Final answer:
The Odyssey takes place about ten years after The Iliad, extending Odysseus' total time away from home to around 20 years. It was first recited during the Homeric Age and written down in the 8th century BCE.
Step-by-step explanation:
The epic poem The Odyssey takes place after the events of The Iliad, providing a continuation of the story in Greek mythology. Specifically, The Odyssey occurs roughly ten years after the end of The Iliad, following the conclusion of the Trojan War. It details the hero Odysseus' prolonged journey home to Ithaca, which is fraught with divine intervention and mythical creatures, a journey that extends his absence from home to approximately 20 years in total.
The Homeric epics The Iliad and The Odyssey were believed to have been first recited during the Homeric Age and were written down in the 8th century BCE. While the historicity of Homer and the authenticity of places and events described in these epics was long debated, archaeological findings by Heinrich Schliemann validated the existence of an ancient Troy, suggesting a seed of historical truth within Homer's tales. These works are central to understanding the ancient Greek virtues, like arete, and they provide insights into Greek beliefs and values of success and moral character.