This is a course for those who wish to read Homer in the original tongue but know no Greek, or are only just beginning to work through a course in Classical Greek and wish to read Homer from a very early stage. It assumes no previous knowledge of Greek. It begins with the Greek alphabet and explains fully each new word and grammatical point, guiding the reader to translate a key book of the Odyssey (Book V: the beginning of Odysseus's journey home from Calypso's isle) and the appreciate at first hand the beauty of this ancient formulaic poetry.

The first six sections of the book deal with the fundamental elements of grammar that are a necessary preliminary to study. From the seventh section onwards the course proceeds through the Odyssey, with grammatical explanations and exercises. This edition is carefully structured in 25 sections and is suitable for independent study or for those beginning classical Greek studies. It has comprehensive notes, and includes a reference grammar and a word list. It provides an introduction not only to the Greek language but also to one of the great classics of world literature.