Odisea

It's clear why this tale lasts the test of time. There's plenty to dig into yet Homer keeps a brisk pace through each of Odyssey's trials. Only slaying the suitors is fleshed out fully. It leaves a lot of room for the imagination and plenty of flexibility when performed.

An almost startlingly approachable translation. As others, including Ms. Wilson, have written, the translation brings out the complexity of Odysseus' character. I haven't read The Odyssey in a long time, so I'm not sure if it also brings out the violence in the story or if I had merely forgotten it.

After reading several translations of The Odyssey (Butcher, Murray, Rieu, Fagles, Lattimore etc…) over the years, I was curious to experience a more contemporary treatment, hence picking up this one.

Wilson’s translation is clear and easy to comprehend. I found it a much faster read than previous translations, although admittedly I was poring over those ones for a dissertation. (I forget which one(s) came in rhyming couplets, but ohboy!)  If you’ve read my other reviews, you’ll know I tend to prefer prose that isn’t too ornate, but I wouldn’t have minded a touch more richness here. While I generally liked the straightforward language, sometimes the wily Odysseus seemed to express himself more honestly and self-critically than I’d expect. Additionally, I didn’t often feel inclined to linger over particular passages.

As a bonus, I did notice descriptive details that I hadn’t previously paid much attention to (such as the storeroom Penelope retrieves the bow from, and the bow’s somewhat ominous history).

Overall, a very accessible translation that may well appeal if you’ve struggled with earlier florid offerings.

 I read once that in most cases, the best translation you'll find of a classic work of something like The Odyssey is the most recent one, unless, of course, it's been done too creatively, like in teenage slang or something.
 The Odyssey is one of those classics I missed in high school and college and may not have read if I hadn't stumbled across a pristine copy of this version in a paper recycling bin.
 Advice on reading it:
 My copy had some Post-it papers in it. These were useful because you'll want to reference the introduction, maps, notes, and glossary. This version was printed rough cut style, which is charming but it makes it hard to find specific pages quickly.
 The introduction is 79 pages long and essentially acts as a teacher. Don't try to read it all at once first. It sort of corresponds with the action of the narrative, so read it as you go.
 The best advice is from the translator, Emily Wilson, and is from the introduction:

Presumably, Odysseus is inspired by a deep loyalty to his wife, son, father, and the place of his birth, and moved by a deep and constant love for those he left behind. But we must avoid projecting the anachronistic ideas of chivalric romantic love onto Odysseus, who is not a medieval knight performing valiant deeds for the sake of a beautiful lady.

I read Samuel Butler's translation, originally published in 1900, which is recommended if you're looking for a prose translation that retains some of the poetic language. I considered the older language that Butler uses to be fitting to me for reading something this ancient.

One of the fascinating things about Samuel Butler's translation is that it includes a preface, written by him, where he explains that he had published a book called "The Authoress of the Odyssey" in which he claimed that the author of the Odyssey was not in fact Homer (which wasn't so provocative an idea at the time), but was in fact a woman (which was).

Further, he goes on to speculate who the woman was and name a particular woman; he thinks she must have written herself into the story.

I did a little research on his claims, and it seems that scholars are open to the idea that the Odyssey could have in fact been written by a woman. The claims of who that particular woman was are pretty far-reaching, but the idea that it was probably not Homer isn't a stretch at all; there's evidence that it was probably composed hundreds of years after The Iliad.

Butler’s theory stuck with me as I read, especially because The Odyssey is so full of domestic detail: food preparation, garments, household routines. There's a quiet authority in those passages, a specificity that feels lived rather than imagined.

As someone who has spent a lot of time with other writers in critique groups, I’ve come to believe that those unassuming little details—the subconscious ones, the things the author didn’t think were important—are the best glimpses into the real person behind the pen. Anyone can write about war or love or loss, but the mundane details are harder to fake. They suggest proximity.

The structure of the story surprised me. Having read an abridged version as a kid, I expected most of the book to focus on Odysseus's island-hopping adventures. Instead, the majority centers on the suitors plot—Odysseus's wife dealing with persistent suitors while he's away, and his eventual return in disguise to deal with them. This storyline dominates the narrative, often feeling static as characters wait around talking while nothing happens. Meanwhile, some of Odysseus's most fascinating adventures get condensed to single paragraphs, which was frustrating.

Despite this structural imbalance, the book delivers moments of genuine power. Butler's translation captures beautiful poetic language throughout, and certain scenes have stayed with me long after reading. Achilles' haunting words from the underworld—"I would rather be a paid servant in a poor man's house and be above ground than king of kings among the dead"—perfectly encapsulate the Greek view of mortality that made The Iliad so compelling.

The scene with Argos, Odysseus's loyal dog, might be one of the most emotionally effective passages in all of ancient literature. The image of this neglected hound, "full of fleas" and lying "on the heaps of mule and cow dung," who still recognizes his master after twenty years and dies as soon as he sees him, is heartbreaking in its simplicity.

There's also Odysseus's warning to Amphinomus about human vanity and the fickleness of fortune: "Man is the vainest of all creatures that have their being upon earth. As long as heaven vouchsafes him health and strength, he thinks that he shall come to no harm hereafter." These philosophical moments elevate the narrative beyond mere adventure story.

The psychological complexity shows through in scenes like Odysseus describing his own clothing to his disguised wife in elaborate detail—the purple wool mantle with its gold brooch showing "a dog holding a spotted fawn between his forepaws." It's both touching and slightly absurd, this moment of vanity from a hero in disguise.

Theoclymenus's prophetic vision near the end provides genuine chills: "The air is alive with wailing voices; the walls and roof-beams drop blood; the gate of the cloisters and the court beyond them are full of ghosts trooping down into the night of hell." Butler's translation makes this supernatural moment feel appropriately ominous.

The Odyssey is a foundational work that rewards careful reading. Butler's translation, despite being over a century old, felt authentic to the ancient world, although admittedly I haven't compared it to other translations. The domestic details, the psychological complexity, and those moments of startling beauty make this worth the read. This translation of the Odyssey is perfect for lovers of the classics and those looking for a readable translation of the Odyssey.

By the way, when I read the story about Argos the Dog, I felt my heart was yanked about. We're given this sweet moment, but then suddenly the dog dies. Just like that, mentioned in an offhand manner. I thought to myself: "what if a story were written from Argos' perspective that was more satisfying? What about a story where it actually makes sense that he dies at the end and it gives you a sense of the story being complete instead of incomplete?" So I set out to do just that. If you're interested in reading it, here's my attempt at Odyssey fan fiction:
https://levihobbs.substack.com/p/argos-the-dog

(review of the Emily Wilson translation. GoodReads is piss poor at managing merged editions, so added for clarity)

A sparkling translation that brings something new and vibrant to the work. Easy to read, it drew me in and I finished it in a single sitting. I think this'll inspire and invite a whole slew of new people to Homer. I hope so, anyway.

This translation of the book reads like a novel, not a poem: It’s the first time I’ve been able to read poetry without forgetting each word the moment I read it.
This is in large part thanks to the kind of language Emily Wilson uses. In her introduction she explains that other translations often use some sort of old fanshioned English. Which makes reading the book unnecessarily complicated. The story itself is very old, filled with customs and ideas that are hard to understand for a modern western person like myself, there is no need to make it even harder by using some sort of English that people spoke 50 years ago.
Another reason I think this book reads so well is because Emily Wilson is a woman. She explains in her introduction that this is definitely of influence on the end result. While it is impossible to turn the Odyssey into a feminist manifesto — it will forever be a barbaric tale of a horrible brute — it is definitely possible to choose more positive descriptions of the women in the book when in doubt.
I’m very happy that I kept falling asleep during all my previous attempts to read the Odyssey, otherwise I wouldn’t have read this great translation by Emily Wilson. And I wouldn’t have read the introduction which is an excellent lecture about how Homer and the Odyssey were perceived throughout the centuries, and which places the story in a modern day western context. A true eye opener.

I have really wanted to read "The Odyssey" and other Greek literature for a number of years but somehow have missed it. Works like "The Odyssey" are such a deep part of Western culture that even if you have not read it, you know about its general plot and many interesting interludes - the Cyclops, the Sirens, the Lotus Eaters, monstrous sea creatures, evil suitors, and lots of shipwrecks. The word "odyssey" invokes the idea of journey and discovery.

Now that I finally have read "The Odyssey," I can see why it is a cornerstone of Western literature. I genuinely enjoyed the experience. Indeed, I would claim that reading the work is not simply reading an ancient work of fiction but is an experience that draws you in. What surprised me about the work is the surprising level of pathos and emotion. It is not only the emotions of Odysseus seeking his path home after twenty years of exile but in "The Odyssey," you encounter a world that has shattered by the Trojan War with people seeking to recover from the heartache and loss. It is an elegiac journey of a single person seeking home and mirrors the journey of ever person through life.

The events around Ithaca concerning the suitors seeking to marry Penelope, the suffering wife of Odysseus, were ones that made me reflect. The theme of the home violated and the need for vengeance to restore equilibrium may strike modern readers as strange. Odysseus must not only return but also to destroy those who have brazenly betrayed him and taken all that he had - and quite bloody work it was, too. And not only were the suitors killed but the serving girls who slept with them were also killed. This bloody-minded vengeance does somewhat detract from the first half of the work, even if I understand why it needs to occur dramatically to give the story closure.

Without a doubt, this a book that one should read at least once. And I found the translation by Robert Fagles to be a great baseline for anyone approaching "The Odyssey" for the first time. I know that I will re-read the work someday and I look forward to discovering new things about Odysseus (and myself) along the journey.

Can't think of any fair criteria or basis of comparison by which to assign a star rating to this book. Homer's world and values are strange and in certain respects repellent to the modern reader. This is not to say it's difficult to read, just that there's an opaque, alien feeling to the material. But it's rich in incident and moves along briskly. It took me a long time to get through, though, because I was reading it in tandem with Joyce's Ulysses.

The Odyssey is one of two narrative poems that have been attributed to the Greek poet Homer; while it is not entirely clear that he actually composed both or any of them. While it can be said that The Odyssey is a sequel to Homer’s Iliad, reading them out of order will not put you at a major disadvantage. Iliad tells the story of the war on Troy and remains popular due to the fact that it is one of the only surviving Greek classics that actually deals with thetopic. The destruction of the Library of Alexandria was a great cultural loss and many poems and documents were lost, leaving Homer’s works even more culturally significant as it pretty much all we have left to go on. The Iliad and Odyssey remain fundamental to the Western canon for being the oldest works still in existent in literature.

While the Iliad focused on the events that happened in Troy, The Odyssey takes place ten years after the Trojan War. Odysseus has still not returned home from the war, his wife Penelope is still hopeful for his return while the Suitors (a group of over 100 men) try to persuade her to marry one of them. The Suitors are enjoying the hospitality of Odysseus, eating up his wealth while he is not around to stop them. Up on Mount Olympos, the gods are debating on whether to let Odysseus return. The goddess Athene pleads to her father Zeus in favour of letting him return, but Poseidon wishes to wipe his ship out. Obviously this is an over simplified synopsis; to give The Odyssey’s plot any justice, I would need to write a few paragraphs of information.

I was a little worried going into this epic poem; I have often found medieval literature difficult and the idea of reading something so much older scared me. I was lucky enough to be assigned a prose translation by Walter Shewring which was a perfect choice for me. Out of interest I had a look at another prose translation, the Project Gutenberg edition (translated by Alexander Pope) and was shocked to see Jove, Neptune and Minerva used in the text. A Greek epic poem that was using Roman gods, that didn’t work for me. Shewring’s was superb; it made things easier for me and helped me find the beauty with this text.

Obviously when The Odyssey was first composed (believed to be around the 8th century BC) it was shared in an oral tradition by an aoidos (poet or singer). We can see a lot techniques being used that have since been established as the literary norm. The Odyssey reads almost like a modern day thriller, continually keeping up a fast pace with slight repetition to remind the audience of key plot points. It is a story of a variety of adventures, told in a non-linear fashion that doesn’t have much in the way of philosophising or introspection.

While the Iliad and Odyssey is attributed to Homer, there isn’t much other information about this Greek poet. The bearded blind man often depicted as an image of Homer is not even one that can be historically verified. The lack of information about the author (if in fact he was the author) means that the poems have to speak for themselves; a new experience for me in my study of literature. It is surprising that the literary terms ‘Homeric Greek’ and ‘Homeric world’ were named after someone we know nothing about.

There is a lot going on in The Odyssey but I want to look at two things I found interesting; first of all the idea of hospitality. Within the poem the idea of hospitality is a little weird; the Suitors just move in and make themselves at home, taking advantage of the hospitality of someone who wasn’t around to stop them. Further in the poem, Odysseus and his soldiers are doing the exact same thing to the Cyclops. Hospitality is expected and within this poem it is often being taken advantage of. What does that say of humanity during the time this was set and has it changed much now?

Secondly I want to talk about gender inequality, ever since reading The Fictional Woman I see it in almost everything I read, so I can’t help but talk about. Odysseus is not faithful to his wife Penelope, there are countless times he is sleeping with someone else. In fact the idea of him being a highly sexual being is pretty much glorified within this poem but if it is a woman, then she isn’t an ‘ideal’ woman or evil. Just look at how Clytemnestra, the sirens and Calypso are portrayed within this poem. In fact Penelope is the symbol of a perfect woman and Odysseus has to test her before revealing who he is. My problem is the scary notion that this gender inequality is still a problem now; in the 8th century BC it was evident; why is this still a problem?

Odysseus is an interesting character, a smart and witty hero; you could even say he had the favour of Athene (goddess of wisdom, courage, inspiration, civilization, law and justice, strategic warfare, mathematics, strength, strategy, the arts, crafts, and skill) on his side. It is interesting the way Odysseus is portrayed as a hero; it is different to a modern interpretation of the word. He isn’t necessarily a good person, in fact, I would say he wasn’t but his actions are often heroic. He tries to save his men from the Cyclops but his pride and ego almost got them killed and there are many more instances of this. In this modern world we seem to combine a good character with heroics but that isn’t often the case. A person can be heroic and try to protect or save others, doesn’t mean they are not a jerk.

I went into this epic poem nervous and I ended up loving it; I will have to track down the Iliad and read that one as well. I think Walter Shewring’s translation did help and the fact that this was an Oxford World Classics edition meant that I knew I would have some helpful information to help me understand The Odyssey. On a more personal note, writing this review was rather difficult, I had to remember Homer didn’t write this, he spoke it and this is a poem not a novel or book. I have so much I want to say about this poem but I had to edit this review down already.

This review originally appeared on my blog: literary-exploration.com/2014/10/07/the-odyssey-by-homer/

I have been intrigued by the "7 Plots" idea in literary criticism lately, the idea that all stories follow and riff-upon fundamental archetypes.

In reading one of the Western World's first works of literature, I think I had a sense of the timelessness of story telling. And it was a great story. I especially liked the hero being warned by the shade in Hades that Odysseus shouldn't expect his wife to be 100% thrilled and convinced by his comeback and to maybe prep her a bit.

This translation was an ambitious choice; at times I did wish I'd chosen a somewhat more concise one.

One word choice was jarring: characters got off "scot free" several times. I thought Scotland hadn't been invented yet in the time of Homer? True enough, but the phrase comes from "skot" which is an ancient word for a tax or tribute and the phrase "scot free" appears in writing in 1066, so I guess I can't quibble.