Who wrote the introduction to The Odyssey?

The Odyssey, like most ancient Greek texts, was not originally written with an introduction. The introduction we know today was written much later, possibly during the Hellenistic period or even later.

The introduction is often attributed to Zenodotus, a scholar from the 3rd century BC who was the first librarian of the Library of Alexandria. He is known for his work on the text of Homer's poems, including adding prologues and creating the division of the Iliad and Odyssey into 24 books.

However, there is no definitive evidence that Zenodotus actually wrote the introduction. It's possible that he simply edited an already existing introduction or that it was written by another scholar entirely.

Regardless of its authorship, the introduction is a valuable addition to the text, providing context and setting the stage for the epic journey of Odysseus.