re: IYO what is the greatest story ever told?

For me, the greatest story is the Iliad, because within all the play of the gods and mortals... all the pointless slaughter, the two real stories are about what happens within people. First, Achilles, who realizes the consequences of his anger and vanity, and Hector, who knowingly goes to his death, out of duty to his family and people, and to face justice (though he did nothing wrong).

Those two, especially Hector, are what real heroes are made of. Men who are unafraid to look inside themselves and act.

I would not downgrade the Odyssey, as Baloo has, though. The theme that no matter what, you can always return home has a lasting appeal that transcends centuries. Penelope's and Telemachus's loyalty to Odysseus is what every man would want in a wife and son, and Odysseus's cleverness and fortitude set the Western standard for epic heroes. It's true he was delayed, but not of his own accord. The universe was practically arrayed against him. That's what makes the story compelling. No danger or distraction, no matter how deadly, or even seductive, could keep him from returning home. The fact that it took 20 years is a big part of the drama. Would Penelope's loyalty to Odysseus be best demonstrated if the story were 2 years or 20? Would Odysseus wonder if he would still be welcomed in his home if he were gone for only a matter of months, as opposed to decades?