The Iliad / The Odyssey by Homer
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Book Reviews of The Iliad / The Odyssey
Book Review: A readable Iliad in modern idiom
Summary: 5 Stars
Robert Fagles's translation of Homer's Iliad is spiritually if not literally true to the original. Both versions repeat set speeches and descriptions in precisely the same words, and the translation exhibits a fairly regular rhythmic beat. But Homer's Greek was chanted, and the set passages were like refrains in which listeners could, if they chose, join in as a chorus. In English, the repetitions sometimes become tedious, especially when the same speech is given three times in two pages, as in the relay of Zeus's orders in Book II. Especially noteworthy is Bernard Knox's long and fascinating Introduction, which conveys Homer's grim attitude toward war, the interplay of divine and human will, and the ancient concepts of honor, courage, and virility in the face of the stark finality of death. Knox also includes a succinct explanation of the quantitative, rather than accentual, basis of Greek (and Latin) verse. For easy readability, Fagles's translation is without rival. For elegance and poetry, however, I recommend Richmond Lattimore's older but still gripping and fluent translation.Book Review: A Man of many twists and turns
Summary: 5 Stars
The question is not should you read Homer but what translation to read. The Iliad and The Odyssey have surivived longer than any other western story because they speak to us, even today, powerfully of life and are deep enought to speak differently at diferent points in our own life. Both books teach us lessons from our forgtten past and tell us how men and women should live their lives. The Iliad opens with the strugle between Achilles and Agamenon. Anyone who works in an office can recognize these characters and their struggles as they occur today on the smaller stage of our cubicles.
What will draw you to Fagle is the words. He opens the Odyssey not by saying Odysseus is devious but by saying "He is a man of many twists and turn". This implies not just that Odysseus is devious but that his trip home will not be a straight path. It's also a beautiful phrase that captures Homer better than any more formal and literal translation.
All I can say is that I love these books and this is the translation I enjoy the most.
Book Review: Review of Fagle's Iliad and Odyssey
Summary: 5 Stars
My Credentials:
Admittedly, less than appealing. I have never read any translation other than Fagles's.
Review:
The books open with an extensive and scholarly introduction to the history and context of the poems. Fagles's tone is certainly epic. I have no qualms about his writing style, which I found fascinating. A standard rythym would might have been nice, but, again, a brilliant rendering overall. I cannot speak to his accuracy as a translator.
There are maps in the opening section, but I made little use of these, so I can't speak to their quality or lack thereof.
I prefer footnotes to endnotes, which in this book are extensive and useful. Also, the introductions open with a discussion of Homer, which is essentially the same in both books. This is ultimately unavoidable for the publisher, but may be avoided by the reader who doesn't wish to read about modern bards in Yugoslavia more than once.
Book Review: Excellent
Summary: 5 Stars
I don't know whether it is the font size, the appropriate spacing, or the translation, or even, the combination of all three. This was the most accessible, approachable, and engaging version I have ever read. I am no scholar of these works so I cannout vouch for the literary accuracy, but I suspect the main literary themes are left unadulterated: War is hell and gruesome; both sides suffer; stife breeds conflict even among allies; life is an odyssey with free will being buffetted by many uncontrollable forces (gods?); graciousness, courtesy, wit, wisdom, and personal responsibility are attributes that will help us through this journey. I highly recommend this version as well as this 2700 year old work of art. Literature doesn't get any better than this.Book Review: Excellent translations -- not to mention great stories
Summary: 5 Stars
I have a number of translations of these works in my personal library. Since I was beginning a new course about these books, I went searching for a more up-to-date (modern) approach.
Some professors of classical studies have criticized these translations for being marred by excessive use of colloquial language and that Fagles' meter does not capture the feeling of the Homeric hexameter. That may be true but, as far as I am concerned, it doesn't matter.
Fagles' translation is very easy for the ordinary American to read and that is most important as far as I am concerned.