The Tragic Death of Odysseus | The Greek Mythologist

What happened to Odysseus after the Odyssey? Most people believe that Homer's Odyssey tells the complete story of one of Greek mythology's greatest heroes. It doesn't. In this video, we explore the tragic death of Odysseus, a story Homer never told. Drawing on the lost epic Telegony, we'll follow Odysseus' final journey, meet his forgotten son Telegonus, and uncover one of the most shocking endings in all of Greek mythology. As a Greek archaeologist, my goal is to explore the myths, history, archaeology and literature of Ancient Greece through the ancient sources. If you enjoy Greek mythology, Homer, archaeology, history and the ancient world, make sure to subscribe. There is much more to come! 📚 Primary Ancient Sources • Telegony (surviving summary in Proclus' Chrestomathy) • Homer, Odyssey (especially Book 11 and Book 24) • Eustathius, Commentary on Homer (fragments relating to the Telegony) 📖 Further Reading • M. L. West (ed.), Greek Epic Fragments (Loeb Classical Library) • Malcolm Davies, The Greek Epic Cycle • Jonathan S. Burgess, The Tradition of the Trojan War 🏛️ Chapters 00:00 Introduction 01:22 Homer Never Told This Story 02:01 The Lost Epic: Telegony 02:58 Odysseus' Final Journeys 05:45 Telegonus Begings his Journey 06:45 The Death of Odysseus 08:48 Why This Lost Epic Still Matters