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The Odyssey
"The Odyssey" is a classical epic poem about the events following the fall of Troy and the end of the Trojan War which is generally thought to have been written at the end of the 8th century BC. The story centers on Odysseus and his ten year journey to reach his home of Ithaca, following the Trojan War. Odysseus's death is assumed during this long absence, and his wife Penelope and son Telemachus must deal with a group of suitors, the Proci, who compete for Penelope's hand in marriage. Generally attributed to the ancient Greek poet Homer, "The Odyssey" is a sequel to "The Iliad" and is considered one of the most important works of classical antiquity. Presented here in this edition is the prose translation of Samuel Butler.
560 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 801
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About the author
Homer
4,710 books7,020 followersHomer (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.
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.
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November 30, 2025Just like with the Iliad last month, I read it in three translations simultaneously (one English and two Dutch). And again, it was the play with temporalities that stood out. Odysseus's story unfolds across several time periods simultaneously. For starters, the Odyssey follows the Iliad, literally continuing it, and the Iliad even seems to interject itself into this narrative at regular intervals. Even Odysseus's subsequent adventures, the difficult return, are largely told in retrospect. But not entirely: part of it also takes place in real time, in the present. And finally, both the middle and the end of the epic foreshadow what follows, something not really included in the Odyssey: the prediction that Odyssey will have to leave again.
In an essay appended to Emily Wilson's English translation, Laura Slatkin puts it succinctly: “The Odyssey, as it moves back and forth, gives us the simultaneous perspective of many time-frames: the limitless framework of the gods, the lifetime of Odysseus, the protracted return, the sudden maturation of Telemachus. The narrative sequence of the remainder of the poem, though more strictly chronological, displays a complementary virtuosity of concentration, counterpointing discretion and disclosure in the actions of Odysseus and Penelope until the Odyssey’s ultimate closure is achieved in the crucial convergence of events on a single day.”
Once again, a nonlinear narrative, also temporally. This once again highlights the mastery of the early Greek storytellers. Of course, there's so much to say about this epic attributed to Homer. For a more comprehensive review, see general account on Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show....
In an essay appended to Emily Wilson's English translation, Laura Slatkin puts it succinctly: “The Odyssey, as it moves back and forth, gives us the simultaneous perspective of many time-frames: the limitless framework of the gods, the lifetime of Odysseus, the protracted return, the sudden maturation of Telemachus. The narrative sequence of the remainder of the poem, though more strictly chronological, displays a complementary virtuosity of concentration, counterpointing discretion and disclosure in the actions of Odysseus and Penelope until the Odyssey’s ultimate closure is achieved in the crucial convergence of events on a single day.”
Once again, a nonlinear narrative, also temporally. This once again highlights the mastery of the early Greek storytellers. Of course, there's so much to say about this epic attributed to Homer. For a more comprehensive review, see general account on Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show....
May 27, 2025
Everyone should read this translation of The Odyssey. I loved the other version I read, but I understood so many more nuances from this version. She makes it accessible and simple. Odysseus is the craziest main character in the world. He is the worst, but also so powerful. At all times, either he is making things worse for his crew, or his crew is making things worse for him, but I can’t blame the crew because I wouldn’t trust Odysseus either. Love.
July 2, 2021
Obviously one can't attempt to review it but this feeble try, to express the beauty disguised as words, is just to honour the undeniable craft and artiste of a writer so revered.
It is one of the most beautifully composed creation with not a single slump through this adventurous voyage. Odyssey (or Ulysses) as we know, is perfect in his craft and it is surreal how that transcends through Homer's pen as well. Throughout the poem/prose, the writing style and the adventures are very well versed with its protagonist which was something that completely swooned me.
For when you read the Iliad, there's a difference in the tone of the verses as well, which is more textured with its context and its main leads; while Odyssey is intelligent and witty, personifying the tale to its most mesmerising self. Ah, the genius of an immortal artist.
The adventures thus covered are again absolutely perfect, be it the graphic vividness of death or the various legends encountered, be it the extremely cunning Circe, the ruthless Cyclopes, the enchantingly vicious Sirens or the scary lands of Hades.
As Odyssey embarks through this journey back to his home, he brings along a tale full of dread, adventure, violence, love and wit. He is undoubtedly one of the greatest Greek heroes and this tale justifies it even more.
This will stay with me forever.
It is one of the most beautifully composed creation with not a single slump through this adventurous voyage. Odyssey (or Ulysses) as we know, is perfect in his craft and it is surreal how that transcends through Homer's pen as well. Throughout the poem/prose, the writing style and the adventures are very well versed with its protagonist which was something that completely swooned me.
For when you read the Iliad, there's a difference in the tone of the verses as well, which is more textured with its context and its main leads; while Odyssey is intelligent and witty, personifying the tale to its most mesmerising self. Ah, the genius of an immortal artist.
The adventures thus covered are again absolutely perfect, be it the graphic vividness of death or the various legends encountered, be it the extremely cunning Circe, the ruthless Cyclopes, the enchantingly vicious Sirens or the scary lands of Hades.
As Odyssey embarks through this journey back to his home, he brings along a tale full of dread, adventure, violence, love and wit. He is undoubtedly one of the greatest Greek heroes and this tale justifies it even more.
This will stay with me forever.
August 17, 2025
This is a new translation of the epic journey home from war for Odysseus, and the literature archetype for all adventure stories. I listened to this version on audiotape, which is 19 hours of poetry. It’s good if you are on a long trip don’t want to listen to anything that you don’t already know how it ends.
September 22, 2025
Dream blunt rotation: Emily Wilson, Jorge Rivera-Herrans, and Madeleine Miller and we’re talking about democratizing the classics!!!!! Absolutely loved this translation by Dr. Wilson — it is clear, it is musical, it is witty and I can appreciate the very specific choice of words she uses and why. The modern, more simple and contemporary language makes the task of reading this classic much less intimidating and much more accessible, which they should be.
As she hints in the introduction, Homer has a great sense of humor and her translation, while serious and with gravitas, showcases this witty humor throughout. Very very thoroughly enjoyed The Odyssey, with the introduction serving as a guiding compass for some of the key themes explored including Xenia/hospitality rules, colonization and early western concepts of what ‘civilized’ and ‘civilization’ entails, meaning of manhood/coming of age, and the role of slaves and social status throughout the story.
Final thought is that if in Nolan’s adaption Odysseus or someone around him isn’t crying and sobbing every other minute, I will consider it an unfaithful adaption.
As she hints in the introduction, Homer has a great sense of humor and her translation, while serious and with gravitas, showcases this witty humor throughout. Very very thoroughly enjoyed The Odyssey, with the introduction serving as a guiding compass for some of the key themes explored including Xenia/hospitality rules, colonization and early western concepts of what ‘civilized’ and ‘civilization’ entails, meaning of manhood/coming of age, and the role of slaves and social status throughout the story.
Final thought is that if in Nolan’s adaption Odysseus or someone around him isn’t crying and sobbing every other minute, I will consider it an unfaithful adaption.
August 4, 2017
The Odyssey sparked an interest to me when I was required to read parts of the book during my freshmen year. I’ve always had an interest in Greek mythology and after completing that unit, I was eager to read the entire book. When I saw The Odyssey listed as a choice book, I took the opportunity to read it. Majority of the book was enjoyable, but there were aspects that made me feel like this book wasn't for me.
The events that were life-or-death situations were interesting and action-packed. The version I read by Samuel Butler was written in modern English, so the book was easier to understand. Samuel Butler described the events vividly which made the read more enjoyable as well. Multiple scenes such as: Ulysses and his men trapped in Polyphemus’ cave, staying with Circe, encountering Charybdis and Scylla, fighting Penelope’s suitors, etc. were exciting and I couldn’t put the book down until the scene ended. However, there was one particular scene that stood out to me. In Book V, it wrote, “She found him sitting upon the beach with his eyes ever filled with tears, and dying of sheer homesickness...” The description of this minor scene really caught my attention. I was able to really picture what was happening and it was quite different compared to the other scenes.
The theme of perseverance and Ulysses’ character development correlate in this story. Ulysses started off in this story being depressed and unmotivated. After he was freed by Calypso, he was told by Ino to leave his raft. His response in Book V was, “this is some one or other of the gods who is luring me to ruin by advising me to quit my raft… I know what I will do-I am sure it will be best-no matter what happens I will stick to the raft…” This revealed Ulysses’ hard headed personality, and it also demonstrated how smart he was in the later chapters. When his men were trapped and being eaten alive by Polyphemus, giving up seemed like an easy option. Tying his men under sheep and telling Polyphemus, “... my name is Noman; this is what my father and mother and my friends have always called me…” (Book IX) was such a great strategy.
When Circe informed Ulysses about the Sirens in Book XII, she said, “stop your men's ears with wax that none of them may hear; but if you like you can listen yourself, for you may get the men and bind you as you stand upright on a cross piece halfway up the mast…” he listened and at the time I thought it was a big sacrifice. However, after they passed through Scylla and Charybdis, Eurylochus spoke to Ulysses, “you are cruel; you are very strong yourself and never get worn out; you seem to be made of iron, and now, though your men are exhausted with toil and want to sleep, you will not let them…” (Book IX). It truly showed how others felt towards Ulysses and how although he is creative, his character was self centered.
Once Ulysses returned to Ithaca, he fought the suitors and got together with Penelope. Throughout all the struggles, Ulysses still managed to get home, and even though his personality wasn't great, I enjoyed how the author created such a diverse character.
Certain aspects of the book caused me to not enjoy it as much as I thought it would. The introduction to the story didn't quite live up to my expectations. It took a while for the book to grab my attention, and the pacing felt slow. From books I-IV, there was a lot of dialogue and it wasn't as interesting. I also had a difficult time with memorizing all the characters. I knew that the names would be different from other books, but I didn't think I would have struggled with it.
I would probably rate this book a 3 out of 5. Majority of the book was great. The imagery given with the various scenes were extraordinary, but the pacing and toiling to remember all the characters made the book not as enjoyable as I hoped. I would recommend this book to those who enjoy Greek mythology and the epic genre. If remembering diverse characters are not a big issue, then the book maybe be more entertaining.
April 8, 2025
AH-Mazing
I loved Emily Wilson's translation. She makes the story very accessible to a modern reader. I'll have to read another to see how it compares.
Odysseus is a sly dog and the fight scene at the end makes me excited for Christopher Nolan's movie in 2026. Here's hoping he does it justice or he may get an arrow to the throat.
I loved Emily Wilson's translation. She makes the story very accessible to a modern reader. I'll have to read another to see how it compares.
Odysseus is a sly dog and the fight scene at the end makes me excited for Christopher Nolan's movie in 2026. Here's hoping he does it justice or he may get an arrow to the throat.
December 23, 2025
It’s the odyssey so it’s great, but it only gets great after halfway through the book and reading about yet another feast where the dudes wash their hands and cut off a skewer of meat and get some gold cup or whatever
December 6, 2024
داستان غول یک چشم شامل دو فصل از روایت اودیسه اثر بزرگ هومر و یادگار بزرگ یونان باستان است،خواندنی مفرح با ترجمه ای مقید که لذت خوانش را زایل نمی کند.
December 8, 2025
i mean what is there to say that hasn't been already said? i actually found this to be a very exciting and interesting read, despite perhaps a few too many greek names that were only relevant for a few lines and then disappearing into the ether.
very interesting to read this book as a 26 year old who's read somewhat widely already, and recognize things that i've already read and come into contact with in other pieces of literature. something like hearing the original song of a sample you know well.
while this was the first time reading this i had read plenty of excerpts before and the translation of this is very readable. very readable and the language is both accessible and interesting.
5 stars, would reccomend to anyone looking to read the odyssey, or interested in the classics in general.
very interesting to read this book as a 26 year old who's read somewhat widely already, and recognize things that i've already read and come into contact with in other pieces of literature. something like hearing the original song of a sample you know well.
while this was the first time reading this i had read plenty of excerpts before and the translation of this is very readable. very readable and the language is both accessible and interesting.
5 stars, would reccomend to anyone looking to read the odyssey, or interested in the classics in general.
August 5, 2025
You can see my general thoughts about The Odyssey here: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Here is my review of Mendelsohn's translation:
The most notable/unique aspect of Mendelsohn’s translation is his attempt “to a great extent” to replicate the “distinctive pulse of the original, as often as possible, with its customary pauses and breaks.” (p. 43) That distinctive pulse is dactylic hexameter:
_ ‿‿ | _‿‿ | _‿ // ‿ | _‿‿ | _‿‿ | _ x
(Foot: short, long, long, or stress, unstress, unstress)
Mendelsohn notes that his “lines are generally cast in a rhythmic six-beat meter that often hews very close to the standard hexameter measure, often with a break at the beginning of the third foot.” He also admits to starting lines with an anapest (‿‿_). (p. 50) Mendelsohn is frustratingly unclear about whether he is counting syllables (in the English tradition) or vowels (in the Greco-Latin tradition). I’m assuming he’s counting syllables.
As someone who dabbles in writing verse, I found this goal to be very, very interesting. I’m not aware of any widely known English poems in dactylic hexameter. Only slightly less rare are English poems using dactyls in any form. (The Charge of the Light Brigade being one.) The simple fact is that starting a line with a stress will become very obvious in a longer work. And noticeably distracting/annoying. And the repeated galloping rhythm of the dactyl/anapest can sound a bit ludicrous after a while. (Thus, much comic verse is written in this form.) So color me skeptical. I didn’t think this was going to work.
I needn’t worry. I got the audiobook to fully enjoy the meter. Frankly, I couldn’t hear it. It sounded like a nice prosaic translation, much like the other post World War II translations. It seemed a little wordy and used a few cliches, but I honestly couldn’t hear the dactyls. So, when I finished the work, I took an excerpt from Book IV – about 75 lines where Helen recalls seeing Odysseus in disguise inside Troy – and did a metrical analysis.
Mendelsohn said the dactylic hexameters were loose. So loose, in fact, I don’t think I could identify the meter if someone gave me the lines and didn’t tell me what to look for. In the random sample I looked at, the lines run from 12 to 17 syllables. Furthermore, I couldn’t find a single line that followed the textbook definition of dactylic hexameter. Without greatly distorting the natural rhythms of English, I’d say less the half the lines in the section I reviewed start with a stress. (Maybe as few as one-third in the section I examined.)
There are a good number of triads – anapests and dactyls. (But I’m not sure if there’s more than you'd find in regular prose.) Many of them are wrenched – that is, the meter stresses conflict with the normal speech stresses. Mendelsohn could have made it a bit more regular if he had pursued poetic contractions (such as “th’other” for “the other”), but he chose not to go that route. (It’s not very hip these days. Of course, neither is dactylic hexameter.) He also avoided contractions in general. There were none in the section I reviewed. Mendelsohn said he didn’t use contractions where he wanted a more formal sound. Those decisions really tied his hand.
So, is it a meter if you can’t hear it spoken or scan it on paper? I guess there are vague echoes of meter. Not much, and certainly not enough to brag about. I’m fine with the longer line, but he’s not the first to do that.
Overall, a decent translation -- a bit disappointing, but that's only because I was expecting so much. It doesn't stand out from many of the other translations I've read.
Here is my review of Mendelsohn's translation:
The most notable/unique aspect of Mendelsohn’s translation is his attempt “to a great extent” to replicate the “distinctive pulse of the original, as often as possible, with its customary pauses and breaks.” (p. 43) That distinctive pulse is dactylic hexameter:
_ ‿‿ | _‿‿ | _‿ // ‿ | _‿‿ | _‿‿ | _ x
(Foot: short, long, long, or stress, unstress, unstress)
Mendelsohn notes that his “lines are generally cast in a rhythmic six-beat meter that often hews very close to the standard hexameter measure, often with a break at the beginning of the third foot.” He also admits to starting lines with an anapest (‿‿_). (p. 50) Mendelsohn is frustratingly unclear about whether he is counting syllables (in the English tradition) or vowels (in the Greco-Latin tradition). I’m assuming he’s counting syllables.
As someone who dabbles in writing verse, I found this goal to be very, very interesting. I’m not aware of any widely known English poems in dactylic hexameter. Only slightly less rare are English poems using dactyls in any form. (The Charge of the Light Brigade being one.) The simple fact is that starting a line with a stress will become very obvious in a longer work. And noticeably distracting/annoying. And the repeated galloping rhythm of the dactyl/anapest can sound a bit ludicrous after a while. (Thus, much comic verse is written in this form.) So color me skeptical. I didn’t think this was going to work.
I needn’t worry. I got the audiobook to fully enjoy the meter. Frankly, I couldn’t hear it. It sounded like a nice prosaic translation, much like the other post World War II translations. It seemed a little wordy and used a few cliches, but I honestly couldn’t hear the dactyls. So, when I finished the work, I took an excerpt from Book IV – about 75 lines where Helen recalls seeing Odysseus in disguise inside Troy – and did a metrical analysis.
Mendelsohn said the dactylic hexameters were loose. So loose, in fact, I don’t think I could identify the meter if someone gave me the lines and didn’t tell me what to look for. In the random sample I looked at, the lines run from 12 to 17 syllables. Furthermore, I couldn’t find a single line that followed the textbook definition of dactylic hexameter. Without greatly distorting the natural rhythms of English, I’d say less the half the lines in the section I reviewed start with a stress. (Maybe as few as one-third in the section I examined.)
There are a good number of triads – anapests and dactyls. (But I’m not sure if there’s more than you'd find in regular prose.) Many of them are wrenched – that is, the meter stresses conflict with the normal speech stresses. Mendelsohn could have made it a bit more regular if he had pursued poetic contractions (such as “th’other” for “the other”), but he chose not to go that route. (It’s not very hip these days. Of course, neither is dactylic hexameter.) He also avoided contractions in general. There were none in the section I reviewed. Mendelsohn said he didn’t use contractions where he wanted a more formal sound. Those decisions really tied his hand.
So, is it a meter if you can’t hear it spoken or scan it on paper? I guess there are vague echoes of meter. Not much, and certainly not enough to brag about. I’m fine with the longer line, but he’s not the first to do that.
Overall, a decent translation -- a bit disappointing, but that's only because I was expecting so much. It doesn't stand out from many of the other translations I've read.
July 9, 2025
3.5
I am happy I read this but I wouldn't really recommend it. I liked the ending, I found the bits in Ithaca a lot more exciting than most of the adventure part. There are some exciting parts but it was also such a slog to get through it all. Some of time it just felt like "so this happened so then they went here and then they did something and then the moved over here and this happened".
A lot of strengths about Ulysses aren't really shown too, he gets a lot of advice from Minerva and if she doesn't guide him, it starts to go badly for him. I did find it funny whenever it would be like "you should go here, do this, and say this" and then Ulysses would go there, do what was said, and copy what he was told to say word for word.
I am happy I read this but I wouldn't really recommend it. I liked the ending, I found the bits in Ithaca a lot more exciting than most of the adventure part. There are some exciting parts but it was also such a slog to get through it all. Some of time it just felt like "so this happened so then they went here and then they did something and then the moved over here and this happened".
A lot of strengths about Ulysses aren't really shown too, he gets a lot of advice from Minerva and if she doesn't guide him, it starts to go badly for him. I did find it funny whenever it would be like "you should go here, do this, and say this" and then Ulysses would go there, do what was said, and copy what he was told to say word for word.
June 1, 2021
feels impossible to ’rate’ a book/poem/story more than 2200 years old. i enjoyed this eventful ride, and the samuel butler prose translated version was very possible to listen to 😅 let’s talk about myths, baby! podcast’s liv albert is a joy to listen to so listening to this read by her made it a pleasure. the ancient greeks were wild on their storytelling. is it blasphemy to shelve this as ”fantasy”?
August 1, 2025
I'll quote the late, great Norm MacDonald to summarize this book:
"It was a little drinkin', a little fightin', a little fornicatin'."
"It was a little drinkin', a little fightin', a little fornicatin'."
March 2, 2025
Book club pick, this one is translated by Emily Wilson. I can’t remember what I read in high school (or if I even read this 😅) so I honestly would not be able to tell the difference in translation. Overall the stories are familiar, and reading it this time around, I’ve noticed that some of the things (culturally) are wild, like the expectation of giving strangers food and drink and treasure before really knowing who they are and why they are visiting! All so that they don’t offend the gods! There is also a lot of repetition in the stories. This tome was a slog to get through, and glad I finished. 😅☺️ 3 stars.
January 6, 2025
Timeless masterpiece.
May 17, 2023
El clásico de los clásicos. Genial, épico, picante y la base de mucho de nuestros días.
November 6, 2025
Courtesy of @Zach Zurkowsky :)
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August 27, 2025Don’t really know how to review this bc I’ve only read one other translation which I kinda forget, but I really liked it. Maybe I’ll return to this when I’ve read another.
October 16, 2025
What a banger
November 3, 2022
BOOK REVIEW
"The Odyssey" by Homer (Translated by Samuel Butler)
"The Odyssey" is is an epic poem attributed to the Greek Poet Homer, first composed probably around the 8th Century B.C. by Scholars and Literary Historians, but some place the Composition date at an earlier date around a hundred years after during the 7th Century B.C. "The Odyssey" is the second of the two greatest Greek epic poems alongside "The Iliad". Set after the decade lasting, bloody Trojan war, "The Odyssey" is the story of the titular main character Odysseus, latinized as Ulysses, and his story of going home from the war to his native Ithaca, dubbed "Nostos" as a celebration of a hero, whom he rules on, coming home in Ancient Greek Culture.
MY THOUGHTS:
Ultimately an "Odyssey" indeed, a story of an adventure, a tragic tale of homecoming. The fact that Odysseus went home wanting to see his wife again but now is shrouded in tragedy knowing that his wife, Queen Penelope, has suitors. Even moreso, his son Telegonus kills him...
This book was just as bloody as its predecessor, only now that a lesson here is, firstly, pride can ultimately get to you and Odysseus facing Poseidon's wrath and thus, what a travel to last only for a few months (I honestly forgot how much shorter it could've taken for it for Odysseus to return home), took 10 years, even imprisonment by Calypso.
A Heartbreaking tale. Honestly not so bad for my first read for November 2022, for I had to read this book for school, alongside "The Iliad". I might have to read "The Divine Comedy" by Dante Alighieri for the next time I have to read a book for school.
"The Odyssey" by Homer (Translated by Samuel Butler)
"The Odyssey" is is an epic poem attributed to the Greek Poet Homer, first composed probably around the 8th Century B.C. by Scholars and Literary Historians, but some place the Composition date at an earlier date around a hundred years after during the 7th Century B.C. "The Odyssey" is the second of the two greatest Greek epic poems alongside "The Iliad". Set after the decade lasting, bloody Trojan war, "The Odyssey" is the story of the titular main character Odysseus, latinized as Ulysses, and his story of going home from the war to his native Ithaca, dubbed "Nostos" as a celebration of a hero, whom he rules on, coming home in Ancient Greek Culture.
MY THOUGHTS:
Ultimately an "Odyssey" indeed, a story of an adventure, a tragic tale of homecoming. The fact that Odysseus went home wanting to see his wife again but now is shrouded in tragedy knowing that his wife, Queen Penelope, has suitors. Even moreso, his son Telegonus kills him...
This book was just as bloody as its predecessor, only now that a lesson here is, firstly, pride can ultimately get to you and Odysseus facing Poseidon's wrath and thus, what a travel to last only for a few months (I honestly forgot how much shorter it could've taken for it for Odysseus to return home), took 10 years, even imprisonment by Calypso.
A Heartbreaking tale. Honestly not so bad for my first read for November 2022, for I had to read this book for school, alongside "The Iliad". I might have to read "The Divine Comedy" by Dante Alighieri for the next time I have to read a book for school.
July 20, 2023
This book was great. I really enjoyed the scenes with Circe, the sirens, the Cyclops, and all the “monsters.” I loved the battle scenes. What I really liked about Odysseus himself was that he was cunning, he was wise, he could think of solutions to problems where most people would draw a blank. He could probably be considered witty in all honesty. I also enjoyed the scene where Odysseus went to the House or Hades and spoke to the spirits and ghosts. There are a lot of beautiful lines in this. It’s understandable why it has survived thousands of years, even if it did change over time because it was originally told orally. It’s beautiful in that aspect, and I believe that’s why it is hard for me to think that I’m rating this book on an app when the Odyssey is older than the Bible.
July 22, 2022
at last! i rejoice with the conclusion of this terribly slow story! i give it one extra star for penelope cause she’s the best tbh #girlboss. anyways can mr. hornby choose a better book next time pls. also i will kms if we actually read shakespeare next, i would actually rather reread this book than read shakespeare
December 18, 2022
Listening to Liv Albert on her the podcast Let's Talk About Myths, Baby! read Samuel Butler's translation of The Odyssey for free! Always appreciate the emotion and feminist commentary she tells these with.
October 19, 2017
A thoroughly enjoyable, must-read classic--the foundation of all literature.
April 20, 2020
I read this for school.
(This is not the copy I read. I have a paperback 219-page copy).
(This is not the copy I read. I have a paperback 219-page copy).
February 3, 2016
The Odyssey, a epic poem written by Homer, who was also the author of The Iliad, is a story about Odysseus (Ulysses), a Greek general who sailed to Troy and with his intelligence, sacked the entire city and burned it to the ground. The Odyssey is mainly focused on Odysseus’s perilous trip home to Ithaca, where the suitors are eating away his entire food stock while trying to win Penelope, Odysseus’s wife,’s heart. In book 7, Odysseus is said to have angered the god Poseidon (Neptune) because he blinded his son, Polyphemus, who is a cyclops that lives on an island, tending his sheep. In this entire poem, Homer describes the various monsters and demons that Odysseus meets along the way home, escaping each time barely with his life. In book 2, Telemachus, Odysseus’s son, speaks to all the suitors at his fathers estate, that if he goes out and gets news that his father is alive, he will put up with the suitors until his father comes back. However, if he hears his father is dead, he will give him a proper funeral and make his mother, Penelope, marry someone else so that she would starve and die. The theme from that excerpt is ‘love will serve as motivation for anything’, which is a recurring theme in the entire poem, and what I believe to be the main theme. For this project, I have decided to create a playlist to support my claim.
Grenade by Bruno Mars is a song that many know very well, and is inspiring because of the depths that he will go to in for someone else. This is similar to the idea that love will serve as motivation for anything. In the chorus of this soulful song, Bruno Mars sings that “I would catch a grenade for you/throw my hand on a blade for you/I’d jump in front of a train for you/you know I’d do anything for you.” Showing what great lengths he would go to help someone who is really important for him, similar to what Telemachus, Odysseus’s son, would do out of love for his father. Telemachus traveled all over Greece just for news of his father, so that he could reassure himself that Odysseus is still out there, and might one day come back to them.
The second song I chose for this theme was Stand by You by Rachel Platten. In this song, she describes the things that she would do with someone she really cared about to preserve their relationship. In the chorus, Rachel Platten sings that “Even if we’re breaking down, we can find a way to break through/even if we can’t find heaven, I’ll walk through hell with you/love, you’re not alone, ‘cause I’m gonna stand by you.” Showing how much she wanted the relationship to work, for it to last. It is similar to The Odyssey because of how much Penelope wanted to stay with Odysseus. Hoping that one day her husband would come back to her was motivation enough to refuse all marriage proposals and keep on waiting.
The third song I chose for the purpose of this project was A Thousand Years by Christina Perri. Lyrics from this song suggest that under no circumstances will she stray from a relationship, which is similar to the romance between Odysseus and Penelope. Christina Perri sings that “I have died everyday waiting for you/darling don’t be afraid I have loved you/for a thousand years.” Showing how strong the connection is between the two in a relationship. In The Odyssey, Odysseus is described to be still thinking of his wife, Penelope, even when he was stranded on an island with a beautiful goddess in the middle of nowhere. Penelope is described to have waited patiently, and have her mind rule over her heart so that she doesn't bring someone who looks like Odysseus but isn't him home.
The fourth song I have chosen for my project is I’d do anything for love (But I won’t do that) by Meatloaf. The song has lyrics that are similar to a marriage vow, where he will keep loving his significant other. At the start of the song, Meatloaf sings that “And I would do anything for love/I’d run right into hell and back” showing what kind of things he is willing to prove his love to whoever it is addressed to, which is similar to The Odyssey in regards to the relationship between Odysseus and his son, Telemachus. Telemachus travels all over Greece for news of his father; whether he is alive or dead, it does not matter to him. Being able to know what happened to his father was good enough, even if it meant that he had to put up with the suitors back in Ithaca, destroying Odysseus’s estate.
The fifth song that I have chosen to fit the theme of The Odyssey is Faithful, by Hawk Nelson. This song, much like A Thousand Years, is a song about loving your significant other, even if there are problems. Hawk Nelson sings that “It’s hard to see it when I’m livin’ in the moment/but your love’s still written on my heart.” Showing that no matter what happens, you still belong to those you love. In The Odyssey, Odysseus is trapped on an island, where the sorceress Circe lived. Odysseus could have become smitten with Circe and became one of the rodents on the island because of Circe, but he loved Penelope only, so he prayed to the gods and goddesses, and they sent down help to help him rescue his shipmates so that he could keep on going, until he finally returned to Ithaca and Penelope.
The sixth song that I have chosen for this project is Keep Holding On by Avril Lavigne. The tone of the music makes it seem kind of desperate, but it is a song about trying to make it work, no matter what the problem you encounter. Avril Lavigne sings that “Keep holding on/‘cause you know we’ll make it through/we’ll make it through.” Showing how much she believes that they can and will stay together. In The Odyssey, we have a similar thing, just not as desperate. Odysseus and Penelope keep on thinking about each other and send prayers for the others well being, so much so that this become their way of holding on to each other, not forgetting the other so that they will still be together when Odysseus finally gets to go back home. In this way, holding on to your significant other is motivation enough to persevere and get back to Ithaca.
The seventh song in the playlist is Just Wanna Be With You from the High School Musical soundtrack. Although this song came from a movie, the lyrics perfectly matches the theme as well as parts of the plot in The Odyssey. “We’ll be alright/even if we’re miles apart” shows that they have no problem sustaining a long-distance relationship, which is the same for Odysseus and Penelope. They both were separated for a long period of time, but still remained faithful to each other, motivating Odysseus to try as hard as possible to come back to his wife and son.
Don’t Mess With Me by Brody Dalle is the eighth song that I’ve chosen for this project, and I believe that the lyrics depict what Odysseus felt when he came back to a estate full of suitors. Brody Dalle sings that “You’re the reason I can stay/and fight you to the death.” Which is what happened when Odysseus came back to take revenge on the suitors for ravaging his estate for years. Being able to finally be with his family was motivation enough for him to dress up as a beggar to get into the estate, then lock all the doors so that they could slaughter and punish everyone who was happily feasting away, waiting for Penelope to accept their hand in marriage.
The ninth song that fit the theme of The Odyssey is Thinking About You by Calvin Harris and Ayah Marar. The lyrics in this song make it sound like there is no way I can live without the thought of you, which can also be interpreted as you are my only source of motivation, which, among a few other things, is evident in The Odyssey. Ayah Marar and Calvin Harris sings that “You’re the only one that’s making sense to me/when I close my eyes you’re the only one I see.” These lyrics show how much you can truly love someone that it is nearly impossible to stray from it. In The Odyssey, Odysseus only ever sat on the beach while thinking about Penelope and Telemachus, his wife and son. He didn’t even give a thought about the beautiful goddess Calypso, who was also on the island. At last, the gods and goddesses willed that Odysseus finally go back home, and Calypso decided to let go of him so that he could be with his family.
The final song that I chose was Thinking Out Loud by Ed Sheeran. Thinking Out Loud is much like Faithful and A Thousand Years, where the lyrics are talking about loving someone forever, never straying from the path. Ed Sheeran sings that “And darling/I will be loving you ’til we’re 70” Showing that he will keep on loving, even to old age, with the same person. In The Odyssey, Odysseus and Penelope keep on loving each other, no matter how many years pass, no matter where they are, they keep on thinking of each other and loving each other. Loving one another helped them to persevere, whether it’s fending off suitors to wait for your husband, or journey through dangerous waters to get home faster.
All in all, no matter what way you put it, The Odyssey is a great love story as well as an epic one, putting everything to engage a reader within it. Many songs out there will correlate to important events in the book because of how realistic it is, of what people want of love. Although the lyrics of the songs and the explanations for it is completely subject to my point of view, I believe many would agree, and would still believe that true love is eternal. This is why I believe my theme to be “love will serve as motivation for anything”.
Grenade by Bruno Mars is a song that many know very well, and is inspiring because of the depths that he will go to in for someone else. This is similar to the idea that love will serve as motivation for anything. In the chorus of this soulful song, Bruno Mars sings that “I would catch a grenade for you/throw my hand on a blade for you/I’d jump in front of a train for you/you know I’d do anything for you.” Showing what great lengths he would go to help someone who is really important for him, similar to what Telemachus, Odysseus’s son, would do out of love for his father. Telemachus traveled all over Greece just for news of his father, so that he could reassure himself that Odysseus is still out there, and might one day come back to them.
The second song I chose for this theme was Stand by You by Rachel Platten. In this song, she describes the things that she would do with someone she really cared about to preserve their relationship. In the chorus, Rachel Platten sings that “Even if we’re breaking down, we can find a way to break through/even if we can’t find heaven, I’ll walk through hell with you/love, you’re not alone, ‘cause I’m gonna stand by you.” Showing how much she wanted the relationship to work, for it to last. It is similar to The Odyssey because of how much Penelope wanted to stay with Odysseus. Hoping that one day her husband would come back to her was motivation enough to refuse all marriage proposals and keep on waiting.
The third song I chose for the purpose of this project was A Thousand Years by Christina Perri. Lyrics from this song suggest that under no circumstances will she stray from a relationship, which is similar to the romance between Odysseus and Penelope. Christina Perri sings that “I have died everyday waiting for you/darling don’t be afraid I have loved you/for a thousand years.” Showing how strong the connection is between the two in a relationship. In The Odyssey, Odysseus is described to be still thinking of his wife, Penelope, even when he was stranded on an island with a beautiful goddess in the middle of nowhere. Penelope is described to have waited patiently, and have her mind rule over her heart so that she doesn't bring someone who looks like Odysseus but isn't him home.
The fourth song I have chosen for my project is I’d do anything for love (But I won’t do that) by Meatloaf. The song has lyrics that are similar to a marriage vow, where he will keep loving his significant other. At the start of the song, Meatloaf sings that “And I would do anything for love/I’d run right into hell and back” showing what kind of things he is willing to prove his love to whoever it is addressed to, which is similar to The Odyssey in regards to the relationship between Odysseus and his son, Telemachus. Telemachus travels all over Greece for news of his father; whether he is alive or dead, it does not matter to him. Being able to know what happened to his father was good enough, even if it meant that he had to put up with the suitors back in Ithaca, destroying Odysseus’s estate.
The fifth song that I have chosen to fit the theme of The Odyssey is Faithful, by Hawk Nelson. This song, much like A Thousand Years, is a song about loving your significant other, even if there are problems. Hawk Nelson sings that “It’s hard to see it when I’m livin’ in the moment/but your love’s still written on my heart.” Showing that no matter what happens, you still belong to those you love. In The Odyssey, Odysseus is trapped on an island, where the sorceress Circe lived. Odysseus could have become smitten with Circe and became one of the rodents on the island because of Circe, but he loved Penelope only, so he prayed to the gods and goddesses, and they sent down help to help him rescue his shipmates so that he could keep on going, until he finally returned to Ithaca and Penelope.
The sixth song that I have chosen for this project is Keep Holding On by Avril Lavigne. The tone of the music makes it seem kind of desperate, but it is a song about trying to make it work, no matter what the problem you encounter. Avril Lavigne sings that “Keep holding on/‘cause you know we’ll make it through/we’ll make it through.” Showing how much she believes that they can and will stay together. In The Odyssey, we have a similar thing, just not as desperate. Odysseus and Penelope keep on thinking about each other and send prayers for the others well being, so much so that this become their way of holding on to each other, not forgetting the other so that they will still be together when Odysseus finally gets to go back home. In this way, holding on to your significant other is motivation enough to persevere and get back to Ithaca.
The seventh song in the playlist is Just Wanna Be With You from the High School Musical soundtrack. Although this song came from a movie, the lyrics perfectly matches the theme as well as parts of the plot in The Odyssey. “We’ll be alright/even if we’re miles apart” shows that they have no problem sustaining a long-distance relationship, which is the same for Odysseus and Penelope. They both were separated for a long period of time, but still remained faithful to each other, motivating Odysseus to try as hard as possible to come back to his wife and son.
Don’t Mess With Me by Brody Dalle is the eighth song that I’ve chosen for this project, and I believe that the lyrics depict what Odysseus felt when he came back to a estate full of suitors. Brody Dalle sings that “You’re the reason I can stay/and fight you to the death.” Which is what happened when Odysseus came back to take revenge on the suitors for ravaging his estate for years. Being able to finally be with his family was motivation enough for him to dress up as a beggar to get into the estate, then lock all the doors so that they could slaughter and punish everyone who was happily feasting away, waiting for Penelope to accept their hand in marriage.
The ninth song that fit the theme of The Odyssey is Thinking About You by Calvin Harris and Ayah Marar. The lyrics in this song make it sound like there is no way I can live without the thought of you, which can also be interpreted as you are my only source of motivation, which, among a few other things, is evident in The Odyssey. Ayah Marar and Calvin Harris sings that “You’re the only one that’s making sense to me/when I close my eyes you’re the only one I see.” These lyrics show how much you can truly love someone that it is nearly impossible to stray from it. In The Odyssey, Odysseus only ever sat on the beach while thinking about Penelope and Telemachus, his wife and son. He didn’t even give a thought about the beautiful goddess Calypso, who was also on the island. At last, the gods and goddesses willed that Odysseus finally go back home, and Calypso decided to let go of him so that he could be with his family.
The final song that I chose was Thinking Out Loud by Ed Sheeran. Thinking Out Loud is much like Faithful and A Thousand Years, where the lyrics are talking about loving someone forever, never straying from the path. Ed Sheeran sings that “And darling/I will be loving you ’til we’re 70” Showing that he will keep on loving, even to old age, with the same person. In The Odyssey, Odysseus and Penelope keep on loving each other, no matter how many years pass, no matter where they are, they keep on thinking of each other and loving each other. Loving one another helped them to persevere, whether it’s fending off suitors to wait for your husband, or journey through dangerous waters to get home faster.
All in all, no matter what way you put it, The Odyssey is a great love story as well as an epic one, putting everything to engage a reader within it. Many songs out there will correlate to important events in the book because of how realistic it is, of what people want of love. Although the lyrics of the songs and the explanations for it is completely subject to my point of view, I believe many would agree, and would still believe that true love is eternal. This is why I believe my theme to be “love will serve as motivation for anything”.
December 21, 2025
4.6 stars
another day, another translation. i really enjoyed a more modern language translation of the odyssey. the e.v. rieu translation which i read previously is a lot more archaic (i mean the man was born in the 19th century) and i'm not particularly attached to such flowery language. as the saying "translation is an act of betrayal" goes, i believe it is, but that doesn't have to discredit a whole body of work. there was a lot of controversy when this new translation came out and there still is in some spaces (*cough* classicsblr). but i like to think of every single translation of these classical works, as well as any translation of any other book in a foreign language, as a new version of the work, trying to capture its essence. translators approach these works differently and take from it what they feel. translation exists in its present (cultural) context and it's important to recognize how it is influenced by the times in which it exists. older translations, such as e.v. rieu's, cannot emulate modern, present english, so why should this one emulate older english?
that aside, discourse on translation of classical works is so old and still ever present, so for me, i want to read as many as i can and judge for myself. (i also cannot, sadly, read ancient greek, so reading any translation will not capture the work originally. some people who also cannot read ancient greek love to bitch about translations, which is in my opinion, allowed but useless. even if you can read ancient greek, you can still argue on the original text and its own nuances [see: the Homeric question, discussion on the ending of the odyssey etc.])
i enjoyed this translation because it acknowledges its existence in the present. it is intended for a contemporary audience and i think it succeeds in that pursuit.
as for the story itself, it is of course beautiful. as i've gotten older and interacted with classics more, i've reached a better understanding of the story (and there is still so much more to learn!!) this read made me more aware of its nuances and moral questioning. i also love penelope. that much stays the same. i've gained only a bit more sympathy for telemachus but i still do not like him. i still laugh at agamemnon being pissed at his wife clytemnestra for killing him and stating that as his reason for his misogyny (which he defintely had even before his murder, i mean look at all the shit he pulls in the iliad.) book 23 is beautiful and intimate still. i particularly enjoy the latter half of the poem, which is more focused on the domestic drama/politics on ithaca and odysseus actually being there (which may be partly because penelope is there much more often.)
the introduction to this translation is super interesting and gave me a lot of insight! it's interesting and felt fitting. the notes also had great info that deepened my understanding of the work and its original greek.
wilson mentioned in the translator's note that she did not want to fall into repetition by repeating reoccurring epithets as 'winged words' or 'rosy-fingered dawn', which i understand. i don't personally enjoy repetition of long passages (which the iliad does much more), but i was a bit sad because these aforementioned epithets are my favourite lol.
i hope to be able to read the odyssey in its original greek one day, but until then i'll settle for some more translations. i felt i wasn't paying as much attention to this one in the first half, so obviously i have to reread it. i think fagles' translation is up next. until then!
another day, another translation. i really enjoyed a more modern language translation of the odyssey. the e.v. rieu translation which i read previously is a lot more archaic (i mean the man was born in the 19th century) and i'm not particularly attached to such flowery language. as the saying "translation is an act of betrayal" goes, i believe it is, but that doesn't have to discredit a whole body of work. there was a lot of controversy when this new translation came out and there still is in some spaces (*cough* classicsblr). but i like to think of every single translation of these classical works, as well as any translation of any other book in a foreign language, as a new version of the work, trying to capture its essence. translators approach these works differently and take from it what they feel. translation exists in its present (cultural) context and it's important to recognize how it is influenced by the times in which it exists. older translations, such as e.v. rieu's, cannot emulate modern, present english, so why should this one emulate older english?
that aside, discourse on translation of classical works is so old and still ever present, so for me, i want to read as many as i can and judge for myself. (i also cannot, sadly, read ancient greek, so reading any translation will not capture the work originally. some people who also cannot read ancient greek love to bitch about translations, which is in my opinion, allowed but useless. even if you can read ancient greek, you can still argue on the original text and its own nuances [see: the Homeric question, discussion on the ending of the odyssey etc.])
i enjoyed this translation because it acknowledges its existence in the present. it is intended for a contemporary audience and i think it succeeds in that pursuit.
as for the story itself, it is of course beautiful. as i've gotten older and interacted with classics more, i've reached a better understanding of the story (and there is still so much more to learn!!) this read made me more aware of its nuances and moral questioning. i also love penelope. that much stays the same. i've gained only a bit more sympathy for telemachus but i still do not like him. i still laugh at agamemnon being pissed at his wife clytemnestra for killing him and stating that as his reason for his misogyny (which he defintely had even before his murder, i mean look at all the shit he pulls in the iliad.) book 23 is beautiful and intimate still. i particularly enjoy the latter half of the poem, which is more focused on the domestic drama/politics on ithaca and odysseus actually being there (which may be partly because penelope is there much more often.)
the introduction to this translation is super interesting and gave me a lot of insight! it's interesting and felt fitting. the notes also had great info that deepened my understanding of the work and its original greek.
wilson mentioned in the translator's note that she did not want to fall into repetition by repeating reoccurring epithets as 'winged words' or 'rosy-fingered dawn', which i understand. i don't personally enjoy repetition of long passages (which the iliad does much more), but i was a bit sad because these aforementioned epithets are my favourite lol.
i hope to be able to read the odyssey in its original greek one day, but until then i'll settle for some more translations. i felt i wasn't paying as much attention to this one in the first half, so obviously i have to reread it. i think fagles' translation is up next. until then!
September 26, 2023
In a similar vein to my last review of The Iliad, I was familiar with the story, but as filtered through various mediums like adaptations in school anthologies, the Age of Mythology computer game, and the Percy Jackson and the Olympians series. Both to enrich my knowledge of classical literature , and mostly to enjoy another science fiction series, I set about reading The Odyssey as well, again using the Samuel Butler prose translation.
I have to enter in a word for Mr. Butler. His footnotes are mostly informative, often hilarious, (and unfortunately sometimes a tiny bit sexist). He constantly plugs his other work, The Authoress of the Odyssey, in which he argues that a woman living in Sicily is the true creator of this work, and not "Homer." I have no idea if this opinion has any weight in modern scholarship, but I'm actually a bit curious to look into it.
Now for the actual story. I actually quite enjoyed reading about Telemachus' troubles for the first several chapters. Odysseus, on the other hand, is a bit of a disappointment. Different times and all that, but I have to note how, for someone who is described as one of the wisest and strongest of all heroes, he is a bit of a bloodthirsty ass. His calling card to Polyphemus is that the Achaeans "won infinite renown throughout the whole world, by sacking so great a city and killing so many people" (Bk IX). Apparently, one of his first actions after the taking of Troy was to sack a random city on the way home. He spends most of the last third of the book "pondering on the means whereby with Minerva's help he might be able to kill the suitors." Of course, after he and a few other men (+ Minerva) do indeed manage to massacre everyone in his house, it's helpful to have a goddess who can jump in and just tell everyone to be friends again.
I was also a little sad that all of the famous encounters that one associates with the Odyssey, like Polyphemus, the Sirens, Scylla and Charybdis, the Island of the Lotus Eaters, etc. seldom take more than a couple of paragraphs to a few pages to expound. I guess that leaves a lot of room for invention in the later interpretations that I previously read. And I suppose it can hardly be faulted in an epic poem that needs to be able to be recited, but still, maybe we could have a bit less of Odysseus thinking about how badly he wants to kill people (in his great wisdom), and more description of the more adventure-y bits.
Overall, classic of the Western canon and all that, and I enjoyed the translator, so it was alright.
I have to enter in a word for Mr. Butler. His footnotes are mostly informative, often hilarious, (and unfortunately sometimes a tiny bit sexist). He constantly plugs his other work, The Authoress of the Odyssey, in which he argues that a woman living in Sicily is the true creator of this work, and not "Homer." I have no idea if this opinion has any weight in modern scholarship, but I'm actually a bit curious to look into it.
Now for the actual story. I actually quite enjoyed reading about Telemachus' troubles for the first several chapters. Odysseus, on the other hand, is a bit of a disappointment. Different times and all that, but I have to note how, for someone who is described as one of the wisest and strongest of all heroes, he is a bit of a bloodthirsty ass. His calling card to Polyphemus is that the Achaeans "won infinite renown throughout the whole world, by sacking so great a city and killing so many people" (Bk IX). Apparently, one of his first actions after the taking of Troy was to sack a random city on the way home. He spends most of the last third of the book "pondering on the means whereby with Minerva's help he might be able to kill the suitors." Of course, after he and a few other men (+ Minerva) do indeed manage to massacre everyone in his house, it's helpful to have a goddess who can jump in and just tell everyone to be friends again.
I was also a little sad that all of the famous encounters that one associates with the Odyssey, like Polyphemus, the Sirens, Scylla and Charybdis, the Island of the Lotus Eaters, etc. seldom take more than a couple of paragraphs to a few pages to expound. I guess that leaves a lot of room for invention in the later interpretations that I previously read. And I suppose it can hardly be faulted in an epic poem that needs to be able to be recited, but still, maybe we could have a bit less of Odysseus thinking about how badly he wants to kill people (in his great wisdom), and more description of the more adventure-y bits.
Overall, classic of the Western canon and all that, and I enjoyed the translator, so it was alright.
May 13, 2025
Daniel Mendelsohn’s translation and edition, with the introduction, note to the translation, and end notes, has much to recommend, even for fans of other translations, including Emily Wilson.
In the vein of the long-line six-beat poetics of Richmond Lattimore, this one adopts a kind of semi-hexametric free verse that seeks to convey the Homeric poetics in a kind of semi-formal, sometimes slow, sometimes chunky, definitely considered English.
The Odyssey in this read is one I appreciate as a poem of grief and sorrow as much as it is the comic and adventurous counterpart to the somber bloodiness of the predecessor poem, the Iliad.
And as a sequel to the Iliad, it does everything a great sequel should. Sometimes parodying and playing a twist on the original, definitely amplifying and taking its paradigms and tropes and applying it into new settings, looking back on the original with a kind of pained nostalgia while also charting its own “Odyssean” course.
It’s also a heroic poem that’s a “post-heroic” poem, foreshadowing none other than the post-chivalric novel of novels that is Don Quixote; or the many romantic novels of a Jane Austen. It is in some ways the first “novel” or “proto-novel.” We still have gods and heroes and action and a mythical time frame in the past. But things are a bit different. The focus is a bit more domestic. The gods are a bit more distant. The hero a bit more unmoored, Odysseus alone without the rest of his heroic Iliad world around him. A coming of age for a son whose father was long absent.
All interesting dimensions growing richer on each read.
In the vein of the long-line six-beat poetics of Richmond Lattimore, this one adopts a kind of semi-hexametric free verse that seeks to convey the Homeric poetics in a kind of semi-formal, sometimes slow, sometimes chunky, definitely considered English.
The Odyssey in this read is one I appreciate as a poem of grief and sorrow as much as it is the comic and adventurous counterpart to the somber bloodiness of the predecessor poem, the Iliad.
And as a sequel to the Iliad, it does everything a great sequel should. Sometimes parodying and playing a twist on the original, definitely amplifying and taking its paradigms and tropes and applying it into new settings, looking back on the original with a kind of pained nostalgia while also charting its own “Odyssean” course.
It’s also a heroic poem that’s a “post-heroic” poem, foreshadowing none other than the post-chivalric novel of novels that is Don Quixote; or the many romantic novels of a Jane Austen. It is in some ways the first “novel” or “proto-novel.” We still have gods and heroes and action and a mythical time frame in the past. But things are a bit different. The focus is a bit more domestic. The gods are a bit more distant. The hero a bit more unmoored, Odysseus alone without the rest of his heroic Iliad world around him. A coming of age for a son whose father was long absent.
All interesting dimensions growing richer on each read.
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