The Odyssey

"Let me at least not die without a struggle, inglorious, but do some big thing first, that men to come shall know of it." -Homer (Hector speaking)

The Conflict

At the brink of war, two great nations fought for the sake of glory and honor. One for the rescuing of Helen, the wife of Agamemnon, who was stolen by Paris, and the other for the protection of the fate of Ilium. On the defensive you have the Trojans of Ilium (commonly referred to as Troy), and on the offensive you have the Achaians (commonly referred to as the Greeks). The defenders have Hector as their champion of war, as well as Paris, who is the slimy man who stole Helen from the Greeks. The offenders have Achilles, Patroklus, Agamemnon, Odysseus, and the fuel of indistinguishable rage.

The Gods

On the one hand this is a battle of mortals, fighting to the death for the honor of an afterlife they aren't even sure is pleasant. On the other hand this is just a microcosm for the chaotic power struggle between the gods of which Zeus is king. Hera, Athena, and Poseidon fight for the Achaians, while Aphrodite, Apollo, and Artemis fight for the Trojans.

Life Is A Battle

One can only wonder what Homer was trying to convey by portraying the entire religious and human constitution as a battle. To be human, according to Homer is to be a warrior, battling through life and death for the ultimate prizes that surpass wealth: honor and glory.

Honor

Honor is that human quality that has to do with moral dignity. Best exemplified in Odysseus, it is standing your ground in the face of death in order to fulfill the duty of a soldier to his fellow warriors, to fight for them as well as yourself. To be an honorable warrior is not the same thing as being a glorious warrior.

Glory

Glory is that god-like quality of seeking victory and domination for the sake of one's own name. Best exemplified in Achilles, he sought glory in the slaying of Hector, and vengeance in his disgrace. While Achilles was glorious in his victory he was dishonorable in his conduct towards Hector. One can achieve glory without honor just as much as one can achieve honor without glory.

A Poem

Written in Homeric Greek, this long narrative is actually a poem. Its rhythm exemplifies tension and conflict, rage and warfare. The gore and detail of the battles show that this is a poem about death and mortality more than it is about life and victory. This point cannot be overstressed: the lives of the Achaians and the Trojans were lives of conflict, battle, war, and rage.

A World of Chaos

In the end, the chaotic struggle between men and men, gods and gods, exemplifies the arduous chaos of human life. To be human, according to the Iliad, is to be a fighter. To not fight is to lose, and to not struggle is to be defeated. Whether it be the gods, man, or beast, the good life is the life of constant battle and war.

The Illiad is an epic poem from Ancient Greece. It is a must read for any serious student of the history of Western Literature. This is a quality translation from the 19th century. Depending on one's taste this is not necessarily a fun read.

I personally struggle with some poetry. I am not one to suggest to others about how or on what that they spend money. However, I read The Iliad while at the same time listening to an audio book. I found the experience enjoyable and well worth the extra expense. Thank You...

This is a classic, or even "the" classic, for good reason. I read it along with a book explicating plot and characters - NOT Cliff Notes for Heaven's sake! - having missed it in college. It was worth the effort. It's truly a great story, rich with language, an exciting plot with twists and turns, characters who fail and then rise - and vice-versa, and replete with questions of right, wrong, regret, reward and punishment. They say if you're to be a great writer, you must to read and understand this. (But get a highly-regarded book that takes you through this masterpiece. I would have been confused as to who's who had I not.)

As a fan of both classic literature and graphic novels, I'm suprised that I hadn't discovered Gareth Hind's _Odyssey_ sooner. I am pleased that I have finally stumbled on it. The story pre-dates its writing by several hundred years, its "hero's journey" a part of our collective story telling that still resonates today. Hinds has taken this timeless story and beautifully illustrated it while still managing to maintain the essence of Homer's story - no easy feat.

Like the original, Hinds tells the story in 24 chapters. And while his version is truncated, Hinds nevertheless touches on the main plot points and characters: the Cyclops, Aeolius, Circe, the Suitors - they're all here, vividly depicted, their voices and actions true to Homer's telling. I imagine the book would be ideal as an introduction to Homer, perhaps for a pre-teen (or early teenager), or for those (like me) who have a deep and abiding love for these old stories. For those interested in the original (or, having had their appetites whetted by HInds, now ready for the real thing), I recommend The Odyssey. That said, I certainly recommend this telling of the story, with hopes that Hinds will next turn his considerable talents to the Iliad The Iliad (Penguin Classics Deluxe Edition) or the Epic of Gilgamesh An Old Babylonian Version of the Gilgamesh Epic: On the Basis of Recently Discovered Texts.

I have several points to make in this review. The first is to explain why I recommend the Fagles translation over that of Lombardo. The choice of translation is at one and the same time easy, personal and fraught with consequence.
It is easy because all the translations that I am familiar with (Fitzgerald, Fagles and Lombardo) are excellent and have their own excellencies. It is personal because because I believe it is largely a matter of individual aesthetic. But it is fraught with consequence.
Let me explain that last part. In Homeric Moments, Eva Braan points out the passage in Book 18 when Achilles first talks to Thetis after hearing that Patrocles has been killed by Hector. Fagles (p. 470, Line 96) translates the line as "I've lost him". Lombardo parses the line as "And I killed him" (Lombardo, p. 357, Line 86). Braan suggests that the alternate to lost should be "destroyed" (Braan, p. 11). This crux epitomizes my loss at not knowing Greek and having to read translations. I lose out on those moments, those flashes of shifting insight that knowing that the word I am reading can imply loss, guilt and transgression all at the same time.
Knowing that there are trade-offs of insight to win or lose on the choice of a translation, I recommend you read several. Pick a main translation. And at the moments of consequence in the story, consult the others. Lombardo is flat out better at making Book 2(the catalogue of ships) not only readable but purposeful. Homer in that one chapter is giving all the islands, all the kingdoms and cities of Greece a place in the national epic of the country. He is giving everyone in Greece a hero to look back on as their own.
But in general I find Lombardo to be, for lack of a better term, coarser. And, I think it has a lot to do with his methodology. I read his intro as saying that he works his translation out over the coarse of time by performing it (fair enough since we are reading Homer, the singer of epics). But, as a result of those readings perhaps, his translation has passages that are real clunkers.
For example, I laughed out loud when I read this:
"Well let me tell you something. I guarantee
That if I ever catch you running on at the mouth again
As you were just now, my name isn't Odysseus..." (Lombardo, p.28, Line 279-281)
I read those line and what I see is young Marlon Brando in The Wild Ones not Odysseus.
Compare Fagles:
"I tell you this, so help me it's the truth:
If I catch you again, blithering on this way,
let Odysseus' head be wrenched off his shoulders" (Fagles, p. 108, Line 301-303).
That line count is also an issue- Lombardo's methodology leads him to leave out words, phrases
and lines because they are unneccessary to performance. I can't go with that.
I could go on but I think you see my argument. To sum up: I don't read/speak a bit of Greek. My ear when reading aloud leads me to prefer the Fagles translation but the Lombardo is a valuable adjunct to that reading. Since both translations are also interpretations, to read them both is to probably get a little closer to Homer.
And, by the way, both contain useful introductions although I think Knox's intro to Fagles' translation is better than Murnaghan's to Lombardo's translation.
Finally, why should you care? I have hinted at it in my review title and my remark on the catalogue of ships. Homer's poetic style reveals so much more than an epic on force or whatever the critical summation de jour is. He creates a world. Not just a world at war but through his similes a world of crafts, work, weddings, births, murders, kinships, friendships, of gods, of monsters, of countries and of history. Toward the end of the book, the God Hephaestus creates for Achilles a new shield. Homer describes in detail the working on the shield, the two cities, one at war, one at peace and the whole universe that surrounds them. It is the perfect simile for the effect of Homer's poem as a whole.
The other reason you should read this book is the central conflict between Hector and Achilles. Both men are doomed and know it. Both are aware that the success of their side is dependent on them.
Achilles is the more god-like but Hector is the better man, the more humane human being. You should care about reading about these two because in their conflict, they are tracing out what is was for the men of ancient Greece to live and to die. And their story continues to carry the weight of the ways that they faced their fate down to our own time.
Which brings me to my final reason for preferring Fagles over Lombardo. Brando in The Wild Ones was a marvel. There is nothing wrong at all with Brando from The Wild Ones. Brando from On the Waterfront was even better. But Brando is not Hector, he is not Achilles, he is not Odysseus or Diomedes or Great Ajax. To my ears, all too often Lombardo give us Brando. Fagles gives us the Greeks. At least, to my ears and my soul. Try the two of them out and let me know how you feel. And if anyone wants to argue the merits of different translations in the comments, have at me.

This is an engaging, elegant, and lyrical translation of the Iliad. I highly reccomend it to those who imagine themselves to be familiar with this classic of Western Civilization. Caroline Alexander is a literary artist of the first order. This edition of the Iliad would be a wonderful first foray into Homer and poetic prose. The introductory remarks are worth the price of the entire translation.

No one translates Homer better than Fagles in my opinion. The original was written with a particular rhythm and meter. While Fagles poetic structure is not identical to the original, he makes the attempt to return it to poetic form successfully. It requires a little slower pace to read and decode than prose versions, but it is well worth the effort. I used to teach English, and this is my number one favorite for personal reading or teaching to higher level classes.

Robert Fagles's translation of Homer's Odyssey is highly readable and fast-paced. It's an enjoyable read. The same cannot be said for Bernard Knox's lengthy Introduction.

The crafty, deceitful, vain, and yet often admired and respected Odysseus springs to life (as do other characters and situations) in this epic tale of wandering, militarism, hospitality, savagery, and domesticity and the conflicts between them.

The structure of the story may strike the modern reader, used to the novel, biography, history, and modern poetry, as odd. Homer's repetitions, parentheticals, diversions, and effusions can seem strange. Sometimes it seems that Odysseus wanderings are no more than a framework from which to hang disparate adventure stories. But, of course, that's also part of the poem's allure as the reader tries to see and experience the poem as an ancient Greek listening to it would have.

The end notes are also by Knox, who, unlike in his Introduction, seems here to have skimped: more explanation and depth would have been appropriate.

Point: All the perils, deception, and monsters in the ancient world could not keep the hero Ulysses from returning to his home after the destruction of Troy.

Path: Homer takes the reader on an epic adventure through the Greek world of ships, storms, gods, and battle. Set in poetic verse, this ancient rhyme rings of man's life in the shadow of the gods. At times they smile upon the finite man, and at others they seek to crush his frail existence.

Agreement: This was an exciting story, told with great descriptions and flowing words. The arrangement of story told and retold added to the suspense of the adventure.

Disagreement: The dated english mixed with the various names of greek gods made it difficult to follow all the conversations. The format of this kindle book also made it harder since the poetry was reduced to rhyming paragraphs.

Favorite Quotes: "Beauty unchaste is beauty in disgrace." "Be thy soul at rest; and know, whatever heaven ordains is best." "Of all the ills unhappy mortals know, a life of wanderings is the greatest woe."

It would be worth another read and I would recommend it.

*I would recommend listening to Josh Garrel's song, Ulysses, after reading this.

This book is sold for less than many other versions of the odyssey and this is because it ends at chapter 9 and the print is quite small. Older readers will need a magnifying glass to read it. My 13-year old daughter can read it, but she isn't happy with it. Do yourself a favour, spend a few more dollars and get a proper copy that has the whole version. I will be returning this.

Biggest plus is the type style and clarity of print. The typeface is reminiscent of an ancient manuscript yet it is extremely legible. Such a joy to read. Blow it up 200% on 11 by 17 paper and it is awesome to behold. Being able to read this Greek text without help is the ulitmate goal of Homer enthusiasts. Using this book as the last stage in a line of preparatory steps is very satisfying.

On the downside, excess glue collected on the edge of the inside front cover during production, leaving a ridge of glue that makes a noticeable hump which detracts from product quality and pride of ownership. Better quality control is needed.

Additionally, not only aren't lines numbered but there is no pagination. The only way to get ones barings is by the separation of books. Stranger still, there is no copyright page, table of contents, or introduction of any kind. Even the back cover promo has nothing to do with the book itself. None of its features are described; no one is credited; and no acknowledgements are found. Only a small indicator is stamped on bottom of the last page: "Printed in the USA, Lexington, KY." Where in Lexington and by whom is not known. The date stamped is the date I ordered the book; which seems to indicate that copies are printed only as ordered. In short, this publication lacks integrity.

I have read other versions of the Odyssey -- loved the journeys, was bored by the verbiage.
This was like reading an action thriller! I couldn't put it down. Is there such an expression as 'binge-read?'

Lately, the wandering of my reading has taken me home to Homer, once again. I began by reading “Song of Achilles” by Madeline Miller, a novel which I can’t recommend more highly, and from there to “The Iliad” in a translation by Robert Graves. Then I moved onto “The Odyssey” and this time read from the Lattimore translation after having previously studied at length the Fitzgerald translation. Homer proves that the test of time is a valid one: that is, there is a reason that the writing has endured 2800 years and remains widely read. In the case of the “Odyssey” it seems that the experience of Odysseus in his wandering home after the sack of Troy is the journey of humanity itself. His encounters and trials and experiences as well as his defeats and suffering and losses are all too human. Every human being, if s/he lives long enough, must come to grips with most of the experiences of the heroic figures of Homer in a version suitable to the context of our era. I sense that Homer envisioned Odysseus as a perfect human being for his heyday: he was expert in the art of war and a fierce warrior as well as highly resourceful, intelligent, fit, courageous, strategically gifted, spiritual, handsome, wealthy and highly regarded by the gods and mortal beings. He shares many of the same frustrations as Achilles who is also a demi-god with one human and one godly parent. So their strengths and perfections, which distinguish them among others, emerge into play from their godliness which in turn drives them onto inhuman tasks which are frustrated by their human imperfections. In the case of Achilles his anger cannot be restrained and his brooding over the loss of Breiseis to Agamemnon costs him not only the life of his dearest friend, Patroclus, but also nearly the loss of the war by the Greeks. Odysseus is able to channel his suffering and his frustrations into decisive action which does not destroy him. Achilles is killed on the battlefield of Troy far from home like Patroclus but Odysseus manages to keep his wits about him and channel his frustration and suffering into constructive action. It helps that Odysseus is much beloved by Pallas Athene who comes to his rescue whenever Homer has placed Odysseus into such a bind in the storyline that only divine intervention enables the epic to continue. Consider the monsters and trials that Odysseus overcomes after he survives the 10-year war throughout his further 10-year wandering home: you may recognize them all around you. Consider the Lotoseaters so addicted to their soul killing habits that they are incapable of constructive action. Or the Wandering Rocks which are treacherous shoals or obstacles which shift and transfigure as Odysseus seeks to navigate his black, hollow ship through them. Or the Sirens which sing to him tragically about the truth of the Trojan War to lure his ship onto the rocks of his destruction. Or the harsh winds of Aeolus which blow him off course and confound his sense of direction. What starving sailors can forsake their bellies when the sacred oxen of Helios are grazing gently beneath the sun? How do you defeat a one-eyed monster with tunnel vision like the Cyclops? Odysseus blinds the only eye of the Cyclops and escapes: is history not full of Manichaeans with limited vision and without humanity who have lorded over us? Then, of course, there is Circe, the sensual vixen whose honey wine turns men into swine – of course, this hardly ever happens in real life, right? Who would have thought that the highest blessing of human beauty such as Helen’s could cause so much tragedy on a grand scale sufficient to launch a thousand ships and a decade of brutal war? There is the trip to the dead shades of Hades to consider, as always. Homer is constantly forcing his readers to suffer the deaths of their favorite heroes with Odysseus as an exception. Was it Shaw who wanted his audiences to suffer as much as possible? If so, he learned it from Homer. What about the battle for fidelity between a handsome, powerful king and a beautiful but distant, wealthy wife over 20 years? What about the struggle between a father and his child, whom he hasn’t seen enough because his work requires him to travel widely? Or of the simple challenge of just getting from here to there over a long distance during storms with lost luggage, labor disputes, bad management, misfortune and confusion in translation to overcome. Then there are the gods: the Greeks gave a godly name and human attributes to every force of man and random nature, and then sets them against each other. Gods of war, the sea, the sun, the wind, death, the earth, harvest, the chase, etc. forever seem almost randomly to make life difficult for the human race which continues to cause its own downfall but insufficiently to wipe us off the face of the planet – so far. How easily offended are the gods and how great is their wrath in power struggles with these inhuman forces which in Homer never cease because the gods, like humans, always want what they want, when they want it, no matter what. There is rarely compromise in Homer: only catastrophic defeat as one god singly, or in an alliance, overpowers others. The gods are forever taking sides and evening out the power struggle to ensure that it is protracted and desperate and bloody in its consequences. There are perpetually sacrifices to make at the cost of great suffering and no easy ways out and, while ample irony exists, there is virtually no comedy: the only laughter in Homer comes in brutal displays of irony. So it’s no wonder that James Joyce, later in life one-eye-blind with an eye-patch like Cyclops, chose Leopold Bloom as his bald Odysseus and Stephen Dedalus as his brilliant, younger Telemachus and Molly Bloom as Penelope in his genius work of one day in the life of three Dubliners a century ago. “The Odyssey” and its characters are immortal because there is so much about them then that is so much like us now. In a way it’s reassuring that the essence of human nature has survived nearly three millennia and yet in another sense it’s horrific to wonder that we haven’t learned more or even anything from the lessons of history. We continue to endure the nightmare of ancient history from which we can never seem to awaken. So I’ll wander home again to Homer in another few years by way of yet another masterful translation. Because we never really seem to arrive properly at home and like Odysseus seem destined to wander all our lives in great circles. Immortal genius, Homer, is a journey well worth the fare. By all means embark.

Robert Fagles' translation of the ancient Greek poem about war, ‘The Iliad.’ is said to be the best one for beauty and clarity, and I found that was true. Fagle’s poem is very accessible and it makes clear what may be fuzzy for modern ordinary readers in trying to understand the culture, literature and emotions of a very ancient people who inadvertently passed down a story from millennia ago. Since the poem was written originally in another language, although the pain, hopes, losses and triumphs of war are unchanging, transforming Greek word meanings into English grammatical constructions can make or break an English reader’s interest and/or comprehension.

This version was an easy translation to read and I actually enjoyed it. This was required reading for high school and college but it was difficult to get through back then since I was so busy. I always wanted to make it through the whole book at my own pace since its such a historic book so I'm glad I finally accomplished it.

The Odyssey by Geraldine McCaughrean is a really good childrens version of Homer’s Odyssey. Everything is there, but it is easy to understand. My 8-year-old read it out loud to me in school. He’s not a very sensitive kid and most of the stories in the book didn’t faze him, but the scene where Odysseus’s dog dies of happiness at seeing Odysseus again was too much for him, so be aware there is some content that may disturb some kids (it is, after all, The Odyssey). I highly recommend reading this aloud to children (or having them read it).

Excellent book, a timeless classic, though not everyone will enjoy the fact that Homer's vivid use of simile and metaphor sometimes mean he takes three times as long to say something as if he would just out and say it. The critiques of war and the warrior ethic, including the place of compassion and justice in the midst of battle, are particularly profound.

My one gripe with the the store edition is that it is difficult to navigate to chapter beginnings or particular pages. It is helpful to be able to search for particular quotes or words though.

I agree with almost everything Bruce Trinque says in his review... with one obvious exception, so I'll concentrate on that.

Given that with Verity the reader is "getting something that hews quite closely to the original" for a variety of reasons, and despite that it's "not the finest English poetic rendition" but "may well be the best way for an Enflish (sic) language reader to best approach the real heart of the Iliad," I would suggest that it is, in fact, close to perfect for the first time reader. In my opinion, it's also impressive for those already familiar with the poem, both in the Greek and in other translations.

Also, I would recommend that first time readers avoid like the plague both Fagles' and Mitchell's versions, the former vastly overwritten and the latter vastly underwritten. That's not to say that Fagles and Michell have produced unreadable versions, but both are very definitely "based on" the Greek text as opposed to being an attempt to faithfully reproduce the Greek text into English, which is what Verity is attempting and largely succeeds in doing. For what it's worth, I admire both the Fagles and Mitchell versions.

Lattimore's translation comes closest to Verity's in form and spirit and is venerated, justly, by many, but I prefer Verity's on the grounds that it's less cumbersome in expression, a fault which Lattimore falls into surprisingly often, and Verity seldom makes straightforward translation errors, which crop up in Lattimore more often than one might expect.

My only serious objection to Verity is that he frequently alters the expression of what are verbatim repetitions in the Greek, almost as if he were trying to disguise the immense volume of such occurences in the original.

However, if I were recommending a translation for first time readers, Verity's would come first with Lattimore's a close second.

Bought this book to help my daughter with her English assignment..... I ended up enjoying it, surprisingly.. the terms are someone difficult to follow and I was constantly looking up. Otherwise the story was exciting and the plot kept me engaged.

it is a beautiful book with the illustrations and font choice. my only complaint is that I thought I was buying an adult version of the book. no fault of the author and illustrator. At first looking for this item it is presented in paperback which I hate so when I select hardcover the picture shifts to this. So now I am stuck with this book I cannot use.
Just make sure to check the age range for the book you are buying.
my issue is with the stores linking system when choosing the presentation of the book. ( paperback,hardcover,audio, kindle)

My 9th grader actually had to read both the Iliad and Odyssey and do book reports on them, so some of the parents met every couple of weeks to discuss the books in detail with my daughter's teacher being the moderator. Despite so much violence, the Iliad is a much more interesting book. Odyssey is somewhat boring ( to me ).

With many recent movies (e.g. Troy with Brad Pitt) and the older B/W versions, on cable lately, my husband expressed an interest in re-reading these classics. After examining the books available and their reviews, I settled on purchasing this version combining the two - Iliad and Odyssey. The boxed set and format/quality of these books really filled my idea as to how to have these classic stories on paper. My husband is already entralled in reading the first and has stated that he really enjoys the translation and feels that it does bring to life these stories in the original form, not the revamped current movie versions. The Greek mythos is a delight to his reading thus our conversations on the book so far has stimulated my interest in reading the books, too...it has been far too long since I even thought of revisiting these books once read in high school.

So the quality of these classics is very apparent in the appearance, binding and paper - hence the cost for this boxed set is 100% worth it! You won't be disappointed by the visual fact of the set, nor reading the translation of these classic books.

Reading's wonderful. There's nothing like curling up with one and leaving reality for an hour or two. But it's even nicer to lay back, close one's eyes and listen to this wonderful classic tale told by the greatest living Shakespearian actor on the planet. And this translation of the Iliad is perfect for such storytelling.

A friend, criticizing Brad Pitt's Achilles in the recent movie TROY, complained that Pitt's portrayal of the world's greatest warrior was one who was too much of a philosopher and cynic. "Just like Homer's Achilles," I reminded him. And there's no shortage of Achilles' righteous indignation at the pompous Agamemnon, son of Atreus, who sacrificed his only daughter, Iphigenia, to Artimis for favorable winds to ill-fated Troy. Given this, it should be no trouble choosing sides: Agamemnon, the great king of kings or Achilles, of whom Agamemnon called "the most dangerous man I've ever met."

Jacobi first came to the attention of many Americans for his portrayal of the Roman Emperor Claudius Drusus Nero Germanicus, the wily old republican who became the adoptive father of Nero, the mad emperor. Since the death of Lawrence Olivier, Jacobi has generally been regarded as the greatest living Shakespearian actor. Olivier, in his last days, apparently disagreed, saying Jacobi was greater than he. In the midst of all this modesty and tribute, the viewer/listener will have to come to his or her own conclusion.

This is a wonderful CD.

This is an average translation of The Iliad. It's not one I would recommend to friends, but one could easily do worse.

Pros
Good price (Free on Kindle!)
Unabridged
Concise summaries precede each section.

Cons
Dated language (The translation is from 1864)
Latin (Roman) names are used instead of the Greek ones. (Zeus is Jove. Odysseus is Ulysses. Etc.)
No footnotes

A lot of things that were required reading in college should not have been; that is not the case for Homer's Illiad. There is a good reason why it's called a classic. Sure, it's a little long and the catalogues get a bit tedious. But I was totally blown away by how totally modern this story remains. The battle scenes are as bloody as anything about modern warefare we see on the nighly news. (The book cover has a photograph taken of World War II soldiers landing at Normandy entitled "Into the Jaws of Death.) And while reading this, I opened up an issue of USA Today and see that Brad Pitt will be starring in a movie based on this epic.
The Iliad does have so much universal appeal. For example, the scene where Hector's son is frightened by his father's helmet and cries as Hector attempts to say goodbye before going into battle. Or when King Priam comes to plead with Achilles for the body of Hector and Achilles suggests that he eat in order to assuage his grief for his beloved fallen son. How many times have we all taken food to our bereaved friends and family. Sometimes it's all we know to do.
If the purists are upset about this translation, I am not. Parts of this work read like a modern novel. In addition to an occasional four letter word, we see phrases like "get the hell out," "put me out of commission," "tough customer," and "you're nothing but trash," to name a few. There are beautifully constructed phrases as well: in one of the many battle scenes "death enfolded them" and Priam describes himself as being on the "threshold of old age."
Sheila Murnaghan has written a long, interesting introduction to the work. There is also a catalogue of "Combat Deaths," and who killed whom if you are keeping up with that sort of thing, as well as a list of the speeches and an index of the major Greeks, Trojans and, of course, Zeus and his crowd.
A thoroughly enjoyable reread!

From many versions/translations of this 1000s-year-old classic, our Greek-scholar instructor chose this one. Since this is the only one I'll ever read I can't verify the choice but I found it easy reading and of course, basically an exciting story. The printing and binding are top-rate.

1955 (then23 years old I bought the Odyssey Mentor Book.An now 60 years later am reading it again.
Homer is fantastic and I enjoy reading it to day.Something is funny like when Nestors son says I don't
like crying over my supper ".

This performance of the Iliad is very, very good. I rate my having heard this audio book as one of the most prescient artistic experiences of my life. George Guidall is a superb actor able to read classics like this at several levels of feeling. The Fitzgerald translation is very fine; currently the Fagles translation is in fashion in academia but the audio version of that translation is not complete. I hesitated before buying this version but decided in its favor because it's the whole thing. I found that the Fitzgerald is perfectly great right up to the last word, as is Guidall's performance of it. I then bought the book of the Fitzgerald and plan to consult it as well. For more about the last word in the Iliad, and the significance of that word, try reading my essay at [...] I mention this for obvious reasons of shameless self-promotion but also certainly because it was the way that Guidall turned the final phrase that made me realize where the dissemblance was in the Iliad. I had read the story in both English and Greek but Guidall's bardic rendition made the difference. Many thanks to George Guidall! I strongly recommend this audio book.

For nearly three thousand years the poems of Homer have thrilled listeners of every culture and epoch. Allusions to The Iliad and The Odyssey are so pervasive in our western culture that they are almost required reading for anyone who wishes to study western literature.

Briefly, The Iliad is the story of the ten year long Trojan War, which climaxes with the destruction of the city of Troy by the Greeks through the deception of the Trojan Horse. Filled with tales of the heroes and gods of ancient Greece, Homer's poems are noted for the masterful use of wonderfully illustrative similes and metaphors, which become all the more wonderful with the understanding that Homer is believed to have been blind!

Translations of Homer which try to adhere to the original poetic structure and be as literal as possible are immensely difficult to read by all but the most focused scholars. Other translations have completley deviated from any resemblance of poetry in an effort to be more accessible to the average reader. Here Mr. Fagles has achieved a translation which is not only easy to read and understand, but which retains the poetic lyricism of the original.

Homer's works should be on the bookshelf of anyone who is interested in the classics, and with this translation you don't have to be a University Professor to appreciate them.

Free older translation which is somewhat stilted. I downloaded it because of a reference made to characters in another book I was reading. I read the Iliad years ago in a college classics course and needed a refresher. Once I had my answer, I put this down. It suited my purpose, but if you want a more modern translation, you'll have to pay for it.

The Illiad is a foundational work for the rest of western literature.

Just go ahead and read this. It is pretty much free. You'll be surprised at the number of English-language cultural references come from this work.

If this is too hard to read, there are many good audiobook versions as well.

The Odyssey is a famous epic poem centering around the adventures of Odysseus, hero of the Trojan War. As the story begins there is a crisis in the royal palace at Ithaca. With Odysseus having been gone for nearly twenty years, his wife, Penelope, is besieged with suitors. They've moved into the palace and for three years have consumed much of the resources of the young prince, Telemachus. Unknown to all is that Odysseus is alive but being held prisoner by Calypso on the island of Ogygia.
We do not hear what happened to Odysseus until Book 5 when he's released from Ogygia with the help of Athena, only to lose his craft from Poseidon's storm. Barely surviving the storm, he washed up on the island of Phaeacia. There we learn of his incredible adventure since leaving Troy.
Battling monsters, giants, and angry gods and goddesses, Odysseus used courage, cunning, and guile to get out of one jam after another, but he was unable to save his crew. When he finally made it to Ithaca he would be faced with the biggest challenge of all-saving his kingdom.
Such was Homer's tale which must have both thrilled and terrorized the young Greeks when they first heard it some 2500 years ago. While today's youth may be a bit desensitized to Odysseus' terrors we can be moved by his courage and devotion to his family. Penelope is also a heroine in this story. Her devotion to her lost husband and awareness that her son's inheritance must be protected tore her apart; and Telemachus, only a baby when his father left, had to grow up on his own and be prepared to give his life for the kingdom. I think you'll enjoy the story.

This is a great introduction to the ultimate epic of western culture. You can read it to elementary aged children, or have older children read it alone. Unlike Homer's version, this one runs chronologically, so it's easier for younger children to follow the story line. The language is easy to understand, but still beautiful and complex. The illustrations are gorgeous and will draw the whole family into the story. Both of my children are in high school and have read the real thing, but both still look back fondly on this book and say it helped them tremendously when they were ready to tackle the real thing.

The odyssey is an ancient Epic Poem by Homer. It is a classic for one reason, it is among the best of the classics. There have been numerous movies made base solely on teh odyssey, however, it is important to us all to read the latest and most up to date translations should we truly wish to become, in the least, properly educated. Of course, the same holds true for the works of one off the most important Social Physiologist of all time, my best reading friend, William Shakespeare. But, then, let us not forget Leonardo Deviancy, the first of all of the mechanical geniuses.

I have read a few different translations of the Odyssey, and by far, Robert Fagles' translation is the clearest and most vivid. It is easy enough for high school students to understand and overall, really brings Homer's epic to life. Although the book was written almost 3000 years ago, the themes and struggles of the characters are just as relatable as they were back then. I would recommend this book to anyone who has an interest in Homer's work, or really just wants to read a great story.

This is a decent if somewhat archaic 19th century translation by the Earl of Derby, but the verse appears as prose, which is distracting. There seems to be a pattern of Kindle editions mangling verse.

This translation is used by Hillsdale College in their free online course, Great Books I. I had been "meaning to" read the Iliad for 40 years. Now I have. The book is worth it just for the introduction alone. I now find that not a day goes by that I don't here some reference to the Iliad, on the news, in conversation, or even on my son's Xbox game (apparently some of the gods that can save him are named Athena, Apollo, or other Greek gods).

I possess just about every translation of the Iliad in printed and/or digital format. I now Professor Green's Iliad in printed and digital formats. What an achievement! As a senior and amateur dipper into this greatest of classics I am pleased to report that here at last is a translation that satisfies on all levels: rhythm, choice of language (jargon and slang free), line-by-line accuracy, introduction and notes.
Just reading Book 2 today:

Line 89: βοτρυδὸν δὲ πέτονται ἐπ ̓ ἄνθεσιν εἰαρινοῖσιν
and hover like clustering grapes above the springtime blossoms. What harmony in those lines. The closest echo in English to the original. More vivid and more accurate than clusters others have given

Line 92 ἠιόνος προπάροιθε βαθείης βαθύς - the deep, i.e. wide, shore, Il.2.92 Scott-Liddall Greek Lexicon.
Professor Green has the wide seashore others have deep - Loeb (my other favourite) has the low sea beach

In his fine introduction Peter Green says: I find the notion of a master poet highly persuasive. I agree. Unless we ever hear anything to the contrary why not opt for the simple answer to the Homeric authorship and agree with the ancients that one man was responsible for the two masterpieces?

If only the publishers could mimic the Loeb and have this translation alongside the Greek. In the meantime I’m putting together my own dual version using the Oxford Homer and the Leaf notes as Professor Green has done. I now eagerly await his Odyssey.

Ron Lawrence

There are several versions of The Odyssey on the store - with the The Odyssey being the other. They're both virtually idential - one's with a forward from and translated by Samuel Butler and the other comes with a rather lengthy forward/critique from Theodore Buckley and was translated by Alexander Pope.

This book is a clone of the copy of The Odyssey listed above. It's a Pope translation, and shoudn't matter to the reader unless you were doing an indepth scholarly analysis.

The book itself is well laid out, but lacks a Table of Contents, so you're unable to jump from book to book in the story. Still, it's free and highly readable. What's not to like?

My seven year old who has difficulty reading loved this book. Its illustrated very nicely and he would sit with the book and really tried to read the book. He could follow along with the the pictures and where he needed more information than was available from frame to frame, he would read the words in the cartoon bubbles or the narrators text. After finishing it (200 pages- i think) he asked to get more books like it. So not only did my son read a classic, this book sparked an interest in reading too!

I'm taking a humanities class and we were assigned to read The Odyssey. Although I haven't compared this to other translations personally, my professor definitely has and he made a point to recommend Lattimore's translation, saying it was his preferred version. I'm glad he did, because I enjoyed reading this and I found it rather easy to follow.

One thing I like about this is that each page has a small header at the top giving a very brief summary of what's happening on the page. That way, if was ever unsure about what is going on, the top of the page might clue me in. Overall, an enjoyable read of a classic story that has served and will continue to serve as the basis for many other stories to come. It gets my recommendation!

For hundreds of years before it was ever written down, Homer's Odyssey was performed before small groups of people. At its very core, The Odyssey is a performance piece. I do not have the knowledge base to comment on Fagel's translation but I can say that Ian McKellen's performance is absolutely first rate. It is a joy to listen to to a great English actor at the top of his game. I find listening to The Odyssey to be preferable to reading it. However, if you have the money and time, I would recommend purchasing the book for Bernard Knox's masterful introduction. Like McKellen, Bernard Knox was a great academic at the top of his game and his introduction will make your enjoyment of The Odyssey all the richer. Highly recommended!

If you want to know about the translation, better read another review because I am no expert on translations of classic literature.

All I have to say, is that I sincerely relished every page of Homer's Odyssey. Literary experts (such as my English professors at college) may find fault or excellence in the translation, but for me...I was taken on an unforgettable and exhilarating literary adventure!

Truth be told, I could not put the book down! It was just refreshing to read a story that was so rich in content! For 10 dollars, you will get so much more value and worth from reading Homer's genius, than you will buying some clearance DVD. The words you read will wash over you and take you to places you never dreamt possible.

That is the beauty of good writing. Further yet, that is the beauty of classic literature!

...I'm not expert on translations, I'm just a college kid who, for the first time in a long while, got the ride of his life in an epic journey of heroism!