On the track of Ulysses; Together with an excursion in quest of the so-called Venus of Melos Two studies in archaeology, made during a cruise among the Greek islands

"On the Track of Ulysses; Together with an Excursion in Quest of the So-called Venus of Melos" by W. J. Stillman is a scholarly work that combines travel literature and archaeological studies, written during the late 19th century. This text appears to explore both the legendary journey of Ulysses as depicted in Homer's "Odyssey" and the archaeological significance of the famed Venus de Milo. The author's intent is to connect literary history with real geographical explorations of the Greek islands, blending mythology with historical inquiry. At the start of this work, the author reflects on the main themes of exploration and rediscovery, considering the remnants of ancient civilizations and their connections to contemporary geography. He embarks on a voyage through the sites associated with the journey of Ulysses, contemplating how myth intertwines with reality. The narrative introduces the intricate path of Ulysses, outlining significant locations such as Ogygia, the land of the Phaeacians, and includes historical conjectures about his adventures, setting the stage for a deeper exploration of identity and history within these storied landscapes. The author’s observations weave rich detail while pondering the archaeological challenges and the misidentifications commonly encountered in these ancient locales. (This is an automatically generated summary.)

William James Stillman was an American journalist, diplomat, author, historian, and photographer. Educated as an artist, Stillman subsequently converted to the profession of journalism, working primarily as a war correspondent in Crete and the Balkans, where he served as his own photographer. For a time, he also served as United States consul in Rome, and afterward in Crete during the Cretan insurrections. He helped to train the young Arthur Evans as a war correspondent in the Balkans, and remained a lifelong friend and confidant of Evans. Later in life, he seriously considered taking over the excavation at Knossos from Minos Kalokairinos, who had been stopped from further excavation by the Cretan Assembly; he was, however, prevented from pursuing that goal further by a failure to obtain a firman, or permission, to excavate. Stillman wrote several books, one of which, his Autobiography of a Journalist, suggests that he viewed himself primarily as a writer.