It began with Helen

Before the story of The Odyssey starts we have had the little matter of the battle for Troy. Using his wiles, Odysseus finally wins the battle through the artifice of The Wooden Horse. He is avenging the honour of Menalaus, whose beautiful wife was stolen by Paris (with a little help from Aphrodite).

It is suggested that this story captures something of the mystery of the descent of the Soul into manifestation. In this case Helen might be said to represent the beauty of the natural realm that is fatally attractive to the Soul.
Once trapped in the mud of Troy the challenge for the Greeks is to return again from whence they came.
Odyssues maps out the path of return.