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The Homeric Hymns
The best-selling, essential, and straightforward translation of the Homeric Hymns, accompanied by an expanded introduction and updated expert notes.
A rich source for students of Greek mythology and literature, the Homeric Hymns are also fine poetry. Attributed by the ancients to Homer, these prooimia, or preludes, were actually composed by various poets over centuries. They were performed at religious festivals as entertainment meant to stir up enthusiasm for far more ambitious compositions that followed them, namely the Iliad and Odyssey. Each of the thirty-three poems is written in honor of a Greek god or goddess. Together, the hymns provide a fascinating view into the ancients' view of deities.
In this long-awaited third edition of his acclaimed translations of the hymns, Apostolos Athanassakis preserves the vigor and the magic of the ancient text while modernizing traditional renditions of certain epithets and formulaic phrases. He avoids lengthening or truncating lines, thereby crafting a symmetrical text, and makes an effort to keep to an iambic flow without sacrificing accuracy. Athanassakis enhances his classic work with a new index of names and topics, updated bibliography, revised genealogical charts, and careful and selective changes in the translations themselves. An expanded introduction addresses ancient reception of the hymns. Numerous additions to the notes, reflecting over twenty-five years of scholarship, draw on modern anthropological and archaeological research to explore prominent themes and religious syncretism within the poems. These materials all enrich the reader's experience of these ancient and influential poems.
A perennial classroom favorite, The Homeric Hymns embodies thrilling new visions of antiquity.
A rich source for students of Greek mythology and literature, the Homeric Hymns are also fine poetry. Attributed by the ancients to Homer, these prooimia, or preludes, were actually composed by various poets over centuries. They were performed at religious festivals as entertainment meant to stir up enthusiasm for far more ambitious compositions that followed them, namely the Iliad and Odyssey. Each of the thirty-three poems is written in honor of a Greek god or goddess. Together, the hymns provide a fascinating view into the ancients' view of deities.
In this long-awaited third edition of his acclaimed translations of the hymns, Apostolos Athanassakis preserves the vigor and the magic of the ancient text while modernizing traditional renditions of certain epithets and formulaic phrases. He avoids lengthening or truncating lines, thereby crafting a symmetrical text, and makes an effort to keep to an iambic flow without sacrificing accuracy. Athanassakis enhances his classic work with a new index of names and topics, updated bibliography, revised genealogical charts, and careful and selective changes in the translations themselves. An expanded introduction addresses ancient reception of the hymns. Numerous additions to the notes, reflecting over twenty-five years of scholarship, draw on modern anthropological and archaeological research to explore prominent themes and religious syncretism within the poems. These materials all enrich the reader's experience of these ancient and influential poems.
A perennial classroom favorite, The Homeric Hymns embodies thrilling new visions of antiquity.
137 pages, Kindle Edition
Published August 4, 2020
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
December 10, 2025
"Blessed is the man you favor with willing heart, for he will have everything in abundance."
These types of books are hard to rate. It's worth pointing out that none of the Homeric hymns are attributed to Homer. The hymns do require some knowledge upfront, so I wouldn't reccommend them as a starting point. The text uses Greek patronymics liberally, such as Kronides for Zeus and Hyperionidês for Helios.
Hymn 4 to Hermes was my favourite, Apollo and Hermes are just hilarious together. I also have to respect Anchises's willingness to risk it all for Aphrodite.
"And neither god nor mortal man will restrain me till I find love in your arms right now; [...] godlike woman, willingly would I go to the house of Hades once I have shared your bed."
Like yeah man, get it.
The notes were interesting but the layout of the book made it tedious to flip back and forth. Would have liked to see the notes at the end of each hymn instead. The notes, while intersting, contradict themselves at times (e.g. claiming Typhon's parentage as Hera and later as Gaia, or crediting Hermes and then Pan with the invention of the flute) but mythology is inherently fluid so it didn't bother me too much.
"Here, however, we must be careful not to project our own ideas of religious propriety onto those of the ancient Greek, whose gods laughed and danced whereas ours do not."
I personally lean more towards plays rather than hymns in terms of enjoyment. My favourite hymn (4 to Hermes) was the closest to a play out of all. Books like these do introduce me to new concepts and rabbitholes to dive into. I had never heard of the story of Eos and Tithonus, eternal life while still aging seems like a living nightmare.
"She placed him in a chamber and shut its shining doors. His voice flows endlessly and there is no strength, such as there were before, in his crooked limbs."
Overall a good collection to fill up some knowledge gaps and get some new perspectives from the translator's notes.
These types of books are hard to rate. It's worth pointing out that none of the Homeric hymns are attributed to Homer. The hymns do require some knowledge upfront, so I wouldn't reccommend them as a starting point. The text uses Greek patronymics liberally, such as Kronides for Zeus and Hyperionidês for Helios.
Hymn 4 to Hermes was my favourite, Apollo and Hermes are just hilarious together. I also have to respect Anchises's willingness to risk it all for Aphrodite.
"And neither god nor mortal man will restrain me till I find love in your arms right now; [...] godlike woman, willingly would I go to the house of Hades once I have shared your bed."
Like yeah man, get it.
The notes were interesting but the layout of the book made it tedious to flip back and forth. Would have liked to see the notes at the end of each hymn instead. The notes, while intersting, contradict themselves at times (e.g. claiming Typhon's parentage as Hera and later as Gaia, or crediting Hermes and then Pan with the invention of the flute) but mythology is inherently fluid so it didn't bother me too much.
"Here, however, we must be careful not to project our own ideas of religious propriety onto those of the ancient Greek, whose gods laughed and danced whereas ours do not."
I personally lean more towards plays rather than hymns in terms of enjoyment. My favourite hymn (4 to Hermes) was the closest to a play out of all. Books like these do introduce me to new concepts and rabbitholes to dive into. I had never heard of the story of Eos and Tithonus, eternal life while still aging seems like a living nightmare.
"She placed him in a chamber and shut its shining doors. His voice flows endlessly and there is no strength, such as there were before, in his crooked limbs."
Overall a good collection to fill up some knowledge gaps and get some new perspectives from the translator's notes.
September 6, 2024
I realised I didn't have a copy of this for my Greek literature Oddysey, so I bought this translation off trademe. It was more expensive, but I hoped it would be worth it for the notes.
The hymns were pretty good, my favourite was the hymn to Demeter, and the whole battle of masculine vs feminine power was an interesting interpretation. I also enjoyed the insights into later Greek culture and how some of these ancient beliefs and practices became syncretised into Greek Christianity.
The notes section at the back also contains a basic introduction to each hymn, and I really think these would have been better placed with the hymns themselves, to minimise flipping back and forth. I suppose some people may just want to let the hymns stand on their own.
The hymns were pretty good, my favourite was the hymn to Demeter, and the whole battle of masculine vs feminine power was an interesting interpretation. I also enjoyed the insights into later Greek culture and how some of these ancient beliefs and practices became syncretised into Greek Christianity.
The notes section at the back also contains a basic introduction to each hymn, and I really think these would have been better placed with the hymns themselves, to minimise flipping back and forth. I suppose some people may just want to let the hymns stand on their own.
January 10, 2023
You should read this book for the stories that it contains, some of which, like the Hymn to Demeter, are truly wonderful. I have not read other transalations but this one was perfectly decent. I think gets a good balance between something that is true to the original and something that is a pleasure to read in English. I am not a scholar of Greek or the Classics and this book is defintely accessible for the casual reader. I read it a part of a book club and it is even better in that context.
December 17, 2020
Before I rave about this book, in the spirit of full disclosure, I had the author as a professor at UCSB between 1998 - 2000.
That being said, I can honestly state this is book is a MUST-HAVE for any fan of mythology or poetry. The translation is flawless and the footnotes are just enough to foster an understanding of the source material.
That being said, I can honestly state this is book is a MUST-HAVE for any fan of mythology or poetry. The translation is flawless and the footnotes are just enough to foster an understanding of the source material.
April 24, 2022
An intriguing and new-to-me collection of poetry and hymns to Greek deities. Certainly something to share with students looking to deep-dive into mythology!
November 30, 2023
Probably my favourite translation of the Hymns thus far.
August 22, 2025
Really appreciated the translator notes, good stories, very useful.
July 11, 2023
Dire que ces chants ont traversés le temps, c’est fou ! J’avoue que certains chants m’ont soûlé, c’était inintéressant. Mais y en a certains qui m’ont vraiment touché et qui étaient incroyables ! Et dans tous les cas, ce livre est forcément incroyable vu ce qu’il raconte et les époques qu’il a traversé pour venir jusqu’à nous.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews