Ulisses

Ulisses is the Portuguese and Galician form of Odysseus, the legendary king of Ithaca and a central figure in ancient Greek literature. In Homer's Odyssey and related sources, Ulisses is portrayed as a capable leader whose ten-year voyage home after the fall of Troy tests his wits, endurance, and loyalty to his family.

The character is known for a series of episodes, including his encounter with the Cyclops Polyphemus, the enchantments of Circe, the temptations of the Sirens, and the dangers posed by Scylla and Charybdis, as well as his eventual return to Ithaca and the reestablishment of his household with Penelope and Telemachus. His tale has been a foundational template for themes of heroism, cunning, hospitality, and the struggles of homecoming.

As a given name, Ulisses is common in Portuguese- and Galician-speaking contexts and may be borne by writers, athletes, or scientists. In literature, the title of James Joyce's Ulysses is often rendered as Ulisses in Portuguese-language editions, reflecting the same mythic source.

The name Ulisses is distinct from related forms such as Ulises in Spanish or Odysseus in English, though all trace back to the same legendary figure.