Kazantzakis' poetic masterpiece, which continues the epics of Homer, is longer than both the "Iliad" and the "Odyssey" combined: In 33,333 verses, it tells of Odysseus' new adventures that lead the hero through Sparta, Crete, Egypt, and Central Africa to the South Pole, where he believes he will find absolute freedom. Unlike the ancient one, the Kazantzakis Odysseus cannot be held back; he is excessive and cruel, disregarding all boundaries, yet always a creator. He embodies the universal modern man who lives his life without justification and without religious ties. Translated into German verse by Gustav A. Conradi in 1973, this volume, long out of print, has been completely revised and published for the first time in a bilingual edition on the 60th anniversary of the poet's death in 2017.