Question pertaining to Greek literature:
Is this plot familar?  What does it suggest? "A king and warrier goes
on a long voyage, a long and endless series of wars.  At his home, all
manner of sycophants and hangers on view for the affections of his
wife, and years go by, and still she waits for him."
Also, the various retainers tell their stories. There are multiple narrators.

Which text am I thinking of?

Hello Hudson344,

Thank you for your question.


Based on your description, I am confident that the work of Greek
literature that you are referring to is The Odyssey by Homer.


Below you will find references in order to verify that this is the
correct information.


“After ten years of the Trojan War, the Achaean heroes sail home. When
the poem begins, an additional ten years has passed since the fall of
Troy. All the other chieftains have arrived home or died, but there is
no news of Odysseus. In his absence, the noblemen of Ithaca have
converged on his palace and are attempting to win Penelope’s hand. She
remains faithful to Odysseus. (..) During these ten years, Odysseus
has wandered throughout the world, undergoing all sorts of adventures
and torments caused by the malice of Poseidon.”
Source: Dorothy Crocker’s (Cliff’s Notes’) Summary of The Odyssey
http://www.princeton.edu/~sbutt/hum/odyssey.html


The Odyssey is the story of Odysseus’s journey home from the Trojan
War described in the Iliad. Penelope is his faithful, loyal wife who
patiently waits 20 years for his return.
University of Massachusetts Dartmouth: Homer – The Odyssey
http://www.enl.umassd.edu/InteractiveCourse/Homer/odyssey.html


“His wife, Penelope, is being courted by suitors who, believing him to
be dead, have taken over his house and lounge about wasting his wealth
on endless feasts, which Telemachus is unable to stop.”
Monkey Notes: The Odyssey
http://www.pinkmonkey.com/booknotes/monkeynotes/pmOdyssey18.asp


 “Penelope is the interest of many suitors, but she denies them all
and waits dutifully for her husband.”
Book Rags: The Odyssey
http://www.bookrags.com/notes/myt/TOP3.htm


The Odyssey – Key Facts

“Type of work - Poem
Genre - Epic
Major conflict - Odysseus must return home and vanquish the suitors
who threaten his estate;
Narrator - The poet, who invokes the assistance of the Muse; Odysseus
narrates Books 9-12
Point of view - The narrator speaks in the third person and is
omniscient. He frequently offers insight into the thoughts and
feelings of even minor characters, gods and mortals alike; Odysseus
narrates Books 9-12 in the first person. Odysseus freely gives
inferences about the thoughts and feelings of other characters.”
Spark Notes: The Odyssey
http://www.sparknotes.com/lit/odyssey/facts.html


“The middle section of The Odyssey starts with Book 5, which has a
notably distinctive character. Odysseus' departure from Ogygia and
arrival in Phaecia are told in the third person with an outstanding
objectivity. Odysseus emerges in all his glory and dominates the
scene.”
Monkey Notes: The Odyssey
http://www.pinkmonkey.com/booknotes/monkeynotes/pmOdyssey25.asp


“The splendor and prosperity of the Phaecian palace provide a striking
contrast to Odysseus' own palace in Ithaca, which is being wasted and
misused by the suitors. The contrast justifies the need for the cruel
punishment of Penelope's wooers.”
Monkey Notes: The Odyssey
http://www.pinkmonkey.com/booknotes/monkeynotes/pmOdyssey29.asp


You can read a summary, character analysis and the plot of The Odyssey
here:
http://www.pinkmonkey.com/booknotes/monkeynotes/pmOdyssey02.asp


Here is another short summary:
http://luna.cas.usf.edu/~demilio/epics/odyssplt.htm


Search Criteria:

Classic Greek Literature
The Odyssey
Homer


I hope you find this helpful. If any of the information is unclear,
please ask for clarification before rating this answer.


Best regards,
Bobbie7-ga

Thank you for the five stars and the tip!
--Bobbie7