, Ulysses first lays down his arms, kneeling in a sense of respect for the relatives of the young dead, then the same is done by the father who led the opposing party, thus sanctioning the pacification.

==Cast==
{{colbegin}}
* [[Bekim Fehmiu]]: [[Odysseus]] (Ulisse)
* [[Irene Papas]]: [[Penelope]]
* [[Renaud Verley]]: [[Telemachus]] (Telemaco)
* Roy Purcell: [[Alcinous]] (Alcinoo)
* [[Marina Berti]]: [[Arete (mythology)|Arete]]
* [[Scilla Gabel]]: [[Helen of Troy|Helen]] (Elena)
* [[Barbara Bach]]: [[Nausicaa]]
* [[Juliette Mayniel]]: [[Circe]]
* Kyra Bester: [[Calypso (mythology)|Calypso]] (Calipso)
* Michèle Breton: [[Athena]] (Atena)
* Constantin Nepo: [[Antinous of Ithaca|Antinous]] (Antinoo)
* [[Ivica Pajer]]: [[Eurylochus of Same|Eurylochus]] (Euriloco)
* [[Samson Burke]]: [[Polyphemus]] (Polifemo)
* [[Fausto Tozzi]]: [[Menelaus]] (Menelao)
* [[Jaspar von Oertzen|Jaspar Von Oertzen]]: [[Nestor (mythology)|Nestor]] (Nestore)
* [[Franco Balducci]]: [[Mentor]] (Mentore)
* Husein Cokic: [[Eumaeus]] (Eumeo)
* Branko Kovacic: [[Laertes (father of Odysseus)|Laertes]] (Laerte)
* Vladimir Leib: [[Aeolus (Odyssey)|Aeolus]] (Eolo)
* [[Karl-Otto Alberty]]: [[Eurymachus]] (Eurimaco)
* Maurizio Tocchi: Leocritus (Leocrito)
* [[Ilija Ivezić]]: [[Ctesippus]] (Ctesippo)
* Petar Buntic: Filetor (Filettore)
* Duje Novakovic: [[Elpenor]] (Elpenore)
* Sime Jagarinac: Heraclius (Eraclio)
* Petar Dobric: [[Polites (friend of Odysseus)|Polites]] (Polite)
* [[Franco Fantasia]]: [[Mentes (King of the Taphians)|Mentes]] (Mente)
* Voyo Goric: [[Philoetius (Odyssey)|Philetius]] (Filezio)
* [[Luciano Rossi]]: [[Theoclymenus]] (Teoclimeno)
* [[Giulio Donnini]]: [[Tiresias]] (Tiresia)
* [[Bianca Doria]]: [[Anticlea]]
* [[Sergio Ferrero]]: [[Peisistratus of Pylos|Pisistratus]] (Pisistrato)
* [[Enzo Fiermonte]]: [[Demodocus (Odyssey character)|Demodocus]] (Demodoco)
* Stefanella Giovannini: [[Cassandra]]
* [[Peter Hinwood]]: [[Hermes]] (Ermete/Hermes)
* Miodrag Loncar: [[Arnaeus|Irus]] (Iro)
* Hrvoje Svob: [[Phemius]] (Femio)
* Giulio Cesare Tomei: [[Priam]] (Priamo)
* Rolf Boysen: [[Agamemnon]] (Agamennone)
* [[Gérard Herter]]: [[Laocoön]] (Laocoonte)
*Nona Medici: Iftime
* [[Mimmo Palmara]]: [[Achilles]] (Achille)
* [[Giancarlo Prete]]: [[Suitors of Penelope#List of Suitors of Penelope|Euryades]] (Euriade)
* Andrea Saric: [[Melantho]] (Melanto)
* [[Orso Maria Guerrini]]: [[Leodes]] (Leode)
* Ada Morotti: Cyane (Ciane)
* [[Laura Nucci]]: Antinoo's Mother
{{colend}}

==Production==
[[File:Scilla Gabel e Piero Schivazappa 02.jpg|thumb|Scilla Gabel (Helen) on set with the assistant director [[Piero Schivazappa]]]]
The miniseries was produced principally for broadcasting on the state televisions of Italy, Germany and France.<ref name="Cavallini2007">{{cite book|author=Eleonora Cavallini|title=Omero mediatico: aspetti della ricezione omerica nella civiltà contemporanea: atti delle giornate di studio, Ravenna, 18-19 gennaio 2006|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=O2ZiAAAAMAAJ|year=2007|publisher=D. U. Press|isbn=978-88-95451-05-3}}</ref> There are 8 episodes in the original version, running a total of 446 minutes. Each episode is preceded by an introduction in which poet [[Giuseppe Ungaretti]] read some verses of the original poem.<ref name="Giachery2012">{{cite book|author=Emerico Giachery|title=Ungaretti e il mito|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=mADp9jsjnLEC&pg=PA26|year=2012|publisher=Edizioni Nuova Cultura|isbn=978-88-6134-973-5|pages=26–}}</ref>

Special effects were designed by [[Mario Bava]] (who outright directed the [[Polyphemus]] episode)<ref name="Howarth2002">{{cite book|author=Troy Howarth|title=The Haunted World of Mario Bava|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Ac9VDwAAQBAJ&pg=PT325|year=2002|publisher=BearManor Media|pages=325–|id=GGKEY:X5Q62N9EWKC}}</ref> and [[Carlo Rambaldi]].<ref name="Buonanno2012">{{cite book|author=Milly Buonanno|title=Italian TV Drama and Beyond: Stories from the Soil, Stories from the Sea|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=OJs81Yn5FscC&pg=PA37|year=2012|publisher=Intellect Books|isbn=978-1-84150-459-9|pages=37–}}</ref>

The exteriors were shot entirely in Yugoslavia, which offered a scenery that was similar to the lands of Ancient Greece.<ref name="Lupi">{{cite web |last1=Lupi |first1=Giordano |title=Odissea – Le avventure di Ulisse (Film Tv, 1969) |url=http://www.futuro-europa.it/21352/cultura/odissea-le-avventure-ulisse-film-tv-1969.html |date=16 October 2016|website=Futuro Europa |accessdate=26 December 2018}}</ref>

==Release==
The show ran on television in Europe between 1968 and 1970. In Italy alone, the episodes had an audience of over 16 million viewers. The entire television series was dubbed into English, ran several times on the TVO network in Ontario, Canada, and was broadcast in the US by CBS years later in 1978. An abridged theatrical version (running only 110 minutes) was released to European theatres as well, also available in English, but the English dub was later lost. There are DVD editions still available in Italian and German.

==Reception==
The adaptation is considered by some to be the most faithful rendering of Homer's epic on screen,<ref name="LovattVout2013">{{cite book|author1=Helen Lovatt|author2=Caroline Vout|title=Epic Visions: Visuality in Greek and Latin Epic and its Reception|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=fo2bBQAAQBAJ&pg=PA170|date=15 August 2013|publisher=Cambridge University Press|isbn=978-1-316-26499-7|pages=170–}}</ref> by including most of the characters and events, as well as by attempting to fill with graphic details.<ref name="RengerSolomon2012">{{cite book|author1=Almut-Barbara Renger|author2=Jon Solomon|title=Ancient Worlds in Film and Television: Gender and Politics|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=lTgyAQAAQBAJ&pg=PA205|date=13 November 2012|publisher=BRILL|isbn=978-90-04-24192-3|pages=205–}}</ref>

==See also==
* [[Eneide (TV serial)]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
*[https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0064750/ IMDB page]
*[http://www.superstrangevideo.com/gallery.asp?prodID=3161&prodTitle=Odissea Pictures]
*[https://www.raiplay.it/programmi/odissea/ The Odyssey] on [[RaiPlay]].

{{Odyssey navbox}}
{{Franco Rossi}}
{{Mario Bava}}
{{Rai original series}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Odyssey}}
[[Category:1960s Italian television miniseries]]
[[Category:1968 Italian television series debuts]]
[[Category:1968 Italian television series endings]]
[[Category:1960s French television miniseries]]
[[Category:1968 French television series debuts]]
[[Category:1968 French television series endings]]
[[Category:French drama television series]]
[[Category:Italian drama television series]]
[[Category:German drama television series]]
[[Category:Television series set in ancient Greece]]
[[Category:Television series based on classical mythology]]
[[Category:Films directed by Franco Rossi]]
[[Category:Films based on the Odyssey]]
[[Category:Films directed by Piero Schivazappa]]
[[Category:Films set in the Mediterranean Sea]]
[[Category:Television shows based on the Odyssey]]
[[Category:Agamemnon]]
[[Category:Cassandra]]
[[Category:Cultural depictions of Helen of Troy]]
[[Category:Cultural depictions of Achilles]]

The Odyssey (1968 miniseries)

2024-07-01T21:48:55Z

89.164.191.195:

{{Infobox television
| image = Odissea_Bekim Fehmiu.jpg
| caption = [[Bekim Fehmiu]] as [[Odysseus]]
| alt_name =
| genre = [[Mythology]], [[adventure]]
| creator =
| based_on = {{based on|''[[Odyssey]]''|[[Homer]]}}
| director = [[Franco Rossi (director)|Franco Rossi]] [[Mario Bava]] [[Piero Schivazappa]]
| creative_director =
| developer =
| presenter = [[Giuseppe Ungaretti]]
| starring = [[Bekim Fehmiu]] [[Irene Papas]]
| voices =
| narrated =
| theme_music_composer =
| opentheme =
| endtheme =
| composer = [[Carlo Rustichelli]]
| country = Italy France Germany Yugoslavia
| language =
| num_seasons =
| num_episodes = 4-8
| list_episodes =
| executive_producer = Vittorio Bonicelli
| producer = [[Dino de Laurentiis]]
| editor =
| location = Italy [[Yugoslavia]]
| cinematography =
| camera =
| runtime = 446 minutes 110 minutes (cut edition)
| channel =
| first_aired = {{Start date|1968|03|24|df=yes}}
| related =
}}
'''''The Odyssey''''' ({{lang-it|Odissea }}) is an eight-episode European TV miniseries broadcast on [[RAI]] (Italian state TV) in 1968 and based on [[Homer]]'s ''[[Odyssey]]''. An Italian, Yugoslavian, German and French ([[ORTF|Radiodiffusion-Télévision Française]]) coproduction, it was directed by [[Franco Rossi (director)|Franco Rossi]],<ref name="Buonanno2012"/> assisted by [[Piero Schivazappa]] and [[Mario Bava]]; the cast includes [[Bekim Fehmiu]] as [[Odysseus]] and [[Irene Papas]] as [[Penelope]], [[Samson Burke]] as the [[Cyclops]], as well as [[Barbara Bach]] as [[Nausicaa]], and [[Gérard Herter]]. Several critics consider the series to be a masterful representation of the ancient world.<ref name="Pomeroy2017">{{cite book|author=Arthur J. Pomeroy|title=A Companion to Ancient Greece and Rome on Screen|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=3kwnDwAAQBAJ&pg=PT341|date=1 June 2017|publisher=Wiley|isbn=978-1-118-74144-3|pages=341–}}</ref>

==Plot==
{{Long plot|date=July 2020}}
===First episode: Telemaco and Penelope===
[[File:Odyssey (1968 miniseries) - Penelope.png|thumb|left|[[Penelope]] while weaving the canvas]]

[[Athena]], happy that King [[Odysseus|Ulysses]] is close to returning to his native island [[Homer's Ithaca|Ithaca]], located to the west of [[Greece]], under the guise of King [[Mentes (King of the Taphians)|Mentes]], arrives in Ithaca to make sure that Ulysses' return is pleasant, but it is not so: although welcomed with respect by the twenty year old Prince [[Telemachus]], Mentes discovers that the palace of the king of Ithaca is besieged by numerous arrogant nobles of the region, the [[Suitors of Penelope|suitors]], who anxiously wait for Queen Penelope to decide to take a new husband between them, supposing that Ulysses died since twenty years have passed since his departure for Troy, looting without reserve the cellar and the pantry of the palace. Penelope tries to take time by declaring to the processors that she must weave a canvas in honor of her father-in-law [[Laertes (father of Odysseus)|Laertes]], but with this pretext every night she undoes it and starts it again the next morning.

Telemachus, at the suggestion of Mentes (who disappears as he came), announces a town meeting to be able to know who is on his side to be able to chase away the suitors and who is willing to follow him on the land to ask for information about Ulysses to King [[Nestor (mythology)|Nestor]], the oldest commander who participated in the war. The suitors also arrive at the assembly, claiming to be right in the king's long absence and the fact that Penelope is spending too much time weaving the web. To these answers, the people of Ithaca are silent and dare not oppose, yet the soothsayer Egizio, noting a hawk perched on the battlements of the palace, sees the success of Telemachus' journey, but is derided by the suitors. The next morning, Telemachus is joined by his father's friend and adviser [[Mentor (Odyssey)|Mentor]] (again Athena in disguise) who gives him a boat and sailors to get to [[Pylos]], by Nestor. Before leaving, Telemachus asks the nurse [[Eurycleia of Ithaca|Eurycleia]] not to say anything to Penelope. During the night, [[Melantho]], a young female servant of the palace who is a lover of Eurymachus, one of the suitors, betrays Penelope by revealing to the suitors what Penelope does to her canvas at night. Discovered, Penelope is forced to finish the shroud without apology.

The next day, the suitors noticed the absence of Telemachus and discovered, threatening a boat seller, that he really started to look for news about his father. Concerned that his research is successful, [[Antinous of Ithaca|Antinous]], chief of staff, suggests an ambush by Telemachus. Arriving in Pylos in the middle of a sacrificial ceremony at [[Poseidon]], Telemachus joins the king after the ceremony. Nestor tells Telemachus of the evening before he returns from Troy: there were those who, like Ulysses, wanted to punish the allies of the Trojans and those like [[Menelaus]] who wanted to go home; after several discussions, the Achaean fleet separated and Nestor no longer knew about Ulysses, so he advised Telemachus to go to [[Sparta]], to Menelaus, with his son [[Peisistratus of Pylos|Pisistratus]], who would guide him. [[Medon (mythology)|Medon]], the wine bearer, on hearing the suitors, runs to warn Penelope who, after a moment of anger at Eurycleia for not having told her anything, prays for the safety of her son.

At night, Penelope receives in a dream Athena's visit, under the guise of her sister Iftime, who assures her that the gods watch over her son and also about Ulysses. Finally the figure of Ulysses is presented: a lonely man at the head of a miserable raft at the mercy of the waves that move him away from his final destination.

=== Second episode: Ulysses, Nausicaa and Calypso ===
At the beginning of the second episode there is a discussion between [[Zeus]] and Athena in which the two agree that Poseidon has tortured Ulysses enough and that it is time for his suffering to end. Ulysses is shipwrecked on an island and, having found a refuge, wanders into a grove of trees and asleep on a bed of fallen leaves. The island in which Ulysses arrived is [[Scheria]], governed by the [[Phaeacians]], and Athena arrives in a dream to the young princess [[Nausicaa]], in the guise of a distant friend and enters the dreams of the girl, telling her that she should prepare herself for her now near marriage and go with the maids to the mouth of the river to do the laundry. The next day Nausicaa goes to the mouth and after doing the laundry, the princess starts to play with the maids, when she sees in the bushes a dirty man, naked and caked with salt and leaves with which he slept on. All the girls run away except for Nausicaa, who is staring in astonishment at the desperate man. Ulysses also remains somewhat captivated by the beauty of the girl and compares her to a goddess, then begging her to take him with her to the palace to clean up the debris of the waters.

[[File:Odyssey (1968 miniseries) - Odysseus and Nausicaa.png|thumb|left|The meeting between [[Odysseus|Ulysses]] and [[Nausicaa]]]]

As ordered by the goddess and also by her heart, Nausicaa has him washed and dressed by the maids, but she asks that, out of discretion, he did not follow her to the palace, or the young people would believe she had chosen him as a husband. Accepting the wishes of the girl, Ulysses goes alone to the city, while an internal voice (Athena) suggests to him how to behave in front of the sovereigns: [[Alcinous]] and [[Arete (mythology)|Arete]]. The nobles and monarchs of the palace, suspicious of all the foreigners who come to their land, fill him with questions, only to apologize for their abrupt and gruff interrogation, after they recognize in the hero a good man with nothing to hide. In reality, in order not to cause a stir, Ulysses pretends to be a shipwrecked traveler in search of protection. Alcinous tells that long ago his people, ruled by his grandfather, resided in the Land of the [[Cyclopes|Cyclops]], monstrous and violent beings, who continually threatened their lives; so they decided to move with the help of the gods to a new island, paying the price of being isolated and unknown to any traveler, except Ulysses.

Hosted in the palace, Ulysses knows that the Phaeacians are peaceful and that they know how to build boats that never sink and never get lost, but have stopped building them worried by a prophecy: Poseidon, their protector, would have punished the Phaeacians by destroying the crew of the ship that will accompany an enemy on board. Ulysses, meanwhile, spends a lot of time with Nausicaa, telling her that until a few weeks ago he had been a prisoner in [[Ogygia]] for seven years, an islet in which the beautiful nymph [[Calypso (mythology)|Calypso]] is exiled, to whom Ulysses mentally resisted, until ordered by the gods, she didn't allow him to go on a raft.

A few days later, Odysseus is invited to see the games that will decree a husband for Nausicaa. The champion asks the guest to participate in the sword contests, but Ulysses refuses, in order not to be recognised, at least until the athletes question his strength, making Ulysses so angry that not only he beats all the participants, but also risks to kill one. Ulysses asks Alcinous for forgiveness, but he demands to know his name rather than to hear his apologies.

=== Third episode: the fall of Troy and the island of the Lotus-eaters ===
[[File:Odyssey (1968 miniseries) - Trojan horse.png|thumb|left|The [[Wooden horse of Troy|wooden horse]] discovered on the shores of [[Troy]]]]

For the victory of the athletes, the blind aedes [[Demodocus (Odyssey character)|Demodocus]] tells everybody the history of the last thing he saw before losing his sight: the fall of Troy. Ten years had passed since the beginning of the war, but neither of the two factions gave up, until one day, on the shores of Ilium, the Trojans found the achaean camp deserted and a gigantic [[Wooden horse of Troy|wooden horse]] on the beach. While [[Priam]] and many other citizens interpreted it as an offer of the Achaeans to Poseidon to secure a safe journey, the priest [[Laocoön]] understands that it is a trap, or an offer asking that the god destroy the city. The priest is so sure of what he said that he thrust a spear in the belly, almost piercing Ulysses and the others hidden inside. On the verge of burning it, Priam stops Laocoön and orders for the horse to be brought inside the city to repent the offense made to the god. Ulysses' plan works: with the horse inside the walls, the Acheans come out of the sculpture, warn the hidden companions and Troy is conquered. The tragedy is unstoppable and on that same night, after having feasted and celebrated, the Trojans are wiped out by the Greeks; this is the destiny also of Priam, of [[Deiphobus]], the new husband of [[Helen of Troy|Helen]], and of [[Astyanax|Astianax]], the baby son of [[Hector]] and [[Andromache]], who is forcefully taken from his cradle and thrown out of the walls by [[Neoptolemus]], the cruel son of [[Achilles]]. Remembering these atrocities, Ulysses starts to cry softly, shaken by violent shivers, and Demodocus, after realising it, recognize him under the shock of all people.

Meanwhile, Telemachus and Pisistratus arrive in Sparta, where Menelaus and Helen have just returned from their journey, unlike Ulysses. The sovereigns welcome Telemachus who, contrary to his expectations, finds himself in front of two sad spouses, severely tested by the fatigue of the war and the fate of the survivors. Agamemnon, says the king, was killed by his wife [[Clytemnestra]], and many met the same death in their homes. The ruler says that the last time he heard about Ulysses, he heard from [[Proteus]], who also told him how to go home. In order to calm the spirits, Elena drugs the wine of her husband and of the guests to relieve their pain and tells of the time she saw Ulysses before Troy was conquered: after being beaten to death by his friend [[Diomedes]] to appear as a beggar, he had entered the city presenting himself as a Phrygian soldier attacked by his drunken comrades. The priestess [[Cassandra]], famous for her misfortune to predict future events but without ever being believed, immediately believes him and confides in him that she knows that her city is destined to lose, if the [[Palladium (classical antiquity)|Palladium]] of Athena were to be stolen from the temple. After Cassandra goes away, Helen arrives, who has become the widow of [[Paris (mythology)|Paris]], who immediately recognizes Ulysses, although battered and bleeding, cursing his coming. Ulysses, furious, threaten her of playing the double-cross and unnecessarily wasting time in that palace, since the entire army of Greece is fighting for her; he finally leaves her, warning her against her husband Menelaus.

[[File:Odyssey (1968 miniseries) - Lotus-eaters.png|thumb|The village of the [[Lotus-eaters]]]]

Now discovered, Ulysses tells the Phaeacians the misadventures that cost him his return home, his fleet and companions. Departing from Troy with 12 ships and many companions, he first loses 6 men for each of his ships in the land of the [[Cicones]], allies of the Trojans. Later he loses 11 of his 12 ships in the land of the [[Laestrygonians]], giants that sink ships that have entered the port; only the ship of Ulysses is saved, who for precaution had kept it out of the port. With the only surviving ship, Ulysses lands on the Mediterranean coast of Africa, inhabited by strange people called [[Lotus-eaters|Lotophagi]], or eaters of an aphrodisiac flower called [[Nelumbo|Lotus]]. Three companions are sent scouting, but after several hours they never return. Worried, Ulysses goes to look for them and arrives in an immense garden with poor houses. All the inhabitants smile and rave about laughing, and among them there are also the three friends of Ulysses. They have completely lost their memory because they ate the dust obtained from the crushing of the flowers of that field, the Lotus, and now they don't want to leave the island. Even when Ulysses tries to remind them of their wives, children and loved homes, the drunken companions do not express the slightest consideration and continue to devour the lotus with a laugh. Then Ulysses takes them all and binds them on the ship, to continue the journey.

Having landed on another island, Ulysses and twelve of his companions go to get supplies and so they go hunting until, following enormous human footsteps, they discover a huge and rough cave. Intrigued, the sailors enter and discover a huge deposit of cheese, milk and ricotta, and utensils belonging to a giant: the bowls that contain the food are huge, and so are an ax and the bed. However, Ulysses, deaf to the insistence of his companions who would like to leave after having taken the cheese, believes he can establish a dialogue with the inhabitant whose skills in making knots and producing good ricotta he appreciates. In any case, there is no more time to escape because the animals of the flock arrive in the cave.

=== Fourth episode: Polyphemus and the gift of Aeolus ===
[[File:Odyssey (1968 miniseries) - Odysseus and Poliphemus.png|thumb|[[Odysseus|Ulysses]] talking with [[Polyphemus]]]]

The cave is inhabited by a monstrous giant with feral habits named [[Polyphemus]]. The cyclops is horrible to behold, full of hair like a beast and with a single eye in the middle of the forehead. The companions fall to the ground in terror as soon as they see him blocking the entrance to the cave with a huge boulder and asking them in a booming voice to introduce themselves. Ulysses, trying to protect his friends, asks Polyphemus for hospitality, since they need food, and to respect the laws of the powerful and vengeful god in regard to visitors [[Zeus]]. Polyphemus bursts into a thunderous and terrifying laugh, declaring that he is the son of [[Poseidon]] and therefore above any law and that he does not have to obey anyone, not even the other gods. The men run away terrified, but Polyphemus takes one and crushes it in his hand; then he grabs another, fainted from shock, and dashes him violently against a stone, and then eats them both. Ulysses would like to kill him, immediately after he has gone to bed, but is held back by his friends, including his cousin [[Eurylochus of Same|Eurilochus]]. If Ulysses had killed the Cyclops while asleep, then no one would have had the strength to remove the gigantic boulder from the entrance, and so the hero is forced to wait the end of the night. The next day, however, he gets an idea and orders his companions to take a large olive branch and sharpen it, while the Cyclops goes out to graze the herd. Subsequently, Ulysses draws lots for the companions who should distract the Cyclops, while he hides the trunk, but the chosen ones are not fast enough and Polyphemus devours them too.

All the prisoners are about to lose hope, were it not for the astute Ulysses, who decides to make the Cyclops drink the wine he had brought with him from the ship as a gift for the inhabitants of that land, a special wine, so concentrated that to be drunk normally it should be diluted with as many as 20 measures of water. Having filled a large bowl, Ulysses barely grabs it with both arms and hands it to Polyphemus, who, although suspicious of the new drink, tastes it, immediately becoming crazy for it and demands more. Ulysses, wanting to get him drunk, brings him another full bowl, which Polyphemus empties. Ulysses, at the request of Polyphemus to reveal his name, replies that he is called "Nobody", whereupon the Cyclops laughs and says that as a reward he will eat him last. Ulysses, without wasting time, after the Cyclops has fallen asleep dead drunk, calls to him his friends who heat the tip of the tree trunk: the prisoners intend to blind Polyphemus so that he can make them escape by opening the entrance. The companions, including Ulysses, take the smoking trunk and approach the bed of Polyphemus, climbing on it and positioning themselves directly behind the monster's head to better implant the trunk. With a shout of encouragement Ulysses and his companions thrust the pole, but the cry of pain of Polyphemus is so chilling and resounding that it makes them all fall to the ground, while the Cyclops, waving his hands, creates a great disorder and noise in the cave. He also calls screaming at his Cyclops neighbours who, rushing up outside the cave, ask what or who is doing him harm. To the answer "Nobody wants to kill me!" the other Cyclops tell Polyphemus that they can do nothing and that he must pray to Poseidon and abandon him.

After a night of constant and agonizing cries, the next morning Polyphemus opens the cave door to let the sheep and goats out to graze. The companions tie themselves to the bellies of the sheep joined in groups of three bound with ropes, clinging to the bellies of the middle animal, except Ulysses who clings under the fleece of the ram of the herd, so as not to be recognized by the Cyclops, who touches the sheep one by one on the back and sides but never thinking to feel them underneath. The ram comes out last and Polyphemus, after having said words of affection towards the head of the herd, pronounces a curse against Ulysses calling his father Poseidon to him. While his companions hurry to get back on the boat, Ulysses prefers to stay on earth for a moment longer to mock Polyphemus by telling him his real name, that it was Ulysses, the king of Ithaca, who blinded him. Polyphemus, mad with rage, climbs a ledge, cursing him and throwing various boulders against the ship, begging his father to wreck the enemy's boat. Shortly after leaving, Ulysses is forced to land on the island of [[Aeolus (Odyssey)|Aeolus]], the god master of the wind, due to bad sea conditions.

[[File:Odyssey (1968 miniseries) - Odysseus and Aeolus.png|thumb|left|The meeting between [[Odysseus|Ulysses]] and [[Aeolus]]]]

Continuing the story, Ulysses arrives on the island of Aeolus and decides to venture alone. Entering a palace, Ulysses enters a huge and opulent banquet room filled with blue steam and "[[erotes]]" (flutist kids) playing various instruments and distributing wine. At the end of the room there was a large table full of all kinds of good things, with Aeolus seated in the center and his family at his sides: his wife Cyane, and their sons and daughters, whom he had married to each other to keep the family together. Aeolus is old and stout with silver hair, and asks the hero to eat with them, telling of his exploits of the Trojan war. Ulysses will stay to eat for several months, telling and repeating his stories about him several times, until he asks the god to let him go. Aeolus agrees and moreover decides to give him all the winds of [[Boreas (god)|Boreas]] and [[Leveche]] that dominate the world. First, however, he asks Ulysses if any gods persecute him, in which case he could not have given him his gift; Ulysses lies, keeping silent about the fact that Poseidon, after the episode of Polyphemus, is hostile to him. Aeolus, then, gathers all the winds and encloses them in a large sack made with the tanned skin of a ram, and gives them to Ulysses as long as he never opens the jar so as not to trigger a natural cataclysm. Ulysses promises and goes to the ship, to resume the voyage; thanks to the winds he would have reached Ithaca much earlier than expected. The companions, intrigued by the sack, believing that it contained riches, one day, just as the coasts of the much desired island are beginning to be glimpsed, open the bag while Ulysses was sleeping exhausted, being tossed back and forth across the [[Mediterranean Sea]]. Ulysses stops to reflect on his misfortunes, while the queen comments that after all he deserves all his troubles for not being vigilant and for having set himself against the gods, visiting unknown lands and disobeying the orders of friends with deception.

=== Fifth episode: the island of Circe and the descent to the Underworld ===
Having landed on a new and unknown island, Ulysses together with his companions decide to visit it to see if it was inhabited by beasts or bloodthirsty men. He divides the expedition into two groups: one commanded by [[Eurylochus of Same|Eurilochus]] and the other by himself. Entering the thick wood, however, the group of fillet is attacked by no one knows what and people are transformed into pigs. Meanwhile, Ulysses meets a shepherd boy, actually [[Hermes]], who tells him the sad fate of the other group. Ulysses would like to rush to their aid, but the god stops him, telling him that this is a spell of the sorceress [[Circe]], mistress of the island, and that to free his friends he must first of all eat a sacred flower. After that the hero would have presented himself to the sorceress and would have been led to her abode; Circe would certainly deceived him, by giving him a potion to drink, but Ulysses would have remained immune and would be seized by a terrible desire to stab the sorceress, but restraining himself.

[[File:Odyssey (1968 miniseries) - Odysseus and Circe.png|thumb|left|[[Odysseus|Ulysses]] together with [[Arete (mythology)|Arete]] while he tells her his adventure.]]

Ulysses hears this prophecy and goes into the garden where he meets a woman, beautiful and terrible at the same time, who subjects him to riddles and tests, but Ulysses, protected by Hermes, solves them all. Circe, realizing that this man is different from all her other victims, decides to take him home to make him drink some wine. Suddenly Ulysses finds himself in a strange abode full of climbing plants and cages containing animals and birds of all kinds, all prisoners of the sorceress, but he is immediately invited to sit by Circe who offers him a golden cup. Ulysses, knowing that he is immune to her poison, drinks it all in one gulp, yet suffering greatly from her poison. Meanwhile, Circe laughs heartily, thinking that soon the unfortunate person would turn into a pig too, but suddenly she goes pale and begins to become terribly ugly: she has realized that her powers are ineffective on the hero. Ulysses, angrier than ever, rushes with the sword drawn to the sorceress, but then remembers the prophecy and does not kill her, but he orders her to take him to her friends. Circe, suddenly returned beautiful and more docile than ever, takes him to a stable where pigs grunt desperately and turns them back into the people they were before. However, due to the sudden metamorphosis, the companions find themselves confused and do not even recognize Ulysses, running away every time he tries to talk to them. Circe then takes the opportunity to hold back the hero a little longer, since the effect of the magic on his companions would disappear in a few days, and she spends passionate nights of love with him.

Circe, to ensure that the hero decides to stay with her forever, makes him drink a magic potion that makes him forget his beloved island, and makes him invisible in front of his companions. With Circe, Ulysses will spend a full year, and only the intervention of his companions, tired of living on the ship doing nothing, will bring the hero back to reason. Ulysses asks Circe to be let go once and for all and she, albeit reluctantly, accepts, but before leaving she confides him some secrets and above all orders him to go to the [[Greek underworld|Underworld]]. Indeed, since many of the gods are hostile to him, Ulysses has a uncertain and dangerous destiny when he sails on the sea and so he needs the prophecies of the blind diviner [[Tiresias]], who died aged over 700 years, so that he can sail peacefully to in Ithaca.

[[File:Odyssey (1968 miniseries) - Odysseus and Tiresias.png|thumb|The meeting between [[Odysseus|Ulysses]] and [[Tiresias]]]]

Ulysses, as Circe had told him, walks through the woods of the island, until he reaches a dark cave dug into the earth. The dark place where Ulysses finds is bleak, lifeless and full of fog. The hero is afraid because to him it seems like an intricate labyrinth full of columns and dead caves and above all he does not see a living soul. Indeed, Circe had advised him to take a black young goat with him to slaughter, so that the souls of the deceased could appear and approach, with the hope that among them there was also Tiresias. Ulysses performs the rite and immediately a group of mournful, weeping and sighing people appears, covered by heavy gray cloaks that leave only their faces uncovered. All of them come dangerously close to the victim's blood to drink it, but Ulysses drives them away with his sword: only Tiresias should have quenched his thirst. The group disappears and the soothsayer finally appears: he is white-haired, with a long beard and communicates only by speaking in a whisper, and Ulysses invites him to drink. When Tiresias gets up from the ground, his figure appears even more ghostly, as he drips kid's blood from his mouth and he begins to communicate his future journey to Ulysses. He will still have to face many dangers and only in the tenth year after the destruction of Troy Ulysses will be able to embrace his family again, but he will not stay in Ithaca for long because, driven by his desire for knowledge, he will make another journey which will be the last of his life.

[[File:Odyssey (1968 miniseries) - Odysseus and Achilles.png|thumb|left|[[Odysseus|Ulysses]] meets the spirit of [[Achilles]]]]

Ulysses does not understand everything and leaves Tiresias to feed on the goat again, to venture deeper into the Underworld. He sees a soul: it is that of [[Agamemnon]] who reveals to him that he was stabbed in treason together with the concubine [[Cassandra]] by his wife [[Clytemnestra]]. The woman was still upset by the ancient sacrifice of her daughter [[Iphigenia]] at the behest of her father, since the gods did not allow him departure for Troy, and she now had one more reason to slaughter Agamemnon: his betrayal with the Trojan prophetess. Agamemnon warns the hero when he returns to Ithaca: no woman is faithful to her husband and above all she will try to kill him after so many years away, and this could also happen with Penelope and Telemachus. Agamemnon's weeping soul goes away and Ulysses, more shocked than ever, meets another one: the spirit of the brave [[Achilles]], who died at the hands of the god Apollo and the arrows of [[Paris (mythology)|Paris]]. Achilles appears more lugubrious than Agamemnon and confides in Ulysses that he would rather be a slave to the most vile and cruel master in the world than be forced to rule the dead in Hades. The last spirit that Ulysses meets in the Underworld is the mother [[Anticlea]]. Ulysses asks her how she died and she, crying, communicates that she died waiting for the arrival of her son in Ithaca. Then Ulysses realizes the atrocity and uselessness of the war fought for so many years in Troy to take back the bride of a betrayed king, and to have wasted time in continuous journeys in the Mediterranean, without realizing that the loved ones died of despair waiting for him to Ithaca; remembering this, he weeps bitterly at the feet of the spirit. His mother invites him not to despair and to hurry on his return to the island because if he is still late, his father [[Laertes (father of Odysseus)|Laertes]], who had long since retired to live like a filthy hermit among animals, will soon die of a broken heart, too.

Ulysses also becomes aware of the abuses of the suitors who infest his palace by undermining Penelope's innocence, and hearing these words is seized by a wave of anger, but first tries to hug in vain his mother's knees, who disappears every time she is touched. Going towards the exit, Ulysses sees another soul: it is his friend [[Elpenor]], who died a few moments ago due to his intoxicated state. In fact the companions, on the world of the living on the island of Circe, had given themselves to mad joy to drive away the worries and Elpenor, who had drunk too much, had fallen from a ledge breaking his neck. Ulysses promises to the soul that he will have a worthy burial once he gets back up and so he will do, burying him right on the island's beach, shouting his name together as many times as enough to reach the ears of the distant mother.

Circe communicates terrible things to Ulysses about his next travels: the first trial to face is the crossing of the rock of the fearsome [[Siren (mythology)|sirens]], then he will have to overcome the gorge of [[Scylla]] and [[Charybdis]]. It is believed that this was only overcome by [[Jason]] with the [[Argonauts]] thanks to the help of a god, an epic feat narrated by [[Apollonius of Rhodes|Apollonius Rhodius]] in the ''[[Argonautica]]''. The last effort of Ulysses will be the stop on the island of the Trident, where there are grazing cows sacred to the god [[Helios]], or the Sun, inviolable if one did not want to loom in the wrath of the divine master. Circe confides all these things to Ulysses and then vanishes, leaving him confused and amazed. The hero communicates the stages to his companions and invites them to leave, but something has changed in them: they are slowly losing faith in their leader.

=== Sixth episode: the Sirens, Scylla and Charybdis, the island of the Sun and the return to Ithaca ===
[[File:Odyssey (1968 miniseries) - Odysseus and the sirens.png|thumb|[[Odysseus|Ulysses]] is tied to the [[Mast (sailing)|mast]] by [[Eurylochus of Same|Eurilochus]]]]

Encouraged his companions to embark to return to Ithaca, Ulysses resumes his journey, immediately approaching the rock of the [[Siren (mythology)|sirens]]. These are beings not visible to man, although the legend wants them with the bodies of rapacious birds and the heads of beautiful women, and they have the power to enchant travelers with their voice, to finally make them smash with the boat on the rock. The companions believe that Ulysses has gone mad, as he wants to cover their ears with wax so that they do not hear the voice. Ulysses, to show them that he is perfectly lucid, is tied by [[Eurylochus of Same|Eurilochus]] to the mainmast, recommending him to hold tighter if he begged to untie him. The ship has now reached the rock and while skirting it, Ulysses glimpses the bones of the unfortunate sailors victims of the Sirens and finally begins to hear their voices that penetrate his mind, obscuring it. The voices insistently invite Ulysses to land on the island so that he can end his days in joy and carefree after so many years of fighting and living in pain, but Eurilochus holds him tight and so Ulysses, severely tested by the power of the Sirens, manages to overcome the rock with his companions.

The second stage is the crossing of a narrow gorge between two huge rocks: [[Scylla]] and [[Charybdis]]. However, Ulysses, believing he was wasting too much time in the crossing and not getting out of it alive, took another longer route that brought him to the island of the Trident, consecrated to the god [[Helios]] (the Sun) for the cows grazing the grass.

[[File:Odyssey (1968 miniseries) - Odysseus and the cows of the Sun.png|thumb|left|[[Odysseus|Ulysses]] tries to convince the companions not to kill the cows of the Sun]]

The ship lands on the beach and immediately a great calm falls on the area, preventing the companions from resuming the journey soon. In fact, Ulysses was reluctantly forced by his friends Heraclius, Eurilochus, [[Polites (friend of Odysseus)|Polites]] and Filetor, who no longer had faith in their commander; now sailors can only hope for the food they own and the prey to fish. Ulysses no longer knows what to do because Circe's prophecy had told him that if anyone dared to kill a single cow, the entire fleet would be annihilated by the gods. The hero does everything to prevent his companions, now exhausted for weeks by hunger and lack of food, from doing it, but one day when he climbs a cliff to implore Zeus, a misfortune occurs. Eurilochus has a heifer killed and feasts with the others all night; Ulysses does not even scold him because he already knows that the fate of those unfortunates is sealed. In fact, after leaving the island due to the sudden return of the wind, a terrible storm unleashed by Poseidon arrives and wrecks the ship with his companions. Only Ulysses is saved on a beam and is tossed for seven days in the sea until he arrives on the island of Calypso.

After the sad tale of all his misadventures, Ulysses asks King Alcinous for a new ship and a crew to reach the now nearby Ithaca and the good king grants it to him. Arriving on the beloved island, Ulysses, since he hadn't seen it for twenty years, no longer recognizes anything about his homeland and immediately asks a shepherd for information about the place. The boy is none other than his protector [[Athena]] who, to put him to the test, asks him who he is. Ulysses, keeping his personal details hidden, tells him that he is an unfortunate sailor from [[Egypt]] and Athena praises him for his shrewdness, transforming him into an old beggar so that he is not immediately recognized by the inhabitants and family members, so that he can better plan his revenge. When the boy is gone, Ulysses arrives in the house of [[Eumaeus]], the pig keeper and most trusted servant of Ulysses, who welcomes him amicably as tradition dictates to any guest, obviously not recognizing him. Ulysses is amazed by the goodness of the man and begins to ask questions about the fate of that unfortunate fighter who left for Troy and never returned home, leaving his wife and son desperate, who went in search of him. Eumaeus tells everything in detail and Ulysses, although tempted to show him who he really is, does not.

[[File:Odyssey (1968 miniseries) - Telemachus and Odysseus.png|thumb|The meeting between [[Odysseus|Ulysses]] and [[Telemachus]]]]

Meanwhile, Telemachus returns to the island of [[Pylos]] from [[Sparta]], more disheartened than ever, and lets the soothsayer [[Theoclymenus|Theoclimenus]] on board, convinced that he can tell him something about his father; by now Telemachus is willing to do anything and is ready to believe anyone's testimony. Getting that man on board proves to be an excellent action for Telemachus because Theoclimenus advises him to reverse the route to Ithaca, not passing through the Strait of [[Samos]], since a snare of suitors was waiting there. Telemachus arrives safely in Ithaca and goes at night to the house of Eumaeus where Ulysses is also waiting for him. Then the goddess Athena appears to the hero and tells him that now he can finally reveal himself to his trusted family members and the night ends with a tender and moving embrace between Ulysses and his son weeping with joy. The following day the three plan the way to enter the court, relying on the help of Eumaeus and Penelope, while the ship returns to the port with the suitors, more angry than ever for the failed coup.

Penelope is worried about her son's fate, but is reassured when she sees him appear safe and sound on the doorstep with Theoclimenus, and invites them to wash themselves and then eat. Refreshed, Telemachus approaches her mother, gently resting his head on her knee, and asks her what Ulysses was like before her birth. Happy, Penelope remembers when her husband, poorer than ever, came to her house to ask for her hand, although chased away by her future father-in-law. He, knowing that Penelope loved him secretly, went towards her chariot and the girl had chased him, begging him to let her up. The father, beside himself with rage, stood in front of the chariot, but Ulysses overtook him anyway, avoiding him and married Penelope. The episode ends with Theoclimenus who foretells the arrival of Ulysses in a few days and Eumaeus who leads his master Ulysses, always dressed as a beggar, to the court.

=== Seventh episode: Ulysses beggar at the court and the eve of the final competition ===
[[File:Odyssey (1968 miniseries) - Odysseus beggar.png|thumb|[[Odysseus|Ulysses]] appears in front of the [[Suitors of Penelope|suitors]] dressed as a beggar]]

Ulysses is accompanied by Eumaeus to the palace, but first he stops in front of an old and decrepit dog: it is [[Argos (dog)|Argos]], the dog loved by Ulysses, now dying, who recognizes his master, even after twenty years of absence, and finally dies happy. At the prompting of Athena, in his beggar's disguise, he approaches the suitors for alms. The welcome of the suitors is rude and cruel: they mock and insult him, not knowing what fate awaits them in a few days. The episode is one of the most characteristic of the entire work because there is a continuous connection of the narrative that passes both through the mouth of a male voiceover (as happened in the other episodes) and into the lips of muses in the guise of handmaids. Telemachus cannot endure for long the abuses of the suitors against his father who is even beaten by Antinous, leader of the suitors, when he approaches the latter for alms. As if that were not enough, the corpulent Arnaeus (known as [[Arnaeus|Irus]]) also arrives at the court, who boasts of being the strongest of all beggars and bullies Ulysses, fearing that the latter wants to steal his place. The suitors propose to make them fight by giving away a choice piece of roast meat and they head into the courtyard. At first it seems that Arnaeus is about to win but then the bully's blows awaken an ancient wrath in Ulysses' chest, who knocks him down with a single well-aimed blow on the jaw. Bleeding and staggering, Arnaeus falls to the ground and Ulysses places him in front of a column, with a stern warning not to challenge him any further or suffer a worse fate.

He is later summoned to meet with Penelope, to speak with the queen in private. Penelope is intrigued by that stranger and she would like to know more about him. Ulysses lies anyway and tells her that he is Aethon, brother of the Cretan king [[Idomeneus of Crete|Idomeneus]], sons of [[Minos]], but he claims to have known Ulysses, describing in every detail his cloak with the golden buckle depicting a dog tearing a deer. Penelope is amazed and even deludes herself to recognize her beggar as her husband, but Ulysses controls his emotions by reminding her that he is only a Minoan warrior who fell from grace after the Trojan War.

[[File:Odyssey (1968 miniseries) - Odysseus and the axes.png|thumb|[[Odysseus|Ulysses]] while placing the axes for the competition]]

[[Eurycleia of Ithaca|Eurycleia]], the oldest and wisest handmaid in the palace, is called to wash the beggar's feet and, going up to the knee, she recognizes a scar. This is the wound inflicted on the hero by a wild boar many years earlier during a hunting trip. The nurse has finally recognized her master, but he covers her mouth, fearing that she may, even if unwilling, ruin all her plans for revenge. Eurycleia is sworn to silence and Ulysses goes to the stables where a young cowherd is feeding a bullock: it is [[Philoetius (Odyssey)|Philoetius]], hired by Ulysses when he was a ten-year-old boy; not even he recognizes his master. Eumaeus, knowing everything, is equally silent.

The day long-awaited by suitors is approaching, that is the one in which Penelope will decide who will be the new husband and king of Ithaca; indeed, the rude suitors had not yet brought gifts for the queen and she, to buy time, had demanded that they bring them to her. On the same day as the delivery of the gifts, Penelope had ordered that a competition be organized with the [[Bow (weapon)|bow]] of Ulysses and her winner would become her new husband. Both Ulysses and Penelope pass the night before the appointed day sleepless; the first is strongly tempted to reveal himself to the bride, the other has a vision. Indeed, she imagines a large group of geese being mowed down by the arrival of a large eagle and she fears for joy and fear for the true arrival of her beloved husband.

The fateful day arrives and Penelope goes to take Ulysses' bow. It was believed that no one except the hero was able to stretch it, because the master had made it from the horns of an ox sacred to the gods and smeared it with grease every time before using it and always lifted the rope when he didn't need it. Telemachus also wants to register for the competition, to prevent one of the suitors from winning and holds the bow, but he is unable to pull the string. While Antinous prepares for the deed, he sees the beggar Ulysses placing side by side on a horizontal beam twelve axes with a large hole in the middle of the blade, so that there was a single and perfect invisible line between the holes of each blade.

=== Eight episode: victory of Ulysses and the recognition of Penelope ===
[[File:Odyssey (1968 miniseries) - Odysseus and Penelope.png|thumb|[[Odysseus|Ulysses]] together with [[Penelope]]]]

Antinous tries to draw the bow but it is impossible for him; the other suitors are also unsuccessful. Then Ulysses, in his beggar disguise, asks humbly to be able to try to thread the bow. All the suitors mock him for daring to be their equal, but Penelope steps in and gives him permission to do so. Ulysses skillfully draws the bow, shooting the arrow and making it pass through all the holes in the shutters. He then turns towards Antinous and kills him with an arrow to the side. The suitors are in a shock at his deed, then Ulysses strips off his rags and reveals himself to them, sending them in a panic. Eurymachus, the second foremost of the suitors, lays the blame on Antinous for being the instigator of wasting the palace resources and offers recompensation for everything they had consumed but Ulysses rejects his proposition and proceeds to shoot him and the other suitors. They begin to panic and try to escape his wrath but they are unable to, for the doors had been locked beforehand on Ulysses' orders. They do not even have a weapon to defend themselves: all of these had been sneaked away by Telemachus and Eumaeus the previous night. With the help of Telemachus and the loyal servants Eumaeus the swineherd and Philoetius the cowherd, Ulysses slaughters all suitors. Not even one is saved, and the maids who had betrayed the trust of Queen Penelope by consorting with the suitors are made to clean up the blood and gore and dispose of the bodies of the dead suitors before being punished themselves for their disloyalty by hanging.

Finally Ulysses has taken his revenge and is waiting for nothing but to go to the room of Penelope, who has witnessed terrified and amazed at the carnage. The woman is not yet fully convinced that the warrior is Ulysses, but she lets him into the room. The recognition occurs when Penelope proposes to move the nuptial bed, to which Ulysses replies that this is impossible, because that bed had been built by himself by carving it from a huge tree trunk, around which he had then built his palace. Penelope then has no more doubts and she embraces the groom crying and laughing with joy. Ulysses, moved by her, tells her all her misfortunes and with her he spends a long and happy night of love; in fact the [[Aurora (mythology)|Aurora]] prolongs the night by passing several days. The final part of the episode tells of the pacification, through the intercession of Mentor and Athena, between Ulysses and the relatives of the suitors, who are seeking vengeance for their deaths. When the clash between the two parties in the fields near Laertes' hut (where Ulysses had gone with his family) seems inevitable, at the urging of Mentor and Athena, Ulysses first lays down his arms, kneeling in a sense of respect for the relatives of the young dead, then the same is done by the father who led the opposing party, thus sanctioning the pacification.

==Cast==
{{colbegin}}
* [[Bekim Fehmiu]]: [[Odysseus]] (Ulisse)
* [[Irene Papas]]: [[Penelope]]
* [[Renaud Verley]]: [[Telemachus]] (Telemaco)
* Roy Purcell: [[Alcinous]] (Alcinoo)
* [[Marina Berti]]: [[Arete (mythology)|Arete]]
* [[Scilla Gabel]]: [[Helen of Troy|Helen]] (Elena)
* [[Barbara Bach]]: [[Nausicaa]]
* [[Juliette Mayniel]]: [[Circe]]
* Kyra Bester: [[Calypso (mythology)|Calypso]] (Calipso)
* Michèle Breton: [[Athena]] (Atena)
* Constantin Nepo: [[Antinous of Ithaca|Antinous]] (Antinoo)
* [[Ivica Pajer]]: [[Eurylochus of Same|Eurylochus]] (Euriloco)
* [[Samson Burke]]: [[Polyphemus]] (Polifemo)
* [[Fausto Tozzi]]: [[Menelaus]] (Menelao)
* [[Jaspar von Oertzen|Jaspar Von Oertzen]]: [[Nestor (mythology)|Nestor]] (Nestore)
* [[Franco Balducci]]: [[Mentor]] (Mentore)
* Husein Cokic: [[Eumaeus]] (Eumeo)
* Branko Kovacic: [[Laertes (father of Odysseus)|Laertes]] (Laerte)
* Vladimir Leib: [[Aeolus (Odyssey)|Aeolus]] (Eolo)
* [[Karl-Otto Alberty]]: [[Eurymachus]] (Eurimaco)
* Maurizio Tocchi: Leocritus (Leocrito)
* [[Ilija Ivezić]]: [[Ctesippus]] (Ctesippo)
* Petar Buntic: Filetor (Filettore)
* Duje Novakovic: [[Elpenor]] (Elpenore)
* Sime Jagarinac: Heraclius (Eraclio)
* Petar Dobric: [[Polites (friend of Odysseus)|Polites]] (Polite)
* [[Franco Fantasia]]: [[Mentes (King of the Taphians)|Mentes]] (Mente)
* Voyo Goric: [[Philoetius (Odyssey)|Philetius]] (Filezio)
* [[Luciano Rossi]]: [[Theoclymenus]] (Teoclimeno)
* [[Giulio Donnini]]: [[Tiresias]] (Tiresia)
* [[Bianca Doria]]: [[Anticlea]]
* [[Sergio Ferrero]]: [[Peisistratus of Pylos|Pisistratus]] (Pisistrato)
* [[Enzo Fiermonte]]: [[Demodocus (Odyssey character)|Demodocus]] (Demodoco)
* Stefanella Giovannini: [[Cassandra]]
* [[Peter Hinwood]]: [[Hermes]] (Ermete/Hermes)
* Miodrag Loncar: [[Arnaeus|Irus]] (Iro)
* Hrvoje Svob: [[Phemius]] (Femio)
* Giulio Cesare Tomei: [[Priam]] (Priamo)
* Rolf Boysen: [[Agamemnon]] (Agamennone)
* [[Gérard Herter]]: [[Laocoön]] (Laocoonte)
*Nona Medici: Iftime
* [[Mimmo Palmara]]: [[Achilles]] (Achille)
* [[Giancarlo Prete]]: [[Suitors of Penelope#List of Suitors of Penelope|Euryades]] (Euriade)
* Andrea Saric: [[Melantho]] (Melanto)
* [[Orso Maria Guerrini]]: [[Leodes]] (Leode)
* Ada Morotti: Cyane (Ciane)
* [[Laura Nucci]]: Antinoo's Mother
{{colend}}

==Production==
[[File:Scilla Gabel e Piero Schivazappa 02.jpg|thumb|Scilla Gabel (Helen) on set with the assistant director [[Piero Schivazappa]]]]
The miniseries was produced principally for broadcasting on the state televisions of Italy, Germany and France.<ref name="Cavallini2007">{{cite book|author=Eleonora Cavallini|title=Omero mediatico: aspetti della ricezione omerica nella civiltà contemporanea: atti delle giornate di studio, Ravenna, 18-19 gennaio 2006|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=O2ZiAAAAMAAJ|year=2007|publisher=D. U. Press|isbn=978-88-95451-05-3}}</ref> There are 8 episodes in the original version, running a total of 446 minutes. Each episode is preceded by an introduction in which poet [[Giuseppe Ungaretti]] read some verses of the original poem.<ref name="Giachery2012">{{cite book|author=Emerico Giachery|title=Ungaretti e il mito|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=mADp9jsjnLEC&pg=PA26|year=2012|publisher=Edizioni Nuova Cultura|isbn=978-88-6134-973-5|pages=26–}}</ref>

Special effects were designed by [[Mario Bava]] (who outright directed the [[Polyphemus]] episode)<ref name="Howarth2002">{{cite book|author=Troy Howarth|title=The Haunted World of Mario Bava|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Ac9VDwAAQBAJ&pg=PT325|year=2002|publisher=BearManor Media|pages=325–|id=GGKEY:X5Q62N9EWKC}}</ref> and [[Carlo Rambaldi]].<ref name="Buonanno2012">{{cite book|author=Milly Buonanno|title=Italian TV Drama and Beyond: Stories from the Soil, Stories from the Sea|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=OJs81Yn5FscC&pg=PA37|year=2012|publisher=Intellect Books|isbn=978-1-84150-459-9|pages=37–}}</ref>

The exteriors were shot entirely in Yugoslavia, which offered a scenery that was similar to the lands of Ancient Greece.<ref name="Lupi">{{cite web |last1=Lupi |first1=Giordano |title=Odissea – Le avventure di Ulisse (Film Tv, 1969) |url=http://www.futuro-europa.it/21352/cultura/odissea-le-avventure-ulisse-film-tv-1969.html |date=16 October 2016|website=Futuro Europa |accessdate=26 December 2018}}</ref>

==Release==
The show ran on television in Europe between 1968 and 1970. In Italy alone, the episodes had an audience of over 16 million viewers. The entire television series was dubbed into English, ran several times on the TVO network in Ontario, Canada, and was broadcast in the US by CBS years later in 1978. An abridged theatrical version (running only 110 minutes) was released to European theatres as well, also available in English. However, the English dub was later lost. There are DVD editions however still available in Italian and German.

==Reception==
The adaptation is considered by some to be the most faithful rendering of Homer's epic on screen,<ref name="LovattVout2013">{{cite book|author1=Helen Lovatt|author2=Caroline Vout|title=Epic Visions: Visuality in Greek and Latin Epic and its Reception|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=fo2bBQAAQBAJ&pg=PA170|date=15 August 2013|publisher=Cambridge University Press|isbn=978-1-316-26499-7|pages=170–}}</ref> by including most of the characters and events, as well as by attempting to fill with graphic details.<ref name="RengerSolomon2012">{{cite book|author1=Almut-Barbara Renger|author2=Jon Solomon|title=Ancient Worlds in Film and Television: Gender and Politics|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=lTgyAQAAQBAJ&pg=PA205|date=13 November 2012|publisher=BRILL|isbn=978-90-04-24192-3|pages=205–}}</ref>

==See also==
* [[Eneide (TV serial)]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
*[https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0064750/ IMDB page]
*[http://www.superstrangevideo.com/gallery.asp?prodID=3161&prodTitle=Odissea Pictures]
*[https://www.raiplay.it/programmi/odissea/ The Odyssey] on [[RaiPlay]].

{{Odyssey navbox}}
{{Franco Rossi}}
{{Mario Bava}}
{{Rai original series}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Odyssey}}
[[Category:1960s Italian television miniseries]]
[[Category:1968 Italian television series debuts]]
[[Category:1968 Italian television series endings]]
[[Category:1960s French television miniseries]]
[[Category:1968 French television series debuts]]
[[Category:1968 French television series endings]]
[[Category:French drama television series]]
[[Category:Italian drama television series]]
[[Category:German drama television series]]
[[Category:Television series set in ancient Greece]]
[[Category:Television series based on classical mythology]]
[[Category:Films directed by Franco Rossi]]
[[Category:Films based on the Odyssey]]
[[Category:Films directed by Piero Schivazappa]]
[[Category:Films set in the Mediterranean Sea]]
[[Category:Television shows based on the Odyssey]]
[[Category:Agamemnon]]
[[Category:Cassandra]]
[[Category:Cultural depictions of Helen of Troy]]
[[Category:Cultural depictions of Achilles]]

The Odyssey (1968 miniseries)

2024-07-01T21:48:00Z

89.164.191.195: /* Cast */

{{Infobox television
| image = Odissea_Bekim Fehmiu.jpg
| caption = [[Bekim Fehmiu]] as [[Odysseus]]
| alt_name =
| genre = [[Mythology]], [[adventure]]
| creator =
| based_on = {{based on|''[[Odyssey]]''|[[Homer]]}}
| director = [[Franco Rossi (director)|Franco Rossi]] [[Mario Bava]] [[Piero Schivazappa]]
| creative_director =
| developer =
| presenter = [[Giuseppe Ungaretti]]
| starring = [[Bekim Fehmiu]] [[Irene Papas]]
| voices =
| narrated =
| theme_music_composer =
| opentheme =
| endtheme =
| composer = [[Carlo Rustichelli]]
| country = Italy France Germany Yugoslavia
| language =
| num_seasons =
| num_episodes = 4-8
| list_episodes =
| executive_producer = Vittorio Bonicelli
| producer = [[Dino de Laurentiis]]
| editor =
| location = Italy [[Yugoslavia]]
| cinematography =
| camera =
| runtime = 446 minutes 110 minutes (cut edition)
| channel =
| first_aired = {{Start date|1968|03|24|df=yes}}
| related =
}}
'''''The Odyssey''''' ({{lang-it|Odissea }}) is an eight-episode European TV miniseries broadcast on [[RAI]] (Italian state TV) in 1968 and based on [[Homer]]'s ''[[Odyssey]]''. An Italian, Yugoslavian, German and French ([[ORTF|Radiodiffusion-Télévision Française]]) coproduction, it was directed by [[Franco Rossi (director)|Franco Rossi]],<ref name="Buonanno2012"/> assisted by [[Piero Schivazappa]] and [[Mario Bava]]; the cast includes [[Bekim Fehmiu]] as [[Odysseus]] and [[Irene Papas]] as [[Penelope]], [[Samson Burke]] as the [[Cyclops]], as well as [[Barbara Bach]] as [[Nausicaa]], and [[Gérard Herter]]. Several critics consider the series to be a masterful representation of the ancient world.<ref name="Pomeroy2017">{{cite book|author=Arthur J. Pomeroy|title=A Companion to Ancient Greece and Rome on Screen|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=3kwnDwAAQBAJ&pg=PT341|date=1 June 2017|publisher=Wiley|isbn=978-1-118-74144-3|pages=341–}}</ref>

==Plot==
{{Long plot|date=July 2020}}
===First episode: Telemaco and Penelope===
[[File:Odyssey (1968 miniseries) - Penelope.png|thumb|left|[[Penelope]] while weaving the canvas]]

[[Athena]], happy that King [[Odysseus|Ulysses]] is close to returning to his native island [[Homer's Ithaca|Ithaca]], located to the west of [[Greece]], under the guise of King [[Mentes (King of the Taphians)|Mentes]], arrives in Ithaca to make sure that Ulysses' return is pleasant, but it is not so: although welcomed with respect by the twenty year old Prince [[Telemachus]], Mentes discovers that the palace of the king of Ithaca is besieged by numerous arrogant nobles of the region, the [[Suitors of Penelope|suitors]], who anxiously wait for Queen Penelope to decide to take a new husband between them, supposing that Ulysses died since twenty years have passed since his departure for Troy, looting without reserve the cellar and the pantry of the palace. Penelope tries to take time by declaring to the processors that she must weave a canvas in honor of her father-in-law [[Laertes (father of Odysseus)|Laertes]], but with this pretext every night she undoes it and starts it again the next morning.

Telemachus, at the suggestion of Mentes (who disappears as he came), announces a town meeting to be able to know who is on his side to be able to chase away the suitors and who is willing to follow him on the land to ask for information about Ulysses to King [[Nestor (mythology)|Nestor]], the oldest commander who participated in the war. The suitors also arrive at the assembly, claiming to be right in the king's long absence and the fact that Penelope is spending too much time weaving the web. To these answers, the people of Ithaca are silent and dare not oppose, yet the soothsayer Egizio, noting a hawk perched on the battlements of the palace, sees the success of Telemachus' journey, but is derided by the suitors. The next morning, Telemachus is joined by his father's friend and adviser [[Mentor (Odyssey)|Mentor]] (again Athena in disguise) who gives him a boat and sailors to get to [[Pylos]], by Nestor. Before leaving, Telemachus asks the nurse [[Eurycleia of Ithaca|Eurycleia]] not to say anything to Penelope. During the night, [[Melantho]], a young female servant of the palace who is a lover of Eurymachus, one of the suitors, betrays Penelope by revealing to the suitors what Penelope does to her canvas at night. Discovered, Penelope is forced to finish the shroud without apology.

The next day, the suitors noticed the absence of Telemachus and discovered, threatening a boat seller, that he really started to look for news about his father. Concerned that his research is successful, [[Antinous of Ithaca|Antinous]], chief of staff, suggests an ambush by Telemachus. Arriving in Pylos in the middle of a sacrificial ceremony at [[Poseidon]], Telemachus joins the king after the ceremony. Nestor tells Telemachus of the evening before he returns from Troy: there were those who, like Ulysses, wanted to punish the allies of the Trojans and those like [[Menelaus]] who wanted to go home; after several discussions, the Achaean fleet separated and Nestor no longer knew about Ulysses, so he advised Telemachus to go to [[Sparta]], to Menelaus, with his son [[Peisistratus of Pylos|Pisistratus]], who would guide him. [[Medon (mythology)|Medon]], the wine bearer, on hearing the suitors, runs to warn Penelope who, after a moment of anger at Eurycleia for not having told her anything, prays for the safety of her son.

At night, Penelope receives in a dream Athena's visit, under the guise of her sister Iftime, who assures her that the gods watch over her son and also about Ulysses. Finally the figure of Ulysses is presented: a lonely man at the head of a miserable raft at the mercy of the waves that move him away from his final destination.

=== Second episode: Ulysses, Nausicaa and Calypso ===
At the beginning of the second episode there is a discussion between [[Zeus]] and Athena in which the two agree that Poseidon has tortured Ulysses enough and that it is time for his suffering to end. Ulysses is shipwrecked on an island and, having found a refuge, wanders into a grove of trees and asleep on a bed of fallen leaves. The island in which Ulysses arrived is [[Scheria]], governed by the [[Phaeacians]], and Athena arrives in a dream to the young princess [[Nausicaa]], in the guise of a distant friend and enters the dreams of the girl, telling her that she should prepare herself for her now near marriage and go with the maids to the mouth of the river to do the laundry. The next day Nausicaa goes to the mouth and after doing the laundry, the princess starts to play with the maids, when she sees in the bushes a dirty man, naked and caked with salt and leaves with which he slept on. All the girls run away except for Nausicaa, who is staring in astonishment at the desperate man. Ulysses also remains somewhat captivated by the beauty of the girl and compares her to a goddess, then begging her to take him with her to the palace to clean up the debris of the waters.

[[File:Odyssey (1968 miniseries) - Odysseus and Nausicaa.png|thumb|left|The meeting between [[Odysseus|Ulysses]] and [[Nausicaa]]]]

As ordered by the goddess and also by her heart, Nausicaa has him washed and dressed by the maids, but she asks that, out of discretion, he did not follow her to the palace, or the young people would believe she had chosen him as a husband. Accepting the wishes of the girl, Ulysses goes alone to the city, while an internal voice (Athena) suggests to him how to behave in front of the sovereigns: [[Alcinous]] and [[Arete (mythology)|Arete]]. The nobles and monarchs of the palace, suspicious of all the foreigners who come to their land, fill him with questions, only to apologize for their abrupt and gruff interrogation, after they recognize in the hero a good man with nothing to hide. In reality, in order not to cause a stir, Ulysses pretends to be a shipwrecked traveler in search of protection. Alcinous tells that long ago his people, ruled by his grandfather, resided in the Land of the [[Cyclopes|Cyclops]], monstrous and violent beings, who continually threatened their lives; so they decided to move with the help of the gods to a new island, paying the price of being isolated and unknown to any traveler, except Ulysses.

Hosted in the palace, Ulysses knows that the Phaeacians are peaceful and that they know how to build boats that never sink and never get lost, but have stopped building them worried by a prophecy: Poseidon, their protector, would have punished the Phaeacians by destroying the crew of the ship that will accompany an enemy on board. Ulysses, meanwhile, spends a lot of time with Nausicaa, telling her that until a few weeks ago he had been a prisoner in [[Ogygia]] for seven years, an islet in which the beautiful nymph [[Calypso (mythology)|Calypso]] is exiled, to whom Ulysses mentally resisted, until ordered by the gods, she didn't allow him to go on a raft.

A few days later, Odysseus is invited to see the games that will decree a husband for Nausicaa. The champion asks the guest to participate in the sword contests, but Ulysses refuses, in order not to be recognised, at least until the athletes question his strength, making Ulysses so angry that not only he beats all the participants, but also risks to kill one. Ulysses asks Alcinous for forgiveness, but he demands to know his name rather than to hear his apologies.

=== Third episode: the fall of Troy and the island of the Lotus-eaters ===
[[File:Odyssey (1968 miniseries) - Trojan horse.png|thumb|left|The [[Wooden horse of Troy|wooden horse]] discovered on the shores of [[Troy]]]]

For the victory of the athletes, the blind aedes [[Demodocus (Odyssey character)|Demodocus]] tells everybody the history of the last thing he saw before losing his sight: the fall of Troy. Ten years had passed since the beginning of the war, but neither of the two factions gave up, until one day, on the shores of Ilium, the Trojans found the achaean camp deserted and a gigantic [[Wooden horse of Troy|wooden horse]] on the beach. While [[Priam]] and many other citizens interpreted it as an offer of the Achaeans to Poseidon to secure a safe journey, the priest [[Laocoön]] understands that it is a trap, or an offer asking that the god destroy the city. The priest is so sure of what he said that he thrust a spear in the belly, almost piercing Ulysses and the others hidden inside. On the verge of burning it, Priam stops Laocoön and orders for the horse to be brought inside the city to repent the offense made to the god. Ulysses' plan works: with the horse inside the walls, the Acheans come out of the sculpture, warn the hidden companions and Troy is conquered. The tragedy is unstoppable and on that same night, after having feasted and celebrated, the Trojans are wiped out by the Greeks; this is the destiny also of Priam, of [[Deiphobus]], the new husband of [[Helen of Troy|Helen]], and of [[Astyanax|Astianax]], the baby son of [[Hector]] and [[Andromache]], who is forcefully taken from his cradle and thrown out of the walls by [[Neoptolemus]], the cruel son of [[Achilles]]. Remembering these atrocities, Ulysses starts to cry softly, shaken by violent shivers, and Demodocus, after realising it, recognize him under the shock of all people.

Meanwhile, Telemachus and Pisistratus arrive in Sparta, where Menelaus and Helen have just returned from their journey, unlike Ulysses. The sovereigns welcome Telemachus who, contrary to his expectations, finds himself in front of two sad spouses, severely tested by the fatigue of the war and the fate of the survivors. Agamemnon, says the king, was killed by his wife [[Clytemnestra]], and many met the same death in their homes. The ruler says that the last time he heard about Ulysses, he heard from [[Proteus]], who also told him how to go home. In order to calm the spirits, Elena drugs the wine of her husband and of the guests to relieve their pain and tells of the time she saw Ulysses before Troy was conquered: after being beaten to death by his friend [[Diomedes]] to appear as a beggar, he had entered the city presenting himself as a Phrygian soldier attacked by his drunken comrades. The priestess [[Cassandra]], famous for her misfortune to predict future events but without ever being believed, immediately believes him and confides in him that she knows that her city is destined to lose, if the [[Palladium (classical antiquity)|Palladium]] of Athena were to be stolen from the temple. After Cassandra goes away, Helen arrives, who has become the widow of [[Paris (mythology)|Paris]], who immediately recognizes Ulysses, although battered and bleeding, cursing his coming. Ulysses, furious, threaten her of playing the double-cross and unnecessarily wasting time in that palace, since the entire army of Greece is fighting for her; he finally leaves her, warning her against her husband Menelaus.

[[File:Odyssey (1968 miniseries) - Lotus-eaters.png|thumb|The village of the [[Lotus-eaters]]]]

Now discovered, Ulysses tells the Phaeacians the misadventures that cost him his return home, his fleet and companions. Departing from Troy with 12 ships and many companions, he first loses 6 men for each of his ships in the land of the [[Cicones]], allies of the Trojans. Later he loses 11 of his 12 ships in the land of the [[Laestrygonians]], giants that sink ships that have entered the port; only the ship of Ulysses is saved, who for precaution had kept it out of the port. With the only surviving ship, Ulysses lands on the Mediterranean coast of Africa, inhabited by strange people called [[Lotus-eaters|Lotophagi]], or eaters of an aphrodisiac flower called [[Nelumbo|Lotus]]. Three companions are sent scouting, but after several hours they never return. Worried, Ulysses goes to look for them and arrives in an immense garden with poor houses. All the inhabitants smile and rave about laughing, and among them there are also the three friends of Ulysses. They have completely lost their memory because they ate the dust obtained from the crushing of the flowers of that field, the Lotus, and now they don't want to leave the island. Even when Ulysses tries to remind them of their wives, children and loved homes, the drunken companions do not express the slightest consideration and continue to devour the lotus with a laugh. Then Ulysses takes them all and binds them on the ship, to continue the journey.

Having landed on another island, Ulysses and twelve of his companions go to get supplies and so they go hunting until, following enormous human footsteps, they discover a huge and rough cave. Intrigued, the sailors enter and discover a huge deposit of cheese, milk and ricotta, and utensils belonging to a giant: the bowls that contain the food are huge, and so are an ax and the bed. However, Ulysses, deaf to the insistence of his companions who would like to leave after having taken the cheese, believes he can establish a dialogue with the inhabitant whose skills in making knots and producing good ricotta he appreciates. In any case, there is no more time to escape because the animals of the flock arrive in the cave.

=== Fourth episode: Polyphemus and the gift of Aeolus ===
[[File:Odyssey (1968 miniseries) - Odysseus and Poliphemus.png|thumb|[[Odysseus|Ulysses]] talking with [[Polyphemus]]]]

The cave is inhabited by a monstrous giant with feral habits named [[Polyphemus]]. The cyclops is horrible to behold, full of hair like a beast and with a single eye in the middle of the forehead. The companions fall to the ground in terror as soon as they see him blocking the entrance to the cave with a huge boulder and asking them in a booming voice to introduce themselves. Ulysses, trying to protect his friends, asks Polyphemus for hospitality, since they need food, and to respect the laws of the powerful and vengeful god in regard to visitors [[Zeus]]. Polyphemus bursts into a thunderous and terrifying laugh, declaring that he is the son of [[Poseidon]] and therefore above any law and that he does not have to obey anyone, not even the other gods. The men run away terrified, but Polyphemus takes one and crushes it in his hand; then he grabs another, fainted from shock, and dashes him violently against a stone, and then eats them both. Ulysses would like to kill him, immediately after he has gone to bed, but is held back by his friends, including his cousin [[Eurylochus of Same|Eurilochus]]. If Ulysses had killed the Cyclops while asleep, then no one would have had the strength to remove the gigantic boulder from the entrance, and so the hero is forced to wait the end of the night. The next day, however, he gets an idea and orders his companions to take a large olive branch and sharpen it, while the Cyclops goes out to graze the herd. Subsequently, Ulysses draws lots for the companions who should distract the Cyclops, while he hides the trunk, but the chosen ones are not fast enough and Polyphemus devours them too.

All the prisoners are about to lose hope, were it not for the astute Ulysses, who decides to make the Cyclops drink the wine he had brought with him from the ship as a gift for the inhabitants of that land, a special wine, so concentrated that to be drunk normally it should be diluted with as many as 20 measures of water. Having filled a large bowl, Ulysses barely grabs it with both arms and hands it to Polyphemus, who, although suspicious of the new drink, tastes it, immediately becoming crazy for it and demands more. Ulysses, wanting to get him drunk, brings him another full bowl, which Polyphemus empties. Ulysses, at the request of Polyphemus to reveal his name, replies that he is called "Nobody", whereupon the Cyclops laughs and says that as a reward he will eat him last. Ulysses, without wasting time, after the Cyclops has fallen asleep dead drunk, calls to him his friends who heat the tip of the tree trunk: the prisoners intend to blind Polyphemus so that he can make them escape by opening the entrance. The companions, including Ulysses, take the smoking trunk and approach the bed of Polyphemus, climbing on it and positioning themselves directly behind the monster's head to better implant the trunk. With a shout of encouragement Ulysses and his companions thrust the pole, but the cry of pain of Polyphemus is so chilling and resounding that it makes them all fall to the ground, while the Cyclops, waving his hands, creates a great disorder and noise in the cave. He also calls screaming at his Cyclops neighbours who, rushing up outside the cave, ask what or who is doing him harm. To the answer "Nobody wants to kill me!" the other Cyclops tell Polyphemus that they can do nothing and that he must pray to Poseidon and abandon him.

After a night of constant and agonizing cries, the next morning Polyphemus opens the cave door to let the sheep and goats out to graze. The companions tie themselves to the bellies of the sheep joined in groups of three bound with ropes, clinging to the bellies of the middle animal, except Ulysses who clings under the fleece of the ram of the herd, so as not to be recognized by the Cyclops, who touches the sheep one by one on the back and sides but never thinking to feel them underneath. The ram comes out last and Polyphemus, after having said words of affection towards the head of the herd, pronounces a curse against Ulysses calling his father Poseidon to him. While his companions hurry to get back on the boat, Ulysses prefers to stay on earth for a moment longer to mock Polyphemus by telling him his real name, that it was Ulysses, the king of Ithaca, who blinded him. Polyphemus, mad with rage, climbs a ledge, cursing him and throwing various boulders against the ship, begging his father to wreck the enemy's boat. Shortly after leaving, Ulysses is forced to land on the island of [[Aeolus (Odyssey)|Aeolus]], the god master of the wind, due to bad sea conditions.

[[File:Odyssey (1968 miniseries) - Odysseus and Aeolus.png|thumb|left|The meeting between [[Odysseus|Ulysses]] and [[Aeolus]]]]

Continuing the story, Ulysses arrives on the island of Aeolus and decides to venture alone. Entering a palace, Ulysses enters a huge and opulent banquet room filled with blue steam and "[[erotes]]" (flutist kids) playing various instruments and distributing wine. At the end of the room there was a large table full of all kinds of good things, with Aeolus seated in the center and his family at his sides: his wife Cyane, and their sons and daughters, whom he had married to each other to keep the family together. Aeolus is old and stout with silver hair, and asks the hero to eat with them, telling of his exploits of the Trojan war. Ulysses will stay to eat for several months, telling and repeating his stories about him several times, until he asks the god to let him go. Aeolus agrees and moreover decides to give him all the winds of [[Boreas (god)|Boreas]] and [[Leveche]] that dominate the world. First, however, he asks Ulysses if any gods persecute him, in which case he could not have given him his gift; Ulysses lies, keeping silent about the fact that Poseidon, after the episode of Polyphemus, is hostile to him. Aeolus, then, gathers all the winds and encloses them in a large sack made with the tanned skin of a ram, and gives them to Ulysses as long as he never opens the jar so as not to trigger a natural cataclysm. Ulysses promises and goes to the ship, to resume the voyage; thanks to the winds he would have reached Ithaca much earlier than expected. The companions, intrigued by the sack, believing that it contained riches, one day, just as the coasts of the much desired island are beginning to be glimpsed, open the bag while Ulysses was sleeping exhausted, being tossed back and forth across the [[Mediterranean Sea]]. Ulysses stops to reflect on his misfortunes, while the queen comments that after all he deserves all his troubles for not being vigilant and for having set himself against the gods, visiting unknown lands and disobeying the orders of friends with deception.

=== Fifth episode: the island of Circe and the descent to the Underworld ===
Having landed on a new and unknown island, Ulysses together with his companions decide to visit it to see if it was inhabited by beasts or bloodthirsty men. He divides the expedition into two groups: one commanded by [[Eurylochus of Same|Eurilochus]] and the other by himself. Entering the thick wood, however, the group of fillet is attacked by no one knows what and people are transformed into pigs. Meanwhile, Ulysses meets a shepherd boy, actually [[Hermes]], who tells him the sad fate of the other group. Ulysses would like to rush to their aid, but the god stops him, telling him that this is a spell of the sorceress [[Circe]], mistress of the island, and that to free his friends he must first of all eat a sacred flower. After that the hero would have presented himself to the sorceress and would have been led to her abode; Circe would certainly deceived him, by giving him a potion to drink, but Ulysses would have remained immune and would be seized by a terrible desire to stab the sorceress, but restraining himself.

[[File:Odyssey (1968 miniseries) - Odysseus and Circe.png|thumb|left|[[Odysseus|Ulysses]] together with [[Arete (mythology)|Arete]] while he tells her his adventure.]]

Ulysses hears this prophecy and goes into the garden where he meets a woman, beautiful and terrible at the same time, who subjects him to riddles and tests, but Ulysses, protected by Hermes, solves them all. Circe, realizing that this man is different from all her other victims, decides to take him home to make him drink some wine. Suddenly Ulysses finds himself in a strange abode full of climbing plants and cages containing animals and birds of all kinds, all prisoners of the sorceress, but he is immediately invited to sit by Circe who offers him a golden cup. Ulysses, knowing that he is immune to her poison, drinks it all in one gulp, yet suffering greatly from her poison. Meanwhile, Circe laughs heartily, thinking that soon the unfortunate person would turn into a pig too, but suddenly she goes pale and begins to become terribly ugly: she has realized that her powers are ineffective on the hero. Ulysses, angrier than ever, rushes with the sword drawn to the sorceress, but then remembers the prophecy and does not kill her, but he orders her to take him to her friends. Circe, suddenly returned beautiful and more docile than ever, takes him to a stable where pigs grunt desperately and turns them back into the people they were before. However, due to the sudden metamorphosis, the companions find themselves confused and do not even recognize Ulysses, running away every time he tries to talk to them. Circe then takes the opportunity to hold back the hero a little longer, since the effect of the magic on his companions would disappear in a few days, and she spends passionate nights of love with him.

Circe, to ensure that the hero decides to stay with her forever, makes him drink a magic potion that makes him forget his beloved island, and makes him invisible in front of his companions. With Circe, Ulysses will spend a full year, and only the intervention of his companions, tired of living on the ship doing nothing, will bring the hero back to reason. Ulysses asks Circe to be let go once and for all and she, albeit reluctantly, accepts, but before leaving she confides him some secrets and above all orders him to go to the [[Greek underworld|Underworld]]. Indeed, since many of the gods are hostile to him, Ulysses has a uncertain and dangerous destiny when he sails on the sea and so he needs the prophecies of the blind diviner [[Tiresias]], who died aged over 700 years, so that he can sail peacefully to in Ithaca.

[[File:Odyssey (1968 miniseries) - Odysseus and Tiresias.png|thumb|The meeting between [[Odysseus|Ulysses]] and [[Tiresias]]]]

Ulysses, as Circe had told him, walks through the woods of the island, until he reaches a dark cave dug into the earth. The dark place where Ulysses finds is bleak, lifeless and full of fog. The hero is afraid because to him it seems like an intricate labyrinth full of columns and dead caves and above all he does not see a living soul. Indeed, Circe had advised him to take a black young goat with him to slaughter, so that the souls of the deceased could appear and approach, with the hope that among them there was also Tiresias. Ulysses performs the rite and immediately a group of mournful, weeping and sighing people appears, covered by heavy gray cloaks that leave only their faces uncovered. All of them come dangerously close to the victim's blood to drink it, but Ulysses drives them away with his sword: only Tiresias should have quenched his thirst. The group disappears and the soothsayer finally appears: he is white-haired, with a long beard and communicates only by speaking in a whisper, and Ulysses invites him to drink. When Tiresias gets up from the ground, his figure appears even more ghostly, as he drips kid's blood from his mouth and he begins to communicate his future journey to Ulysses. He will still have to face many dangers and only in the tenth year after the destruction of Troy Ulysses will be able to embrace his family again, but he will not stay in Ithaca for long because, driven by his desire for knowledge, he will make another journey which will be the last of his life.

[[File:Odyssey (1968 miniseries) - Odysseus and Achilles.png|thumb|left|[[Odysseus|Ulysses]] meets the spirit of [[Achilles]]]]

Ulysses does not understand everything and leaves Tiresias to feed on the goat again, to venture deeper into the Underworld. He sees a soul: it is that of [[Agamemnon]] who reveals to him that he was stabbed in treason together with the concubine [[Cassandra]] by his wife [[Clytemnestra]]. The woman was still upset by the ancient sacrifice of her daughter [[Iphigenia]] at the behest of her father, since the gods did not allow him departure for Troy, and she now had one more reason to slaughter Agamemnon: his betrayal with the Trojan prophetess. Agamemnon warns the hero when he returns to Ithaca: no woman is faithful to her husband and above all she will try to kill him after so many years away, and this could also happen with Penelope and Telemachus. Agamemnon's weeping soul goes away and Ulysses, more shocked than ever, meets another one: the spirit of the brave [[Achilles]], who died at the hands of the god Apollo and the arrows of [[Paris (mythology)|Paris]]. Achilles appears more lugubrious than Agamemnon and confides in Ulysses that he would rather be a slave to the most vile and cruel master in the world than be forced to rule the dead in Hades. The last spirit that Ulysses meets in the Underworld is the mother [[Anticlea]]. Ulysses asks her how she died and she, crying, communicates that she died waiting for the arrival of her son in Ithaca. Then Ulysses realizes the atrocity and uselessness of the war fought for so many years in Troy to take back the bride of a betrayed king, and to have wasted time in continuous journeys in the Mediterranean, without realizing that the loved ones died of despair waiting for him to Ithaca; remembering this, he weeps bitterly at the feet of the spirit. His mother invites him not to despair and to hurry on his return to the island because if he is still late, his father [[Laertes (father of Odysseus)|Laertes]], who had long since retired to live like a filthy hermit among animals, will soon die of a broken heart, too.

Ulysses also becomes aware of the abuses of the suitors who infest his palace by undermining Penelope's innocence, and hearing these words is seized by a wave of anger, but first tries to hug in vain his mother's knees, who disappears every time she is touched. Going towards the exit, Ulysses sees another soul: it is his friend [[Elpenor]], who died a few moments ago due to his intoxicated state. In fact the companions, on the world of the living on the island of Circe, had given themselves to mad joy to drive away the worries and Elpenor, who had drunk too much, had fallen from a ledge breaking his neck. Ulysses promises to the soul that he will have a worthy burial once he gets back up and so he will do, burying him right on the island's beach, shouting his name together as many times as enough to reach the ears of the distant mother.

Circe communicates terrible things to Ulysses about his next travels: the first trial to face is the crossing of the rock of the fearsome [[Siren (mythology)|sirens]], then he will have to overcome the gorge of [[Scylla]] and [[Charybdis]]. It is believed that this was only overcome by [[Jason]] with the [[Argonauts]] thanks to the help of a god, an epic feat narrated by [[Apollonius of Rhodes|Apollonius Rhodius]] in the ''[[Argonautica]]''. The last effort of Ulysses will be the stop on the island of the Trident, where there are grazing cows sacred to the god [[Helios]], or the Sun, inviolable if one did not want to loom in the wrath of the divine master. Circe confides all these things to Ulysses and then vanishes, leaving him confused and amazed. The hero communicates the stages to his companions and invites them to leave, but something has changed in them: they are slowly losing faith in their leader.

=== Sixth episode: the Sirens, Scylla and Charybdis, the island of the Sun and the return to Ithaca ===
[[File:Odyssey (1968 miniseries) - Odysseus and the sirens.png|thumb|[[Odysseus|Ulysses]] is tied to the [[Mast (sailing)|mast]] by [[Eurylochus of Same|Eurilochus]]]]

Encouraged his companions to embark to return to Ithaca, Ulysses resumes his journey, immediately approaching the rock of the [[Siren (mythology)|sirens]]. These are beings not visible to man, although the legend wants them with the bodies of rapacious birds and the heads of beautiful women, and they have the power to enchant travelers with their voice, to finally make them smash with the boat on the rock. The companions believe that Ulysses has gone mad, as he wants to cover their ears with wax so that they do not hear the voice. Ulysses, to show them that he is perfectly lucid, is tied by [[Eurylochus of Same|Eurilochus]] to the mainmast, recommending him to hold tighter if he begged to untie him. The ship has now reached the rock and while skirting it, Ulysses glimpses the bones of the unfortunate sailors victims of the Sirens and finally begins to hear their voices that penetrate his mind, obscuring it. The voices insistently invite Ulysses to land on the island so that he can end his days in joy and carefree after so many years of fighting and living in pain, but Eurilochus holds him tight and so Ulysses, severely tested by the power of the Sirens, manages to overcome the rock with his companions.

The second stage is the crossing of a narrow gorge between two huge rocks: [[Scylla]] and [[Charybdis]]. However, Ulysses, believing he was wasting too much time in the crossing and not getting out of it alive, took another longer route that brought him to the island of the Trident, consecrated to the god [[Helios]] (the Sun) for the cows grazing the grass.

[[File:Odyssey (1968 miniseries) - Odysseus and the cows of the Sun.png|thumb|left|[[Odysseus|Ulysses]] tries to convince the companions not to kill the cows of the Sun]]

The ship lands on the beach and immediately a great calm falls on the area, preventing the companions from resuming the journey soon. In fact, Ulysses was reluctantly forced by his friends Heraclius, Eurilochus, [[Polites (friend of Odysseus)|Polites]] and Filetor, who no longer had faith in their commander; now sailors can only hope for the food they own and the prey to fish. Ulysses no longer knows what to do because Circe's prophecy had told him that if anyone dared to kill a single cow, the entire fleet would be annihilated by the gods. The hero does everything to prevent his companions, now exhausted for weeks by hunger and lack of food, from doing it, but one day when he climbs a cliff to implore Zeus, a misfortune occurs. Eurilochus has a heifer killed and feasts with the others all night; Ulysses does not even scold him because he already knows that the fate of those unfortunates is sealed. In fact, after leaving the island due to the sudden return of the wind, a terrible storm unleashed by Poseidon arrives and wrecks the ship with his companions. Only Ulysses is saved on a beam and is tossed for seven days in the sea until he arrives on the island of Calypso.

After the sad tale of all his misadventures, Ulysses asks King Alcinous for a new ship and a crew to reach the now nearby Ithaca and the good king grants it to him. Arriving on the beloved island, Ulysses, since he hadn't seen it for twenty years, no longer recognizes anything about his homeland and immediately asks a shepherd for information about the place. The boy is none other than his protector [[Athena]] who, to put him to the test, asks him who he is. Ulysses, keeping his personal details hidden, tells him that he is an unfortunate sailor from [[Egypt]] and Athena praises him for his shrewdness, transforming him into an old beggar so that he is not immediately recognized by the inhabitants and family members, so that he can better plan his revenge. When the boy is gone, Ulysses arrives in the house of [[Eumaeus]], the pig keeper and most trusted servant of Ulysses, who welcomes him amicably as tradition dictates to any guest, obviously not recognizing him. Ulysses is amazed by the goodness of the man and begins to ask questions about the fate of that unfortunate fighter who left for Troy and never returned home, leaving his wife and son desperate, who went in search of him. Eumaeus tells everything in detail and Ulysses, although tempted to show him who he really is, does not.

[[File:Odyssey (1968 miniseries) - Telemachus and Odysseus.png|thumb|The meeting between [[Odysseus|Ulysses]] and [[Telemachus]]]]

Meanwhile, Telemachus returns to the island of [[Pylos]] from [[Sparta]], more disheartened than ever, and lets the soothsayer [[Theoclymenus|Theoclimenus]] on board, convinced that he can tell him something about his father; by now Telemachus is willing to do anything and is ready to believe anyone's testimony. Getting that man on board proves to be an excellent action for Telemachus because Theoclimenus advises him to reverse the route to Ithaca, not passing through the Strait of [[Samos]], since a snare of suitors was waiting there. Telemachus arrives safely in Ithaca and goes at night to the house of Eumaeus where Ulysses is also waiting for him. Then the goddess Athena appears to the hero and tells him that now he can finally reveal himself to his trusted family members and the night ends with a tender and moving embrace between Ulysses and his son weeping with joy. The following day the three plan the way to enter the court, relying on the help of Eumaeus and Penelope, while the ship returns to the port with the suitors, more angry than ever for the failed coup.

Penelope is worried about her son's fate, but is reassured when she sees him appear safe and sound on the doorstep with Theoclimenus, and invites them to wash themselves and then eat. Refreshed, Telemachus approaches her mother, gently resting his head on her knee, and asks her what Ulysses was like before her birth. Happy, Penelope remembers when her husband, poorer than ever, came to her house to ask for her hand, although chased away by her future father-in-law. He, knowing that Penelope loved him secretly, went towards her chariot and the girl had chased him, begging him to let her up. The father, beside himself with rage, stood in front of the chariot, but Ulysses overtook him anyway, avoiding him and married Penelope. The episode ends with Theoclimenus who foretells the arrival of Ulysses in a few days and Eumaeus who leads his master Ulysses, always dressed as a beggar, to the court.

=== Seventh episode: Ulysses beggar at the court and the eve of the final competition ===
[[File:Odyssey (1968 miniseries) - Odysseus beggar.png|thumb|[[Odysseus|Ulysses]] appears in front of the [[Suitors of Penelope|suitors]] dressed as a beggar]]

Ulysses is accompanied by Eumaeus to the palace, but first he stops in front of an old and decrepit dog: it is [[Argos (dog)|Argos]], the dog loved by Ulysses, now dying, who recognizes his master, even after twenty years of absence, and finally dies happy. At the prompting of Athena, in his beggar's disguise, he approaches the suitors for alms. The welcome of the suitors is rude and cruel: they mock and insult him, not knowing what fate awaits them in a few days. The episode is one of the most characteristic of the entire work because there is a continuous connection of the narrative that passes both through the mouth of a male voiceover (as happened in the other episodes) and into the lips of muses in the guise of handmaids. Telemachus cannot endure for long the abuses of the suitors against his father who is even beaten by Antinous, leader of the suitors, when he approaches the latter for alms. As if that were not enough, the corpulent Arnaeus (known as [[Arnaeus|Irus]]) also arrives at the court, who boasts of being the strongest of all beggars and bullies Ulysses, fearing that the latter wants to steal his place. The suitors propose to make them fight by giving away a choice piece of roast meat and they head into the courtyard. At first it seems that Arnaeus is about to win but then the bully's blows awaken an ancient wrath in Ulysses' chest, who knocks him down with a single well-aimed blow on the jaw. Bleeding and staggering, Arnaeus falls to the ground and Ulysses places him in front of a column, with a stern warning not to challenge him any further or suffer a worse fate.

He is later summoned to meet with Penelope, to speak with the queen in private. Penelope is intrigued by that stranger and she would like to know more about him. Ulysses lies anyway and tells her that he is Aethon, brother of the Cretan king [[Idomeneus of Crete|Idomeneus]], sons of [[Minos]], but he claims to have known Ulysses, describing in every detail his cloak with the golden buckle depicting a dog tearing a deer. Penelope is amazed and even deludes herself to recognize her beggar as her husband, but Ulysses controls his emotions by reminding her that he is only a Minoan warrior who fell from grace after the Trojan War.

[[File:Odyssey (1968 miniseries) - Odysseus and the axes.png|thumb|[[Odysseus|Ulysses]] while placing the axes for the competition]]

[[Eurycleia of Ithaca|Eurycleia]], the oldest and wisest handmaid in the palace, is called to wash the beggar's feet and, going up to the knee, she recognizes a scar. This is the wound inflicted on the hero by a wild boar many years earlier during a hunting trip. The nurse has finally recognized her master, but he covers her mouth, fearing that she may, even if unwilling, ruin all her plans for revenge. Eurycleia is sworn to silence and Ulysses goes to the stables where a young cowherd is feeding a bullock: it is [[Philoetius (Odyssey)|Philoetius]], hired by Ulysses when he was a ten-year-old boy; not even he recognizes his master. Eumaeus, knowing everything, is equally silent.

The day long-awaited by suitors is approaching, that is the one in which Penelope will decide who will be the new husband and king of Ithaca; indeed, the rude suitors had not yet brought gifts for the queen and she, to buy time, had demanded that they bring them to her. On the same day as the delivery of the gifts, Penelope had ordered that a competition be organized with the [[Bow (weapon)|bow]] of Ulysses and her winner would become her new husband. Both Ulysses and Penelope pass the night before the appointed day sleepless; the first is strongly tempted to reveal himself to the bride, the other has a vision. Indeed, she imagines a large group of geese being mowed down by the arrival of a large eagle and she fears for joy and fear for the true arrival of her beloved husband.

The fateful day arrives and Penelope goes to take Ulysses' bow. It was believed that no one except the hero was able to stretch it, because the master had made it from the horns of an ox sacred to the gods and smeared it with grease every time before using it and always lifted the rope when he didn't need it. Telemachus also wants to register for the competition, to prevent one of the suitors from winning and holds the bow, but he is unable to pull the string. While Antinous prepares for the deed, he sees the beggar Ulysses placing side by side on a horizontal beam twelve axes with a large hole in the middle of the blade, so that there was a single and perfect invisible line between the holes of each blade.

=== Eight episode: victory of Ulysses and the recognition of Penelope ===
[[File:Odyssey (1968 miniseries) - Odysseus and Penelope.png|thumb|[[Odysseus|Ulysses]] together with [[Penelope]]]]

Antinous tries to draw the bow but it is impossible for him; the other suitors are also unsuccessful. Then Ulysses, in his beggar disguise, asks humbly to be able to try to thread the bow. All the suitors mock him for daring to be their equal, but Penelope steps in and gives him permission to do so. Ulysses skillfully draws the bow, shooting the arrow and making it pass through all the holes in the shutters. He then turns towards Antinous and kills him with an arrow to the side. The suitors are in a shock at his deed, then Ulysses strips off his rags and reveals himself to them, sending them in a panic. Eurymachus, the second foremost of the suitors, lays the blame on Antinous for being the instigator of wasting the palace resources and offers recompensation for everything they had consumed but Ulysses rejects his proposition and proceeds to shoot him and the other suitors. They begin to panic and try to escape his wrath but they are unable to, for the doors had been locked beforehand on Ulysses' orders. They do not even have a weapon to defend themselves: all of these had been sneaked away by Telemachus and Eumaeus the previous night. With the help of Telemachus and the loyal servants Eumaeus the swineherd and Philoetius the cowherd, Ulysses slaughters all suitors. Not even one is saved, and the maids who had betrayed the trust of Queen Penelope by consorting with the suitors are made to clean up the blood and gore and dispose of the bodies of the dead suitors before being punished themselves for their disloyalty by hanging.

Finally Ulysses has taken his revenge and is waiting for nothing but to go to the room of Penelope, who has witnessed terrified and amazed at the carnage. The woman is not yet fully convinced that the warrior is Ulysses, but she lets him into the room. The recognition occurs when Penelope proposes to move the nuptial bed, to which Ulysses replies that this is impossible, because that bed had been built by himself by carving it from a huge tree trunk, around which he had then built his palace. Penelope then has no more doubts and she embraces the groom crying and laughing with joy. Ulysses, moved by her, tells her all her misfortunes and with her he spends a long and happy night of love; in fact the [[Aurora (mythology)|Aurora]] prolongs the night by passing several days. The final part of the episode tells of the pacification, through the intercession of Mentor and Athena, between Ulysses and the relatives of the suitors, who are seeking vengeance for their deaths. When the clash between the two parties in the fields near Laertes' hut (where Ulysses had gone with his family) seems inevitable, at the urging of Mentor and Athena, Ulysses first lays down his arms, kneeling in a sense of respect for the relatives of the young dead, then the same is done by the father who led the opposing party, thus sanctioning the pacification.

==Cast==
{{colbegin}}
* [[Bekim Fehmiu]]: [[Odysseus]] (Ulisse)
* [[Irene Papas]]: [[Penelope]]
* [[Renaud Verley]]: [[Telemachus]] (Telemaco)
* Roy Purcell: [[Alcinous]] (Alcinoo)
* [[Marina Berti]]: [[Arete (mythology)|Arete]]
* [[Scilla Gabel]]: [[Helen of Troy|Helen]] (Elena)
* [[Barbara Bach]]: [[Nausicaa]]
* [[Juliette Mayniel]]: [[Circe]]
* Kyra Bester: [[Calypso (mythology)|Calypso]] (Calipso)
* Michèle Breton: [[Athena]] (Atena)
* Constantin Nepo: [[Antinous of Ithaca|Antinous]] (Antinoo)
* [[Ivica Pajer]]: [[Eurylochus of Same|Eurylochus]] (Euriloco)
* [[Samson Burke]]: [[Polyphemus]] (Polifemo)
* [[Fausto Tozzi]]: [[Menelaus]] (Menelao)
* [[Jaspar von Oertzen|Jaspar Von Oertzen]]: [[Nestor (mythology)|Nestor]] (Nestore)
* [[Franco Balducci]]: [[Mentor]] (Mentore)
* Husein Cokic: [[Eumaeus]] (Eumeo)
* Branko Kovacic: [[Laertes (father of Odysseus)|Laertes]] (Laerte)
* Vladimir Leib: [[Aeolus (Odyssey)|Aeolus]] (Eolo)
* [[Karl-Otto Alberty]]: [[Eurymachus]] (Eurimaco)
* Maurizio Tocchi: Leocritus (Leocrito)
* [[Ilija Ivezić]]: [[Ctesippus]] (Ctesippo)
* Petar Buntic: Filetor (Filettore)
* Duje Novakovic: [[Elpenor]] (Elpenore)
* Sime Jagarinac: Heraclius (Eraclio)
* Petar Dobric: [[Polites (friend of Odysseus)|Polites]] (Polite)
* [[Franco Fantasia]]: [[Mentes (King of the Taphians)|Mentes]] (Mente)
* Voyo Goric: [[Philoetius (Odyssey)|Philetius]] (Filezio)
* [[Luciano Rossi]]: [[Theoclymenus]] (Teoclimeno)
* [[Giulio Donnini]]: [[Tiresias]] (Tiresia)
* [[Bianca Doria]]: [[Anticlea]]
* [[Sergio Ferrero]]: [[Peisistratus of Pylos|Pisistratus]] (Pisistrato)
* [[Enzo Fiermonte]]: [[Demodocus (Odyssey character)|Demodocus]] (Demodoco)
* Stefanella Giovannini: [[Cassandra]]
* [[Peter Hinwood]]: [[Hermes]] (Ermete/Hermes)
* Miodrag Loncar: [[Arnaeus|Irus]] (Iro)
* Hrvoje Svob: [[Phemius]] (Femio)
* Giulio Cesare Tomei: [[Priam]] (Priamo)
* Rolf Boysen: [[Agamemnon]] (Agamennone)
* [[Gérard Herter]]: [[Laocoön]] (Laocoonte)
*Nona Medici: Iftime
* [[Mimmo Palmara]]: [[Achilles]] (Achille)
* [[Giancarlo Prete]]: [[Suitors of Penelope#List of Suitors of Penelope|Euryades]] (Euriade)
* Andrea Saric: [[Melantho]] (Melanto)
* [[Orso Maria Guerrini]]: [[Leodes]] (Leode)
* Ada Morotti: Cyane (Ciane)
* [[Laura Nucci]]: Antinoo's Mother
{{colend}}

==Production==
[[File:Scilla Gabel e Piero Schivazappa 02.jpg|thumb|Scilla Gabel (Helen) on set with the assistant director [[Piero Schivazappa]]]]
The miniseries was produced principally for broadcasting on the state televisions of Italy, Germany and France.<ref name="Cavallini2007">{{cite book|author=Eleonora Cavallini|title=Omero mediatico: aspetti della ricezione omerica nella civiltà contemporanea : atti delle giornate di studio, Ravenna, 18-19 gennaio 2006|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=O2ZiAAAAMAAJ|year=2007|publisher=D. U. Press|isbn=978-88-95451-05-3}}</ref> There are 8 episodes in the original version, running a total of 446 minutes. Each episode is preceded by an introduction in which poet [[Giuseppe Ungaretti]] read some verses of the original poem.<ref name="Giachery2012">{{cite book|author=Emerico Giachery|title=Ungaretti e il mito|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=mADp9jsjnLEC&pg=PA26|year=2012|publisher=Edizioni Nuova Cultura|isbn=978-88-6134-973-5|pages=26–}}</ref>

Special effects were designed by [[Mario Bava]] (who outright directed the [[Polyphemus]] episode)<ref name="Howarth2002">{{cite book|author=Troy Howarth|title=The Haunted World of Mario Bava|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Ac9VDwAAQBAJ&pg=PT325|year=2002|publisher=BearManor Media|pages=325–|id=GGKEY:X5Q62N9EWKC}}</ref> and [[Carlo Rambaldi]].<ref name="Buonanno2012">{{cite book|author=Milly Buonanno|title=Italian TV Drama and Beyond: Stories from the Soil, Stories from the Sea|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=OJs81Yn5FscC&pg=PA37|year=2012|publisher=Intellect Books|isbn=978-1-84150-459-9|pages=37–}}</ref>

The exteriors were shot entirely in Yugoslavia, which offered a scenery that was very similar to the lands of Ancient Greece.<ref name="Lupi">{{cite web |last1=Lupi |first1=Giordano |title=Odissea – Le avventure di Ulisse (Film Tv, 1969) |url=http://www.futuro-europa.it/21352/cultura/odissea-le-avventure-ulisse-film-tv-1969.html |date=16 October 2016|website=Futuro Europa |accessdate=26 December 2018}}</ref>

==Release==
The show ran on television in Europe between 1968 and 1970. In Italy alone, the episodes had an audience of over 16 million viewers. The entire television series was dubbed into English, ran several times on the TVO network in Ontario, Canada, and was broadcast in the US by CBS years later in 1978. An abridged theatrical version (running only 110 minutes) was released to European theatres as well, also available in English. However, the English dub was later lost. There are DVD editions however still available in Italian and German.

==Reception==
The adaptation is considered by some to be the most faithful rendering of Homer's epic on screen,<ref name="LovattVout2013">{{cite book|author1=Helen Lovatt|author2=Caroline Vout|title=Epic Visions: Visuality in Greek and Latin Epic and its Reception|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=fo2bBQAAQBAJ&pg=PA170|date=15 August 2013|publisher=Cambridge University Press|isbn=978-1-316-26499-7|pages=170–}}</ref> by including most of the characters and events, as well as by attempting to fill with graphic details.<ref name="RengerSolomon2012">{{cite book|author1=Almut-Barbara Renger|author2=Jon Solomon|title=Ancient Worlds in Film and Television: Gender and Politics|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=lTgyAQAAQBAJ&pg=PA205|date=13 November 2012|publisher=BRILL|isbn=978-90-04-24192-3|pages=205–}}</ref>

==See also==
* [[Eneide (TV serial)]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
*[https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0064750/ IMDB page]
*[http://www.superstrangevideo.com/gallery.asp?prodID=3161&prodTitle=Odissea Pictures]
*[https://www.raiplay.it/programmi/odissea/ The Odyssey] on [[RaiPlay]].

{{Odyssey navbox}}
{{Franco Rossi}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Odyssey}}
[[Category:1960s Italian television miniseries]]
[[Category:1968 Italian television series debuts]]
[[Category:1968 Italian television series endings]]
[[Category:1960s French television miniseries]]
[[Category:1968 French television series debuts]]
[[Category:1968 French television series endings]]
[[Category:French drama television series]]
[[Category:Italian drama television series]]
[[Category:German drama television series]]
[[Category:Television series set in ancient Greece]]
[[Category:Television series based on classical mythology]]
[[Category:Films directed by Franco Rossi]]
[[Category:Films based on the Odyssey]]
[[Category:Films directed by Piero Schivazappa]]
[[Category:Films set in the Mediterranean Sea]]
[[Category:Television shows based on the Odyssey]]
[[Category:Agamemnon]]
[[Category:Cassandra]]
[[Category:Cultural depictions of Helen of Troy]]
[[Category:Cultural depictions of Achilles]]

The Odyssey (1968 miniseries)

2024-07-01T21:46:10Z

89.164.191.195:

{{Infobox television
| image = Odissea_Bekim Fehmiu.jpg
| caption = [[Bekim Fehmiu]] as [[Odysseus]]
| alt_name =
| genre = [[Mythology]], [[adventure]]
| creator =
| based_on = {{based on|''[[Odyssey]]''|[[Homer]]}}
| director = [[Franco Rossi (director)|Franco Rossi]] [[Mario Bava]] [[Piero Schivazappa]]
| creative_director =
| developer =
| presenter = [[Giuseppe Ungaretti]]
| starring = [[Bekim Fehmiu]] [[Irene Papas]]
| voices =
| narrated =
| theme_music_composer =
| opentheme =
| endtheme =
| composer = [[Carlo Rustichelli]]
| country = Italy France Germany Yugoslavia
| language =
| num_seasons =
| num_episodes = 4-8
| list_episodes =
| executive_producer = Vittorio Bonicelli
| producer = [[Dino de Laurentiis]]
| editor =
| location = Italy [[Yugoslavia]]
| cinematography =
| camera =
| runtime = 446 minutes 110 minutes (cut edition)
| channel =
| first_aired = {{Start date|1968|03|24|df=yes}}
| related =
}}
'''''The Odyssey''''' ({{lang-it|Odissea }}) is an eight-episode European TV miniseries broadcast on [[RAI]] (Italian state TV) in 1968 and based on [[Homer]]'s ''[[Odyssey]]''. An Italian, Yugoslavian, German and French ([[ORTF|Radiodiffusion-Télévision Française]]) coproduction, it was directed by [[Franco Rossi (director)|Franco Rossi]],<ref name="Buonanno2012"/> assisted by [[Piero Schivazappa]] and [[Mario Bava]]; the cast includes [[Bekim Fehmiu]] as [[Odysseus]] and [[Irene Papas]] as [[Penelope]], [[Samson Burke]] as the [[Cyclops]], as well as [[Barbara Bach]] as [[Nausicaa]], and [[Gérard Herter]]. Several critics consider the series to be a masterful representation of the ancient world.<ref name="Pomeroy2017">{{cite book|author=Arthur J. Pomeroy|title=A Companion to Ancient Greece and Rome on Screen|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=3kwnDwAAQBAJ&pg=PT341|date=1 June 2017|publisher=Wiley|isbn=978-1-118-74144-3|pages=341–}}</ref>

==Plot==
{{Long plot|date=July 2020}}
===First episode: Telemaco and Penelope===
[[File:Odyssey (1968 miniseries) - Penelope.png|thumb|left|[[Penelope]] while weaving the canvas]]

[[Athena]], happy that King [[Odysseus|Ulysses]] is close to returning to his native island [[Homer's Ithaca|Ithaca]], located to the west of [[Greece]], under the guise of King [[Mentes (King of the Taphians)|Mentes]], arrives in Ithaca to make sure that Ulysses' return is pleasant, but it is not so: although welcomed with respect by the twenty year old Prince [[Telemachus]], Mentes discovers that the palace of the king of Ithaca is besieged by numerous arrogant nobles of the region, the [[Suitors of Penelope|suitors]], who anxiously wait for Queen Penelope to decide to take a new husband between them, supposing that Ulysses died since twenty years have passed since his departure for Troy, looting without reserve the cellar and the pantry of the palace. Penelope tries to take time by declaring to the processors that she must weave a canvas in honor of her father-in-law [[Laertes (father of Odysseus)|Laertes]], but with this pretext every night she undoes it and starts it again the next morning.

Telemachus, at the suggestion of Mentes (who disappears as he came), announces a town meeting to be able to know who is on his side to be able to chase away the suitors and who is willing to follow him on the land to ask for information about Ulysses to King [[Nestor (mythology)|Nestor]], the oldest commander who participated in the war. The suitors also arrive at the assembly, claiming to be right in the king's long absence and the fact that Penelope is spending too much time weaving the web. To these answers, the people of Ithaca are silent and dare not oppose, yet the soothsayer Egizio, noting a hawk perched on the battlements of the palace, sees the success of Telemachus' journey, but is derided by the suitors. The next morning, Telemachus is joined by his father's friend and adviser [[Mentor (Odyssey)|Mentor]] (again Athena in disguise) who gives him a boat and sailors to get to [[Pylos]], by Nestor. Before leaving, Telemachus asks the nurse [[Eurycleia of Ithaca|Eurycleia]] not to say anything to Penelope. During the night, [[Melantho]], a young female servant of the palace who is a lover of Eurymachus, one of the suitors, betrays Penelope by revealing to the suitors what Penelope does to her canvas at night. Discovered, Penelope is forced to finish the shroud without apology.

The next day, the suitors noticed the absence of Telemachus and discovered, threatening a boat seller, that he really started to look for news about his father. Concerned that his research is successful, [[Antinous of Ithaca|Antinous]], chief of staff, suggests an ambush by Telemachus. Arriving in Pylos in the middle of a sacrificial ceremony at [[Poseidon]], Telemachus joins the king after the ceremony. Nestor tells Telemachus of the evening before he returns from Troy: there were those who, like Ulysses, wanted to punish the allies of the Trojans and those like [[Menelaus]] who wanted to go home; after several discussions, the Achaean fleet separated and Nestor no longer knew about Ulysses, so he advised Telemachus to go to [[Sparta]], to Menelaus, with his son [[Peisistratus of Pylos|Pisistratus]], who would guide him. [[Medon (mythology)|Medon]], the wine bearer, on hearing the suitors, runs to warn Penelope who, after a moment of anger at Eurycleia for not having told her anything, prays for the safety of her son.

At night, Penelope receives in a dream Athena's visit, under the guise of her sister Iftime, who assures her that the gods watch over her son and also about Ulysses. Finally the figure of Ulysses is presented: a lonely man at the head of a miserable raft at the mercy of the waves that move him away from his final destination.

=== Second episode: Ulysses, Nausicaa and Calypso ===
At the beginning of the second episode there is a discussion between [[Zeus]] and Athena in which the two agree that Poseidon has tortured Ulysses enough and that it is time for his suffering to end. Ulysses is shipwrecked on an island and, having found a refuge, wanders into a grove of trees and asleep on a bed of fallen leaves. The island in which Ulysses arrived is [[Scheria]], governed by the [[Phaeacians]], and Athena arrives in a dream to the young princess [[Nausicaa]], in the guise of a distant friend and enters the dreams of the girl, telling her that she should prepare herself for her now near marriage and go with the maids to the mouth of the river to do the laundry. The next day Nausicaa goes to the mouth and after doing the laundry, the princess starts to play with the maids, when she sees in the bushes a dirty man, naked and caked with salt and leaves with which he slept on. All the girls run away except for Nausicaa, who is staring in astonishment at the desperate man. Ulysses also remains somewhat captivated by the beauty of the girl and compares her to a goddess, then begging her to take him with her to the palace to clean up the debris of the waters.

[[File:Odyssey (1968 miniseries) - Odysseus and Nausicaa.png|thumb|left|The meeting between [[Odysseus|Ulysses]] and [[Nausicaa]]]]

As ordered by the goddess and also by her heart, Nausicaa has him washed and dressed by the maids, but she asks that, out of discretion, he did not follow her to the palace, or the young people would believe she had chosen him as a husband. Accepting the wishes of the girl, Ulysses goes alone to the city, while an internal voice (Athena) suggests to him how to behave in front of the sovereigns: [[Alcinous]] and [[Arete (mythology)|Arete]]. The nobles and monarchs of the palace, suspicious of all the foreigners who come to their land, fill him with questions, only to apologize for their abrupt and gruff interrogation, after they recognize in the hero a good man with nothing to hide. In reality, in order not to cause a stir, Ulysses pretends to be a shipwrecked traveler in search of protection. Alcinous tells that long ago his people, ruled by his grandfather, resided in the Land of the [[Cyclopes|Cyclops]], monstrous and violent beings, who continually threatened their lives; so they decided to move with the help of the gods to a new island, paying the price of being isolated and unknown to any traveler, except Ulysses.

Hosted in the palace, Ulysses knows that the Phaeacians are peaceful and that they know how to build boats that never sink and never get lost, but have stopped building them worried by a prophecy: Poseidon, their protector, would have punished the Phaeacians by destroying the crew of the ship that will accompany an enemy on board. Ulysses, meanwhile, spends a lot of time with Nausicaa, telling her that until a few weeks ago he had been a prisoner in [[Ogygia]] for seven years, an islet in which the beautiful nymph [[Calypso (mythology)|Calypso]] is exiled, to whom Ulysses mentally resisted, until ordered by the gods, she didn't allow him to go on a raft.

A few days later, Odysseus is invited to see the games that will decree a husband for Nausicaa. The champion asks the guest to participate in the sword contests, but Ulysses refuses, in order not to be recognised, at least until the athletes question his strength, making Ulysses so angry that not only he beats all the participants, but also risks to kill one. Ulysses asks Alcinous for forgiveness, but he demands to know his name rather than to hear his apologies.

=== Third episode: the fall of Troy and the island of the Lotus-eaters ===
[[File:Odyssey (1968 miniseries) - Trojan horse.png|thumb|left|The [[Wooden horse of Troy|wooden horse]] discovered on the shores of [[Troy]]]]

For the victory of the athletes, the blind aedes [[Demodocus (Odyssey character)|Demodocus]] tells everybody the history of the last thing he saw before losing his sight: the fall of Troy. Ten years had passed since the beginning of the war, but neither of the two factions gave up, until one day, on the shores of Ilium, the Trojans found the achaean camp deserted and a gigantic [[Wooden horse of Troy|wooden horse]] on the beach. While [[Priam]] and many other citizens interpreted it as an offer of the Achaeans to Poseidon to secure a safe journey, the priest [[Laocoön]] understands that it is a trap, or an offer asking that the god destroy the city. The priest is so sure of what he said that he thrust a spear in the belly, almost piercing Ulysses and the others hidden inside. On the verge of burning it, Priam stops Laocoön and orders for the horse to be brought inside the city to repent the offense made to the god. Ulysses' plan works: with the horse inside the walls, the Acheans come out of the sculpture, warn the hidden companions and Troy is conquered. The tragedy is unstoppable and on that same night, after having feasted and celebrated, the Trojans are wiped out by the Greeks; this is the destiny also of Priam, of [[Deiphobus]], the new husband of [[Helen of Troy|Helen]], and of [[Astyanax|Astianax]], the baby son of [[Hector]] and [[Andromache]], who is forcefully taken from his cradle and thrown out of the walls by [[Neoptolemus]], the cruel son of [[Achilles]]. Remembering these atrocities, Ulysses starts to cry softly, shaken by violent shivers, and Demodocus, after realising it, recognize him under the shock of all people.

Meanwhile, Telemachus and Pisistratus arrive in Sparta, where Menelaus and Helen have just returned from their journey, unlike Ulysses. The sovereigns welcome Telemachus who, contrary to his expectations, finds himself in front of two sad spouses, severely tested by the fatigue of the war and the fate of the survivors. Agamemnon, says the king, was killed by his wife [[Clytemnestra]], and many met the same death in their homes. The ruler says that the last time he heard about Ulysses, he heard from [[Proteus]], who also told him how to go home. In order to calm the spirits, Elena drugs the wine of her husband and of the guests to relieve their pain and tells of the time she saw Ulysses before Troy was conquered: after being beaten to death by his friend [[Diomedes]] to appear as a beggar, he had entered the city presenting himself as a Phrygian soldier attacked by his drunken comrades. The priestess [[Cassandra]], famous for her misfortune to predict future events but without ever being believed, immediately believes him and confides in him that she knows that her city is destined to lose, if the [[Palladium (classical antiquity)|Palladium]] of Athena were to be stolen from the temple. After Cassandra goes away, Helen arrives, who has become the widow of [[Paris (mythology)|Paris]], who immediately recognizes Ulysses, although battered and bleeding, cursing his coming. Ulysses, furious, threaten her of playing the double-cross and unnecessarily wasting time in that palace, since the entire army of Greece is fighting for her; he finally leaves her, warning her against her husband Menelaus.

[[File:Odyssey (1968 miniseries) - Lotus-eaters.png|thumb|The village of the [[Lotus-eaters]]]]

Now discovered, Ulysses tells the Phaeacians the misadventures that cost him his return home, his fleet and companions. Departing from Troy with 12 ships and many companions, he first loses 6 men for each of his ships in the land of the [[Cicones]], allies of the Trojans. Later he loses 11 of his 12 ships in the land of the [[Laestrygonians]], giants that sink ships that have entered the port; only the ship of Ulysses is saved, who for precaution had kept it out of the port. With the only surviving ship, Ulysses lands on the Mediterranean coast of Africa, inhabited by strange people called [[Lotus-eaters|Lotophagi]], or eaters of an aphrodisiac flower called [[Nelumbo|Lotus]]. Three companions are sent scouting, but after several hours they never return. Worried, Ulysses goes to look for them and arrives in an immense garden with poor houses. All the inhabitants smile and rave about laughing, and among them there are also the three friends of Ulysses. They have completely lost their memory because they ate the dust obtained from the crushing of the flowers of that field, the Lotus, and now they don't want to leave the island. Even when Ulysses tries to remind them of their wives, children and loved homes, the drunken companions do not express the slightest consideration and continue to devour the lotus with a laugh. Then Ulysses takes them all and binds them on the ship, to continue the journey.

Having landed on another island, Ulysses and twelve of his companions go to get supplies and so they go hunting until, following enormous human footsteps, they discover a huge and rough cave. Intrigued, the sailors enter and discover a huge deposit of cheese, milk and ricotta, and utensils belonging to a giant: the bowls that contain the food are huge, and so are an ax and the bed. However, Ulysses, deaf to the insistence of his companions who would like to leave after having taken the cheese, believes he can establish a dialogue with the inhabitant whose skills in making knots and producing good ricotta he appreciates. In any case, there is no more time to escape because the animals of the flock arrive in the cave.

=== Fourth episode: Polyphemus and the gift of Aeolus ===
[[File:Odyssey (1968 miniseries) - Odysseus and Poliphemus.png|thumb|[[Odysseus|Ulysses]] talking with [[Polyphemus]]]]

The cave is inhabited by a monstrous giant with feral habits named [[Polyphemus]]. The cyclops is horrible to behold, full of hair like a beast and with a single eye in the middle of the forehead. The companions fall to the ground in terror as soon as they see him blocking the entrance to the cave with a huge boulder and asking them in a booming voice to introduce themselves. Ulysses, trying to protect his friends, asks Polyphemus for hospitality, since they need food, and to respect the laws of the powerful and vengeful god in regard to visitors [[Zeus]]. Polyphemus bursts into a thunderous and terrifying laugh, declaring that he is the son of [[Poseidon]] and therefore above any law and that he does not have to obey anyone, not even the other gods. The men run away terrified, but Polyphemus takes one and crushes it in his hand; then he grabs another, fainted from shock, and dashes him violently against a stone, and then eats them both. Ulysses would like to kill him, immediately after he has gone to bed, but is held back by his friends, including his cousin [[Eurylochus of Same|Eurilochus]]. If Ulysses had killed the Cyclops while asleep, then no one would have had the strength to remove the gigantic boulder from the entrance, and so the hero is forced to wait the end of the night. The next day, however, he gets an idea and orders his companions to take a large olive branch and sharpen it, while the Cyclops goes out to graze the herd. Subsequently, Ulysses draws lots for the companions who should distract the Cyclops, while he hides the trunk, but the chosen ones are not fast enough and Polyphemus devours them too.

All the prisoners are about to lose hope, were it not for the astute Ulysses, who decides to make the Cyclops drink the wine he had brought with him from the ship as a gift for the inhabitants of that land, a special wine, so concentrated that to be drunk normally it should be diluted with as many as 20 measures of water. Having filled a large bowl, Ulysses barely grabs it with both arms and hands it to Polyphemus, who, although suspicious of the new drink, tastes it, immediately becoming crazy for it and demands more. Ulysses, wanting to get him drunk, brings him another full bowl, which Polyphemus empties. Ulysses, at the request of Polyphemus to reveal his name, replies that he is called "Nobody", whereupon the Cyclops laughs and says that as a reward he will eat him last. Ulysses, without wasting time, after the Cyclops has fallen asleep dead drunk, calls to him his friends who heat the tip of the tree trunk: the prisoners intend to blind Polyphemus so that he can make them escape by opening the entrance. The companions, including Ulysses, take the smoking trunk and approach the bed of Polyphemus, climbing on it and positioning themselves directly behind the monster's head to better implant the trunk. With a shout of encouragement Ulysses and his companions thrust the pole, but the cry of pain of Polyphemus is so chilling and resounding that it makes them all fall to the ground, while the Cyclops, waving his hands, creates a great disorder and noise in the cave. He also calls screaming at his Cyclops neighbours who, rushing up outside the cave, ask what or who is doing him harm. To the answer "Nobody wants to kill me!" the other Cyclops tell Polyphemus that they can do nothing and that he must pray to Poseidon and abandon him.

After a night of constant and agonizing cries, the next morning Polyphemus opens the cave door to let the sheep and goats out to graze. The companions tie themselves to the bellies of the sheep joined in groups of three bound with ropes, clinging to the bellies of the middle animal, except Ulysses who clings under the fleece of the ram of the herd, so as not to be recognized by the Cyclops, who touches the sheep one by one on the back and sides but never thinking to feel them underneath. The ram comes out last and Polyphemus, after having said words of affection towards the head of the herd, pronounces a curse against Ulysses calling his father Poseidon to him. While his companions hurry to get back on the boat, Ulysses prefers to stay on earth for a moment longer to mock Polyphemus by telling him his real name, that it was Ulysses, the king of Ithaca, who blinded him. Polyphemus, mad with rage, climbs a ledge, cursing him and throwing various boulders against the ship, begging his father to wreck the enemy's boat. Shortly after leaving, Ulysses is forced to land on the island of [[Aeolus (Odyssey)|Aeolus]], the god master of the wind, due to bad sea conditions.

[[File:Odyssey (1968 miniseries) - Odysseus and Aeolus.png|thumb|left|The meeting between [[Odysseus|Ulysses]] and [[Aeolus]]]]

Continuing the story, Ulysses arrives on the island of Aeolus and decides to venture alone. Entering a palace, Ulysses enters a huge and opulent banquet room filled with blue steam and "[[erotes]]" (flutist kids) playing various instruments and distributing wine. At the end of the room there was a large table full of all kinds of good things, with Aeolus seated in the center and his family at his sides: his wife Cyane, and their sons and daughters, whom he had married to each other to keep the family together. Aeolus is old and stout with silver hair, and asks the hero to eat with them, telling of his exploits of the Trojan war. Ulysses will stay to eat for several months, telling and repeating his stories about him several times, until he asks the god to let him go. Aeolus agrees and moreover decides to give him all the winds of [[Boreas (god)|Boreas]] and [[Leveche]] that dominate the world. First, however, he asks Ulysses if any gods persecute him, in which case he could not have given him his gift; Ulysses lies, keeping silent about the fact that Poseidon, after the episode of Polyphemus, is hostile to him. Aeolus, then, gathers all the winds and encloses them in a large sack made with the tanned skin of a ram, and gives them to Ulysses as long as he never opens the jar so as not to trigger a natural cataclysm. Ulysses promises and goes to the ship, to resume the voyage; thanks to the winds he would have reached Ithaca much earlier than expected. The companions, intrigued by the sack, believing that it contained riches, one day, just as the coasts of the much desired island are beginning to be glimpsed, open the bag while Ulysses was sleeping exhausted, being tossed back and forth across the [[Mediterranean Sea]]. Ulysses stops to reflect on his misfortunes, while the queen comments that after all he deserves all his troubles for not being vigilant and for having set himself against the gods, visiting unknown lands and disobeying the orders of friends with deception.

=== Fifth episode: the island of Circe and the descent to the Underworld ===
Having landed on a new and unknown island, Ulysses together with his companions decide to visit it to see if it was inhabited by beasts or bloodthirsty men. He divides the expedition into two groups: one commanded by [[Eurylochus of Same|Eurilochus]] and the other by himself. Entering the thick wood, however, the group of fillet is attacked by no one knows what and people are transformed into pigs. Meanwhile, Ulysses meets a shepherd boy, actually [[Hermes]], who tells him the sad fate of the other group. Ulysses would like to rush to their aid, but the god stops him, telling him that this is a spell of the sorceress [[Circe]], mistress of the island, and that to free his friends he must first of all eat a sacred flower. After that the hero would have presented himself to the sorceress and would have been led to her abode; Circe would certainly deceived him, by giving him a potion to drink, but Ulysses would have remained immune and would be seized by a terrible desire to stab the sorceress, but restraining himself.

[[File:Odyssey (1968 miniseries) - Odysseus and Circe.png|thumb|left|[[Odysseus|Ulysses]] together with [[Arete (mythology)|Arete]] while he tells her his adventure.]]

Ulysses hears this prophecy and goes into the garden where he meets a woman, beautiful and terrible at the same time, who subjects him to riddles and tests, but Ulysses, protected by Hermes, solves them all. Circe, realizing that this man is different from all her other victims, decides to take him home to make him drink some wine. Suddenly Ulysses finds himself in a strange abode full of climbing plants and cages containing animals and birds of all kinds, all prisoners of the sorceress, but he is immediately invited to sit by Circe who offers him a golden cup. Ulysses, knowing that he is immune to her poison, drinks it all in one gulp, yet suffering greatly from her poison. Meanwhile, Circe laughs heartily, thinking that soon the unfortunate person would turn into a pig too, but suddenly she goes pale and begins to become terribly ugly: she has realized that her powers are ineffective on the hero. Ulysses, angrier than ever, rushes with the sword drawn to the sorceress, but then remembers the prophecy and does not kill her, but he orders her to take him to her friends. Circe, suddenly returned beautiful and more docile than ever, takes him to a stable where pigs grunt desperately and turns them back into the people they were before. However, due to the sudden metamorphosis, the companions find themselves confused and do not even recognize Ulysses, running away every time he tries to talk to them. Circe then takes the opportunity to hold back the hero a little longer, since the effect of the magic on his companions would disappear in a few days, and she spends passionate nights of love with him.

Circe, to ensure that the hero decides to stay with her forever, makes him drink a magic potion that makes him forget his beloved island, and makes him invisible in front of his companions. With Circe, Ulysses will spend a full year, and only the intervention of his companions, tired of living on the ship doing nothing, will bring the hero back to reason. Ulysses asks Circe to be let go once and for all and she, albeit reluctantly, accepts, but before leaving she confides him some secrets and above all orders him to go to the [[Greek underworld|Underworld]]. Indeed, since many of the gods are hostile to him, Ulysses has a uncertain and dangerous destiny when he sails on the sea and so he needs the prophecies of the blind diviner [[Tiresias]], who died aged over 700 years, so that he can sail peacefully to in Ithaca.

[[File:Odyssey (1968 miniseries) - Odysseus and Tiresias.png|thumb|The meeting between [[Odysseus|Ulysses]] and [[Tiresias]]]]

Ulysses, as Circe had told him, walks through the woods of the island, until he reaches a dark cave dug into the earth. The dark place where Ulysses finds is bleak, lifeless and full of fog. The hero is afraid because to him it seems like an intricate labyrinth full of columns and dead caves and above all he does not see a living soul. Indeed, Circe had advised him to take a black young goat with him to slaughter, so that the souls of the deceased could appear and approach, with the hope that among them there was also Tiresias. Ulysses performs the rite and immediately a group of mournful, weeping and sighing people appears, covered by heavy gray cloaks that leave only their faces uncovered. All of them come dangerously close to the victim's blood to drink it, but Ulysses drives them away with his sword: only Tiresias should have quenched his thirst. The group disappears and the soothsayer finally appears: he is white-haired, with a long beard and communicates only by speaking in a whisper, and Ulysses invites him to drink. When Tiresias gets up from the ground, his figure appears even more ghostly, as he drips kid's blood from his mouth and he begins to communicate his future journey to Ulysses. He will still have to face many dangers and only in the tenth year after the destruction of Troy Ulysses will be able to embrace his family again, but he will not stay in Ithaca for long because, driven by his desire for knowledge, he will make another journey which will be the last of his life.

[[File:Odyssey (1968 miniseries) - Odysseus and Achilles.png|thumb|left|[[Odysseus|Ulysses]] meets the spirit of [[Achilles]]]]

Ulysses does not understand everything and leaves Tiresias to feed on the goat again, to venture deeper into the Underworld. He sees a soul: it is that of [[Agamemnon]] who reveals to him that he was stabbed in treason together with the concubine [[Cassandra]] by his wife [[Clytemnestra]]. The woman was still upset by the ancient sacrifice of her daughter [[Iphigenia]] at the behest of her father, since the gods did not allow him departure for Troy, and she now had one more reason to slaughter Agamemnon: his betrayal with the Trojan prophetess. Agamemnon warns the hero when he returns to Ithaca: no woman is faithful to her husband and above all she will try to kill him after so many years away, and this could also happen with Penelope and Telemachus. Agamemnon's weeping soul goes away and Ulysses, more shocked than ever, meets another one: the spirit of the brave [[Achilles]], who died at the hands of the god Apollo and the arrows of [[Paris (mythology)|Paris]]. Achilles appears more lugubrious than Agamemnon and confides in Ulysses that he would rather be a slave to the most vile and cruel master in the world than be forced to rule the dead in Hades. The last spirit that Ulysses meets in the Underworld is the mother [[Anticlea]]. Ulysses asks her how she died and she, crying, communicates that she died waiting for the arrival of her son in Ithaca. Then Ulysses realizes the atrocity and uselessness of the war fought for so many years in Troy to take back the bride of a betrayed king, and to have wasted time in continuous journeys in the Mediterranean, without realizing that the loved ones died of despair waiting for him to Ithaca; remembering this, he weeps bitterly at the feet of the spirit. His mother invites him not to despair and to hurry on his return to the island because if he is still late, his father [[Laertes (father of Odysseus)|Laertes]], who had long since retired to live like a filthy hermit among animals, will soon die of a broken heart, too.

Ulysses also becomes aware of the abuses of the suitors who infest his palace by undermining Penelope's innocence, and hearing these words is seized by a wave of anger, but first tries to hug in vain his mother's knees, who disappears every time she is touched. Going towards the exit, Ulysses sees another soul: it is his friend [[Elpenor]], who died a few moments ago due to his intoxicated state. In fact the companions, on the world of the living on the island of Circe, had given themselves to mad joy to drive away the worries and Elpenor, who had drunk too much, had fallen from a ledge breaking his neck. Ulysses promises to the soul that he will have a worthy burial once he gets back up and so he will do, burying him right on the island's beach, shouting his name together as many times as enough to reach the ears of the distant mother.

Circe communicates terrible things to Ulysses about his next travels: the first trial to face is the crossing of the rock of the fearsome [[Siren (mythology)|sirens]], then he will have to overcome the gorge of [[Scylla]] and [[Charybdis]]. It is believed that this was only overcome by [[Jason]] with the [[Argonauts]] thanks to the help of a god, an epic feat narrated by [[Apollonius of Rhodes|Apollonius Rhodius]] in the ''[[Argonautica]]''. The last effort of Ulysses will be the stop on the island of the Trident, where there are grazing cows sacred to the god [[Helios]], or the Sun, inviolable if one did not want to loom in the wrath of the divine master. Circe confides all these things to Ulysses and then vanishes, leaving him confused and amazed. The hero communicates the stages to his companions and invites them to leave, but something has changed in them: they are slowly losing faith in their leader.

=== Sixth episode: the Sirens, Scylla and Charybdis, the island of the Sun and the return to Ithaca ===
[[File:Odyssey (1968 miniseries) - Odysseus and the sirens.png|thumb|[[Odysseus|Ulysses]] is tied to the [[Mast (sailing)|mast]] by [[Eurylochus of Same|Eurilochus]]]]

Encouraged his companions to embark to return to Ithaca, Ulysses resumes his journey, immediately approaching the rock of the [[Siren (mythology)|sirens]]. These are beings not visible to man, although the legend wants them with the bodies of rapacious birds and the heads of beautiful women, and they have the power to enchant travelers with their voice, to finally make them smash with the boat on the rock. The companions believe that Ulysses has gone mad, as he wants to cover their ears with wax so that they do not hear the voice. Ulysses, to show them that he is perfectly lucid, is tied by [[Eurylochus of Same|Eurilochus]] to the mainmast, recommending him to hold tighter if he begged to untie him. The ship has now reached the rock and while skirting it, Ulysses glimpses the bones of the unfortunate sailors victims of the Sirens and finally begins to hear their voices that penetrate his mind, obscuring it. The voices insistently invite Ulysses to land on the island so that he can end his days in joy and carefree after so many years of fighting and living in pain, but Eurilochus holds him tight and so Ulysses, severely tested by the power of the Sirens, manages to overcome the rock with his companions.

The second stage is the crossing of a narrow gorge between two huge rocks: [[Scylla]] and [[Charybdis]]. However, Ulysses, believing he was wasting too much time in the crossing and not getting out of it alive, took another longer route that brought him to the island of the Trident, consecrated to the god [[Helios]] (the Sun) for the cows grazing the grass.

[[File:Odyssey (1968 miniseries) - Odysseus and the cows of the Sun.png|thumb|left|[[Odysseus|Ulysses]] tries to convince the companions not to kill the cows of the Sun]]

The ship lands on the beach and immediately a great calm falls on the area, preventing the companions from resuming the journey soon. In fact, Ulysses was reluctantly forced by his friends Heraclius, Eurilochus, [[Polites (friend of Odysseus)|Polites]] and Filetor, who no longer had faith in their commander; now sailors can only hope for the food they own and the prey to fish. Ulysses no longer knows what to do because Circe's prophecy had told him that if anyone dared to kill a single cow, the entire fleet would be annihilated by the gods. The hero does everything to prevent his companions, now exhausted for weeks by hunger and lack of food, from doing it, but one day when he climbs a cliff to implore Zeus, a misfortune occurs. Eurilochus has a heifer killed and feasts with the others all night; Ulysses does not even scold him because he already knows that the fate of those unfortunates is sealed. In fact, after leaving the island due to the sudden return of the wind, a terrible storm unleashed by Poseidon arrives and wrecks the ship with his companions. Only Ulysses is saved on a beam and is tossed for seven days in the sea until he arrives on the island of Calypso.

After the sad tale of all his misadventures, Ulysses asks King Alcinous for a new ship and a crew to reach the now nearby Ithaca and the good king grants it to him. Arriving on the beloved island, Ulysses, since he hadn't seen it for twenty years, no longer recognizes anything about his homeland and immediately asks a shepherd for information about the place. The boy is none other than his protector [[Athena]] who, to put him to the test, asks him who he is. Ulysses, keeping his personal details hidden, tells him that he is an unfortunate sailor from [[Egypt]] and Athena praises him for his shrewdness, transforming him into an old beggar so that he is not immediately recognized by the inhabitants and family members, so that he can better plan his revenge. When the boy is gone, Ulysses arrives in the house of [[Eumaeus]], the pig keeper and most trusted servant of Ulysses, who welcomes him amicably as tradition dictates to any guest, obviously not recognizing him. Ulysses is amazed by the goodness of the man and begins to ask questions about the fate of that unfortunate fighter who left for Troy and never returned home, leaving his wife and son desperate, who went in search of him. Eumaeus tells everything in detail and Ulysses, although tempted to show him who he really is, does not.

[[File:Odyssey (1968 miniseries) - Telemachus and Odysseus.png|thumb|The meeting between [[Odysseus|Ulysses]] and [[Telemachus]]]]

Meanwhile, Telemachus returns to the island of [[Pylos]] from [[Sparta]], more disheartened than ever, and lets the soothsayer [[Theoclymenus|Theoclimenus]] on board, convinced that he can tell him something about his father; by now Telemachus is willing to do anything and is ready to believe anyone's testimony. Getting that man on board proves to be an excellent action for Telemachus because Theoclimenus advises him to reverse the route to Ithaca, not passing through the Strait of [[Samos]], since a snare of suitors was waiting there. Telemachus arrives safely in Ithaca and goes at night to the house of Eumaeus where Ulysses is also waiting for him. Then the goddess Athena appears to the hero and tells him that now he can finally reveal himself to his trusted family members and the night ends with a tender and moving embrace between Ulysses and his son weeping with joy. The following day the three plan the way to enter the court, relying on the help of Eumaeus and Penelope, while the ship returns to the port with the suitors, more angry than ever for the failed coup.

Penelope is worried about her son's fate, but is reassured when she sees him appear safe and sound on the doorstep with Theoclimenus, and invites them to wash themselves and then eat. Refreshed, Telemachus approaches her mother, gently resting his head on her knee, and asks her what Ulysses was like before her birth. Happy, Penelope remembers when her husband, poorer than ever, came to her house to ask for her hand, although chased away by her future father-in-law. He, knowing that Penelope loved him secretly, went towards her chariot and the girl had chased him, begging him to let her up. The father, beside himself with rage, stood in front of the chariot, but Ulysses overtook him anyway, avoiding him and married Penelope. The episode ends with Theoclimenus who foretells the arrival of Ulysses in a few days and Eumaeus who leads his master Ulysses, always dressed as a beggar, to the court.

=== Seventh episode: Ulysses beggar at the court and the eve of the final competition ===
[[File:Odyssey (1968 miniseries) - Odysseus beggar.png|thumb|[[Odysseus|Ulysses]] appears in front of the [[Suitors of Penelope|suitors]] dressed as a beggar]]

Ulysses is accompanied by Eumaeus to the palace, but first he stops in front of an old and decrepit dog: it is [[Argos (dog)|Argos]], the dog loved by Ulysses, now dying, who recognizes his master, even after twenty years of absence, and finally dies happy. At the prompting of Athena, in his beggar's disguise, he approaches the suitors for alms. The welcome of the suitors is rude and cruel: they mock and insult him, not knowing what fate awaits them in a few days. The episode is one of the most characteristic of the entire work because there is a continuous connection of the narrative that passes both through the mouth of a male voiceover (as happened in the other episodes) and into the lips of muses in the guise of handmaids. Telemachus cannot endure for long the abuses of the suitors against his father who is even beaten by Antinous, leader of the suitors, when he approaches the latter for alms. As if that were not enough, the corpulent Arnaeus (known as [[Arnaeus|Irus]]) also arrives at the court, who boasts of being the strongest of all beggars and bullies Ulysses, fearing that the latter wants to steal his place. The suitors propose to make them fight by giving away a choice piece of roast meat and they head into the courtyard. At first it seems that Arnaeus is about to win but then the bully's blows awaken an ancient wrath in Ulysses' chest, who knocks him down with a single well-aimed blow on the jaw. Bleeding and staggering, Arnaeus falls to the ground and Ulysses places him in front of a column, with a stern warning not to challenge him any further or suffer a worse fate.

He is later summoned to meet with Penelope, to speak with the queen in private. Penelope is intrigued by that stranger and she would like to know more about him. Ulysses lies anyway and tells her that he is Aethon, brother of the Cretan king [[Idomeneus of Crete|Idomeneus]], sons of [[Minos]], but he claims to have known Ulysses, describing in every detail his cloak with the golden buckle depicting a dog tearing a deer. Penelope is amazed and even deludes herself to recognize her beggar as her husband, but Ulysses controls his emotions by reminding her that he is only a Minoan warrior who fell from grace after the Trojan War.

[[File:Odyssey (1968 miniseries) - Odysseus and the axes.png|thumb|[[Odysseus|Ulysses]] while placing the axes for the competition]]

[[Eurycleia of Ithaca|Eurycleia]], the oldest and wisest handmaid in the palace, is called to wash the beggar's feet and, going up to the knee, she recognizes a scar. This is the wound inflicted on the hero by a wild boar many years earlier during a hunting trip. The nurse has finally recognized her master, but he covers her mouth, fearing that she may, even if unwilling, ruin all her plans for revenge. Eurycleia is sworn to silence and Ulysses goes to the stables where a young cowherd is feeding a bullock: it is [[Philoetius (Odyssey)|Philoetius]], hired by Ulysses when he was a ten-year-old boy; not even he recognizes his master. Eumaeus, knowing everything, is equally silent.

The day long-awaited by suitors is approaching, that is the one in which Penelope will decide who will be the new husband and king of Ithaca; indeed, the rude suitors had not yet brought gifts for the queen and she, to buy time, had demanded that they bring them to her. On the same day as the delivery of the gifts, Penelope had ordered that a competition be organized with the [[Bow (weapon)|bow]] of Ulysses and her winner would become her new husband. Both Ulysses and Penelope pass the night before the appointed day sleepless; the first is strongly tempted to reveal himself to the bride, the other has a vision. Indeed, she imagines a large group of geese being mowed down by the arrival of a large eagle and she fears for joy and fear for the true arrival of her beloved husband.

The fateful day arrives and Penelope goes to take Ulysses' bow. It was believed that no one except the hero was able to stretch it, because the master had made it from the horns of an ox sacred to the gods and smeared it with grease every time before using it and always lifted the rope when he didn't need it. Telemachus also wants to register for the competition, to prevent one of the suitors from winning and holds the bow, but he is unable to pull the string. While Antinous prepares for the deed, he sees the beggar Ulysses placing side by side on a horizontal beam twelve axes with a large hole in the middle of the blade, so that there was a single and perfect invisible line between the holes of each blade.

=== Eight episode: victory of Ulysses and the recognition of Penelope ===
[[File:Odyssey (1968 miniseries) - Odysseus and Penelope.png|thumb|[[Odysseus|Ulysses]] together with [[Penelope]]]]

Antinous tries to draw the bow but it is impossible for him; the other suitors are also unsuccessful. Then Ulysses, in his beggar disguise, asks humbly to be able to try to thread the bow. All the suitors mock him for daring to be their equal, but Penelope steps in and gives him permission to do so. Ulysses skillfully draws the bow, shooting the arrow and making it pass through all the holes in the shutters. He then turns towards Antinous and kills him with an arrow to the side. The suitors are in a shock at his deed, then Ulysses strips off his rags and reveals himself to them, sending them in a panic. Eurymachus, the second foremost of the suitors, lays the blame on Antinous for being the instigator of wasting the palace resources and offers recompensation for everything they had consumed but Ulysses rejects his proposition and proceeds to shoot him and the other suitors. They begin to panic and try to escape his wrath but they are unable to, for the doors had been locked beforehand on Ulysses' orders. They do not even have a weapon to defend themselves: all of these had been sneaked away by Telemachus and Eumaeus the previous night. With the help of Telemachus and the loyal servants Eumaeus the swineherd and Philoetius the cowherd, Ulysses slaughters all suitors. Not even one is saved, and the maids who had betrayed the trust of Queen Penelope by consorting with the suitors are made to clean up the blood and gore and dispose of the bodies of the dead suitors before being punished themselves for their disloyalty by hanging.

Finally Ulysses has taken his revenge and is waiting for nothing but to go to the room of Penelope, who has witnessed terrified and amazed at the carnage. The woman is not yet fully convinced that the warrior is Ulysses, but she lets him into the room. The recognition occurs when Penelope proposes to move the nuptial bed, to which Ulysses replies that this is impossible, because that bed had been built by himself by carving it from a huge tree trunk, around which he had then built his palace. Penelope then has no more doubts and she embraces the groom crying and laughing with joy. Ulysses, moved by her, tells her all her misfortunes and with her he spends a long and happy night of love; in fact the [[Aurora (mythology)|Aurora]] prolongs the night by passing several days. The final part of the episode tells of the pacification, through the intercession of Mentor and Athena, between Ulysses and the relatives of the suitors, who are seeking vengeance for their deaths. When the clash between the two parties in the fields near Laertes' hut (where Ulysses had gone with his family) seems inevitable, at the urging of Mentor and Athena, Ulysses first lays down his arms, kneeling in a sense of respect for the relatives of the young dead, then the same is done by the father who led the opposing party, thus sanctioning the pacification.

==Cast==
{{colbegin}}
*[[Bekim Fehmiu]]: [[Odysseus]] (Ulisse)
*[[Irene Papas]]: [[Penelope]]
*[[Renaud Verley]]: [[Telemachus]] (Telemaco)
*[[Roy Purcell]]: [[Alcinous]] (Alcinoo)
*[[Marina Berti]]: [[Arete (mythology)|Arete]]
*[[Scilla Gabel]]: [[Helen of Troy|Helen]] (Elena)
*[[Barbara Bach]]: [[Nausicaa]]
*[[Juliette Mayniel]]: [[Circe]]
*[[Kyra Bester]]: [[Calypso (mythology)|Calypso]] (Calipso)
*[[Michèle Breton]]: [[Athena]] (Atena)
*Constantin Nepo: [[Antinous of Ithaca|Antinous]] (Antinoo)
*[[Ivica Pajer]]: [[Eurylochus of Same|Eurylochus]] (Euriloco)
*[[Samson Burke]]: [[Polyphemus]] (Polifemo)
*[[Fausto Tozzi]]: [[Menelaus]] (Menelao)
*[[Jaspar von Oertzen|Jaspar Von Oertzen]]: [[Nestor (mythology)|Nestor]] (Nestore)
*[[Franco Balducci]]: [[Mentor]] (Mentore)
*Husein Cokic: [[Eumaeus]] (Eumeo)
*Branko Kovacic: [[Laertes (father of Odysseus)|Laertes]] (Laerte)
*Vladimir Leib: [[Aeolus (Odyssey)|Aeolus]] (Eolo)
*[[Karl-Otto Alberty]]: [[Eurymachus]] (Eurimaco)
*Maurizio Tocchi: Leocritus (Leocrito)
*[[Ilija Ivezić]]: [[Ctesippus]] (Ctesippo)
*Petar Buntic: Filetor (Filettore)
*Duje Novakovic: [[Elpenor]] (Elpenore)
*Sime Jagarinac: Heraclius (Eraclio)
*Petar Dobric: [[Polites (friend of Odysseus)|Polites]] (Polite)
*[[Franco Fantasia]]: [[Mentes (King of the Taphians)|Mentes]] (Mente)
*Voyo Goric: [[Philoetius (Odyssey)|Philetius]] (Filezio)
*[[Luciano Rossi]]: [[Theoclymenus]] (Teoclimeno)
*[[Giulio Donnini]]: [[Tiresias]] (Tiresia)
*[[Bianca Doria]]: [[Anticlea]]
*[[Sergio Ferrero]]: [[Peisistratus of Pylos|Pisistratus]] (Pisistrato)
*[[Enzo Fiermonte]]: [[Demodocus (Odyssey character)|Demodocus]] (Demodoco)
*Stefanella Giovannini: [[Cassandra]]
*[[Peter Hinwood]]: [[Hermes]] (Ermete/Hermes)
*Miodrag Loncar: [[Arnaeus|Irus]] (Iro)
* Hrvoje Svob: [[Phemius]] (Femio)
* Giulio Cesare Tomei: [[Priam]] (Priamo)
* Rolf Boysen: [[Agamemnon]] (Agamennone)
* [[Gérard Herter]]: [[Laocoön]] (Laocoonte)
*Nona Medici: Iftime
* [[Mimmo Palmara]]: [[Achilles]] (Achille)
*[[Giancarlo Prete]]: [[Suitors of Penelope#List of Suitors of Penelope|Euryades]] (Euriade)
*Andrea Saric: [[Melantho]] (Melanto)
* [[Orso Maria Guerrini]]: [[Leodes]] (Leode)
*Ada Morotti: Cyane (Ciane)
*[[Laura Nucci]]: Antinoo's Mother
{{colend}}

==Production==
[[File:Scilla Gabel e Piero Schivazappa 02.jpg|thumb|Scilla Gabel (Helen) on set with the assistant director [[Piero Schivazappa]]]]
The miniseries was produced principally for broadcasting on the state televisions of Italy, Germany and France.<ref name="Cavallini2007">{{cite book|author=Eleonora Cavallini|title=Omero mediatico: aspetti della ricezione omerica nella civiltà contemporanea : atti delle giornate di studio, Ravenna, 18-19 gennaio 2006|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=O2ZiAAAAMAAJ|year=2007|publisher=D. U. Press|isbn=978-88-95451-05-3}}</ref> There are 8 episodes in the original version, running a total of 446 minutes. Each episode is preceded by an introduction in which poet [[Giuseppe Ungaretti]] read some verses of the original poem.<ref name="Giachery2012">{{cite book|author=Emerico Giachery|title=Ungaretti e il mito|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=mADp9jsjnLEC&pg=PA26|year=2012|publisher=Edizioni Nuova Cultura|isbn=978-88-6134-973-5|pages=26–}}</ref>

Special effects were designed by [[Mario Bava]] (who outright directed the [[Polyphemus]] episode)<ref name="Howarth2002">{{cite book|author=Troy Howarth|title=The Haunted World of Mario Bava|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Ac9VDwAAQBAJ&pg=PT325|year=2002|publisher=BearManor Media|pages=325–|id=GGKEY:X5Q62N9EWKC}}</ref> and [[Carlo Rambaldi]].<ref name="Buonanno2012">{{cite book|author=Milly Buonanno|title=Italian TV Drama and Beyond: Stories from the Soil, Stories from the Sea|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=OJs81Yn5FscC&pg=PA37|year=2012|publisher=Intellect Books|isbn=978-1-84150-459-9|pages=37–}}</ref>

The exteriors were shot entirely in Yugoslavia, which offered a scenery that was very similar to the lands of Ancient Greece.<ref name="Lupi">{{cite web |last1=Lupi |first1=Giordano |title=Odissea – Le avventure di Ulisse (Film Tv, 1969) |url=http://www.futuro-europa.it/21352/cultura/odissea-le-avventure-ulisse-film-tv-1969.html |date=16 October 2016|website=Futuro Europa |accessdate=26 December 2018}}</ref>

==Release==
The show ran on television in Europe between 1968 and 1970. In Italy alone, the episodes had an audience of over 16 million viewers. The entire television series was dubbed into English, ran several times on the TVO network in Ontario, Canada, and was broadcast in the US by CBS years later in 1978. An abridged theatrical version (running only 110 minutes) was released to European theatres as well, also available in English. However, the English dub was later lost. There are DVD editions however still available in Italian and German.

==Reception==
The adaptation is considered by some to be the most faithful rendering of Homer's epic on screen,<ref name="LovattVout2013">{{cite book|author1=Helen Lovatt|author2=Caroline Vout|title=Epic Visions: Visuality in Greek and Latin Epic and its Reception|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=fo2bBQAAQBAJ&pg=PA170|date=15 August 2013|publisher=Cambridge University Press|isbn=978-1-316-26499-7|pages=170–}}</ref> by including most of the characters and events, as well as by attempting to fill with graphic details.<ref name="RengerSolomon2012">{{cite book|author1=Almut-Barbara Renger|author2=Jon Solomon|title=Ancient Worlds in Film and Television: Gender and Politics|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=lTgyAQAAQBAJ&pg=PA205|date=13 November 2012|publisher=BRILL|isbn=978-90-04-24192-3|pages=205–}}</ref>

==See also==
* [[Eneide (TV serial)]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
*[https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0064750/ IMDB page]
*[http://www.superstrangevideo.com/gallery.asp?prodID=3161&prodTitle=Odissea Pictures]
*[https://www.raiplay.it/programmi/odissea/ The Odyssey] on [[RaiPlay]].

{{Odyssey navbox}}
{{Franco Rossi}}
{{Mario Bava}}
{{Rai original series}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Odyssey}}
[[Category:1960s Italian television miniseries]]
[[Category:1968 Italian television series debuts]]
[[Category:1968 Italian television series endings]]
[[Category:1960s French television miniseries]]
[[Category:1968 French television series debuts]]
[[Category:1968 French television series endings]]
[[Category:French drama television series]]
[[Category:Italian drama television series]]
[[Category:German drama television series]]
[[Category:Television series set in ancient Greece]]
[[Category:Television series based on classical mythology]]
[[Category:Films directed by Franco Rossi]]
[[Category:Films based on the Odyssey]]
[[Category:Films directed by Piero Schivazappa]]
[[Category:Films set in the Mediterranean Sea]]
[[Category:Television shows based on the Odyssey]]
[[Category:Agamemnon]]
[[Category:Cassandra]]
[[Category:Cultural depictions of Helen of Troy]]
[[Category:Cultural depictions of Achilles]]

The Odyssey (1968 miniseries)

2024-07-01T21:34:14Z

89.164.191.195:

{{Infobox television
| image = Odissea_Bekim Fehmiu.jpg
| caption = [[Bekim Fehmiu]] as [[Odysseus]]
| alt_name =
| genre = [[Mythology]], [[adventure]]
| creator =
| based_on = {{based on|''[[Odyssey]]''|[[Homer]]}}
| director = [[Franco Rossi (director)|Franco Rossi]] [[Mario Bava]] [[Piero Schivazappa]]
| creative_director =
| developer =
| presenter = [[Giuseppe Ungaretti]]
| starring = [[Bekim Fehmiu]] [[Irene Papas]]
| voices =
| narrated =
| theme_music_composer =
| opentheme =
| endtheme =
| composer = [[Carlo Rustichelli]]
| country = Italy France Germany Yugoslavia
| language =
| num_seasons =
| num_episodes = 4-8
| list_episodes =
| executive_producer = Vittorio Bonicelli
| producer = [[Dino de Laurentiis]]
| editor =
| location = Italy [[Yugoslavia]]
| cinematography =
| camera =
| runtime = 446 minutes 110 minutes (cut edition)
| channel =
| first_aired = {{Start date|1968|03|24|df=yes}}
| related =
}}
'''''The Odyssey''''' ({{lang-it|Odissea }}) is an eight-episode European TV miniseries broadcast on [[RAI]] (Italian state TV) in 1968 and based on [[Homer]]'s ''[[Odyssey]]''. An Italian, Yugoslavian, German and French ([[ORTF|Radiodiffusion-Télévision Française]]) coproduction, it was directed by [[Franco Rossi (director)|Franco Rossi]],<ref name="Buonanno2012"/> assisted by [[Piero Schivazappa]] and [[Mario Bava]]; the cast includes [[Bekim Fehmiu]] as [[Odysseus]] and [[Irene Papas]] as [[Penelope]], [[Samson Burke]] as the [[Cyclops]], as well as [[Barbara Bach]] as [[Nausicaa]], and [[Gérard Herter]]. Several critics consider the series to be a masterful representation of the ancient world.<ref name="Pomeroy2017">{{cite book|author=Arthur J. Pomeroy|title=A Companion to Ancient Greece and Rome on Screen|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=3kwnDwAAQBAJ&pg=PT341|date=1 June 2017|publisher=Wiley|isbn=978-1-118-74144-3|pages=341–}}</ref>

==Plot==
{{Long plot|date=July 2020}}
===First episode: Telemaco and Penelope===
[[File:Odyssey (1968 miniseries) - Penelope.png|thumb|left|[[Penelope]] while weaving the canvas]]

[[Athena]], happy that King [[Odysseus|Ulysses]] is close to returning to his native island [[Homer's Ithaca|Ithaca]], located to the west of [[Greece]], under the guise of King [[Mentes (King of the Taphians)|Mentes]], arrives in Ithaca to make sure that Ulysses' return is pleasant, but it is not so: although welcomed with respect by the twenty year old Prince [[Telemachus]], Mentes discovers that the palace of the king of Ithaca is besieged by numerous arrogant nobles of the region, the [[Suitors of Penelope|suitors]], who anxiously wait for Queen Penelope to decide to take a new husband between them, supposing that Ulysses died since twenty years have passed since his departure for Troy, looting without reserve the cellar and the pantry of the palace. Penelope tries to take time by declaring to the processors that she must weave a canvas in honor of her father-in-law [[Laertes (father of Odysseus)|Laertes]], but with this pretext every night she undoes it and starts it again the next morning.

Telemachus, at the suggestion of Mentes (who disappears as he came), announces a town meeting to be able to know who is on his side to be able to chase away the suitors and who is willing to follow him on the land to ask for information about Ulysses to King [[Nestor (mythology)|Nestor]], the oldest commander who participated in the war. The suitors also arrive at the assembly, claiming to be right in the king's long absence and the fact that Penelope is spending too much time weaving the web. To these answers, the people of Ithaca are silent and dare not oppose, yet the soothsayer Egizio, noting a hawk perched on the battlements of the palace, sees the success of Telemachus' journey, but is derided by the suitors. The next morning, Telemachus is joined by his father's friend and adviser [[Mentor (Odyssey)|Mentor]] (again Athena in disguise) who gives him a boat and sailors to get to [[Pylos]], by Nestor. Before leaving, Telemachus asks the nurse [[Eurycleia of Ithaca|Eurycleia]] not to say anything to Penelope. During the night, [[Melantho]], a young female servant of the palace who is a lover of Eurymachus, one of the suitors, betrays Penelope by revealing to the suitors what Penelope does to her canvas at night. Discovered, Penelope is forced to finish the shroud without apology.

The next day, the suitors noticed the absence of Telemachus and discovered, threatening a boat seller, that he really started to look for news about his father. Concerned that his research is successful, [[Antinous of Ithaca|Antinous]], chief of staff, suggests an ambush by Telemachus. Arriving in Pylos in the middle of a sacrificial ceremony at [[Poseidon]], Telemachus joins the king after the ceremony. Nestor tells Telemachus of the evening before he returns from Troy: there were those who, like Ulysses, wanted to punish the allies of the Trojans and those like [[Menelaus]] who wanted to go home; after several discussions, the Achaean fleet separated and Nestor no longer knew about Ulysses, so he advised Telemachus to go to [[Sparta]], to Menelaus, with his son [[Peisistratus of Pylos|Pisistratus]], who would guide him. [[Medon (mythology)|Medon]], the wine bearer, on hearing the suitors, runs to warn Penelope who, after a moment of anger at Eurycleia for not having told her anything, prays for the safety of her son.

At night, Penelope receives in a dream Athena's visit, under the guise of her sister Iftime, who assures her that the gods watch over her son and also about Ulysses. Finally the figure of Ulysses is presented: a lonely man at the head of a miserable raft at the mercy of the waves that move him away from his final destination.

=== Second episode: Ulysses, Nausicaa and Calypso ===
At the beginning of the second episode there is a discussion between [[Zeus]] and Athena in which the two agree that Poseidon has tortured Ulysses enough and that it is time for his suffering to end. Ulysses is shipwrecked on an island and, having found a refuge, wanders into a grove of trees and asleep on a bed of fallen leaves. The island in which Ulysses arrived is [[Scheria]], governed by the [[Phaeacians]], and Athena arrives in a dream to the young princess [[Nausicaa]], in the guise of a distant friend and enters the dreams of the girl, telling her that she should prepare herself for her now near marriage and go with the maids to the mouth of the river to do the laundry. The next day Nausicaa goes to the mouth and after doing the laundry, the princess starts to play with the maids, when she sees in the bushes a dirty man, naked and caked with salt and leaves with which he slept on. All the girls run away except for Nausicaa, who is staring in astonishment at the desperate man. Ulysses also remains somewhat captivated by the beauty of the girl and compares her to a goddess, then begging her to take him with her to the palace to clean up the debris of the waters.

[[File:Odyssey (1968 miniseries) - Odysseus and Nausicaa.png|thumb|left|The meeting between [[Odysseus|Ulysses]] and [[Nausicaa]]]]

As ordered by the goddess and also by her heart, Nausicaa has him washed and dressed by the maids, but she asks that, out of discretion, he did not follow her to the palace, or the young people would believe she had chosen him as a husband. Accepting the wishes of the girl, Ulysses goes alone to the city, while an internal voice (Athena) suggests to him how to behave in front of the sovereigns: [[Alcinous]] and [[Arete (mythology)|Arete]]. The nobles and monarchs of the palace, suspicious of all the foreigners who come to their land, fill him with questions, only to apologize for their abrupt and gruff interrogation, after they recognize in the hero a good man with nothing to hide. In reality, in order not to cause a stir, Ulysses pretends to be a shipwrecked traveler in search of protection. Alcinous tells that long ago his people, ruled by his grandfather, resided in the Land of the [[Cyclopes|Cyclops]], monstrous and violent beings, who continually threatened their lives; so they decided to move with the help of the gods to a new island, paying the price of being isolated and unknown to any traveler, except Ulysses.

Hosted in the palace, Ulysses knows that the Phaeacians are peaceful and that they know how to build boats that never sink and never get lost, but have stopped building them worried by a prophecy: Poseidon, their protector, would have punished the Phaeacians by destroying the crew of the ship that will accompany an enemy on board. Ulysses, meanwhile, spends a lot of time with Nausicaa, telling her that until a few weeks ago he had been a prisoner in [[Ogygia]] for seven years, an islet in which the beautiful nymph [[Calypso (mythology)|Calypso]] is exiled, to whom Ulysses mentally resisted, until ordered by the gods, she didn't allow him to go on a raft.

A few days later, Odysseus is invited to see the games that will decree a husband for Nausicaa. The champion asks the guest to participate in the sword contests, but Ulysses refuses, in order not to be recognised, at least until the athletes question his strength, making Ulysses so angry that not only he beats all the participants, but also risks to kill one. Ulysses asks Alcinous for forgiveness, but he demands to know his name rather than to hear his apologies.

=== Third episode: the fall of Troy and the island of the Lotus-eaters ===
[[File:Odyssey (1968 miniseries) - Trojan horse.png|thumb|left|The [[Wooden horse of Troy|wooden horse]] discovered on the shores of [[Troy]]]]

For the victory of the athletes, the blind aedes [[Demodocus (Odyssey character)|Demodocus]] tells everybody the history of the last thing he saw before losing his sight: the fall of Troy. Ten years had passed since the beginning of the war, but neither of the two factions gave up, until one day, on the shores of Ilium, the Trojans found the achaean camp deserted and a gigantic [[Wooden horse of Troy|wooden horse]] on the beach. While [[Priam]] and many other citizens interpreted it as an offer of the Achaeans to Poseidon to secure a safe journey, the priest [[Laocoön]] understands that it is a trap, or an offer asking that the god destroy the city. The priest is so sure of what he said that he thrust a spear in the belly, almost piercing Ulysses and the others hidden inside. On the verge of burning it, Priam stops Laocoön and orders for the horse to be brought inside the city to repent the offense made to the god. Ulysses' plan works: with the horse inside the walls, the Acheans come out of the sculpture, warn the hidden companions and Troy is conquered. The tragedy is unstoppable and on that same night, after having feasted and celebrated, the Trojans are wiped out by the Greeks; this is the destiny also of Priam, of [[Deiphobus]], the new husband of [[Helen of Troy|Helen]], and of [[Astyanax|Astianax]], the baby son of [[Hector]] and [[Andromache]], who is forcefully taken from his cradle and thrown out of the walls by [[Neoptolemus]], the cruel son of [[Achilles]]. Remembering these atrocities, Ulysses starts to cry softly, shaken by violent shivers, and Demodocus, after realising it, recognize him under the shock of all people.

Meanwhile, Telemachus and Pisistratus arrive in Sparta, where Menelaus and Helen have just returned from their journey, unlike Ulysses. The sovereigns welcome Telemachus who, contrary to his expectations, finds himself in front of two sad spouses, severely tested by the fatigue of the war and the fate of the survivors. Agamemnon, says the king, was killed by his wife [[Clytemnestra]], and many met the same death in their homes. The ruler says that the last time he heard about Ulysses, he heard from [[Proteus]], who also told him how to go home. In order to calm the spirits, Elena drugs the wine of her husband and of the guests to relieve their pain and tells of the time she saw Ulysses before Troy was conquered: after being beaten to death by his friend [[Diomedes]] to appear as a beggar, he had entered the city presenting himself as a Phrygian soldier attacked by his drunken comrades. The priestess [[Cassandra]], famous for her misfortune to predict future events but without ever being believed, immediately believes him and confides in him that she knows that her city is destined to lose, if the [[Palladium (classical antiquity)|Palladium]] of Athena were to be stolen from the temple. After Cassandra goes away, Helen arrives, who has become the widow of [[Paris (mythology)|Paris]], who immediately recognizes Ulysses, although battered and bleeding, cursing his coming. Ulysses, furious, threaten her of playing the double-cross and unnecessarily wasting time in that palace, since the entire army of Greece is fighting for her; he finally leaves her, warning her against her husband Menelaus.

[[File:Odyssey (1968 miniseries) - Lotus-eaters.png|thumb|The village of the [[Lotus-eaters]]]]

Now discovered, Ulysses tells the Phaeacians the misadventures that cost him his return home, his fleet and companions. Departing from Troy with 12 ships and many companions, he first loses 6 men for each of his ships in the land of the [[Cicones]], allies of the Trojans. Later he loses 11 of his 12 ships in the land of the [[Laestrygonians]], giants that sink ships that have entered the port; only the ship of Ulysses is saved, who for precaution had kept it out of the port. With the only surviving ship, Ulysses lands on the Mediterranean coast of Africa, inhabited by strange people called [[Lotus-eaters|Lotophagi]], or eaters of an aphrodisiac flower called [[Nelumbo|Lotus]]. Three companions are sent scouting, but after several hours they never return. Worried, Ulysses goes to look for them and arrives in an immense garden with poor houses. All the inhabitants smile and rave about laughing, and among them there are also the three friends of Ulysses. They have completely lost their memory because they ate the dust obtained from the crushing of the flowers of that field, the Lotus, and now they don't want to leave the island. Even when Ulysses tries to remind them of their wives, children and loved homes, the drunken companions do not express the slightest consideration and continue to devour the lotus with a laugh. Then Ulysses takes them all and binds them on the ship, to continue the journey.

Having landed on another island, Ulysses and twelve of his companions go to get supplies and so they go hunting until, following enormous human footsteps, they discover a huge and rough cave. Intrigued, the sailors enter and discover a huge deposit of cheese, milk and ricotta, and utensils belonging to a giant: the bowls that contain the food are huge, and so are an ax and the bed. However, Ulysses, deaf to the insistence of his companions who would like to leave after having taken the cheese, believes he can establish a dialogue with the inhabitant whose skills in making knots and producing good ricotta he appreciates. In any case, there is no more time to escape because the animals of the flock arrive in the cave.

=== Fourth episode: Polyphemus and the gift of Aeolus ===
[[File:Odyssey (1968 miniseries) - Odysseus and Poliphemus.png|thumb|[[Odysseus|Ulysses]] talking with [[Polyphemus]]]]

The cave is inhabited by a monstrous giant with feral habits named [[Polyphemus]]. The cyclops is horrible to behold, full of hair like a beast and with a single eye in the middle of the forehead. The companions fall to the ground in terror as soon as they see him blocking the entrance to the cave with a huge boulder and asking them in a booming voice to introduce themselves. Ulysses, trying to protect his friends, asks Polyphemus for hospitality, since they need food, and to respect the laws of the powerful and vengeful god in regard to visitors [[Zeus]]. Polyphemus bursts into a thunderous and terrifying laugh, declaring that he is the son of [[Poseidon]] and therefore above any law and that he does not have to obey anyone, not even the other gods. The men run away terrified, but Polyphemus takes one and crushes it in his hand; then he grabs another, fainted from shock, and dashes him violently against a stone, and then eats them both. Ulysses would like to kill him, immediately after he has gone to bed, but is held back by his friends, including his cousin [[Eurylochus of Same|Eurilochus]]. If Ulysses had killed the Cyclops while asleep, then no one would have had the strength to remove the gigantic boulder from the entrance, and so the hero is forced to wait the end of the night. The next day, however, he gets an idea and orders his companions to take a large olive branch and sharpen it, while the Cyclops goes out to graze the herd. Subsequently, Ulysses draws lots for the companions who should distract the Cyclops, while he hides the trunk, but the chosen ones are not fast enough and Polyphemus devours them too.

All the prisoners are about to lose hope, were it not for the astute Ulysses, who decides to make the Cyclops drink the wine he had brought with him from the ship as a gift for the inhabitants of that land, a special wine, so concentrated that to be drunk normally it should be diluted with as many as 20 measures of water. Having filled a large bowl, Ulysses barely grabs it with both arms and hands it to Polyphemus, who, although suspicious of the new drink, tastes it, immediately becoming crazy for it and demands more. Ulysses, wanting to get him drunk, brings him another full bowl, which Polyphemus empties. Ulysses, at the request of Polyphemus to reveal his name, replies that he is called "Nobody", whereupon the Cyclops laughs and says that as a reward he will eat him last. Ulysses, without wasting time, after the Cyclops has fallen asleep dead drunk, calls to him his friends who heat the tip of the tree trunk: the prisoners intend to blind Polyphemus so that he can make them escape by opening the entrance. The companions, including Ulysses, take the smoking trunk and approach the bed of Polyphemus, climbing on it and positioning themselves directly behind the monster's head to better implant the trunk. With a shout of encouragement Ulysses and his companions thrust the pole, but the cry of pain of Polyphemus is so chilling and resounding that it makes them all fall to the ground, while the Cyclops, waving his hands, creates a great disorder and noise in the cave. He also calls screaming at his Cyclops neighbours who, rushing up outside the cave, ask what or who is doing him harm. To the answer "Nobody wants to kill me!" the other Cyclops tell Polyphemus that they can do nothing and that he must pray to Poseidon and abandon him.

After a night of constant and agonizing cries, the next morning Polyphemus opens the cave door to let the sheep and goats out to graze. The companions tie themselves to the bellies of the sheep joined in groups of three bound with ropes, clinging to the bellies of the middle animal, except Ulysses who clings under the fleece of the ram of the herd, so as not to be recognized by the Cyclops, who touches the sheep one by one on the back and sides but never thinking to feel them underneath. The ram comes out last and Polyphemus, after having said words of affection towards the head of the herd, pronounces a curse against Ulysses calling his father Poseidon to him. While his companions hurry to get back on the boat, Ulysses prefers to stay on earth for a moment longer to mock Polyphemus by telling him his real name, that it was Ulysses, the king of Ithaca, who blinded him. Polyphemus, mad with rage, climbs a ledge, cursing him and throwing various boulders against the ship, begging his father to wreck the enemy's boat. Shortly after leaving, Ulysses is forced to land on the island of [[Aeolus (Odyssey)|Aeolus]], the god master of the wind, due to bad sea conditions.

[[File:Odyssey (1968 miniseries) - Odysseus and Aeolus.png|thumb|left|The meeting between [[Odysseus|Ulysses]] and [[Aeolus]]]]

Continuing the story, Ulysses arrives on the island of Aeolus and decides to venture alone. Entering a palace, Ulysses enters a huge and opulent banquet room filled with blue steam and "[[erotes]]" (flutist kids) playing various instruments and distributing wine. At the end of the room there was a large table full of all kinds of good things, with Aeolus seated in the center and his family at his sides: his wife Cyane, and their sons and daughters, whom he had married to each other to keep the family together. Aeolus is old and stout with silver hair, and asks the hero to eat with them, telling of his exploits of the Trojan war. Ulysses will stay to eat for several months, telling and repeating his stories about him several times, until he asks the god to let him go. Aeolus agrees and moreover decides to give him all the winds of [[Boreas (god)|Boreas]] and [[Leveche]] that dominate the world. First, however, he asks Ulysses if any gods persecute him, in which case he could not have given him his gift; Ulysses lies, keeping silent about the fact that Poseidon, after the episode of Polyphemus, is hostile to him. Aeolus, then, gathers all the winds and encloses them in a large sack made with the tanned skin of a ram, and gives them to Ulysses as long as he never opens the jar so as not to trigger a natural cataclysm. Ulysses promises and goes to the ship, to resume the voyage; thanks to the winds he would have reached Ithaca much earlier than expected. The companions, intrigued by the sack, believing that it contained riches, one day, just as the coasts of the much desired island are beginning to be glimpsed, open the bag while Ulysses was sleeping exhausted, being tossed back and forth across the [[Mediterranean Sea]]. Ulysses stops to reflect on his misfortunes, while the queen comments that after all he deserves all his troubles for not being vigilant and for having set himself against the gods, visiting unknown lands and disobeying the orders of friends with deception.

=== Fifth episode: the island of Circe and the descent to the Underworld ===
Having landed on a new and unknown island, Ulysses together with his companions decide to visit it to see if it was inhabited by beasts or bloodthirsty men. He divides the expedition into two groups: one commanded by [[Eurylochus of Same|Eurilochus]] and the other by himself. Entering the thick wood, however, the group of fillet is attacked by no one knows what and people are transformed into pigs. Meanwhile, Ulysses meets a shepherd boy, actually [[Hermes]], who tells him the sad fate of the other group. Ulysses would like to rush to their aid, but the god stops him, telling him that this is a spell of the sorceress [[Circe]], mistress of the island, and that to free his friends he must first of all eat a sacred flower. After that the hero would have presented himself to the sorceress and would have been led to her abode; Circe would certainly deceived him, by giving him a potion to drink, but Ulysses would have remained immune and would be seized by a terrible desire to stab the sorceress, but restraining himself.

[[File:Odyssey (1968 miniseries) - Odysseus and Circe.png|thumb|left|[[Odysseus|Ulysses]] together with [[Arete (mythology)|Arete]] while he tells her his adventure.]]

Ulysses hears this prophecy and goes into the garden where he meets a woman, beautiful and terrible at the same time, who subjects him to riddles and tests, but Ulysses, protected by Hermes, solves them all. Circe, realizing that this man is different from all her other victims, decides to take him home to make him drink some wine. Suddenly Ulysses finds himself in a strange abode full of climbing plants and cages containing animals and birds of all kinds, all prisoners of the sorceress, but he is immediately invited to sit by Circe who offers him a golden cup. Ulysses, knowing that he is immune to her poison, drinks it all in one gulp, yet suffering greatly from her poison. Meanwhile, Circe laughs heartily, thinking that soon the unfortunate person would turn into a pig too, but suddenly she goes pale and begins to become terribly ugly: she has realized that her powers are ineffective on the hero. Ulysses, angrier than ever, rushes with the sword drawn to the sorceress, but then remembers the prophecy and does not kill her, but he orders her to take him to her friends. Circe, suddenly returned beautiful and more docile than ever, takes him to a stable where pigs grunt desperately and turns them back into the people they were before. However, due to the sudden metamorphosis, the companions find themselves confused and do not even recognize Ulysses, running away every time he tries to talk to them. Circe then takes the opportunity to hold back the hero a little longer, since the effect of the magic on his companions would disappear in a few days, and she spends passionate nights of love with him.

Circe, to ensure that the hero decides to stay with her forever, makes him drink a magic potion that makes him forget his beloved island, and makes him invisible in front of his companions. With Circe, Ulysses will spend a full year, and only the intervention of his companions, tired of living on the ship doing nothing, will bring the hero back to reason. Ulysses asks Circe to be let go once and for all and she, albeit reluctantly, accepts, but before leaving she confides him some secrets and above all orders him to go to the [[Greek underworld|Underworld]]. Indeed, since many of the gods are hostile to him, Ulysses has a uncertain and dangerous destiny when he sails on the sea and so he needs the prophecies of the blind diviner [[Tiresias]], who died aged over 700 years, so that he can sail peacefully to in Ithaca.

[[File:Odyssey (1968 miniseries) - Odysseus and Tiresias.png|thumb|The meeting between [[Odysseus|Ulysses]] and [[Tiresias]]]]

Ulysses, as Circe had told him, walks through the woods of the island, until he reaches a dark cave dug into the earth. The dark place where Ulysses finds is bleak, lifeless and full of fog. The hero is afraid because to him it seems like an intricate labyrinth full of columns and dead caves and above all he does not see a living soul. Indeed, Circe had advised him to take a black young goat with him to slaughter, so that the souls of the deceased could appear and approach, with the hope that among them there was also Tiresias. Ulysses performs the rite and immediately a group of mournful, weeping and sighing people appears, covered by heavy gray cloaks that leave only their faces uncovered. All of them come dangerously close to the victim's blood to drink it, but Ulysses drives them away with his sword: only Tiresias should have quenched his thirst. The group disappears and the soothsayer finally appears: he is white-haired, with a long beard and communicates only by speaking in a whisper, and Ulysses invites him to drink. When Tiresias gets up from the ground, his figure appears even more ghostly, as he drips kid's blood from his mouth and he begins to communicate his future journey to Ulysses. He will still have to face many dangers and only in the tenth year after the destruction of Troy Ulysses will be able to embrace his family again, but he will not stay in Ithaca for long because, driven by his desire for knowledge, he will make another journey which will be the last of his life.

[[File:Odyssey (1968 miniseries) - Odysseus and Achilles.png|thumb|left|[[Odysseus|Ulysses]] meets the spirit of [[Achilles]]]]

Ulysses does not understand everything and leaves Tiresias to feed on the goat again, to venture deeper into the Underworld. He sees a soul: it is that of [[Agamemnon]] who reveals to him that he was stabbed in treason together with the concubine [[Cassandra]] by his wife [[Clytemnestra]]. The woman was still upset by the ancient sacrifice of her daughter [[Iphigenia]] at the behest of her father, since the gods did not allow him departure for Troy, and she now had one more reason to slaughter Agamemnon: his betrayal with the Trojan prophetess. Agamemnon warns the hero when he returns to Ithaca: no woman is faithful to her husband and above all she will try to kill him after so many years away, and this could also happen with Penelope and Telemachus. Agamemnon's weeping soul goes away and Ulysses, more shocked than ever, meets another one: the spirit of the brave [[Achilles]], who died at the hands of the god Apollo and the arrows of [[Paris (mythology)|Paris]]. Achilles appears more lugubrious than Agamemnon and confides in Ulysses that he would rather be a slave to the most vile and cruel master in the world than be forced to rule the dead in Hades. The last spirit that Ulysses meets in the Underworld is the mother [[Anticlea]]. Ulysses asks her how she died and she, crying, communicates that she died waiting for the arrival of her son in Ithaca. Then Ulysses realizes the atrocity and uselessness of the war fought for so many years in Troy to take back the bride of a betrayed king, and to have wasted time in continuous journeys in the Mediterranean, without realizing that the loved ones died of despair waiting for him to Ithaca; remembering this, he weeps bitterly at the feet of the spirit. His mother invites him not to despair and to hurry on his return to the island because if he is still late, his father [[Laertes (father of Odysseus)|Laertes]], who had long since retired to live like a filthy hermit among animals, will soon die of a broken heart, too.

Ulysses also becomes aware of the abuses of the suitors who infest his palace by undermining Penelope's innocence, and hearing these words is seized by a wave of anger, but first tries to hug in vain his mother's knees, who disappears every time she is touched. Going towards the exit, Ulysses sees another soul: it is his friend [[Elpenor]], who died a few moments ago due to his intoxicated state. In fact the companions, on the world of the living on the island of Circe, had given themselves to mad joy to drive away the worries and Elpenor, who had drunk too much, had fallen from a ledge breaking his neck. Ulysses promises to the soul that he will have a worthy burial once he gets back up and so he will do, burying him right on the island's beach, shouting his name together as many times as enough to reach the ears of the distant mother.

Circe communicates terrible things to Ulysses about his next travels: the first trial to face is the crossing of the rock of the fearsome [[Siren (mythology)|sirens]], then he will have to overcome the gorge of [[Scylla]] and [[Charybdis]]. It is believed that this was only overcome by [[Jason]] with the [[Argonauts]] thanks to the help of a god, an epic feat narrated by [[Apollonius of Rhodes|Apollonius Rhodius]] in the ''[[Argonautica]]''. The last effort of Ulysses will be the stop on the island of the Trident, where there are grazing cows sacred to the god [[Helios]], or the Sun, inviolable if one did not want to loom in the wrath of the divine master. Circe confides all these things to Ulysses and then vanishes, leaving him confused and amazed. The hero communicates the stages to his companions and invites them to leave, but something has changed in them: they are slowly losing faith in their leader.

=== Sixth episode: the Sirens, Scylla and Charybdis, the island of the Sun and the return to Ithaca ===
[[File:Odyssey (1968 miniseries) - Odysseus and the sirens.png|thumb|[[Odysseus|Ulysses]] is tied to the [[Mast (sailing)|mast]] by [[Eurylochus of Same|Eurilochus]]]]

Encouraged his companions to embark to return to Ithaca, Ulysses resumes his journey, immediately approaching the rock of the [[Siren (mythology)|sirens]]. These are beings not visible to man, although the legend wants them with the bodies of rapacious birds and the heads of beautiful women, and they have the power to enchant travelers with their voice, to finally make them smash with the boat on the rock. The companions believe that Ulysses has gone mad, as he wants to cover their ears with wax so that they do not hear the voice. Ulysses, to show them that he is perfectly lucid, is tied by [[Eurylochus of Same|Eurilochus]] to the mainmast, recommending him to hold tighter if he begged to untie him. The ship has now reached the rock and while skirting it, Ulysses glimpses the bones of the unfortunate sailors victims of the Sirens and finally begins to hear their voices that penetrate his mind, obscuring it. The voices insistently invite Ulysses to land on the island so that he can end his days in joy and carefree after so many years of fighting and living in pain. But Eurilochus holds him tight and so Ulysses, severely tested by the power of the Sirens, manages to overcome the rock with his companions.

The second stage is the crossing of a narrow gorge between two huge rocks: [[Scylla]] and [[Charybdis]]. However, Ulysses, believing he was wasting too much time in the crossing and not getting out of it alive, took another longer route that brought him to the island of the Trident, consecrated to the god [[Helios]] (the Sun) for the cows grazing the grass.

[[File:Odyssey (1968 miniseries) - Odysseus and the cows of the Sun.png|thumb|left|[[Odysseus|Ulysses]] tries to convince the companions not to kill the cows of the Sun]]

The ship lands on the beach and immediately a great calm falls on the area, preventing the companions from resuming the journey soon. In fact, Ulysses was reluctantly forced by his friends Heraclius, Eurilochus, [[Polites (friend of Odysseus)|Polites]] and Filetor, who no longer had faith in their commander; now sailors can only hope for the food they own and the prey to fish. Ulysses no longer knows what to do because Circe's prophecy had told him that if anyone dared to kill a single cow, the entire fleet would be annihilated by the gods. The hero does everything to prevent his companions, now exhausted for weeks by hunger and lack of food, from doing it, but one day when he climbs a cliff to implore Zeus, a misfortune occurs. Eurilochus has a heifer killed and feasts with the others all night; Ulysses does not even scold him because he already knows that the fate of those unfortunates is sealed. In fact, after leaving the island due to the sudden return of the wind, a terrible storm unleashed by Poseidon arrives and wrecks the ship with his companions. Only Ulysses is saved on a beam and is tossed for seven days in the sea until he arrives on the island of Calypso.

After the sad tale of all his misadventures, Ulysses asks King Alcinous for a new ship and a crew to reach the now nearby Ithaca and the good king grants it to him. Arriving on the beloved island, Ulysses, since he hadn't seen it for twenty years, no longer recognizes anything about his homeland and immediately asks a shepherd for information about the place. The boy is none other than his protector [[Athena]] who, to put him to the test, asks him who he is. Ulysses, keeping his personal details hidden, tells him that he is an unfortunate sailor from [[Egypt]] and Athena praises him for his shrewdness, transforming him into an old beggar so that he is not immediately recognized by the inhabitants and family members, so that he can better plan his revenge. . When the boy is gone, Ulysses arrives in the house of [[Eumaeus]], the pig keeper and most trusted servant of Ulysses, who welcomes him amicably as tradition dictates to any guest, obviously not recognizing him. Ulysses is amazed by the goodness of the man and begins to ask questions about the fate of that unfortunate fighter who left for Troy and never returned home, leaving his wife and son desperate, who went in search of him. Eumaeus tells everything in detail and Ulysses, although tempted to show him who he really is, does not.

[[File:Odyssey (1968 miniseries) - Telemachus and Odysseus.png|thumb|The meeting between [[Odysseus|Ulysses]] and [[Telemachus]]]]

Meanwhile, Telemachus returns to the island of [[Pylos]] from [[Sparta]], more disheartened than ever, and lets the soothsayer [[Theoclymenus|Theoclimenus]] on board, convinced that he can tell him something about his father; by now Telemachus is willing to do anything and is ready to believe anyone's testimony. And in fact, getting that man on board proves to be an excellent action for Telemachus because Theoclimenus advises him to reverse the route to Ithaca, not passing through the Strait of [[Samos]], since a snare of suitors was waiting there. Telemachus arrives safely in Ithaca and goes at night to the house of Eumaeus where Ulysses is also waiting for him. Then the goddess Athena appears to the hero and tells him that now he can finally reveal himself to his trusted family members and the night ends with a tender and moving embrace between Ulysses and his son weeping with joy. The following day the three plan the way to enter the court, relying on the help of Eumaeus and Penelope, while the ship returns to the port with the suitors, more angry than ever for the failed coup.

Penelope is worried about her son's fate, but is reassured when she sees him appear safe and sound on the doorstep with Theoclimenus, and invites them to wash themselves and then eat. Refreshed, Telemachus approaches her mother, gently resting his head on her knee, and asks her what Ulysses was like before her birth. Happy, Penelope remembers when her husband, poorer than ever, came to her house to ask for her hand, although chased away by her future father-in-law. He, knowing that Penelope loved him secretly, went towards her chariot and the girl had chased him, begging him to let her up. The father, beside himself with rage, stood in front of the chariot, but Ulysses overtook him anyway, avoiding him and married Penelope. The episode ends with Theoclimenus who foretells the arrival of Ulysses in a few days and Eumaeus who leads his master Ulysses, always dressed as a beggar, to the court.

=== Seventh episode: Ulysses beggar at the court and the eve of the final competition ===
[[File:Odyssey (1968 miniseries) - Odysseus beggar.png|thumb|[[Odysseus|Ulysses]] appears in front of the [[Suitors of Penelope|suitors]] dressed as a beggar]]

Ulysses is accompanied by Eumaeus to the palace, but first he stops in front of an old and decrepit dog: it is [[Argos (dog)|Argos]], the dog loved by Ulysses, now dying, who recognizes his master, even after twenty years of absence, and finally dies happy. At the prompting of Athena, in his beggar's disguise, he approaches the suitors for alms. The welcome of the suitors is rude and cruel: they mock and insult him, not knowing what fate awaits them in a few days. The episode is one of the most characteristic of the entire work because there is a continuous connection of the narrative that passes both through the mouth of a male voiceover (as happened in the other episodes) and into the lips of muses in the guise of handmaids. Telemachus cannot endure for long the abuses of the suitors against his father who is even beaten by Antinous, leader of the suitors, when he approaches the latter for alms. As if that were not enough, the corpulent Arnaeus (known as [[Arnaeus|Irus]]) also arrives at the court, who boasts of being the strongest of all beggars and bullies Ulysses, fearing that the latter wants to steal his place. The suitors propose to make them fight by giving away a choice piece of roast meat and they head into the courtyard. At first it seems that Arnaeus is about to win but then the bully's blows awaken an ancient wrath in Ulysses' chest, who knocks him down with a single well-aimed blow on the jaw. Bleeding and staggering, Arnaeus falls to the ground and Ulysses places him in front of a column, with a stern warning not to challenge him any further or suffer a worse fate.

He is later summoned to meet with Penelope, to speak with the queen in private. Penelope is intrigued by that stranger and she would like to know more about him. However, Ulysses lies anyway and tells her that he is Aethon, brother of the Cretan king [[Idomeneus of Crete|Idomeneus]], sons of [[Minos]]. However, he claims to have known Ulysses, describing in every detail his cloak with the golden buckle depicting a dog tearing a deer. Penelope is amazed and even deludes herself to recognize her beggar as her husband, but Ulysses controls his emotions by reminding her that he is only a Minoan warrior who fell from grace after the Trojan War.

[[File:Odyssey (1968 miniseries) - Odysseus and the axes.png|thumb|[[Odysseus|Ulysses]] while placing the axes for the competition]]

[[Eurycleia of Ithaca|Eurycleia]], the oldest and wisest handmaid in the palace, is called to wash the beggar's feet and, going up to the knee, she recognizes a scar. This is the wound inflicted on the hero by a wild boar many years earlier during a hunting trip. The nurse has finally recognized her master, but he covers her mouth, fearing that she may, even if unwilling, ruin all her plans for revenge. Eurycleia is sworn to silence and Ulysses goes to the stables where a young cowherd is feeding a bullock: it is [[Philoetius (Odyssey)|Philoetius]], hired by Ulysses when he was a ten-year-old boy; not even he recognizes his master. Eumaeus, knowing everything, is equally silent.

The day long-awaited by suitors is approaching, that is the one in which Penelope will decide who will be the new husband and king of Ithaca; indeed, the rude suitors had not yet brought gifts for the queen and she, to buy time, had demanded that they bring them to her. On the same day as the delivery of the gifts, Penelope had ordered that a competition be organized with the [[Bow (weapon)|bow]] of Ulysses and her winner would become her new husband. Both Ulysses and Penelope pass the night before the appointed day sleepless; the first is strongly tempted to reveal himself to the bride, the other has a vision. Indeed, she imagines a large group of geese being mowed down by the arrival of a large eagle and she fears for joy and fear for the true arrival of her beloved husband.

The fateful day arrives and Penelope goes to take Ulysses' bow. It was believed that no one except the hero was able to stretch it, because the master had made it from the horns of an ox sacred to the gods and smeared it with grease every time before using it and always lifted the rope when he didn't need it. Telemachus also wants to register for the competition, to prevent one of the suitors from winning and holds the bow, but he is unable to pull the string. While Antinous prepares for the deed, he sees the beggar Ulysses placing side by side on a horizontal beam twelve axes with a large hole in the middle of the blade, so that there was a single and perfect invisible line between the holes of each blade.

=== Eight episode: victory of Ulysses and the recognition of Penelope ===
[[File:Odyssey (1968 miniseries) - Odysseus and Penelope.png|thumb|[[Odysseus|Ulysses]] together with [[Penelope]]]]

Antinous tries to draw the bow but it is impossible for him; the other suitors are also unsuccessful. Then Ulysses, in his beggar disguise, asks humbly to be able to try to thread the bow. All the suitors mock him for daring to be their equal, but Penelope steps in and gives him permission to do so. Ulysses skillfully draws the bow, shooting the arrow and making it pass through all the holes in the shutters. He then turns towards Antinous and kills him with an arrow to the side. The suitors are in a shock at his deed, then Ulysses strips off his rags and reveals himself to them, sending them in a panic. Eurymachus, the second foremost of the suitors, lays the blame on Antinous for being the instigator of wasting the palace resources and offers recompensation for everything they had consumed but Ulysses rejects his proposition and proceeds to shoot him and the other suitors. They begin to panic and try to escape his wrath but they are unable to, for the doors had been locked beforehand on Ulysses' orders. They do not even have a weapon to defend themselves: all of these had been sneaked away by Telemachus and Eumaeus the previous night. With the help of Telemachus and the loyal servants Eumaeus the swineherd and Philoetius the cowherd, Ulysses slaughters all suitors. Not even one is saved, and the maids who had betrayed the trust of Queen Penelope by consorting with the suitors are made to clean up the blood and gore and dispose of the bodies of the dead suitors before being punished themselves for their disloyalty by hanging.

Finally Ulysses has taken his revenge and is waiting for nothing but to go to the room of Penelope, who has witnessed terrified and amazed at the carnage. The woman is not yet fully convinced that the warrior is Ulysses, however she lets him into the room. The recognition occurs when Penelope proposes to move the nuptial bed, to which Ulysses replies that this is impossible, because that bed had been built by himself by carving it from a huge tree trunk, around which he had then built his palace. Penelope then has no more doubts and she embraces the groom crying and laughing with joy. Ulysses, moved by her, tells her all her misfortunes and with her he spends a long and happy night of love; in fact the [[Aurora (mythology)|Aurora]] prolongs the night by passing several days. The final part of the episode tells of the pacification, through the intercession of Mentor and Athena, between Ulysses and the relatives of the suitors, who are seeking vengeance for their deaths. When the clash between the two parties in the fields near Laertes' hut (where Ulysses had gone with his family) seems inevitable, at the urging of Mentor and Athena, Ulysses first lays down his arms, kneeling in a sense of respect for the relatives of the young dead, then the same is done by the father who led the opposing party, thus sanctioning the pacification.

==Cast==
{{colbegin}}
*[[Bekim Fehmiu]]: [[Odysseus]] (Ulisse)
*[[Irene Papas]]: [[Penelope]]
*[[Renaud Verley]]: [[Telemachus]] (Telemaco)
*[[Roy Purcell]]: [[Alcinous]] (Alcinoo)
*[[Marina Berti]]: [[Arete (mythology)|Arete]]
*[[Scilla Gabel]]: [[Helen of Troy|Helen]] (Elena)
*[[Barbara Bach]]: [[Nausicaa]]
*[[Juliette Mayniel]]: [[Circe]]
*[[Kyra Bester]]: [[Calypso (mythology)|Calypso]] (Calipso)
*[[Michèle Breton]]: [[Athena]] (Atena)
*Constantin Nepo: [[Antinous of Ithaca|Antinous]] (Antinoo)
*[[Ivica Pajer]]: [[Eurylochus of Same|Eurylochus]] (Euriloco)
*[[Samson Burke]]: [[Polyphemus]] (Polifemo)
*[[Fausto Tozzi]]: [[Menelaus]] (Menelao)
*[[Jaspar von Oertzen|Jaspar Von Oertzen]]: [[Nestor (mythology)|Nestor]] (Nestore)
*[[Franco Balducci]]: [[Mentor]] (Mentore)
*Husein Cokic: [[Eumaeus]] (Eumeo)
*Branko Kovacic: [[Laertes (father of Odysseus)|Laertes]] (Laerte)
*Vladimir Leib: [[Aeolus (Odyssey)|Aeolus]] (Eolo)
*[[Karl-Otto Alberty]]: [[Eurymachus]] (Eurimaco)
*Maurizio Tocchi: Leocritus (Leocrito)
*[[Ilija Ivezić]]: [[Ctesippus]] (Ctesippo)
*Petar Buntic: Filetor (Filettore)
*Duje Novakovic: [[Elpenor]] (Elpenore)
*Sime Jagarinac: Heraclius (Eraclio)
*Petar Dobric: [[Polites (friend of Odysseus)|Polites]] (Polite)
*[[Franco Fantasia]]: [[Mentes (King of the Taphians)|Mentes]] (Mente)
*Voyo Goric: [[Philoetius (Odyssey)|Philetius]] (Filezio)
*[[Luciano Rossi]]: [[Theoclymenus]] (Teoclimeno)
*[[Giulio Donnini]]: [[Tiresias]] (Tiresia)
*[[Bianca Doria]]: [[Anticlea]]
*[[Sergio Ferrero]]: [[Peisistratus of Pylos|Pisistratus]] (Pisistrato)
*[[Enzo Fiermonte]]: [[Demodocus (Odyssey character)|Demodocus]] (Demodoco)
*Stefanella Giovannini: [[Cassandra]]
*[[Peter Hinwood]]: [[Hermes]] (Ermete/Hermes)
*Miodrag Loncar: [[Arnaeus|Irus]] (Iro)
* Hrvoje Svob: [[Phemius]] (Femio)
* Giulio Cesare Tomei: [[Priam]] (Priamo)
* Rolf Boysen: [[Agamemnon]] (Agamennone)
* [[Gérard Herter]]: [[Laocoön]] (Laocoonte)
*Nona Medici: Iftime
* [[Mimmo Palmara]]: [[Achilles]] (Achille)
*[[Giancarlo Prete]]: [[Suitors of Penelope#List of Suitors of Penelope|Euryades]] (Euriade)
*Andrea Saric: [[Melantho]] (Melanto)
* [[Orso Maria Guerrini]]: [[Leodes]] (Leode)
*Ada Morotti: Cyane (Ciane)
*[[Laura Nucci]]: Antinoo's Mother
{{colend}}

==Production==
[[File:Scilla Gabel e Piero Schivazappa 02.jpg|thumb|Scilla Gabel (Helen) on set with the assistant director [[Piero Schivazappa]]]]
The miniseries was produced principally for broadcasting on the state televisions of Italy, Germany and France.<ref name="Cavallini2007">{{cite book|author=Eleonora Cavallini|title=Omero mediatico: aspetti della ricezione omerica nella civiltà contemporanea : atti delle giornate di studio, Ravenna, 18-19 gennaio 2006|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=O2ZiAAAAMAAJ|year=2007|publisher=D. U. Press|isbn=978-88-95451-05-3}}</ref> There are 8 episodes in the original version, running a total of 446 minutes. Each episode is preceded by an introduction in which poet [[Giuseppe Ungaretti]] read some verses of the original poem.<ref name="Giachery2012">{{cite book|author=Emerico Giachery|title=Ungaretti e il mito|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=mADp9jsjnLEC&pg=PA26|year=2012|publisher=Edizioni Nuova Cultura|isbn=978-88-6134-973-5|pages=26–}}</ref>

Special effects were designed by [[Mario Bava]] (who outright directed the [[Polyphemus]] episode)<ref name="Howarth2002">{{cite book|author=Troy Howarth|title=The Haunted World of Mario Bava|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Ac9VDwAAQBAJ&pg=PT325|year=2002|publisher=BearManor Media|pages=325–|id=GGKEY:X5Q62N9EWKC}}</ref> and [[Carlo Rambaldi]].<ref name="Buonanno2012">{{cite book|author=Milly Buonanno|title=Italian TV Drama and Beyond: Stories from the Soil, Stories from the Sea|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=OJs81Yn5FscC&pg=PA37|year=2012|publisher=Intellect Books|isbn=978-1-84150-459-9|pages=37–}}</ref>

The exteriors were shot entirely in Yugoslavia, which offered a scenery that was very similar to the lands of Ancient Greece.<ref name="Lupi">{{cite web |last1=Lupi |first1=Giordano |title=Odissea – Le avventure di Ulisse (Film Tv, 1969) |url=http://www.futuro-europa.it/21352/cultura/odissea-le-avventure-ulisse-film-tv-1969.html |date=16 October 2016|website=Futuro Europa |accessdate=26 December 2018}}</ref>

==Release==
The show ran on television in Europe between 1968 and 1970. In Italy alone, the episodes had an audience of over 16 million viewers. The entire television series was dubbed into English, ran several times on the TVO network in Ontario, Canada, and was broadcast in the US by CBS years later in 1978. An abridged theatrical version (running only 110 minutes) was released to European theatres as well, also available in English. However, the English dub was later lost. There are DVD editions however still available in Italian and German.

==Reception==
The adaptation is considered by some to be the most faithful rendering of Homer's epic on screen,<ref name="LovattVout2013">{{cite book|author1=Helen Lovatt|author2=Caroline Vout|title=Epic Visions: Visuality in Greek and Latin Epic and its Reception|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=fo2bBQAAQBAJ&pg=PA170|date=15 August 2013|publisher=Cambridge University Press|isbn=978-1-316-26499-7|pages=170–}}</ref> by including most of the characters and events, as well as by attempting to fill with graphic details.<ref name="RengerSolomon2012">{{cite book|author1=Almut-Barbara Renger|author2=Jon Solomon|title=Ancient Worlds in Film and Television: Gender and Politics|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=lTgyAQAAQBAJ&pg=PA205|date=13 November 2012|publisher=BRILL|isbn=978-90-04-24192-3|pages=205–}}</ref>

==See also==
* [[Eneide (TV serial)]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
*[https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0064750/ IMDB page]
*[http://www.superstrangevideo.com/gallery.asp?prodID=3161&prodTitle=Odissea Pictures]
*[https://www.raiplay.it/programmi/odissea/ The Odyssey] on [[RaiPlay]].

{{Odyssey navbox}}
{{Franco Rossi}}
{{Mario Bava}}
{{Rai original series}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Odyssey}}
[[Category:1960s Italian television miniseries]]
[[Category:1968 Italian television series debuts]]
[[Category:1968 Italian television series endings]]
[[Category:1960s French television miniseries]]
[[Category:1968 French television series debuts]]
[[Category:1968 French television series endings]]
[[Category:French drama television series]]
[[Category:Italian drama television series]]
[[Category:German drama television series]]
[[Category:Television series set in ancient Greece]]
[[Category:Television series based on classical mythology]]
[[Category:Films directed by Franco Rossi]]
[[Category:Films based on the Odyssey]]
[[Category:Films directed by Piero Schivazappa]]
[[Category:Films set in the Mediterranean Sea]]
[[Category:Television shows based on the Odyssey]]
[[Category:Agamemnon]]
[[Category:Cassandra]]
[[Category:Cultural depictions of Helen of Troy]]
[[Category:Cultural depictions of Achilles]]

The Odyssey (1968 miniseries)

2024-07-01T21:15:05Z

89.164.191.195:

{{Infobox television
| image = Odissea_Bekim Fehmiu.jpg
| caption = [[Bekim Fehmiu]] as [[Odysseus]]
| alt_name =
| genre = [[Mythology]], [[adventure]]
| creator =
| based_on = {{based on|''[[Odyssey]]''|[[Homer]]}}
| director = [[Franco Rossi (director)|Franco Rossi]] [[Mario Bava]] [[Piero Schivazappa]]
| creative_director =
| developer =
| presenter = [[Giuseppe Ungaretti]]
| starring = [[Bekim Fehmiu]] [[Irene Papas]]
| voices =
| narrated =
| theme_music_composer =
| opentheme =
| endtheme =
| composer = [[Carlo Rustichelli]]
| country = Italy France Germany Yugoslavia
| language =
| num_seasons =
| num_episodes = 4-8
| list_episodes =
| executive_producer = Vittorio Bonicelli
| producer = [[Dino de Laurentiis]]
| editor =
| location = Italy [[Yugoslavia]]
| cinematography =
| camera =
| runtime = 446 minutes 110 minutes (cut edition)
| channel =
| first_aired = {{Start date|1968|03|24|df=yes}}
| related =
}}
'''''The Odyssey''''' ({{lang-it|Odissea }}) is an eight-episode European TV miniseries broadcast on [[RAI]] (Italian state TV) in 1968 and based on [[Homer]]'s ''[[Odyssey]]''. An Italian, Yugoslavian, German and French ([[ORTF|Radiodiffusion-Télévision Française]]) coproduction, it was directed by [[Franco Rossi (director)|Franco Rossi]],<ref name="Buonanno2012"/> assisted by [[Piero Schivazappa]] and [[Mario Bava]]; the cast includes [[Bekim Fehmiu]] as [[Odysseus]] and [[Irene Papas]] as [[Penelope]], [[Samson Burke]] as the [[Cyclops]], as well as [[Barbara Bach]] as [[Nausicaa]], and [[Gérard Herter]]. Several critics consider the series to be a masterful representation of the ancient world.<ref name="Pomeroy2017">{{cite book|author=Arthur J. Pomeroy|title=A Companion to Ancient Greece and Rome on Screen|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=3kwnDwAAQBAJ&pg=PT341|date=1 June 2017|publisher=Wiley|isbn=978-1-118-74144-3|pages=341–}}</ref>

==Plot==
{{Long plot|date=July 2020}}

===First episode: Telemaco and Penelope===
[[File:Odyssey (1968 miniseries) - Penelope.png|thumb|left|[[Penelope]] while weaving the canvas]]

[[Athena]], happy that King [[Odysseus|Ulysses]] is close to returning to his native island [[Homer's Ithaca|Ithaca]], located to the west of [[Greece]], under the guise of King [[Mentes (King of the Taphians)|Mentes]], arrives in Ithaca to make sure that Ulysses' return is pleasant. Unfortunately it is not so: although welcomed with respect by the twenty year old Prince [[Telemachus]], Mentes discovers that the palace of the king of Ithaca is besieged by numerous arrogant nobles of the region, the [[Suitors of Penelope|suitors]], who anxiously wait for Queen Penelope to decide to take a new husband between them, supposing that Ulysses died since twenty years have passed since his departure for Troy, looting without reserve the cellar and the pantry of the palace. Penelope tries to take time by declaring to the processors that she must weave a canvas in honor of her father-in-law [[Laertes (father of Odysseus)|Laertes]], but with this pretext every night she undoes it and starts it again the next morning.

Telemachus, at the suggestion of Mentes (who disappears as he came), announces a town meeting to be able to know who is on his side to be able to chase away the suitors and who is willing to follow him on the land to ask for information about Ulysses to King [[Nestor (mythology)|Nestor]], the oldest commander who participated in the war. The suitors also arrive at the assembly, claiming to be right in the king's long absence and the fact that Penelope is spending too much time weaving the web. To these answers, the people of Ithaca are silent and dare not oppose, yet the soothsayer Egizio, noting a hawk perched on the battlements of the palace, sees the success of Telemachus' journey, but is derided by the suitors. The next morning, Telemachus is joined by his father's friend and adviser [[Mentor (Odyssey)|Mentor]] (again Athena in disguise) who gives him a boat and sailors to get to [[Pylos]], by Nestor. Before leaving, Telemachus asks the nurse [[Eurycleia of Ithaca|Eurycleia]] not to say anything to Penelope. During the night, [[Melantho]], a young female servant of the palace who is a lover of Eurymachus, one of the suitors, betrays Penelope by revealing to the suitors what Penelope does to her canvas at night. Discovered, Penelope is forced to finish the shroud without apology.

The next day, the suitors noticed the absence of Telemachus and discovered, threatening a boat seller, that he really started to look for news about his father. Concerned that his research is successful, [[Antinous of Ithaca|Antinous]], chief of staff, suggests an ambush by Telemachus. Arriving in Pylos in the middle of a sacrificial ceremony at [[Poseidon]], Telemachus joins the king after the ceremony. Nestor tells Telemachus of the evening before he returns from Troy: there were those who, like Ulysses, wanted to punish the allies of the Trojans and those like [[Menelaus]] who wanted to go home; after several discussions, the Achaean fleet separated and Nestor no longer knew about Ulysses, so he advised Telemachus to go to [[Sparta]], to Menelaus, with his son [[Peisistratus of Pylos|Pisistratus]], who would guide him. [[Medon (mythology)|Medon]], the wine bearer, on hearing the suitors, runs to warn Penelope who, after a moment of anger at Eurycleia for not having told her anything, prays for the safety of her son.

At night, Penelope receives in a dream Athena's visit, under the guise of her sister Iftime, who assures her that the gods watch over her son and also about Ulysses. Finally the figure of Ulysses is presented: a lonely man at the head of a miserable raft at the mercy of the waves that move him away from his final destination.

=== Second episode: Ulysses, Nausicaa and Calypso ===
At the beginning of the second episode there is a discussion between [[Zeus]] and Athena in which the two agree that Poseidon has tortured Ulysses enough and that it is time for his suffering to end. Ulysses is shipwrecked on an island and, having found a refuge, wanders into a grove of trees and asleep on a bed of fallen leaves. The island in which Ulysses arrived is [[Scheria]], governed by the [[Phaeacians]], and Athena arrives in a dream to the young princess [[Nausicaa]], in the guise of a distant friend and enters the dreams of the girl, telling her that she should prepare herself for her now near marriage and go with the maids to the mouth of the river to do the laundry. The next day Nausicaa goes to the mouth and after doing the laundry, the princess starts to play with the maids, when she sees in the bushes a dirty man, naked and caked with salt and leaves with which he slept on. All the girls run away except for Nausicaa, who is staring in astonishment at the desperate man. Ulysses also remains somewhat captivated by the beauty of the girl and compares her to a goddess, then begging her to take him with her to the palace to clean up the debris of the waters.

[[File:Odyssey (1968 miniseries) - Odysseus and Nausicaa.png|thumb|left|The meeting between [[Odysseus|Ulysses]] and [[Nausicaa]]]]

As ordered by the goddess and also by her heart, Nausicaa has him washed and dressed by the maids, but she asks that, out of discretion, he did not follow her to the palace, or the young people would believe she had chosen him as a husband. Accepting the wishes of the girl, Ulysses goes alone to the city, while an internal voice (Athena) suggests to him how to behave in front of the sovereigns: [[Alcinous]] and [[Arete (mythology)|Arete]]. The nobles and monarchs of the palace, suspicious of all the foreigners who come to their land, fill him with questions, only to apologize for their abrupt and gruff interrogation, after they recognize in the hero a good man with nothing to hide. In reality, in order not to cause a stir, Ulysses pretends to be a shipwrecked traveler in search of protection. Alcinous tells that long ago his people, ruled by his grandfather, resided in the Land of the [[Cyclopes|Cyclops]], monstrous and violent beings, who continually threatened their lives; so they decided to move with the help of the gods to a new island, paying the price of being isolated and unknown to any traveler, except Ulysses.

Hosted in the palace, Ulysses knows that the Phaeacians are peaceful and that they know how to build boats that never sink and never get lost, but have stopped building them worried by a prophecy: Poseidon, their protector, would have punished the Phaeacians by destroying the crew of the ship that will accompany an enemy on board. Ulysses, meanwhile, spends a lot of time with Nausicaa, telling her that until a few weeks ago he had been a prisoner in [[Ogygia]] for seven years, an islet in which the beautiful nymph [[Calypso (mythology)|Calypso]] is exiled, to whom Ulysses mentally resisted, until ordered by the gods, she didn't allow him to go on a raft.

A few days later, Odysseus is invited to see the games that will decree a husband for Nausicaa. The champion, therefore, asks the guest to participate in the sword contests, but Ulysses refuses, in order not to be recognised, at least until the athletes question his strength, making Ulysses so angry that not only he beats all the participants, but also risks to kill one. Sorry, Ulysses asks Alcinous for forgiveness, but he demands to know his name rather than to hear his apologies.

=== Third episode: the fall of Troy and the island of the Lotus-eaters ===
[[File:Odyssey (1968 miniseries) - Trojan horse.png|thumb|left|The [[Wooden horse of Troy|wooden horse]] discovered on the shores of [[Troy]]]]

For the victory of the athletes, the blind aedes [[Demodocus (Odyssey character)|Demodocus]] tells everybody the history of the last thing he saw before losing his sight: the fall of Troy. Ten years had passed since the beginning of the war, but neither of the two factions gave up, until one day, on the shores of Ilium, the Trojans found the achaean camp deserted and a gigantic [[Wooden horse of Troy|wooden horse]] on the beach. While [[Priam]] and many other citizens interpreted it as an offer of the Achaeans to Poseidon to secure a safe journey, the priest [[Laocoön]] understands that it is a trap, or an offer asking that the god destroy the city. The priest is so sure of what he said that he thrust a spear in the belly, almost piercing Ulysses and the others hidden inside. On the verge of burning it, Priam stops Laocoön and orders for the horse to be brought inside the city to repent the offense made to the god. Ulysses' plan works: with the horse inside the walls, the Acheans come out of the sculpture, warn the hidden companions and Troy is conquered. The tragedy is unstoppable and on that same night, after having feasted and celebrated, the Trojans are wiped out by the Greeks; this is the destiny also of Priam, of [[Deiphobus]], the new husband of [[Helen of Troy|Helen]], and of [[Astyanax|Astianax]], the baby son of [[Hector]] and [[Andromache]], who is forcefully taken from his cradle and thrown out of the walls by [[Neoptolemus]], the cruel son of [[Achilles]]. Remembering these atrocities, Ulysses starts to cry softly, shaken by violent shivers, and Demodocus, after realising it, recognize him under the shock of all people.

Meanwhile, Telemachus and Pisistratus arrive in Sparta, where Menelaus and Helen have just returned from their journey, unlike Ulysses. The sovereigns welcome Telemachus who, contrary to his expectations, finds himself in front of two sad spouses, severely tested by the fatigue of the war and the fate of the survivors. Agamemnon, says the king, died killed by his wife [[Clytemnestra]], and many met the same death in their homes. The ruler says that the last time he heard about Ulysses, he heard from [[Proteus]], who also told him how to go home. In order to calm the spirits, Elena drugs the wine of her husband and of the guests to relieve their pain and tells of the time she saw Ulysses before Troy was conquered: after being beaten to death by his friend [[Diomedes]] to appear as a beggar, he had entered the city presenting himself as a Phrygian soldier attacked by his drunken comrades. The priestess [[Cassandra]], famous for her misfortune to predict future events but without ever being believed, immediately believes him and confides in him that she knows that her city is destined to lose, if the [[Palladium (classical antiquity)|Palladium]] of Athena were to be stolen from the temple. After Cassandra goes away, Helen arrives, who has become the widow of [[Paris (mythology)|Paris]]. who immediately recognizes Ulysses, although battered and bleeding, cursing his coming. Ulysses, furious, threaten her of playing the double-cross and unnecessarily wasting time in that palace, since the entire army of Greece is fighting for her; he finally leaves her, warning her against her husband Menelaus.

[[File:Odyssey (1968 miniseries) - Lotus-eaters.png|thumb|The village of the [[Lotus-eaters]]]]

Now discovered, Ulysses tells the Phaeacians the misadventures that cost him his return home, his fleet and his companions. Departing from Troy with 12 ships and many companions, he first loses 6 men for each of his ships in the land of the [[Cicones]], allies of the Trojans. Later he loses 11 of his 12 ships in the land of the [[Laestrygonians]], giants that sink ships that have entered the port; only the ship of Ulysses is saved, who for precaution had kept it out of the port. With the only surviving ship, Ulysses lands on the Mediterranean coast of Africa, inhabited by strange people called [[Lotus-eaters|Lotophagi]], or eaters of an aphrodisiac flower called [[Nelumbo|Lotus]]. Three companions are sent scouting, but after several hours they never return. Worried, Ulysses goes to look for them and arrives in an immense garden with poor houses. All the inhabitants smile and rave about laughing, and among them there are also the three friends of Ulysses. They have completely lost their memory because they ate the dust obtained from the crushing of the flowers of that field, the Lotus, and now they don't want to leave the island. Even when Ulysses tries to remind them of their wives, children and loved homes, the drunken companions do not express the slightest consideration and continue to devour the lotus with a laugh. Then Ulysses takes them all and binds them on the ship, to continue the journey.

Having landed on another island, Ulysses and twelve of his companions go to get supplies and so they go hunting until, following enormous human footsteps, they discover a huge and rough cave. Intrigued, the sailors enter and discover a huge deposit of cheese, milk and ricotta, and utensils belonging to a giant: the bowls that contain the food are huge, and so are an ax and the bed. However, Ulysses, deaf to the insistence of his companions who would like to leave after having taken the cheese, believes he can establish a dialogue with the inhabitant whose skills in making knots and producing good ricotta he appreciates. In any case, there is no more time to escape because the animals of the flock arrive in the cave.

=== Fourth episode: Polyphemus and the gift of Aeolus ===
[[File:Odyssey (1968 miniseries) - Odysseus and Poliphemus.png|thumb|[[Odysseus|Ulysses]] talking with [[Polyphemus]]]]

The cave is inhabited by a monstrous giant with feral habits named [[Polyphemus]]. The cyclops is horrible to behold, full of hair like a beast and with a single eye in the middle of the forehead. The companions fall to the ground in terror as soon as they see him blocking the entrance to the cave with a huge boulder and asking them in a booming voice to introduce themselves. Ulysses, trying to protect his friends, asks Polyphemus for hospitality, since they need food, and to respect the laws of the powerful and vengeful god in regard to visitors [[Zeus]]. Polyphemus bursts into a thunderous and terrifying laugh, declaring that he is the son of [[Poseidon]] and therefore above any law and that he does not have to obey anyone, not even the other gods. The men run away terrified, but Polyphemus takes one and crushes it in his hand; then he grabs another, fainted from shock, and dashes him violently against a stone, and then eats them both. Ulysses would like to kill him, immediately after he has gone to bed, but is held back by his friends, including his good cousin [[Eurylochus of Same|Eurilochus]]. If Ulysses had killed the Cyclops while asleep, then no one would have had the strength to remove the gigantic boulder from the entrance, and so the hero is forced to wait the end of the night. The next day, however, he gets an idea and orders his companions to take a large olive branch and sharpen it, while the Cyclops goes out to graze the herd. Subsequently, Ulysses draws lots for the companions who should distract the Cyclops, while he hides the trunk. Unfortunately the chosen ones are not fast enough and Polyphemus devours them too.

All the prisoners are about to lose hope, were it not for the astute Ulysses, who decides to make the Cyclops drink the wine he had brought with him from the ship as a gift for the inhabitants of that land, a very special wine, so concentrated that to be drunk normally it should be diluted with as many as 20 measures of water. Having filled a large bowl, Ulysses barely grabs it with both arms and hands it to Polyphemus, who, although suspicious of the new drink, tastes it, immediately becoming crazy for it and demands more. Ulysses, wanting to get him drunk, brings him another full bowl, which Polyphemus empties. Ulysses, at the request of Polyphemus to reveal his name, replies that he is called "Nobody"; whereupon the Cyclops laughs and says that as a reward he will eat him last. Ulysses, without wasting time, after the Cyclops has fallen asleep dead drunk, calls to him his friends who heat the tip of the tree trunk: the prisoners intend to blind Polyphemus so that he can make them escape by opening the entrance. The companions, including Ulysses, take the smoking trunk and approach the bed of Polyphemus, climbing on it and positioning themselves directly behind the monster's head to better implant the trunk. With a shout of encouragement Ulysses and his companions thrust the pole, but the cry of pain of Polyphemus is so chilling and resounding that it makes them all fall to the ground, while the Cyclops, waving his hands, creates a great disorder and noise in the cave. He also calls screaming at his Cyclops neighbours who, rushing up outside the cave, ask what or who is doing him harm. To the answer "Nobody wants to kill me!" the other Cyclops tell Polyphemus that they can do nothing and that he must pray to Poseidon and abandon him.

After a night of constant and agonizing cries, Polyphemus the next morning opens the cave door to let the sheep and goats out to graze. The companions tie themselves to the bellies of the sheep joined in groups of three bound with ropes, clinging to the bellies of the middle animal, except Ulysses who clings under the fleece of the ram of the herd, so as not to be recognized by the Cyclops, who touches the sheep one by one on the back and sides but never thinking to feel them underneath. The ram comes out last and Polyphemus, after having said words of affection towards the head of the herd, pronounces a curse against Ulysses calling his father Poseidon to him. While his companions hurry to get back on the boat, Ulysses prefers to stay on earth for a moment longer to mock Polyphemus by telling him his real name, that it was Ulysses, the king of Ithaca, who blinded him. Polyphemus, mad with rage, climbs a ledge, cursing him and throwing various boulders against the ship, begging his father to wreck the enemy's boat. And in fact, shortly after leaving, Ulysses will be forced to land on the island of [[Aeolus (Odyssey)|Aeolus]], the god master of the wind, due to bad sea conditions.

[[File:Odyssey (1968 miniseries) - Odysseus and Aeolus.png|thumb|left|The meeting between [[Odysseus|Ulysses]] and [[Aeolus]]]]

Continuing the story, Ulysses arrives on the island of Aeolus and decides to venture alone. Entering a palace, Ulysses enters a huge and opulent banquet room filled with blue steam and "[[erotes]]" (flutist kids) playing various instruments and distributing wine. At the end of the room there was a large table full of all kinds of good things, with Aeolus seated in the center and his family at his sides: his wife Cyane, and their sons and daughters, whom he had married to each other to keep the family together. Aeolus is very old and stout with silver hair, and asks the hero to eat with them, telling of his exploits of the Trojan war. Ulysses will stay to eat for several months, telling and repeating his stories about him several times, until he asks the god to let him go. Aeolus agrees and moreover decides to give him all the winds of [[Boreas (god)|Boreas]] and [[Leveche]] that dominate the world. First, however, he asks Ulysses if any gods persecute him, in which case he could not have given him his gift; Ulysses lies, keeping silent about the fact that Poseidon, after the episode of Polyphemus, is hostile to him. Aeolus, then, gathers all the winds and encloses them in a large sack made with the tanned skin of a ram, and gives them to Ulysses as long as he never opens the jar so as not to trigger a natural cataclysm. Ulysses promises and goes to the ship, to resume the voyage; thanks to the winds he would have reached Ithaca much earlier than expected. But the companions, intrigued by the sack, believing that it contained riches, one day, just as the coasts of the much desired island are beginning to be glimpsed, open the bag while Ulysses was sleeping exhausted, being tossed back and forth across the [[Mediterranean Sea]]. Ulysses stops to reflect on his misfortunes, while the queen comments that after all he deserves all his troubles for not being vigilant and for having set himself against the gods, visiting unknown lands and disobeying the orders of friends with deception.

=== Fifth episode: the island of Circe and the descent to the Underworld ===
Having landed on a new and unknown island, Ulysses together with his unfortunate companions decide to visit it to see if it was inhabited by beasts or bloodthirsty men. He divides the expedition into two groups: one commanded by [[Eurylochus of Same|Eurilochus]] and the other by himself. Entering the thick wood, however, the group of fillet is attacked by no one knows what and people are transformed into pigs. Meanwhile, Ulysses meets a shepherd boy, actually [[Hermes]], who tells him the sad fate of the other group. Ulysses would like to rush to their aid, but the god stops him, telling him that this is a spell of the sorceress [[Circe]], mistress of the island, and that to free his friends he must first of all eat a sacred flower. After that the hero would have presented himself to the sorceress and would have been led to her abode; Circe would certainly deceived him, by giving him a potion to drink, but Ulysses would have remained immune and would be seized by a terrible desire to stab the sorceress, but restraining himself.

[[File:Odyssey (1968 miniseries) - Odysseus and Circe.png|thumb|left|[[Odysseus|Ulysses]] together with [[Arete (mythology)|Arete]] while he tells her his adventure.]]

Ulysses hears this prophecy and goes into the garden where he meets a woman, beautiful and terrible at the same time, who subjects him to riddles and tests, but Ulysses, protected by Hermes, solves them all. Circe, realizing that this man is different from all her other victims, decides to take him home to make him drink some wine. Suddenly Ulysses finds himself in a strange abode full of climbing plants and cages containing animals and birds of all kinds, all prisoners of the sorceress, but he is immediately invited to sit by Circe who offers him a golden cup. Ulysses, knowing that he is immune to her poison, drinks it all in one gulp, yet suffering greatly from her poison. Meanwhile, Circe laughs heartily, thinking that soon the unfortunate person would turn into a pig too, but suddenly she goes pale and begins to become terribly ugly: she has realized that her powers are ineffective on the hero. Ulysses, angrier than ever, rushes with the sword drawn to the sorceress, but then remembers the prophecy and does not kill her, but he orders her to take him to her friends. Circe, suddenly returned beautiful and more docile than ever, takes him to a stable where pigs grunt desperately and turns them back into the people they were before. However, due to the sudden metamorphosis, the companions find themselves confused and do not even recognize Ulysses, running away every time he tries to talk to them. Circe then takes the opportunity to hold back the hero a little longer, since the effect of the magic on his companions would disappear in a few days, and she spends passionate nights of love with him.

Circe, to ensure that the hero decides to stay with her forever, makes him drink a magic potion that makes him forget his beloved island, and makes him invisible in front of his companions. With Circe, Ulysses will spend a full year, and only the intervention of his companions, tired of living on the ship doing nothing, will bring the hero back to reason. Ulysses asks Circe to be let go once and for all and she, albeit reluctantly, accepts, but before leaving she confides him some secrets and above all orders him to go to the [[Greek underworld|Underworld]]. Indeed, since many of the gods are hostile to him, Ulysses has a very uncertain and dangerous destiny when he sails on the sea and so he needs the prophecies of the blind diviner [[Tiresias]], who died aged over 700 years, so that he can sail peacefully to in Ithaca.

[[File:Odyssey (1968 miniseries) - Odysseus and Tiresias.png|thumb|The meeting between [[Odysseus|Ulysses]] and [[Tiresias]]]]

Ulysses, as Circe had told him, walks through the woods of the island, until he reaches a dark cave dug into the earth. The dark place where Ulysses will find himself is bleak, lifeless and full of fog. The hero is afraid because to him it seems like an intricate labyrinth full of columns and dead caves and above all he does not see a living soul. Indeed, Circe had advised him to take a black young goat with him to slaughter, so that the souls of the deceased could appear and approach, with the hope that among them there was also Tiresias. Ulysses performs the rite and immediately a group of mournful, weeping and sighing people appears, covered by heavy gray cloaks that leave only their faces uncovered. All of them come dangerously close to the victim's blood to drink it, but Ulysses drives them away with his sword: only Tiresias should have quenched his thirst. The group disappears and the soothsayer finally appears: he is white-haired, with a long beard and communicates only by speaking in a whisper, and Ulysses invites him to drink. When Tiresias gets up from the ground, his figure appears even more ghostly, as he drips kid's blood from his mouth and he begins to communicate his future journey to Ulysses. He will still have to face many dangers and only in the tenth year after the destruction of Troy Ulysses will be able to embrace his family again, but he will not stay in Ithaca for long because, driven by his desire for knowledge, he will make another journey which will be the last of his life.

[[File:Odyssey (1968 miniseries) - Odysseus and Achilles.png|thumb|left|[[Odysseus|Ulysses]] meets the spirit of [[Achilles]]]]

Ulysses does not understand everything and leaves Tiresias to feed on the goat again, to venture deeper into the Underworld. He sees a soul: it is that of [[Agamemnon]] who reveals to him that he was stabbed in treason together with the concubine [[Cassandra]] by his wife [[Clytemnestra]]. The woman was still upset by the ancient sacrifice of her daughter [[Iphigenia]] at the behest of her father, since the gods did not allow him departure for Troy, and she now had one more reason to slaughter Agamemnon: his betrayal with the Trojan prophetess. Agamemnon warns the hero when he returns to Ithaca: no woman is faithful to her husband and above all she will try to kill him after so many years away, and this could also happen with Penelope and Telemachus. Agamemnon's weeping soul goes away and Ulysses, more shocked than ever, meets another one: the spirit of the brave [[Achilles]], who died at the hands of the god Apollo and the arrows of [[Paris (mythology)|Paris]]. Achilles appears more lugubrious than Agamemnon and confides in Ulysses that he would rather be a slave to the most vile and cruel master in the world than be forced to rule the dead in Hades. The last spirit that Ulysses will meet in the Underworld will be the mother [[Anticlea]]. Ulysses asks her how she died and she, crying, communicates that she died waiting for the arrival of her son in Ithaca. Then Ulysses realizes the atrocity and uselessness of the war fought for so many years in Troy to take back the bride of a betrayed king, and to have wasted time in continuous journeys in the Mediterranean, without realizing that the loved ones died of despair waiting for him to Ithaca; and remembering this, he weeps bitterly at the feet of the spirit. His mother invites him not to despair and to hurry on his return to the island because if he is still late, his father [[Laertes (father of Odysseus)|Laertes]], who had long since retired to live like a filthy hermit among animals, will soon die of a broken heart, too.

Ulysses also becomes aware of the abuses of the suitors who infest his palace by undermining Penelope's innocence, and hearing these words is seized by a wave of anger, but first tries to hug in vain his mother's knees, who disappears every time she is touched. Going towards the exit, Ulysses sees another soul: it is his friend [[Elpenor]], who died a few moments ago due to his intoxicated state. In fact the companions, on the world of the living on the island of Circe, had given themselves to mad joy to drive away the worries and Elpenor, who had drunk too much, had fallen from a ledge breaking his neck. Ulysses promises to the soul that he will have a worthy burial once he gets back up and so he will do, burying him right on the island's beach, shouting his name together as many times as enough to reach the ears of the distant mother.

Circe communicates terrible things to Ulysses about his next travels: the first trial to face is the crossing of the rock of the fearsome [[Siren (mythology)|sirens]], then he will have to overcome the gorge of [[Scylla]] and [[Charybdis]]. It is believed that this was only overcome by [[Jason]] with the [[Argonauts]] thanks to the help of a god, an epic feat narrated by [[Apollonius of Rhodes|Apollonius Rhodius]] in the ''[[Argonautica]]''. The last effort of Ulysses will be the stop on the island of the Trident, where there are grazing cows sacred to the god [[Helios]], or the Sun, inviolable if one did not want to loom in the wrath of the divine master. Circe confides all these things to Ulysses and then vanishes, leaving him confused and amazed. The hero communicates the stages to his companions and invites them to leave, but something has changed in them: they are slowly losing faith in their leader.

=== Sixth episode: the Sirens, Scylla and Charybdis, the island of the Sun and the return to Ithaca ===
[[File:Odyssey (1968 miniseries) - Odysseus and the sirens.png|thumb|[[Odysseus|Ulysses]] is tied to the [[Mast (sailing)|mast]] by [[Eurylochus of Same|Eurilochus]]]]

Encouraged his companions to embark to return to Ithaca, Ulysses resumes his journey, immediately approaching the rock of the [[Siren (mythology)|sirens]]. These are beings not visible to man, although the legend wants them with the bodies of rapacious birds and the heads of beautiful women, and they have the power to enchant travelers with their voice, to finally make them smash with the boat on the rock. The companions believe that Ulysses has gone mad, as he wants to cover their ears with wax so that they do not hear the voice. Ulysses, to show them that he is perfectly lucid, is tied by [[Eurylochus of Same|Eurilochus]] to the mainmast, recommending him to hold tighter if he begged to untie him. The ship has now reached the rock and while skirting it, Ulysses glimpses the bones of the unfortunate sailors victims of the Sirens and finally begins to hear their voices that penetrate his mind, obscuring it. The voices insistently invite Ulysses to land on the island so that he can end his days in joy and carefree after so many years of fighting and living in pain. But Eurilochus holds him tight and so Ulysses, severely tested by the power of the Sirens, manages to overcome the rock with his companions.

The second stage is the crossing of a narrow gorge between two huge rocks: [[Scylla]] and [[Charybdis]]. However, Ulysses, believing he was wasting too much time in the crossing and not getting out of it alive, took another longer route that brought him to the island of the Trident, consecrated to the god [[Helios]] (the Sun) for the cows grazing the grass.

[[File:Odyssey (1968 miniseries) - Odysseus and the cows of the Sun.png|thumb|left|[[Odysseus|Ulysses]] tries to convince the companions not to kill the cows of the Sun]]

The ship lands on the beach and immediately a great calm falls on the area, preventing the companions from resuming the journey soon. In fact, Ulysses was reluctantly forced by his friends Heraclius, Eurilochus, [[Polites (friend of Odysseus)|Polites]] and Filetor, who no longer had faith in their commander; now sailors can only hope for the food they own and the prey to fish. Ulysses no longer knows what to do because Circe's prophecy had told him that if anyone dared to kill a single cow, the entire fleet would be annihilated by the gods. The hero does everything to prevent his companions, now exhausted for weeks by hunger and lack of food, from doing it, but one day when he climbs a cliff to implore Zeus, a misfortune occurs. Eurilochus has a heifer killed and feasts with the others all night; Ulysses does not even scold him because he already knows that the fate of those unfortunates is sealed. In fact, after leaving the island due to the sudden return of the wind, a terrible storm unleashed by Poseidon arrives and wrecks the ship with his companions. Only Ulysses is saved on a beam and is tossed for seven days in the sea until he arrives on the island of Calypso.

After the sad tale of all his misadventures, Ulysses asks King Alcinous for a new ship and a crew to reach the now nearby Ithaca and the good king grants it to him. Arriving on the beloved island, Ulysses, since he hadn't seen it for twenty years, no longer recognizes anything about his homeland and immediately asks a shepherd for information about the place. The boy is none other than his protector [[Athena]] who, to put him to the test, asks him who he is. Ulysses, keeping his personal details hidden, tells him that he is an unfortunate sailor from [[Egypt]] and Athena praises him for his shrewdness, transforming him into an old beggar so that he is not immediately recognized by the inhabitants and family members, so that he can better plan his revenge. . When the boy is gone, Ulysses arrives in the house of [[Eumaeus]], the pig keeper and most trusted servant of Ulysses, who welcomes him amicably as tradition dictates to any guest, obviously not recognizing him. Ulysses is amazed by the goodness of the man and begins to ask questions about the fate of that unfortunate fighter who left for Troy and never returned home, leaving his wife and son desperate, who went in search of him. Eumaeus tells everything in detail and Ulysses, although tempted to show him who he really is, does not.

[[File:Odyssey (1968 miniseries) - Telemachus and Odysseus.png|thumb|The meeting between [[Odysseus|Ulysses]] and [[Telemachus]]]]

Meanwhile, Telemachus returns to the island of [[Pylos]] from [[Sparta]], more disheartened than ever, and lets the soothsayer [[Theoclymenus|Theoclimenus]] on board, convinced that he can tell him something about his father; by now Telemachus is willing to do anything and is ready to believe anyone's testimony. And in fact, getting that man on board proves to be an excellent action for Telemachus because Theoclimenus advises him to reverse the route to Ithaca, not passing through the Strait of [[Samos]], since a snare of suitors was waiting there. Telemachus arrives safely in Ithaca and goes at night to the house of Eumaeus where Ulysses is also waiting for him. Then the goddess Athena appears to the hero and tells him that now he can finally reveal himself to his trusted family members and the night ends with a tender and moving embrace between Ulysses and his son weeping with joy. The following day the three plan the way to enter the court, relying on the help of Eumaeus and Penelope, while the ship returns to the port with the suitors, more angry than ever for the failed coup.

Penelope is worried about her son's fate, but is reassured when she sees him appear safe and sound on the doorstep with Theoclimenus, and invites them to wash themselves and then eat. Refreshed, Telemachus approaches her mother, gently resting his head on her knee, and asks her what Ulysses was like before her birth. Happy, Penelope remembers when her husband, poorer than ever, came to her house to ask for her hand, although chased away by her future father-in-law. He, knowing that Penelope loved him secretly, went towards her chariot and the girl had chased him, begging him to let her up. The father, beside himself with rage, stood in front of the chariot, but Ulysses overtook him anyway, avoiding him and married Penelope. The episode ends with Theoclimenus who foretells the arrival of Ulysses in a few days and Eumaeus who leads his master Ulysses, always dressed as a beggar, to the court.

=== Seventh episode: Ulysses beggar at the court and the eve of the final competition ===
[[File:Odyssey (1968 miniseries) - Odysseus beggar.png|thumb|[[Odysseus|Ulysses]] appears in front of the [[Suitors of Penelope|suitors]] dressed as a beggar]]

Ulysses is accompanied by Eumaeus to the palace, but first he stops in front of an old and decrepit dog: it is [[Argos (dog)|Argos]], the dog loved by Ulysses, now dying, who recognizes his master, even after twenty years of absence, and finally dies happy. At the prompting of Athena, in his beggar's disguise, he approaches the suitors for alms. The welcome of the suitors is rude and cruel: they mock and insult him, not knowing what fate awaits them in a few days. The episode is one of the most characteristic of the entire work because there is a continuous connection of the narrative that passes both through the mouth of a male voiceover (as happened in the other episodes) and into the lips of muses in the guise of handmaids. Telemachus cannot endure for long the abuses of the suitors against his father who is even beaten by Antinous, leader of the suitors, when he approaches the latter for alms. As if that were not enough, the corpulent Arnaeus (known as [[Arnaeus|Irus]]) also arrives at the court, who boasts of being the strongest of all beggars and bullies Ulysses, fearing that the latter wants to steal his place. The suitors propose to make them fight by giving away a choice piece of roast meat and they head into the courtyard. At first it seems that Arnaeus is about to win but then the bully's blows awaken an ancient wrath in Ulysses' chest, who knocks him down with a single well-aimed blow on the jaw. Bleeding and staggering, Arnaeus falls to the ground and Ulysses places him in front of a column, with a stern warning not to challenge him any further or suffer a worse fate.

He is later summoned to meet with Penelope, to speak with the queen in private. Penelope is intrigued by that stranger and she would like to know more about him. However, Ulysses lies anyway and tells her that he is Aethon, brother of the Cretan king [[Idomeneus of Crete|Idomeneus]], sons of [[Minos]]. However, he claims to have known Ulysses, describing in every detail his cloak with the golden buckle depicting a dog tearing a deer. Penelope is amazed and even deludes herself to recognize her beggar as her husband, but Ulysses controls his emotions by reminding her that he is only a Minoan warrior who fell from grace after the Trojan War.

[[File:Odyssey (1968 miniseries) - Odysseus and the axes.png|thumb|[[Odysseus|Ulysses]] while placing the axes for the competition]]

[[Eurycleia of Ithaca|Eurycleia]], the oldest and wisest handmaid in the palace, is called to wash the beggar's feet and, going up to the knee, she recognizes a scar. This is the wound inflicted on the hero by a wild boar many years earlier during a hunting trip. The nurse has finally recognized her master, but he covers her mouth, fearing that she may, even if unwilling, ruin all her plans for revenge. Eurycleia is sworn to silence and Ulysses goes to the stables where a young cowherd is feeding a bullock: it is [[Philoetius (Odyssey)|Philoetius]], hired by Ulysses when he was a ten-year-old boy; not even he recognizes his master. Eumaeus, knowing everything, is equally silent.

The day long-awaited by suitors is approaching, that is the one in which Penelope will decide who will be the new husband and king of Ithaca; indeed, the rude suitors had not yet brought gifts for the queen and she, to buy time, had demanded that they bring them to her. On the same day as the delivery of the gifts, Penelope had ordered that a competition be organized with the [[Bow (weapon)|bow]] of Ulysses and her winner would become her new husband. Both Ulysses and Penelope pass the night before the appointed day sleepless; the first is strongly tempted to reveal himself to the bride, the other has a vision. Indeed, she imagines a large group of geese being mowed down by the arrival of a large eagle and she fears for joy and fear for the true arrival of her beloved husband.

The fateful day arrives and Penelope goes to take Ulysses' bow. It was believed that no one except the hero was able to stretch it, because the master had made it from the horns of an ox sacred to the gods and smeared it with grease every time before using it and always lifted the rope when he didn't need it. Telemachus also wants to register for the competition, to prevent one of the suitors from winning and holds the bow, but he is unable to pull the string. While Antinous prepares for the deed, he sees the beggar Ulysses placing side by side on a horizontal beam twelve axes with a large hole in the middle of the blade, so that there was a single and perfect invisible line between the holes of each blade.

=== Eight episode: victory of Ulysses and the recognition of Penelope ===
[[File:Odyssey (1968 miniseries) - Odysseus and Penelope.png|thumb|[[Odysseus|Ulysses]] together with [[Penelope]]]]

Antinous tries to draw the bow but it is impossible for him; the other suitors are also unsuccessful. Then Ulysses, in his beggar disguise, asks humbly to be able to try to thread the bow. All the suitors mock him for daring to be their equal, but Penelope steps in and gives him permission to do so. Ulysses skillfully draws the bow, shooting the arrow and making it pass through all the holes in the shutters. He then turns towards Antinous and kills him with an arrow to the side. The suitors are in a shock at his deed, then Ulysses strips off his rags and reveals himself to them, sending them in a panic. Eurymachus, the second foremost of the suitors, lays the blame on Antinous for being the instigator of wasting the palace resources and offers recompensation for everything they had consumed but Ulysses rejects his proposition and proceeds to shoot him and the other suitors. They begin to panic and try to escape his wrath but they are unable to, for the doors had been locked beforehand on Ulysses' orders. They do not even have a weapon to defend themselves: all of these had been sneaked away by Telemachus and Eumaeus the previous night. With the help of Telemachus and the loyal servants Eumaeus the swineherd and Philoetius the cowherd, Ulysses slaughters all suitors. Not even one is saved, and the maids who had betrayed the trust of Queen Penelope by consorting with the suitors are made to clean up the blood and gore and dispose of the bodies of the dead suitors before being punished themselves for their disloyalty by hanging.

Finally Ulysses has taken his revenge and is waiting for nothing but to go to the room of Penelope, who has witnessed terrified and amazed at the carnage. The woman is not yet fully convinced that the warrior is Ulysses, however she lets him into the room. The recognition occurs when Penelope proposes to move the nuptial bed, to which Ulysses replies that this is impossible, because that bed had been built by himself by carving it from a huge tree trunk, around which he had then built his palace. Penelope then has no more doubts and she embraces the groom crying and laughing with joy. Ulysses, moved by her, tells her all her misfortunes and with her he spends a long and happy night of love; in fact the [[Aurora (mythology)|Aurora]] prolongs the night by passing several days. The final part of the episode tells of the pacification, through the intercession of Mentor and Athena, between Ulysses and the relatives of the suitors, who are seeking vengeance for their deaths. When the clash between the two parties in the fields near Laertes' hut (where Ulysses had gone with his family) seems inevitable, at the urging of Mentor and Athena, Ulysses first lays down his arms, kneeling in a sense of respect for the relatives of the young dead, then the same is done by the father who led the opposing party, thus sanctioning the pacification.

==Cast==
{{colbegin}}
*[[Bekim Fehmiu]]: [[Odysseus]] (Ulisse)
*[[Irene Papas]]: [[Penelope]]
*[[Renaud Verley]]: [[Telemachus]] (Telemaco)
*[[Roy Purcell]]: [[Alcinous]] (Alcinoo)
*[[Marina Berti]]: [[Arete (mythology)|Arete]]
*[[Scilla Gabel]]: [[Helen of Troy|Helen]] (Elena)
*[[Barbara Bach]]: [[Nausicaa]]
*[[Juliette Mayniel]]: [[Circe]]
*[[Kyra Bester]]: [[Calypso (mythology)|Calypso]] (Calipso)
*[[Michèle Breton]]: [[Athena]] (Atena)
*Constantin Nepo: [[Antinous of Ithaca|Antinous]] (Antinoo)
*[[Ivica Pajer]]: [[Eurylochus of Same|Eurylochus]] (Euriloco)
*[[Samson Burke]]: [[Polyphemus]] (Polifemo)
*[[Fausto Tozzi]]: [[Menelaus]] (Menelao)
*[[Jaspar von Oertzen|Jaspar Von Oertzen]]: [[Nestor (mythology)|Nestor]] (Nestore)
*[[Franco Balducci]]: [[Mentor]] (Mentore)
*Husein Cokic: [[Eumaeus]] (Eumeo)
*Branko Kovacic: [[Laertes (father of Odysseus)|Laertes]] (Laerte)
*Vladimir Leib: [[Aeolus (Odyssey)|Aeolus]] (Eolo)
*[[Karl-Otto Alberty]]: [[Eurymachus]] (Eurimaco)
*Maurizio Tocchi: Leocritus (Leocrito)
*[[Ilija Ivezić]]: [[Ctesippus]] (Ctesippo)
*Petar Buntic: Filetor (Filettore)
*Duje Novakovic: [[Elpenor]] (Elpenore)
*Sime Jagarinac: Heraclius (Eraclio)
*Petar Dobric: [[Polites (friend of Odysseus)|Polites]] (Polite)
*[[Franco Fantasia]]: [[Mentes (King of the Taphians)|Mentes]] (Mente)
*Voyo Goric: [[Philoetius (Odyssey)|Philetius]] (Filezio)
*[[Luciano Rossi]]: [[Theoclymenus]] (Teoclimeno)
*[[Giulio Donnini]]: [[Tiresias]] (Tiresia)
*[[Bianca Doria]]: [[Anticlea]]
*[[Sergio Ferrero]]: [[Peisistratus of Pylos|Pisistratus]] (Pisistrato)
*[[Enzo Fiermonte]]: [[Demodocus (Odyssey character)|Demodocus]] (Demodoco)
*Stefanella Giovannini: [[Cassandra]]
*[[Peter Hinwood]]: [[Hermes]] (Ermete/Hermes)
*Miodrag Loncar: [[Arnaeus|Irus]] (Iro)
* Hrvoje Svob: [[Phemius]] (Femio)
* Giulio Cesare Tomei: [[Priam]] (Priamo)
* Rolf Boysen: [[Agamemnon]] (Agamennone)
* [[Gérard Herter]]: [[Laocoön]] (Laocoonte)
*Nona Medici: Iftime
* [[Mimmo Palmara]]: [[Achilles]] (Achille)
*[[Giancarlo Prete]]: [[Suitors of Penelope#List of Suitors of Penelope|Euryades]] (Euriade)
*Andrea Saric: [[Melantho]] (Melanto)
* [[Orso Maria Guerrini]]: [[Leodes]] (Leode)
*Ada Morotti: Cyane (Ciane)
*[[Laura Nucci]]: Antinoo's Mother
{{colend}}

==Production==
[[File:Scilla Gabel e Piero Schivazappa 02.jpg|thumb|Scilla Gabel (Helen) on set with the assistant director [[Piero Schivazappa]]]]
The miniseries was produced principally for broadcasting on the state televisions of Italy, Germany and France.<ref name="Cavallini2007">{{cite book|author=Eleonora Cavallini|title=Omero mediatico: aspetti della ricezione omerica nella civiltà contemporanea : atti delle giornate di studio, Ravenna, 18-19 gennaio 2006|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=O2ZiAAAAMAAJ|year=2007|publisher=D. U. Press|isbn=978-88-95451-05-3}}</ref> There are 8 episodes in the original version, running a total of 446 minutes. Each episode is preceded by an introduction in which poet [[Giuseppe Ungaretti]] read some verses of the original poem.<ref name="Giachery2012">{{cite book|author=Emerico Giachery|title=Ungaretti e il mito|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=mADp9jsjnLEC&pg=PA26|year=2012|publisher=Edizioni Nuova Cultura|isbn=978-88-6134-973-5|pages=26–}}</ref>

Special effects were designed by [[Mario Bava]] (who outright directed the [[Polyphemus]] episode)<ref name="Howarth2002">{{cite book|author=Troy Howarth|title=The Haunted World of Mario Bava|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Ac9VDwAAQBAJ&pg=PT325|year=2002|publisher=BearManor Media|pages=325–|id=GGKEY:X5Q62N9EWKC}}</ref> and [[Carlo Rambaldi]].<ref name="Buonanno2012">{{cite book|author=Milly Buonanno|title=Italian TV Drama and Beyond: Stories from the Soil, Stories from the Sea|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=OJs81Yn5FscC&pg=PA37|year=2012|publisher=Intellect Books|isbn=978-1-84150-459-9|pages=37–}}</ref>

The exteriors were shot entirely in Yugoslavia, which offered a scenery that was very similar to the lands of Ancient Greece.<ref name="Lupi">{{cite web |last1=Lupi |first1=Giordano |title=Odissea – Le avventure di Ulisse (Film Tv, 1969) |url=http://www.futuro-europa.it/21352/cultura/odissea-le-avventure-ulisse-film-tv-1969.html |date=16 October 2016|website=Futuro Europa |accessdate=26 December 2018}}</ref>

==Release==
The show ran on television in Europe between 1968 and 1970. In Italy alone, the episodes had an audience of over 16 million viewers. The entire television series was dubbed into English, ran several times on the TVO network in Ontario, Canada, and was broadcast in the US by CBS years later in 1978. An abridged theatrical version (running only 110 minutes) was released to European theatres as well, also available in English. However, the English dub was later lost. There are DVD editions however still available in Italian and German.

==Reception==
The adaptation is considered by some to be the most faithful rendering of Homer's epic on screen,<ref name="LovattVout2013">{{cite book|author1=Helen Lovatt|author2=Caroline Vout|title=Epic Visions: Visuality in Greek and Latin Epic and its Reception|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=fo2bBQAAQBAJ&pg=PA170|date=15 August 2013|publisher=Cambridge University Press|isbn=978-1-316-26499-7|pages=170–}}</ref> by including most of the characters and events, as well as by attempting to fill with graphic details.<ref name="RengerSolomon2012">{{cite book|author1=Almut-Barbara Renger|author2=Jon Solomon|title=Ancient Worlds in Film and Television: Gender and Politics|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=lTgyAQAAQBAJ&pg=PA205|date=13 November 2012|publisher=BRILL|isbn=978-90-04-24192-3|pages=205–}}</ref>

==See also==
* [[Eneide (TV serial)]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
*[https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0064750/ IMDB page]
*[http://www.superstrangevideo.com/gallery.asp?prodID=3161&prodTitle=Odissea Pictures]
*[https://www.raiplay.it/programmi/odissea/ The Odyssey] on [[RaiPlay]].

{{Odyssey navbox}}
{{Franco Rossi}}
{{Mario Bava}}
{{Rai original series}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Odyssey}}
[[Category:1960s Italian television miniseries]]
[[Category:1968 Italian television series debuts]]
[[Category:1968 Italian television series endings]]
[[Category:1960s French television miniseries]]
[[Category:1968 French television series debuts]]
[[Category:1968 French television series endings]]
[[Category:French drama television series]]
[[Category:Italian drama television series]]
[[Category:German drama television series]]
[[Category:Television series set in ancient Greece]]
[[Category:Television series based on classical mythology]]
[[Category:Films directed by Franco Rossi]]
[[Category:Films based on the Odyssey]]
[[Category:Films directed by Piero Schivazappa]]
[[Category:Films set in the Mediterranean Sea]]
[[Category:Television shows based on the Odyssey]]
[[Category:Agamemnon]]
[[Category:Cassandra]]
[[Category:Cultural depictions of Helen of Troy]]
[[Category:Cultural depictions of Achilles]]

The Odyssey (1997 miniseries)

2024-07-01T21:11:35Z

89.164.191.195: /* External links */

{{short description|1997 television miniseries directed by Andrei Konchalovsky}}
{{one source|date=January 2019}}
{{Infobox television
| image = Odyssey_NBC.jpg
| image_size =
| image_alt =
| caption = Poster with Calypso, Athena, and Penelope (left to right) below Odysseus
| genre =
| creator =
| based_on = {{based on|''[[Odyssey]]''|[[Homer]]}}
| writer = Andrei Konchalovsky
| screenplay =
| story =
| director = [[Andrei Konchalovsky]]
| starring = [[Armand Assante]] [[Greta Scacchi]] [[Isabella Rossellini]] [[Vanessa Williams]] [[Bernadette Peters]] Alan Stenson [[Eric Roberts]]
| narrated =
| composer = [[Eduard Artemyev]]
| country = United States
| language = English
| num_episodes =
| producer = [[Nicholas Meyer]] [[Francis Ford Coppola]] [[Dyson Lovell]]
| editor = Michael Ellis
| cinematography = Sergei Kozlov
| runtime = 176 minutes (2 parts)
| company = [[Halcyon Studios|Hallmark]] [[American Zoetrope]]
| budget =
| network = [[NBC]]
| first_aired = {{start date|1997|5|18}}
| last_aired = {{end date|1997|5|19}}
}}

'''''The Odyssey''''' is a 1997 American [[Greek mythology|mythology]]–[[adventure film|adventure]] [[miniseries|television miniseries]] based on the ancient Greek epic poem by [[Homer]], the ''[[Odyssey]]''. Directed by [[Andrei Konchalovsky]], the miniseries aired in two parts beginning on May 18, 1997, on [[NBC]]. It was filmed in [[Malta]], [[Turkey]], parts of England and many other places around the Mediterranean, where the story takes place. The cast includes [[Armand Assante]], [[Greta Scacchi]], [[Irene Papas]], [[Isabella Rossellini]], [[Bernadette Peters]], [[Eric Roberts]], [[Geraldine Chaplin]], [[Jeroen Krabbé]], [[Christopher Lee]] and [[Vanessa Williams]].

At the [[49th Primetime Emmy Awards]] the series won the award for [[Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Directing for a Limited Series, Movie, or Dramatic Special|Outstanding Directing for a Miniseries or Special]].<ref name="Winners/Nominees">{{cite web|url=http://www.emmys.com/awards/nominees-winners/1997|title=Emmys.com list of 1997 Nominees & Winners|website=emmys.com}}</ref>

==Plot==
===Part 1===
[[Odysseus]] ([[Armand Assante]]), the king of the ancient [[Ancient Greece|Greek]] kingdom of [[Homer's Ithaca|Ithaca]], is called to service in the [[Trojan War]] after the birth of his son [[Telemachus]], much to the dismay of his wife Queen [[Penelope]] ([[Greta Scacchi]]). Odysseus is worried that he may not return, and tells Penelope that she should remarry by the time Telemachus is a man if he does not return. The war lasts ten years, during which Greece's best soldier, [[Achilles]] (Richard Truett), is killed and the Greeks avenge him by using a [[Trojan Horse|giant horse]] to sneak inside and destroy the city of [[Troy]]. [[Laocoön|Laocoon]] ([[Heathcote Williams]]) tries to warn the Trojans of a vision of this, but is suddenly devoured by a [[sea monster]]. Odysseus' ego gets the best of him and he tells the [[Greek Gods|gods]] that he did it himself, which angers [[Poseidon]] (voiced by [[Miles Anderson]]) so much that he promises to make Odysseus' journey home to Penelope nearly impossible, mentioning that it was he who sent the sea monster to devour Laocoön.

Odysseus and his men initially stop on an island dominated by one-eyed giants, the [[Cyclops|Cyclopes]]. A gargantuan Cyclops named [[Polyphemus]] (Reid Asato) traps them in his cave intending to eat them, but Odysseus gets him drunk on wine, causing him to pass out. Then, he sharpens a tree branch into a stake and blinds Polyphemus, allowing them to escape by hiding under sheep skins when he removes the heavy stone door. Polyphemus screams for help, but Odysseus had tricked him into stating that his name was "[[Outis|Nobody]]", so the Cyclops is shouting that nobody has tricked him, arousing no suspicion. Odysseus and his men escape, but Odysseus brashly taunts the Cyclops who asks his father Poseidon to avenge him. This makes Odysseus' journey home harder.

Odysseus travels to an island where [[Aeolus]] ([[Michael J. Pollard]]) provides him with a bag of wind to help him home, instructing him to open it when he gets close to Ithaca. One of his men opens it prematurely, blowing them off course. Next, they stop at [[Aeaea|the island]] of [[Circe]] ([[Bernadette Peters]]), a beautiful witch, who turns his men into animals and blackmails him into sleeping with her. Odysseus is told of Circe's magic by [[Hermes]] (Freddy Douglas), who helps him avoid being transformed as well. Circe tells him to go to the [[Greek underworld|Underworld]] next, and only then does Odysseus realize that he has actually been tricked by Circe, who put a spell on him so he stayed on the island for five years instead of five days. Odysseus digs his ship out of the sand and tide and sails to the Underworld.

===Part 2===
Arriving at the Underworld, [[Tiresias]] ([[Christopher Lee]]) torments Odysseus, recognizing his courage and wit, but criticizing his ego and foolishness. After Odysseus sacrifices a goat into the River [[Styx]], Tiresias tells him that the only way home will take him past a treacherous isle where [[Scylla]] (sea monster) and [[Charybdis]] (tidal pool) live. As he is running in terror from the underworld, he meets his mother [[Anticlea]] ([[Irene Papas]]), who committed suicide due to the pain of losing her son. She informs him that back on Ithaca there are multiple suitors, including [[Eurymachus]] ([[Eric Roberts]]), vying with each other to marry Penelope for her money and power.

Odysseus' boat nears the isle of Scylla and Charybdis. Scylla's six serpentine heads wreak havoc on the crew, killing many. Everyone but Odysseus is killed when Charybdis creates a whirlpool and destroys his ship. Odysseus arrives on the island where the goddess [[Calypso (mythology)|Calypso]] ([[Vanessa Williams]]) lives. With no means of escape, he becomes trapped there as her prisoner. Meanwhile, Odysseus' now 15-year-old son Telemachus (Alan Stenson) tries to find his father and is told by [[Athena]] ([[Isabella Rossellini]]) to travel to [[Sparta]] and seek out one of his former comrades that fought with him. When Telemachus finds [[Menelaus]] ([[Nicholas Clay]]), one of Odysseus' comrades, he learns that Menelaus doesn't know what happened to Odysseus but believes him to be dead.

Two years later, Hermes arrives, telling Calypso to release Odysseus, and she provides him with a raft to get to Ithaca. Another storm causes problems for Odysseus as he calls out to Poseidon, who reminds Odysseus about what he said the day he left Troy, and to remember his place as a mere mortal. The next morning, Odysseus washes ashore and is found by some [[Scheria|Phaeacians]] girls. With help from Phaeacian King [[Alcinous]] ([[Jeroen Krabbé]]), they help Odysseus back to Ithaca. They deliver him at night while he is fast asleep, to a hidden harbor on Ithaca. Upon awakening the next morning, he finds himself on Ithaca where he is reunited with Telemachus. Using a peasant disguise provided by Athena, Odysseus meets up with Penelope where she decides to hold a contest to find the person who can string Odysseus' bow. After Odysseus wins the contest, Athena lifts his disguise and Odysseus is assisted by Telemachus in slaying Eurymachus and the suitors. Once the suitors are dead, Odysseus is finally reunited with Penelope.

==Cast==
{{Div col|colwidth=20em}}
* [[Armand Assante]] as [[Odysseus]]
* [[Greta Scacchi]] as [[Penelope]]
* [[Geraldine Chaplin]] as [[Eurycleia]]
* [[Jeroen Krabbé]] as [[Alcinous]]
* [[Christopher Lee]] as [[Tiresias]]
* [[Irene Papas]] as [[Anticlea]]
* [[Bernadette Peters]] as [[Circe]]
* [[Michael J. Pollard]] as [[Aeolus]]
* [[Eric Roberts]] as [[Eurymachus (Odyssey)|Eurymachus]]
* [[Isabella Rossellini]] as [[Athena]]
* [[Vanessa Williams]] as [[Calypso (mythology)|Calypso]]
* Alan Stenson as [[Telemachus]]
** Josh Maguire as Young [[Telemachus]]
* [[Yorgo Voyagis]] as King [[Agamemnon]]
* [[Nicholas Clay]] as King [[Menelaus|Meneleus]]
* [[William Houston (actor)|William Houston]] as [[Anticlus]]
* [[Ron Cook]] as [[Eurybates]]
* Michael Tezcan as [[Eurylochus (mythology)|Eurylochus]]
* [[Roger Ashton-Griffiths]] as [[Polites (friend of Odysseus)|Polites]]
* [[Alan Cox (actor)|Alan Cox]] as [[Elpenor|Elepner]]
* Adoni Anastasse as Perimides
* Stewart Thompson as [[Antiphus]]
* [[Paloma Baeza]] as [[Melantho (Odyssey)|Melanthe]]
* Reid Asato as [[Polyphemus]]
* Mark Hill as [[Orsilochus|Orsilicus]]
* [[Pat Kelman]] as [[Elatus]]
* [[Vincenzo Nicoli]] as [[Antinous son of Eupeithes|Antinous]]
* [[Tony Vogel]] as [[Eumaeus]]
* Sally Plumb as [[Arete (mythology)|Arete (Queen Alcinous)]]
* [[Katie Carr]] as [[Nausicaa]]
* Marius Combo as [[Agelaus]]
* Oded Levy as Leocrites
* Peter Page as [[Philoetius]]
* [[Heathcote Williams]] as [[Laocoön|Laocoon]], a soothsayer
* Richard Truett as [[Achilles]]
* [[Peter Woodthorpe]] as [[Mentor (Odyssey)|Mentor]]
* Derek Lea as [[Hector|Hektor]]
* Freddy Douglas as [[Hermes]]
* [[Miles Anderson]] as [[Poseidon]] (voice)
* Alan Smithie as King [[Priam]] of Troy
* [[Vernon Dobtcheff]] as [[Aegyptus|Aegyptius]]
{{div col end}}

==Filming==
===Special effects===
The creature effects for this miniseries were provided by [[Jim Henson's Creature Shop]] where they used a talking animatronic pig roasting on a spit, a CGI for [[Scylla]], a rod puppet sea slug-like [[sea monster]] that devours [[Laocoön]], and the full-bodied version of [[Polyphemus]].

The boat used in the series was reused a few years later for the ''[[Jason and the Argonauts (miniseries)|Jason and the Argonauts]]'' miniseries.

===Rating===
[[MPAA]] rated this film PG-13 for violent sequences and some sensuality.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0118414/parentalguide|title=The Odyssey's Rating|website=[[IMDb]] |access-date=July 21, 2012}}</ref>

==See also==
* [[Greek mythology in popular culture]]
* [[List of historical drama films]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
* {{IMDb title|id=0118414|title=The Odyssey}}
* {{Rotten Tomatoes|1075785-odyssey|The Odyssey}}

{{Andrei Konchalovsky}}
{{Odyssey navbox}}
{{Portal bar|1990s|Film|Ancient Greece|Myths|Television|United States}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Odyssey (miniseries), The}}
[[Category:1990s American television miniseries]]
[[Category:American Zoetrope films]]
[[Category:Sonar Entertainment miniseries]]
[[Category:Television series by American Zoetrope]]
[[Category:Television series by Halcyon Studios]]
[[Category:Films set in the Mediterranean Sea]]
[[Category:Greek and Roman deities in fiction]]
[[Category:Films based on works by Homer]]
[[Category:Films directed by Andrei Konchalovsky]]
[[Category:Films scored by Eduard Artemyev]]
[[Category:Films set in ancient Greece]]
[[Category:Films set in Greece]]
[[Category:Primetime Emmy Award-winning television series]]
[[Category:Television shows based on the Odyssey]]
[[Category:Australian action adventure films]]
[[Category:Agamemnon]]

The Odyssey (1997 miniseries)

2024-07-01T21:11:05Z

89.164.191.195:

{{short description|1997 television miniseries directed by Andrei Konchalovsky}}
{{one source|date=January 2019}}
{{Infobox television
| image = Odyssey_NBC.jpg
| image_size =
| image_alt =
| caption = Poster with Calypso, Athena, and Penelope (left to right) below Odysseus
| genre =
| creator =
| based_on = {{based on|''[[Odyssey]]''|[[Homer]]}}
| writer = Andrei Konchalovsky
| screenplay =
| story =
| director = [[Andrei Konchalovsky]]
| starring = [[Armand Assante]] [[Greta Scacchi]] [[Isabella Rossellini]] [[Vanessa Williams]] [[Bernadette Peters]] Alan Stenson [[Eric Roberts]]
| narrated =
| composer = [[Eduard Artemyev]]
| country = United States
| language = English
| num_episodes =
| producer = [[Nicholas Meyer]] [[Francis Ford Coppola]] [[Dyson Lovell]]
| editor = Michael Ellis
| cinematography = Sergei Kozlov
| runtime = 176 minutes (2 parts)
| company = [[Halcyon Studios|Hallmark]] [[American Zoetrope]]
| budget =
| network = [[NBC]]
| first_aired = {{start date|1997|5|18}}
| last_aired = {{end date|1997|5|19}}
}}

'''''The Odyssey''''' is a 1997 American [[Greek mythology|mythology]]–[[adventure film|adventure]] [[miniseries|television miniseries]] based on the ancient Greek epic poem by [[Homer]], the ''[[Odyssey]]''. Directed by [[Andrei Konchalovsky]], the miniseries aired in two parts beginning on May 18, 1997, on [[NBC]]. It was filmed in [[Malta]], [[Turkey]], parts of England and many other places around the Mediterranean, where the story takes place. The cast includes [[Armand Assante]], [[Greta Scacchi]], [[Irene Papas]], [[Isabella Rossellini]], [[Bernadette Peters]], [[Eric Roberts]], [[Geraldine Chaplin]], [[Jeroen Krabbé]], [[Christopher Lee]] and [[Vanessa Williams]].

At the [[49th Primetime Emmy Awards]] the series won the award for [[Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Directing for a Limited Series, Movie, or Dramatic Special|Outstanding Directing for a Miniseries or Special]].<ref name="Winners/Nominees">{{cite web|url=http://www.emmys.com/awards/nominees-winners/1997|title=Emmys.com list of 1997 Nominees & Winners|website=emmys.com}}</ref>

==Plot==
===Part 1===
[[Odysseus]] ([[Armand Assante]]), the king of the ancient [[Ancient Greece|Greek]] kingdom of [[Homer's Ithaca|Ithaca]], is called to service in the [[Trojan War]] after the birth of his son [[Telemachus]], much to the dismay of his wife Queen [[Penelope]] ([[Greta Scacchi]]). Odysseus is worried that he may not return, and tells Penelope that she should remarry by the time Telemachus is a man if he does not return. The war lasts ten years, during which Greece's best soldier, [[Achilles]] (Richard Truett), is killed and the Greeks avenge him by using a [[Trojan Horse|giant horse]] to sneak inside and destroy the city of [[Troy]]. [[Laocoön|Laocoon]] ([[Heathcote Williams]]) tries to warn the Trojans of a vision of this, but is suddenly devoured by a [[sea monster]]. Odysseus' ego gets the best of him and he tells the [[Greek Gods|gods]] that he did it himself, which angers [[Poseidon]] (voiced by [[Miles Anderson]]) so much that he promises to make Odysseus' journey home to Penelope nearly impossible, mentioning that it was he who sent the sea monster to devour Laocoön.

Odysseus and his men initially stop on an island dominated by one-eyed giants, the [[Cyclops|Cyclopes]]. A gargantuan Cyclops named [[Polyphemus]] (Reid Asato) traps them in his cave intending to eat them, but Odysseus gets him drunk on wine, causing him to pass out. Then, he sharpens a tree branch into a stake and blinds Polyphemus, allowing them to escape by hiding under sheep skins when he removes the heavy stone door. Polyphemus screams for help, but Odysseus had tricked him into stating that his name was "[[Outis|Nobody]]", so the Cyclops is shouting that nobody has tricked him, arousing no suspicion. Odysseus and his men escape, but Odysseus brashly taunts the Cyclops who asks his father Poseidon to avenge him. This makes Odysseus' journey home harder.

Odysseus travels to an island where [[Aeolus]] ([[Michael J. Pollard]]) provides him with a bag of wind to help him home, instructing him to open it when he gets close to Ithaca. One of his men opens it prematurely, blowing them off course. Next, they stop at [[Aeaea|the island]] of [[Circe]] ([[Bernadette Peters]]), a beautiful witch, who turns his men into animals and blackmails him into sleeping with her. Odysseus is told of Circe's magic by [[Hermes]] (Freddy Douglas), who helps him avoid being transformed as well. Circe tells him to go to the [[Greek underworld|Underworld]] next, and only then does Odysseus realize that he has actually been tricked by Circe, who put a spell on him so he stayed on the island for five years instead of five days. Odysseus digs his ship out of the sand and tide and sails to the Underworld.

===Part 2===
Arriving at the Underworld, [[Tiresias]] ([[Christopher Lee]]) torments Odysseus, recognizing his courage and wit, but criticizing his ego and foolishness. After Odysseus sacrifices a goat into the River [[Styx]], Tiresias tells him that the only way home will take him past a treacherous isle where [[Scylla]] (sea monster) and [[Charybdis]] (tidal pool) live. As he is running in terror from the underworld, he meets his mother [[Anticlea]] ([[Irene Papas]]), who committed suicide due to the pain of losing her son. She informs him that back on Ithaca there are multiple suitors, including [[Eurymachus]] ([[Eric Roberts]]), vying with each other to marry Penelope for her money and power.

Odysseus' boat nears the isle of Scylla and Charybdis. Scylla's six serpentine heads wreak havoc on the crew, killing many. Everyone but Odysseus is killed when Charybdis creates a whirlpool and destroys his ship. Odysseus arrives on the island where the goddess [[Calypso (mythology)|Calypso]] ([[Vanessa Williams]]) lives. With no means of escape, he becomes trapped there as her prisoner. Meanwhile, Odysseus' now 15-year-old son Telemachus (Alan Stenson) tries to find his father and is told by [[Athena]] ([[Isabella Rossellini]]) to travel to [[Sparta]] and seek out one of his former comrades that fought with him. When Telemachus finds [[Menelaus]] ([[Nicholas Clay]]), one of Odysseus' comrades, he learns that Menelaus doesn't know what happened to Odysseus but believes him to be dead.

Two years later, Hermes arrives, telling Calypso to release Odysseus, and she provides him with a raft to get to Ithaca. Another storm causes problems for Odysseus as he calls out to Poseidon, who reminds Odysseus about what he said the day he left Troy, and to remember his place as a mere mortal. The next morning, Odysseus washes ashore and is found by some [[Scheria|Phaeacians]] girls. With help from Phaeacian King [[Alcinous]] ([[Jeroen Krabbé]]), they help Odysseus back to Ithaca. They deliver him at night while he is fast asleep, to a hidden harbor on Ithaca. Upon awakening the next morning, he finds himself on Ithaca where he is reunited with Telemachus. Using a peasant disguise provided by Athena, Odysseus meets up with Penelope where she decides to hold a contest to find the person who can string Odysseus' bow. After Odysseus wins the contest, Athena lifts his disguise and Odysseus is assisted by Telemachus in slaying Eurymachus and the suitors. Once the suitors are dead, Odysseus is finally reunited with Penelope.

==Cast==
{{Div col|colwidth=20em}}
* [[Armand Assante]] as [[Odysseus]]
* [[Greta Scacchi]] as [[Penelope]]
* [[Geraldine Chaplin]] as [[Eurycleia]]
* [[Jeroen Krabbé]] as [[Alcinous]]
* [[Christopher Lee]] as [[Tiresias]]
* [[Irene Papas]] as [[Anticlea]]
* [[Bernadette Peters]] as [[Circe]]
* [[Michael J. Pollard]] as [[Aeolus]]
* [[Eric Roberts]] as [[Eurymachus (Odyssey)|Eurymachus]]
* [[Isabella Rossellini]] as [[Athena]]
* [[Vanessa Williams]] as [[Calypso (mythology)|Calypso]]
* Alan Stenson as [[Telemachus]]
** Josh Maguire as Young [[Telemachus]]
* [[Yorgo Voyagis]] as King [[Agamemnon]]
* [[Nicholas Clay]] as King [[Menelaus|Meneleus]]
* [[William Houston (actor)|William Houston]] as [[Anticlus]]
* [[Ron Cook]] as [[Eurybates]]
* Michael Tezcan as [[Eurylochus (mythology)|Eurylochus]]
* [[Roger Ashton-Griffiths]] as [[Polites (friend of Odysseus)|Polites]]
* [[Alan Cox (actor)|Alan Cox]] as [[Elpenor|Elepner]]
* Adoni Anastasse as Perimides
* Stewart Thompson as [[Antiphus]]
* [[Paloma Baeza]] as [[Melantho (Odyssey)|Melanthe]]
* Reid Asato as [[Polyphemus]]
* Mark Hill as [[Orsilochus|Orsilicus]]
* [[Pat Kelman]] as [[Elatus]]
* [[Vincenzo Nicoli]] as [[Antinous son of Eupeithes|Antinous]]
* [[Tony Vogel]] as [[Eumaeus]]
* Sally Plumb as [[Arete (mythology)|Arete (Queen Alcinous)]]
* [[Katie Carr]] as [[Nausicaa]]
* Marius Combo as [[Agelaus]]
* Oded Levy as Leocrites
* Peter Page as [[Philoetius]]
* [[Heathcote Williams]] as [[Laocoön|Laocoon]], a soothsayer
* Richard Truett as [[Achilles]]
* [[Peter Woodthorpe]] as [[Mentor (Odyssey)|Mentor]]
* Derek Lea as [[Hector|Hektor]]
* Freddy Douglas as [[Hermes]]
* [[Miles Anderson]] as [[Poseidon]] (voice)
* Alan Smithie as King [[Priam]] of Troy
* [[Vernon Dobtcheff]] as [[Aegyptus|Aegyptius]]
{{div col end}}

==Filming==
===Special effects===
The creature effects for this miniseries were provided by [[Jim Henson's Creature Shop]] where they used a talking animatronic pig roasting on a spit, a CGI for [[Scylla]], a rod puppet sea slug-like [[sea monster]] that devours [[Laocoön]], and the full-bodied version of [[Polyphemus]].

The boat used in the series was reused a few years later for the ''[[Jason and the Argonauts (miniseries)|Jason and the Argonauts]]'' miniseries.

===Rating===
[[MPAA]] rated this film PG-13 for violent sequences and some sensuality.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0118414/parentalguide|title=The Odyssey's Rating|website=[[IMDb]] |access-date=July 21, 2012}}</ref>

==See also==
* [[Greek mythology in popular culture]]
* [[List of historical drama films]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
* {{IMDb title|id=0118414|title=The Odyssey}}
* {{Rotten Tomatoes|1075785-odyssey|The Odyssey}}
* Hallmark Entertainment: The Odyssey

{{Andrei Konchalovsky}}
{{Odyssey navbox}}
{{Portal bar|1990s|Film|Ancient Greece|Myths|Television|United States}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Odyssey (miniseries), The}}
[[Category:1990s American television miniseries]]
[[Category:American Zoetrope films]]
[[Category:Sonar Entertainment miniseries]]
[[Category:Television series by American Zoetrope]]
[[Category:Television series by Halcyon Studios]]
[[Category:Films set in the Mediterranean Sea]]
[[Category:Greek and Roman deities in fiction]]
[[Category:Films based on works by Homer]]
[[Category:Films directed by Andrei Konchalovsky]]
[[Category:Films scored by Eduard Artemyev]]
[[Category:Films set in ancient Greece]]
[[Category:Films set in Greece]]
[[Category:Primetime Emmy Award-winning television series]]
[[Category:Television shows based on the Odyssey]]
[[Category:Australian action adventure films]]
[[Category:Agamemnon]]

The Odyssey (1997 miniseries)

2024-07-01T21:10:42Z

89.164.191.195:

{{short description|1997 television miniseries directed by Andrei Konchalovsky}}
{{one source|date=January 2019}}
{{Infobox television
| image = Odyssey_NBC.jpg
| image_size =
| image_alt =
| caption = Poster with Calypso, Athena, and Penelope (left to right) below Odysseus
| genre =
| creator =
| based_on = {{based on|''[[Odyssey]]''|[[Homer]]}}
| writer = Andrei Konchalovsky
| screenplay =
| story =
| director = [[Andrei Konchalovsky]]
| starring = [[Armand Assante]] [[Greta Scacchi]] [[Isabella Rossellini]] [[Vanessa Williams]] [[Bernadette Peters]] Alan Stenson [[Eric Roberts]]
| narrated =
| composer = [[Eduard Artemyev]]
| country = United States
| language = English
| num_episodes =
| producer = [[Nicholas Meyer]] [[Francis Ford Coppola]] [[Dyson Lovell]]
| editor = Michael Ellis
| cinematography = Sergei Kozlov
| runtime = 176 minutes (2 parts)
| company = [[Halcyon Studios|Hallmark]] [[American Zoetrope]]
| budget =
| network = [[NBC]]
| first_aired = {{start date|1997|5|18}}
| last_aired = {{end date|1997|5|19}}
}}

'''''The Odyssey''''' is a 1997 American [[Greek mythology|mythology]]–[[adventure film|adventure]] [[miniseries|television miniseries]] based on the ancient Greek epic poem by [[Homer]], the ''[[Odyssey]]''. Directed by [[Andrei Konchalovsky]], the miniseries aired in two parts beginning on May 18, 1997, on [[NBC]]. It was filmed in [[Malta]], [[Turkey]], parts of England and many other places around the Mediterranean, where the story takes place. The cast includes [[Armand Assante]], [[Greta Scacchi]], [[Irene Papas]], [[Isabella Rossellini]], [[Bernadette Peters]], [[Eric Roberts]], [[Geraldine Chaplin]], [[Jeroen Krabbé]], [[Christopher Lee]] and [[Vanessa Williams]].

At the [[49th Primetime Emmy Awards]] the series won the award for [[Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Directing for a Limited Series, Movie, or Dramatic Special|Outstanding Directing for a Miniseries or Special]].<ref name="Winners/Nominees">{{cite web|url=http://www.emmys.com/awards/nominees-winners/1997|title=Emmys.com list of 1997 Nominees & Winners|website=emmys.com}}</ref>

==Plot==
===Part 1===
[[Odysseus]] ([[Armand Assante]]), the king of the ancient [[Ancient Greece|Greek]] kingdom of [[Homer's Ithaca|Ithaca]], is called to service in the [[Trojan War]] after the birth of his son [[Telemachus]], much to the dismay of his wife Queen [[Penelope]] ([[Greta Scacchi]]). Odysseus is worried that he may not return, and tells Penelope that she should remarry by the time Telemachus is a man if he does not return. The war lasts ten years, during which Greece's best soldier, [[Achilles]] (Richard Truett), is killed and the Greeks avenge him by using a [[Trojan Horse|giant horse]] to sneak inside and destroy the city of [[Troy]]. [[Laocoön|Laocoon]] ([[Heathcote Williams]]) tries to warn the Trojans of a vision of this, but is suddenly devoured by a [[sea monster]]. Odysseus' ego gets the best of him and he tells the [[Greek Gods|gods]] that he did it himself, which angers [[Poseidon]] (voiced by [[Miles Anderson]]) so much that he promises to make Odysseus' journey home to Penelope nearly impossible, mentioning that it was he who sent the sea monster to devour Laocoön.

Odysseus and his men initially stop on an island dominated by one-eyed giants, the [[Cyclops|Cyclopes]]. A gargantuan Cyclops named [[Polyphemus]] (Reid Asato) traps them in his cave intending to eat them, but Odysseus gets him drunk on wine, causing him to pass out. Then, he sharpens a tree branch into a stake and blinds Polyphemus, allowing them to escape by hiding under sheep skins when he removes the heavy stone door. Polyphemus screams for help, but Odysseus had tricked him into stating that his name was "[[Outis|Nobody]]", so the Cyclops is shouting that nobody has tricked him, arousing no suspicion. Odysseus and his men escape, but Odysseus brashly taunts the Cyclops who asks his father Poseidon to avenge him. This makes Odysseus' journey home harder.

Odysseus travels to an island where [[Aeolus]] ([[Michael J. Pollard]]) provides him with a bag of wind to help him home, instructing him to open it when he gets close to Ithaca. One of his men opens it prematurely, blowing them off course. Next, they stop at [[Aeaea|the island]] of [[Circe]] ([[Bernadette Peters]]), a beautiful witch, who turns his men into animals and blackmails him into sleeping with her. Odysseus is told of Circe's magic by [[Hermes]] (Freddy Douglas), who helps him avoid being transformed as well. Circe tells him to go to the [[Greek underworld|Underworld]] next, and only then does Odysseus realize that he has actually been tricked by Circe, who put a spell on him so he stayed on the island for five years instead of five days. Odysseus digs his ship out of the sand and tide and sails to the Underworld.

===Part 2===
Arriving at the Underworld, [[Tiresias]] ([[Christopher Lee]]) torments Odysseus, recognizing his courage and wit, but criticizing his ego and foolishness. After Odysseus sacrifices a goat into the River [[Styx]], Tiresias tells him that the only way home will take him past a treacherous isle where [[Scylla]] (sea monster) and [[Charybdis]] (tidal pool) live. As he is running in terror from the underworld, he meets his mother [[Anticlea]] ([[Irene Papas]]), who committed suicide due to the pain of losing her son. She informs him that back on Ithaca there are multiple suitors, including [[Eurymachus]] ([[Eric Roberts]]), vying with each other to marry Penelope for her money and power.

Odysseus' boat nears the isle of Scylla and Charybdis. Scylla's six serpentine heads wreak havoc on the crew, killing many. Everyone but Odysseus is killed when Charybdis creates a whirlpool and destroys his ship. Odysseus arrives on the island where the goddess [[Calypso (mythology)|Calypso]] ([[Vanessa Williams]]) lives. With no means of escape, he becomes trapped there as her prisoner. Meanwhile, Odysseus' now 15-year-old son Telemachus (Alan Stenson) tries to find his father and is told by [[Athena]] ([[Isabella Rossellini]]) to travel to [[Sparta]] and seek out one of his former comrades that fought with him. When Telemachus finds [[Menelaus]] ([[Nicholas Clay]]), one of Odysseus' comrades, he learns that Menelaus doesn't know what happened to Odysseus but believes him to be dead.

Two years later, Hermes arrives, telling Calypso to release Odysseus, and she provides him with a raft to get to Ithaca. Another storm causes problems for Odysseus as he calls out to Poseidon, who reminds Odysseus about what he said the day he left Troy, and to remember his place as a mere mortal. The next morning, Odysseus washes ashore and is found by some [[Scheria|Phaeacians]] girls. With help from Phaeacian King [[Alcinous]] ([[Jeroen Krabbé]]), they help Odysseus back to Ithaca. They deliver him at night while he is fast asleep, to a hidden harbor on Ithaca. Upon awakening the next morning, he finds himself on Ithaca where he is reunited with Telemachus. Using a peasant disguise provided by Athena, Odysseus meets up with Penelope where she decides to hold a contest to find the person who can string Odysseus' bow. After Odysseus wins the contest, Athena lifts his disguise and Odysseus is assisted by Telemachus in slaying Eurymachus and the suitors. Once the suitors are dead, Odysseus is finally reunited with Penelope.

==Cast==
{{Div col|colwidth=20em}}
* [[Armand Assante]] as [[Odysseus]]
* [[Greta Scacchi]] as [[Penelope]]
* [[Geraldine Chaplin]] as [[Eurycleia]]
* [[Jeroen Krabbé]] as [[Alcinous]]
* [[Christopher Lee]] as [[Tiresias]]
* [[Irene Papas]] as [[Anticlea]]
* [[Bernadette Peters]] as [[Circe]]
* [[Michael J. Pollard]] as [[Aeolus]]
* [[Eric Roberts]] as [[Eurymachus (Odyssey)|Eurymachus]]
* [[Isabella Rossellini]] as [[Athena]]
* [[Vanessa Williams]] as [[Calypso (mythology)|Calypso]]
* Alan Stenson as [[Telemachus]]
** Josh Maguire as Young [[Telemachus]]
* [[Yorgo Voyagis]] as King [[Agamemnon]]
* [[Nicholas Clay]] as King [[Menelaus|Meneleus]]
* [[William Houston (actor)|William Houston]] as [[Anticlus]]
* [[Ron Cook]] as [[Eurybates]]
* Michael Tezcan as [[Eurylochus (mythology)|Eurylochus]]
* [[Roger Ashton-Griffiths]] as [[Polites (friend of Odysseus)|Polites]]
* [[Alan Cox (actor)|Alan Cox]] as [[Elpenor|Elepner]]
* Adoni Anastasse as Perimides
* Stewart Thompson as [[Antiphus]]
* [[Paloma Baeza]] as [[Melantho (Odyssey)|Melanthe]]
* Reid Asato as [[Polyphemus]]
* Mark Hill as [[Orsilochus|Orsilicus]]
* [[Pat Kelman]] as [[Elatus]]
* [[Vincenzo Nicoli]] as [[Antinous son of Eupeithes|Antinous]]
* [[Tony Vogel]] as [[Eumaeus]]
* Sally Plumb as [[Arete (mythology)|Arete (Queen Alcinous)]]
* [[Katie Carr]] as [[Nausicaa]]
* Marius Combo as [[Agelaus]]
* Oded Levy as Leocrites
* Peter Page as [[Philoetius]]
* [[Heathcote Williams]] as [[Laocoön|Laocoon]], a soothsayer
* Richard Truett as [[Achilles]]
* [[Peter Woodthorpe]] as [[Mentor (Odyssey)|Mentor]]
* Derek Lea as [[Hector|Hektor]]
* Freddy Douglas as [[Hermes]]
* [[Miles Anderson]] as [[Poseidon]] (voice)
* Alan Smithie as King [[Priam]] of Troy
* [[Vernon Dobtcheff]] as [[Aegyptus|Aegyptius]]
{{div col end}}

==Filming==

===Special effects===
The creature effects for this miniseries were provided by [[Jim Henson's Creature Shop]] where they used a talking animatronic pig roasting on a spit, a CGI for [[Scylla]], a rod puppet sea slug-like [[sea monster]] that devours [[Laocoön]], and the full-bodied version of [[Polyphemus]].

The boat used in the series was reused a few years later for the ''[[Jason and the Argonauts (miniseries)|Jason and the Argonauts]]'' miniseries.

===Rating===
[[MPAA]] rated this film PG-13 for violent sequences and some sensuality.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0118414/parentalguide|title=The Odyssey's Rating|website=[[IMDb]] |access-date=July 21, 2012}}</ref>

==See also==
* [[Greek mythology in popular culture]]
* [[List of historical drama films]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
* {{IMDb title|id=0118414|title=The Odyssey}}
* {{Rotten Tomatoes|1075785-odyssey|The Odyssey}}
* Hallmark Entertainment: The Odyssey

{{Andrei Konchalovsky}}
{{Odyssey navbox}}
{{Portal bar|1990s|Film|Ancient Greece|Myths|Television|United States}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Odyssey (miniseries), The}}
[[Category:1990s American television miniseries]]
[[Category:American Zoetrope films]]
[[Category:Sonar Entertainment miniseries]]
[[Category:Television series by American Zoetrope]]
[[Category:Television series by Halcyon Studios]]
[[Category:Films set in the Mediterranean Sea]]
[[Category:Greek and Roman deities in fiction]]
[[Category:Films based on works by Homer]]
[[Category:Films directed by Andrei Konchalovsky]]
[[Category:Films scored by Eduard Artemyev]]
[[Category:Films set in ancient Greece]]
[[Category:Films set in Greece]]
[[Category:Primetime Emmy Award-winning television series]]
[[Category:Television shows based on the Odyssey]]
[[Category:Australian action adventure films]]
[[Category:Agamemnon]]

Magic Kingdom of Landover

2024-07-01T20:08:49Z

89.164.191.195:

{{Short description|Fantasy fiction series by Terry Brooks}}
{{multiple issues|
{{more citations needed|date=October 2008}}
{{in-universe|date=October 2018}}
}}
{{Infobox book series
| name = The Magic Kingdom of Landover
| image = Magic Kingdom For Sale.jpg
| image_caption = The first edition cover to the first novel
| books = 1. ''[[Magic Kingdom for Sale—Sold!]]'' 2. ''[[The Black Unicorn]]'' 3. ''[[Wizard at Large]]'' 4. ''[[The Tangle Box]]'' 5. ''[[Witches' Brew (novel)|Witches' Brew]]'' 6. ''[[A Princess of Landover ]]''
| author = [[Terry Brooks]]
| editors =
| title_orig =
| translator =
| illustrator =
| cover_artist = [[Darrell K. Sweet]]
| country = [[United States]]
| language = [[English (language)|English]]
| discipline = [[Fantasy]]
| publisher = [[Del Rey Books]]
| pub_date = 1986–present
| english_pub_date =
| media_type = Print ([[hardcover]] and [[paperback]])
| number_of_books = 6
| list_books =
| oclc =
| preceded by =
| followed by =
| website =
}}
The '''''Magic Kingdom of Landover''''' is a series of six fantasy novels by [[Terry Brooks]] following the adventures of a former [[trial lawyer]] named Ben Holiday, who purchases a magical kingdom.

The novels are set in a fictional world known as '''Landover''' that is populated with numerous magical and fairy creatures. Its name is a reference to the song "[[Over the Rainbow|land over the rainbow]]" from [[The Wizard of Oz (1939 film)|The Wizard of Oz]]. Landover is described as a small world, surrounded on all sides by fairy mists which connect it to many other worlds, including Earth. Landover is a rural kingdom, populated by humans, [[gnome]]s, [[kobolds]], and various other fantasy creatures, all of whom speak the fictional language of "Landoverian" – which the protagonist can speak through magical means – and who often form separate societies. Their rulers, while answerable to the king, are allowed a certain degree of [[autonomy]]. Also inhabiting the land are the characters of [[#Strabo|Strabo]], a dragon, and the witch [[#Nightshade|Nightshade]].

Landover is protected by the [[#The Paladin|Paladin]], a magical [[knight]] who is a projection of its rulers. In the absence of a worthy ruler, the Paladin disappears, and Landover falls prey to a physical decay known as "the Tarnish", which slowly spreads from the king's castle ([[#Sterling Silver|Sterling Silver]]) to the rest of the kingdom. The Paladin is one of the few magics in the land that can stand up against that of Strabo or Nightshade.

==The books==
===''Magic Kingdom for Sale—Sold!'' (1986)===
{{Main|Magic Kingdom for Sale—Sold!}}
The first novel is about the main character, Ben Holiday, and his discovery of an ad offering the kingship of a magic kingdom named Landover. He is soon crowned king but must deal with a host of problems to solidify his throne.

===''The Black Unicorn'' (1987)===
{{Main|The Black Unicorn}}
In the second novel, Holiday is disguised, supposedly by magic used by the evil wizard [[#Meeks|Meeks]]. He must figure out how to restore himself to the throne, meanwhile saving [[#Willow|Willow]] in her dangerous quest to find the Black Unicorn.

===''Wizard at Large'' (1988)===
{{Main|Wizard at Large}}
The third novel tells of [[#Abernathy|Abernathy]] being accidentally transported to Earth by one of [[#Questor Thews|Questor's]] ill-conceived spells. Meanwhile, a demonic imp is unleashed upon Landover; Ben and his friends must find a way to get back Abernathy and stop the evil creature.

===''The Tangle Box'' (1994)===
{{Main|The Tangle Box}}
An inept conjurer/conman, Horris Kew, accidentally releases upon Landover an evil creature called the Gorse. The creature soon imprisons Ben, the dragon Strabo, and the witch Nightshade in a device known as the Tangle Box. They must find a way out while Ben's allies find a way to handle the new threat from the Gorse.

===''Witches' Brew'' (1995)===
{{Main|Witches' Brew (novel)}}
A usurper who claims to be from another world calls for Ben's abdication from the throne, and begins to send evil, magic creatures against him. Meanwhile, Nightshade kidnaps Ben and Willow's daughter, Mistaya, in a dangerous attempt to subvert her and use her innate magic. Meanwhile, Questor and Abernathy are stuck back in Earth to meet up with an old friend, leaving Ben and Willow alone to deal with the new threat.

===''A Princess of Landover'' (2009)===
{{Main|A Princess of Landover}}
Ben Holiday, Chicago lawyer and mere mortal turned monarch of enchanted Landover, has grappled with scheming barons, fire-breathing beasts, diabolical conjurers, and extremely wicked witches. None of whom have prepared him for the most daunting of challengers: a teenage daughter. Sent by Ben and his beloved sylph bride, Willow, to an exclusive girls' prep school, headstrong (and half-magical) Mistaya Holiday has found life in the natural world a less-than-perfect fit. When her latest rebellious antics get her indefinitely suspended, she's determined to resume her real education – learning sorcery from court wizard Questor Thews – whether her parents like it or not.

Back home in Landover, Mistaya's frustrated father is just as determined that the precocious princess learn some responsibility, and he declares her grounded until she successfully refurbishes the long-forsaken royal library. Mortified by the prospect of salvaging a king's ransom in moldy books – and horrified by the word that the repulsive local nobleman Lord Laphroig seeks to marry her – Mistaya decides that the only way to run her own life is to run away from home.

=== Untitled final book ===
A seventh novel is planned that will be the final novel in the series. As of 2021 it is untitled.<ref name="books">{{cite web | url=http://terrybrooks.net/2015/02/books/ | title=Books | date=10 February 2015 | publisher=Terry Brooks | accessdate=19 April 2015}}</ref>

Author Terry Brooks has said in a Reddit AMA from June 2018 that the final book will be written in 2020 and published in 2021.<ref>{{cite web |title=Terry Brooks Reddit AMA |url=https://www.reddit.com/r/Fantasy/comments/8qauxk/i_am_terry_brooks_author_of_the_shannara_series/e0idi5u/}}</ref> Brooks said that any final plans to write and publish the final book were dependent on the release of a Landover film adaptation.<ref>{{cite web |title=Terry Brooks Reddit AMA |url=https://terrybrooks.net/2016/02/december-ask-terry-posted-6/}}</ref>

==Short stories==
In March 2021, two short stories, "An Unfortunate Influx of Filipinas" and "Don't Tell Dad", were published in the short story collection ''Small Magic''.

==Major characters==
===Ben Holiday===
Once a successful trial lawyer in [[Chicago, Illinois|Chicago]], Ben's life takes a dramatic change when his wife Annie and their unborn child are killed in a traffic accident. Ben sinks into depression and no longer gains fulfillment through the law firm he established with his best friend, Miles Bennett. Seeing a Christmas catalog advertising a fairytale kingdom for sale, he purchases it for $1,000,000 in a desperate hope to find something meaningful again. The kingdom, called Landover, turns out to be real and in need of a true king to restore it to its previous splendor. Ben is challenged at every step by a number of characters, all with seemingly different motives. He is eventually able to gain the respect of the citizens of Landover and establish himself as the true High Lord.

===Questor Thews===
Questor is the court magician, and one of Ben's most trusted friends and advisors. He is the half-brother of the wizard Meeks, though Questor has taken a different path in his life, choosing to serve Landover and its king, rather than trying to control them. Frequently described by Ben as looking like a "scarecrow", with "patchwork robes", Questor's command of his magic is somewhat questionable, as his spells frequently backfire or have unintended consequences. Questor was responsible for transforming Abernathy into a [[Wheaten Terrier]] to disguise him from Michel Ard Rhi, the old king's son, but has not been able to turn him back. Despite his many mistakes, he has fought with the dragon Strabo and come out the victor (if only once, due to an emergency, and winning via a non-ending itch; this was, however, after a fair amount of fighting beforehand, including quite an ice storm that he summoned upon Strabo, and some rather odd misfires, such as a rain of flowers).

===Meeks===
Meeks is the half-brother of Questor, and the one responsible for selling Ben the magic kingdom. He appears as a grizzled old man missing his right arm and is in fact a powerful wizard. Meeks came into possession of the medallion that identifies the kings of Landover and developed a scheme to repeatedly sell the kingdom with it. A buyer would purchase the medallion for access to Landover, and then when the victim either abandoned the kingship as too difficult or was killed, Meeks would retrieve the medallion and re-sell the kingdom. His plans were thwarted by Ben Holiday when Ben was able to successfully claim lordship of Landover and cut Meeks off from the kingdom.

===Abernathy===
Abernathy is the court scribe, and one of Ben's closest friends. Questor Thews turned Abernathy into a [[Wheaten Terrier]], previous to Ben Holiday's arrival, to escape the cruelties of the old king's son. Questor however did not possess enough magical knowledge to return Abernathy to his human form, and Abernathy has not let Questor forget that fact. As the scribe, Abernathy is responsible for the day-to-day business at the castle, a task he excels at through his studious and thorough nature. Abernathy's natural tendency to be overcautious helps to balance the impetuousness of Ben, and the unpreparedness of Questor.

===Willow===
Willow is a [[sylph]] and Ben's wife. She is the daughter of the River Master and a wood elemental, giving her pale-green skin and emerald hair. Her dual nature is reflected in the fact that she must transform into a [[Willow tree]] once every 21 days to maintain her life force. She has a tense and distant relationship with her father, as her existence serves as a permanent reminder to him of the brief relationship that he desires to reclaim, but never can. It is to her mother that she turns for guidance.

===Mistaya===
The daughter of Ben and Willow, who, in ''The Princess of Landover'', took over her father's role as the main protagonist. Growing magically fast into a teenager, she wants nothing to do with her father's plans to give her a normal childhood and a grounding in reality, preferring instead a life of magic and adventure. This repeatedly gets her into trouble. The magical creatures of Landover often come to her rescue, as they believe she has a great and miraculous destiny ahead of her.

===Bunion and Parsnip===
Bunion and Parsnip are two [[kobolds]] who live in the castle and carry out the day-to-day chores. They act as groundskeeper and cook respectively, and are also competent fighters and bodyguards. Their appearance is similar to large-eared [[monkey]]s with mouths full of sharp teeth. They do not speak, but instead communicate through gestures, hisses and other vocalizations. The kobolds are fairy creatures that had come out of the mists surrounding Landover and have pledged their lives to the service of the throne of Landover.

===Fillip and Sot===
Fillip and Sot are G'home Gnomes and brothers. Nigh inseparable, they always travel together and become semi-frequent companions of Ben's. Being incorrigible thieves, G'home Gnomes are considered pests by the majority of Landover's community, but once Ben was able to prove his kingship, Fillip and Sot have proved loyal to him, if a bit of a nuisance. They have a tendency to trade on their relationship with Ben to circumvent the standard legal process and take their innumerable complaints directly to Ben himself.

The G'home Gnomes earned their tribal name at some unspecified point in Landover's past. When they first arrived, and the residents of Landover had learned of their [[kleptomaniac]] tendencies, members of the tribe were met with the wish/phrase "Go home, Gnome" by the general populace, expressing the general wish that they would all go home to wherever it was they came from. Over time this got abbreviated to "G'home Gnome" and eventually the wish became the name by which the tribe was known.

===River Master===
The River Master is the lord of the Lake Country and the fairy folk that live in Elderew. He was originally a creature of fairy, but now lives apart from the mists. He is a gifted healer, and by his magic the Lake Country is kept healthy while the rest of Landover succumbs to the Tarnish. He is Willow's father, though their relationship is strained. He yearns to possess Willow's mother, a wood sprite, but cannot. This, combined with the fact that Willow will go to her mother and not him when she needs help, has resulted in a very cool relationship between father and daughter.

===Nightshade===
Nightshade is a powerful witch who lives in the Deep Fell. She is one of the primary antagonists to Ben, along with Strabo the dragon. She possesses great magic, since she is from the fairy world, but has always used that power for greed and torture, which was why she was cast out of the mists and forbidden reentry. Later in the series she is sent to Earth by Haltwhistle the Mud-Puppy in defense of Mistaya. In crow form she is trapped in an aviary, but mysteriously disappears at the end of the latest novel.

===Strabo===
Strabo is a dragon who lives in the desolate Fire Springs region. He is a solitary creature, the last of his kind, and is a frequent rival to Ben in his duties as king. He is one of the few powerful creatures of magic in the valley, along with Nightshade, although in ''Tangle Box'' and ''Witches' Brew'' he has proved to be not as evil as Nightshade. He is honorable in his word. He has the ability to fly through the fairy mists into other worlds, such as Earth, and is fond of Willow's singing voice.

===The Paladin===
The Paladin is the king's champion and defender. His image is engraved on the medallion of the kings, and only a true king can summon the Paladin to fight for him. In truth, the Paladin is the spirit of an immortal warrior that resides within the medallion and is channeled through the king when needed. The secret of the Paladin is known only to the king of Landover, but in the latter parts of ''Witches' Brew'', Ben confesses to Willow the relationship between himself and the Paladin.

==Minor characters==
* The Iron Mark is the leader of the demons of [[#Abaddon|Abaddon]]. He appears to be human in shape, yet he stands at least eight feet tall. Whenever he is seen he is totally covered in black armor with serpents carved on it. The armor is scarred and battered, with serrated spines running down the Mark's limbs and back. His helmet has a death's head, and through its slits can be seen his eyes glimmering a bright crimson. He carries many weapons, and the severed heads of his enemies hang about his neck. He rides a winged demon that appears to be half snake and half wolf.

:The demons of [[#Abaddon|Abaddon]] are exiled from the fairy world, and would like to return to it. The only way for them to do so is through Landover, making them feel the need to conquer it. Before the coming of [[#Ben Holiday|Ben Holiday]], the Mark had proclaimed himself King of Landover, and repeatedly challenged the holders of the medallion to single combat. Since his defeat by [[#Ben Holiday|Ben Holiday]] and [[#The Paladin|the Paladin]] he has refused to openly fight against them again.
* Earth Mother is a creature of fairy and the [[personification]] of nature in Landover. She briefly intervenes during the events of ''The Black Unicorn'' to point Ben in the right direction to find Willow. She recognizes an importance in the relationship between the two and makes Ben promise that he will protect Willow above all else.
* Edgewood Dirk is a fairy creature known as a Prism Cat, appearing as an ordinary cat but with the ability to speak, and to refocus light and energy through its body. When Ben is tricked by Meeks into believing he has lost the medallion and control of the kingdom, Dirk is sent by the fairies to guide Ben toward the truth and provide a measure of protection. Dirk is aloof and makes frequent reference to the indifference of cats to the problems of the rest of the world.
* Miles Bennett: Ben's partner in his old law firm in Chicago. Miles's calm demeanor provides a balance to Ben's impetuousness and aggressiveness. Miles refers to Ben Holiday as "Doc" for his clever legal maneuvering in the courtroom, a reference to [[gunfighter]] [[Doc Holliday]].
* Michel Ard Rhi is the son of the previous king of Landover, now deceased. He was the one who schemed with Meeks to repeatedly sell the kingdom to unwary victims. He is also indirectly the reason for Abernathy being a dog, as Questor transformed him one day to save him from Ard Rhi's wrath.
* Haltwhistle: A Mud Puppy given to Mistaya Holiday by the Earth Mother as a gift of protection. He features quite briefly, though his actions are important to the plots of the novel. He has no offensive magic, but can deflect offensive magics as if to use them for himself. He possesses strong defensive magic.

==Locations==
===Abaddon===
Abaddon is a netherworld that lies beneath Landover. Having no sun, moon, or stars, its sky is black, and the mountainous landscape of jagged peaks and deep gorges is lit only by the glow of molten lava and a strange white light that dances on the horizon. The demons of Abaddon are the worst exiles driven from the fairy world, and they are ruled over by the most powerful demon, called [[#Minor characters|the Iron Mark]].

===The Deep Fell===
The Deep Fell is the home of Nightshade the witch. It is a vast [[sinkhole]] in the northwest part of Landover. The Deep Fell is connected to the fairy mists, and the G'home Gnomes sometimes sneak into the fell to scout for items to [[Theft|pilfer]].

===Elderew===
Elderew is the main city of the Lake Country people, and home of the River Master. It is surrounded by a dense marsh that can only be penetrated either way with the River Master's help. Inside the marsh is an open-air [[amphitheater]] where the fairy people hold their celebrations and festivals. The city itself is built into a group of huge trees, twice the size of [[California redwood]] trees, extending from ground to treetops. The cottages and shops of the city are connected by a network of tree lanes and stairways.

===Moons of Landover===
Landover possesses eight [[moons]], each one a different color: white, peach, pale mauve, burnt rose, sea green, beryl, turquoise, and jade. Two of the moons, peach and pale mauve, are visible during daylight hours, with the rest being only visible after dusk. The moons rise and set like normal satellites. During certain rare times of the year all eight moons are visible in the night sky at once. About every other month there is a new-moon phase, when some of the eight moons are below the horizon and the rest are in their dark phase, leaving the nighttime sky lit only by the stars.

===Sterling Silver===
Sterling Silver is the name of the castle that serves as the home of the king of Landover. The castle itself is a living entity, personified as female. It sits on a small island surrounded by a lake, accessible (early in the first novel) only by a magical boat called the lake skimmer. After Ben became High Lord, he had the bridge across the lake rebuilt to allow more open access to the castle. As a magical entity, the castle is responsive to the moods and feelings of the king, and he in turn can sense the energy coming from its walls. One of the towers also holds the Landsview, a magical chamber that allows a user to instantly see any part of Landover as if rapidly flown there. In the absence of a king, the castle begins to fall victim to a form of physical decay, called the Tarnish. If unchecked, the Tarnish will eventually consume the castle and spread out into the whole of Landover.

== References ==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
* [http://www.terrybrooks.net/ The official Terry Brooks website]

{{Terry Brooks}}

[[Category:Magic Kingdom of Landover| ]]
[[Category:Book series introduced in 1986]]
[[Category:Fantasy novel series]]
[[Category:High fantasy novels]]
[[Category:Portal fantasy]]

Magic Kingdom for Sale—Sold!

2024-07-01T19:52:38Z

89.164.191.195:

{{Short description|1986 fantasy novel by Terry Brooks}}
{{Refimprove|date=September 2007}}
{{Infobox book | 
| name = Magic Kingdom for Sale—Sold!
| title_orig =
| translator =
| image = Magic Kingdom For Sale.jpg
| caption = Paperback cover
| author = [[Terry Brooks]]
| illustrator =
| cover_artist = [[Darrell K. Sweet]]
| country = United States
| language = English
| series = ''[[Magic Kingdom of Landover]]''
| subject =
| genre = [[Fantasy literature|Fantasy]], quest
| publisher = [[Del Rey Books]]
| release_date = March 12, 1986
| english_release_date =
| media_type = Print ([[hardcover]], [[mass market paperback]]) Audio (abridged)
| pages = 384 (mass market paperback)
| isbn = 0-345-31758-0
| isbn_note = (mass market paperback)
| oclc = 15508892
| preceded_by =
| followed_by = [[The Black Unicorn]]
}}

'''''Magic Kingdom for Sale—Sold!''''' is a fantasy novel by American writer [[Terry Brooks]], the first in his ''[[Magic Kingdom of Landover]]'' series. Written in 1986, it tells the story of how [[Magic Kingdom of Landover#Ben Holiday|Ben Holiday]], a talented but depressed Chicago trial lawyer, comes to be king of Landover, an otherworldly magical kingdom. The book was re-released as part of a ''Landover'' omnibus in 2009.

==Plot summary==
The novel begins with Ben Holiday, a trial lawyer from [[Chicago]], lamenting the loss of his wife and unborn child in a car accident. He finds an advertisement in an upscale Christmas catalog claiming to offer a magical kingdom for one million dollars by a man named Mr. Meeks. Although skeptical, Ben pursues the offer out of a desperate need to start a new life.

Ben receives a magical medallion and is transported through a swirling mist to the kingdom of Landover. He learns that Landover is a world that connects many other worlds such as Earth. It is surrounded by the Fairy Mist wherein reside creatures of Fairy that created Landover and guard the passages to these worlds. He finds it not exactly as described. He soon finds that Landover has not had a true king in twenty years. The son of the last king did not wish to take up the throne and escaped with the court wizard, Meeks, to Earth. They have been selling the throne to dozens of people in the past two decades, but no one has been able to face the challenge and successfully complete so much as a few months as king. Further, kings of Landover used to be protected by a magical knight called the Paladin, but he has not been seen since the last king's death.

Further, Ben has only four loyal subjects. The court wizard is a hack named Questor Thews, who is also Meeks' half-brother. Abernathy is the court scribe, who was transformed into a large dog by one of Questor's spells gone awry. Finally, two creatures called Kobolds, Bunion and Parsnip, serve Ben as caretakers of the castle and as protection against the wild creatures of the kingdom.

Ben's coronation is barely attended, so he decides to travel the land to gain the pledges of the local rulers. He travels first to meet with the Lords of the Greensward, the most prominent landowners in the kingdom. They agree to serve Ben only on the condition that he rid them of Strabo, a dragon that ravages their countryside.

Next Ben visits the River Master and the Fairy fold of Elderew, a city of outcasts from the Fairy Mists. The River Master also places conditions on his pledge, requiring Ben to stop the Lords of the Greensward from polluting their rivers. In the river country Ben stumbles upon a sylph named Willow. She is also a fairy creature who turns into a tree some evenings. She claims that the Fairies have foretold that she will marry Ben. Though he initially rebuffs her, he finds himself falling in love with her over time.

Ben is entreated by Fillip and Sot, two of a race of thievish "G'Home Gnomes" to rescue some of their people from a clan of trolls. They manage to do so, but barely escape with their lives. They finally decide to ask for the help of the witch Nightshade, and travel to her home in the marshes known as the Deep Fell. She tells Ben to enter the Fairy Mists, where he may be able to obtain mind-controlling Io Powder to use on Strabo. Ben does so and endures a series of frightening trials by the Fairy creatures to obtain the powder. Emerging from the mists, he finds that Nightshade has used her magic to banish all of his companions to Abbadon, Landover's underworld. Nightshade attempts to trick Ben out of his Io Powder, but Ben uses some of the substance on the witch and sends her to an uncertain fate in the Fairy Mists.

Ben travels to the Fire Springs to confront Strabo, and is surprised to find the dragon to be sentient and rather well-spoken, if still vicious. Ben uses the Io Powder on Strabo, and rides him to Abaddon to rescue his friends with the help of two g'home gnomes. He also extracts a promise from the dragon to stay out of the Greensward.

Finally, Ben is challenged by the Mark, lord of Abaddon, to a duel for the throne. Ben's medallion responds during the fight and transforms Ben into the Paladin, allowing him to subdue the demon. The challenge is witnessed by the leaders from the Greensward, Elderew, and the Troll tribes, who then swear their allegiance. Ben Holiday, King of Landover, then sets about to restore Landover to its former glory.

==Film, TV or theatrical adaptations==
The rights to sell a film based on this book have been bounced around since the 1980s, but as of April 2010, the film was said to be as active,<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0466061/ |title=Magic Kingdom for Sale |publisher=[[IMDb]]}}</ref> though it is still unclear if the film will eventually see screening. Although the film is seen as in production, actors have not even been talked about. Brooks was in negotiations with Hollywood execs, per his monthly letter at terrybrooks.net.

Previous plans for adding two children to the screen play have been dropped according to Terry Brooks because of the lack of a real story arc for each character.

The option to produce the film reverted to Brooks in July 2010.

In January 2012, Brooks issued a statement on terrybrooks.net in a blog entry titled "Hollywood Is Going to Landover", indicating that the option for a Hollywood produced ''Magic Kingdom for Sale—Sold!'' film had been granted to Warner Brothers Studios.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.terrybrooks.net/2012/01/brooksblog-hollywood-is-going-to-landover/ |title=BrooksBlog: Hollywood Is Going to Landover |date=30 January 2012 |publisher=Terry Brooks - Website of author Terry Brooks}}</ref>

==Reception==
J. Michael Caparula reviewed ''Magic Kingdom for Sale...Sold!'' in ''[[The Space Gamer|Space Gamer/Fantasy Gamer]]'' No. 80.<ref name="SG">{{cite journal|last=Caparula |first=J. Michael |date=October–November 1987 |title=Space/Fantasy Reader|journal=[[The Space Gamer|Space Gamer/Fantasy Gamer]] |issue=80 |pages=42–43}}</ref> Caparula commented that "I think Brooks could have done better, considering that his ''Shannara'' novels at least benefited from a colorful world setting".<ref name="SG"/>

==Reviews==
* Review by John C. Bunnell (1986) in ''[[Dragon (magazine)|Dragon Magazine]]'', July 1986<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.isfdb.org/cgi-bin/title.cgi?1593|title = Title: Magic Kingdom for Sale—Sold!}}</ref>
* Review by Mark W. Antonoff (1986) in ''[[Science Fiction Review]]'', Fall 1986
* Review by Baird Searles (1986) in ''[[Isaac Asimov's Science Fiction Magazine]]'', October 1986
* Review by Andy Sawyer (1986) in ''Paperback Inferno'', #62
* Review by Barbara Davies (1986) in ''[[Vector (magazine)|Vector]]'' 135
* Review by Phyllis McDonald (1988) in ''[[Interzone (magazine)|Interzone]]'', #24, Summer 1988

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
* [http://www.terrybrooks.net/ The official Terry Brooks website]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20060510170241/http://www.terrybrooks.net/novels/landover/kingdom.html ''Magic Kingdom for Sale—Sold!'' page of Terry Brooks' website]
* {{imdb-title|0466061|Magic Kingdom for Sale}}

{{Terry Brooks}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Magic Kingdom For Sale - Sold!}}
[[Category:1986 American novels]]
[[Category:1986 fantasy novels]]
[[Category:American fantasy novels]]
[[Category:Del Rey books]]
[[Category:Magic Kingdom of Landover]]

A Princess of Landover

2024-07-01T17:23:36Z

89.164.191.195:

{{Infobox book
| name = A Princess of Landover
| image = File:A Princess of Landover.jpg
| caption = First edition US book cover
| author = [[Terry Brooks]]
| country = United States
| language = English
| series = ''[[Magic Kingdom of Landover]]''
| genre = [[Fantasy novel]]
| publisher = [[Del Rey Books]] (US) [[Orion Publishing Group|Orion]] (UK)
| release_date = US: August 18, 2009<ref name="webref3">{{cite web | url = https://www.amazon.com/dp/0345458524 | title = Amazon product page for ''A Princess of Landover''}}</ref> UK: September 3, 2009
| pages = 352 pp
| isbn = 0-345-45852-4
| preceded_by = [[Witches' Brew (novel)|Witches' Brew]]
| followed_by =
}}

'''''A Princess of Landover''''' by [[Terry Brooks]] is the sixth novel of the ''[[Magic Kingdom of Landover]]'' series.

==Publication==
''A Princess of Landover'' was published in hardcover in the United States on August 18, 2009 and in the United Kingdom on September 3.

==Synopsis==
{{Plot|date=December 2015}}
The book begins a prologue on the witch Nightshade still trapped in the form of a crow in a cage in [[Woodland Park Zoo]], having been exiled from Landover for more than five years. Apart from having mysteriously appeared in the cage, her red eyes marked her different from other birds and elicited brief interest from animal experts. They gave up trying to study her after failing repeatedly to capture her, despite her being in a cage.

The story proper begins in the principal's office of the exclusive [[private school]] Carringon Women's Preparatory in [[New England]] where Mistaya "Misty" Holiday had been sent by Ben to "learn about places other than" Landover. The school was informed that her parents were away most of the time and all correspondence to be made via Miles Bennett, Ben's former law partner. The headmistress Harriet Appleton was with Misty, recounting the girl's previous visits to the same office.

The first was when Misty organized a school protest and shut down classes for three days when the school tried to remove a two-hundred-year-old tree from the school grounds.

The second was when Misty formed an unapproved club for students to "engage in a bonding-with-nature program", the sticking point for the school authorities being ritualistic scarring for the members, which Misty thought would "convey the depth of commitment" and "reminder of the pain and suffering human ignorance fostered". Besides, Misty thought it should not be a problem as the "scarring was done in places that weren't normally exposed to the light of day".

The third and current visit came about because Misty had done something to terrify fellow student Rhonda Masterson to the point of hysterics and had to be sedated by a nurse. Rhonda and other blue-blooded East Coast snots had been bullying Misty until the latter was pushed too far by being called a name Misty refused to repeat. In retaliation, Misty conjured up an image of Strabo, the last dragon of Landover.

Though the headmistress could not be sure what Misty had done, she suspended Misty from school and indicated she would consider accepting Misty back if Misty agrees to be the type of student expected in Carringon.

Misty was only too glad to leave and decided to do so immediately instead of waiting for the Christmas break. Taking a flight to [[Washington Dulles International Airport|Dulles]], the [[Waynesboro, Virginia|Waynesboro]], she returned to Landover through a portal located in [[George Washington and Jefferson National Forests]], passable only by certain magic.

As Misty arrived in Landover, thinking about resuming her study of magic with Questor, she was met unexpectedly by Strabo, who somehow knew and made it clear he did not appreciate his image being used by Misty. Her next encounter was much more pleasant, with the mud puppy Haltwhistle coming to greet her. The third encounter before she reached home was a tied-up G'home Gnome Poggwydd, whom she rescued.

Once at home in Sterling Silver, Ben was informed to his dismay the reason of Misty's return. After a heated argument with Misty, Ben discussed with his advisors, Questor Thews and Abernathy.

Questor suggested for Misty to be sent to organize the Libiris, a royal library which was started by the last wise and dedicated king of Landover, to foster greater interest in reading for all subjects of Landover. The project stalled and the library fell into neglect. Questor proposed fixing the library and reopening it would be a worthwhile project for Misty. It was revealed that Questor and Abernathy also withheld something from Ben about the libiris.

Before Ben could approach Mistaya about the project, he was presented with a proposal of marriage to his daughter from Laphroig, lord of Rhyndweir, the largest of the Greensward baronies. Personally repulsed, Ben diplomatically avoided giving a direct answer, but Laphroig chose to interpret it as tacit approval to woo the girl, and sprung himself upon Misty who had not been informed.

Aghast, Misty rebelled and refused to accept Ben's explanation, nor his idea of her going to the Libiris. She chose to run away from home to her grandfather and enlisted the aid of Poggwydd to hide some of the packings she would need, but this also resulted in her becoming stuck with the Gnome as a travelling companion.

In addition, she was joined by the mysterious cat Edgewood Dirk who seemed to be able to come and go as it pleases, and refused to talk or appear other than an ordinary cat except when alone with her.

When Misty arrived at her grandfather's domain of the lake country, he allowed her to stay but refused to take her side against her father. Realising her grandfather was going to send her back, Misty took a chance when Edgewood Dirk offered her to escape.

At Dirk's subtle proddings, Misty realised the only place she can go to escape from being found by her father or grandfather was the Libiris, the very place she was supposed to go in the first place. Convincing herself that she was going on her own accord, Misty presented herself as a peasant girl to the Libiris.

Misty was almost turned away by the Libiris staff Rufus Pinch, had not his assistant Thom who intervened and pretended Misty was his sister Ellice. Together, they seemed to persuade Craswell Crabbit, the person in charge of Libiris, to allow Misty to stay and help with the work in organising the books.

While Ben and the River King had been trying unsuccessfully to locate Misty, Laphroig deployed his spies to watch the royal castle, convinced he could take advantage of the situation. Questor and Abernathy discussed between themselves what would be the "last place" anyone would think of looking for Misty and came to a startling conclusion that the Libiris might be the place.

Questor made a secret visit to the Libiris and contacted Misty. By then, Misty realised something strange was going on in the Libiris and was convinced Crabbit was up to something bad. She was determined to stay on to investigate while Questor was to return to Sterling Silver, ready to act as backup if necessary.

Misty discovered some similarities between the Libiris and the sentient castle Sterling Silver. With Thom's help, she learned that books of magic were being passed to demons of Abaddon. With some help from Edgewood Dirk, she was able to implement a temporary fix.

Misty's efforts however were discovered by Craswell who had her and Thom captured. Apparently, Craswell had known all along her identity as Princess of Landover.

Meanwhile, through his spies watching Sterling Silver, Laphroig learned the location of Mistaya and set forth there with a large group of armed men to demand Misty from Crabbit. Deciding to play off Laphroig and Ben against each other, Crabbit offered to help by inducing Misty to agree to marry Laphroig, using the threat of Thom's life in the process.

Misty came up with a plan quickly and agreed to the ceremony, demanding it to be held outdoors, and promising not to escape. Once in place, she cast a spell to bring forth the image of Strabo again. Though the illusion was done correctly, the uproar it caused was short lived and she and Thom remained prisoners. However, that was only part of her plan - her goal was to incite the appearance of the real Strabo who promised to visit her if she ever invoke his image again.

The arrival of the real Strabo was much more effective at disrupting the wedding, but Strabo soon got distracted chasing after the armoured men-at-arms which he considered delicacies. Misty was still faced with the armed Laphroig, Pinch who had a crossbow and Crabbit the magician. A stunning explosion occurred when Laphroig's thrown dagger, Pinch's crossbow bolt, and magic from Crabbit and Misty came together.

When the explosion cleared and Misty recovered from being stunned, Laphroig had been turned to stone and there was no sign of Crabbit nor Pinch. Misty had no time to congratulate herself for the demons of Abaddon were breaking through within the Libiris.

With Thom's help, Misty managed to seal the breach from Abaddon. The Libiris began to heal itself, being a creation from the materials taken from Sterling Silver. It was all over by the time Ben and the others from Sterling Silver arrived.

Thom turned out to be the missing brother of Laphroig. Succeeding to the barony, he chose to give the land to the subjects of Rhyndweir in return for reasonable tax to the crown.

Back in the Woodland Park Zoo, the strange crow with red eyes disappeared as mysteriously as it had appeared before. The two men in strange attire appeared in the same cage, ranting in an unknown language. After being taken away by security, the two ended up in custody of [[Homeland Security]], which also could not understand them nor figure out where they came from.

==Characters==
* '''Vince''' - a staff at Woodland Park Zoo who continued to look at the crow which was Nightshade every day.
* '''Harriet Appleton''' - Headmistress of Carringon Women's Preparatory. She suspended Misty at the beginning of the story.
* '''Rhonda Masterson''' - snobbish student at Carrington's who chose the wrong target to bully and was frightened to hysteria in return.
* '''Becky''' - roommate of Misty at Carrington.
* '''Miles Bennett''' - former law partner of Ben Holiday.
* '''Strabo''' - last dragon of Landover, who personally liked Misty and her mother Willow, but not her father.
* '''Haltwhistle''' - a mud-puppy, gift of Earth Mother to Misty. In Landover, mud puppies must be called by their owner daily or they will return to Earth Mother.
* '''Poggwydd''' - Landover Gnome rescued by Misty.
* '''Ben Holliday''' - king of Landover who had come from the "real world".
* '''Willow''' - a sylph, daughter of the River King, wife of Ben Holiday and mother of Misty.
* '''Questor Thews''' - a rather inept court wizard but loyal to Ben.
* '''Abernathy''' - a capable scribe of Ben despite having been turned into the form of a large [[wheaten terrier]].
* '''Berwyn Laphroig''' - Lord of Rhyndweir. His father Kallendbor had allied with Nightshade against Ben five years before. Kallendbor was killed when the plot failed. Laphroig had his older brother killed eighteen months after the latter succeeded the barony. Laphroig only other and younger brother disappeared shortly, his mother and sisters kept in virtual imprisonment. Laphrog took and discarded a series of wives before the third bore him a son. Shortly after Misty's return, both mother and son died in "tragic accident", freeing him to marry again.
* '''Shoopdiesel''' - a Gnome and friend of Poggwydd.
* '''Edgewood Dirk''' - a fairy-kind in the form a silver-and-black Prism cat. Dirk had powers such that it cannot be magically detected, nor anyone in its company.
* '''Cordstick''' - scribe to Laphroig who harboured greater ambitions to become Minister of State.
* '''Rufus Pinch''' - overseer at the Libiris.
* '''Craswell Crabbit''' - magician who was assigned by the previous wise king to be in charge of the Libiris.
* '''Thom''' - an apparently simply peasant boy working at the Libiris.
* '''Andjen Thomlinson''' - the missing youngest brother of Laphroig.

==Chapter titles==
* "It's All Happening at the Zoo"
* "Unexpected Consequences"
* "Strange Creatures Like Herself"
* "Father Knows Best"
* "Froggy Went A-Courtin"
* "Misunderstandings"
* "Flight"
* "Misery Loves Company"
* "Grandfather's Eyes"
* "Edgewood Dirk"
* "The Princess Is Missing"
* "Libiris"
* "His Eminence"
* "Back in the Stacks"
* "They Seek Her Here, They Seek Her There"
* "They Seek That Princess Everywhere!"
* "The Voice in the Shadows"
* "Revelations"
* "Cat's Paws"
* "Misdirection"
* "Sadly Mistaken"
* "Frogs, Dogs, and Throgs"
* "The Lesser of Two Evils"
* "Braveheart"
* "Till Death Do Us Part"
* "Demons at the Gates"
* "No Place Like Home"
* "Déjà Vu"

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
* [http://www.terrybrooks.net/ The official Terry Brooks website]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20090901044822/http://www.terrybrooks.net/landover/princess.html ''A Princess of Landover''] at Terry Brooks' website
* [http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/b/terry-brooks/princess-of-landover.htm ''A Princess of Landover''] at fantasticfiction.co.uk

{{Terry Brooks}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Princess Of Landover}}
[[Category:2009 American novels]]
[[Category:American fantasy novels]]
[[Category:Magic Kingdom of Landover]]
[[Category:Del Rey books]]

A Princess of Landover

2024-07-01T17:22:16Z

89.164.191.195:

{{Infobox book
| name = A Princess of Landover
| image = File:A Princess of Landover.jpg
| caption = First edition US book cover
| author = [[Terry Brooks]]
| country = United States
| language = English
| series = ''[[Magic Kingdom of Landover]]''
| genre = [[Fantasy novel]]
| publisher = [[Del Rey Books]] (US), [[Orion Publishing Group|Orion]] (UK)
| release_date = US: August 18, 2009<ref name="webref3">{{cite web | url = https://www.amazon.com/dp/0345458524 | title = Amazon product page for ''A Princess of Landover''}}</ref> UK: September 3, 2009
| pages = 352 pp
| isbn = 0-345-45852-4
| preceded_by = [[Witches' Brew (novel)|Witches' Brew]]
| followed_by =
}}

'''''A Princess of Landover''''' by [[Terry Brooks]] is the sixth novel of the ''[[Magic Kingdom of Landover]]'' series.

==Publication==
''A Princess of Landover'' was published in hardcover in the United States on August 18, 2009 and in the United Kingdom on September 3.

==Synopsis==
{{Plot|date=December 2015}}
The book begins a prologue on the witch Nightshade still trapped in the form of a crow in a cage in [[Woodland Park Zoo]], having been exiled from Landover for more than five years. Apart from having mysteriously appeared in the cage, her red eyes marked her different from other birds and elicited brief interest from animal experts. They gave up trying to study her after failing repeatedly to capture her, despite her being in a cage.

The story proper begins in the principal's office of the exclusive [[private school]] Carringon Women's Preparatory in [[New England]] where Mistaya "Misty" Holiday had been sent by Ben to "learn about places other than" Landover. The school was informed that her parents were away most of the time and all correspondence to be made via Miles Bennett, Ben's former law partner. The headmistress Harriet Appleton was with Misty, recounting the girl's previous visits to the same office.

The first was when Misty organized a school protest and shut down classes for three days when the school tried to remove a two-hundred-year-old tree from the school grounds.

The second was when Misty formed an unapproved club for students to "engage in a bonding-with-nature program", the sticking point for the school authorities being ritualistic scarring for the members, which Misty thought would "convey the depth of commitment" and "reminder of the pain and suffering human ignorance fostered". Besides, Misty thought it should not be a problem as the "scarring was done in places that weren't normally exposed to the light of day".

The third and current visit came about because Misty had done something to terrify fellow student Rhonda Masterson to the point of hysterics and had to be sedated by a nurse. Rhonda and other blue-blooded East Coast snots had been bullying Misty until the latter was pushed too far by being called a name Misty refused to repeat. In retaliation, Misty conjured up an image of Strabo, the last dragon of Landover.

Though the headmistress could not be sure what Misty had done, she suspended Misty from school and indicated she would consider accepting Misty back if Misty agrees to be the type of student expected in Carringon.

Misty was only too glad to leave and decided to do so immediately instead of waiting for the Christmas break. Taking a flight to [[Washington Dulles International Airport|Dulles]], the [[Waynesboro, Virginia|Waynesboro]], she returned to Landover through a portal located in [[George Washington and Jefferson National Forests]], passable only by certain magic.

As Misty arrived in Landover, thinking about resuming her study of magic with Questor, she was met unexpectedly by Strabo, who somehow knew and made it clear he did not appreciate his image being used by Misty. Her next encounter was much more pleasant, with the mud puppy Haltwhistle coming to greet her. The third encounter before she reached home was a tied-up G'home Gnome Poggwydd, whom she rescued.

Once at home in Sterling Silver, Ben was informed to his dismay the reason of Misty's return. After a heated argument with Misty, Ben discussed with his advisors, Questor Thews and Abernathy.

Questor suggested for Misty to be sent to organize the Libiris, a royal library which was started by the last wise and dedicated king of Landover, to foster greater interest in reading for all subjects of Landover. The project stalled and the library fell into neglect. Questor proposed fixing the library and reopening it would be a worthwhile project for Misty. It was revealed that Questor and Abernathy also withheld something from Ben about the libiris.

Before Ben could approach Mistaya about the project, he was presented with a proposal of marriage to his daughter from Laphroig, lord of Rhyndweir, the largest of the Greensward baronies. Personally repulsed, Ben diplomatically avoided giving a direct answer, but Laphroig chose to interpret it as tacit approval to woo the girl, and sprung himself upon Misty who had not been informed.

Aghast, Misty rebelled and refused to accept Ben's explanation, nor his idea of her going to the Libiris. She chose to run away from home to her grandfather and enlisted the aid of Poggwydd to hide some of the packings she would need, but this also resulted in her becoming stuck with the Gnome as a travelling companion.

In addition, she was joined by the mysterious cat Edgewood Dirk who seemed to be able to come and go as it pleases, and refused to talk or appear other than an ordinary cat except when alone with her.

When Misty arrived at her grandfather's domain of the lake country, he allowed her to stay but refused to take her side against her father. Realising her grandfather was going to send her back, Misty took a chance when Edgewood Dirk offered her to escape.

At Dirk's subtle proddings, Misty realised the only place she can go to escape from being found by her father or grandfather was the Libiris, the very place she was supposed to go in the first place. Convincing herself that she was going on her own accord, Misty presented herself as a peasant girl to the Libiris.

Misty was almost turned away by the Libiris staff Rufus Pinch, had not his assistant Thom who intervened and pretended Misty was his sister Ellice. Together, they seemed to persuade Craswell Crabbit, the person in charge of Libiris, to allow Misty to stay and help with the work in organising the books.

While Ben and the River King had been trying unsuccessfully to locate Misty, Laphroig deployed his spies to watch the royal castle, convinced he could take advantage of the situation. Questor and Abernathy discussed between themselves what would be the "last place" anyone would think of looking for Misty and came to a startling conclusion that the Libiris might be the place.

Questor made a secret visit to the Libiris and contacted Misty. By then, Misty realised something strange was going on in the Libiris and was convinced Crabbit was up to something bad. She was determined to stay on to investigate while Questor was to return to Sterling Silver, ready to act as backup if necessary.

Misty discovered some similarities between the Libiris and the sentient castle Sterling Silver. With Thom's help, she learned that books of magic were being passed to demons of Abaddon. With some help from Edgewood Dirk, she was able to implement a temporary fix.

Misty's efforts however were discovered by Craswell who had her and Thom captured. Apparently, Craswell had known all along her identity as Princess of Landover.

Meanwhile, through his spies watching Sterling Silver, Laphroig learned the location of Mistaya and set forth there with a large group of armed men to demand Misty from Crabbit. Deciding to play off Laphroig and Ben against each other, Crabbit offered to help by inducing Misty to agree to marry Laphroig, using the threat of Thom's life in the process.

Misty came up with a plan quickly and agreed to the ceremony, demanding it to be held outdoors, and promising not to escape. Once in place, she cast a spell to bring forth the image of Strabo again. Though the illusion was done correctly, the uproar it caused was short lived and she and Thom remained prisoners. However, that was only part of her plan - her goal was to incite the appearance of the real Strabo who promised to visit her if she ever invoke his image again.

The arrival of the real Strabo was much more effective at disrupting the wedding, but Strabo soon got distracted chasing after the armoured men-at-arms which he considered delicacies. Misty was still faced with the armed Laphroig, Pinch who had a crossbow and Crabbit the magician. A stunning explosion occurred when Laphroig's thrown dagger, Pinch's crossbow bolt, and magic from Crabbit and Misty came together.

When the explosion cleared and Misty recovered from being stunned, Laphroig had been turned to stone and there was no sign of Crabbit nor Pinch. Misty had no time to congratulate herself for the demons of Abaddon were breaking through within the Libiris.

With Thom's help, Misty managed to seal the breach from Abaddon. The Libiris began to heal itself, being a creation from the materials taken from Sterling Silver. It was all over by the time Ben and the others from Sterling Silver arrived.

Thom turned out to be the missing brother of Laphroig. Succeeding to the barony, he chose to give the land to the subjects of Rhyndweir in return for reasonable tax to the crown.

Back in the Woodland Park Zoo, the strange crow with red eyes disappeared as mysteriously as it had appeared before. The two men in strange attire appeared in the same cage, ranting in an unknown language. After being taken away by security, the two ended up in custody of [[Homeland Security]], which also could not understand them nor figure out where they came from.

==Characters==
* '''Vince''' - a staff at Woodland Park Zoo who continued to look at the crow which was Nightshade every day.
* '''Harriet Appleton''' - Headmistress of Carringon Women's Preparatory. She suspended Misty at the beginning of the story.
* '''Rhonda Masterson''' - snobbish student at Carrington's who chose the wrong target to bully and was frightened to hysteria in return.
* '''Becky''' - roommate of Misty at Carrington.
* '''Miles Bennett''' - former law partner of Ben Holiday.
* '''Strabo''' - last dragon of Landover, who personally liked Misty and her mother Willow, but not her father.
* '''Haltwhistle''' - a mud-puppy, gift of Earth Mother to Misty. In Landover, mud puppies must be called by their owner daily or they will return to Earth Mother.
* '''Poggwydd''' - Landover Gnome rescued by Misty.
* '''Ben Holliday''' - king of Landover who had come from the "real world".
* '''Willow''' - a sylph, daughter of the River King, wife of Ben Holiday and mother of Misty.
* '''Questor Thews''' - a rather inept court wizard but loyal to Ben.
* '''Abernathy''' - a capable scribe of Ben despite having been turned into the form of a large [[wheaten terrier]].
* '''Berwyn Laphroig''' - Lord of Rhyndweir. His father Kallendbor had allied with Nightshade against Ben five years before. Kallendbor was killed when the plot failed. Laphroig had his older brother killed eighteen months after the latter succeeded the barony. Laphroig only other and younger brother disappeared shortly, his mother and sisters kept in virtual imprisonment. Laphrog took and discarded a series of wives before the third bore him a son. Shortly after Misty's return, both mother and son died in "tragic accident", freeing him to marry again.
* '''Shoopdiesel''' - a Gnome and friend of Poggwydd.
* '''Edgewood Dirk''' - a fairy-kind in the form a silver-and-black Prism cat. Dirk had powers such that it cannot be magically detected, nor anyone in its company.
* '''Cordstick''' - scribe to Laphroig who harboured greater ambitions to become Minister of State.
* '''Rufus Pinch''' - overseer at the Libiris.
* '''Craswell Crabbit''' - magician who was assigned by the previous wise king to be in charge of the Libiris.
* '''Thom''' - an apparently simply peasant boy working at the Libiris.
* '''Andjen Thomlinson''' - the missing youngest brother of Laphroig.

==Chapter titles==
* "It's All Happening at the Zoo"
* "Unexpected Consequences"
* "Strange Creatures Like Herself"
* "Father Knows Best"
* "Froggy Went A-Courtin"
* "Misunderstandings"
* "Flight"
* "Misery Loves Company"
* "Grandfather's Eyes"
* "Edgewood Dirk"
* "The Princess Is Missing"
* "Libiris"
* "His Eminence"
* "Back in the Stacks"
* "They Seek Her Here, They Seek Her There"
* "They Seek That Princess Everywhere!"
* "The Voice in the Shadows"
* "Revelations"
* "Cat's Paws"
* "Misdirection"
* "Sadly Mistaken"
* "Frogs, Dogs, and Throgs"
* "The Lesser of Two Evils"
* "Braveheart"
* "Till Death Do Us Part"
* "Demons at the Gates"
* "No Place Like Home"
* "Déjà Vu"

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
* [http://www.terrybrooks.net/ The official Terry Brooks website]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20090901044822/http://www.terrybrooks.net/landover/princess.html ''A Princess of Landover''] at Terry Brooks' website
* [http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/b/terry-brooks/princess-of-landover.htm ''A Princess of Landover''] at fantasticfiction.co.uk

{{Terry Brooks}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Princess Of Landover}}
[[Category:2009 American novels]]
[[Category:American fantasy novels]]
[[Category:Magic Kingdom of Landover]]
[[Category:Del Rey books]]

A Princess of Landover

2024-07-01T17:22:00Z

89.164.191.195:

{{Infobox book
| name = A Princess of Landover
| image = File:A Princess of Landover.jpg
| caption = First edition US book cover
| author = [[Terry Brooks]]
| country = United States
| language = English
| series = ''[[Magic Kingdom of Landover]]''
| genre = [[Fantasy novel]]
| publisher = [[Del Rey Books]] (US), [[Orion Publishing Group|Orion]] (UK)
| release_date = US: August 18, 2009<ref name="webref3">{{cite web | url = https://www.amazon.com/dp/0345458524 | title = Amazon product page for ''A Princess of Landover''}}</ref> UK: September 3, 2009
| pages = 352 pp
| isbn = 0-345-45852-4
| preceded_by = [[Witches' Brew (novel)|Witches' Brew]]
| followed_by =
}}

'''''A Princess of Landover''''' by [[Terry Brooks]] is the sixth novel of the ''[[Magic Kingdom of Landover]]'' series.

==Publication==
''A Princess of Landover'' was published in hardcover in the United States on August 18, 2009 and in the United Kingdom on September 3.

==Synopsis==
{{Plot|date=December 2015}}
The book begins a prologue on the witch Nightshade still trapped in the form of a crow in a cage in [[Woodland Park Zoo]], having been exiled from Landover for more than five years. Apart from having mysteriously appeared in the cage, her red eyes marked her different from other birds and elicited brief interest from animal experts. They gave up trying to study her after failing repeatedly to capture her, despite her being in a cage.

The story proper begins in the principal's office of the exclusive [[private school]] Carringon Women's Preparatory in [[New England]] where Mistaya "Misty" Holiday had been sent by Ben to "learn about places other than" Landover. The school was informed that her parents were away most of the time and all correspondence to be made via Miles Bennett, Ben's former law partner. The headmistress Harriet Appleton was with Misty, recounting the girl's previous visits to the same office.

The first was when Misty organized a school protest and shut down classes for three days when the school tried to remove a two-hundred-year-old tree from the school grounds.

The second was when Misty formed an unapproved club for students to "engage in a bonding-with-nature program", the sticking point for the school authorities being ritualistic scarring for the members, which Misty thought would "convey the depth of commitment" and "reminder of the pain and suffering human ignorance fostered". Besides, Misty thought it should not be a problem as the "scarring was done in places that weren't normally exposed to the light of day".

The third and current visit came about because Misty had done something to terrify fellow student Rhonda Masterson to the point of hysterics and had to be sedated by a nurse. Rhonda and other blue-blooded East Coast snots had been bullying Misty until the latter was pushed too far by being called a name Misty refused to repeat. In retaliation, Misty conjured up an image of Strabo, the last dragon of Landover.

Though the headmistress could not be sure what Misty had done, she suspended Misty from school and indicated she would consider accepting Misty back if Misty agrees to be the type of student expected in Carringon.

Misty was only too glad to leave and decided to do so immediately instead of waiting for the Christmas break. Taking a flight to [[Washington Dulles International Airport|Dulles]], the [[Waynesboro, Virginia|Waynesboro]], she returned to Landover through a portal located in [[George Washington and Jefferson National Forests]], passable only by certain magic.

As Misty arrived in Landover, thinking about resuming her study of magic with Questor, she was met unexpectedly by Strabo, who somehow knew and made it clear he did not appreciate his image being used by Misty. Her next encounter was much more pleasant, with the mud puppy Haltwhistle coming to greet her. The third encounter before she reached home was a tied-up G'home Gnome Poggwydd, whom she rescued.

Once at home in Sterling Silver, Ben was informed to his dismay the reason of Misty's return. After a heated argument with Misty, Ben discussed with his advisors, Questor Thews and Abernathy.

Questor suggested for Misty to be sent to organize the Libiris, a royal library which was started by the last wise and dedicated king of Landover, to foster greater interest in reading for all subjects of Landover. The project stalled and the library fell into neglect. Questor proposed fixing the library and reopening it would be a worthwhile project for Misty. It was revealed that Questor and Abernathy also withheld something from Ben about the libiris.

Before Ben could approach Mistaya about the project, he was presented with a proposal of marriage to his daughter from Laphroig, lord of Rhyndweir, the largest of the Greensward baronies. Personally repulsed, Ben diplomatically avoided giving a direct answer, but Laphroig chose to interpret it as tacit approval to woo the girl, and sprung himself upon Misty who had not been informed.

Aghast, Misty rebelled and refused to accept Ben's explanation, nor his idea of her going to the Libiris. She chose to run away from home to her grandfather and enlisted the aid of Poggwydd to hide some of the packings she would need, but this also resulted in her becoming stuck with the Gnome as a travelling companion.

In addition, she was joined by the mysterious cat Edgewood Dirk who seemed to be able to come and go as it pleases, and refused to talk or appear other than an ordinary cat except when alone with her.

When Misty arrived at her grandfather's domain of the lake country, he allowed her to stay but refused to take her side against her father. Realising her grandfather was going to send her back, Misty took a chance when Edgewood Dirk offered her to escape.

At Dirk's subtle proddings, Misty realised the only place she can go to escape from being found by her father or grandfather was the Libiris, the very place she was supposed to go in the first place. Convincing herself that she was going on her own accord, Misty presented herself as a peasant girl to the Libiris.

Misty was almost turned away by the Libiris staff Rufus Pinch, had not his assistant Thom who intervened and pretended Misty was his sister Ellice. Together, they seemed to persuade Craswell Crabbit, the person in charge of Libiris, to allow Misty to stay and help with the work in organising the books.

While Ben and the River King had been trying unsuccessfully to locate Misty, Laphroig deployed his spies to watch the royal castle, convinced he could take advantage of the situation. Questor and Abernathy discussed between themselves what would be the "last place" anyone would think of looking for Misty and came to a startling conclusion that the Libiris might be the place.

Questor made a secret visit to the Libiris and contacted Misty. By then, Misty realised something strange was going on in the Libiris and was convinced Crabbit was up to something bad. She was determined to stay on to investigate while Questor was to return to Sterling Silver, ready to act as backup if necessary.

Misty discovered some similarities between the Libiris and the sentient castle Sterling Silver. With Thom's help, she learned that books of magic were being passed to demons of Abaddon. With some help from Edgewood Dirk, she was able to implement a temporary fix.

Misty's efforts however were discovered by Craswell who had her and Thom captured. Apparently, Craswell had known all along her identity as Princess of Landover.

Meanwhile, through his spies watching Sterling Silver, Laphroig learned the location of Mistaya and set forth there with a large group of armed men to demand Misty from Crabbit. Deciding to play off Laphroig and Ben against each other, Crabbit offered to help by inducing Misty to agree to marry Laphroig, using the threat of Thom's life in the process.

Misty came up with a plan quickly and agreed to the ceremony, demanding it to be held outdoors, and promising not to escape. Once in place, she cast a spell to bring forth the image of Strabo again. Though the illusion was done correctly, the uproar it caused was short lived and she and Thom remained prisoners. However, that was only part of her plan - her goal was to incite the appearance of the real Strabo who promised to visit her if she ever invoke his image again.

The arrival of the real Strabo was much more effective at disrupting the wedding, but Strabo soon got distracted chasing after the armoured men-at-arms which he considered delicacies. Misty was still faced with the armed Laphroig, Pinch who had a crossbow and Crabbit the magician. A stunning explosion occurred when Laphroig's thrown dagger, Pinch's crossbow bolt, and magic from Crabbit and Misty came together.

When the explosion cleared and Misty recovered from being stunned, Laphroig had been turned to stone and there was no sign of Crabbit nor Pinch. Misty had no time to congratulate herself for the demons of Abaddon were breaking through within the Libiris.

With Thom's help, Misty managed to seal the breach from Abaddon. The Libiris began to heal itself, being a creation from the materials taken from Sterling Silver. It was all over by the time Ben and the others from Sterling Silver arrived.

Thom turned out to be the missing brother of Laphroig. Succeeding to the barony, he chose to give the land to the subjects of Rhyndweir in return for reasonable tax to the crown.

Back in the Woodland Park Zoo, the strange crow with red eyes disappeared as mysteriously as it had appeared before. The two men in strange attire appeared in the same cage, ranting in an unknown language. After being taken away by security, the two ended up in custody of [[Homeland Security]], which also could not understand them nor figure out where they came from.

==Characters==
* '''Vince''' - a staff at Woodland Park Zoo who continued to look at the crow which was Nightshade every day.
* '''Harriet Appleton''' - Headmistress of Carringon Women's Preparatory. She suspended Misty at the beginning of the story.
* '''Rhonda Masterson''' - snobbish student at Carrington's who chose the wrong target to bully and was frightened to hysteria in return.
* '''Becky''' - roommate of Misty at Carrington.
* '''Miles Bennett''' - former law partner of Ben Holiday.
* '''Strabo''' - last dragon of Landover, who personally liked Misty and her mother Willow, but not her father.
* '''Haltwhistle''' - a mud-puppy, gift of Earth Mother to Misty. In Landover, mud puppies must be called by their owner daily or they will return to Earth Mother.
* '''Poggwydd''' - Landover Gnome rescued by Misty.
* '''Ben Holliday''' - king of Landover who had come from the "real world".
* '''Willow''' - a sylph, daughter of the River King, wife of Ben Holiday and mother of Misty.
* '''Questor Thews''' - a rather inept court wizard but loyal to Ben.
* '''Abernathy''' - a capable scribe of Ben despite having been turned into the form of a large [[wheaten terrier]].
* '''Berwyn Laphroig''' - Lord of Rhyndweir. His father Kallendbor had allied with Nightshade against Ben five years before. Kallendbor was killed when the plot failed. Laphroig had his older brother killed eighteen months after the latter succeeded the barony. Laphroig only other and younger brother disappeared shortly, his mother and sisters kept in virtual imprisonment. Laphrog took and discarded a series of wives before the third bore him a son. Shortly after Misty's return, both mother and son died in "tragic accident", freeing him to marry again.
* '''Shoopdiesel''' - a Gnome and friend of Poggwydd.
* '''Edgewood Dirk''' - a fairy-kind in the form a silver-and-black Prism cat. Dirk had powers such that it cannot be magically detected, nor anyone in its company.
* '''Cordstick''' - scribe to Laphroig who harboured greater ambitions to become Minister of State.
* '''Rufus Pinch''' - overseer at the Libiris.
* '''Craswell Crabbit''' - magician who was assigned by the previous wise king to be in charge of the Libiris.
* '''Thom''' - an apparently simply peasant boy working at the Libiris.
* '''Andjen Thomlinson''' - the missing youngest brother of Laphroig.

==Chapter titles==
* "It's All Happening at the Zoo"
* "Unexpected Consequences"
* "Strange Creatures Like Herself"
* "Father Knows Best"
* "Froggy Went A-Courtin"
* "Misunderstandings"
* "Flight"
* "Misery Loves Company"
* "Grandfather's Eyes"
* "Edgewood Dirk"
* "The Princess Is Missing"
* "Libiris"
* "His Eminence"
* "Back in the Stacks"
* "They Seek Her Here, They Seek Her There"
* "They Seek That Princess Everywhere!"
* "The Voice in the Shadows"
* "Revelations"
* "Cat's Paws"
* "Misdirection"
* "Sadly Mistaken"
* "Frogs, Dogs, and Throgs"
* "The Lesser of Two Evils"
* "Braveheart"
* "Till Death Do Us Part"
* "Demons at the Gates"
* "No Place Like Home"
* "Déjà Vu"

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
* [http://www.terrybrooks.net/ The official Terry Brooks website]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20090901044822/http://www.terrybrooks.net/landover/princess.html ''A Princess of Landover''] at Terry Brooks' website
* [http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/b/terry-brooks/princess-of-landover.htm ''A Princess of Landover''] at fantasticfiction.co.uk

{{Terry Brooks}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Princess Of Landover}}
[[Category:2009 American novels]]
[[Category:American fantasy novels]]
[[Category:Magic Kingdom of Landover]]

[[Category:Del Rey books]]

A Princess of Landover

2024-07-01T17:20:59Z

89.164.191.195:

{{Infobox book
| name = A Princess of Landover
| image = File:A Princess of Landover.jpg
| caption = First edition US book cover
| author = [[Terry Brooks]]
| country = United States
| language = English
| series = ''[[Magic Kingdom of Landover]]''
| genre = [[Fantasy novel]]
| publisher = [[Del Rey Books]] (US), [[Orion Publishing Group|Orion]] (UK)
| release_date = US: August 18, 2009<ref name="webref3">{{cite web | url = https://www.amazon.com/dp/0345458524 | title = Amazon product page for ''A Princess of Landover''}}</ref> UK: September 3, 2009
| pages = 352 pp
| isbn = 0-345-45852-4
| preceded_by = [[Witches' Brew (novel)|Witches' Brew]]
| followed_by =
}}

'''''A Princess of Landover''''' by [[Terry Brooks]] is the sixth novel of the ''[[Magic Kingdom of Landover]]'' series.

==Publication==
''A Princess of Landover'' was published in hardcover in the United States on August 18, 2009 and in the United Kingdom on September 3.

==Synopsis==
{{Plot|date=December 2015}}
The book begins a prologue on the witch Nightshade still trapped in the form of a crow in a cage in [[Woodland Park Zoo]], having been exiled from Landover for more than five years. Apart from having mysteriously appeared in the cage, her red eyes marked her different from other birds and elicited brief interest from animal experts. They gave up trying to study her after failing repeatedly to capture her, despite her being in a cage.

The story proper begins in the principal's office of the exclusive [[private school]] Carringon Women's Preparatory in [[New England]] where Mistaya "Misty" Holiday had been sent by Ben to "learn about places other than" Landover. The school was informed that her parents were away most of the time and all correspondence to be made via Miles Bennett, Ben's former law partner. The headmistress Harriet Appleton was with Misty, recounting the girl's previous visits to the same office.

The first was when Misty organized a school protest and shut down classes for three days when the school tried to remove a two-hundred-year-old tree from the school grounds.

The second was when Misty formed an unapproved club for students to "engage in a bonding-with-nature program", the sticking point for the school authorities being ritualistic scarring for the members, which Misty thought would "convey the depth of commitment" and "reminder of the pain and suffering human ignorance fostered". Besides, Misty thought it should not be a problem as the "scarring was done in places that weren't normally exposed to the light of day".

The third and current visit came about because Misty had done something to terrify fellow student Rhonda Masterson to the point of hysterics and had to be sedated by a nurse. Rhonda and other blue-blooded East Coast snots had been bullying Misty until the latter was pushed too far by being called a name Misty refused to repeat. In retaliation, Misty conjured up an image of Strabo, the last dragon of Landover.

Though the headmistress could not be sure what Misty had done, she suspended Misty from school and indicated she would consider accepting Misty back if Misty agrees to be the type of student expected in Carringon.

Misty was only too glad to leave and decided to do so immediately instead of waiting for the Christmas break. Taking a flight to [[Washington Dulles International Airport|Dulles]], the [[Waynesboro, Virginia|Waynesboro]], she returned to Landover through a portal located in [[George Washington and Jefferson National Forests]], passable only by certain magic.

As Misty arrived in Landover, thinking about resuming her study of magic with Questor, she was met unexpectedly by Strabo, who somehow knew and made it clear he did not appreciate his image being used by Misty. Her next encounter was much more pleasant, with the mud puppy Haltwhistle coming to greet her. The third encounter before she reached home was a tied-up G'home Gnome Poggwydd, whom she rescued.

Once at home in Sterling Silver, Ben was informed to his dismay the reason of Misty's return. After a heated argument with Misty, Ben discussed with his advisors, Questor Thews and Abernathy.

Questor suggested for Misty to be sent to organize the Libiris, a royal library which was started by the last wise and dedicated king of Landover, to foster greater interest in reading for all subjects of Landover. The project stalled and the library fell into neglect. Questor proposed fixing the library and reopening it would be a worthwhile project for Misty. It was revealed that Questor and Abernathy also withheld something from Ben about the libiris.

Before Ben could approach Mistaya about the project, he was presented with a proposal of marriage to his daughter from Laphroig, lord of Rhyndweir, the largest of the Greensward baronies. Personally repulsed, Ben diplomatically avoided giving a direct answer, but Laphroig chose to interpret it as tacit approval to woo the girl, and sprung himself upon Misty who had not been informed.

Aghast, Misty rebelled and refused to accept Ben's explanation, nor his idea of her going to the Libiris. She chose to run away from home to her grandfather and enlisted the aid of Poggwydd to hide some of the packings she would need, but this also resulted in her becoming stuck with the Gnome as a travelling companion.

In addition, she was joined by the mysterious cat Edgewood Dirk who seemed to be able to come and go as it pleases, and refused to talk or appear other than an ordinary cat except when alone with her.

When Misty arrived at her grandfather's domain of the lake country, he allowed her to stay but refused to take her side against her father. Realising her grandfather was going to send her back, Misty took a chance when Edgewood Dirk offered her to escape.

At Dirk's subtle proddings, Misty realised the only place she can go to escape from being found by her father or grandfather was the Libiris, the very place she was supposed to go in the first place. Convincing herself that she was going on her own accord, Misty presented herself as a peasant girl to the Libiris.

Misty was almost turned away by the Libiris staff Rufus Pinch, had not his assistant Thom who intervened and pretended Misty was his sister Ellice. Together, they seemed to persuade Craswell Crabbit, the person in charge of Libiris, to allow Misty to stay and help with the work in organising the books.

While Ben and the River King had been trying unsuccessfully to locate Misty, Laphroig deployed his spies to watch the royal castle, convinced he could take advantage of the situation. Questor and Abernathy discussed between themselves what would be the "last place" anyone would think of looking for Misty and came to a startling conclusion that the Libiris might be the place.

Questor made a secret visit to the Libiris and contacted Misty. By then, Misty realised something strange was going on in the Libiris and was convinced Crabbit was up to something bad. She was determined to stay on to investigate while Questor was to return to Sterling Silver, ready to act as backup if necessary.

Misty discovered some similarities between the Libiris and the sentient castle Sterling Silver. With Thom's help, she learned that books of magic were being passed to demons of Abaddon. With some help from Edgewood Dirk, she was able to implement a temporary fix.

Misty's efforts however were discovered by Craswell who had her and Thom captured. Apparently, Craswell had known all along her identity as Princess of Landover.

Meanwhile, through his spies watching Sterling Silver, Laphroig learned the location of Mistaya and set forth there with a large group of armed men to demand Misty from Crabbit. Deciding to play off Laphroig and Ben against each other, Crabbit offered to help by inducing Misty to agree to marry Laphroig, using the threat of Thom's life in the process.

Misty came up with a plan quickly and agreed to the ceremony, demanding it to be held outdoors, and promising not to escape. Once in place, she cast a spell to bring forth the image of Strabo again. Though the illusion was done correctly, the uproar it caused was short lived and she and Thom remained prisoners. However, that was only part of her plan - her goal was to incite the appearance of the real Strabo who promised to visit her if she ever invoke his image again.

The arrival of the real Strabo was much more effective at disrupting the wedding, but Strabo soon got distracted chasing after the armoured men-at-arms which he considered delicacies. Misty was still faced with the armed Laphroig, Pinch who had a crossbow and Crabbit the magician. A stunning explosion occurred when Laphroig's thrown dagger, Pinch's crossbow bolt, and magic from Crabbit and Misty came together.

When the explosion cleared and Misty recovered from being stunned, Laphroig had been turned to stone and there was no sign of Crabbit nor Pinch. Misty had no time to congratulate herself for the demons of Abaddon were breaking through within the Libiris.

With Thom's help, Misty managed to seal the breach from Abaddon. The Libiris began to heal itself, being a creation from the materials taken from Sterling Silver. It was all over by the time Ben and the others from Sterling Silver arrived.

Thom turned out to be the missing brother of Laphroig. Succeeding to the barony, he chose to give the land to the subjects of Rhyndweir in return for reasonable tax to the crown.

Back in the Woodland Park Zoo, the strange crow with red eyes disappeared as mysteriously as it had appeared before. The two men in strange attire appeared in the same cage, ranting in an unknown language. After being taken away by security, the two ended up in custody of [[Homeland Security]], which also could not understand them nor figure out where they came from.

==Characters==
* '''Vince''' - a staff at Woodland Park Zoo who continued to look at the crow which was Nightshade every day.
* '''Harriet Appleton''' - Headmistress of Carringon Women's Preparatory. She suspended Misty at the beginning of the story.
* '''Rhonda Masterson''' - snobbish student at Carrington's who chose the wrong target to bully and was frightened to hysteria in return.
* '''Becky''' - roommate of Misty at Carrington.
* '''Miles Bennett''' - former law partner of Ben Holiday.
* '''Strabo''' - last dragon of Landover, who personally liked Misty and her mother Willow, but not her father.
* '''Haltwhistle''' - a mud-puppy, gift of Earth Mother to Misty. In Landover, mud puppies must be called by their owner daily or they will return to Earth Mother.
* '''Poggwydd''' - Landover Gnome rescued by Misty.
* '''Ben Holliday''' - king of Landover who had come from the "real world".
* '''Willow''' - a sylph, daughter of the River King, wife of Ben Holiday and mother of Misty.
* '''Questor Thews''' - a rather inept court wizard but loyal to Ben.
* '''Abernathy''' - a capable scribe of Ben despite having been turned into the form of a large [[wheaten terrier]].
* '''Berwyn Laphroig''' - Lord of Rhyndweir. His father Kallendbor had allied with Nightshade against Ben five years before. Kallendbor was killed when the plot failed. Laphroig had his older brother killed eighteen months after the latter succeeded the barony. Laphroig only other and younger brother disappeared shortly, his mother and sisters kept in virtual imprisonment. Laphrog took and discarded a series of wives before the third bore him a son. Shortly after Misty's return, both mother and son died in "tragic accident", freeing him to marry again.
* '''Shoopdiesel''' - a Gnome and friend of Poggwydd.
* '''Edgewood Dirk''' - a fairy-kind in the form a silver-and-black Prism cat. Dirk had powers such that it cannot be magically detected, nor anyone in its company.
* '''Cordstick''' - scribe to Laphroig who harboured greater ambitions to become Minister of State.
* '''Rufus Pinch''' - overseer at the Libiris.
* '''Craswell Crabbit''' - magician who was assigned by the previous wise king to be in charge of the Libiris.
* '''Thom''' - an apparently simply peasant boy working at the Libiris.
* '''Andjen Thomlinson''' - the missing youngest brother of Laphroig.

==Chapter titles==
* "It's All Happening at the Zoo"
* "Unexpected Consequences"
* "Strange Creatures Like Herself"
* "Father Knows Best"
* "Froggy Went A-Courtin"
* "Misunderstandings"
* "Flight"
* "Misery Loves Company"
* "Grandfather's Eyes"
* "Edgewood Dirk"
* "The Princess Is Missing"
* "Libiris"
* "His Eminence"
* "Back in the Stacks"
* "They Seek Her Here, They Seek Her There"
* "They Seek That Princess Everywhere!"
* "The Voice in the Shadows"
* "Revelations"
* "Cat's Paws"
* "Misdirection"
* "Sadly Mistaken"
* "Frogs, Dogs, and Throgs"
* "The Lesser of Two Evils"
* "Braveheart"
* "Till Death Do Us Part"
* "Demons at the Gates"
* "No Place Like Home"
* "Déjà Vu"

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
* [http://www.terrybrooks.net/ The Official Terry Brooks Website]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20090901044822/http://www.terrybrooks.net/landover/princess.html ''A Princess of Landover''] at Terry Brooks' Website
* [http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/b/terry-brooks/princess-of-landover.htm ''A Princess of Landover''] at fantasticfiction.co.uk

{{Terry Brooks}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Princess Of Landover}}
[[Category:2009 American novels]]
[[Category:American fantasy novels]]
[[Category:Magic Kingdom of Landover]]

[[Category:Del Rey books]]

A Princess of Landover

2024-07-01T17:18:46Z

89.164.191.195:

{{Infobox book
| name = A Princess of Landover
| image = File:A Princess of Landover.jpg
| caption = First edition US book cover
| author = [[Terry Brooks]]
| country = United States
| language = English
| series = ''[[Magic Kingdom of Landover]]''
| genre = [[Fantasy novel]]
| publisher = [[Del Rey Books]] (US), [[Orion Publishing Group|Orion]] (UK)
| release_date = US: August 18, 2009<ref name="webref3">{{cite web | url = https://www.amazon.com/dp/0345458524 | title = Amazon product page for ''A Princess of Landover''}}</ref> UK: September 3, 2009
| pages = 352 pp
| isbn = 0-345-45852-4
| preceded_by = [[Witches' Brew (novel)|Witches' Brew]]
| followed_by =
}}

'''''A Princess of Landover''''' by [[Terry Brooks]] is the sixth novel of the ''[[Magic Kingdom of Landover]]'' series.

==Publication==
''A Princess of Landover'' was published in hardcover in the United States on August 18, 2009 and in the United Kingdom on September 3.

==Synopsis==
{{Plot|date=December 2015}}
The book begins a prologue on the witch Nightshade still trapped in the form of a crow in a cage in [[Woodland Park Zoo]], having been exiled from Landover for more than five years. Apart from having mysteriously appeared in the cage, her red eyes marked her different from other birds and elicited brief interest from animal experts. They gave up trying to study her after failing repeatedly to capture her, despite her being in a cage.

The story proper begins in the principal's office of the exclusive [[private school]] Carringon Women's Preparatory in [[New England]] where Mistaya "Misty" Holiday had been sent by Ben to "learn about places other than" Landover. The school was informed that her parents were away most of the time and all correspondence to be made via Miles Bennett, Ben's former law partner. The headmistress Harriet Appleton was with Misty, recounting the girl's previous visits to the same office.

The first was when Misty organized a school protest and shut down classes for three days when the school tried to remove a two-hundred-year-old tree from the school grounds.

The second was when Misty formed an unapproved club for students to "engage in a bonding-with-nature program", the sticking point for the school authorities being ritualistic scarring for the members, which Misty thought would "convey the depth of commitment" and "reminder of the pain and suffering human ignorance fostered". Besides, Misty thought it should not be a problem as the "scarring was done in places that weren't normally exposed to the light of day".

The third and current visit came about because Misty had done something to terrify fellow student Rhonda Masterson to the point of hysterics and had to be sedated by a nurse. Rhonda and other blue-blooded East Coast snots had been bullying Misty until the latter was pushed too far by being called a name Misty refused to repeat. In retaliation, Misty conjured up an image of Strabo, the last dragon of Landover.

Though the headmistress could not be sure what Misty had done, she suspended Misty from school and indicated she would consider accepting Misty back if Misty agrees to be the type of student expected in Carringon.

Misty was only too glad to leave and decided to do so immediately instead of waiting for the Christmas break. Taking a flight to [[Washington Dulles International Airport|Dulles]], the [[Waynesboro, Virginia|Waynesboro]], she returned to Landover through a portal located in [[George Washington and Jefferson National Forests]], passable only by certain magic.

As Misty arrived in Landover, thinking about resuming her study of magic with Questor, she was met unexpectedly by Strabo, who somehow knew and made it clear he did not appreciate his image being used by Misty. Her next encounter was much more pleasant, with the mud puppy Haltwhistle coming to greet her. The third encounter before she reached home was a tied-up G'home Gnome Poggwydd, whom she rescued.

Once at home in Sterling Silver, Ben was informed to his dismay the reason of Misty's return. After a heated argument with Misty, Ben discussed with his advisors, Questor Thews and Abernathy.

Questor suggested for Misty to be sent to organize the Libiris, a royal library which was started by the last wise and dedicated king of Landover, to foster greater interest in reading for all subjects of Landover. The project stalled and the library fell into neglect. Questor proposed fixing the library and reopening it would be a worthwhile project for Misty. It was revealed that Questor and Abernathy also withheld something from Ben about the libiris.

Before Ben could approach Mistaya about the project, he was presented with a proposal of marriage to his daughter from Laphroig, lord of Rhyndweir, the largest of the Greensward baronies. Personally repulsed, Ben diplomatically avoided giving a direct answer. However, Laphroig chose to interpret it as tacit approval to woo the girl, and sprung himself upon Misty who had not been informed.

Aghast, Misty rebelled and refused to accept Ben's explanation, nor his idea of her going to the Libiris. She chose to run away from home to her grandfather and enlisted the aid of Poggwydd to hide some of the packings she would need, but this also resulted in her becoming stuck with the Gnome as a travelling companion.

In addition, she was joined by the mysterious cat Edgewood Dirk who seemed to be able to come and go as it pleases, and refused to talk or appear other than an ordinary cat except when alone with her.

When Misty arrived at her grandfather's domain of the lake country, he allowed her to stay but refused to take her side against her father. Realising her grandfather was going to send her back, Misty took a chance when Edgewood Dirk offered her to escape.

At Dirk's subtle proddings, Misty realised the only place she can go to escape from being found by her father or grandfather was the Libiris, the very place she was supposed to go in the first place. Convincing herself that she was going on her own accord, Misty presented herself as a peasant girl to the Libiris.

Misty was almost turned away by the Libiris staff Rufus Pinch, had not his assistant Thom who intervened and pretended Misty was his sister Ellice. Together, they seemed to persuade Craswell Crabbit, the person in charge of Libiris, to allow Misty to stay and help with the work in organising the books.

While Ben and the River King had been trying unsuccessfully to locate Misty, Laphroig deployed his spies to watch the royal castle, convinced he could take advantage of the situation. Questor and Abernathy discussed between themselves what would be the "last place" anyone would think of looking for Misty and came to a startling conclusion that the Libiris might be the place.

Questor made a secret visit to the Libiris and contacted Misty. By then, Misty realised something strange was going on in the Libiris and was convinced Crabbit was up to something bad. She was determined to stay on to investigate while Questor was to return to Sterling Silver, ready to act as backup if necessary.

Misty discovered some similarities between the Libiris and the sentient castle Sterling Silver. With Thom's help, she learned that books of magic were being passed to demons of Abaddon. With some help from Edgewood Dirk, she was able to implement a temporary fix.

Misty's efforts however were discovered by Craswell who had her and Thom captured. Apparently, Craswell had known all along her identity as Princess of Landover.

Meanwhile, through his spies watching Sterling Silver, Laphroig learned the location of Mistaya and set forth there with a large group of armed men to demand Misty from Crabbit. Deciding to play off Laphroig and Ben against each other, Crabbit offered to help by inducing Misty to agree to marry Laphroig, using the threat of Thom's life in the process.

Misty came up with a plan quickly and agreed to the ceremony, demanding it to be held outdoors, and promising not to escape. Once in place, she cast a spell to bring forth the image of Strabo again. Though the illusion was done correctly, the uproar it caused was short lived and she and Thom remained prisoners. However, that was only part of her plan - her goal was to incite the appearance of the real Strabo who promised to visit her if she ever invoke his image again.

The arrival of the real Strabo was much more effective at disrupting the wedding, but Strabo soon got distracted chasing after the armoured men-at-arms which he considered delicacies. Misty was still faced with the armed Laphroig, Pinch who had a crossbow and Crabbit the magician. A stunning explosion occurred when Laphroig's thrown dagger, Pinch's crossbow bolt, and magic from Crabbit and Misty came together.

When the explosion cleared and Misty recovered from being stunned, Laphroig had been turned to stone and there was no sign of Crabbit nor Pinch. Misty had no time to congratulate herself for the demons of Abaddon were breaking through within the Libiris.

With Thom's help, Misty managed to seal the breach from Abaddon. The Libiris began to heal itself, being a creation from the materials taken from Sterling Silver. It was all over by the time Ben and the others from Sterling Silver arrived.

Thom turned out to be the missing brother of Laphroig. Succeeding to the barony, he chose to give the land to the subjects of Rhyndweir in return for reasonable tax to the crown.

Back in the Woodland Park Zoo, the strange crow with red eyes disappeared as mysteriously as it had appeared before. The two men in strange attire appeared in the same cage, ranting in an unknown language. After being taken away by security, the two ended up in custody of [[Homeland Security]], which also could not understand them nor figure out where they came from.

==Characters==
* '''Vince''' - a staff at Woodland Park Zoo who continued to look at the crow which was Nightshade every day.
* '''Harriet Appleton''' - Headmistress of Carringon Women's Preparatory. She suspended Misty at the beginning of the story.
* '''Rhonda Masterson''' - snobbish student at Carrington's who chose the wrong target to bully and was frightened to hysteria in return.
* '''Becky''' - roommate of Misty at Carrington.
* '''Miles Bennett''' - former law partner of Ben Holiday.
* '''Strabo''' - last dragon of Landover, who personally liked Misty and her mother Willow, but not her father.
* '''Haltwhistle''' - a mud-puppy, gift of Earth Mother to Misty. In Landover, mud puppies must be called by their owner daily or they will return to Earth Mother.
* '''Poggwydd''' - Landover Gnome rescued by Misty.
* '''Ben Holliday''' - king of Landover who had come from the "real world".
* '''Willow''' - a sylph, daughter of the River King, wife of Ben Holiday and mother of Misty.
* '''Questor Thews''' - a rather inept court wizard but loyal to Ben.
* '''Abernathy''' - a capable scribe of Ben despite having been turned into the form of a large [[wheaten terrier]].
* '''Berwyn Laphroig''' - Lord of Rhyndweir. His father Kallendbor had allied with Nightshade against Ben five years before. Kallendbor was killed when the plot failed. Laphroig had his older brother killed eighteen months after the latter succeeded the barony. Laphroig only other and younger brother disappeared shortly, his mother and sisters kept in virtual imprisonment. Laphrog took and discarded a series of wives before the third bore him a son. Shortly after Misty's return, both mother and son died in "tragic accident", freeing him to marry again.
* '''Shoopdiesel''' - a Gnome and friend of Poggwydd.
* '''Edgewood Dirk''' - a fairy-kind in the form a silver-and-black Prism cat. Dirk had powers such that it cannot be magically detected, nor anyone in its company.
* '''Cordstick''' - scribe to Laphroig who harboured greater ambitions to become Minister of State.
* '''Rufus Pinch''' - overseer at the Libiris.
* '''Craswell Crabbit''' - magician who was assigned by the previous wise king to be in charge of the Libiris.
* '''Thom''' - an apparently simply peasant boy working at the Libiris.
* '''Andjen Thomlinson''' - the missing youngest brother of Laphroig.

==Chapter titles==
* "It's All Happening at the Zoo"
* "Unexpected Consequences"
* "Strange Creatures Like Herself"
* "Father Knows Best"
* "Froggy Went A-Courtin"
* "Misunderstandings"
* "Flight"
* "Misery Loves Company"
* "Grandfather's Eyes"
* "Edgewood Dirk"
* "The Princess Is Missing"
* "Libiris"
* "His Eminence"
* "Back in the Stacks"
* "They Seek Her Here, They Seek Her There"
* "They Seek That Princess Everywhere!"
* "The Voice in the Shadows"
* "Revelations"
* "Cat's Paws"
* "Misdirection"
* "Sadly Mistaken"
* "Frogs, Dogs, and Throgs"
* "The Lesser of Two Evils"
* "Braveheart"
* "Till Death Do Us Part"
* "Demons at the Gates"
* "No Place Like Home"
* "Déjà Vu"

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
* [http://www.terrybrooks.net/ The Official Terry Brooks Website]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20090901044822/http://www.terrybrooks.net/landover/princess.html ''A Princess of Landover''] at Terry Brooks' Website
* [http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/b/terry-brooks/princess-of-landover.htm ''A Princess of Landover''] at fantasticfiction.co.uk

{{Terry Brooks}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Princess Of Landover}}
[[Category:2009 American novels]]
[[Category:American fantasy novels]]
[[Category:Magic Kingdom of Landover]]

[[Category:Del Rey books]]

Witches' Brew (novel)

2024-07-01T17:17:49Z

89.164.191.195:

{{no footnotes|date=September 2007}}
{{Infobox book
| name = Witches' Brew
| title_orig =
| image = Witches' Brew.jpg
| caption = Book cover
| author = [[Terry Brooks]]
| country = United States
| language = English
| series = ''[[Magic Kingdom of Landover]]''
| genre = [[Fantasy novel|Fantasy]]
| publisher = [[Del Rey Books]]
| release_date = April 1995
| pages = 352 pp
| isbn = 0-345-38702-3
| oclc = 34968729
| preceded_by = [[The Tangle Box]]
| followed_by = [[A Princess of Landover]]
}}

'''''Witches' Brew''''' by [[Terry Brooks]] is the fifth novel of the ''[[Magic Kingdom of Landover]]'' series. Published in 1995, the plot has an usurper who claims to be from another world calling for [[Magic Kingdom of Landover#Ben Holiday|Ben]]'s [[abdication]] from the throne. Upon Ben's refusal, he soon begins to send several evil, magic creatures against him. During this time, [[Magic Kingdom of Landover#Nightshade|Nightshade]] kidnaps Ben and [[Magic Kingdom of Landover#Willow|Willow]]'s new child, Mistaya, in a dangerous attempt to subvert her and use her innate magic. Meanwhile, Questor and Abernathy are stuck back in Earth to meet up with an old friend, leaving Ben and Willow alone to deal with the new threat.

==External links==
* [http://www.terrybrooks.net/ The official Terry Brooks website]
* [http://terrybrooks.net/novels/landover/brew.html ''Witches' Brew'' page of Terry Brooks' website]

{{Terry Brooks}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Witches Brew}}
[[Category:1995 fantasy novels]]
[[Category:Magic Kingdom of Landover]]
[[Category:Del Rey books]]

{{1990s-fantasy-novel-stub}}

Witches' Brew (novel)

2024-07-01T17:17:19Z

89.164.191.195:

{{no footnotes|date=September 2007}}
{{Infobox book
| name = Witches' Brew
| title_orig =
| image = Witches' Brew.jpg
| caption = Book cover
| author = [[Terry Brooks]]
| country = United States
| language = English
| series = ''[[Magic Kingdom of Landover]]''
| genre = [[Fantasy novel|Fantasy]]
| publisher = [[Del Rey Books]]
| release_date = April 1995
| pages = 352 pp
| isbn = 0-345-38702-3
| oclc = 34968729
| preceded_by = [[The Tangle Box]]
| followed_by = [[A Princess of Landover]]
}}

'''''Witches' Brew''''' by [[Terry Brooks]] is the fifth novel of the ''[[Magic Kingdom of Landover]]'' series. Published in 1995, the plot has an usurper who claims to be from another world calling for [[Magic Kingdom of Landover#Ben Holiday|Ben]]'s [[abdication]] from the throne. Upon Ben's refusal, he soon begins to send several evil, magic creatures against him. During this time, [[Magic Kingdom of Landover#Nightshade|Nightshade]] kidnaps Ben and [[Magic Kingdom of Landover#Willow|Willow]]'s new child, Mistaya, in a dangerous attempt to subvert her and use her innate magic. Meanwhile, Questor and Abernathy are stuck back in Earth to meet up with an old friend, leaving Ben and Willow alone to deal with the new threat.

==External links==
* [http://www.terrybrooks.net/ The Official Terry Brooks Website]
* [http://terrybrooks.net/novels/landover/brew.html Witches' Brew Page of Terry Brooks' Website]

{{Terry Brooks}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Witches Brew}}
[[Category:1995 fantasy novels]]
[[Category:Magic Kingdom of Landover]]
[[Category:Del Rey books]]

{{1990s-fantasy-novel-stub}}

The Tangle Box

2024-07-01T17:15:00Z

89.164.191.195:

{{no footnotes|date=October 2007}}
{{Infobox book | 
| name = The Tangle Box
| title_orig =
| image = The Tangle Box Cover.jpg 
| caption = Book cover
| author = [[Terry Brooks]]
| country = United States
| language = English
| series = ''[[Magic Kingdom of Landover]]''
| genre = [[Fantasy novel|Fantasy]]
| publisher = [[Del Rey Books]]
| release_date = April 12, 1994
| pages = 368 pp
| isbn = 0-345-38700-7
| oclc = 32299199
| preceded_by = [[Wizard at Large]]
| followed_by = [[Witches' Brew (novel)|Witches' Brew]]
}}
'''''The Tangle Box''''' by [[Terry Brooks]] is the fourth novel of the ''[[Magic Kingdom of Landover]]'' series. This book was first published on April 12, 1994. The plot has an inept old wizard, Horris Kew, accidentally releasing an evil creature called the Gorse. The creature soon imprisons [[Magic Kingdom of Landover#Ben Holiday|Ben]], the dragon [[Magic Kingdom of Landover#Strabo|Strabo]], and the witch [[Magic Kingdom of Landover#Nightshade|Nightshade]] in a device known as the Tangle Box. They must find a way out while Ben's allies find a way to handle the new threat from the Gorse.

==External links==
* [http://www.terrybrooks.net/ The official Terry Brooks website]
* [http://terrybrooks.net/novels/landover/tangle.html ''The Tangle Box'' page of Terry Brooks' website]

{{Terry Brooks}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Tangle Box, The}}
[[Category:1994 fantasy novels]]
[[Category:Magic Kingdom of Landover]]
[[Category:Del Rey books]]

{{1990s-fantasy-novel-stub}}

The Tangle Box

2024-07-01T17:14:22Z

89.164.191.195:

{{no footnotes|date=October 2007}}
{{Infobox book | 
| name = The Tangle Box
| title_orig =
| image = The Tangle Box Cover.jpg 
| caption = Book cover
| author = [[Terry Brooks]]
| country = United States
| language = English
| series = ''[[Magic Kingdom of Landover]]''
| genre = [[Fantasy novel|Fantasy]]
| publisher = [[Del Rey Books]]
| release_date = April 12, 1994
| pages = 368 pp
| isbn = 0-345-38700-7
| oclc = 32299199
| preceded_by = [[Wizard at Large]]
| followed_by = [[Witches' Brew (novel)|Witches' Brew]]
}}
'''''The Tangle Box''''' by [[Terry Brooks]] is the fourth novel of the ''[[Magic Kingdom of Landover]]'' series. This book was first published on April 12, 1994. The plot has an inept old wizard, Horris Kew, accidentally releasing an evil creature called the Gorse. The creature soon imprisons [[Magic Kingdom of Landover#Ben Holiday|Ben]], the dragon [[Magic Kingdom of Landover#Strabo|Strabo]], and the witch [[Magic Kingdom of Landover#Nightshade|Nightshade]] in a device known as the Tangle Box. They must find a way out while Ben's allies find a way to handle the new threat from the Gorse.

==External links==
* [http://www.terrybrooks.net/ The Official Terry Brooks Website]
* [http://terrybrooks.net/novels/landover/tangle.html The Tangle Box Page of Terry Brooks' Website]

{{Terry Brooks}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Tangle Box, The}}
[[Category:1994 fantasy novels]]
[[Category:Magic Kingdom of Landover]]
[[Category:Del Rey books]]

{{1990s-fantasy-novel-stub}}

Wizard at Large

2024-07-01T17:13:07Z

89.164.191.195:

{{Infobox book | 
| name = Wizard at Large
| title_orig =
| image = Wizard at Large Cover.jpg 
| caption = Book cover
| author = [[Terry Brooks]]
| country = United States
| language = English language
| series = ''[[Magic Kingdom of Landover]]''
| genre = [[Fantasy novel]]
| publisher = [[Del Rey Books]]
| release_date = October 1988
| media_type = Print ([[Hardcover|hardback]] & [[paperback]])
| pages = 320 pp
| isbn = 0-345-36227-6
| oclc = 20212750
| preceded_by = [[The Black Unicorn]]
| followed_by = [[The Tangle Box]]
}}

'''''Wizard At Large''''' by [[Terry Brooks]] is the third novel of the ''[[Magic Kingdom of Landover]]'' series, following ''[[The Black Unicorn]]''. Written in 1988, the plot has [[Magic Kingdom of Landover#Abernathy|Abernathy]] accidentally transported to Earth by one of [[Magic Kingdom of Landover#Questor Thews|Questor's]] ill-conceived spells, while a demonic imp is unleashed upon the kingdom of Landover. It was the last of a trilogy of annual ''Landover'' novels until ''[[The Tangle Box]]'' was published six years later. The book was re-released as part of a ''Landover'' omnibus in 2009.

==Plot==
In an attempt to return Abernathy to his former human self, court wizard Questor Thews inadvertently sends the canine court scribe, along with Ben Holiday's royal medallion, to Earth. Specifically, Abernathy ends up with the medallion in the menagerie of Michel Ard Rhi, a cruel former prince of Landover who was banished from Landover years ago. Ard Rhi is now a Washington state millionaire who keeps a collection of rare and magical items in his personal castle. As part of the botched spell, Abernathy is exchanged for one of Ard Rhi's magical artifacts, and a strange bottle appears in Landover in Abernathy's place. The bottle contains a Darkling, a creature similar to an evil genie that corrupts its master.

The bottle is stolen by the G'home Gnomes Filip and Sot, and Ben gives chase along with Questor, Willow, and Bunion. Ben and Willow later decide to use Questor's magic to travel to Earth to find Abernathy. With the help of Miles, Ben's old law partner, and Elizabeth, the daughter of one of Ard Rhi's employees, Abernathy is rescued, but Ard Rhi uses his influence to have the party detained at a police station.

Meanwhile, Questor continues to pursue the Darkling. He finds that through a series of thefts, the bottle has ended up in the hands of the evil witch Nightshade. Knowing that only the High Lord can defeat Nightshade, Questor decides to try to convince the dragon Strabo to fly him through the fairy mists to Earth. Using an itch spell, Questor gets the dragon to agree. They arrive at the last moment to rescue Ben and his friends from the police station and fly them back to Landover, but not before Questor uses his magic to restore Ard Rhi's conscience and convince him to give away his vast estate.

Ben and Questor confront Nightshade, and Ben uses his medallion to summon his knight champion, the Paladin. Nightshade, however, uses the Darkling to conjure a perverse version of the Paladin, and the creations give battle. Questor, meanwhile, manages to shrink himself and act as a stopper in the Darkling's bottle, cutting off the source of its power. The Darkling is destroyed, Nightshade flees, and order is restored to Landover.

==External links==
* [http://www.terrybrooks.net/ The official Terry Brooks website]
* [http://terrybrooks.net/novels/landover/wizard.html ''Wizard at Large'' page of Terry Brooks' website]

{{Terry Brooks}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Wizard At Large}}
[[Category:1988 American novels]]
[[Category:1988 fantasy novels]]
[[Category:Magic Kingdom of Landover]]
[[Category:Del Rey books]]

Wizard at Large

2024-07-01T17:12:40Z

89.164.191.195:

{{Infobox book | 
| name = Wizard at Large
| title_orig =
| image = Wizard at Large Cover.jpg 
| caption = Book cover
| author = [[Terry Brooks]]
| country = United States
| language = English language
| series = ''[[Magic Kingdom of Landover]]''
| genre = [[Fantasy novel]]
| publisher = [[Del Rey Books]]
| release_date = October 1988
| media_type = Print ([[Hardcover|hardback]] & [[paperback]])
| pages = 320 pp
| isbn = 0-345-36227-6
| oclc = 20212750
| preceded_by = [[The Black Unicorn]]
| followed_by = [[The Tangle Box]]
}}

'''''Wizard At Large''''' by [[Terry Brooks]] is the third novel of the ''[[Magic Kingdom of Landover]]'' series, following ''[[The Black Unicorn]]''. Written in 1988, the plot has [[Magic Kingdom of Landover#Abernathy|Abernathy]] accidentally transported to Earth by one of [[Magic Kingdom of Landover#Questor Thews|Questor's]] ill-conceived spells, while a demonic imp is unleashed upon the kingdom of Landover. It was the last of a trilogy of annual ''Landover'' novels until ''[[The Tangle Box]]'' was published six years later. The book was re-released as part of a ''Landover'' omnibus in 2009.

==Plot==
In an attempt to return Abernathy to his former human self, court wizard Questor Thews inadvertently sends the canine court scribe, along with Ben Holiday's royal medallion, to Earth. Specifically, Abernathy ends up with the medallion in the menagerie of Michel Ard Rhi, a cruel former prince of Landover who was banished from Landover years ago. Ard Rhi is now a Washington state millionaire who keeps a collection of rare and magical items in his personal castle. As part of the botched spell, Abernathy is exchanged for one of Ard Rhi's magical artifacts, and a strange bottle appears in Landover in Abernathy's place. The bottle contains a Darkling, a creature similar to an evil genie that corrupts its master.

The bottle is stolen by the G'home Gnomes Filip and Sot, and Ben gives chase along with Questor, Willow, and Bunion. Ben and Willow later decide to use Questor's magic to travel to Earth to find Abernathy. With the help of Miles, Ben's old law partner, and Elizabeth, the daughter of one of Ard Rhi's employees, Abernathy is rescued, but Ard Rhi uses his influence to have the party detained at a police station.

Meanwhile, Questor continues to pursue the Darkling. He finds that through a series of thefts, the bottle has ended up in the hands of the evil witch Nightshade. Knowing that only the High Lord can defeat Nightshade, Questor decides to try to convince the dragon Strabo to fly him through the fairy mists to Earth. Using an itch spell, Questor gets the dragon to agree. They arrive at the last moment to rescue Ben and his friends from the police station and fly them back to Landover, but not before Questor uses his magic to restore Ard Rhi's conscience and convince him to give away his vast estate.

Ben and Questor confront Nightshade, and Ben uses his medallion to summon his knight champion, the Paladin. Nightshade, however, uses the Darkling to conjure a perverse version of the Paladin, and the creations give battle. Questor, meanwhile, manages to shrink himself and act as a stopper in the Darkling's bottle, cutting off the source of its power. The Darkling is destroyed, Nightshade flees, and order is restored to Landover.

==External links==
* [http://www.terrybrooks.net/ The Official Terry Brooks Website]
* [http://terrybrooks.net/novels/landover/wizard.html Wizard at Large Page of Terry Brooks' Website]

{{Terry Brooks}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Wizard At Large}}
[[Category:1988 American novels]]
[[Category:1988 fantasy novels]]
[[Category:Magic Kingdom of Landover]]
[[Category:Del Rey books]]

Wizard at Large

2024-07-01T17:11:27Z

89.164.191.195:

{{Infobox book | 
| name = Wizard at Large
| title_orig =
| image = Wizard at Large Cover.jpg 
| caption = Book cover
| author = [[Terry Brooks]]
| country = United States
| language = English language
| series = ''[[Magic Kingdom of Landover]]''
| genre = [[Fantasy novel]]
| publisher = [[Del Rey Books]]
| release_date = October 1988
| media_type = Print ([[Hardcover|hardback]] & [[paperback]])
| pages = 320 pp
| isbn = 0-345-36227-6
| oclc = 20212750
| preceded_by = [[The Black Unicorn]]
| followed_by = [[The Tangle Box]]
}}

'''''Wizard At Large''''' by [[Terry Brooks]] is the third novel of the ''[[Magic Kingdom of Landover]]'' series, following ''[[The Black Unicorn]]''. Written in 1988, the plot has [[Magic Kingdom of Landover#Abernathy|Abernathy]] accidentally transported to Earth by one of [[Magic Kingdom of Landover#Questor Thews|Questor's]] ill-conceived spells, while a demonic imp is unleashed upon the kingdom of Landover. It was the last of a trilogy of annual ''Landover'' novels until ''[[The Tangle Box]]'' was published six years later. The book was re-released as part of a ''Landover'' omnibus in 2009.

==Plot==
In an attempt to return Abernathy to his former human self, court wizard Questor Thews inadvertently sends the canine court scribe, along with Ben Holiday's royal medallion, to Earth. Specifically, Abernathy ends up with the medallion in the menagerie of Michel Ard Rhi, a cruel former prince of Landover who was banished from Landover years ago. Ard Rhi is now a Washington state millionaire who keeps a collection of rare and magical items in his personal castle. As part of the botched spell, Abernathy is exchanged for one of Ard Rhi's magical artifacts, and a strange bottle appears in Landover in Abernathy's place. The bottle contains a Darkling, a creature similar to an evil genie that corrupts its master.

The bottle is stolen by the G'home Gnomes Filip and Sot, and Ben gives chase along with Questor, Willow, and Bunion. Ben and Willow later decide to use Questor's magic to travel to Earth to find Abernathy. With the help of Miles, Ben's old law partner, and Elizabeth, the daughter of one of Ard Rhi's employees, Abernathy is rescued. However, Ard Rhi uses his influence to have the party detained at a police station.

Meanwhile, Questor continues to pursue the Darkling. He finds that through a series of thefts, the bottle has ended up in the hands of the evil witch Nightshade. Knowing that only the High Lord can defeat Nightshade, Questor decides to try to convince the dragon Strabo to fly him through the fairy mists to Earth. Using an itch spell, Questor gets the dragon to agree. They arrive at the last moment to rescue Ben and his friends from the police station and fly them back to Landover, but not before Questor uses his magic to restore Ard Rhi's conscience and convince him to give away his vast estate.

Ben and Questor confront Nightshade, and Ben uses his medallion to summon his knight champion, the Paladin. Nightshade, however, uses the Darkling to conjure a perverse version of the Paladin, and the creations give battle. Questor, meanwhile, manages to shrink himself and act as a stopper in the Darkling's bottle, cutting off the source of its power. The Darkling is destroyed, Nightshade flees, and order is restored to Landover.

==External links==
* [http://www.terrybrooks.net/ The Official Terry Brooks Website]
* [http://terrybrooks.net/novels/landover/wizard.html Wizard at Large Page of Terry Brooks' Website]

{{Terry Brooks}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Wizard At Large}}
[[Category:1988 American novels]]
[[Category:1988 fantasy novels]]
[[Category:Magic Kingdom of Landover]]
[[Category:Del Rey books]]

Wizard at Large

2024-07-01T17:09:14Z

89.164.191.195:

{{Infobox book | 
| name = Wizard at Large
| title_orig =
| image = Wizard at Large Cover.jpg 
| caption = Book cover
| author = [[Terry Brooks]]
| country = United States
| language = English language
| series = ''[[Magic Kingdom of Landover]]''
| genre = [[Fantasy novel]]
| publisher = [[Del Rey Books]]
| release_date = October 1988
Print ([[Hardcover|hardback]] & [[paperback]])
| pages = 320 pp
| isbn = 0-345-36227-6
| oclc = 20212750
| preceded_by = [[The Black Unicorn]]
| followed_by = [[The Tangle Box]]
}}

'''''Wizard At Large''''' by [[Terry Brooks]] is the third novel of the ''[[Magic Kingdom of Landover]]'' series, following ''[[The Black Unicorn]]''. Written in 1988, the plot has [[Magic Kingdom of Landover#Abernathy|Abernathy]] accidentally transported to Earth by one of [[Magic Kingdom of Landover#Questor Thews|Questor's]] ill-conceived spells, while a demonic imp is unleashed upon the kingdom of Landover. It was the last of a trilogy of annual ''Landover'' novels until ''[[The Tangle Box]]'' was published six years later. The book was re-released as part of a ''Landover'' omnibus in 2009.

==Plot==
In an attempt to return Abernathy to his former human self, court wizard Questor Thews inadvertently sends the canine court scribe, along with Ben Holiday's royal medallion, to Earth. Specifically, Abernathy ends up with the medallion in the menagerie of Michel Ard Rhi, a cruel former prince of Landover who was banished from Landover years ago. Ard Rhi is now a Washington state millionaire who keeps a collection of rare and magical items in his personal castle. As part of the botched spell, Abernathy is exchanged for one of Ard Rhi's magical artifacts, and a strange bottle appears in Landover in Abernathy's place. The bottle contains a Darkling, a creature similar to an evil genie that corrupts its master.

The bottle is stolen by the G'home Gnomes Filip and Sot, and Ben gives chase along with Questor, Willow, and Bunion. Ben and Willow later decide to use Questor's magic to travel to Earth to find Abernathy. With the help of Miles, Ben's old law partner, and Elizabeth, the daughter of one of Ard Rhi's employees, Abernathy is rescued. However, Ard Rhi uses his influence to have the party detained at a police station.

Meanwhile, Questor continues to pursue the Darkling. He finds that through a series of thefts, the bottle has ended up in the hands of the evil witch Nightshade. Knowing that only the High Lord can defeat Nightshade, Questor decides to try to convince the dragon Strabo to fly him through the fairy mists to Earth. Using an itch spell, Questor gets the dragon to agree. They arrive at the last moment to rescue Ben and his friends from the police station and fly them back to Landover, but not before Questor uses his magic to restore Ard Rhi's conscience and convince him to give away his vast estate.

Ben and Questor confront Nightshade, and Ben uses his medallion to summon his knight champion, the Paladin. Nightshade, however, uses the Darkling to conjure a perverse version of the Paladin, and the creations give battle. Questor, meanwhile, manages to shrink himself and act as a stopper in the Darkling's bottle, cutting off the source of its power. The Darkling is destroyed, Nightshade flees, and order is restored to Landover.

==External links==
* [http://www.terrybrooks.net/ The Official Terry Brooks Website]
* [http://terrybrooks.net/novels/landover/wizard.html Wizard at Large Page of Terry Brooks' Website]

{{Terry Brooks}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Wizard At Large}}
[[Category:1988 American novels]]
[[Category:1988 fantasy novels]]
[[Category:Magic Kingdom of Landover]]
[[Category:Del Rey books]]

The Black Unicorn

2024-07-01T17:07:15Z

89.164.191.195:

{{short description|1987 novel by Terry Brooks}}
{{For|the 1991 novel by [[Tanith Lee]] novel|Black Unicorn}}
{{Infobox book | 
| name = The Black Unicorn
| title_orig =
| image = The Black Unicorn.jpg
| caption = First edition
| author = [[Terry Brooks]]
| cover_artist = [[Darrell K. Sweet]]
| country = United States
| language = English
| series = ''[[Magic Kingdom of Landover]]''
| genre = [[Fantasy novel|Fantasy]]
| publisher = [[Del Rey Books]]
| release_date = October 1987
| pages = 320 pp
| isbn = 0-345-33528-7
| oclc = 18500680
| preceded_by = [[Magic Kingdom for Sale—Sold!]]
| followed_by = [[Wizard at Large]]
}}
'''''The Black Unicorn''''' is the second novel in the ''[[Magic Kingdom of Landover]]'' series by [[Terry Brooks]], and the follow-up to ''[[Magic Kingdom for Sale—Sold!]]''. Published in 1987, the book revolves around the evil [[Wizard (fantasy)|wizard]] [[Magic Kingdom of Landover#Meeks|Meeks]], attempting to wrest control of the kingdom from [[Magic Kingdom of Landover#Ben Holiday|Ben Holiday]], the High Lord and the appearance of a mythical black [[unicorn]] in the kingdom.

==Plot==
Ben Holiday, court magician [[Magic Kingdom of Landover#Questor Thews|Questor Thews]] and the [[sylph]] [[Magic Kingdom of Landover#Willow|Willow]] each have a vivid, prophetic dream. Ben dreams that Miles Bennett, his former law partner back in [[Chicago, Illinois|Chicago]] is in trouble. Questor dreams of the location of two ancient books of magic and Willow dreams of a black unicorn containing great power and a golden bridle that can harness the animal. Only the half-dog court scribe [[Magic Kingdom of Landover#Abernathy|Abernathy]] voices his misgivings about the dreams.

Upon returning to the old world, Ben discovers that Miles is fine. Suspicious, he hurries back to [[Magic Kingdom of Landover|Landover]]. Unbeknownst to him, Meeks (the evil wizard that originally sent Ben into Landover) has stowed away in Ben's clothing using his magic, returning as well. At the castle, Ben finds that Questor has found the books of magic, though they seem useless. One is filled with illustrations of unicorns and the other appears burned from the inside. Willow is still missing.

That night, Ben is attacked by Meeks. The old wizard casts a [[glamour (charm)|glamour]] over each of them, so that Meeks appears as Ben and Ben appears as a common peasant. Failing to recognize his true identity and thinking him an intruder, Questor has Ben thrown out of the castle.

Ben searches for Willow, hoping to convince her of his identity and prevent her from delivering the bridle to Meeks. Along the way he encounters [[Magic Kingdom of Landover#Minor characters|Edgewood Dirk]], a prism cat from the fairy world. Dirk is able to recognize Ben as the High King, and taunts him for his inability to overcome his situation. Ben is able to arrange a meeting with Willow's father, the [[Magic Kingdom of Landover#River Master|River Master]], who fails in an attempt to capture the Black Unicorn and keep it as his own. The River Master blames Ben for his loss and sends him away without help. Later, Ben encounters the Earth Mother, who tells them that Willow has gone to the [[Magic Kingdom of Landover#The Deep Fell|Deep Fell]] to retrieve the golden bridle from the witch [[Magic Kingdom of Landover#Nightshade|Nightshade]].

Unsure if the witch has returned to the Deep Fell since their last encounter, Ben enlists the help of the G’home Gnomes, [[Magic Kingdom of Landover#Fillip and Sot|Fillip and Sot]], to investigate. They find that she has indeed returned and are apprehended. Nightshade reveals that she is no longer in possession of the bridle, it having been stolen by the dragon [[Magic Kingdom of Landover#Strabo|Strabo]] some time ago. Seeing an opportunity to regain the bridle from the dragon, Nightshade transports herself and her captives to Strabo's lair.

Meanwhile, Questor and Abernathy have been evicted from the castle for failing to capture the black unicorn. They make their way to Strabo's lair, seeking the dragon's help in determining the nature of the black unicorn. Nightshade and her prisoners appear, and Strabo admits that he has already given up the bridle to Willow for the price of a song. This infuriates Nightshade, and the meeting devolves into a furious battle between dragon and witch, while Ben and company escape.

Ben is finally able to convince his friends of his identity, and they eventually come across Willow, who has harnessed the black unicorn in a small meadow. Meeks arrives, still in disguise, and tries to persuade a confused Willow into bringing the unicorn to him instead of the true king. Edgewood Dirk enters into the confusion, prompting Meeks to launch an explosive attack against the Prism Cat. Willow mounts the black unicorn and flees, while the firefight turns the meadow into a scorched battlefield and scatters the party.

Abernathy, Questor, and Willow are captured by Meeks and his army of imps. Alone, Ben and Edgwood Dirk have one last cryptic conversation, and the cat disappears. Thinking on the cats' words, Ben acknowledges his love for Willow, and finds that he can break Meek's spell by conquering his self-deception. Ben summons the [[Magic Kingdom of Landover#The Paladin|Paladin]], who charges off to rescue Willow. As the Paladin battles with skeletal creatures summoned by Meeks, Abernathy bites the wizard in the leg, making him drop the books of magic. Streaking through the air, the black unicorn rips the binding from the books, releasing a multitude of white unicorns who scatter. A brief but intense battle of magic between the unicorn and Meeks erupts, and Meeks is finally vanquished.

It is revealed that the fairy world sent unicorns into various worlds to help restore peoples' faith in magic. Landover wizards from long ago captured these unicorns, imprisoning their spirits in one book and their bodies in another. Occasionally the spirit of the unicorns would break free, manifesting as the black unicorn, and the bridle was created to recapture this creature. Meeks had hidden the books before becoming exiled to Earth, and sent the dreams to set into motion events that would return possession of the books to him.

In the epilogue, a white unicorn dashes down the streets of Chicago, leaving onlookers in wonder.

==References==
{{Refimprove section|date=June 2009}}
{{reflist}}

==External links==
* [http://www.terrybrooks.net/ The official Terry Brooks website]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20060510170253/http://www.terrybrooks.net/novels/landover/unicorn.html ''The Black Unicorn'' page of Terry Brooks' website]

{{Terry Brooks}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Black Unicorn, The}}
[[Category:1987 American novels]]
[[Category:1987 fantasy novels]]
[[Category:American fantasy novels]]
[[Category:Fiction about unicorns]]
[[Category:Magic Kingdom of Landover]]
[[Category:Del Rey books]]

The Black Unicorn

2024-07-01T17:06:14Z

89.164.191.195:

{{short description|1987 novel by Terry Brooks}}
{{For|the 1991 novel by [[Tanith Lee]] novel|Black Unicorn}}
{{Infobox book | 
| name = The Black Unicorn
| title_orig =
| image = The Black Unicorn.jpg
| caption = First edition
| author = [[Terry Brooks]]
| cover_artist = [[Darrell K. Sweet]]
| country = United States
| language = English
| series = ''[[Magic Kingdom of Landover]]''
| genre = [[Fantasy novel|Fantasy]]
| publisher = [[Del Rey Books]]
| release_date = October 1987
| pages = 320 pp
| isbn = 0-345-33528-7
| oclc = 18500680
| preceded_by = [[Magic Kingdom for Sale—Sold!]]
| followed_by = [[Wizard at Large]]
}}
'''''The Black Unicorn''''' is the second novel in the ''[[Magic Kingdom of Landover]]'' series by [[Terry Brooks]], and the follow-up to ''[[Magic Kingdom for Sale—Sold!]]''. Published in 1987, the book revolves around the evil [[Wizard (fantasy)|wizard]] [[Magic Kingdom of Landover#Meeks|Meeks]], attempting to wrest control of the kingdom from [[Magic Kingdom of Landover#Ben Holiday|Ben Holiday]], the High Lord and the appearance of a mythical black [[unicorn]] in the kingdom.

==Plot==
Ben Holiday, court magician [[Magic Kingdom of Landover#Questor Thews|Questor Thews]] and the [[sylph]] [[Magic Kingdom of Landover#Willow|Willow]] each have a vivid, prophetic dream. Ben dreams that Miles Bennett, his former law partner back in [[Chicago, Illinois|Chicago]] is in trouble. Questor dreams of the location of two ancient books of magic and Willow dreams of a black unicorn containing great power and a golden bridle that can harness the animal. Only the half-dog court scribe [[Magic Kingdom of Landover#Abernathy|Abernathy]] voices his misgivings about the dreams.

Upon returning to the old world, Ben discovers that Miles is fine. Suspicious, he hurries back to [[Magic Kingdom of Landover|Landover]]. Unbeknownst to him, Meeks (the evil wizard that originally sent Ben into Landover) has stowed away in Ben's clothing using his magic, returning as well. At the castle, Ben finds that Questor has found the books of magic, though they seem useless. One is filled with illustrations of unicorns and the other appears burned from the inside. Willow is still missing.

That night, Ben is attacked by Meeks. The old wizard casts a [[glamour (charm)|glamour]] over each of them, so that Meeks appears as Ben and Ben appears as a common peasant. Failing to recognize his true identity and thinking him an intruder, Questor has Ben thrown out of the castle.

Ben searches for Willow, hoping to convince her of his identity and prevent her from delivering the bridle to Meeks. Along the way he encounters [[Magic Kingdom of Landover#Minor characters|Edgewood Dirk]], a prism cat from the fairy world. Dirk is able to recognize Ben as the High King, and taunts him for his inability to overcome his situation. Ben is able to arrange a meeting with Willow's father, the [[Magic Kingdom of Landover#River Master|River Master]], who fails in an attempt to capture the Black Unicorn and keep it as his own. The River Master blames Ben for his loss and sends him away without help. Later, Ben encounters the Earth Mother, who tells them that Willow has gone to the [[Magic Kingdom of Landover#The Deep Fell|Deep Fell]] to retrieve the golden bridle from the witch [[Magic Kingdom of Landover#Nightshade|Nightshade]].

Unsure if the witch has returned to the Deep Fell since their last encounter, Ben enlists the help of the G’home Gnomes, [[Magic Kingdom of Landover#Fillip and Sot|Fillip and Sot]], to investigate. They find that she has indeed returned and are apprehended. Nightshade reveals that she is no longer in possession of the bridle, it having been stolen by the dragon [[Magic Kingdom of Landover#Strabo|Strabo]] some time ago. Seeing an opportunity to regain the bridle from the dragon, Nightshade transports herself and her captives to Strabo's lair.

Meanwhile, Questor and Abernathy have been evicted from the castle for failing to capture the black unicorn. They make their way to Strabo's lair, seeking the dragon's help in determining the nature of the black unicorn. Nightshade and her prisoners appear, and Strabo admits that he has already given up the bridle to Willow for the price of a song. This infuriates Nightshade, and the meeting devolves into a furious battle between dragon and witch, while Ben and company escape.

Ben is finally able to convince his friends of his identity, and they eventually come across Willow, who has harnessed the black unicorn in a small meadow. Meeks arrives, still in disguise, and tries to persuade a confused Willow into bringing the unicorn to him instead of the true king. Edgewood Dirk enters into the confusion, prompting Meeks to launch an explosive attack against the Prism Cat. Willow mounts the black unicorn and flees, while the firefight turns the meadow into a scorched battlefield and scatters the party.

Abernathy, Questor, and Willow are captured by Meeks and his army of imps. Alone, Ben and Edgwood Dirk have one last cryptic conversation, and the cat disappears. Thinking on the cats' words, Ben acknowledges his love for Willow, and finds that he can break Meek's spell by conquering his self-deception. Ben summons the [[Magic Kingdom of Landover#The Paladin|Paladin]], who charges off to rescue Willow. As the Paladin battles with skeletal creatures summoned by Meeks, Abernathy bites the wizard in the leg, making him drop the books of magic. Streaking through the air, the black unicorn rips the binding from the books, releasing a multitude of white unicorns who scatter. A brief but intense battle of magic between the unicorn and Meeks erupts, and Meeks is finally vanquished.

It is revealed that the fairy world sent unicorns into various worlds to help restore peoples' faith in magic. Landover wizards from long ago captured these unicorns, imprisoning their spirits in one book and their bodies in another. Occasionally the spirit of the unicorns would break free, manifesting as the black unicorn, and the bridle was created to recapture this creature. Meeks had hidden the books before becoming exiled to Earth, and sent the dreams to set into motion events that would return possession of the books to him.

In the epilogue, a white unicorn dashes down the streets of Chicago, leaving onlookers in wonder.

==References==
{{Refimprove section|date=June 2009}}
{{reflist}}

==External links==
* [http://www.terrybrooks.net/ The Official Terry Brooks Website]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20060510170253/http://www.terrybrooks.net/novels/landover/unicorn.html The Black Unicorn Page of Terry Brooks' Website]

{{Terry Brooks}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Black Unicorn, The}}
[[Category:1987 American novels]]
[[Category:1987 fantasy novels]]
[[Category:American fantasy novels]]
[[Category:Fiction about unicorns]]
[[Category:Magic Kingdom of Landover]]
[[Category:Del Rey books]]

The Black Unicorn

2024-07-01T17:05:07Z

89.164.191.195:

{{short description|1987 novel by Terry Brooks}}
{{For|the 1991 novel by [[Tanith Lee]] novel|Black Unicorn}}
{{Infobox book | 
| name = The Black Unicorn
| title_orig =
| image = The Black Unicorn.jpg
| caption = First edition
| author = [[Terry Brooks]]
| cover_artist = [[Darrell K. Sweet]]
| country = United States
| language = English
| series = ''[[Magic Kingdom of Landover]]''
| genre = [[Fantasy novel|Fantasy]]
| publisher = [[Del Rey Books]]
| release_date = October 1987
| pages = 320 pp
| isbn = 0-345-33528-7
| oclc = 18500680
| preceded_by = [[Magic Kingdom for Sale—Sold!]]
| followed_by = [[Wizard at Large]]
}}
'''''The Black Unicorn''''' is the second novel in the ''[[Magic Kingdom of Landover]]'' series by [[Terry Brooks]], and the follow-up to ''[[Magic Kingdom for Sale—Sold!]]''. Published in 1987, the book revolves around the evil [[Wizard (fantasy)|wizard]] [[Magic Kingdom of Landover#Meeks|Meeks]], attempting to wrest control of the kingdom from [[Magic Kingdom of Landover#Ben Holiday|Ben Holiday]], the High Lord and the appearance of a mythical black [[unicorn]] in the kingdom.

==Plot==
Ben Holiday, court magician [[Magic Kingdom of Landover#Questor Thews|Questor Thews]] and the [[sylph]] [[Magic Kingdom of Landover#Willow|Willow]] each have a vivid, prophetic dream. Ben dreams that Miles Bennett, his former law partner back in [[Chicago, Illinois|Chicago]] is in trouble. Questor dreams of the location of two ancient books of magic and Willow dreams of a black unicorn containing great power and a golden bridle that can harness the animal. Only the half-dog court scribe [[Magic Kingdom of Landover#Abernathy|Abernathy]] voices his misgivings about the dreams.

Upon returning to the old world, Ben discovers that Miles is fine. Suspicious, he hurries back to [[Magic Kingdom of Landover|Landover]]. Unbeknownst to him, Meeks (the evil wizard that originally sent Ben into Landover) has stowed away in Ben's clothing using his magic, returning as well. At the castle, Ben finds that Questor has found the books of magic, though they seem useless. One is filled with illustrations of unicorns and the other appears burned from the inside. Willow is still missing.

That night, Ben is attacked by Meeks. The old wizard casts a [[glamour (charm)|glamour]] over each of them, so that Meeks appears as Ben and Ben appears as a common peasant. Failing to recognize his true identity and thinking him an intruder, Questor has Ben thrown out of the castle.

Ben searches for Willow, hoping to convince her of his identity and prevent her from delivering the bridle to Meeks. Along the way he encounters [[Magic Kingdom of Landover#Minor characters|Edgewood Dirk]], a prism cat from the fairy world. Dirk is able to recognize Ben as the High King, and taunts him for his inability to overcome his situation. Ben is able to arrange a meeting with Willow's father, the [[Magic Kingdom of Landover#River Master|River Master]], who fails in an attempt to capture the Black Unicorn and keep it as his own. The River Master blames Ben for his loss and sends him away without help. Later, Ben encounters the Earth Mother, who tells them that Willow has gone to the [[Magic Kingdom of Landover#The Deep Fell|Deep Fell]] to retrieve the golden bridle from the witch [[Magic Kingdom of Landover#Nightshade|Nightshade]].

Unsure if the witch has returned to the Deep Fell since their last encounter, Ben enlists the help of the G’home Gnomes, [[Magic Kingdom of Landover#Fillip and Sot|Fillip and Sot]], to investigate. They find that she has indeed returned and are apprehended. Nightshade reveals that she is no longer in possession of the bridle, it having been stolen by the dragon [[Magic Kingdom of Landover#Strabo|Strabo]] some time ago. Seeing an opportunity to regain the bridle from the dragon, Nightshade transports herself and her captives to Strabo's lair.

Meanwhile, Questor and Abernathy have been evicted from the castle for failing to capture the black unicorn. They make their way to Strabo's lair, seeking the dragon's help in determining the nature of the black unicorn. Nightshade and her prisoners appear, and Strabo admits that he has already given up the bridle to Willow for the price of a song. This infuriates Nightshade, and the meeting devolves into a furious battle between dragon and witch, while Ben and company escape.

Ben is finally able to convince his friends of his identity, and they eventually come across Willow, who has harnessed the black unicorn in a small meadow. Meeks arrives, still in disguise, and tries to persuade a confused Willow into bringing the unicorn to him instead of the true king. Edgewood Dirk enters into the confusion, prompting Meeks to launch an explosive attack against the Prism Cat. Willow mounts the black unicorn and flees, while the firefight turns the meadow into a scorched battlefield and scatters the party.

Abernathy, Questor, and Willow are captured by Meeks and his army of imps. Alone, Ben and Edgwood Dirk have one last cryptic conversation, and the cat disappears. Thinking on the cats’ words, Ben acknowledges his love for Willow, and finds that he can break Meek's spell by conquering his self-deception. Ben summons the [[Magic Kingdom of Landover#The Paladin|Paladin]], who charges off to rescue Willow. As the Paladin battles with skeletal creatures summoned by Meeks, Abernathy bites the wizard in the leg, making him drop the books of magic. Streaking through the air, the black unicorn rips the binding from the books, releasing a multitude of white unicorns who scatter. A brief but intense battle of magic between the unicorn and Meeks erupts, and Meeks is finally vanquished.

It is revealed that the fairy world sent unicorns into various worlds to help restore peoples' faith in magic. Landover wizards from long ago captured these unicorns, imprisoning their spirits in one book and their bodies in another. Occasionally the spirit of the unicorns would break free, manifesting as the black unicorn, and the bridle was created to recapture this creature. Meeks had hidden the books before becoming exiled to Earth, and sent the dreams to set into motion events that would return possession of the books to him.

In the epilogue, a white unicorn dashes down the streets of Chicago, leaving onlookers in wonder.

==References==
{{Refimprove section|date=June 2009}}
{{reflist}}

==External links==
* [http://www.terrybrooks.net/ The Official Terry Brooks Website]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20060510170253/http://www.terrybrooks.net/novels/landover/unicorn.html The Black Unicorn Page of Terry Brooks' Website]

{{Terry Brooks}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Black Unicorn, The}}
[[Category:1987 American novels]]
[[Category:1987 fantasy novels]]
[[Category:American fantasy novels]]
[[Category:Fiction about unicorns]]
[[Category:Magic Kingdom of Landover]]
[[Category:Del Rey books]]

Magic Kingdom of Landover

2024-07-01T17:03:44Z

89.164.191.195: Undid revision 1232043746 by Clement Hills (talk)

{{Short description|Fantasy fiction series by Terry Brooks}}
{{multiple issues|
{{more citations needed|date=October 2008}}
{{in-universe|date=October 2018}}
}}
{{Infobox book series
| name = The Magic Kingdom of Landover
| image = Magic Kingdom For Sale.jpg
| image_caption = The first edition cover to the first novel
| books = 1. ''[[Magic Kingdom for Sale—Sold!]]'' 2. ''[[The Black Unicorn]]'' 3. ''[[Wizard at Large]]'' 4. ''[[The Tangle Box]]'' 5. ''[[Witches' Brew (novel)|Witches' Brew]]'' 6. ''[[A Princess of Landover ]]''
| author = [[Terry Brooks]]
| editors =
| title_orig =
| translator =
| illustrator =
| cover_artist = [[Darrell K. Sweet]]
| country = [[United States]]
| language = [[English (language)|English]]
| discipline = [[Fantasy]]
| publisher = [[Del Rey Books]]
| pub_date = 1986–present
| english_pub_date =
| media_type = Print ([[hardcover]] and [[paperback]])
| number_of_books = 6
| list_books =
| oclc =
| preceded by =
| followed by =
| website =
}}
The '''''Magic Kingdom of Landover''''' is a series of six fantasy novels by [[Terry Brooks]] following the adventures of a former [[trial lawyer]] named Ben Holiday, who purchases a magical kingdom.

The novels are set in a fictional world known as '''Landover''' that is populated with numerous magical and fairy creatures. Its name is a reference to the song "[[Over the Rainbow|land over the rainbow]]" from [[The Wizard of Oz (1939 film)|The Wizard of Oz]]. Landover is described as a small world, surrounded on all sides by fairy mists which connect it to many other worlds, including Earth. Landover is a rural kingdom, populated by humans, [[gnome]]s, [[kobolds]], and various other fantasy creatures, all of whom speak the fictional language of "Landoverian" – which the protagonist can speak through magical means – and who often form separate societies. Their rulers, while answerable to the king, are allowed a certain degree of [[autonomy]]. Also inhabiting the land are the characters of [[#Strabo|Strabo]], a dragon, and the witch [[#Nightshade|Nightshade]].

Landover is protected by the [[#The Paladin|Paladin]], a magical [[knight]] who is a projection of its rulers. In the absence of a worthy ruler, the Paladin disappears, and Landover falls prey to a physical decay known as "the Tarnish", which slowly spreads from the king's castle ([[#Sterling Silver|Sterling Silver]]) to the rest of the kingdom. The Paladin is one of the few magics in the land that can stand up against that of Strabo or Nightshade.

==The books==
===''Magic Kingdom for Sale—Sold!'' (1986)===
{{Main|Magic Kingdom for Sale—Sold!}}
The first novel is about the main character, Ben Holiday, and his discovery of an ad offering the kingship of a magic kingdom named Landover. He is soon crowned king but must deal with a host of problems to solidify his throne.

===''The Black Unicorn'' (1987)===
{{Main|The Black Unicorn}}
In the second novel, Holiday is disguised, supposedly by magic used by the evil wizard [[#Meeks|Meeks]]. He must figure out how to restore himself to the throne, meanwhile saving [[#Willow|Willow]] in her dangerous quest to find the Black Unicorn.

===''Wizard at Large'' (1988)===
{{Main|Wizard at Large}}
The third novel tells of [[#Abernathy|Abernathy]] being accidentally transported to Earth by one of [[#Questor Thews|Questor's]] ill-conceived spells. Meanwhile, a demonic imp is unleashed upon Landover; Ben and his friends must find a way to get back Abernathy and stop the evil creature.

===''The Tangle Box'' (1994)===
{{Main|The Tangle Box}}
An inept conjurer/conman, Horris Kew, accidentally releases upon Landover an evil creature called the Gorse. The creature soon imprisons Ben, the dragon Strabo, and the witch Nightshade in a device known as the Tangle Box. They must find a way out while Ben's allies find a way to handle the new threat from the Gorse.

===''Witches' Brew'' (1995)===
{{Main|Witches' Brew (novel)}}
A usurper who claims to be from another world calls for Ben's abdication from the throne, and begins to send evil, magic creatures against him. Meanwhile, Nightshade kidnaps Ben and Willow's daughter, Mistaya, in a dangerous attempt to subvert her and use her innate magic. Meanwhile, Questor and Abernathy are stuck back in Earth to meet up with an old friend, leaving Ben and Willow alone to deal with the new threat.

===''A Princess of Landover'' (2009)===
{{Main|A Princess of Landover}}
Ben Holiday, Chicago lawyer and mere mortal turned monarch of enchanted Landover, has grappled with scheming barons, fire-breathing beasts, diabolical conjurers, and extremely wicked witches. None of whom have prepared him for the most daunting of challengers: a teenage daughter. Sent by Ben and his beloved sylph bride, Willow, to an exclusive girls' prep school, headstrong (and half-magical) Mistaya Holiday has found life in the natural world a less-than-perfect fit. When her latest rebellious antics get her indefinitely suspended, she's determined to resume her real education – learning sorcery from court wizard Questor Thews – whether her parents like it or not.

Back home in Landover, Mistaya's frustrated father is just as determined that the precocious princess learn some responsibility, and he declares her grounded until she successfully refurbishes the long-forsaken royal library. Mortified by the prospect of salvaging a king's ransom in moldy books – and horrified by the word that the repulsive local nobleman Lord Laphroig seeks to marry her – Mistaya decides that the only way to run her own life is to run away from home.

=== Untitled final book ===
A seventh novel is planned that will be the final novel in the series. As of 2021 it is untitled.<ref name="books">{{cite web | url=http://terrybrooks.net/2015/02/books/ | title=Books | date=10 February 2015 | publisher=Terry Brooks | accessdate=19 April 2015}}</ref>

Author Terry Brooks has said in a Reddit AMA from June 2018 that the final book will be written in 2020 and published in 2021.<ref>{{cite web |title=Terry Brooks Reddit AMA |url=https://www.reddit.com/r/Fantasy/comments/8qauxk/i_am_terry_brooks_author_of_the_shannara_series/e0idi5u/}}</ref> Brooks said that any final plans to write and publish the final book were dependent on the release of a Landover film adaptation.<ref>{{cite web |title=Terry Brooks Reddit AMA |url=https://terrybrooks.net/2016/02/december-ask-terry-posted-6/}}</ref>

==Short stories==
In March 2021, two short stories, "An Unfortunate Influx of Filipinas" and "Don't Tell Dad", were published in the short story collection ''Small Magic''.

==Major characters==
===Ben Holiday===
Once a successful trial lawyer in [[Chicago, Illinois|Chicago]], Ben's life takes a dramatic change when his wife Annie and their unborn child are killed in a traffic accident. Ben sinks into depression and no longer gains fulfillment through the law firm he established with his best friend, Miles Bennett. Seeing a Christmas catalog advertising a fairytale kingdom for sale, he purchases it for $1,000,000 in a desperate hope to find something meaningful again. The kingdom, called Landover, turns out to be very real and in need of a true king to restore it to its previous splendor. Ben is challenged at every step by a number of characters, all with seemingly different motives. He is eventually able to gain the respect of the citizens of Landover and establish himself as the true High Lord.

===Questor Thews===
Questor is the court magician, and one of Ben's most trusted friends and advisors. He is the half-brother of the wizard Meeks, though Questor has taken a different path in his life, choosing to serve Landover and its king, rather than trying to control them. Frequently described by Ben as looking like a "scarecrow", with "patchwork robes", Questor's command of his magic is somewhat questionable, as his spells frequently backfire or have unintended consequences. Questor was responsible for transforming Abernathy into a [[Wheaten Terrier]] to disguise him from Michel Ard Rhi, the old king's son, but has not been able to turn him back. Despite his many mistakes, he has fought with the dragon Strabo and come out the victor (if only once, due to an emergency, and winning via a non-ending itch; this was, however, after a fair amount of fighting beforehand, including quite an ice storm that he summoned upon Strabo, and some rather odd misfires, such as a rain of flowers).

===Meeks===
Meeks is the half-brother of Questor, and the one responsible for selling Ben the magic kingdom. He appears as a grizzled old man missing his right arm and is in fact a powerful wizard. Meeks came into possession of the medallion that identifies the kings of Landover and developed a scheme to repeatedly sell the kingdom with it. A buyer would purchase the medallion for access to Landover, and then when the victim either abandoned the kingship as too difficult or was killed, Meeks would retrieve the medallion and re-sell the kingdom. His plans were thwarted by Ben Holiday when Ben was able to successfully claim lordship of Landover and cut Meeks off from the kingdom.

===Abernathy===
Abernathy is the court scribe, and one of Ben's closest friends. Questor Thews turned Abernathy into a [[Wheaten Terrier]], previous to Ben Holiday's arrival, to escape the cruelties of the old king's son. Questor however did not possess enough magical knowledge to return Abernathy to his human form, and Abernathy has not let Questor forget that fact. As the scribe, Abernathy is responsible for the day-to-day business at the castle, a task he excels at through his studious and thorough nature. Abernathy's natural tendency to be overcautious helps to balance the impetuousness of Ben, and the unpreparedness of Questor.

===Willow===
Willow is a [[sylph]] and Ben's wife. She is the daughter of the River Master and a wood elemental, giving her pale-green skin and emerald hair. Her dual nature is reflected in the fact that she must transform into a [[Willow tree]] once every 21 days to maintain her life force. She has a tense and distant relationship with her father, as her existence serves as a permanent reminder to him of the brief relationship that he desires to reclaim, but never can. It is to her mother that she turns for guidance.

===Mistaya===
The daughter of Ben and Willow, who, in ''The Princess of Landover'', took over her father's role as the main protagonist. Growing magically fast into a teenager, she wants nothing to do with her father's plans to give her a normal childhood and a grounding in reality, preferring instead a life of magic and adventure. This repeatedly gets her into trouble. The magical creatures of Landover often come to her rescue, as they believe she has a great and miraculous destiny ahead of her.

===Bunion and Parsnip===
Bunion and Parsnip are two [[kobolds]] who live in the castle and carry out the day-to-day chores. They act as groundskeeper and cook respectively, and are also competent fighters and bodyguards. Their appearance is similar to large-eared [[monkey]]s with mouths full of sharp teeth. They do not speak, but instead communicate through gestures, hisses and other vocalizations. The kobolds are fairy creatures that had come out of the mists surrounding Landover and have pledged their lives to the service of the throne of Landover.

===Fillip and Sot===
Fillip and Sot are G'home Gnomes and brothers. Nigh inseparable, they always travel together and become semi-frequent companions of Ben's. Being incorrigible thieves, G'home Gnomes are considered pests by the majority of Landover's community, but once Ben was able to prove his kingship, Fillip and Sot have proved loyal to him, if a bit of a nuisance. They have a tendency to trade on their relationship with Ben to circumvent the standard legal process and take their innumerable complaints directly to Ben himself.

The G'home Gnomes earned their tribal name at some unspecified point in Landover's past. When they first arrived, and the residents of Landover had learned of their [[kleptomaniac]] tendencies, members of the tribe were met with the wish/phrase "Go home, Gnome" by the general populace, expressing the general wish that they would all go home to wherever it was they came from. Over time this got abbreviated to "G'home Gnome" and eventually the wish became the name by which the tribe was known.

===River Master===
The River Master is the lord of the Lake Country and the fairy folk that live in Elderew. He was originally a creature of fairy, but now lives apart from the mists. He is a gifted healer, and by his magic the Lake Country is kept healthy while the rest of Landover succumbs to the Tarnish. He is Willow's father, though their relationship is strained. He yearns to possess Willow's mother, a wood sprite, but cannot. This, combined with the fact that Willow will go to her mother and not him when she needs help, has resulted in a very cool relationship between father and daughter.

===Nightshade===
Nightshade is a powerful witch who lives in the Deep Fell. She is one of the primary antagonists to Ben, along with Strabo the dragon. She possesses great magic, since she is from the fairy world, but has always used that power for greed and torture, which was why she was cast out of the mists and forbidden reentry. Later in the series she is sent to Earth by Haltwhistle the Mud-Puppy in defense of Mistaya. In crow form she is trapped in an aviary, but mysteriously disappears at the end of the latest novel.

===Strabo===
Strabo is a dragon who lives in the desolate Fire Springs region. He is a solitary creature, the last of his kind, and is a frequent rival to Ben in his duties as king. He is one of the few powerful creatures of magic in the valley, along with Nightshade, although in ''Tangle Box'' and ''Witches' Brew'' he has proved to be not as evil as Nightshade. He is honorable in his word. He has the ability to fly through the fairy mists into other worlds, such as Earth, and is fond of Willow's singing voice.

===The Paladin===
The Paladin is the king's champion and defender. His image is engraved on the medallion of the kings, and only a true king can summon the Paladin to fight for him. In truth, the Paladin is the spirit of an immortal warrior that resides within the medallion and is channeled through the king when needed. The secret of the Paladin is known only to the king of Landover, but in the latter parts of ''Witches' Brew'', Ben confesses to Willow the relationship between himself and the Paladin.

==Minor characters==
* The Iron Mark is the leader of the demons of [[#Abaddon|Abaddon]]. He appears to be human in shape, yet he stands at least eight feet tall. Whenever he is seen he is totally covered in black armor with serpents carved on it. The armor is scarred and battered, with serrated spines running down the Mark's limbs and back. His helmet has a death's head, and through its slits can be seen his eyes glimmering a bright crimson. He carries many weapons, and the severed heads of his enemies hang about his neck. He rides a winged demon that appears to be half snake and half wolf.

:The demons of [[#Abaddon|Abaddon]] are exiled from the fairy world, and would like to return to it. The only way for them to do so is through Landover, making them feel the need to conquer it. Before the coming of [[#Ben Holiday|Ben Holiday]], the Mark had proclaimed himself King of Landover, and repeatedly challenged the holders of the medallion to single combat. Since his defeat by [[#Ben Holiday|Ben Holiday]] and [[#The Paladin|the Paladin]] he has refused to openly fight against them again.
* Earth Mother is a creature of fairy and the [[personification]] of nature in Landover. She briefly intervenes during the events of ''The Black Unicorn'' to point Ben in the right direction to find Willow. She recognizes an importance in the relationship between the two and makes Ben promise that he will protect Willow above all else.
* Edgewood Dirk is a fairy creature known as a Prism Cat, appearing as an ordinary cat but with the ability to speak, and to refocus light and energy through its body. When Ben is tricked by Meeks into believing he has lost the medallion and control of the kingdom, Dirk is sent by the fairies to guide Ben toward the truth and provide a measure of protection. Dirk is aloof and makes frequent reference to the indifference of cats to the problems of the rest of the world.
* Miles Bennett: Ben's partner in his old law firm in Chicago. Miles's calm demeanor provides a balance to Ben's impetuousness and aggressiveness. Miles refers to Ben Holiday as "Doc" for his clever legal maneuvering in the courtroom, a reference to [[gunfighter]] [[Doc Holliday]].
* Michel Ard Rhi is the son of the previous king of Landover, now deceased. He was the one who schemed with Meeks to repeatedly sell the kingdom to unwary victims. He is also indirectly the reason for Abernathy being a dog, as Questor transformed him one day to save him from Ard Rhi's wrath.
* Haltwhistle: A Mud Puppy given to Mistaya Holiday by the Earth Mother as a gift of protection. He features quite briefly, though his actions are important to the plots of the novel. He has no offensive magic, but can deflect offensive magics as if to use them for himself. He possesses strong defensive magic.

==Locations==
===Abaddon===
Abaddon is a netherworld that lies beneath Landover. Having no sun, moon, or stars, its sky is black, and the mountainous landscape of jagged peaks and deep gorges is lit only by the glow of molten lava and a strange white light that dances on the horizon. The demons of Abaddon are the worst exiles driven from the fairy world, and they are ruled over by the most powerful demon, called [[#Minor characters|the Iron Mark]].

===The Deep Fell===
The Deep Fell is the home of Nightshade the witch. It is a vast [[sinkhole]] in the northwest part of Landover. The Deep Fell is connected to the fairy mists, and the G'home Gnomes sometimes sneak into the fell to scout for items to [[Theft|pilfer]].

===Elderew===
Elderew is the main city of the Lake Country people, and home of the River Master. It is surrounded by a dense marsh that can only be penetrated either way with the River Master's help. Inside the marsh is an open-air [[amphitheater]] where the fairy people hold their celebrations and festivals. The city itself is built into a group of huge trees, twice the size of [[California redwood]] trees, extending from ground to treetops. The cottages and shops of the city are connected by a network of tree lanes and stairways.

===Moons of Landover===
Landover possesses eight [[moons]], each one a different color: white, peach, pale mauve, burnt rose, sea green, beryl, turquoise, and jade. Two of the moons, peach and pale mauve, are visible during daylight hours, with the rest being only visible after dusk. The moons rise and set like normal satellites. During certain rare times of the year all eight moons are visible in the night sky at once. About every other month there is a new-moon phase, when some of the eight moons are below the horizon and the rest are in their dark phase, leaving the nighttime sky lit only by the stars.

===Sterling Silver===
Sterling Silver is the name of the castle that serves as the home of the king of Landover. The castle itself is a living entity, personified as female. It sits on a small island surrounded by a lake, accessible (early in the first novel) only by a magical boat called the lake skimmer. After Ben became High Lord, he had the bridge across the lake rebuilt to allow more open access to the castle. As a magical entity, the castle is responsive to the moods and feelings of the king, and he in turn can sense the energy coming from its walls. One of the towers also holds the Landsview, a magical chamber that allows a user to instantly see any part of Landover as if rapidly flown there. In the absence of a king, the castle begins to fall victim to a form of physical decay, called the Tarnish. If unchecked, the Tarnish will eventually consume the castle and spread out into the whole of Landover.

== References ==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
* [http://www.terrybrooks.net/ The official Terry Brooks website]

{{Terry Brooks}}

[[Category:Magic Kingdom of Landover| ]]
[[Category:Book series introduced in 1986]]
[[Category:Fantasy novel series]]
[[Category:High fantasy novels]]
[[Category:Portal fantasy]]

Magic Kingdom for Sale—Sold!

2024-07-01T17:02:42Z

89.164.191.195:

{{Short description|1986 fantasy novel by Terry Brooks}}
{{Refimprove|date=September 2007}}
{{Infobox book | 
| name = Magic Kingdom for Sale—Sold!
| title_orig =
| translator =
| image = Magic Kingdom For Sale.jpg
| caption = Paperback cover
| author = [[Terry Brooks]]
| illustrator =
| cover_artist = [[Darrell K. Sweet]]
| country = United States
| language = English
| series = ''[[Magic Kingdom of Landover]]''
| subject =
| genre = [[Fantasy literature|Fantasy]], quest
| publisher = [[Del Rey Books]]
| release_date = March 12, 1986
| english_release_date =
| media_type = Print ([[hardcover]], [[mass market paperback]]) Audio (abridged)
| pages = 384 (mass market paperback)
| isbn = 0-345-31758-0
| isbn_note = (mass market paperback)
| oclc = 15508892
| preceded_by =
| followed_by = [[The Black Unicorn]]
}}

'''''Magic Kingdom for Sale—Sold!''''' is a fantasy novel by American writer [[Terry Brooks]], the first in his ''[[Magic Kingdom of Landover]]'' series. Written in 1986, it tells the story of how [[Magic Kingdom of Landover#Ben Holiday|Ben Holiday]], a talented but depressed Chicago trial lawyer, comes to be king of Landover, an otherworldly magical kingdom. The book was re-released as part of a ''Landover'' omnibus in 2009.

==Plot summary==
The novel begins with Ben Holiday, a trial lawyer from [[Chicago]], lamenting the loss of his wife and unborn child in a car accident. He finds an advertisement in an upscale Christmas catalog claiming to offer a magical kingdom for one million dollars by a man named Mr. Meeks. Although skeptical, Ben pursues the offer out of a desperate need to start a new life.

Ben receives a magical medallion and is transported through a swirling mist to the kingdom of Landover. He learns that Landover is a world that connects many other worlds such as Earth. It is surrounded by the Fairy Mist wherein reside creatures of Fairy that created Landover and guard the passages to these worlds. He finds it not exactly as described. He soon finds that Landover has not had a true king in twenty years. The son of the last king did not wish to take up the throne and escaped with the court wizard, Meeks, to Earth. They have been selling the throne to dozens of people in the past two decades, but no one has been able to face the challenge and successfully complete so much as a few months as king. Further, kings of Landover used to be protected by a magical knight called the Paladin, but he has not been seen since the last king's death.

Further, Ben has only four loyal subjects. The court wizard is a hack named Questor Thews, who is also Meeks' half-brother. Abernathy is the court scribe, who was transformed into a large dog by one of Questor's spells gone awry. Finally, two creatures called Kobolds, Bunion and Parsnip, serve Ben as caretakers of the castle and as protection against the wild creatures of the kingdom.

Ben's coronation is barely attended, so he decides to travel the land to gain the pledges of the local rulers. He travels first to meet with the Lords of the Greensward, the most prominent landowners in the kingdom. They agree to serve Ben only on the condition that he rid them of Strabo, a dragon that ravages their countryside.

Next Ben visits the River Master and the Fairy fold of Elderew, a city of outcasts from the Fairy Mists. The River Master also places conditions on his pledge, requiring Ben to stop the Lords of the Greensward from polluting their rivers. In the river country Ben stumbles upon a sylph named Willow. She is also a fairy creature who turns into a tree some evenings. She claims that the Fairies have foretold that she will marry Ben. Though he initially rebuffs her, he finds himself falling in love with her over time.

Ben is entreated by Fillip and Sot, two of a race of thievish "G'Home Gnomes" to rescue some of their people from a clan of trolls. They manage to do so, but barely escape with their lives. They finally decide to ask for the help of the witch Nightshade, and travel to her home in the marshes known as the Deep Fell. She tells Ben to enter the Fairy Mists, where he may be able to obtain mind-controlling Io Powder to use on Strabo. Ben does so and endures a series of frightening trials by the Fairy creatures to obtain the powder. Emerging from the mists, he finds that Nightshade has used her magic to banish all of his companions to Abbadon, Landover's underworld. Nightshade attempts to trick Ben out of his Io Powder, but Ben uses some of the substance on the witch and sends her to an uncertain fate in the Fairy Mists.

Ben travels to the Fire Springs to confront Strabo, and is surprised to find the dragon to be sentient and rather well-spoken, if still vicious. Ben uses the Io Powder on Strabo, and rides him to Abaddon to rescue his friends with the help of two g'home gnomes. He also extracts a promise from the dragon to stay out of the Greensward.

Finally, Ben is challenged by the Mark, lord of Abaddon, to a duel for the throne. Ben's medallion responds during the fight and transforms Ben into the Paladin, allowing him to subdue the demon. The challenge is witnessed by the leaders from the Greensward, Elderew, and the Troll tribes, who then swear their allegiance. Ben Holiday, King of Landover, then sets about to restore Landover to its former glory.

==Film, TV or theatrical adaptations==
The rights to sell a film based on this book have been bounced around since the 1980s, but as of April 2010, the film was said to be as active,<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0466061/ |title=Magic Kingdom for Sale |publisher=[[IMDb]]}}</ref> though it is still unclear if the film will eventually see screening. Although the film is seen as in production, actors have not even been talked about. Brooks was in negotiations with Hollywood execs, per his monthly letter at terrybrooks.net.

Previous plans for adding two children to the screen play have been dropped according to Terry Brooks because of the lack of a real story arc for each character.

The option to produce the film reverted to Brooks in July 2010.

In January 2012, Brooks issued a statement on terrybrooks.net in a blog entry titled "Hollywood Is Going to Landover", indicating that the option for a Hollywood produced ''Magic Kingdom for Sale—Sold!'' film had been granted to Warner Brothers Studios.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.terrybrooks.net/2012/01/brooksblog-hollywood-is-going-to-landover/ |title=BrooksBlog: Hollywood Is Going to Landover |date=30 January 2012 |publisher=Terry Brooks - Website of author Terry Brooks}}</ref>

==Reception==
J. Michael Caparula reviewed ''Magic Kingdom for Sale...Sold!'' in ''[[The Space Gamer|Space Gamer/Fantasy Gamer]]'' No. 80.<ref name="SG">{{cite journal|last=Caparula |first=J. Michael |date=October–November 1987 |title=Space/Fantasy Reader|journal=[[The Space Gamer|Space Gamer/Fantasy Gamer]] |issue=80 |pages=42–43}}</ref> Caparula commented that "I think Brooks could have done better, considering that his 'Shannara' novels at least benefited from a colorful world setting".<ref name="SG"/>

==Reviews==
* Review by John C. Bunnell (1986) in ''[[Dragon (magazine)|Dragon Magazine]]'', July 1986<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.isfdb.org/cgi-bin/title.cgi?1593|title = Title: Magic Kingdom for Sale—Sold!}}</ref>
* Review by Mark W. Antonoff (1986) in ''[[Science Fiction Review]]'', Fall 1986
* Review by Baird Searles (1986) in ''[[Isaac Asimov's Science Fiction Magazine]]'', October 1986
* Review by Andy Sawyer (1986) in ''Paperback Inferno'', #62
* Review by Barbara Davies (1986) in ''[[Vector (magazine)|Vector]]'' 135
* Review by Phyllis McDonald (1988) in ''[[Interzone (magazine)|Interzone]]'', #24, Summer 1988

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
* [http://www.terrybrooks.net/ The official Terry Brooks website]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20060510170241/http://www.terrybrooks.net/novels/landover/kingdom.html ''Magic Kingdom for Sale—Sold!'' page of Terry Brooks' website]
* {{imdb-title|0466061|Magic Kingdom for Sale}}

{{Terry Brooks}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Magic Kingdom For Sale - Sold!}}
[[Category:1986 American novels]]
[[Category:1986 fantasy novels]]
[[Category:American fantasy novels]]
[[Category:Del Rey books]]
[[Category:Magic Kingdom of Landover]]

Magic Kingdom for Sale—Sold!

2024-07-01T16:51:12Z

89.164.191.195: /* External links */

{{Short description|1986 fantasy novel by Terry Brooks}}
{{Refimprove|date=September 2007}}
{{Infobox book | 
| name = Magic Kingdom for Sale—Sold!
| title_orig =
| translator =
| image = Magic Kingdom For Sale.jpg
| caption = Paperback cover
| author = [[Terry Brooks]]
| illustrator =
| cover_artist = [[Darrell K. Sweet]]
| country = United States
| language = English
| series = ''[[Magic Kingdom of Landover]]''
| subject =
| genre = [[Fantasy literature|Fantasy]], quest
| publisher = [[Del Rey Books]]
| release_date = March 12, 1986
| english_release_date =
| media_type = Print ([[hardcover]], [[mass market paperback]]) Audio (abridged)
| pages = 384 (mass market paperback)
| isbn = 0-345-31758-0
| isbn_note = (mass market paperback)
| oclc= 15508892
| preceded_by =
| followed_by = [[The Black Unicorn]]
}}

'''''Magic Kingdom for Sale—Sold!''''' is a fantasy novel by American writer [[Terry Brooks]], the first in his ''[[Magic Kingdom of Landover]]'' series. Written in 1986, it tells the story of how [[Magic Kingdom of Landover#Ben Holiday|Ben Holiday]], a talented but depressed Chicago trial lawyer, comes to be king of Landover, an otherworldly magical kingdom. The book was re-released as part of a Landover omnibus in 2009.

==Plot summary==
The novel begins with Ben Holiday, a trial lawyer from [[Chicago]], lamenting the loss of his wife and unborn child in a car accident. He finds an advertisement in an upscale Christmas catalog claiming to offer a magical kingdom for one million dollars by a man named Mr. Meeks. Although skeptical, Ben pursues the offer out of a desperate need to start a new life.

Ben receives a magical medallion and is transported through a swirling mist to the kingdom of Landover. He learns that Landover is a world that connects many other worlds such as Earth. It is surrounded by the Fairy Mist wherein reside creatures of Fairy that created Landover and guard the passages to these worlds. He finds it not exactly as described. He soon finds that Landover has not had a true king in twenty years. The son of the last king did not wish to take up the throne and escaped with the court wizard, Meeks, to Earth. They have been selling the throne to dozens of people in the past two decades, but no one has been able to face the challenge and successfully complete so much as a few months as king. Further, kings of Landover used to be protected by a magical knight called the Paladin, but he has not been seen since the last king's death.

Further, Ben has only four loyal subjects. The court wizard is a hack named Questor Thews, who is also Meeks' half-brother. Abernathy is the court scribe, who was transformed into a large dog by one of Questor's spells gone awry. Finally, two creatures called Kobolds, Bunion and Parsnip, serve Ben as caretakers of the castle and as protection against the wild creatures of the kingdom.

Ben's coronation is barely attended, so he decides to travel the land to gain the pledges of the local rulers. He travels first to meet with the Lords of the Greensward, the most prominent landowners in the kingdom. They agree to serve Ben only on the condition that he rid them of Strabo, a dragon that ravages their countryside.

Next Ben visits the River Master and the Fairy fold of Elderew, a city of outcasts from the Fairy Mists. The River Master also places conditions on his pledge, requiring Ben to stop the Lords of the Greensward from polluting their rivers. In the river country Ben stumbles upon a sylph named Willow. She is also a fairy creature who turns into a tree some evenings. She claims that the Fairies have foretold that she will marry Ben. Though he initially rebuffs her, he finds himself falling in love with her over time.

Ben is entreated by Fillip and Sot, two of a race of thievish "G'Home Gnomes" to rescue some of their people from a clan of trolls. They manage to do so, but barely escape with their lives. They finally decide to ask for the help of the witch Nightshade, and travel to her home in the marshes known as the Deep Fell. She tells Ben to enter the Fairy Mists, where he may be able to obtain mind-controlling Io Powder to use on Strabo. Ben does so and endures a series of frightening trials by the Fairy creatures to obtain the powder. Emerging from the mists, he finds that Nightshade has used her magic to banish all of his companions to Abbadon, Landover's underworld. Nightshade attempts to trick Ben out of his Io Powder, but Ben uses some of the substance on the witch and sends her to an uncertain fate in the Fairy Mists.

Ben travels to the Fire Springs to confront Strabo, and is surprised to find the dragon to be sentient and rather well-spoken, if still vicious. Ben uses the Io Powder on Strabo, and rides him to Abaddon to rescue his friends with the help of two g'home gnomes. He also extracts a promise from the dragon to stay out of the Greensward.

Finally, Ben is challenged by the Mark, lord of Abaddon, to a duel for the throne. Ben's medallion responds during the fight and transforms Ben into the Paladin, allowing him to subdue the demon. The challenge is witnessed by the leaders from the Greensward, Elderew, and the Troll tribes, who then swear their allegiance. Ben Holiday, King of Landover, then sets about to restore Landover to its former glory.

==Film, TV or theatrical adaptations==
The rights to sell a film based on this book have been bounced around since the 1980s, but as of April 2010, the film was said to be as active,<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0466061/ |title=Magic Kingdom for Sale |publisher=[[IMDb]]}}</ref> though it is still unclear if the film will eventually see screening. Although the film is seen as in production, actors have not even been talked about. Brooks was in negotiations with Hollywood execs, per his monthly letter at terrybrooks.net.

Previous plans for adding two children to the screen play have been dropped according to Terry Brooks because of the lack of a real story arc for each character.

The option to produce the film reverted to Brooks in July 2010.

In January 2012, Brooks issued a statement on terrybrooks.net in a blog entry titled "Hollywood Is Going to Landover", indicating that the option for a Hollywood produced ''Magic Kingdom for Sale—Sold!'' film had been granted to Warner Brothers Studios.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.terrybrooks.net/2012/01/brooksblog-hollywood-is-going-to-landover/ |title=BrooksBlog: Hollywood Is Going to Landover |date=30 January 2012 |publisher=Terry Brooks - Website of author Terry Brooks}}</ref>

==Reception==
J. Michael Caparula reviewed ''Magic Kingdom for Sale...Sold!'' in ''[[The Space Gamer|Space Gamer/Fantasy Gamer]]'' No. 80.<ref name="SG">{{cite journal|last=Caparula |first=J. Michael |date=October–November 1987 |title=Space/Fantasy Reader|journal=[[The Space Gamer|Space Gamer/Fantasy Gamer]] |issue=80 |pages=42–43}}</ref> Caparula commented that "I think Brooks could have done better, considering that his 'Shannara' novels at least benefited from a colorful world setting".<ref name="SG"/>

==Reviews==
* Review by John C. Bunnell (1986) in ''[[Dragon (magazine)|Dragon Magazine]]'', July 1986<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.isfdb.org/cgi-bin/title.cgi?1593|title = Title: Magic Kingdom for Sale—Sold!}}</ref>
* Review by Mark W. Antonoff (1986) in ''[[Science Fiction Review]]'', Fall 1986
* Review by Baird Searles (1986) in ''[[Isaac Asimov's Science Fiction Magazine]]'', October 1986
* Review by Andy Sawyer (1986) in ''Paperback Inferno'', #62
* Review by Barbara Davies (1986) in ''[[Vector (magazine)|Vector]]'' 135
* Review by Phyllis McDonald (1988) in ''[[Interzone (magazine)|Interzone]]'', #24, Summer 1988

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
* [http://www.terrybrooks.net/ The official Terry Brooks website]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20060510170241/http://www.terrybrooks.net/novels/landover/kingdom.html ''Magic Kingdom for Sale—Sold!'' page of Terry Brooks' website]
* {{imdb-title|0466061|Magic Kingdom for Sale}}

{{Terry Brooks}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Magic Kingdom For Sale - Sold!}}
[[Category:1986 American novels]]
[[Category:1986 fantasy novels]]
[[Category:American fantasy novels]]
[[Category:Del Rey books]]
[[Category:Magic Kingdom of Landover]]

Magic Kingdom for Sale—Sold!

2024-07-01T16:50:44Z

89.164.191.195: /* External links */

{{Short description|1986 fantasy novel by Terry Brooks}}
{{Refimprove|date=September 2007}}
{{Infobox book | 
| name = Magic Kingdom for Sale—Sold!
| title_orig =
| translator =
| image = Magic Kingdom For Sale.jpg
| caption = Paperback cover
| author = [[Terry Brooks]]
| illustrator =
| cover_artist = [[Darrell K. Sweet]]
| country = United States
| language = English
| series = ''[[Magic Kingdom of Landover]]''
| subject =
| genre = [[Fantasy literature|Fantasy]], quest
| publisher = [[Del Rey Books]]
| release_date = March 12, 1986
| english_release_date =
| media_type = Print ([[hardcover]], [[mass market paperback]]) Audio (abridged)
| pages = 384 (mass market paperback)
| isbn = 0-345-31758-0
| isbn_note = (mass market paperback)
| oclc= 15508892
| preceded_by =
| followed_by = [[The Black Unicorn]]
}}

'''''Magic Kingdom for Sale—Sold!''''' is a fantasy novel by American writer [[Terry Brooks]], the first in his ''[[Magic Kingdom of Landover]]'' series. Written in 1986, it tells the story of how [[Magic Kingdom of Landover#Ben Holiday|Ben Holiday]], a talented but depressed Chicago trial lawyer, comes to be king of Landover, an otherworldly magical kingdom. The book was re-released as part of a Landover omnibus in 2009.

==Plot summary==
The novel begins with Ben Holiday, a trial lawyer from [[Chicago]], lamenting the loss of his wife and unborn child in a car accident. He finds an advertisement in an upscale Christmas catalog claiming to offer a magical kingdom for one million dollars by a man named Mr. Meeks. Although skeptical, Ben pursues the offer out of a desperate need to start a new life.

Ben receives a magical medallion and is transported through a swirling mist to the kingdom of Landover. He learns that Landover is a world that connects many other worlds such as Earth. It is surrounded by the Fairy Mist wherein reside creatures of Fairy that created Landover and guard the passages to these worlds. He finds it not exactly as described. He soon finds that Landover has not had a true king in twenty years. The son of the last king did not wish to take up the throne and escaped with the court wizard, Meeks, to Earth. They have been selling the throne to dozens of people in the past two decades, but no one has been able to face the challenge and successfully complete so much as a few months as king. Further, kings of Landover used to be protected by a magical knight called the Paladin, but he has not been seen since the last king's death.

Further, Ben has only four loyal subjects. The court wizard is a hack named Questor Thews, who is also Meeks' half-brother. Abernathy is the court scribe, who was transformed into a large dog by one of Questor's spells gone awry. Finally, two creatures called Kobolds, Bunion and Parsnip, serve Ben as caretakers of the castle and as protection against the wild creatures of the kingdom.

Ben's coronation is barely attended, so he decides to travel the land to gain the pledges of the local rulers. He travels first to meet with the Lords of the Greensward, the most prominent landowners in the kingdom. They agree to serve Ben only on the condition that he rid them of Strabo, a dragon that ravages their countryside.

Next Ben visits the River Master and the Fairy fold of Elderew, a city of outcasts from the Fairy Mists. The River Master also places conditions on his pledge, requiring Ben to stop the Lords of the Greensward from polluting their rivers. In the river country Ben stumbles upon a sylph named Willow. She is also a fairy creature who turns into a tree some evenings. She claims that the Fairies have foretold that she will marry Ben. Though he initially rebuffs her, he finds himself falling in love with her over time.

Ben is entreated by Fillip and Sot, two of a race of thievish "G'Home Gnomes" to rescue some of their people from a clan of trolls. They manage to do so, but barely escape with their lives. They finally decide to ask for the help of the witch Nightshade, and travel to her home in the marshes known as the Deep Fell. She tells Ben to enter the Fairy Mists, where he may be able to obtain mind-controlling Io Powder to use on Strabo. Ben does so and endures a series of frightening trials by the Fairy creatures to obtain the powder. Emerging from the mists, he finds that Nightshade has used her magic to banish all of his companions to Abbadon, Landover's underworld. Nightshade attempts to trick Ben out of his Io Powder, but Ben uses some of the substance on the witch and sends her to an uncertain fate in the Fairy Mists.

Ben travels to the Fire Springs to confront Strabo, and is surprised to find the dragon to be sentient and rather well-spoken, if still vicious. Ben uses the Io Powder on Strabo, and rides him to Abaddon to rescue his friends with the help of two g'home gnomes. He also extracts a promise from the dragon to stay out of the Greensward.

Finally, Ben is challenged by the Mark, lord of Abaddon, to a duel for the throne. Ben's medallion responds during the fight and transforms Ben into the Paladin, allowing him to subdue the demon. The challenge is witnessed by the leaders from the Greensward, Elderew, and the Troll tribes, who then swear their allegiance. Ben Holiday, King of Landover, then sets about to restore Landover to its former glory.

==Film, TV or theatrical adaptations==
The rights to sell a film based on this book have been bounced around since the 1980s, but as of April 2010, the film was said to be as active,<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0466061/ |title=Magic Kingdom for Sale |publisher=[[IMDb]]}}</ref> though it is still unclear if the film will eventually see screening. Although the film is seen as in production, actors have not even been talked about. Brooks was in negotiations with Hollywood execs, per his monthly letter at terrybrooks.net.

Previous plans for adding two children to the screen play have been dropped according to Terry Brooks because of the lack of a real story arc for each character.

The option to produce the film reverted to Brooks in July 2010.

In January 2012, Brooks issued a statement on terrybrooks.net in a blog entry titled "Hollywood Is Going to Landover", indicating that the option for a Hollywood produced ''Magic Kingdom for Sale—Sold!'' film had been granted to Warner Brothers Studios.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.terrybrooks.net/2012/01/brooksblog-hollywood-is-going-to-landover/ |title=BrooksBlog: Hollywood Is Going to Landover |date=30 January 2012 |publisher=Terry Brooks - Website of author Terry Brooks}}</ref>

==Reception==
J. Michael Caparula reviewed ''Magic Kingdom for Sale...Sold!'' in ''[[The Space Gamer|Space Gamer/Fantasy Gamer]]'' No. 80.<ref name="SG">{{cite journal|last=Caparula |first=J. Michael |date=October–November 1987 |title=Space/Fantasy Reader|journal=[[The Space Gamer|Space Gamer/Fantasy Gamer]] |issue=80 |pages=42–43}}</ref> Caparula commented that "I think Brooks could have done better, considering that his 'Shannara' novels at least benefited from a colorful world setting".<ref name="SG"/>

==Reviews==
* Review by John C. Bunnell (1986) in ''[[Dragon (magazine)|Dragon Magazine]]'', July 1986<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.isfdb.org/cgi-bin/title.cgi?1593|title = Title: Magic Kingdom for Sale—Sold!}}</ref>
* Review by Mark W. Antonoff (1986) in ''[[Science Fiction Review]]'', Fall 1986
* Review by Baird Searles (1986) in ''[[Isaac Asimov's Science Fiction Magazine]]'', October 1986
* Review by Andy Sawyer (1986) in ''Paperback Inferno'', #62
* Review by Barbara Davies (1986) in ''[[Vector (magazine)|Vector]]'' 135
* Review by Phyllis McDonald (1988) in ''[[Interzone (magazine)|Interzone]]'', #24, Summer 1988

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
* [http://www.terrybrooks.net/ The official Terry Brooks website]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20060510170241/http://www.terrybrooks.net/novels/landover/kingdom.html ''Magic Kingdom for Sale—Sold!'' Page of Terry Brooks' website]
* {{imdb-title|0466061|Magic Kingdom for Sale}}

{{Terry Brooks}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Magic Kingdom For Sale - Sold!}}
[[Category:1986 American novels]]
[[Category:1986 fantasy novels]]
[[Category:American fantasy novels]]
[[Category:Del Rey books]]
[[Category:Magic Kingdom of Landover]]

Magic Kingdom for Sale—Sold!

2024-07-01T16:49:24Z

89.164.191.195:

{{Short description|1986 fantasy novel by Terry Brooks}}
{{Refimprove|date=September 2007}}
{{Infobox book | 
| name = Magic Kingdom for Sale—Sold!
| title_orig =
| translator =
| image = Magic Kingdom For Sale.jpg
| caption = Paperback cover
| author = [[Terry Brooks]]
| illustrator =
| cover_artist = [[Darrell K. Sweet]]
| country = United States
| language = English
| series = ''[[Magic Kingdom of Landover]]''
| subject =
| genre = [[Fantasy literature|Fantasy]], quest
| publisher = [[Del Rey Books]]
| release_date = March 12, 1986
| english_release_date =
| media_type = Print ([[hardcover]], [[mass market paperback]]) Audio (abridged)
| pages = 384 (mass market paperback)
| isbn = 0-345-31758-0
| isbn_note = (mass market paperback)
| oclc= 15508892
| preceded_by =
| followed_by = [[The Black Unicorn]]
}}

'''''Magic Kingdom for Sale—Sold!''''' is a fantasy novel by American writer [[Terry Brooks]], the first in his ''[[Magic Kingdom of Landover]]'' series. Written in 1986, it tells the story of how [[Magic Kingdom of Landover#Ben Holiday|Ben Holiday]], a talented but depressed Chicago trial lawyer, comes to be king of Landover, an otherworldly magical kingdom. The book was re-released as part of a Landover omnibus in 2009.

==Plot summary==
The novel begins with Ben Holiday, a trial lawyer from [[Chicago]], lamenting the loss of his wife and unborn child in a car accident. He finds an advertisement in an upscale Christmas catalog claiming to offer a magical kingdom for one million dollars by a man named Mr. Meeks. Although skeptical, Ben pursues the offer out of a desperate need to start a new life.

Ben receives a magical medallion and is transported through a swirling mist to the kingdom of Landover. He learns that Landover is a world that connects many other worlds such as Earth. It is surrounded by the Fairy Mist wherein reside creatures of Fairy that created Landover and guard the passages to these worlds. He finds it not exactly as described. He soon finds that Landover has not had a true king in twenty years. The son of the last king did not wish to take up the throne and escaped with the court wizard, Meeks, to Earth. They have been selling the throne to dozens of people in the past two decades, but no one has been able to face the challenge and successfully complete so much as a few months as king. Further, kings of Landover used to be protected by a magical knight called the Paladin, but he has not been seen since the last king's death.

Further, Ben has only four loyal subjects. The court wizard is a hack named Questor Thews, who is also Meeks' half-brother. Abernathy is the court scribe, who was transformed into a large dog by one of Questor's spells gone awry. Finally, two creatures called Kobolds, Bunion and Parsnip, serve Ben as caretakers of the castle and as protection against the wild creatures of the kingdom.

Ben's coronation is barely attended, so he decides to travel the land to gain the pledges of the local rulers. He travels first to meet with the Lords of the Greensward, the most prominent landowners in the kingdom. They agree to serve Ben only on the condition that he rid them of Strabo, a dragon that ravages their countryside.

Next Ben visits the River Master and the Fairy fold of Elderew, a city of outcasts from the Fairy Mists. The River Master also places conditions on his pledge, requiring Ben to stop the Lords of the Greensward from polluting their rivers. In the river country Ben stumbles upon a sylph named Willow. She is also a fairy creature who turns into a tree some evenings. She claims that the Fairies have foretold that she will marry Ben. Though he initially rebuffs her, he finds himself falling in love with her over time.

Ben is entreated by Fillip and Sot, two of a race of thievish "G'Home Gnomes" to rescue some of their people from a clan of trolls. They manage to do so, but barely escape with their lives. They finally decide to ask for the help of the witch Nightshade, and travel to her home in the marshes known as the Deep Fell. She tells Ben to enter the Fairy Mists, where he may be able to obtain mind-controlling Io Powder to use on Strabo. Ben does so and endures a series of frightening trials by the Fairy creatures to obtain the powder. Emerging from the mists, he finds that Nightshade has used her magic to banish all of his companions to Abbadon, Landover's underworld. Nightshade attempts to trick Ben out of his Io Powder, but Ben uses some of the substance on the witch and sends her to an uncertain fate in the Fairy Mists.

Ben travels to the Fire Springs to confront Strabo, and is surprised to find the dragon to be sentient and rather well-spoken, if still vicious. Ben uses the Io Powder on Strabo, and rides him to Abaddon to rescue his friends with the help of two g'home gnomes. He also extracts a promise from the dragon to stay out of the Greensward.

Finally, Ben is challenged by the Mark, lord of Abaddon, to a duel for the throne. Ben's medallion responds during the fight and transforms Ben into the Paladin, allowing him to subdue the demon. The challenge is witnessed by the leaders from the Greensward, Elderew, and the Troll tribes, who then swear their allegiance. Ben Holiday, King of Landover, then sets about to restore Landover to its former glory.

==Film, TV or theatrical adaptations==
The rights to sell a film based on this book have been bounced around since the 1980s, but as of April 2010, the film was said to be as active,<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0466061/ |title=Magic Kingdom for Sale |publisher=[[IMDb]]}}</ref> though it is still unclear if the film will eventually see screening. Although the film is seen as in production, actors have not even been talked about. Brooks was in negotiations with Hollywood execs, per his monthly letter at terrybrooks.net.

Previous plans for adding two children to the screen play have been dropped according to Terry Brooks because of the lack of a real story arc for each character.

The option to produce the film reverted to Brooks in July 2010.

In January 2012, Brooks issued a statement on terrybrooks.net in a blog entry titled "Hollywood Is Going to Landover", indicating that the option for a Hollywood produced ''Magic Kingdom for Sale—Sold!'' film had been granted to Warner Brothers Studios.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.terrybrooks.net/2012/01/brooksblog-hollywood-is-going-to-landover/ |title=BrooksBlog: Hollywood Is Going to Landover |date=30 January 2012 |publisher=Terry Brooks - Website of author Terry Brooks}}</ref>

==Reception==
J. Michael Caparula reviewed ''Magic Kingdom for Sale...Sold!'' in ''[[The Space Gamer|Space Gamer/Fantasy Gamer]]'' No. 80.<ref name="SG">{{cite journal|last=Caparula |first=J. Michael |date=October–November 1987 |title=Space/Fantasy Reader|journal=[[The Space Gamer|Space Gamer/Fantasy Gamer]] |issue=80 |pages=42–43}}</ref> Caparula commented that "I think Brooks could have done better, considering that his 'Shannara' novels at least benefited from a colorful world setting".<ref name="SG"/>

==Reviews==
* Review by John C. Bunnell (1986) in ''[[Dragon (magazine)|Dragon Magazine]]'', July 1986<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.isfdb.org/cgi-bin/title.cgi?1593|title = Title: Magic Kingdom for Sale—Sold!}}</ref>
* Review by Mark W. Antonoff (1986) in ''[[Science Fiction Review]]'', Fall 1986
* Review by Baird Searles (1986) in ''[[Isaac Asimov's Science Fiction Magazine]]'', October 1986
* Review by Andy Sawyer (1986) in ''Paperback Inferno'', #62
* Review by Barbara Davies (1986) in ''[[Vector (magazine)|Vector]]'' 135
* Review by Phyllis McDonald (1988) in ''[[Interzone (magazine)|Interzone]]'', #24, Summer 1988

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
* [http://www.terrybrooks.net/ The Official Terry Brooks Website]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20060510170241/http://www.terrybrooks.net/novels/landover/kingdom.html Magic Kingdom for Sale—Sold! Page of Terry Brooks' Website]
* {{imdb-title|0466061|Magic Kingdom for Sale}}

{{Terry Brooks}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Magic Kingdom For Sale - Sold!}}
[[Category:1986 American novels]]
[[Category:1986 fantasy novels]]
[[Category:American fantasy novels]]
[[Category:Del Rey books]]
[[Category:Magic Kingdom of Landover]]

Magic Kingdom for Sale—Sold!

2024-07-01T16:47:42Z

89.164.191.195:

{{Short description|1986 fantasy novel by Terry Brooks}}
{{Refimprove|date=September 2007}}
{{Infobox book | 
| name = Magic Kingdom for Sale—Sold!
| title_orig =
| translator =
| image = Magic Kingdom For Sale.jpg
| caption = Paperback cover
| author = [[Terry Brooks]]
| illustrator =
| cover_artist = [[Darrell K. Sweet]]
| country = United States
| language = English
| series = ''[[Magic Kingdom of Landover]]''
| subject =
| genre = [[Fantasy literature|Fantasy]], quest
| publisher = [[Del Rey Books]]
| release_date = March 12, 1986
| english_release_date =
| media_type = Print ([[hardcover]], [[mass market paperback]]) Audio (abridged)
| pages = 384 (mass market paperback)
| isbn = 0-345-31758-0
| isbn_note = (mass market paperback)
| oclc= 15508892
| preceded_by =
| followed_by = [[The Black Unicorn]]
}}

'''''Magic Kingdom for Sale—Sold!''''' is a fantasy novel by American writer [[Terry Brooks]], the first in his ''[[Magic Kingdom of Landover]]'' series. Written in 1986, it tells the story of how [[Magic Kingdom of Landover#Ben Holiday|Ben Holiday]], a talented but depressed Chicago trial lawyer, comes to be king of Landover, an otherworldly magical kingdom. The book was re-released as part of a Landover omnibus in 2009.

==Plot summary==
The novel begins with Ben Holiday, a trial lawyer from [[Chicago]], lamenting the loss of his wife and unborn child in a car accident. He finds an advertisement in an upscale Christmas catalog claiming to offer a magical kingdom for one million dollars by a man named Mr. Meeks. Although skeptical, Ben pursues the offer out of a desperate need to start a new life.

Ben receives a magical medallion and is transported through a swirling mist to the kingdom of Landover. He learns that Landover is a world that connects many other worlds such as Earth. It is surrounded by the Fairy Mist wherein reside creatures of Fairy that created Landover and guard the passages to these worlds. He finds it not exactly as described. He soon finds that Landover has not had a true king in twenty years. The son of the last king did not wish to take up the throne and escaped with the court wizard, Meeks, to Earth. They have been selling the throne to dozens of people in the past two decades, but no one has been able to face the challenge and successfully complete so much as a few months as king. Further, kings of Landover used to be protected by a magical knight called the Paladin, but he has not been seen since the last king's death.

Further, Ben has only four loyal subjects. The court wizard is a hack named Questor Thews, who is also Meeks' half-brother. Abernathy is the court scribe, who was transformed into a large dog by one of Questor's spells gone awry. Finally, two creatures called Kobolds, Bunion and Parsnip, serve Ben as caretakers of the castle and as protection against the wild creatures of the kingdom.

Ben's coronation is barely attended, so he decides to travel the land to gain the pledges of the local rulers. He travels first to meet with the Lords of the Greensward, the most prominent landowners in the kingdom. They agree to serve Ben only on the condition that he rid them of Strabo, a dragon that ravages their countryside.

Next Ben visits the River Master and the Fairy fold of Elderew, a city of outcasts from the Fairy Mists. The River Master also places conditions on his pledge, requiring Ben to stop the Lords of the Greensward from polluting their rivers. In the river country Ben stumbles upon a sylph named Willow. She is also a fairy creature who turns into a tree some evenings. She claims that the Fairies have foretold that she will marry Ben. Though he initially rebuffs her, he finds himself falling in love with her over time.

Ben is entreated by Fillip and Sot, two of a race of thievish "G'Home Gnomes" to rescue some of their people from a clan of trolls. They manage to do so, but barely escape with their lives. They finally decide to ask for the help of the witch Nightshade, and travel to her home in the marshes known as the Deep Fell. She tells Ben to enter the Fairy Mists, where he may be able to obtain mind-controlling Io Powder to use on Strabo. Ben does so and endures a series of frightening trials by the Fairy creatures to obtain the powder. Emerging from the mists, he finds that Nightshade has used her magic to banish all of his companions to Abbadon, Landover's underworld. Nightshade attempts to trick Ben out of his Io Powder, but Ben uses some of the substance on the witch and sends her to an uncertain fate in the Fairy Mists.

Ben travels to the Fire Springs to confront Strabo, and is surprised to find the dragon to be sentient and rather well-spoken, if still vicious. Ben uses the Io Powder on Strabo, and rides him to Abaddon to rescue his friends with the help of two g'home gnomes. He also extracts a promise from the dragon to stay out of the Greensward.

Finally, Ben is challenged by the Mark, lord of Abaddon, to a duel for the throne. Ben's medallion responds during the fight and transforms Ben into the Paladin, allowing him to subdue the demon. The challenge is witnessed by the leaders from the Greensward, Elderew, and the Troll tribes, who then swear their allegiance. Ben Holiday, King of Landover, then sets about to restore Landover to its former glory.

==Film, TV or theatrical adaptations==
The rights to sell a film based on this book have been bounced around since the 1980s, but as of April 2010, the film was said to be as active,<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0466061/ |title=Magic Kingdom for Sale |publisher=[[IMDb]]}}</ref> though it is still unclear if the film will eventually see screening. Although the film is seen as in production, actors have not even been talked about. Brooks is still in negotiations with Hollywood execs, per his monthly letter at terrybrooks.net.

Previous plans for adding two children to the screen play have been dropped according to Terry Brooks because of the lack of a real story arc for each character.

The option to produce the movie reverted to Brooks in July 2010.

In January 2012, Brooks issued a statement on terrybrooks.net in a blog entry titled "Hollywood Is Going to Landover", indicating that the option for a Hollywood produced ''Magic Kingdom for Sale—Sold!'' movie had been granted to Warner Brothers Studios.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.terrybrooks.net/2012/01/brooksblog-hollywood-is-going-to-landover/ |title=BrooksBlog: Hollywood Is Going to Landover |date=30 January 2012 |publisher=Terry Brooks - Website of author Terry Brooks}}</ref>

==Reception==
J. Michael Caparula reviewed ''Magic Kingdom for Sale...Sold!'' in ''[[The Space Gamer|Space Gamer/Fantasy Gamer]]'' No. 80.<ref name="SG">{{cite journal|last=Caparula |first=J. Michael |date=October–November 1987 |title=Space/Fantasy Reader|journal=[[The Space Gamer|Space Gamer/Fantasy Gamer]] |issue=80 |pages=42–43}}</ref> Caparula commented that "I think Brooks could have done better, considering that his 'Shannara' novels at least benefited from a colorful world setting".<ref name="SG"/>

==Reviews==
* Review by John C. Bunnell (1986) in ''[[Dragon (magazine)|Dragon Magazine]]'', July 1986<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.isfdb.org/cgi-bin/title.cgi?1593|title = Title: Magic Kingdom for Sale—Sold!}}</ref>
* Review by Mark W. Antonoff (1986) in ''[[Science Fiction Review]]'', Fall 1986
* Review by Baird Searles (1986) in ''[[Isaac Asimov's Science Fiction Magazine]]'', October 1986
* Review by Andy Sawyer (1986) in ''Paperback Inferno'', #62
* Review by Barbara Davies (1986) in ''[[Vector (magazine)|Vector]]'' 135
* Review by Phyllis McDonald (1988) in ''[[Interzone (magazine)|Interzone]]'', #24, Summer 1988

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
* [http://www.terrybrooks.net/ The Official Terry Brooks Website]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20060510170241/http://www.terrybrooks.net/novels/landover/kingdom.html Magic Kingdom for Sale—Sold! Page of Terry Brooks' Website]
* {{imdb-title|0466061|Magic Kingdom for Sale}}

{{Terry Brooks}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Magic Kingdom For Sale - Sold!}}
[[Category:1986 American novels]]
[[Category:1986 fantasy novels]]
[[Category:American fantasy novels]]
[[Category:Del Rey books]]
[[Category:Magic Kingdom of Landover]]

Magic Kingdom of Landover

2024-07-01T16:46:03Z

89.164.191.195:

{{Short description|Fantasy fiction series by Terry Brooks}}
{{multiple issues|
{{more citations needed|date=October 2008}}
{{in-universe|date=October 2018}}
}}
{{Infobox book series
| name = The Magic Kingdom of Landover
| image = Magic Kingdom For Sale.jpg
| image_caption = The first edition cover to the first novel
| books = 1. ''[[Magic Kingdom for Sale—Sold!]]'' 2. ''[[The Black Unicorn]]'' 3. ''[[Wizard at Large]]'' 4. ''[[The Tangle Box]]'' 5. ''[[Witches' Brew (novel)|Witches' Brew]]'' 6. ''[[A Princess of Landover ]]''
| author = [[Terry Brooks]]
| editors =
| title_orig =
| translator =
| illustrator =
| cover_artist = [[Darrell K. Sweet]]
| country = [[United States]]
| language = [[English (language)|English]]
| discipline = [[Fantasy]]
| publisher = [[Del Rey Books]]
| pub_date = 1986–present
| english_pub_date =
| media_type = Print ([[hardcover]] and [[paperback]])
| number_of_books = 6
| list_books =
| oclc =
| preceded by =
| followed by =
| website =
}}
The '''''Magic Kingdom of Landover''''' is a series of six fantasy novels by [[Terry Brooks]] following the adventures of a former [[trial lawyer]] named Ben Holiday, who purchases a magical kingdom.

The novels are set in a fictional world known as '''Landover''' that is populated with numerous magical and fairy creatures. Its name is a reference to the song "[[Over the Rainbow|land over the rainbow]]" from [[The Wizard of Oz (1939 film)|The Wizard of Oz]]. Landover is described as a small world, surrounded on all sides by fairy mists which connect it to many other worlds, including Earth. Landover is a rural kingdom, populated by humans, [[gnome]]s, [[kobolds]], and various other fantasy creatures, all of whom speak the fictional language of "Landoverian" – which the protagonist can speak through magical means – and who often form separate societies. Their rulers, while answerable to the king, are allowed a certain degree of [[autonomy]]. Also inhabiting the land are the characters of [[#Strabo|Strabo]], a dragon, and the witch [[#Nightshade|Nightshade]].

Landover is protected by the [[#The Paladin|Paladin]], a magical [[knight]] who is a projection of its rulers. In the absence of a worthy ruler, the Paladin disappears, and Landover falls prey to a physical decay known as "the Tarnish", which slowly spreads from the king's castle ([[#Sterling Silver|Sterling Silver]]) to the rest of the kingdom. The Paladin is one of the few magics in the land that can stand up against that of Strabo or Nightshade.

==The books==
===''Magic Kingdom for Sale—Sold!'' (1986)===
{{Main|Magic Kingdom for Sale—Sold!}}
The first novel is about the main character, Ben Holiday, and his discovery of an ad offering the kingship of a magic kingdom named Landover. He is soon crowned king but must deal with a host of problems to solidify his throne.

===''The Black Unicorn'' (1987)===
{{Main|The Black Unicorn}}
In the second novel, Holiday is disguised, supposedly by magic used by the evil wizard [[#Meeks|Meeks]]. He must figure out how to restore himself to the throne, meanwhile saving [[#Willow|Willow]] in her dangerous quest to find the Black Unicorn.

===''Wizard at Large'' (1988)===
{{Main|Wizard at Large}}
The third novel tells of [[#Abernathy|Abernathy]] being accidentally transported to Earth by one of [[#Questor Thews|Questor's]] ill-conceived spells. Meanwhile, a demonic imp is unleashed upon Landover; Ben and his friends must find a way to get back Abernathy and stop the evil creature.

===''The Tangle Box'' (1994)===
{{Main|The Tangle Box}}
An inept conjurer/conman, Horris Kew, accidentally releases upon Landover an evil creature called the Gorse. The creature soon imprisons Ben, the dragon Strabo, and the witch Nightshade in a device known as the Tangle Box. They must find a way out while Ben's allies find a way to handle the new threat from the Gorse.

===''Witches' Brew'' (1995)===
{{Main|Witches' Brew (novel)}}
A usurper who claims to be from another world calls for Ben's abdication from the throne, and begins to send evil, magic creatures against him. Meanwhile, Nightshade kidnaps Ben and Willow's daughter, Mistaya, in a dangerous attempt to subvert her and use her innate magic. Meanwhile, Questor and Abernathy are stuck back in Earth to meet up with an old friend, leaving Ben and Willow alone to deal with the new threat.

===''A Princess of Landover'' (2009)===
{{Main|A Princess of Landover}}
Ben Holiday, Chicago lawyer and mere mortal turned monarch of enchanted Landover, has grappled with scheming barons, fire-breathing beasts, diabolical conjurers, and extremely wicked witches. None of whom have prepared him for the most daunting of challengers: a teenage daughter. Sent by Ben and his beloved sylph bride, Willow, to an exclusive girls' prep school, headstrong (and half-magical) Mistaya Holiday has found life in the natural world a less-than-perfect fit. When her latest rebellious antics get her indefinitely suspended, she's determined to resume her real education – learning sorcery from court wizard Questor Thews – whether her parents like it or not.

Back home in Landover, Mistaya's frustrated father is just as determined that the precocious princess learn some responsibility, and he declares her grounded until she successfully refurbishes the long-forsaken royal library. Mortified by the prospect of salvaging a king's ransom in moldy books – and horrified by the word that the repulsive local nobleman Lord Laphroig seeks to marry her – Mistaya decides that the only way to run her own life is to run away from home.

=== Untitled final book ===
A seventh novel is planned that will be the final novel in the series. As of 2021 it is untitled.<ref name="books">{{cite web | url=http://terrybrooks.net/2015/02/books/ | title=Books | date=10 February 2015 | publisher=Terry Brooks | accessdate=19 April 2015}}</ref>

Author Terry Brooks has said in a Reddit AMA from June 2018 that the final book will be written in 2020 and published in 2021.<ref>{{cite web |title=Terry Brooks Reddit AMA |url=https://www.reddit.com/r/Fantasy/comments/8qauxk/i_am_terry_brooks_author_of_the_shannara_series/e0idi5u/}}</ref> Brooks said that any final plans to write and publish the final book were dependent on the release of a Landover film adaptation.<ref>{{cite web |title=Terry Brooks Reddit AMA |url=https://terrybrooks.net/2016/02/december-ask-terry-posted-6/}}</ref>

==Short stories==
In March 2021, two short stories, "An Unfortunate Influx of Filipinas" and "Don't Tell Dad", were published in the short story collection ''Small Magic''.

==Major characters==
===Ben Holiday===
Once a successful trial lawyer in [[Chicago, Illinois|Chicago]], Ben's life takes a dramatic change when his wife Annie and their unborn child are killed in a traffic accident. Ben sinks into depression and no longer gains fulfillment through the law firm he established with his best friend, Miles Bennett. Seeing a Christmas catalog advertising a fairytale kingdom for sale, he purchases it for $1,000,000 in a desperate hope to find something meaningful again. The kingdom, called Landover, turns out to be very real and in need of a true king to restore it to its previous splendor. Ben is challenged at every step by a number of characters, all with seemingly different motives. He is eventually able to gain the respect of the citizens of Landover and establish himself as the true High Lord.

===Questor Thews===
Questor is the court magician, and one of Ben's most trusted friends and advisors. He is the half-brother of the wizard Meeks, though Questor has taken a different path in his life, choosing to serve Landover and its king, rather than trying to control them. Frequently described by Ben as looking like a "scarecrow", with "patchwork robes", Questor's command of his magic is somewhat questionable, as his spells frequently backfire or have unintended consequences. Questor was responsible for transforming Abernathy into a [[Wheaten Terrier]] to disguise him from Michel Ard Rhi, the old king's son, but has not been able to turn him back. Despite his many mistakes, he has fought with the dragon Strabo and come out the victor (if only once, due to an emergency, and winning via a non-ending itch; this was, however, after a fair amount of fighting beforehand, including quite an ice storm that he summoned upon Strabo, and some rather odd misfires, such as a rain of flowers).

===Meeks===
Meeks is the half-brother of Questor, and the one responsible for selling Ben the magic kingdom. He appears as a grizzled old man missing his right arm and is in fact a powerful wizard. Meeks came into possession of the medallion that identifies the kings of Landover and developed a scheme to repeatedly sell the kingdom with it. A buyer would purchase the medallion for access to Landover, and then when the victim either abandoned the kingship as too difficult or was killed, Meeks would retrieve the medallion and re-sell the kingdom. His plans were thwarted by Ben Holiday when Ben was able to successfully claim lordship of Landover and cut Meeks off from the kingdom.

===Abernathy===
Abernathy is the court scribe, and one of Ben's closest friends. Questor Thews turned Abernathy into a [[Wheaten Terrier]], previous to Ben Holiday's arrival, to escape the cruelties of the old king's son. Questor however did not possess enough magical knowledge to return Abernathy to his human form, and Abernathy has not let Questor forget that fact. As the scribe, Abernathy is responsible for the day-to-day business at the castle, a task he excels at through his studious and thorough nature. Abernathy's natural tendency to be overcautious helps to balance the impetuousness of Ben, and the unpreparedness of Questor.

===Willow===
Willow is a [[sylph]] and Ben's wife. She is the daughter of the River Master and a wood elemental, giving her pale-green skin and emerald hair. Her dual nature is reflected in the fact that she must transform into a [[Willow tree]] once every 21 days to maintain her life force. She has a tense and distant relationship with her father, as her existence serves as a permanent reminder to him of the brief relationship that he desires to reclaim, but never can. It is to her mother that she turns for guidance.

===Mistaya===
The daughter of Ben and Willow, who, in ''The Princess of Landover'', took over her father's role as the main protagonist. Growing magically fast into a teenager, she wants nothing to do with her father's plans to give her a normal childhood and a grounding in reality, preferring instead a life of magic and adventure. This repeatedly gets her into trouble. The magical creatures of Landover often come to her rescue, as they believe she has a great and miraculous destiny ahead of her.

===Bunion and Parsnip===
Bunion and Parsnip are two [[kobolds]] who live in the castle and carry out the day-to-day chores. They act as groundskeeper and cook respectively, and are also competent fighters and bodyguards. Their appearance is similar to large-eared [[monkey]]s with mouths full of sharp teeth. They do not speak, but instead communicate through gestures, hisses and other vocalizations. The kobolds are fairy creatures that had come out of the mists surrounding Landover and have pledged their lives to the service of the throne of Landover.

===Fillip and Sot===
Fillip and Sot are G'home Gnomes and brothers. Nigh inseparable, they always travel together and become semi-frequent companions of Ben's. Being incorrigible thieves, G'home Gnomes are considered pests by the majority of Landover's community, but once Ben was able to prove his kingship, Fillip and Sot have proved loyal to him, if a bit of a nuisance. They have a tendency to trade on their relationship with Ben to circumvent the standard legal process and take their innumerable complaints directly to Ben himself.

The G'home Gnomes earned their tribal name at some unspecified point in Landover's past. When they first arrived, and the residents of Landover had learned of their [[kleptomaniac]] tendencies, members of the tribe were met with the wish/phrase "Go home, Gnome" by the general populace, expressing the general wish that they would all go home to wherever it was they came from. Over time this got abbreviated to "G'home Gnome" and eventually the wish became the name by which the tribe was known.

===River Master===
The River Master is the lord of the Lake Country and the fairy folk that live in Elderew. He was originally a creature of fairy, but now lives apart from the mists. He is a gifted healer, and by his magic the Lake Country is kept healthy while the rest of Landover succumbs to the Tarnish. He is Willow's father, though their relationship is strained. He yearns to possess Willow's mother, a wood sprite, but cannot. This, combined with the fact that Willow will go to her mother and not him when she needs help, has resulted in a very cool relationship between father and daughter.

===Nightshade===
Nightshade is a powerful witch who lives in the Deep Fell. She is one of the primary antagonists to Ben, along with Strabo the dragon. She possesses great magic, since she is from the fairy world, but has always used that power for greed and torture, which was why she was cast out of the mists and forbidden reentry. Later in the series she is sent to Earth by Haltwhistle the Mud-Puppy in defense of Mistaya. In crow form she is trapped in an aviary, but mysteriously disappears at the end of the latest novel.

===Strabo===
Strabo is a dragon who lives in the desolate Fire Springs region. He is a solitary creature, the last of his kind, and is a frequent rival to Ben in his duties as king. He is one of the few powerful creatures of magic in the valley, along with Nightshade, although in ''Tangle Box'' and ''Witches' Brew'' he has proved to be not as evil as Nightshade. He is honorable in his word. He has the ability to fly through the fairy mists into other worlds, such as Earth, and is fond of Willow's singing voice.

===The Paladin===
The Paladin is the king's champion and defender. His image is engraved on the medallion of the kings, and only a true king can summon the Paladin to fight for him. In truth, the Paladin is the spirit of an immortal warrior that resides within the medallion and is channeled through the king when needed. The secret of the Paladin is known only to the king of Landover, but in the latter parts of ''Witches' Brew'', Ben confesses to Willow the relationship between himself and the Paladin.

==Minor characters==
* The Iron Mark is the leader of the demons of [[#Abaddon|Abaddon]]. He appears to be human in shape, yet he stands at least eight feet tall. Whenever he is seen he is totally covered in black armor with serpents carved on it. The armor is scarred and battered, with serrated spines running down the Mark's limbs and back. His helmet has a death's head, and through its slits can be seen his eyes glimmering a bright crimson. He carries many weapons, and the severed heads of his enemies hang about his neck. He rides a winged demon that appears to be half snake and half wolf.

:The demons of [[#Abaddon|Abaddon]] are exiled from the fairy world, and would like to return to it. The only way for them to do so is through Landover, making them feel the need to conquer it. Before the coming of [[#Ben Holiday|Ben Holiday]], the Mark had proclaimed himself King of Landover, and repeatedly challenged the holders of the medallion to single combat. Since his defeat by [[#Ben Holiday|Ben Holiday]] and [[#The Paladin|the Paladin]] he has refused to openly fight against them again.
* Earth Mother is a creature of fairy and the [[personification]] of nature in Landover. She briefly intervenes during the events of ''The Black Unicorn'' to point Ben in the right direction to find Willow. She recognizes an importance in the relationship between the two and makes Ben promise that he will protect Willow above all else.
* Edgewood Dirk is a fairy creature known as a Prism Cat, appearing as an ordinary cat but with the ability to speak, and to refocus light and energy through its body. When Ben is tricked by Meeks into believing he has lost the medallion and control of the kingdom, Dirk is sent by the fairies to guide Ben toward the truth and provide a measure of protection. Dirk is aloof and makes frequent reference to the indifference of cats to the problems of the rest of the world.
* Miles Bennett: Ben's partner in his old law firm in Chicago. Miles's calm demeanor provides a balance to Ben's impetuousness and aggressiveness. Miles refers to Ben Holiday as "Doc" for his clever legal maneuvering in the courtroom, a reference to [[gunfighter]] [[Doc Holliday]].
* Michel Ard Rhi is the son of the previous king of Landover, now deceased. He was the one who schemed with Meeks to repeatedly sell the kingdom to unwary victims. He is also indirectly the reason for Abernathy being a dog, as Questor transformed him one day to save him from Ard Rhi's wrath.
* Haltwhistle: A Mud Puppy given to Mistaya Holiday by the Earth Mother as a gift of protection. He features quite briefly, though his actions are important to the plots of the novel. He has no offensive magic, but can deflect offensive magics as if to use them for himself. He possesses strong defensive magic.

==Locations==
===Abaddon===
Abaddon is a netherworld that lies beneath Landover. Having no sun, moon, or stars, its sky is black, and the mountainous landscape of jagged peaks and deep gorges is lit only by the glow of molten lava and a strange white light that dances on the horizon. The demons of Abaddon are the worst exiles driven from the fairy world, and they are ruled over by the most powerful demon, called [[#Minor characters|the Iron Mark]].

===The Deep Fell===
The Deep Fell is the home of Nightshade the witch. It is a vast [[sinkhole]] in the northwest part of Landover. The Deep Fell is connected to the fairy mists, and the G'home Gnomes sometimes sneak into the fell to scout for items to [[Theft|pilfer]].

===Elderew===
Elderew is the main city of the Lake Country people, and home of the River Master. It is surrounded by a dense marsh that can only be penetrated either way with the River Master's help. Inside the marsh is an open-air [[amphitheater]] where the fairy people hold their celebrations and festivals. The city itself is built into a group of huge trees, twice the size of [[California redwood]] trees, extending from ground to treetops. The cottages and shops of the city are connected by a network of tree lanes and stairways.

===Moons of Landover===
Landover possesses eight [[moons]], each one a different color: white, peach, pale mauve, burnt rose, sea green, beryl, turquoise, and jade. Two of the moons, peach and pale mauve, are visible during daylight hours, with the rest being only visible after dusk. The moons rise and set like normal satellites. During certain rare times of the year all eight moons are visible in the night sky at once. About every other month there is a new-moon phase, when some of the eight moons are below the horizon and the rest are in their dark phase, leaving the nighttime sky lit only by the stars.

===Sterling Silver===
Sterling Silver is the name of the castle that serves as the home of the king of Landover. The castle itself is a living entity, personified as female. It sits on a small island surrounded by a lake, accessible (early in the first novel) only by a magical boat called the lake skimmer. After Ben became High Lord, he had the bridge across the lake rebuilt to allow more open access to the castle. As a magical entity, the castle is responsive to the moods and feelings of the king, and he in turn can sense the energy coming from its walls. One of the towers also holds the Landsview, a magical chamber that allows a user to instantly see any part of Landover as if rapidly flown there. In the absence of a king, the castle begins to fall victim to a form of physical decay, called the Tarnish. If unchecked, the Tarnish will eventually consume the castle and spread out into the whole of Landover.

== References ==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
* [http://www.terrybrooks.net/ The official Terry Brooks website]

{{Terry Brooks}}

[[Category:Magic Kingdom of Landover| ]]
[[Category:Book series introduced in 1986]]
[[Category:Fantasy novel series]]
[[Category:High fantasy novels]]
[[Category:Portal fantasy]]

Magic Kingdom of Landover

2024-07-01T16:44:47Z

89.164.191.195: /* Minor characters */

{{Short description|Fantasy fiction series by Terry Brooks}}
{{multiple issues|
{{more citations needed|date=October 2008}}
{{in-universe|date=October 2018}}
}}
{{Infobox book series
| name = The Magic Kingdom of Landover
| image = Magic Kingdom For Sale.jpg
| image_caption = The first edition cover to the first novel
| books = 1. ''[[Magic Kingdom for Sale—Sold!]]'' 2. ''[[The Black Unicorn]]'' 3. ''[[Wizard at Large]]'' 4. ''[[The Tangle Box]]'' 5. ''[[Witches' Brew (novel)|Witches' Brew]]'' 6. ''[[A Princess of Landover ]]''
| author = [[Terry Brooks]]
| editors =
| title_orig =
| translator =
| illustrator =
| cover_artist = [[Darrell K. Sweet]]
| country = [[United States]]
| language = [[English (language)|English]]
| discipline = [[Fantasy]]
| publisher = [[Del Rey Books]]
| pub_date = 1986–present
| english_pub_date =
| media_type = Print ([[hardcover]] and [[paperback]])
| number_of_books = 6
| list_books =
| oclc =
| preceded by =
| followed by =
| website =
}}
The '''''Magic Kingdom of Landover''''' is a series of six fantasy novels by [[Terry Brooks]] following the adventures of a former [[trial lawyer]] named Ben Holiday, who purchases a magical kingdom.

The novels are set in a fictional world known as '''Landover''' that is populated with numerous magical and fairy creatures. Its name is a reference to the song "[[Over the Rainbow|land over the rainbow]]" from [[The Wizard of Oz (1939 film)|The Wizard of Oz]]. Landover is described as a small world, surrounded on all sides by fairy mists which connect it to many other worlds, including Earth. Landover is a rural kingdom, populated by humans, [[gnome]]s, [[kobolds]], and various other fantasy creatures, all of whom speak the fictional language of "Landoverian" – which the protagonist can speak through magical means – and who often form separate societies. Their rulers, while answerable to the king, are allowed a certain degree of [[autonomy]]. Also inhabiting the land are the characters of [[#Strabo|Strabo]], a dragon, and the witch [[#Nightshade|Nightshade]].

Landover is protected by the [[#The Paladin|Paladin]], a magical [[knight]] who is a projection of its rulers. In the absence of a worthy ruler, the Paladin disappears, and Landover falls prey to a physical decay known as "the Tarnish", which slowly spreads from the king's castle ([[#Sterling Silver|Sterling Silver]]) to the rest of the kingdom. The Paladin is one of the few magics in the land that can stand up against that of Strabo or Nightshade.

==The books==
===''Magic Kingdom for Sale—Sold!'' (1986)===
{{Main|Magic Kingdom for Sale—Sold!}}
The first novel is about the main character, Ben Holiday, and his discovery of an ad offering the kingship of a magic kingdom named Landover. He is soon crowned king but must deal with a host of problems to solidify his throne.

===''The Black Unicorn'' (1987)===
{{Main|The Black Unicorn}}
In the second novel, Holiday is disguised, supposedly by magic used by the evil wizard [[#Meeks|Meeks]]. He must figure out how to restore himself to the throne, meanwhile saving [[#Willow|Willow]] in her dangerous quest to find the Black Unicorn.

===''Wizard at Large'' (1988)===
{{Main|Wizard at Large}}
The third novel tells of [[#Abernathy|Abernathy]] being accidentally transported to Earth by one of [[#Questor Thews|Questor's]] ill-conceived spells. Meanwhile, a demonic imp is unleashed upon Landover; Ben and his friends must find a way to get back Abernathy and stop the evil creature.

===''The Tangle Box'' (1994)===
{{Main|The Tangle Box}}
An inept conjurer/conman, Horris Kew, accidentally releases upon Landover an evil creature called the Gorse. The creature soon imprisons Ben, the dragon Strabo, and the witch Nightshade in a device known as the Tangle Box. They must find a way out while Ben's allies find a way to handle the new threat from the Gorse.

===''Witches' Brew'' (1995)===
{{Main|Witches' Brew (novel)}}
A usurper who claims to be from another world calls for Ben's abdication from the throne, and begins to send evil, magic creatures against him. Meanwhile, Nightshade kidnaps Ben and Willow's daughter, Mistaya, in a dangerous attempt to subvert her and use her innate magic. Meanwhile, Questor and Abernathy are stuck back in Earth to meet up with an old friend, leaving Ben and Willow alone to deal with the new threat.

===''A Princess of Landover'' (2009)===
{{Main|A Princess of Landover}}
Ben Holiday, Chicago lawyer and mere mortal turned monarch of enchanted Landover, has grappled with scheming barons, fire-breathing beasts, diabolical conjurers, and extremely wicked witches. None of whom have prepared him for the most daunting of challengers: a teenage daughter. Sent by Ben and his beloved sylph bride, Willow, to an exclusive girls' prep school, headstrong (and half-magical) Mistaya Holiday has found life in the natural world a less-than-perfect fit. When her latest rebellious antics get her indefinitely suspended, she's determined to resume her real education – learning sorcery from court wizard Questor Thews – whether her parents like it or not.

Back home in Landover, Mistaya's frustrated father is just as determined that the precocious princess learn some responsibility, and he declares her grounded until she successfully refurbishes the long-forsaken royal library. Mortified by the prospect of salvaging a king's ransom in moldy books – and horrified by the word that the repulsive local nobleman Lord Laphroig seeks to marry her – Mistaya decides that the only way to run her own life is to run away from home.

=== Untitled final book ===
A seventh novel is planned that will be the final novel in the series. As of 2021 it is untitled.<ref name="books">{{cite web | url=http://terrybrooks.net/2015/02/books/ | title=Books | date=10 February 2015 | publisher=Terry Brooks | accessdate=19 April 2015}}</ref>

Author Terry Brooks has said in a Reddit AMA from June 2018 that the final book will be written in 2020 and published in 2021.<ref>{{cite web |title=Terry Brooks Reddit AMA |url=https://www.reddit.com/r/Fantasy/comments/8qauxk/i_am_terry_brooks_author_of_the_shannara_series/e0idi5u/}}</ref> Brooks said that any final plans to write and publish the final book were dependent on the release of a Landover film adaptation.<ref>{{cite web |title=Terry Brooks Reddit AMA |url=https://terrybrooks.net/2016/02/december-ask-terry-posted-6/}}</ref>

==Short stories==
In March 2021, two short stories, "An Unfortunate Influx of Filipinas" and "Don't Tell Dad", were published in the short story collection ''Small Magic''.

==Major characters==
===Ben Holiday===
Once a successful trial lawyer in [[Chicago, Illinois|Chicago]], Ben's life takes a dramatic change when his wife Annie and their unborn child are killed in a traffic accident. Ben sinks into depression and no longer gains fulfillment through the law firm he established with his best friend, Miles Bennett. Seeing a Christmas catalog advertising a fairytale kingdom for sale, he purchases it for $1,000,000 in a desperate hope to find something meaningful again. The kingdom, called Landover, turns out to be very real and in need of a true king to restore it to its previous splendor. Ben is challenged at every step by a number of characters, all with seemingly different motives. He is eventually able to gain the respect of the citizens of Landover and establish himself as the true High Lord.

===Questor Thews===
Questor is the court magician, and one of Ben's most trusted friends and advisors. He is the half-brother of the wizard Meeks, though Questor has taken a different path in his life, choosing to serve Landover and its king, rather than trying to control them. Frequently described by Ben as looking like a "scarecrow", with "patchwork robes", Questor's command of his magic is somewhat questionable, as his spells frequently backfire or have unintended consequences. Questor was responsible for transforming Abernathy into a [[Wheaten Terrier]] to disguise him from Michel Ard Rhi, the old king's son, but has not been able to turn him back. Despite his many mistakes, he has fought with the dragon Strabo and come out the victor (if only once, due to an emergency, and winning via a non-ending itch; this was, however, after a fair amount of fighting beforehand, including quite an ice storm that he summoned upon Strabo, and some rather odd misfires, such as a rain of flowers).

===Meeks===
Meeks is the half-brother of Questor, and the one responsible for selling Ben the magic kingdom. He appears as a grizzled old man missing his right arm and is in fact a powerful wizard. Meeks came into possession of the medallion that identifies the kings of Landover and developed a scheme to repeatedly sell the kingdom with it. A buyer would purchase the medallion for access to Landover, and then when the victim either abandoned the kingship as too difficult or was killed, Meeks would retrieve the medallion and re-sell the kingdom. His plans were thwarted by Ben Holiday when Ben was able to successfully claim lordship of Landover and cut Meeks off from the kingdom.

===Abernathy===
Abernathy is the court scribe, and one of Ben's closest friends. Questor Thews turned Abernathy into a [[Wheaten Terrier]], previous to Ben Holiday's arrival, to escape the cruelties of the old king's son. Questor however did not possess enough magical knowledge to return Abernathy to his human form, and Abernathy has not let Questor forget that fact. As the scribe, Abernathy is responsible for the day-to-day business at the castle, a task he excels at through his studious and thorough nature. Abernathy's natural tendency to be overcautious helps to balance the impetuousness of Ben, and the unpreparedness of Questor.

===Willow===
Willow is a [[sylph]] and Ben's wife. She is the daughter of the River Master and a wood elemental, giving her pale-green skin and emerald hair. Her dual nature is reflected in the fact that she must transform into a [[Willow tree]] once every 21 days to maintain her life force. She has a tense and distant relationship with her father, as her existence serves as a permanent reminder to him of the brief relationship that he desires to reclaim, but never can. It is to her mother that she turns for guidance.

===Mistaya===
The daughter of Ben and Willow, who, in ''The Princess of Landover'', took over her father's role as the main protagonist. Growing magically fast into a teenager, she wants nothing to do with her father's plans to give her a normal childhood and a grounding in reality, preferring instead a life of magic and adventure. This repeatedly gets her into trouble. The magical creatures of Landover often come to her rescue, as they believe she has a great and miraculous destiny ahead of her.

===Bunion and Parsnip===
Bunion and Parsnip are two [[kobolds]] who live in the castle and carry out the day-to-day chores. They act as groundskeeper and cook respectively, and are also competent fighters and bodyguards. Their appearance is similar to large-eared [[monkey]]s with mouths full of sharp teeth. They do not speak, but instead communicate through gestures, hisses and other vocalizations. The kobolds are fairy creatures that had come out of the mists surrounding Landover and have pledged their lives to the service of the throne of Landover.

===Fillip and Sot===
Fillip and Sot are G'home Gnomes and brothers. Nigh inseparable, they always travel together and become semi-frequent companions of Ben's. Being incorrigible thieves, G'home Gnomes are considered pests by the majority of Landover's community, but once Ben was able to prove his kingship, Fillip and Sot have proved loyal to him, if a bit of a nuisance. They have a tendency to trade on their relationship with Ben to circumvent the standard legal process and take their innumerable complaints directly to Ben himself.

The G'home Gnomes earned their tribal name at some unspecified point in Landover's past. When they first arrived, and the residents of Landover had learned of their [[kleptomaniac]] tendencies, members of the tribe were met with the wish/phrase "Go home, Gnome" by the general populace, expressing the general wish that they would all go home to wherever it was they came from. Over time this got abbreviated to "G'home Gnome" and eventually the wish became the name by which the tribe was known.

===River Master===
The River Master is the lord of the Lake Country and the fairy folk that live in Elderew. He was originally a creature of fairy, but now lives apart from the mists. He is a gifted healer, and by his magic the Lake Country is kept healthy while the rest of Landover succumbs to the Tarnish. He is Willow's father, though their relationship is strained. He yearns to possess Willow's mother, a wood sprite, but cannot. This, combined with the fact that Willow will go to her mother and not him when she needs help, has resulted in a very cool relationship between father and daughter.

===Nightshade===
Nightshade is a powerful witch who lives in the Deep Fell. She is one of the primary antagonists to Ben, along with Strabo the dragon. She possesses great magic, since she is from the fairy world, but has always used that power for greed and torture, which was why she was cast out of the mists and forbidden reentry. Later in the series she is sent to Earth by Haltwhistle the Mud-Puppy in defense of Mistaya. In crow form she is trapped in an aviary, but mysteriously disappears at the end of the latest novel.

===Strabo===
Strabo is a dragon who lives in the desolate Fire Springs region. He is a solitary creature, the last of his kind, and is a frequent rival to Ben in his duties as king. He is one of the few powerful creatures of magic in the valley, along with Nightshade, although in ''Tangle Box'' and ''Witches' Brew'' he has proved to be not as evil as Nightshade. He is honorable in his word. He has the ability to fly through the fairy mists into other worlds, such as Earth, and is fond of Willow's singing voice.

===The Paladin===
The Paladin is the king's champion and defender. His image is engraved on the medallion of the kings, and only a true king can summon the Paladin to fight for him. In truth, the Paladin is the spirit of an immortal warrior that resides within the medallion and is channeled through the king when needed. The secret of the Paladin is known only to the king of Landover, but in the latter parts of ''Witches' Brew'', Ben confesses to Willow the relationship between himself and the Paladin.

==Minor characters==
* The Iron Mark is the leader of the demons of [[#Abaddon|Abaddon]]. He appears to be human in shape, yet he stands at least eight feet tall. Whenever he is seen he is totally covered in black armor with serpents carved on it. The armor is scarred and battered, with serrated spines running down the Mark's limbs and back. His helmet has a death's head, and through its slits can be seen his eyes glimmering a bright crimson. He carries many weapons, and the severed heads of his enemies hang about his neck. He rides a winged demon that appears to be half snake and half wolf.

:The demons of [[#Abaddon|Abaddon]] are exiled from the fairy world, and would like to return to it. The only way for them to do so is through Landover, making them feel the need to conquer it. Before the coming of [[#Ben Holiday|Ben Holiday]], the Mark had proclaimed himself King of Landover, and repeatedly challenged the holders of the medallion to single combat. Since his defeat by [[#Ben Holiday|Ben Holiday]] and [[#The Paladin|the Paladin]] he has refused to openly fight against them again.
* Earth Mother is a creature of fairy and the [[personification]] of nature in Landover. She briefly intervenes during the events of ''The Black Unicorn'' to point Ben in the right direction to find Willow. She recognizes an importance in the relationship between the two and makes Ben promise that he will protect Willow above all else.
* Edgewood Dirk is a fairy creature known as a Prism Cat, appearing as an ordinary cat but with the ability to speak, and to refocus light and energy through its body. When Ben is tricked by Meeks into believing he has lost the medallion and control of the kingdom, Dirk is sent by the fairies to guide Ben toward the truth and provide a measure of protection. Dirk is aloof and makes frequent reference to the indifference of cats to the problems of the rest of the world.
* Miles Bennett: Ben's partner in his old law firm in Chicago. Miles's calm demeanor provides a balance to Ben's impetuousness and aggressiveness. Miles refers to Ben Holiday as "Doc" for his clever legal maneuvering in the courtroom, a reference to [[gunfighter]] [[Doc Holliday]].
* Michel Ard Rhi is the son of the previous king of Landover, now deceased. He was the one who schemed with Meeks to repeatedly sell the kingdom to unwary victims. He is also indirectly the reason for Abernathy being a dog, as Questor transformed him one day to save him from Ard Rhi's wrath.
* Haltwhistle: A Mud Puppy given to Mistaya Holiday by the Earth Mother as a gift of protection. He features quite briefly, though his actions are important to the plots of the novel. He has no offensive magic, but can deflect offensive magics as if to use them for himself. He possesses strong defensive magic.

==Locations==
===Abaddon===
Abaddon is a netherworld that lies beneath Landover. Having no sun, moon, or stars, its sky is black, and the mountainous landscape of jagged peaks and deep gorges is lit only by the glow of molten lava and a strange white light that dances on the horizon. The demons of Abaddon are the worst exiles driven from the fairy world, and they are ruled over by the most powerful demon, called [[#Minor characters|the Iron Mark]].

===The Deep Fell===
The Deep Fell is the home of Nightshade the witch. It is a vast [[sinkhole]] in the northwest part of Landover. The Deep Fell is connected to the fairy mists, and the G'home Gnomes sometimes sneak into the fell to scout for items to [[Theft|pilfer]].

===Elderew===
Elderew is the main city of the Lake Country people, and home of the River Master. It is surrounded by a dense marsh that can only be penetrated either way with the River Master's help. Inside the marsh is an open-air [[amphitheater]] where the fairy people hold their celebrations and festivals. The city itself is built into a group of huge trees, twice the size of [[California redwood]] trees, extending from ground to treetops. The cottages and shops of the city are connected by a network of tree lanes and stairways.

===Moons of Landover===
Landover possesses eight [[moons]], each one a different color: white, peach, pale mauve, burnt rose, sea green, beryl, turquoise, and jade. Two of the moons, peach and pale mauve, are visible during daylight hours, with the rest being only visible after dusk. The moons rise and set like normal satellites. During certain rare times of the year all eight moons are visible in the night sky at once. About every other month there is a new-moon phase, when some of the eight moons are below the horizon and the rest are in their dark phase, leaving the nighttime sky lit only by the stars.

===Sterling Silver===
Sterling Silver is the name of the castle that serves as the home of the king of Landover. The castle itself is a living entity, personified as female. It sits on a small island surrounded by a lake, accessible (early in the first novel) only by a magical boat called the lake skimmer. After Ben became High Lord, he had the bridge across the lake rebuilt to allow more open access to the castle. As a magical entity, the castle is responsive to the moods and feelings of the king, and he in turn can sense the energy coming from its walls. One of the towers also holds the Landsview, a magical chamber that allows a user to instantly see any part of Landover as if rapidly flown there. In the absence of a king, the castle begins to fall victim to a form of physical decay, called the Tarnish. If unchecked, the Tarnish will eventually consume the castle and spread out into the whole of Landover.

== References ==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
* [http://www.terrybrooks.net/ The Official Terry Brooks Website]

{{Terry Brooks}}

[[Category:Magic Kingdom of Landover| ]]
[[Category:Book series introduced in 1986]]
[[Category:Fantasy novel series]]
[[Category:High fantasy novels]]
[[Category:Portal fantasy]]

Magic Kingdom of Landover

2024-07-01T16:41:19Z

89.164.191.195:

{{Short description|Fantasy fiction series by Terry Brooks}}
{{multiple issues|
{{more citations needed|date=October 2008}}
{{in-universe|date=October 2018}}
}}
{{Infobox book series
| name = The Magic Kingdom of Landover
| image = Magic Kingdom For Sale.jpg
| image_caption = The first edition cover to the first novel
| books = 1. ''[[Magic Kingdom for Sale—Sold!]]'' 2. ''[[The Black Unicorn]]'' 3. ''[[Wizard at Large]]'' 4. ''[[The Tangle Box]]'' 5. ''[[Witches' Brew (novel)|Witches' Brew]]'' 6. ''[[A Princess of Landover ]]''
| author = [[Terry Brooks]]
| editors =
| title_orig =
| translator =
| illustrator =
| cover_artist = [[Darrell K. Sweet]]
| country = [[United States]]
| language = [[English (language)|English]]
| discipline = [[Fantasy]]
| publisher = [[Del Rey Books]]
| pub_date = 1986–present
| english_pub_date =
| media_type = Print ([[hardcover]] and [[paperback]])
| number_of_books = 6
| list_books =
| oclc =
| preceded by =
| followed by =
| website =
}}
The '''''Magic Kingdom of Landover''''' is a series of six fantasy novels by [[Terry Brooks]] following the adventures of a former [[trial lawyer]] named Ben Holiday, who purchases a magical kingdom.

The novels are set in a fictional world known as '''Landover''' that is populated with numerous magical and fairy creatures. Its name is a reference to the song "[[Over the Rainbow|land over the rainbow]]" from [[The Wizard of Oz (1939 film)|The Wizard of Oz]]. Landover is described as a small world, surrounded on all sides by fairy mists which connect it to many other worlds, including Earth. Landover is a rural kingdom, populated by humans, [[gnome]]s, [[kobolds]], and various other fantasy creatures, all of whom speak the fictional language of "Landoverian" – which the protagonist can speak through magical means – and who often form separate societies. Their rulers, while answerable to the king, are allowed a certain degree of [[autonomy]]. Also inhabiting the land are the characters of [[#Strabo|Strabo]], a dragon, and the witch [[#Nightshade|Nightshade]].

Landover is protected by the [[#The Paladin|Paladin]], a magical [[knight]] who is a projection of its rulers. In the absence of a worthy ruler, the Paladin disappears, and Landover falls prey to a physical decay known as "the Tarnish", which slowly spreads from the king's castle ([[#Sterling Silver|Sterling Silver]]) to the rest of the kingdom. The Paladin is one of the few magics in the land that can stand up against that of Strabo or Nightshade.

==The books==
===''Magic Kingdom for Sale—Sold!'' (1986)===
{{Main|Magic Kingdom for Sale—Sold!}}
The first novel is about the main character, Ben Holiday, and his discovery of an ad offering the kingship of a magic kingdom named Landover. He is soon crowned king but must deal with a host of problems to solidify his throne.

===''The Black Unicorn'' (1987)===
{{Main|The Black Unicorn}}
In the second novel, Holiday is disguised, supposedly by magic used by the evil wizard [[#Meeks|Meeks]]. He must figure out how to restore himself to the throne, meanwhile saving [[#Willow|Willow]] in her dangerous quest to find the Black Unicorn.

===''Wizard at Large'' (1988)===
{{Main|Wizard at Large}}
The third novel tells of [[#Abernathy|Abernathy]] being accidentally transported to Earth by one of [[#Questor Thews|Questor's]] ill-conceived spells. Meanwhile, a demonic imp is unleashed upon Landover; Ben and his friends must find a way to get back Abernathy and stop the evil creature.

===''The Tangle Box'' (1994)===
{{Main|The Tangle Box}}
An inept conjurer/conman, Horris Kew, accidentally releases upon Landover an evil creature called the Gorse. The creature soon imprisons Ben, the dragon Strabo, and the witch Nightshade in a device known as the Tangle Box. They must find a way out while Ben's allies find a way to handle the new threat from the Gorse.

===''Witches' Brew'' (1995)===
{{Main|Witches' Brew (novel)}}
A usurper who claims to be from another world calls for Ben's abdication from the throne, and begins to send evil, magic creatures against him. Meanwhile, Nightshade kidnaps Ben and Willow's daughter, Mistaya, in a dangerous attempt to subvert her and use her innate magic. Meanwhile, Questor and Abernathy are stuck back in Earth to meet up with an old friend, leaving Ben and Willow alone to deal with the new threat.

===''A Princess of Landover'' (2009)===
{{Main|A Princess of Landover}}
Ben Holiday, Chicago lawyer and mere mortal turned monarch of enchanted Landover, has grappled with scheming barons, fire-breathing beasts, diabolical conjurers, and extremely wicked witches. None of whom have prepared him for the most daunting of challengers: a teenage daughter. Sent by Ben and his beloved sylph bride, Willow, to an exclusive girls' prep school, headstrong (and half-magical) Mistaya Holiday has found life in the natural world a less-than-perfect fit. When her latest rebellious antics get her indefinitely suspended, she's determined to resume her real education – learning sorcery from court wizard Questor Thews – whether her parents like it or not.

Back home in Landover, Mistaya's frustrated father is just as determined that the precocious princess learn some responsibility, and he declares her grounded until she successfully refurbishes the long-forsaken royal library. Mortified by the prospect of salvaging a king's ransom in moldy books – and horrified by the word that the repulsive local nobleman Lord Laphroig seeks to marry her – Mistaya decides that the only way to run her own life is to run away from home.

=== Untitled final book ===
A seventh novel is planned that will be the final novel in the series. As of 2021 it is untitled.<ref name="books">{{cite web | url=http://terrybrooks.net/2015/02/books/ | title=Books | date=10 February 2015 | publisher=Terry Brooks | accessdate=19 April 2015}}</ref>

Author Terry Brooks has said in a Reddit AMA from June 2018 that the final book will be written in 2020 and published in 2021.<ref>{{cite web |title=Terry Brooks Reddit AMA |url=https://www.reddit.com/r/Fantasy/comments/8qauxk/i_am_terry_brooks_author_of_the_shannara_series/e0idi5u/}}</ref> Brooks said that any final plans to write and publish the final book were dependent on the release of a Landover film adaptation.<ref>{{cite web |title=Terry Brooks Reddit AMA |url=https://terrybrooks.net/2016/02/december-ask-terry-posted-6/}}</ref>

==Short stories==
In March 2021, two short stories, "An Unfortunate Influx of Filipinas" and "Don't Tell Dad", were published in the short story collection ''Small Magic''.

==Major characters==
===Ben Holiday===
Once a successful trial lawyer in [[Chicago, Illinois|Chicago]], Ben's life takes a dramatic change when his wife Annie and their unborn child are killed in a traffic accident. Ben sinks into depression and no longer gains fulfillment through the law firm he established with his best friend, Miles Bennett. Seeing a Christmas catalog advertising a fairytale kingdom for sale, he purchases it for $1,000,000 in a desperate hope to find something meaningful again. The kingdom, called Landover, turns out to be very real and in need of a true king to restore it to its previous splendor. Ben is challenged at every step by a number of characters, all with seemingly different motives. He is eventually able to gain the respect of the citizens of Landover and establish himself as the true High Lord.

===Questor Thews===
Questor is the court magician, and one of Ben's most trusted friends and advisors. He is the half-brother of the wizard Meeks, though Questor has taken a different path in his life, choosing to serve Landover and its king, rather than trying to control them. Frequently described by Ben as looking like a "scarecrow", with "patchwork robes", Questor's command of his magic is somewhat questionable, as his spells frequently backfire or have unintended consequences. Questor was responsible for transforming Abernathy into a [[Wheaten Terrier]] to disguise him from Michel Ard Rhi, the old king's son, but has not been able to turn him back. Despite his many mistakes, he has fought with the dragon Strabo and come out the victor (if only once, due to an emergency, and winning via a non-ending itch; this was, however, after a fair amount of fighting beforehand, including quite an ice storm that he summoned upon Strabo, and some rather odd misfires, such as a rain of flowers).

===Meeks===
Meeks is the half-brother of Questor, and the one responsible for selling Ben the magic kingdom. He appears as a grizzled old man missing his right arm and is in fact a powerful wizard. Meeks came into possession of the medallion that identifies the kings of Landover and developed a scheme to repeatedly sell the kingdom with it. A buyer would purchase the medallion for access to Landover, and then when the victim either abandoned the kingship as too difficult or was killed, Meeks would retrieve the medallion and re-sell the kingdom. His plans were thwarted by Ben Holiday when Ben was able to successfully claim lordship of Landover and cut Meeks off from the kingdom.

===Abernathy===
Abernathy is the court scribe, and one of Ben's closest friends. Questor Thews turned Abernathy into a [[Wheaten Terrier]], previous to Ben Holiday's arrival, to escape the cruelties of the old king's son. Questor however did not possess enough magical knowledge to return Abernathy to his human form, and Abernathy has not let Questor forget that fact. As the scribe, Abernathy is responsible for the day-to-day business at the castle, a task he excels at through his studious and thorough nature. Abernathy's natural tendency to be overcautious helps to balance the impetuousness of Ben, and the unpreparedness of Questor.

===Willow===
Willow is a [[sylph]] and Ben's wife. She is the daughter of the River Master and a wood elemental, giving her pale-green skin and emerald hair. Her dual nature is reflected in the fact that she must transform into a [[Willow tree]] once every 21 days to maintain her life force. She has a tense and distant relationship with her father, as her existence serves as a permanent reminder to him of the brief relationship that he desires to reclaim, but never can. It is to her mother that she turns for guidance.

===Mistaya===
The daughter of Ben and Willow, who, in ''The Princess of Landover'', took over her father's role as the main protagonist. Growing magically fast into a teenager, she wants nothing to do with her father's plans to give her a normal childhood and a grounding in reality, preferring instead a life of magic and adventure. This repeatedly gets her into trouble. The magical creatures of Landover often come to her rescue, as they believe she has a great and miraculous destiny ahead of her.

===Bunion and Parsnip===
Bunion and Parsnip are two [[kobolds]] who live in the castle and carry out the day-to-day chores. They act as groundskeeper and cook respectively, and are also competent fighters and bodyguards. Their appearance is similar to large-eared [[monkey]]s with mouths full of sharp teeth. They do not speak, but instead communicate through gestures, hisses and other vocalizations. The kobolds are fairy creatures that had come out of the mists surrounding Landover and have pledged their lives to the service of the throne of Landover.

===Fillip and Sot===
Fillip and Sot are G'home Gnomes and brothers. Nigh inseparable, they always travel together and become semi-frequent companions of Ben's. Being incorrigible thieves, G'home Gnomes are considered pests by the majority of Landover's community, but once Ben was able to prove his kingship, Fillip and Sot have proved loyal to him, if a bit of a nuisance. They have a tendency to trade on their relationship with Ben to circumvent the standard legal process and take their innumerable complaints directly to Ben himself.

The G'home Gnomes earned their tribal name at some unspecified point in Landover's past. When they first arrived, and the residents of Landover had learned of their [[kleptomaniac]] tendencies, members of the tribe were met with the wish/phrase "Go home, Gnome" by the general populace, expressing the general wish that they would all go home to wherever it was they came from. Over time this got abbreviated to "G'home Gnome" and eventually the wish became the name by which the tribe was known.

===River Master===
The River Master is the lord of the Lake Country and the fairy folk that live in Elderew. He was originally a creature of fairy, but now lives apart from the mists. He is a gifted healer, and by his magic the Lake Country is kept healthy while the rest of Landover succumbs to the Tarnish. He is Willow's father, though their relationship is strained. He yearns to possess Willow's mother, a wood sprite, but cannot. This, combined with the fact that Willow will go to her mother and not him when she needs help, has resulted in a very cool relationship between father and daughter.

===Nightshade===
Nightshade is a powerful witch who lives in the Deep Fell. She is one of the primary antagonists to Ben, along with Strabo the dragon. She possesses great magic, since she is from the fairy world, but has always used that power for greed and torture, which was why she was cast out of the mists and forbidden reentry. Later in the series she is sent to Earth by Haltwhistle the Mud-Puppy in defense of Mistaya. In crow form she is trapped in an aviary, but mysteriously disappears at the end of the latest novel.

===Strabo===
Strabo is a dragon who lives in the desolate Fire Springs region. He is a solitary creature, the last of his kind, and is a frequent rival to Ben in his duties as king. He is one of the few powerful creatures of magic in the valley, along with Nightshade, although in ''Tangle Box'' and ''Witches' Brew'' he has proved to be not as evil as Nightshade. He is honorable in his word. He has the ability to fly through the fairy mists into other worlds, such as Earth, and is fond of Willow's singing voice.

===The Paladin===
The Paladin is the king's champion and defender. His image is engraved on the medallion of the kings, and only a true king can summon the Paladin to fight for him. In truth, the Paladin is the spirit of an immortal warrior that resides within the medallion and is channeled through the king when needed. The secret of the Paladin is known only to the king of Landover, but in the latter parts of ''Witches' Brew'', Ben confesses to Willow the relationship between himself and the Paladin.

==Minor characters==
* The Iron Mark: The Iron Mark is the leader of the demons of [[#Abaddon|Abaddon]]. He appears to be human in shape, yet he stands at least eight feet tall. Whenever he is seen he is totally covered in black armor with serpents carved on it. The armor is scarred and battered, with serrated spines running down the Mark's limbs and back. His helmet has a death's head, and through its slits can be seen his eyes glimmering a bright crimson. He carries many weapons, and the severed heads of his enemies hang about his neck. He rides a winged demon that appears to be half snake and half wolf.

: The demons of [[#Abaddon|Abaddon]] are exiled from the fairy world, and would like to return to it. The only way for them to do so is through Landover, making them feel the need to conquer it. Before the coming of [[#Ben Holiday|Ben Holiday]], the Mark had proclaimed himself King of Landover, and repeatedly challenged the holders of the medallion to single combat. Since his defeat by [[#Ben Holiday|Ben Holiday]] and [[#The Paladin|the Paladin]] he has refused to openly fight against them again.
* Earth Mother: The Earth Mother is a creature of fairy and the [[personification]] of nature in Landover. She briefly intervenes during the events of ''The Black Unicorn'' to point Ben in the right direction to find Willow. She recognizes an importance in the relationship between the two and makes Ben promise that he will protect Willow above all else.
* Edgewood Dirk: Dirk is a fairy creature known as a Prism Cat, appearing as an ordinary cat but with the ability to speak, and to refocus light and energy through its body. When Ben is tricked by Meeks into believing he has lost the medallion and control of the kingdom, Dirk is sent by the fairies to guide Ben toward the truth and provide a measure of protection. Dirk is very aloof and makes frequent reference to the indifference of cats to the problems of the rest of the world.
* Miles Bennett: Ben's partner in his old law firm in Chicago. Miles's calm demeanor provides a balance to Ben's impetuousness and aggressiveness. Miles refers to Ben Holiday as "Doc" for his clever legal maneuvering in the courtroom, a reference to [[gunfighter]] [[Doc Holliday]].
* Michel Ard Rhi: Michel is the son of the previous king of Landover, now deceased. He was the one who schemed with Meeks to repeatedly sell the kingdom to unwary victims. He is also indirectly the reason for Abernathy being a dog, as Questor transformed him one day to save him from Ard Rhi's wrath.
* Haltwhistle: A Mud Puppy given to Mistaya Holiday by the Earth Mother as a gift of protection. He features quite briefly, though his actions are important to the plots of the novel. He has no offensive magic, but can deflect offensive magics as if to use them for himself. He possesses very strong defensive magic.

==Locations==
===Abaddon===
Abaddon is a netherworld that lies beneath Landover. Having no sun, moon, or stars, its sky is black, and the mountainous landscape of jagged peaks and deep gorges is lit only by the glow of molten lava and a strange white light that dances on the horizon. The demons of Abaddon are the worst exiles driven from the fairy world, and they are ruled over by the most powerful demon, called [[#Minor characters|the Iron Mark]].

===The Deep Fell===
The Deep Fell is the home of Nightshade the witch. It is a vast [[sinkhole]] in the northwest part of Landover. The Deep Fell is connected to the fairy mists, and the G'home Gnomes sometimes sneak into the fell to scout for items to [[Theft|pilfer]].

===Elderew===
Elderew is the main city of the Lake Country people, and home of the River Master. It is surrounded by a dense marsh that can only be penetrated either way with the River Master's help. Inside the marsh is an open-air [[amphitheater]] where the fairy people hold their celebrations and festivals. The city itself is built into a group of huge trees, twice the size of [[California redwood]] trees, extending from ground to treetops. The cottages and shops of the city are connected by a network of tree lanes and stairways.

===Moons of Landover===
Landover possesses eight [[moons]], each one a different color: white, peach, pale mauve, burnt rose, sea green, beryl, turquoise, and jade. Two of the moons, peach and pale mauve, are visible during daylight hours, with the rest being only visible after dusk. The moons rise and set like normal satellites. During certain rare times of the year all eight moons are visible in the night sky at once. About every other month there is a new-moon phase, when some of the eight moons are below the horizon and the rest are in their dark phase, leaving the nighttime sky lit only by the stars.

===Sterling Silver===
Sterling Silver is the name of the castle that serves as the home of the king of Landover. The castle itself is a living entity, personified as female. It sits on a small island surrounded by a lake, accessible (early in the first novel) only by a magical boat called the lake skimmer. After Ben became High Lord, he had the bridge across the lake rebuilt to allow more open access to the castle. As a magical entity, the castle is responsive to the moods and feelings of the king, and he in turn can sense the energy coming from its walls. One of the towers also holds the Landsview, a magical chamber that allows a user to instantly see any part of Landover as if rapidly flown there. In the absence of a king, the castle begins to fall victim to a form of physical decay, called the Tarnish. If unchecked, the Tarnish will eventually consume the castle and spread out into the whole of Landover.

== References ==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
* [http://www.terrybrooks.net/ The Official Terry Brooks Website]

{{Terry Brooks}}

[[Category:Magic Kingdom of Landover| ]]
[[Category:Book series introduced in 1986]]
[[Category:Fantasy novel series]]
[[Category:High fantasy novels]]
[[Category:Portal fantasy]]

Magic Kingdom of Landover

2024-07-01T16:37:56Z

89.164.191.195:

{{Short description|Fantasy fiction series by Terry Brooks}}
{{multiple issues|
{{more citations needed|date=October 2008}}
{{in-universe|date=October 2018}}
}}
{{Infobox book series
| name = The Magic Kingdom of Landover
| image = Magic Kingdom For Sale.jpg
| image_caption = The first edition cover to the first novel
| books = 1. ''[[Magic Kingdom for Sale—Sold!]]'' 2. ''[[The Black Unicorn]]'' 3. ''[[Wizard at Large]]'' 4. ''[[The Tangle Box]]'' 5. ''[[Witches' Brew (novel)|Witches' Brew]]'' 6. ''[[A Princess of Landover ]]''
| author = [[Terry Brooks]]
| editors =
| title_orig =
| translator =
| illustrator =
| cover_artist = [[Darrell K. Sweet]]
| country = [[United States]]
| language = [[English (language)|English]]
| discipline = [[Fantasy]]
| publisher = [[Del Rey Books]]
| pub_date = 1986–present
| english_pub_date =
| media_type = Print ([[hardcover]] and [[paperback]])
| number_of_books = 6
| list_books =
| oclc =
| preceded by =
| followed by =
| website =
}}
The '''''Magic Kingdom of Landover''''' is a series of six fantasy novels by [[Terry Brooks]] following the adventures of a former [[trial lawyer]] named Ben Holiday, who purchases a magical kingdom.

The novels are set in a fictional world known as '''Landover''' that is populated with numerous magical and fairy creatures. Its name is a reference to the song "[[Over the Rainbow|land over the rainbow]]" from [[The Wizard of Oz (1939 film)|The Wizard of Oz]]. Landover is described as a small world, surrounded on all sides by fairy mists which connect it to many other worlds, including Earth. Landover is a rural kingdom, populated by humans, [[gnome]]s, [[kobolds]], and various other fantasy creatures, all of whom speak the fictional language of "Landoverian" – which the protagonist can speak through magical means – and who often form separate societies. Their rulers, while answerable to the king, are allowed a certain degree of [[autonomy]]. Also inhabiting the land are the characters of [[#Strabo|Strabo]], a dragon, and the witch [[#Nightshade|Nightshade]].

Landover is protected by the [[#The Paladin|Paladin]], a magical [[knight]] who is a projection of its rulers. In the absence of a worthy ruler, the Paladin disappears, and Landover falls prey to a physical decay known as "the Tarnish", which slowly spreads from the king's castle ([[#Sterling Silver|Sterling Silver]]) to the rest of the kingdom. The Paladin is one of the few magics in the land that can stand up against that of Strabo or Nightshade.

==The books==
===''Magic Kingdom for Sale—Sold!'' (1986)===
{{Main|Magic Kingdom for Sale—Sold!}}
The first novel is about the main character, Ben Holiday, and his discovery of an ad offering the kingship of a magic kingdom named Landover. He is soon crowned king but must deal with a host of problems to solidify his throne.

===''The Black Unicorn'' (1987)===
{{Main|The Black Unicorn}}
In the second novel, Holiday is disguised, supposedly by magic used by the evil wizard [[#Meeks|Meeks]]. He must figure out how to restore himself to the throne, meanwhile saving [[#Willow|Willow]] in her dangerous quest to find the Black Unicorn.

===''Wizard at Large'' (1988)===
{{Main|Wizard at Large}}
The third novel tells of [[#Abernathy|Abernathy]] being accidentally transported to Earth by one of [[#Questor Thews|Questor's]] ill-conceived spells. Meanwhile, a demonic imp is unleashed upon Landover; Ben and his friends must find a way to get back Abernathy and stop the evil creature.

===''The Tangle Box'' (1994)===
{{Main|The Tangle Box}}
An inept conjurer/conman, Horris Kew, accidentally releases upon Landover an evil creature called the Gorse. The creature soon imprisons Ben, the dragon Strabo, and the witch Nightshade in a device known as the Tangle Box. They must find a way out while Ben's allies find a way to handle the new threat from the Gorse.

===''Witches' Brew'' (1995)===
{{Main|Witches' Brew (novel)}}
A usurper who claims to be from another world calls for Ben's abdication from the throne, and begins to send evil, magic creatures against him. Meanwhile, Nightshade kidnaps Ben and Willow's daughter, Mistaya, in a dangerous attempt to subvert her and use her innate magic. Meanwhile, Questor and Abernathy are stuck back in Earth to meet up with an old friend, leaving Ben and Willow alone to deal with the new threat.

===''A Princess of Landover'' (2009)===
{{Main|A Princess of Landover}}
Ben Holiday, Chicago lawyer and mere mortal turned monarch of enchanted Landover, has grappled with scheming barons, fire-breathing beasts, diabolical conjurers, and extremely wicked witches. None of whom have prepared him for the most daunting of challengers: a teenage daughter. Sent by Ben and his beloved sylph bride, Willow, to an exclusive girls' prep school, headstrong (and half-magical) Mistaya Holiday has found life in the natural world a less-than-perfect fit. When her latest rebellious antics get her indefinitely suspended, she's determined to resume her real education – learning sorcery from court wizard Questor Thews – whether her parents like it or not.

Back home in Landover, Mistaya's frustrated father is just as determined that the precocious princess learn some responsibility, and he declares her grounded until she successfully refurbishes the long-forsaken royal library. Mortified by the prospect of salvaging a king's ransom in moldy books – and horrified by the word that the repulsive local nobleman Lord Laphroig seeks to marry her – Mistaya decides that the only way to run her own life is to run away from home.

=== Untitled final book ===
A seventh novel is planned that will be the final novel in the series. As of 2021 it is untitled.<ref name="books">{{cite web | url=http://terrybrooks.net/2015/02/books/ | title=Books | date=10 February 2015 | publisher=Terry Brooks | accessdate=19 April 2015}}</ref>

Author Terry Brooks has said in a Reddit AMA from June 2018 that the final book will be written in 2020 and published in 2021.<ref>{{cite web |title=Terry Brooks Reddit AMA |url=https://www.reddit.com/r/Fantasy/comments/8qauxk/i_am_terry_brooks_author_of_the_shannara_series/e0idi5u/}}</ref> Brooks said that any final plans to write and publish the final book were dependent on the release of a Landover film adaptation.<ref>{{cite web |title=Terry Brooks Reddit AMA |url=https://terrybrooks.net/2016/02/december-ask-terry-posted-6/}}</ref>

==Short stories==
In March 2021, two short stories, "An Unfortunate Influx of Filipinas" and "Don't Tell Dad", were published in the short story collection ''Small Magic''.

==Major characters==
===Ben Holiday===
Once a successful trial lawyer in [[Chicago, Illinois|Chicago]], Ben's life takes a dramatic change when his wife Annie and their unborn child are killed in a traffic accident. Ben sinks into depression and no longer gains fulfillment through the law firm he established with his best friend, Miles Bennett. Seeing a Christmas catalog advertising a fairytale kingdom for sale, he purchases it for $1,000,000 in a desperate hope to find something meaningful again. The kingdom, called Landover, turns out to be very real and in need of a true king to restore it to its previous splendor. Ben is challenged at every step by a number of characters, all with seemingly different motives. He is eventually able to gain the respect of the citizens of Landover and establish himself as the true High Lord.

===Questor Thews===
Questor is the court magician, and one of Ben's most trusted friends and advisors. He is the half-brother of the wizard Meeks, though Questor has taken a different path in his life, choosing to serve Landover and its king, rather than trying to control them. Frequently described by Ben as looking like a "scarecrow", with "patchwork robes", Questor's command of his magic is somewhat questionable, as his spells frequently backfire or have unintended consequences. Questor was responsible for transforming Abernathy into a [[Wheaten Terrier]] to disguise him from Michel Ard Rhi, the old king's son, but has not been able to turn him back. Despite his many mistakes, he has fought with the dragon Strabo and come out the victor (if only once, due to an emergency, and winning via a non-ending itch; this was, however, after a fair amount of fighting beforehand, including quite an ice storm that he summoned upon Strabo, and some rather odd misfires, such as a rain of flowers).

===Meeks===
Meeks is the half-brother of Questor, and the one responsible for selling Ben the magic kingdom. He appears as a grizzled old man missing his right arm and is in fact a very powerful wizard. Meeks came into possession of the medallion that identifies the kings of Landover and developed a scheme to repeatedly sell the kingdom with it. A buyer would purchase the medallion for access to Landover, and then when the victim either abandoned the kingship as too difficult or was killed, Meeks would retrieve the medallion and re-sell the kingdom. His plans were thwarted by Ben Holiday when Ben was able to successfully claim lordship of Landover and cut Meeks off from the kingdom.

===Abernathy===
Abernathy is the court scribe, and one of Ben's closest friends. Questor Thews turned Abernathy into a [[Wheaten Terrier]], previous to Ben Holiday's arrival, to escape the cruelties of the old king's son. Questor however did not possess enough magical knowledge to return Abernathy to his human form, and Abernathy has not let Questor forget that fact. As the scribe, Abernathy is responsible for the day-to-day business at the castle, a task he excels at through his studious and thorough nature. Abernathy's natural tendency to be overcautious helps to balance the impetuousness of Ben, and the unpreparedness of Questor.

===Willow===
Willow is a [[sylph]] and Ben's wife. She is the daughter of the River Master and a wood elemental, giving her pale-green skin and emerald hair. Her dual nature is reflected in the fact that she must transform into a [[Willow tree]] once every 21 days to maintain her life force. She has a tense and distant relationship with her father, as her existence serves as a permanent reminder to him of the brief relationship that he desires to reclaim, but never can. It is to her mother that she turns for guidance.

===Mistaya===
The daughter of Ben and Willow, who, in ''The Princess of Landover'', took over her father's role as the main protagonist. Growing magically fast into a teenager, she wants nothing to do with her father's plans to give her a normal childhood and a grounding in reality, preferring instead a life of magic and adventure. This repeatedly gets her into trouble. The magical creatures of Landover often come to her rescue, as they believe she has a great and miraculous destiny ahead of her.

===Bunion and Parsnip===
Bunion and Parsnip are two [[kobolds]] who live in the castle and carry out the day-to-day chores. They act as groundskeeper and cook respectively, and are also very competent fighters and bodyguards. Their appearance is similar to large-eared [[monkey]]s with mouths full of sharp teeth. They do not speak, but instead communicate through gestures, hisses and other vocalizations. The kobolds are fairy creatures that had come out of the mists surrounding Landover and have pledged their lives to the service of the throne of Landover.

===Fillip and Sot===
Fillip and Sot are G'home Gnomes and brothers. Nigh inseparable, they always travel together and become semi-frequent companions of Ben's. Being incorrigible thieves, G'home Gnomes are considered pests by the majority of Landover's community. However, once Ben was able to prove his kingship, Fillip and Sot have proved loyal to him, if a bit of a nuisance. They have a tendency to trade on their relationship with Ben to circumvent the standard legal process and take their innumerable complaints directly to Ben himself.

The G'home Gnomes earned their tribal name at some unspecified point in Landover's past. When they first arrived, and the residents of Landover had learned of their [[kleptomaniac]] tendencies, members of the tribe were met with the wish/phrase "Go home, Gnome" by the general populace, expressing the general wish that they would all go home to wherever it was they came from. Over time this got abbreviated to "G'home Gnome" and eventually the wish became the name by which the tribe was known.

===River Master===
The River Master is the lord of the Lake Country and the fairy folk that live in Elderew. He was originally a creature of fairy, but now lives apart from the mists. He is a gifted healer, and by his magic the Lake Country is kept healthy while the rest of Landover succumbs to the Tarnish. He is Willow's father, though their relationship is strained. He yearns to possess Willow's mother, a wood sprite, but cannot. This, combined with the fact that Willow will go to her mother and not him when she needs help, has resulted in a very cool relationship between father and daughter.

===Nightshade===
Nightshade is a powerful witch who lives in the Deep Fell. She is one of the primary antagonists to Ben, along with Strabo the dragon. She possesses great magic, since she is from the fairy world, but has always used that power for greed and torture, which was why she was cast out of the mists and forbidden reentry. Later in the series she is sent to Earth by Haltwhistle the Mud-Puppy in defense of Mistaya. In crow form she is trapped in an aviary, but mysteriously disappears at the end of the latest novel.

===Strabo===
Strabo is a dragon who lives in the desolate Fire Springs region. He is a solitary creature, the last of his kind, and is a frequent rival to Ben in his duties as king. He is one of the few powerful creatures of magic in the valley, along with Nightshade, although in ''Tangle Box'' and ''Witches' Brew'' he has proved to be not as evil as Nightshade. He is very honorable in his word. He has the ability to fly through the fairy mists into other worlds, such as Earth. He is very fond of Willow's singing voice.

===The Paladin===
The Paladin is the king's champion and defender. His image is engraved on the medallion of the kings, and only a true king can summon the Paladin to fight for him. In truth, the Paladin is the spirit of an immortal warrior that resides within the medallion and is channeled through the king when needed. The secret of the Paladin is known only to the king of Landover, but in the latter parts of ''Witches' Brew'', Ben confesses to Willow the relationship between himself and the Paladin.

==Minor characters==
* The Iron Mark: The Iron Mark is the leader of the demons of [[#Abaddon|Abaddon]]. He appears to be human in shape, yet he stands at least eight feet tall. Whenever he is seen he is totally covered in black armor with serpents carved on it. The armor is scarred and battered, with serrated spines running down the Mark's limbs and back. His helmet has a death's head, and through its slits can be seen his eyes glimmering a bright crimson. He carries many weapons, and the severed heads of his enemies hang about his neck. He rides a winged demon that appears to be half snake and half wolf.

: The demons of [[#Abaddon|Abaddon]] are exiled from the fairy world, and would like to return to it. The only way for them to do so is through Landover, making them feel the need to conquer it. Before the coming of [[#Ben Holiday|Ben Holiday]], the Mark had proclaimed himself King of Landover, and repeatedly challenged the holders of the medallion to single combat. Since his defeat by [[#Ben Holiday|Ben Holiday]] and [[#The Paladin|the Paladin]] he has refused to openly fight against them again.
* Earth Mother: The Earth Mother is a creature of fairy and the [[personification]] of nature in Landover. She briefly intervenes during the events of ''The Black Unicorn'' to point Ben in the right direction to find Willow. She recognizes an importance in the relationship between the two and makes Ben promise that he will protect Willow above all else.
* Edgewood Dirk: Dirk is a fairy creature known as a Prism Cat, appearing as an ordinary cat but with the ability to speak, and to refocus light and energy through its body. When Ben is tricked by Meeks into believing he has lost the medallion and control of the kingdom, Dirk is sent by the fairies to guide Ben toward the truth and provide a measure of protection. Dirk is very aloof and makes frequent reference to the indifference of cats to the problems of the rest of the world.
* Miles Bennett: Ben's partner in his old law firm in Chicago. Miles's calm demeanor provides a balance to Ben's impetuousness and aggressiveness. Miles refers to Ben Holiday as "Doc" for his clever legal maneuvering in the courtroom, a reference to [[gunfighter]] [[Doc Holliday]].
* Michel Ard Rhi: Michel is the son of the previous king of Landover, now deceased. He was the one who schemed with Meeks to repeatedly sell the kingdom to unwary victims. He is also indirectly the reason for Abernathy being a dog, as Questor transformed him one day to save him from Ard Rhi's wrath.
* Haltwhistle: A Mud Puppy given to Mistaya Holiday by the Earth Mother as a gift of protection. He features quite briefly, though his actions are important to the plots of the novel. He has no offensive magic, but can deflect offensive magics as if to use them for himself. He possesses very strong defensive magic.

==Locations==
===Abaddon===
Abaddon is a netherworld that lies beneath Landover. Having no sun, moon, or stars, its sky is black, and the mountainous landscape of jagged peaks and deep gorges is lit only by the glow of molten lava and a strange white light that dances on the horizon. The demons of Abaddon are the worst exiles driven from the fairy world, and they are ruled over by the most powerful demon, called [[#Minor characters|the Iron Mark]].

===The Deep Fell===
The Deep Fell is the home of Nightshade the witch. It is a vast [[sinkhole]] in the northwest part of Landover. The Deep Fell is connected to the fairy mists, and the G'home Gnomes sometimes sneak into the fell to scout for items to [[Theft|pilfer]].

===Elderew===
Elderew is the main city of the Lake Country people, and home of the River Master. It is surrounded by a dense marsh that can only be penetrated either way with the River Master's help. Inside the marsh is an open-air [[amphitheater]] where the fairy people hold their celebrations and festivals. The city itself is built into a group of huge trees, twice the size of [[California redwood]] trees, extending from ground to treetops. The cottages and shops of the city are connected by a network of tree lanes and stairways.

===Moons of Landover===
Landover possesses eight [[moons]], each one a different color: white, peach, pale mauve, burnt rose, sea green, beryl, turquoise, and jade. Two of the moons, peach and pale mauve, are visible during daylight hours, with the rest being only visible after dusk. The moons rise and set like normal satellites. During certain rare times of the year all eight moons are visible in the night sky at once. About every other month there is a new-moon phase, when some of the eight moons are below the horizon and the rest are in their dark phase, leaving the nighttime sky lit only by the stars.

===Sterling Silver===
Sterling Silver is the name of the castle that serves as the home of the king of Landover. The castle itself is a living entity, personified as female. It sits on a small island surrounded by a lake, accessible (early in the first novel) only by a magical boat called the lake skimmer. After Ben became High Lord, he had the bridge across the lake rebuilt to allow more open access to the castle. As a magical entity, the castle is responsive to the moods and feelings of the king, and he in turn can sense the energy coming from its walls. One of the towers also holds the Landsview, a magical chamber that allows a user to instantly see any part of Landover as if rapidly flown there. In the absence of a king, the castle begins to fall victim to a form of physical decay, called the Tarnish. If unchecked, the Tarnish will eventually consume the castle and spread out into the whole of Landover.

== References ==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
* [http://www.terrybrooks.net/ The Official Terry Brooks Website]

{{Terry Brooks}}

[[Category:Magic Kingdom of Landover| ]]
[[Category:Book series introduced in 1986]]
[[Category:Fantasy novel series]]
[[Category:High fantasy novels]]
[[Category:Portal fantasy]]

Magic Kingdom of Landover

2024-07-01T16:35:37Z

89.164.191.195:

{{Short description|Fantasy fiction series by Terry Brooks}}
{{multiple issues|
{{more citations needed|date=October 2008}}
{{in-universe|date=October 2018}}
}}
{{Infobox book series
| name = The Magic Kingdom of Landover
| image = Magic Kingdom For Sale.jpg
| image_caption = The first edition cover to the first novel
| books = 1. ''[[Magic Kingdom for Sale—Sold!]]'' 2. ''[[The Black Unicorn]]'' 3. ''[[Wizard at Large]]'' 4. ''[[The Tangle Box]]'' 5. ''[[Witches' Brew (novel)|Witches' Brew]]'' 6. ''[[A Princess of Landover ]]''
| author = [[Terry Brooks]]
| editors =
| title_orig =
| translator =
| illustrator =
| cover_artist = [[Darrell K. Sweet]]
| country = [[United States]]
| language = [[English (language)|English]]
| discipline = [[Fantasy]]
| publisher = [[Del Rey Books]]
| pub_date = 1986–present
| english_pub_date =
| media_type = Print ([[hardcover]] and [[paperback]])
| number_of_books = 6
| list_books =
| oclc =
| preceded by =
| followed by =
| website =
}}
The '''''Magic Kingdom of Landover''''' is a series of six fantasy novels by [[Terry Brooks]] following the adventures of a former [[trial lawyer]] named Ben Holiday, who purchases a magical kingdom.

The novels are set in a fictional world known as '''Landover''' that is populated with numerous magical and fairy creatures. Its name is a reference to the song "[[Over the Rainbow|land over the rainbow]]" from [[The Wizard of Oz (1939 film)|The Wizard of Oz]]. Landover is described as a small world, surrounded on all sides by fairy mists which connect it to many other worlds, including Earth. Landover is a rural kingdom, populated by humans, [[gnome]]s, [[kobolds]], and various other fantasy creatures, all of whom speak the fictional language of "Landoverian" – which the protagonist can speak through magical means – and who often form separate societies. Their rulers, while answerable to the king, are allowed a certain degree of [[autonomy]]. Also inhabiting the land are the characters of [[#Strabo|Strabo]], a dragon, and the witch [[#Nightshade|Nightshade]].

Landover is protected by the [[#The Paladin|Paladin]], a magical [[knight]] who is a projection of its rulers. In the absence of a worthy ruler, the Paladin disappears, and Landover falls prey to a physical decay known as "the Tarnish", which slowly spreads from the king's castle ([[#Sterling Silver|Sterling Silver]]) to the rest of the kingdom. The Paladin is one of the few magics in the land that can stand up against that of Strabo or Nightshade.

==The books==
===''Magic Kingdom for Sale—Sold!'' (1986)===
{{Main|Magic Kingdom for Sale—Sold!}}
The first novel is about the main character, Ben Holiday, and his discovery of an ad offering the kingship of a magic kingdom named Landover. He is soon crowned king but must deal with a host of problems to solidify his throne.

===''The Black Unicorn'' (1987)===
{{Main|The Black Unicorn}}
In the second novel, Holiday is disguised, supposedly by magic used by the evil wizard [[#Meeks|Meeks]]. He must figure out how to restore himself to the throne, meanwhile saving [[#Willow|Willow]] in her dangerous quest to find the Black Unicorn.

===''Wizard at Large'' (1988)===
{{Main|Wizard at Large}}
The third novel tells of [[#Abernathy|Abernathy]] being accidentally transported to Earth by one of [[#Questor Thews|Questor's]] ill-conceived spells. Meanwhile, a demonic imp is unleashed upon Landover; Ben and his friends must find a way to get back Abernathy and stop the evil creature.

===''The Tangle Box'' (1994)===
{{Main|The Tangle Box}}
An inept conjurer/conman, Horris Kew, accidentally releases upon Landover an evil creature called the Gorse. The creature soon imprisons Ben, the dragon Strabo, and the witch Nightshade in a device known as the Tangle Box. They must find a way out while Ben's allies find a way to handle the new threat from the Gorse.

===''Witches' Brew'' (1995)===
{{Main|Witches' Brew (novel)}}
A usurper who claims to be from another world calls for Ben's abdication from the throne, and begins to send evil, magic creatures against him. Meanwhile, Nightshade kidnaps Ben and Willow's daughter, Mistaya, in a dangerous attempt to subvert her and use her innate magic. Meanwhile, Questor and Abernathy are stuck back in Earth to meet up with an old friend, leaving Ben and Willow alone to deal with the new threat.

===''A Princess of Landover'' (2009)===
{{Main|A Princess of Landover}}
Ben Holiday, Chicago lawyer and mere mortal turned monarch of enchanted Landover, has grappled with scheming barons, fire-breathing beasts, diabolical conjurers, and extremely wicked witches. None of whom have prepared him for the most daunting of challengers: a teenage daughter. Sent by Ben and his beloved sylph bride, Willow, to an exclusive girls' prep school, headstrong (and half-magical) Mistaya Holiday has found life in the natural world a less-than-perfect fit. When her latest rebellious antics get her indefinitely suspended, she's determined to resume her real education – learning sorcery from court wizard Questor Thews – whether her parents like it or not.

Back home in Landover, Mistaya's frustrated father is just as determined that the precocious princess learn some responsibility, and he declares her grounded until she successfully refurbishes the long-forsaken royal library. Mortified by the prospect of salvaging a king's ransom in moldy books – and horrified by the word that the repulsive local nobleman Lord Laphroig seeks to marry her – Mistaya decides that the only way to run her own life is to run away from home.

=== Untitled final book ===
A seventh novel is planned that will be the final novel in the series. {{as of|2021}} it is untitled.<ref name="books">{{cite web | url=http://terrybrooks.net/2015/02/books/ | title=Books | date=10 February 2015 | publisher=Terry Brooks | accessdate=19 April 2015}}</ref>

Author Terry Brooks has said in a Reddit AMA from June 2018 that the final book will be written in 2020 and published in 2021.<ref>{{cite web |title=Terry Brooks Reddit AMA |url=https://www.reddit.com/r/Fantasy/comments/8qauxk/i_am_terry_brooks_author_of_the_shannara_series/e0idi5u/}}</ref> Brooks has said any final plans to write and publish the final book were dependent on the release of a Landover movie.<ref>{{cite web |title=Terry Brooks Reddit AMA |url=https://terrybrooks.net/2016/02/december-ask-terry-posted-6/}}</ref>

==Short stories==
In March 2021, two short stories, "An Unfortunate Influx of Filipinas" and "Don't Tell Dad", were published in the short story collection ''Small Magic''.

==Major characters==
===Ben Holiday===
Once a successful trial lawyer in [[Chicago, Illinois|Chicago]], Ben's life takes a dramatic change when his wife Annie and their unborn child are killed in a traffic accident. Ben sinks into depression and no longer gains fulfillment through the law firm he established with his best friend, Miles Bennett. Seeing a Christmas catalog advertising a fairytale kingdom for sale, he purchases it for $1,000,000 in a desperate hope to find something meaningful again. The kingdom, called Landover, turns out to be very real and in need of a true king to restore it to its previous splendor. Ben is challenged at every step by a number of characters, all with seemingly different motives. He is eventually able to gain the respect of the citizens of Landover and establish himself as the true High Lord.

===Questor Thews===
Questor is the court magician, and one of Ben's most trusted friends and advisors. He is the half-brother of the wizard Meeks, though Questor has taken a different path in his life, choosing to serve Landover and its king, rather than trying to control them. Frequently described by Ben as looking like a "scarecrow", with "patchwork robes", Questor's command of his magic is somewhat questionable, as his spells frequently backfire or have unintended consequences. Questor was responsible for transforming Abernathy into a [[Wheaten Terrier]] to disguise him from Michel Ard Rhi, the old king's son, but has not been able to turn him back. Despite his many mistakes, he has fought with the dragon Strabo and come out the victor (if only once, due to an emergency, and winning via a non-ending itch; this was, however, after a fair amount of fighting beforehand, including quite an ice storm that he summoned upon Strabo, and some rather odd misfires, such as a rain of flowers).

===Meeks===
Meeks is the half-brother of Questor, and the one responsible for selling Ben the magic kingdom. He appears as a grizzled old man missing his right arm and is in fact a very powerful wizard. Meeks came into possession of the medallion that identifies the kings of Landover and developed a scheme to repeatedly sell the kingdom with it. A buyer would purchase the medallion for access to Landover, and then when the victim either abandoned the kingship as too difficult or was killed, Meeks would retrieve the medallion and re-sell the kingdom. His plans were thwarted by Ben Holiday when Ben was able to successfully claim lordship of Landover and cut Meeks off from the kingdom.

===Abernathy===
Abernathy is the court scribe, and one of Ben's closest friends. Questor Thews turned Abernathy into a [[Wheaten Terrier]], previous to Ben Holiday's arrival, to escape the cruelties of the old king's son. Questor however did not possess enough magical knowledge to return Abernathy to his human form, and Abernathy has not let Questor forget that fact. As the scribe, Abernathy is responsible for the day-to-day business at the castle, a task he excels at through his studious and thorough nature. Abernathy's natural tendency to be overcautious helps to balance the impetuousness of Ben, and the unpreparedness of Questor.

===Willow===
Willow is a [[sylph]] and Ben's wife. She is the daughter of the River Master and a wood elemental, giving her pale-green skin and emerald hair. Her dual nature is reflected in the fact that she must transform into a [[Willow tree]] once every 21 days to maintain her life force. She has a tense and distant relationship with her father, as her existence serves as a permanent reminder to him of the brief relationship that he desires to reclaim, but never can. It is to her mother that she turns for guidance.

===Mistaya===
The daughter of Ben and Willow, who, in ''The Princess of Landover'', took over her father's role as the main protagonist. Growing magically fast into a teenager, she wants nothing to do with her father's plans to give her a normal childhood and a grounding in reality, preferring instead a life of magic and adventure. This repeatedly gets her into trouble. The magical creatures of Landover often come to her rescue, as they believe she has a great and miraculous destiny ahead of her.

===Bunion and Parsnip===
Bunion and Parsnip are two [[kobolds]] who live in the castle and carry out the day-to-day chores. They act as groundskeeper and cook respectively, and are also very competent fighters and bodyguards. Their appearance is similar to large-eared [[monkey]]s with mouths full of sharp teeth. They do not speak, but instead communicate through gestures, hisses and other vocalizations. The kobolds are fairy creatures that had come out of the mists surrounding Landover and have pledged their lives to the service of the throne of Landover.

===Fillip and Sot===
Fillip and Sot are G'home Gnomes and brothers. Nigh inseparable, they always travel together and become semi-frequent companions of Ben's. Being incorrigible thieves, G'home Gnomes are considered pests by the majority of Landover's community. However, once Ben was able to prove his kingship, Fillip and Sot have proved loyal to him, if a bit of a nuisance. They have a tendency to trade on their relationship with Ben to circumvent the standard legal process and take their innumerable complaints directly to Ben himself.

The G'home Gnomes earned their tribal name at some unspecified point in Landover's past. When they first arrived, and the residents of Landover had learned of their [[kleptomaniac]] tendencies, members of the tribe were met with the wish/phrase "Go home, Gnome" by the general populace, expressing the general wish that they would all go home to wherever it was they came from. Over time this got abbreviated to "G'home Gnome" and eventually the wish became the name by which the tribe was known.

===River Master===
The River Master is the lord of the Lake Country and the fairy folk that live in Elderew. He was originally a creature of fairy, but now lives apart from the mists. He is a gifted healer, and by his magic the Lake Country is kept healthy while the rest of Landover succumbs to the Tarnish. He is Willow's father, though their relationship is strained. He yearns to possess Willow's mother, a wood sprite, but cannot. This, combined with the fact that Willow will go to her mother and not him when she needs help, has resulted in a very cool relationship between father and daughter.

===Nightshade===
Nightshade is a powerful witch who lives in the Deep Fell. She is one of the primary antagonists to Ben, along with Strabo the dragon. She possesses great magic, since she is from the fairy world, but has always used that power for greed and torture, which was why she was cast out of the mists and forbidden reentry. Later in the series she is sent to Earth by Haltwhistle the Mud-Puppy in defense of Mistaya. In crow form she is trapped in an aviary, but mysteriously disappears at the end of the latest novel.

===Strabo===
Strabo is a dragon who lives in the desolate Fire Springs region. He is a solitary creature, the last of his kind, and is a frequent rival to Ben in his duties as king. He is one of the few powerful creatures of magic in the valley, along with Nightshade, although in ''Tangle Box'' and ''Witches' Brew'' he has proved to be not as evil as Nightshade. He is very honorable in his word. He has the ability to fly through the fairy mists into other worlds, such as Earth. He is very fond of Willow's singing voice.

===The Paladin===
The Paladin is the king's champion and defender. His image is engraved on the medallion of the kings, and only a true king can summon the Paladin to fight for him. In truth, the Paladin is the spirit of an immortal warrior that resides within the medallion and is channeled through the king when needed. The secret of the Paladin is known only to the king of Landover, but in the latter parts of ''Witches' Brew'', Ben confesses to Willow the relationship between himself and the Paladin.

==Minor characters==
* The Iron Mark: The Iron Mark is the leader of the demons of [[#Abaddon|Abaddon]]. He appears to be human in shape, yet he stands at least eight feet tall. Whenever he is seen he is totally covered in black armor with serpents carved on it. The armor is scarred and battered, with serrated spines running down the Mark's limbs and back. His helmet has a death's head, and through its slits can be seen his eyes glimmering a bright crimson. He carries many weapons, and the severed heads of his enemies hang about his neck. He rides a winged demon that appears to be half snake and half wolf.

: The demons of [[#Abaddon|Abaddon]] are exiled from the fairy world, and would like to return to it. The only way for them to do so is through Landover, making them feel the need to conquer it. Before the coming of [[#Ben Holiday|Ben Holiday]], the Mark had proclaimed himself King of Landover, and repeatedly challenged the holders of the medallion to single combat. Since his defeat by [[#Ben Holiday|Ben Holiday]] and [[#The Paladin|the Paladin]] he has refused to openly fight against them again.
* Earth Mother: The Earth Mother is a creature of fairy and the [[personification]] of nature in Landover. She briefly intervenes during the events of ''The Black Unicorn'' to point Ben in the right direction to find Willow. She recognizes an importance in the relationship between the two and makes Ben promise that he will protect Willow above all else.
* Edgewood Dirk: Dirk is a fairy creature known as a Prism Cat, appearing as an ordinary cat but with the ability to speak, and to refocus light and energy through its body. When Ben is tricked by Meeks into believing he has lost the medallion and control of the kingdom, Dirk is sent by the fairies to guide Ben toward the truth and provide a measure of protection. Dirk is very aloof and makes frequent reference to the indifference of cats to the problems of the rest of the world.
* Miles Bennett: Ben's partner in his old law firm in Chicago. Miles's calm demeanor provides a balance to Ben's impetuousness and aggressiveness. Miles refers to Ben Holiday as "Doc" for his clever legal maneuvering in the courtroom, a reference to [[gunfighter]] [[Doc Holliday]].
* Michel Ard Rhi: Michel is the son of the previous king of Landover, now deceased. He was the one who schemed with Meeks to repeatedly sell the kingdom to unwary victims. He is also indirectly the reason for Abernathy being a dog, as Questor transformed him one day to save him from Ard Rhi's wrath.
* Haltwhistle: A Mud Puppy given to Mistaya Holiday by the Earth Mother as a gift of protection. He features quite briefly, though his actions are important to the plots of the novel. He has no offensive magic, but can deflect offensive magics as if to use them for himself. He possesses very strong defensive magic.

==Locations==
===Abaddon===
Abaddon is a netherworld that lies beneath Landover. Having no sun, moon, or stars, its sky is black, and the mountainous landscape of jagged peaks and deep gorges is lit only by the glow of molten lava and a strange white light that dances on the horizon. The demons of Abaddon are the worst exiles driven from the fairy world, and they are ruled over by the most powerful demon, called [[#Minor characters|the Iron Mark]].

===The Deep Fell===
The Deep Fell is the home of Nightshade the witch. It is a vast [[sinkhole]] in the northwest part of Landover. The Deep Fell is connected to the fairy mists, and the G'home Gnomes sometimes sneak into the fell to scout for items to [[Theft|pilfer]].

===Elderew===
Elderew is the main city of the Lake Country people, and home of the River Master. It is surrounded by a dense marsh that can only be penetrated either way with the River Master's help. Inside the marsh is an open-air [[amphitheater]] where the fairy people hold their celebrations and festivals. The city itself is built into a group of huge trees, twice the size of [[California redwood]] trees, extending from ground to treetops. The cottages and shops of the city are connected by a network of tree lanes and stairways.

===Moons of Landover===
Landover possesses eight [[moons]], each one a different color: white, peach, pale mauve, burnt rose, sea green, beryl, turquoise, and jade. Two of the moons, peach and pale mauve, are visible during daylight hours, with the rest being only visible after dusk. The moons rise and set like normal satellites. During certain rare times of the year all eight moons are visible in the night sky at once. About every other month there is a new-moon phase, when some of the eight moons are below the horizon and the rest are in their dark phase, leaving the nighttime sky lit only by the stars.

===Sterling Silver===
Sterling Silver is the name of the castle that serves as the home of the king of Landover. The castle itself is a living entity, personified as female. It sits on a small island surrounded by a lake, accessible (early in the first novel) only by a magical boat called the lake skimmer. After Ben became High Lord, he had the bridge across the lake rebuilt to allow more open access to the castle. As a magical entity, the castle is responsive to the moods and feelings of the king, and he in turn can sense the energy coming from its walls. One of the towers also holds the Landsview, a magical chamber that allows a user to instantly see any part of Landover as if rapidly flown there. In the absence of a king, the castle begins to fall victim to a form of physical decay, called the Tarnish. If unchecked, the Tarnish will eventually consume the castle and spread out into the whole of Landover.

== References ==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
* [http://www.terrybrooks.net/ The Official Terry Brooks Website]

{{Terry Brooks}}

[[Category:Magic Kingdom of Landover| ]]
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[[Category:Fantasy novel series]]
[[Category:High fantasy novels]]
[[Category:Portal fantasy]]