The Odyssey (Penguin Classics) [Paperback] [2006] (Author) Homer, Bernard Knox, Robert Fagles

by Homer

Unknown Binding

Published January 1, 1994

About the author

Homer (Greek: Όμηρος born c. 8th century BC) was a Greek poet who is credited as the author of the Iliad and the Odyssey, two epic poems that are foundational works of ancient Greek literature. Homer is considered one of the most revered and influential authors in history.
Homer's Iliad centers on a quarrel between King Agamemnon and the warrior Achilles during the last year of the Trojan War. The Odyssey chronicles the ten-year journey of Odysseus, king of Ithaca, back to his home after the fall of Troy. The poems are in Homeric Greek, also known as Epic Greek, a literary language which shows a mixture of features of the Ionic and Aeolic dialects from different centuries; the predominant influence is Eastern Ionic. Most researchers believe that the poems were originally transmitted orally. Despite being predominantly known for its tragic and serious themes, the Homeric poems also contain instances of comedy and laughter.
Homer's epic poems shaped aspects of ancient Greek culture and education, fostering ideals of heroism, glory, and honor. To Plato, Homer was simply the one who "has taught Greece" (τὴν Ἑλλάδα πεπαίδευκεν). In Dante Alighieri's Divine Comedy, Virgil refers to Homer as "Poet sovereign", king of all poets; in the preface to his translation of the Iliad, Alexander Pope acknowledges that Homer has always been considered the "greatest of poets". From antiquity to the present day, Homeric epics have inspired many famous works of literature, music, art, and film.
The question of by whom, when, where and under what circumstances the Iliad and Odyssey were composed continues to be debated. Scholars remain divided as to whether the two works are the product of a single author. It is thought that the poems were composed at some point around the late eighth or early seventh century BC. Many accounts of Homer's life circulated in classical antiquity; the most widespread account was that he was a blind bard from Ionia, a region of central coastal Anatolia in present-day Turkey. Modern scholars consider these accounts legendary.

French: Homère, Italian: Omero, Portuguese, Spanish: Homero.

Reviews

[Jessica · Rating 4 out of 5]

The metaphors in this book go HARD

THE METAPHORS THE METAPHORS!!!


Read this book in 10th grade and the teacher only made us read specific books, so I thought I’d reread it

The chronology is so interesting… it starts in the middle, loops back to the beginning through storytelling, and then reaches the end

It starts with Odysseus at Circe

Penelope is portrayed so weak, and not as steadfast as I remember (she craves the suitor’s attention, which is why she didn’t refuse them outright), cries all the time, relegated to women’s work by Telemachus, not a great female protagonist all around

Telemachus is SO WEIRD, harsh with his mother especially (nothing she does will ever please him), and maybe he’s weird because he is growing into a Greek man (and Homeric Greek men have weird notions of dignity if Odysseus is an example)

Odysseus is what Odysseus is. The translators note says it best: he’s got character (individuality and personality) but he doesn’t have character (moral goodness). This is not a hero who pretends to be a hero.. Odysseus- raider of cities.

[Lee Johnson · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is an esteemed classic, but it’s also a fucking slog. I give The Odyssey extra points for being literally one of the first stories ever written, but Christopher Nolan has his work cut out for him.

[Jesse Khalil · Rating 4 out of 5]

Someone should make this into a movie

[Victoria Bridenbecker · Rating 5 out of 5]

An epic story to read

[Alan Dees · Rating 5 out of 5]

Upgraded to full 5 stars after having read the Iliad first. Absolutely epic.