The much-heralded BBC Radio 4 version of the Odyssey had me in its grip this afternoon, the third and last episode. From Odysseus' landing on Ithaca to his long, long night in bed with Penelope the adaptation didn't put a foot wrong, emotionally. Naturally there were omissions. We met only one outdoor servant, Eumaeus, and no goatherd Melanthius, for instance; and a major omission was of book 24. I welcomed that omission. Satisfying explanations of people's actions were given or implied. One could 'see' Odysseus changing in appearance from hero to wrinkled old man, and back. Argos recognised his master most touchingly. Eurycleia's recognition of her master was excellently managed. The two earlier episodes did not pack the same punch, but had their fine moments. Circe was well played, and the episode was, I think rumbustuous is the word. I wasn't quite convinced by the island of the dead. The Phaeacean court provided an interesting variety of reactions to Odysseus' narrative, some of them the dramatiser's invention, unless my memory fails me. Nausicaa reacts strongly to the fact that Odysseus stayed on with Circe after the initial confrontation. Un-homeric but convincing and fun to listen to. If you missed the broadcast you can buy the CD, but you can also listen to the whole three episodes on the BBC web site for, I imagine, the next seven days. The site is here.