Books 5-8

Book 5 - Book 5 starts with all of the gods except Poseidon on Mount Olympus discussing Odysseus's fate. Athena's speech gets Zeus to help Odysseus out, and he sends Hermes to Calypso's Island to tell her to let Odysseus go. Reluctantly, she agrees to let him go and helps Odysseus build a boat and stocks it with supplies for his journey home. After 18 days at sea, Odysseus sees Scheria. On his way to shore, Poseidon realized he's not trapped on the island anymore and makes a storm that almost kills him. The goddess Ino protects him veil, and Athena helps too. In all of the flailing, he makes his way to a river on the coast, and Ino allows him to swim up it to safety.

Book 6 - Book 6 starts with Athena appearing in the dream of the Phaecian princess Nausicaa telling her to go the stream in the morning to wash her clothes so she's more attractive. Sure enough, she goes  to the river and while her and her maidens are waiting for their clothes to dry, they see Odysseus. She leaves him to wash the dirt off, and while she's gone, Athena makes him more attractive for the princess falls in love with him. Nausicaa doesn't want to cause a scene by heading into the city with a stranger next to her, so she gives him directions to the palace and tells him to find her mom.

Book 7 - Book 7 starts with Odysseus being stopped by Athena in disguise on his way to the palace. She hides him in a mist to keep the Phaecians from talking to him, and leads the way. He finds everyone in the palace in the banquet room honoring Poseidon, when he sees the queen. He grabs the legs of the queen and pleas for her to help him. At first, the king thinks he's a god but he confirms that he is a mortal. He tells them his story and they agree to send him off the next day. That night Arete grows suspicious of him because he's wearing their type of clothing, and asks more questions. He tells the story of that morning and all is fine.

Book 8 - Book 8 starts with Alcinous calling a Phaecian assembly, and Athena spreading the word that the discussion will be about the new mysterious stranger, getting more people to show up. Alcinous says that they should give Odysseus a ship so he can go back home. The idea is approved and everyone goes to have a feast and a sporting event. At the feast, Demodocus's songs cause Odysseus to cry, which the king notices and ends the feast to start the sports. They include boxing, wrestling, racing, and throwing. He declines the offer to join, and Broadsea insults him. This causes Odysseus to beat him at the throwing game and then challenge the other Phaecians. Alcinoos calms him down by inviting him to another feast. At this feast, the bard tells of a story of Ares and Aphrodite being caught in a net. Odysseus requests a tale about the Trojan horse and he breaks down, making Alcinoos question who is and wheres he from.