The Odyssey is an epic poem told originally by the poet Homer.  Although most people say that the poem was written by Homer, it was actually passed down through oral tradition (word of mouth) and written down later.  The story that precedes The Odyssey is called The Illiad and was also originally told by Homer.  The Illiad tells the story of the Trojan War, a massive war that occured between the cities of Greece and the city of Troy.  The Odyssey tells the story of one man, Odysseus, and his struggle getting home after the Trojan War.  The Odyssey itself translates roughly to "the journey" and so it would make sense that the entire story revolves around Odysseus' journey to return to his home of Ithaca.  Click the links below to learn more.