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The Odyssey
Librarian's Note: an alternate cover edition for this ISBN can be found here.
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.
Robert Fitzgerald's is the best and best-loved modern translation of The Odyssey, and the only one admired in its own right as a great poem in English. Fitzgerald's supple verse is ideally suited to the story of Odysseus' long journey back to his wife and home after the Trojan War. Homer's tale of love, adventure, food and drink, sensual pleasure, and mortal danger reaches the English-language reader in all its glory.
The classicist D. S. Carne-Ross explains the many aspects of the poem in his introduction, written especially for this edition, which also features a map, a glossary of names and places, as well as Fitzgerald's own postcript.
Since 1961, more than two million copies of this Odyssey have been sold, and it has been the standard translation for three generations of students and poets. This edition deepens our understanding and enjoyment of the greatest of all epic poems.
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.
Robert Fitzgerald's is the best and best-loved modern translation of The Odyssey, and the only one admired in its own right as a great poem in English. Fitzgerald's supple verse is ideally suited to the story of Odysseus' long journey back to his wife and home after the Trojan War. Homer's tale of love, adventure, food and drink, sensual pleasure, and mortal danger reaches the English-language reader in all its glory.
The classicist D. S. Carne-Ross explains the many aspects of the poem in his introduction, written especially for this edition, which also features a map, a glossary of names and places, as well as Fitzgerald's own postcript.
Since 1961, more than two million copies of this Odyssey have been sold, and it has been the standard translation for three generations of students and poets. This edition deepens our understanding and enjoyment of the greatest of all epic poems.
515 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 701
40.3k people are currently reading
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About the author
Homer
4,451听books6,573听followersHomer (Greek: 螌渭畏蚁慰蟼 born c.鈥�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" (蟿峤次� 峒櫸晃晃次� 蟺蔚蟺伪委未蔚蠀魏蔚谓). 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: 贬辞尘猫谤别, 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" (蟿峤次� 峒櫸晃晃次� 蟺蔚蟺伪委未蔚蠀魏蔚谓). 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: 贬辞尘猫谤别, Italian: Omero, Portuguese, Spanish: Homero.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 22,518 reviews
January 20, 2025
When you stop and think about it, much of classic literature is about how getting on a boat is a bad idea. This book is a litany on why boating is a bad idea. You can say it at least worked out for Odysseus but did it? Did it really? If that dude isn鈥檛 haunted by the screams of his crew forever it鈥檚 just because the horrors of having been on a boat are overriding it. The whole war could have been avoided if Helen had just stayed off one boat. So if you ever find yourself as a character in a novel (you鈥檒l know by the sweet smell of freshly printed pages on the breeze) I beg you DO NOT GET ON A BOAT. You won鈥檛 get that 鈥�one fine day鈥�鈥� on a boat Gatsby is hoping for in the famous line about the futility of boats (among other things). Look at Moby Dick鈥攂et the crew of the Pequad were all wishing they stayed on land right before the whale drowned all their asses. You know what isn鈥檛 trying to drown you? Land. Ahab might have been a cool baker or candlestick maker but boats led him astray. More like Moby DEAD amirite?
The danger of literary boats is real, my friends, Poe鈥檚 only novel was about just that. Heart of Darkness? More like Boats are the Heart of the Problem. Look what happened to that old man in the sea, almost starved! And theres The Open Boat by Stephen Crane to remind you the sea is more of an open grave. 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea was like but what if we go UNDER the water surely that鈥檒l work out great? Wrong. Jim Hawkins and Robinson Curuso could have avoided all sorts of trouble if they stayed off boats. That movie with Jeff Bridges and his school boat was all fun and games until Ryan Phillippe ended up super dead. And watch out for Theseus鈥� ship, we don鈥檛 know if it even counts as the same ship! Boats are tricky like that. Ask the orcas, they know what鈥檚 up.
Now in sci fi, spaceships are basically just space boats. And look what happened to Paul Atreides when he took that space boat to Arrakis: literally fucking space genocide. Nobody wants that. Hell, the Death Star is just a really really big genocide boat and that ended poorly for everyone. 2001 A Space Odyssey has a space boat out for murder and blaming the crew.
So watch out for boats, ye land lubbers. Leave the pirating to me.
The danger of literary boats is real, my friends, Poe鈥檚 only novel was about just that. Heart of Darkness? More like Boats are the Heart of the Problem. Look what happened to that old man in the sea, almost starved! And theres The Open Boat by Stephen Crane to remind you the sea is more of an open grave. 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea was like but what if we go UNDER the water surely that鈥檒l work out great? Wrong. Jim Hawkins and Robinson Curuso could have avoided all sorts of trouble if they stayed off boats. That movie with Jeff Bridges and his school boat was all fun and games until Ryan Phillippe ended up super dead. And watch out for Theseus鈥� ship, we don鈥檛 know if it even counts as the same ship! Boats are tricky like that. Ask the orcas, they know what鈥檚 up.
Now in sci fi, spaceships are basically just space boats. And look what happened to Paul Atreides when he took that space boat to Arrakis: literally fucking space genocide. Nobody wants that. Hell, the Death Star is just a really really big genocide boat and that ended poorly for everyone. 2001 A Space Odyssey has a space boat out for murder and blaming the crew.
So watch out for boats, ye land lubbers. Leave the pirating to me.
February 27, 2015
"Okay, so here's what happened. I went out after work with the guys, we went to a perfectly nice bar, this chick was hitting on me but I totally brushed her off. Anyway we ended up getting pretty wrecked, and we might have smoked something in the bathroom, I'm not totally clear on that part, and then this gigantic one-eyed bouncer kicked us out so we somehow ended up at a strip club. The guys were total pigs but not me, seriously, that's not glitter on my neck. And then we totally drove right by these hookers without even stopping and here I am! Only a little bit late! By the way, I crashed the car and six of the guys are in jail. Ask for Officer Scylla."
Eh...Homer's right. Odysseus' version is better.
P.S. Do not try this story at home unless, when you get there, you're still capable of shooting your arrow into a narrow aperture.
Fagles' translation is excellent - the new standard - and Bernard Knox's enormous introduction is the best Homeric essay I've ever read.
A good companion read is Hal Roth's - maybe not the most eloquent of books, but he retraces Odysseus's voyage (as best he can) in his sailboat, which is a pretty rad idea. I recreated his route as a Google map with notes on each of the stops. I also wrote summaries of each book of the Odyssey for a book club discussion; I've pasted them in if you're interested.
Eh...Homer's right. Odysseus' version is better.
P.S. Do not try this story at home unless, when you get there, you're still capable of shooting your arrow into a narrow aperture.
Fagles' translation is excellent - the new standard - and Bernard Knox's enormous introduction is the best Homeric essay I've ever read.
A good companion read is Hal Roth's - maybe not the most eloquent of books, but he retraces Odysseus's voyage (as best he can) in his sailboat, which is a pretty rad idea. I recreated his route as a Google map with notes on each of the stops. I also wrote summaries of each book of the Odyssey for a book club discussion; I've pasted them in if you're interested.
January 13, 2019
Quite possibly one of my favourite books!
It was this novel that ignited my love for Greek and Roman mythology and antiquity - leading me to choose a degree in Classical Civilisations.
I always look back on The Odyssey with fondness - I love all the monsters he faces and the gods who involve themselves with Odysseus' trials as he makes his way home after the Trojan War.
LOVE LOVE LOVE.
It was this novel that ignited my love for Greek and Roman mythology and antiquity - leading me to choose a degree in Classical Civilisations.
I always look back on The Odyssey with fondness - I love all the monsters he faces and the gods who involve themselves with Odysseus' trials as he makes his way home after the Trojan War.
LOVE LOVE LOVE.
September 6, 2011
So my first 鈥渘on-school related" experience with Homer鈥檚 classic tale, and my most powerful impression, beyond the overall splendor of the story, was...HOLY SHIT SNACKS these Greeks were a violent bunch. Case in point:
Want more violence you say? How about slaughtering over 100 house guests for over-indulging in your hospitality? Can you say overkill!! And for the true splatter junkies out there, you can add in some casual rapes, widespread maiming, a score of people-squishing, crew members being chewed and swallowed, healthy doses of mutilation and torture, and one cyclops blinding. That should make even the most discriminating gore hound leg-humping happy. Yes...that's me...guilty.
However, beyond the cockle-warming violence and mayhem, this is a rocking good story that I enjoyed (as in "smile on my face thinking this is genuinely cool鈥�) much more than I expected to going into it. There is nothing dry or plodding about the story. Beautifully written, and encompassing themes of love, loyalty and heroism while commenting on many facets of the human condition. As important as this story is to literature, it is above all else...ENTERTAINING. In fact, without its massive entertainment factor, I'm pretty sure it's overall importance among the classics would be significantly reduced. Thankfully, there is no risk of that.
A NOTE ON THE TEXT
Before I continue, I want to comment on the version I read/listened to because I think can be critical to people鈥檚 reaction to the story. There are a TRUCKLOAD of Odyssey translations out there and, from what I鈥檝e seen, they range wider in quality and faithfulness to the original text than those of almost any other work of Western Literature. These versions can differ so much that I believe two people with identical reading tastes could each read a different translation and walk away with vastly different opinions on the work.
The version I am reviewing (and from which the above quote is derived) is the Robert Fagles translation which uses contemporary prose and structure while remaining faithful to the content of the original. I found it a terrific place for a 鈥渇irst experience鈥� with this work because of how easy to follow it was. Plus, I listened to the audio version read by Sir Ian McKellen which was an amazing experience and one I HIGHLY RECOMMEND.
In addition to the Fagles version, I also own the Alexander Pope translation as part of my Easton Press collection of The 100 Greatest Books Ever Written. While listening to the Fagles version, I would often follow along with the Pope translation and let me tell you....they are vastly different. While the overall story is the same, the presentation, prose and the structure are nothing alike. As an example, here is the same passage I quoted earlier from the Pope translation.
In a nutshell, I'm saying that you should make sure you find a translation that works for you. That鈥檚 my two or three cents.
THE STORY
So Odysseus, master strategist and tactician (not to mention schemer, manipulator and liar extraordinaire), travels home to Ithaca after the Trojan War. Delays and detours ensue which take up the first half of the story. Most of these travel snags are caused by Poseidon, who is grudging on Odysseus for stick-poking Poseidon鈥檚 son (i.e. the Cyclops) in the peeper. Not to fear, Athena (goddess of guile and craftiness) is a proud sponsor of Odysseus and, along with some help for big daddy god Zeus, throws Odysseus some Olympian help.
Odysseus鈥� travels are full of great summer blockbuster-like entertainment and at the same time explore all manner of Greek daily life as well as touching on many of their beliefs and traditions. It really is a perfect blend of fun and brain food. From his time on the island homes of the goddesses Calypso and Circe (who he gets busy with despite his 鈥渦ndying鈥� love for his wife, Penelope...men huh?), to his run ins with the giant Laestrygonians and the Lotus-eaters (i.e., thugs and drugs) and his fateful encounter with the Cyclops, Polyphemus. Odysseus even takes a jaunt to the underworld where he speaks to Achilles and gets to listen to dead king Agamemnon go on an anti-marriage rant because his conniving wife poisoned him to death. Homer does a superb job of keeping the story epic while providing the reader with wonderful details about the life of the greek people during this period.
The man had story-telling chops..
Meanwhile, while Odysseus is engaged in the ancient greek version of the Amazing Race, back on Ithaca we鈥檝e got a full-fledged version of the Bachelorette going on as over a hundred suitors are camped out at Odysseus pad trying to get Penelope to give them a rose. This has Odysseus鈥� son, Telemachus, on the rage because the suitors are eating, drinking and servant-boinking him out of his entire inheritance while they wait on Penelope. You might think that Telemachus could just kick the freeloaders out, but the law of 鈥渉ospitality鈥� was huge for the Greeks and the suitor-douches use it to full advantage.
Well Odysseus eventually makes it back to Ithaca, alone and in disguise, after all of this crew have been eaten, squashed, drowned or otherwise rendered life-impaired. Not an easy place to live is ancient Greece. Odysseus proceeds to work a web of deceit and revenge against the suitors that is a wonder to behold. I鈥檒l leave the final climax to you, but I will say that there was no free lunch in Homer鈥檚 time and the checks that people wrote with their bad behavior are paid in full.
MY THOUGHTS
This was a fun, fun, fun read. I want to start with that because this is not one of those classics that I think is worth while only to get it under your belt or checked off a list. This was a great story with great characters and in a style that was both 鈥渙ff the usual path鈥� but still easy to follow.
Going back to my comments on the various versions of the story, I think this may end up being a five star read in one of the more flowery, densely poetic translations where the emotion and passion is just a bit more in your face. I am still thrilled to have listened to the version I did (especially as read by Gandalf) because I now have a firm foundation in the story and can afford to be a bit more adventurous with my next version.
The tone of the story is heroic and yet very dark. The gods are capricious and temperamental and cause a whole lot of death and devastation for nothing more than a bruised ego or even a whim. The pace of the story is fast and moves quickly with hardly a chance to even catch your breath.
It is a big epic story...it is THE BIG EPIC STORY...and its reputation is well deserved. A terrific read as well as one of the most important works in the Western canon. Definitely worth your time.
4.5 stars. HIGHEST POSSIBLE RECOMMENDATION!!
...they hauled him out through the doorway into the court,"Their work was done here now." What a great line.
lopped his nose and ears with a ruthless knife,
tore his genitals out for the dogs to eat raw
and in manic fury hacked off hands and feet.
then once they鈥檇 washed their own hands and feet
they went inside again to join odysseus.
their work was done here now.
Want more violence you say? How about slaughtering over 100 house guests for over-indulging in your hospitality? Can you say overkill!! And for the true splatter junkies out there, you can add in some casual rapes, widespread maiming, a score of people-squishing, crew members being chewed and swallowed, healthy doses of mutilation and torture, and one cyclops blinding. That should make even the most discriminating gore hound leg-humping happy. Yes...that's me...guilty.
However, beyond the cockle-warming violence and mayhem, this is a rocking good story that I enjoyed (as in "smile on my face thinking this is genuinely cool鈥�) much more than I expected to going into it. There is nothing dry or plodding about the story. Beautifully written, and encompassing themes of love, loyalty and heroism while commenting on many facets of the human condition. As important as this story is to literature, it is above all else...ENTERTAINING. In fact, without its massive entertainment factor, I'm pretty sure it's overall importance among the classics would be significantly reduced. Thankfully, there is no risk of that.
A NOTE ON THE TEXT
Before I continue, I want to comment on the version I read/listened to because I think can be critical to people鈥檚 reaction to the story. There are a TRUCKLOAD of Odyssey translations out there and, from what I鈥檝e seen, they range wider in quality and faithfulness to the original text than those of almost any other work of Western Literature. These versions can differ so much that I believe two people with identical reading tastes could each read a different translation and walk away with vastly different opinions on the work.
The version I am reviewing (and from which the above quote is derived) is the Robert Fagles translation which uses contemporary prose and structure while remaining faithful to the content of the original. I found it a terrific place for a 鈥渇irst experience鈥� with this work because of how easy to follow it was. Plus, I listened to the audio version read by Sir Ian McKellen which was an amazing experience and one I HIGHLY RECOMMEND.
In addition to the Fagles version, I also own the Alexander Pope translation as part of my Easton Press collection of The 100 Greatest Books Ever Written. While listening to the Fagles version, I would often follow along with the Pope translation and let me tell you....they are vastly different. While the overall story is the same, the presentation, prose and the structure are nothing alike. As an example, here is the same passage I quoted earlier from the Pope translation.
Then forth they led [______], and beganVery different treatments of the same scene. In my opinion, the Pope language is more beautiful and far more poetic and lyrical than the Fagles translation. However, I am glad I started with the Fagles version because it provided me with a much better comprehension of the story itself. No head-scratching moments. Now that I have a firm grounding in the story, I plan to go back at some point and read the Pope version so that I can absorb the greater beauty of that translation.
Their bloody work; they lopp鈥檇 away the man,
Morsel for dogs! then trimm鈥檇 with brazen shears
The wretch, and shorten鈥檇 of his nose and ears;
His hands and feet last felt the cruel steel;
He roar鈥檇, and torments gave his soul to hell.
They wash, and to Ulysses take their way:
So ends the bloody business of the day.
In a nutshell, I'm saying that you should make sure you find a translation that works for you. That鈥檚 my two or three cents.
THE STORY
So Odysseus, master strategist and tactician (not to mention schemer, manipulator and liar extraordinaire), travels home to Ithaca after the Trojan War. Delays and detours ensue which take up the first half of the story. Most of these travel snags are caused by Poseidon, who is grudging on Odysseus for stick-poking Poseidon鈥檚 son (i.e. the Cyclops) in the peeper. Not to fear, Athena (goddess of guile and craftiness) is a proud sponsor of Odysseus and, along with some help for big daddy god Zeus, throws Odysseus some Olympian help.
Odysseus鈥� travels are full of great summer blockbuster-like entertainment and at the same time explore all manner of Greek daily life as well as touching on many of their beliefs and traditions. It really is a perfect blend of fun and brain food. From his time on the island homes of the goddesses Calypso and Circe (who he gets busy with despite his 鈥渦ndying鈥� love for his wife, Penelope...men huh?), to his run ins with the giant Laestrygonians and the Lotus-eaters (i.e., thugs and drugs) and his fateful encounter with the Cyclops, Polyphemus. Odysseus even takes a jaunt to the underworld where he speaks to Achilles and gets to listen to dead king Agamemnon go on an anti-marriage rant because his conniving wife poisoned him to death. Homer does a superb job of keeping the story epic while providing the reader with wonderful details about the life of the greek people during this period.
The man had story-telling chops..
Meanwhile, while Odysseus is engaged in the ancient greek version of the Amazing Race, back on Ithaca we鈥檝e got a full-fledged version of the Bachelorette going on as over a hundred suitors are camped out at Odysseus pad trying to get Penelope to give them a rose. This has Odysseus鈥� son, Telemachus, on the rage because the suitors are eating, drinking and servant-boinking him out of his entire inheritance while they wait on Penelope. You might think that Telemachus could just kick the freeloaders out, but the law of 鈥渉ospitality鈥� was huge for the Greeks and the suitor-douches use it to full advantage.
Well Odysseus eventually makes it back to Ithaca, alone and in disguise, after all of this crew have been eaten, squashed, drowned or otherwise rendered life-impaired. Not an easy place to live is ancient Greece. Odysseus proceeds to work a web of deceit and revenge against the suitors that is a wonder to behold. I鈥檒l leave the final climax to you, but I will say that there was no free lunch in Homer鈥檚 time and the checks that people wrote with their bad behavior are paid in full.
MY THOUGHTS
This was a fun, fun, fun read. I want to start with that because this is not one of those classics that I think is worth while only to get it under your belt or checked off a list. This was a great story with great characters and in a style that was both 鈥渙ff the usual path鈥� but still easy to follow.
Going back to my comments on the various versions of the story, I think this may end up being a five star read in one of the more flowery, densely poetic translations where the emotion and passion is just a bit more in your face. I am still thrilled to have listened to the version I did (especially as read by Gandalf) because I now have a firm foundation in the story and can afford to be a bit more adventurous with my next version.
The tone of the story is heroic and yet very dark. The gods are capricious and temperamental and cause a whole lot of death and devastation for nothing more than a bruised ego or even a whim. The pace of the story is fast and moves quickly with hardly a chance to even catch your breath.
It is a big epic story...it is THE BIG EPIC STORY...and its reputation is well deserved. A terrific read as well as one of the most important works in the Western canon. Definitely worth your time.
4.5 stars. HIGHEST POSSIBLE RECOMMENDATION!!
January 30, 2023
I first read Homer in the 19th-century French translation by 鈥� the equivalent, say, of the 18th-century translation into English by : a pompous, archaic and exhausting bore of a book. I kept my chin up and, after a while, tried another inflated Frenchman: the 1955 translation by the curly-moustached (in the prestigious Pl茅iade edition, with an odd arrangement of chapters). A bit less depraved than the Parnassian poet, but all in all (alack!) not much better. Only last year came this new English translation by Emily Wilson, an American academic and allegedly the first woman to translate Homer into English. And it is a damned refreshing take on Homer! Basically, it鈥檚 the first time I鈥檓 reading The Odyssey without dozing off on every other page.
Yet, Wilson laid down a daunting challenge to herself: to keep the same number of verses as in Homer鈥檚 epic and transpose the Greek鈥檚 dactylic hexameters into the traditional (Shakespearian) iambic pentameter. An amazing feat indeed, and she pulled it off with ease, concealing, like an expert weaver, the technicalities of her achievement and dodging some of the ponderousness of the Homeric text (not least of which: the grinding epithets attached to each character or some awkward similes that pop up from time to time): the result is an unaffected, luminous poem, sometimes energetic, sometimes delicate, that flows effortlessly, focusing our attention not on some turgid, embalming, purple prose, but on what is actually at stake in the story, and on the beat of the tale.
A few things become glaringly apparent thanks to this new translation: Odysseus is not quite the wise and glorious war hero that we might think. As Wilson states in her opening verse, he is 鈥渁 complicated man鈥� (蟺慰位u蟿蟻慰蟺慰谓), who messes around with everyone he encounters and talks rubbish on every occasion; in short: he is an inveterate liar. So much so that, in the end, he could easily qualify as the first case of 鈥渦nreliable narrator鈥�. Most notably, when he is invited to the court of Alcinous and tells the story of his misadventures after the Trojan War 鈥� the famous embedded and somewhat fantastical tale (books 9-12) of the Cicones, Lotus-Eaters, Cyclopes, Aeolus, Laestrygonians, Circe, Helios, the dead, the Sirens, Charybdis and Scylla and Calypso 鈥�, we cannot help but wonder to what extent Odysseus is making up all this, to entertain his generous hosts. Later on, Odysseus will tell a completely different account of his adventures to other people, or a strongly expurgated version of the first tale to his own wife, misrepresenting himself to her. In short, he is indeed a consummated storyteller 鈥� a shining mask for the rhapsodist himself?
If is the grandfather of pretty much all literature, then The Odyssey is the grandmother: Aeneas, Sindbad, Gulliver, Robinson, Pym, Ahab, Nemo, Marlow are all descendants of Odysseus; Hamlet is a sort of echo of Telemachus; Excalibur is an ersatz of Odysseus鈥� mighty bow; James Joyce鈥檚 Dublin is a Homeric town. We might wonder, however, why Odysseus鈥� adventures have become such a significant source of inspiration for writers and scholars who claim to be feminists, like Emily Wilson, of course, but also recently Madeline Miller, with her best-seller , and a few years ago, Margaret Atwood and her .
Clearly, most characters in The Odyssey express a form of mistrust towards the opposite sex: men believe women to be either nosy sluts or demi-hags; women would rather turn men into pigs or captives than actually deal with them. Even the fair queen Penelope 鈥� the only character on the level and the antithesis of the treacherous and fiendish Clytemnestra 鈥� is actually just as deceptive, weaving and unweaving her crewelwork to avoid standing up to the wolfish suitors. That being said, let鈥檚 save the old nanny Eurycleia, if you insist... But, after all, isn鈥檛 this gender suspiciousness at the heart of feminism? It is notable, by the way, that although Odysseus looks like the paragon of manliness and a confirmed skirt-chaser (Penelope, Circe, Calypso, Nausicaa), the fact of the matter is that he is either the punchbag of Poseidon (a male god) or a puppet in the hands of the goddess Athena (a female), who transforms him at will, stultifies his enemies and makes him the pin-up of every girl he encounters. I will confess: in this old tale, men are, at best, a bit ridiculous and irritating 鈥� if not 鈥渃omplicated鈥�.
To top it all off, the Odyssey is, at its heart, a tale of extreme violence. I鈥檓 not just thinking of the savagery of Polyphemus, the Laestrygonians or Scylla, all blood-thirsty monsters who decimate Odysseus鈥� crewmen. I鈥檓 thinking of Odysseus himself, probably the most blood-thirsty character in the whole poem. In fact, instead of coming back home as the one true king of Ithaca and properly claim back his throne and wife in a straightforward manner, he chooses (or instead follows Athena鈥檚 plan) to approach the suitors under the guise of a despicable old beggar, puts the devil in them 鈥� curses, insults and stools fly back and forth across the saloon on every page 鈥� and, when the time is ripe, gets into a shooting spree, slaughters the suitors pitilessly one by one (they are a bunch of more than a hundred dudes!), and tortures atrociously whoever, herdsmen or slave girls alike, got mixed up with them. The Odyssey ends with a big spring cleaning in a merry bath of haemoglobin... Which begs a nagging question: seeing how he behaves, might Odysseus himself not have killed his crew at sea (perhaps to gobble them up, since he is such a gourmand of meatballs and shish kebabs?), and later on told all sorts of baloney about cyclops and shipwrecks to justify his situation?... Anyway, had Homer been working in Hollywood instead of Ancient Greece, he would indeed be on the same side as Peckinpah, Coppola, Scorsese and Tarantino!
And now, let鈥檚 wait for Emily Wilson to work her magic on The Iliad鈥�
Yet, Wilson laid down a daunting challenge to herself: to keep the same number of verses as in Homer鈥檚 epic and transpose the Greek鈥檚 dactylic hexameters into the traditional (Shakespearian) iambic pentameter. An amazing feat indeed, and she pulled it off with ease, concealing, like an expert weaver, the technicalities of her achievement and dodging some of the ponderousness of the Homeric text (not least of which: the grinding epithets attached to each character or some awkward similes that pop up from time to time): the result is an unaffected, luminous poem, sometimes energetic, sometimes delicate, that flows effortlessly, focusing our attention not on some turgid, embalming, purple prose, but on what is actually at stake in the story, and on the beat of the tale.
A few things become glaringly apparent thanks to this new translation: Odysseus is not quite the wise and glorious war hero that we might think. As Wilson states in her opening verse, he is 鈥渁 complicated man鈥� (蟺慰位u蟿蟻慰蟺慰谓), who messes around with everyone he encounters and talks rubbish on every occasion; in short: he is an inveterate liar. So much so that, in the end, he could easily qualify as the first case of 鈥渦nreliable narrator鈥�. Most notably, when he is invited to the court of Alcinous and tells the story of his misadventures after the Trojan War 鈥� the famous embedded and somewhat fantastical tale (books 9-12) of the Cicones, Lotus-Eaters, Cyclopes, Aeolus, Laestrygonians, Circe, Helios, the dead, the Sirens, Charybdis and Scylla and Calypso 鈥�, we cannot help but wonder to what extent Odysseus is making up all this, to entertain his generous hosts. Later on, Odysseus will tell a completely different account of his adventures to other people, or a strongly expurgated version of the first tale to his own wife, misrepresenting himself to her. In short, he is indeed a consummated storyteller 鈥� a shining mask for the rhapsodist himself?
If is the grandfather of pretty much all literature, then The Odyssey is the grandmother: Aeneas, Sindbad, Gulliver, Robinson, Pym, Ahab, Nemo, Marlow are all descendants of Odysseus; Hamlet is a sort of echo of Telemachus; Excalibur is an ersatz of Odysseus鈥� mighty bow; James Joyce鈥檚 Dublin is a Homeric town. We might wonder, however, why Odysseus鈥� adventures have become such a significant source of inspiration for writers and scholars who claim to be feminists, like Emily Wilson, of course, but also recently Madeline Miller, with her best-seller , and a few years ago, Margaret Atwood and her .
Clearly, most characters in The Odyssey express a form of mistrust towards the opposite sex: men believe women to be either nosy sluts or demi-hags; women would rather turn men into pigs or captives than actually deal with them. Even the fair queen Penelope 鈥� the only character on the level and the antithesis of the treacherous and fiendish Clytemnestra 鈥� is actually just as deceptive, weaving and unweaving her crewelwork to avoid standing up to the wolfish suitors. That being said, let鈥檚 save the old nanny Eurycleia, if you insist... But, after all, isn鈥檛 this gender suspiciousness at the heart of feminism? It is notable, by the way, that although Odysseus looks like the paragon of manliness and a confirmed skirt-chaser (Penelope, Circe, Calypso, Nausicaa), the fact of the matter is that he is either the punchbag of Poseidon (a male god) or a puppet in the hands of the goddess Athena (a female), who transforms him at will, stultifies his enemies and makes him the pin-up of every girl he encounters. I will confess: in this old tale, men are, at best, a bit ridiculous and irritating 鈥� if not 鈥渃omplicated鈥�.
To top it all off, the Odyssey is, at its heart, a tale of extreme violence. I鈥檓 not just thinking of the savagery of Polyphemus, the Laestrygonians or Scylla, all blood-thirsty monsters who decimate Odysseus鈥� crewmen. I鈥檓 thinking of Odysseus himself, probably the most blood-thirsty character in the whole poem. In fact, instead of coming back home as the one true king of Ithaca and properly claim back his throne and wife in a straightforward manner, he chooses (or instead follows Athena鈥檚 plan) to approach the suitors under the guise of a despicable old beggar, puts the devil in them 鈥� curses, insults and stools fly back and forth across the saloon on every page 鈥� and, when the time is ripe, gets into a shooting spree, slaughters the suitors pitilessly one by one (they are a bunch of more than a hundred dudes!), and tortures atrociously whoever, herdsmen or slave girls alike, got mixed up with them. The Odyssey ends with a big spring cleaning in a merry bath of haemoglobin... Which begs a nagging question: seeing how he behaves, might Odysseus himself not have killed his crew at sea (perhaps to gobble them up, since he is such a gourmand of meatballs and shish kebabs?), and later on told all sorts of baloney about cyclops and shipwrecks to justify his situation?... Anyway, had Homer been working in Hollywood instead of Ancient Greece, he would indeed be on the same side as Peckinpah, Coppola, Scorsese and Tarantino!
And now, let鈥檚 wait for Emily Wilson to work her magic on The Iliad鈥�
May 17, 2021
鈥淚t is generally understood that a modern-day book may honorably be based upon an older one, especially since, as Dr. Johnson observed, no man likes owing anything to his contemporaries. The repeated but irrelevant points of congruence between Joyce's Ulysses and Homer's Odyssey continue to attract (though I shall never understand why) the dazzled admiration of critics.鈥� The Approach to Al-Mu'tasim by .
鈥淭he thing that hath been, it is that which shall be; and that which is done is that which shall be done: and there is no new thing under the sun.鈥� Ecclesiastes 1:9.
Is The Odyssey where it all had begun? Or was it already based on the literary tradition? Whatever the answer is the number of allusions to The Odyssey in the world literature is impossible to count.
All starts here.
In this almost lifelong homecoming across seas, islands, dreams, visions and even the land of the dead there are no stops.
And all ends here.
It鈥檚 a circle鈥�
鈥淎s the end approaches, there are no longer any images from memory 鈥� there are only words. It is not strange that time may have confused those that once portrayed me with those that were symbols of the fate of the person that accompanied me for so many centuries. I have been Homer; soon, like Ulysses, I shall be Nobody; soon, I shall be all men 鈥� I shall be dead.鈥� The Immortal by .
鈥淭he thing that hath been, it is that which shall be; and that which is done is that which shall be done: and there is no new thing under the sun.鈥� Ecclesiastes 1:9.
Is The Odyssey where it all had begun? Or was it already based on the literary tradition? Whatever the answer is the number of allusions to The Odyssey in the world literature is impossible to count.
All starts here.
In this almost lifelong homecoming across seas, islands, dreams, visions and even the land of the dead there are no stops.
You will want no guide, raise your mast, set your white sails, sit quite still, and the North Wind will blow you there of itself. When your ship has traversed the waters of Oceanus, you will reach the fertile shore of Proserpine's country with its groves of tall poplars and willows that shed their fruit untimely; here beach your ship upon the shore of Oceanus, and go straight on to the dark abode of Hades. You will find it near the place where the rivers Pyriphlegethon and Cocytus (which is a branch of the river Styx) flow into Acheron, and you will see a rock near it, just where the two roaring rivers run into one another.
鈥淲hen you have reached this spot, as I now tell you, dig a trench a cubit or so in length, breadth, and depth, and pour into it as a drink-offering to all the dead, first, honey mixed with milk, then wine, and in the third place water 鈥� sprinkling white barley meal over the whole. Moreover you must offer many prayers to the poor feeble ghosts, and promise them that when you get back to Ithaca you will sacrifice a barren heifer to them, the best you have, and will load the pyre with good things. More particularly you must promise that Teiresias shall have a black sheep all to himself, the finest in all your flocks.鈥�
And all ends here.
It鈥檚 a circle鈥�
鈥淎s the end approaches, there are no longer any images from memory 鈥� there are only words. It is not strange that time may have confused those that once portrayed me with those that were symbols of the fate of the person that accompanied me for so many centuries. I have been Homer; soon, like Ulysses, I shall be Nobody; soon, I shall be all men 鈥� I shall be dead.鈥� The Immortal by .
September 3, 2021
螣未蠉蟽蟽蔚喂伪 = The Odyssey, Homer
The Odyssey begins after the end of the ten-year Trojan War (the subject of the Iliad), and Odysseus has still not returned home from the war because he angered the god Poseidon.
Odysseus' son Telemachus is about 20 years old and is sharing his absent father's house on the island of Ithaca with his mother Penelope and a crowd of 108 boisterous young men, "the Suitors", whose aim is to persuade Penelope to marry one of them, all the while reveling in Odysseus' palace and eating up his wealth. ...
The Odyssey Characters: Odysseus, Penelope, Helen of Troy, Achilles, Agamemnon, Telemachus, Minerva, Polyphemus
毓賳賵丕賳賴丕蹖 趩丕倬 卮丿賴 丿乇 丕蹖乇丕賳: 芦丕丿蹖爻賴禄貨 芦丕賵丿蹖爻賴禄貨 丕孬乇: 賴賵賲乇貨 鬲丕乇蹖禺 賳禺爻鬲蹖賳 禺賵丕賳卮 爻丕賱 1973賲蹖賱丕丿蹖
毓賳賵丕賳: 丕丿蹖爻賴貨 丕孬乇: 賴賵賲乇貨 賲鬲乇噩賲: 爻毓蹖丿 賳賮蹖爻蹖貨 鬲賴乇丕賳貙 亘賳诏丕賴 鬲乇噩賲賴 賵 賳卮乇貙 1337貨 趩丕倬 丿賵賲 1344貨 趩丕倬 爻賵賲 1349貨 丿乇 576氐貨 趩丕倬 趩賴丕乇賲 爻丕賱 1359貨 賲賵囟賵毓: 丕爻丕胤蹖乇 蹖賵賳丕賳蹖 丕夭 賳賵蹖爻賳丿诏丕賳 蹖賵賳丕賳 - 爻丿賴 賴卮鬲賲 倬蹖卮 丕夭 賲蹖賱丕丿
鬲乇噩賲賴 乇賵丕賳卮丕丿 芦爻毓蹖丿 賳賮蹖爻蹖禄 亘丕 毓賳賵丕賳 芦丕賵丿蹖爻賴禄 賳蹖夭 趩丕倬 卮丿賴 丕爻鬲
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鬲丕乇蹖禺 亘賴賳诏丕賲 乇爻丕賳蹖 14/07/1399賴噩乇蹖 禺賵乇卮蹖丿蹖貨 11/06/1400賴噩乇蹖 禺賵乇卮蹖丿蹖貨 丕. 卮乇亘蹖丕賳蹖
The Odyssey begins after the end of the ten-year Trojan War (the subject of the Iliad), and Odysseus has still not returned home from the war because he angered the god Poseidon.
Odysseus' son Telemachus is about 20 years old and is sharing his absent father's house on the island of Ithaca with his mother Penelope and a crowd of 108 boisterous young men, "the Suitors", whose aim is to persuade Penelope to marry one of them, all the while reveling in Odysseus' palace and eating up his wealth. ...
The Odyssey Characters: Odysseus, Penelope, Helen of Troy, Achilles, Agamemnon, Telemachus, Minerva, Polyphemus
毓賳賵丕賳賴丕蹖 趩丕倬 卮丿賴 丿乇 丕蹖乇丕賳: 芦丕丿蹖爻賴禄貨 芦丕賵丿蹖爻賴禄貨 丕孬乇: 賴賵賲乇貨 鬲丕乇蹖禺 賳禺爻鬲蹖賳 禺賵丕賳卮 爻丕賱 1973賲蹖賱丕丿蹖
毓賳賵丕賳: 丕丿蹖爻賴貨 丕孬乇: 賴賵賲乇貨 賲鬲乇噩賲: 爻毓蹖丿 賳賮蹖爻蹖貨 鬲賴乇丕賳貙 亘賳诏丕賴 鬲乇噩賲賴 賵 賳卮乇貙 1337貨 趩丕倬 丿賵賲 1344貨 趩丕倬 爻賵賲 1349貨 丿乇 576氐貨 趩丕倬 趩賴丕乇賲 爻丕賱 1359貨 賲賵囟賵毓: 丕爻丕胤蹖乇 蹖賵賳丕賳蹖 丕夭 賳賵蹖爻賳丿诏丕賳 蹖賵賳丕賳 - 爻丿賴 賴卮鬲賲 倬蹖卮 丕夭 賲蹖賱丕丿
鬲乇噩賲賴 乇賵丕賳卮丕丿 芦爻毓蹖丿 賳賮蹖爻蹖禄 亘丕 毓賳賵丕賳 芦丕賵丿蹖爻賴禄 賳蹖夭 趩丕倬 卮丿賴 丕爻鬲
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鬲丕乇蹖禺 亘賴賳诏丕賲 乇爻丕賳蹖 14/07/1399賴噩乇蹖 禺賵乇卮蹖丿蹖貨 11/06/1400賴噩乇蹖 禺賵乇卮蹖丿蹖貨 丕. 卮乇亘蹖丕賳蹖
February 16, 2016
I have read The Odyssey three times. The first was not really a read but more of a listen in the true oral tradition. During embroidery class one of us, young girls on the verge of entering the teens, would read a passage while the rest were all busy with our eyes and fingers, our needles and threads. All learning to be future Penelopes: crafty with their crafts, cultivated, patient and loyal. And all wives.
The second read was already as an adult. That time I let myself be led by the adventures and imagination of the 鈥榬esourceful鈥� one. Relishing on the literary rhythm of the hexameters I particularly enjoyed the epithets used by the bards to keep the attention of the listeners... Dawn of the rosy fingers was my favourite. By then my embroideries were far away from my mind.
This third time I read it in preparation for tackling Joyce鈥檚 take on Homer. And this time, with a more detached stance, I have been surprised by the structure of the work, the handling of time, and the role of narration. And those aspects I take with me in this third reading.
Of the twenty-four books, the first four or Telemachiad, are preliminary. Acting as an overture they take place not too long before the main action. The following four are another preamble, which take place roughly at the same time as the previous four. The son and the father are getting ready to meet almost at the end of twenty years of their separation with ten at the war and ten coming back.
Then, and this was my surprise, what I always thought of as the core of the Odyssey: the magical adventures with the Cyclops and Polyphemus, the Lotus Eaters, the Sirens, Circe and the trip to the Underworld, the Laestrygonias, Scylla and Charybdis, the Sun God etc, forming what is called the Apologoi, are a very small part of the book. All of these eventful episodes take place along three years before the seven that Odysseus is amorously trapped by Kalypso. And these are narrated, after the fact, by Odysseus himself in just four more chapters (chapters nine to twelve). So, to what in my mind was the meat of the Odyssey is only 17% of the book. And if one recalls what a great deceiver Odysseus can be, one could always wonder at these fables.
The rest, the remaining twelve chapters, or half of the book, is the actual Homecoming.
What I have realized now is that The Odyssey is really about this Homecoming. And that is what we witness directly. All the enchanted adventures are told tales. Odysseus as the bard chanting his own stories in the court of the Phaeacians. A supreme teller since through his fables he has to build the image of the hero that his, possibly dangerous, audience see and do not see. Odysseus as myth and myth-maker. No wonder his epithet of 鈥榯he resourceful one鈥�.
If the Homecoming had previously stayed in my mind as just an expected end, in which all the invective and riveting elements are drearily put at an end, as if one could already close the door and leave, the one I have read now surprised me by its dramatization. A different craft is at stage.
The bard enacts the process of Justice performing through an act of Revenge. There is no layered telling of the tale. In the last half of the poem the pace and complexity of the various elements as they converge in the palace to play out divine retribution--in which success does not seem assured, not even to the great Odysseus who knows he has Athena鈥檚 support--, has seemed, this third time round, magisterial.
And it is Penelope the patient, the apprehensive, the one who for twenty years has protected her mistrust with her weaving, the one who, with her threads, offers the needed opportunity that the resourceful hero is at pains to find. When she announces that she is about to end to the tapestry that has become her life, the beggar can then put also an end to the agony.
Crafted Homecoming.
September 3, 2017
Ever since I first read Homer鈥檚 epic describing the adventures of Odysseus back in my school days, three of those adventures fired my imagination: The Lotus Eaters, The Cyclops and the Sirens, most especially the Sirens. I just did revisit these sections of this Greek epic and my imagination was set aflame yet again. How much, you ask? Here is my microfiction as a tribute to the great poet:
THE SIRENS
This happened back in those days when I was a member of an experimental performing-arts troupe down in Greenwich Village. We would read poetry, dance and act out avant-garde plays in our dilapidated little theater. For a modest charge people could come in and watch for as long as they wanted.
Somehow, a business executive who worked downtown in the financial district heard of what we were doing and spoke with our director about an act he has all worked out but needed a supporting cast and that he would pay handsomely if we went along with him.
Well, experimental is experimental and if we were going to be well paid we had nothing to lose. The first thing he did was pass out our costumes. In addition to himself, he had parts for three men and three women. The play we were to perform was so simple we didn鈥檛 even need a written script. He was to be Odysseus from Homer鈥檚 epic and three men would be his sailors. As for the women, we would be the singing Sirens.
So, after he changed 鈥� quite a sight in a loincloth, being gray-haired, jowly, pasty-skinned and potbellied 鈥� we went on stage and he told the sailors how no man has ever heard the hypnotic songs of the Sirens and lived to tell the tale but he, mighty Odysseus, would be the first. He instructed the sailors to tie him to the ship鈥檚 mast. They used one of the building鈥檚 pillars and when he cried out as the Sirens sang their song the sailors, who had wax in their ears, were to bind him to the mast even tighter.
Meanwhile, three of us ladies were on stage as the Sirens, in costume, bare-breasted and outfitted with wings. We began singing a sweet, lilting melody. Mike 鈥� that was the businessman鈥檚 name 鈥� started screaming and the sailors tightened the ropes that bound him. The sailors were glad their ears were plugged as Mike screamed for nearly half an hour.
When the ship passed out of earshot of the Sirens, the sailors unbound mighty Odysseus and he collapsed on our makeshift stage, a mass of exhausted middle-aged flesh. The audience applauded, even cheered and we continued our performance of Odysseus and the Sirens every night for more than a week. Then one night Mike outdid himself. His blue eyes bulged, the veins in his neck popped and his face turned a deeper blood-scarlet than ever before. And what I feared might happen, did happen 鈥� Mike had a heart attack. We had to interrupt our performance and call an ambulance.
We all thought that was the end of our dealing with Mike aka Odysseus until our director received a call from the hospital. Mike told her he was going to be just fine and would be back on stage next week. We called a meeting and everyone agreed that we would suggest Mike seek psychiatric help but if he insists on playing Odysseus, he will have to take his act elsewhere.
October 15, 2020
"I'm not normally a praying man, but if you're up there, please save me, Superman!"
鈥擧辞尘别谤
(Simpson)
Following James Joyce's lead, I used Homer鈥檚 heroic story as inspiration for a novel-in-progress.
But how can I, a mere mortal, do justice to the most famous epic poem ever written? An encounter with a work of this magnitude should be shared, rather than reviewed.
Homer is the great, great, great (recurring) grand-daddy of modern literature and this colossus is as immortal as the gods within it.
And what a tale this must have been way back in the 8th century BC. Then, it was sung, rather than read, and I guess the first to bear witness must have been jigging about in their togas with unbridled excitement.
Alas, I didn't read it in ancient Greek, as Homer had intended. My copy was transcribed to a Kindle, rather than papyri, and translated by none other than the genius that was Alexander Pope (yep, I went old school on this).
Odysseus, he of the title, otherwise known in Latin as Ulysses, embarks on a perilous, stop/start, um, odyssey, attempting to get home to Ithaca after fighting in the Trojan War for a decade.
Such an amazing story, overflowing with an abundance of adventure. Poor Odysseus, having battled treacherous seas, wrathful gods, enchanting sirens and a Cyclops, then has to put up with big bad Poseidon weighing in with some nautical muscle and shipwrecking his boat!
Plagued by setback after setback, the journey home takes TEN gruelling years to complete! And, as if that wasn鈥檛 bad enough, wife Penelope has meanwhile given up hope of him returning home alive and is being courted by one hundred suitors, none of whom are fit to kiss our hero's sandals.
This is by no means a page-turner and some background knowledge is required to appreciate the finer points. Pope has done an amazing job to remain somewhat sympathetic to the timbre of Homer's lyrical story, and his rhyming couplets are a thing to behold:
"But when the star of eve with golden light
Adorn'd the matron brow of night."
Beautiful!
Homer (the poet, not the cartoon character) has fuelled the imagination of countless authors throughout the centuries, and therefore it would be sacrilege for me to award anything less than five heroic stars.
鈥擧辞尘别谤
(Simpson)
Following James Joyce's lead, I used Homer鈥檚 heroic story as inspiration for a novel-in-progress.
But how can I, a mere mortal, do justice to the most famous epic poem ever written? An encounter with a work of this magnitude should be shared, rather than reviewed.
Homer is the great, great, great (recurring) grand-daddy of modern literature and this colossus is as immortal as the gods within it.
And what a tale this must have been way back in the 8th century BC. Then, it was sung, rather than read, and I guess the first to bear witness must have been jigging about in their togas with unbridled excitement.
Alas, I didn't read it in ancient Greek, as Homer had intended. My copy was transcribed to a Kindle, rather than papyri, and translated by none other than the genius that was Alexander Pope (yep, I went old school on this).
Odysseus, he of the title, otherwise known in Latin as Ulysses, embarks on a perilous, stop/start, um, odyssey, attempting to get home to Ithaca after fighting in the Trojan War for a decade.
Such an amazing story, overflowing with an abundance of adventure. Poor Odysseus, having battled treacherous seas, wrathful gods, enchanting sirens and a Cyclops, then has to put up with big bad Poseidon weighing in with some nautical muscle and shipwrecking his boat!
Plagued by setback after setback, the journey home takes TEN gruelling years to complete! And, as if that wasn鈥檛 bad enough, wife Penelope has meanwhile given up hope of him returning home alive and is being courted by one hundred suitors, none of whom are fit to kiss our hero's sandals.
This is by no means a page-turner and some background knowledge is required to appreciate the finer points. Pope has done an amazing job to remain somewhat sympathetic to the timbre of Homer's lyrical story, and his rhyming couplets are a thing to behold:
"But when the star of eve with golden light
Adorn'd the matron brow of night."
Beautiful!
Homer (the poet, not the cartoon character) has fuelled the imagination of countless authors throughout the centuries, and therefore it would be sacrilege for me to award anything less than five heroic stars.
May 9, 2018
The first line in Emily Wilson鈥檚 new translation of the Odyssey, the first by a woman scholar, is 鈥淭ell me about a complicated man.鈥� In an article by Wyatt Mason in the NYT late last year, Wilson tells us
Wilson reminds us what a ripping good yarn this story is, and removes any barriers to understanding. We can come to it with our current sensibility and find in it all kinds of foretelling and parallels with life today, and perhaps we even see the genesis of our own core morality, a morality that feels inexplicably learned. Perhaps the passed-down sense of right and wrong, of fairness and justice we read of here was learned through these early stories and lessons from the gods. Or are we interpreting the story to fit our sensibility?
These delicious questions operate in deep consciousness while we pleasure in learning more about that liar Odysseus, described again and again as wily, scheming, cunning, 鈥渉is lies were like truth.鈥� He learned how to bend the truth at his grandfather鈥檚 knee, and the gods exploited that talent when they helped him out. The skill served him well, allowing him to confuse and evade captors throughout his ordeal, as well as keep his wife and father in the dark about his identity upon his return until he could reveal the truth at a time of maximum impact.
There does inevitably come a time when people react cautiously to what is told them, even to the evidence their own eyes. The gods can cloud one鈥檚 understanding, it is well known, and truth is suspected in every encounter. These words Penelope speaks:
There is a conflicted view of women in this story: "Sex sways all women鈥檚 minds, even the best of them," though Penelope is a paragon of virtue, managing to avoid temptation through her own duplicitousness. She hardly seems a victim at all in this reading, merely an unwilling captor. She is strong, smart, loyal, generous, and brave, all the qualities any man would want for his wife.
We understand the slave girls that Odysseus felt he had to 鈥渢est鈥� for loyalty were at the disposal of the ungrateful suitors who, after they ate and drank at Penelope's expense, often met the house girls after hours. Some of the girls appeared to go willingly, laughing and teasing as they went, and were outspoken about their support of the men they鈥檇 taken up with. Others, we get the impression from the text, felt they had no choice.
Race is not mentioned but once in this book, very matter-of-factly, though the darker man is a servant to the lighter one:
We watch, fascinated, as the gods seriously mess Odysseus about, and then come to his aid. We really get the sense of the gods playing, as in Athena鈥檚 willingness to give Odysseus strength and arms when fighting the suitors in his house, but being unwilling to actually step in to help with the fighting. Instead, she watched from the rafters. It鈥檚 hard not to be just a little resentful.
Wilson鈥檚 translation reads very fast and very clearly. There always seemed to be some ramp-up time reading Greek myths in the past, but now the adventures appear perfectly accessible. Granted, there are some names you鈥檒l have to figure out, but that鈥檚 part of being 鈥渃onstructively lost,鈥� as Pynchon says.
A book-by-book reading of this new translation will begin March 1st on the 欧宝娱乐 website, hosted by Kris Rabberman, Wilson鈥檚 colleague at the University of Pennsylvania. To prepare for the first online discussion later this week, Kris has suggested participants read the Introduction. If interested readers are still not entirely convinced they want this literary experience now, some excerpts have been reprinted in The Paris Review.
鈥淚 could鈥檝e said, 鈥楾ell me about a straying husband.鈥� And that鈥檚 a viable translation. That鈥檚 one of the things [the original language] says鈥But] I want to be super responsible about my relationship to the Greek text. I want to be saying, after multiple different revisions: This is the best I can get toward the truth.鈥�Oh, the mind reels. This new translation by Emily Wilson reads swiftly, smoothly, and feels contemporary. This exciting new translation will surprise you, and send you to compare certain passages with earlier translations. In her Introduction, Wilson raises that issue of translation herself: How is it possible to have so many different translations, all of which could be considered 鈥渃orrect鈥�?
Wilson reminds us what a ripping good yarn this story is, and removes any barriers to understanding. We can come to it with our current sensibility and find in it all kinds of foretelling and parallels with life today, and perhaps we even see the genesis of our own core morality, a morality that feels inexplicably learned. Perhaps the passed-down sense of right and wrong, of fairness and justice we read of here was learned through these early stories and lessons from the gods. Or are we interpreting the story to fit our sensibility?
These delicious questions operate in deep consciousness while we pleasure in learning more about that liar Odysseus, described again and again as wily, scheming, cunning, 鈥渉is lies were like truth.鈥� He learned how to bend the truth at his grandfather鈥檚 knee, and the gods exploited that talent when they helped him out. The skill served him well, allowing him to confuse and evade captors throughout his ordeal, as well as keep his wife and father in the dark about his identity upon his return until he could reveal the truth at a time of maximum impact.
There does inevitably come a time when people react cautiously to what is told them, even to the evidence their own eyes. The gods can cloud one鈥檚 understanding, it is well known, and truth is suspected in every encounter. These words Penelope speaks:
"Please forgive me, do not keepParticularly easy to relate to today are descriptions of Penelope鈥檚 ungrateful suitors like Ctesippius, who "encouraged by extraordinary wealth, had come to court Odysseus鈥� wife." Also speaking insight for us today are the phrases "Weapons themselves can tempt a man to fight" and "Arms themselves can prompt a man to use them."
bearing a grudge because when I first saw you,
I would not welcome you immediately.
I felt a constant dread that some bad man
would fool me with his lies. There are so many
dishonest, clever men..."
There is a conflicted view of women in this story: "Sex sways all women鈥檚 minds, even the best of them," though Penelope is a paragon of virtue, managing to avoid temptation through her own duplicitousness. She hardly seems a victim at all in this reading, merely an unwilling captor. She is strong, smart, loyal, generous, and brave, all the qualities any man would want for his wife.
We understand the slave girls that Odysseus felt he had to 鈥渢est鈥� for loyalty were at the disposal of the ungrateful suitors who, after they ate and drank at Penelope's expense, often met the house girls after hours. Some of the girls appeared to go willingly, laughing and teasing as they went, and were outspoken about their support of the men they鈥檇 taken up with. Others, we get the impression from the text, felt they had no choice.
Race is not mentioned but once in this book, very matter-of-factly, though the darker man is a servant to the lighter one:
"鈥Odysseus] had a valet with him,Odysseus鈥檚 tribulations are terrible, but appear to be brought on by his own stubborn and petulant nature, like his taunting of the blinded Cyclops from his own escaping ship. Cyclops was Poseidon鈥檚 son so Odysseus's behavior was especially unwise, particularly since his own men were yelling at him to stop. Later, that betrayal of the men鈥檚 best interests for his own childish purpose will come back to haunt Odysseus when the men suspect him of thinking only of himself--greediness--and unleash terrible winds by accident, blowing them tragically off course in rugged seas.
I do remember, named Eurybates,
a man a little older than himself,
who had black skin, round shoulders, woolly hair,
and was [Odysseus's] favorite our of all his crew
because his mind matched his."
We watch, fascinated, as the gods seriously mess Odysseus about, and then come to his aid. We really get the sense of the gods playing, as in Athena鈥檚 willingness to give Odysseus strength and arms when fighting the suitors in his house, but being unwilling to actually step in to help with the fighting. Instead, she watched from the rafters. It鈥檚 hard not to be just a little resentful.
Wilson鈥檚 translation reads very fast and very clearly. There always seemed to be some ramp-up time reading Greek myths in the past, but now the adventures appear perfectly accessible. Granted, there are some names you鈥檒l have to figure out, but that鈥檚 part of being 鈥渃onstructively lost,鈥� as Pynchon says.
A book-by-book reading of this new translation will begin March 1st on the 欧宝娱乐 website, hosted by Kris Rabberman, Wilson鈥檚 colleague at the University of Pennsylvania. To prepare for the first online discussion later this week, Kris has suggested participants read the Introduction. If interested readers are still not entirely convinced they want this literary experience now, some excerpts have been reprinted in The Paris Review.
April 17, 2024
The founding novel of literature is the one that will inspire all future narratives. We know the story of Ulysses; we have read a few episodes and seen a film, but read the whole work, with these long chapters, the Homeric epithets, and the lengthy descriptions of the marine world with its monsters and demons. One has the impression of attending a closed session on the sea. Yet, Ulysses only berths to better take to the sea as if the mainland forbade him and harmful as if his condemnation to wandering on the sea was more beneficial on the water than on land. And then there are the episodes worthy of an adventure novel, the Sirens, symbols of literary song, the author's voice who takes us where we want and can destroy us (hey, Bovary), and monsters like Charybdis and Sylla.
Finally, this is surprising; we talk more about the others, Telemachus, her son looking for him, and Penelope waiting for her than about him, who wants to return. The novel has almost everything: the search for the other, the quest, the song of words, and the pleasure of returning home. It is as enjoyable to study and understand, so full of symbols, as reading.
Finally, this is surprising; we talk more about the others, Telemachus, her son looking for him, and Penelope waiting for her than about him, who wants to return. The novel has almost everything: the search for the other, the quest, the song of words, and the pleasure of returning home. It is as enjoyable to study and understand, so full of symbols, as reading.
December 13, 2014
It's impossible not to smile when you start reading such a classic and, after only the first few pages, you realize and completely understand why it's regarded as one of the most important works in literature. I'm always a little anxious when I tackle such important and renowned books for being afraid of not comprehending or loving them - and , for example - as they seem to deserve. Not that I'm obligated to like them, but I always feel such buzz comes for a reason and I try to at least find out why. With , once again, I find that the ones who have read it before me were right: it's amazing.
I didn't have plans to read The Odyssey any time soon - I've never devoted much time to epic poems and this one has more than 12,000 verses -, but because I've been eying on my shelves for quite some time, I decided to prepare myself for it and read about Odysseus with a great group here on 欧宝娱乐. To call Homer's book simply "a preparation" for Joyce's work is now not only unfair, but also absurd to me. However, I'm glad that I finally read it, whatever the reason behind it was.
The Odyssey tells the story of Odysseus's (Ulysses) journey back to his home Ithaca to return to his wife Penelope and son Telemachus after twenty years of absence. Our hero left his home to fight in the Trojan War - that alone lasted ten years - and encountered too many obstacles that kept him away for another ten years. Back in Ithaca, people had already lost hope that he could still be alive and his wife was being courted by suitors who wanted to marry her.
Alongside the emotional and heartfelt story, what grabbed my attention here was the poem's style and structure. For a work that's believed to have been written in the 8th century BC, its quality and refinement certainly amazed me. Some of the story is told through flashbacks, some of it is told through different narrators and its narratives are non-linear, so I was positively surprised.
I could try to write an analysis about the recurring themes on the book - vengeance, spiritual growth, hospitality - or try to decipher its symbolism - much has been written about Odysseus's bow, Laertes's shroud, the sea -, but I feel I would fail and wouldn't be able to do it in a deep level, especially after having read the great introduction and notes written by Bernard Knox.
What kept me away from Homer's work was the fear that it would be too dense and heavy on mythology - it is mythological, of course -, making it hard for me to understand it. Although labored, the narrative is quite simple and easy to follow. Knox's notes were a great companion to fill in the details I needed to comprehend the book in a deeper level.
Rating: it's my belief that a great book not only satisfy your expectations, but also inspire you to delve further into its writer's other works, similar subjects or even other books from the same time period. The Odyssey raised my interest about Greek mythology and , so I guess it served its purpose with high colors. Because of that, 5 glowing and beautiful stars.
I didn't have plans to read The Odyssey any time soon - I've never devoted much time to epic poems and this one has more than 12,000 verses -, but because I've been eying on my shelves for quite some time, I decided to prepare myself for it and read about Odysseus with a great group here on 欧宝娱乐. To call Homer's book simply "a preparation" for Joyce's work is now not only unfair, but also absurd to me. However, I'm glad that I finally read it, whatever the reason behind it was.
The Odyssey tells the story of Odysseus's (Ulysses) journey back to his home Ithaca to return to his wife Penelope and son Telemachus after twenty years of absence. Our hero left his home to fight in the Trojan War - that alone lasted ten years - and encountered too many obstacles that kept him away for another ten years. Back in Ithaca, people had already lost hope that he could still be alive and his wife was being courted by suitors who wanted to marry her.
Alongside the emotional and heartfelt story, what grabbed my attention here was the poem's style and structure. For a work that's believed to have been written in the 8th century BC, its quality and refinement certainly amazed me. Some of the story is told through flashbacks, some of it is told through different narrators and its narratives are non-linear, so I was positively surprised.
I could try to write an analysis about the recurring themes on the book - vengeance, spiritual growth, hospitality - or try to decipher its symbolism - much has been written about Odysseus's bow, Laertes's shroud, the sea -, but I feel I would fail and wouldn't be able to do it in a deep level, especially after having read the great introduction and notes written by Bernard Knox.
What kept me away from Homer's work was the fear that it would be too dense and heavy on mythology - it is mythological, of course -, making it hard for me to understand it. Although labored, the narrative is quite simple and easy to follow. Knox's notes were a great companion to fill in the details I needed to comprehend the book in a deeper level.
Rating: it's my belief that a great book not only satisfy your expectations, but also inspire you to delve further into its writer's other works, similar subjects or even other books from the same time period. The Odyssey raised my interest about Greek mythology and , so I guess it served its purpose with high colors. Because of that, 5 glowing and beautiful stars.
March 10, 2025
~ The Odyssey-by Homer
Helpppp, I鈥檓 supposed to be on an exam hiatus, but here I am, drowning in The Odyssey. So This epic is a rollercoaster鈥攐n one hand, the wine-dark seas, the meddling gods, and Odysseus鈥檚 chaotic journey have this timeless vibe that pulls you in. But on the other hand, it鈥檚 so long. What can I say about The Odyssey that hasn鈥檛 been said already? This epic tale of adventure, loss, and triumph is a masterclass in storytelling. It鈥檚 not just a journey across lands and seas but a deep exploration of human strength, the will to survive, and the yearning to return home.
Homer鈥檚 language is poetic, rhythmic, and captivating. With every chapter, you are pulled deeper into a world where the line between the divine and the mortal is blurred. The pacing of the story, though long, never feels tedious. Every moment is earned, every challenge significant.
~ Standout Lines:
*鈥淟onged for as the sun warmed earth is by the wayfaring man in autumn.鈥� 鈥� This captures Odysseus鈥檚 yearning to return home after years of suffering.
*鈥淔ar in the west, the sun set on the sea, and the stars came out, shining like silver. Then, I lay on the ground and wept, with tears that were salty as the sea.鈥� - A poignant and emotional moment that speaks to the loneliness and sorrow Odysseus feels in his exile, underscoring his yearning for home.
*鈥淣obly he fought, but in the end, we were left with nothing but ruin.鈥� 鈥� A tragic line that echoes the theme of futility. Even the bravest warriors face inevitable decline, and no matter how hard you fight, some things are just beyond your control.
*鈥淭hey [the gods] give and they take, and the mortal man must suffer or rejoice, depending on their whim.鈥� 鈥� A chilling reminder of the capriciousness of fate and the unpredictable nature of the divine. It reinforces the role of the gods as both protectors and destroyers, depending on their will.
*鈥淢y home is where I can be true to myself, not a place, but a promise.鈥� 鈥� This speaks to the deeper understanding that home isn鈥檛 just a physical place, but an emotional anchor. It鈥檚 a profound realization in Odysseus鈥檚 journey and mirrors our own quest for self-identity and belonging.
*鈥淓ndurance is the key to life.鈥� 鈥� In Odysseus鈥檚 journey, there鈥檚 a consistent message: survive, persevere, and never give up, no matter how hard it gets.
*鈥淭here is no greater agony than bearing an untold story inside you.鈥� 鈥� This line encapsulates the theme of storytelling itself. Odysseus's journey, filled with triumphs and losses, is itself a story he must tell. The need to recount one's experiences becomes a form of catharsis.
*鈥淒o not rage at the gods, my friend, for they are not to blame. They give, and they take, as they will." - This is a reflection on the role of the gods, reminding us of the randomness of divine favor and the nature of suffering鈥攁 key theme in the story.
These lines not only elevate the beauty of the epic but also capture its themes鈥攍onging, wisdom, struggle, and the search for home. They make The Odyssey a deeply reflective and timeless narrative that resonates far beyond its mythic elements.
This is a timeless classic, not just because it鈥檚 old, but because it speaks to the timeless aspects of the human experience. A story about longing, love, and survival that continues to feel as powerful today as it did centuries ago.
~The Verdict: It鈥檚 a cultural gem with moments that will make you stop and think, but it鈥檚 also a beast to get through. Still, I get why it鈥檚 a classic. The themes of resilience, wit, and human flaws are relatable even after centuries. It鈥檚 like a love letter to storytelling itself, but the pacing? Oof. It tested my patience big time. Three stars for its historical significance and for keeping me hooked even when I probably should鈥檝e stopped. Pata pata, Homer, let鈥檚 agree I鈥檒l save long epics for my post-exam life.馃槱馃憤
"I'm not normally a praying man, but if you're up there, please save me, Superman !"鈥擧辞尘别谤
Helpppp, I鈥檓 supposed to be on an exam hiatus, but here I am, drowning in The Odyssey. So This epic is a rollercoaster鈥攐n one hand, the wine-dark seas, the meddling gods, and Odysseus鈥檚 chaotic journey have this timeless vibe that pulls you in. But on the other hand, it鈥檚 so long. What can I say about The Odyssey that hasn鈥檛 been said already? This epic tale of adventure, loss, and triumph is a masterclass in storytelling. It鈥檚 not just a journey across lands and seas but a deep exploration of human strength, the will to survive, and the yearning to return home.
Homer鈥檚 language is poetic, rhythmic, and captivating. With every chapter, you are pulled deeper into a world where the line between the divine and the mortal is blurred. The pacing of the story, though long, never feels tedious. Every moment is earned, every challenge significant.
~ Standout Lines:
*鈥淟onged for as the sun warmed earth is by the wayfaring man in autumn.鈥� 鈥� This captures Odysseus鈥檚 yearning to return home after years of suffering.
*鈥淔ar in the west, the sun set on the sea, and the stars came out, shining like silver. Then, I lay on the ground and wept, with tears that were salty as the sea.鈥� - A poignant and emotional moment that speaks to the loneliness and sorrow Odysseus feels in his exile, underscoring his yearning for home.
*鈥淣obly he fought, but in the end, we were left with nothing but ruin.鈥� 鈥� A tragic line that echoes the theme of futility. Even the bravest warriors face inevitable decline, and no matter how hard you fight, some things are just beyond your control.
*鈥淭hey [the gods] give and they take, and the mortal man must suffer or rejoice, depending on their whim.鈥� 鈥� A chilling reminder of the capriciousness of fate and the unpredictable nature of the divine. It reinforces the role of the gods as both protectors and destroyers, depending on their will.
*鈥淢y home is where I can be true to myself, not a place, but a promise.鈥� 鈥� This speaks to the deeper understanding that home isn鈥檛 just a physical place, but an emotional anchor. It鈥檚 a profound realization in Odysseus鈥檚 journey and mirrors our own quest for self-identity and belonging.
*鈥淓ndurance is the key to life.鈥� 鈥� In Odysseus鈥檚 journey, there鈥檚 a consistent message: survive, persevere, and never give up, no matter how hard it gets.
*鈥淭here is no greater agony than bearing an untold story inside you.鈥� 鈥� This line encapsulates the theme of storytelling itself. Odysseus's journey, filled with triumphs and losses, is itself a story he must tell. The need to recount one's experiences becomes a form of catharsis.
*鈥淒o not rage at the gods, my friend, for they are not to blame. They give, and they take, as they will." - This is a reflection on the role of the gods, reminding us of the randomness of divine favor and the nature of suffering鈥攁 key theme in the story.
These lines not only elevate the beauty of the epic but also capture its themes鈥攍onging, wisdom, struggle, and the search for home. They make The Odyssey a deeply reflective and timeless narrative that resonates far beyond its mythic elements.
This is a timeless classic, not just because it鈥檚 old, but because it speaks to the timeless aspects of the human experience. A story about longing, love, and survival that continues to feel as powerful today as it did centuries ago.
~The Verdict: It鈥檚 a cultural gem with moments that will make you stop and think, but it鈥檚 also a beast to get through. Still, I get why it鈥檚 a classic. The themes of resilience, wit, and human flaws are relatable even after centuries. It鈥檚 like a love letter to storytelling itself, but the pacing? Oof. It tested my patience big time. Three stars for its historical significance and for keeping me hooked even when I probably should鈥檝e stopped. Pata pata, Homer, let鈥檚 agree I鈥檒l save long epics for my post-exam life.馃槱馃憤
January 6, 2025
I don't think the world (or the 欧宝娱乐 user base) will gain much by me "reviewing" The Odyssey. Everything that needs to be said about this wonderful epic has been said throughout the ages鈥攁nd that again and again鈥攂y people who were and are much more capable than me.
All there's left for me to say is that I LOVED it, and I didn't expect to. The Odyssey was a much quicker, more thrilling and fun read than I could've ever imagined. With his translation, Fagles ignited my love for Ancient texts, and also removed all the fears I had surrounding these types of lectures. They aren't as scary or hard to understand as I thought. They're actually quite fun... and bloody, and prepostorous, and heart-warming, and and and ...
So instead of rambling about the love I have for Penelope, or my bewildered admiration for Helen, my love-hate relationship to Odysseus and his son Telemachus, and the wrath I feel for the Gods, I will share with you 10 tips on how to tackle this tome:
#1 Read the Verse version, not the Prose ones
The Odyssey has been written and conceived in verse. However, through the ages, and for better accessibility for a possible readership, some translator have translated this epic into prose. Personally, I haven't heard many great things about the Prose translation and since I read a Verse translation myself (and loved it), I would always advise to go with a Verse version of The Odyssey.
It flows much more nicely and makes more sense, as verse is more capable and fitting to convey how the characters speak and interact with each other. The importance of the orality of this text is also made apparent in various different moments in the text, it begins with the evocation of the Muse who is told to sing about the "Man of twists and turns", and ends with Odysseus telling his story to the Phaeacians, possibly becoming an unreliable narrator of his own adventures and achievements himself. This text is told within multiple layers, the person who speaks/narrates is essential to the message that is conveyed within the text, and the verse versions are able to capture these layers brilliantly.
#2 Find the right translator
The Odyssey is literally a tale as old as time (or as old as the Western canon goes back to) and so there are dozens of translations to choose from. Since I've only read the Fagles translation from the mid-90s, I can only judge that one, but Fagles is definitely a translation I'd recommend. It's straight to the point, quite modern in tone (and therefore easily to understand) and not at all flowery or "lyrical". Other renown translators are Lattimore, Pope (even though that's an OOOOLD one), Graves and Fitzgerald. Emily Wilson is the first woman to translate the epic into English and her new translation (it's from 2018, I think?) has a feminist twist, so that might be up your alley.
#3 Manage your expectations
I don't know about you but I had many misconceptions about this tale. I really thought Odysseus was at sea for 20 years, unable to find his way home. I thought The Odyssey would narrate all his adventures at sea, like battling the cyclops, stealing the cattle of the Sun or landing on Circe's island. I couldn't have been more wrong. What I just described are only four out of twenty-four books of this epic. Odysseus' adventures at sea only take up a sixth of the story. We only meet the man by Book 5, before the first four books (also known as the Telemachia) focus solely on his son and his trial of setting out to visit Nestor and Menelaus to get to know the whereabouts of his father. And then when we finally meet Odysseus, he is actually back in Ithaca by the halfway point of this book. So Book 13-24 are actually set in Ithaca, and it's not about sea adventures at all, it's about bloody revenge, my dudes.
Since Penelope (and Telemachus) have been harassed ever since Odysseus failed to return from the Trojan War, Odysseus now takes it upon himself, upon his return, to slaughter all the suitors (all 100+ of them) who harassed his wife, ate his food, slaughtered his animals and wracked havoc on his kingdom. And baby, that revenge is drawn out and sweet. Book 22 (the slaughter of the suitors) is as bloody as it is brilliant, definitely my favorite of the 24 books!
#4 Read it quickly
The Odyssey is a big book but I would recommend reading as much as you can, but a minimum of one book a day. The pacing of this epic is amazing and very intricate, and when reading The Odyssey continuously, it will hit you right in the feels. You will want Penelope and Odysseus to reunite ALREADY but Homer will keep you waiting book for book, and delay their reunion to no end until it ends in a big crescendo and huge offense, and you will be clutching your pearls.
#5 Do your research
The Odyssey is easy to understand (at least for how old and huge in scope it is), however, I'd still recommend doing secondary research. Either get a book with a good introduction, notes and chronology (like the Penguin Deluxe Classics version I own) or try to find other sources online.
#6 Listen to podcasts
What helped me the most was listening to the Close Reads podcast. They did many different episodes discussing 2-4 books per episode, diving deep into analysis and questions. Many other readers also enjoyed the Literature and History podcast. These are 3 episodes, each focusing on 8 books, which function more like a summary and overview of key events and questions.
#7 Watch YouTube videos
On YouTube, I'd recommend watching the Ted-Ed or CrashCourse videos for a nice appetizer, and then also Moan Inc.'s 24-video series, where she dives deep into this epic, summarizes and analyses! It's a fantastic resource!
#8 Focus on what's most interesting to you
On your first read, you won't be able to get it all. And that's okay. Try to find out what's most appealing and interesting to you. Is it how Homer developed his characters and how they interact with each other? Is it the Greek mythology? Or is it Homer himself? The man, the mystery? Was he one person, was he blind, was he actually able to write? There are many different questions surrounding this epic. Find and focus on what's most important to you.
#9 Find modern influences
The Odyssey has influenced many artists throughout the centuries. When reading pay attention to which associations you make, which references suddenly make sense, where have you seen a similar writing style, set-up etc. in modern texts? When I read The Odyssey I couldn't shake the feeling that Patrick Rothfuss was deeply influenced by Odysseus as a character and unreliable narrator in his development of Kvothe, the hero of Rothfuss' The Kingkiller Chronicles. Just like Odysseus, Kvothe tells his own story to people who are eagerly listening. What lies is he making up to make himself look better? How is he distorting reality?
The slaughter of the suitors in Book 22, reminded me of Shakespeare's Titus Andronicus which is equally bloody and George R.R. Martin's Red Wedding... the list goes on and on.
#10 Don't let a modern judgment cloud your vision
There are many things in The Odyssey that happen which from a modern viewpoint are absolutely despicable. There's slavery, rape, murder etc. Women usually get the short end of the stick, and Odysseus is hailed for everything he does, even if it is ordering the hanging of the maids who were raped by the suitors because they are no longer "pure". As a modern reader, some of the prescribed events can be hard to stomach. However, I fared best with meeting the book where it's at 鈥� which means that I can still have my own reservations and judge some of the characters (especially Odysseus) rather harshly, but also keep Homer's values and the values of his time in mind. So therefore I don't have to see Odysseus as a "hero", but I will also not be pissed or confused why Homer portrayed it him as one. It makes perfect sense keeping the context in which the poem was written in in mind.
All there's left for me to say is that I LOVED it, and I didn't expect to. The Odyssey was a much quicker, more thrilling and fun read than I could've ever imagined. With his translation, Fagles ignited my love for Ancient texts, and also removed all the fears I had surrounding these types of lectures. They aren't as scary or hard to understand as I thought. They're actually quite fun... and bloody, and prepostorous, and heart-warming, and and and ...
So instead of rambling about the love I have for Penelope, or my bewildered admiration for Helen, my love-hate relationship to Odysseus and his son Telemachus, and the wrath I feel for the Gods, I will share with you 10 tips on how to tackle this tome:
#1 Read the Verse version, not the Prose ones
The Odyssey has been written and conceived in verse. However, through the ages, and for better accessibility for a possible readership, some translator have translated this epic into prose. Personally, I haven't heard many great things about the Prose translation and since I read a Verse translation myself (and loved it), I would always advise to go with a Verse version of The Odyssey.
It flows much more nicely and makes more sense, as verse is more capable and fitting to convey how the characters speak and interact with each other. The importance of the orality of this text is also made apparent in various different moments in the text, it begins with the evocation of the Muse who is told to sing about the "Man of twists and turns", and ends with Odysseus telling his story to the Phaeacians, possibly becoming an unreliable narrator of his own adventures and achievements himself. This text is told within multiple layers, the person who speaks/narrates is essential to the message that is conveyed within the text, and the verse versions are able to capture these layers brilliantly.
#2 Find the right translator
The Odyssey is literally a tale as old as time (or as old as the Western canon goes back to) and so there are dozens of translations to choose from. Since I've only read the Fagles translation from the mid-90s, I can only judge that one, but Fagles is definitely a translation I'd recommend. It's straight to the point, quite modern in tone (and therefore easily to understand) and not at all flowery or "lyrical". Other renown translators are Lattimore, Pope (even though that's an OOOOLD one), Graves and Fitzgerald. Emily Wilson is the first woman to translate the epic into English and her new translation (it's from 2018, I think?) has a feminist twist, so that might be up your alley.
#3 Manage your expectations
I don't know about you but I had many misconceptions about this tale. I really thought Odysseus was at sea for 20 years, unable to find his way home. I thought The Odyssey would narrate all his adventures at sea, like battling the cyclops, stealing the cattle of the Sun or landing on Circe's island. I couldn't have been more wrong. What I just described are only four out of twenty-four books of this epic. Odysseus' adventures at sea only take up a sixth of the story. We only meet the man by Book 5, before the first four books (also known as the Telemachia) focus solely on his son and his trial of setting out to visit Nestor and Menelaus to get to know the whereabouts of his father. And then when we finally meet Odysseus, he is actually back in Ithaca by the halfway point of this book. So Book 13-24 are actually set in Ithaca, and it's not about sea adventures at all, it's about bloody revenge, my dudes.
Since Penelope (and Telemachus) have been harassed ever since Odysseus failed to return from the Trojan War, Odysseus now takes it upon himself, upon his return, to slaughter all the suitors (all 100+ of them) who harassed his wife, ate his food, slaughtered his animals and wracked havoc on his kingdom. And baby, that revenge is drawn out and sweet. Book 22 (the slaughter of the suitors) is as bloody as it is brilliant, definitely my favorite of the 24 books!
#4 Read it quickly
The Odyssey is a big book but I would recommend reading as much as you can, but a minimum of one book a day. The pacing of this epic is amazing and very intricate, and when reading The Odyssey continuously, it will hit you right in the feels. You will want Penelope and Odysseus to reunite ALREADY but Homer will keep you waiting book for book, and delay their reunion to no end until it ends in a big crescendo and huge offense, and you will be clutching your pearls.
#5 Do your research
The Odyssey is easy to understand (at least for how old and huge in scope it is), however, I'd still recommend doing secondary research. Either get a book with a good introduction, notes and chronology (like the Penguin Deluxe Classics version I own) or try to find other sources online.
#6 Listen to podcasts
What helped me the most was listening to the Close Reads podcast. They did many different episodes discussing 2-4 books per episode, diving deep into analysis and questions. Many other readers also enjoyed the Literature and History podcast. These are 3 episodes, each focusing on 8 books, which function more like a summary and overview of key events and questions.
#7 Watch YouTube videos
On YouTube, I'd recommend watching the Ted-Ed or CrashCourse videos for a nice appetizer, and then also Moan Inc.'s 24-video series, where she dives deep into this epic, summarizes and analyses! It's a fantastic resource!
#8 Focus on what's most interesting to you
On your first read, you won't be able to get it all. And that's okay. Try to find out what's most appealing and interesting to you. Is it how Homer developed his characters and how they interact with each other? Is it the Greek mythology? Or is it Homer himself? The man, the mystery? Was he one person, was he blind, was he actually able to write? There are many different questions surrounding this epic. Find and focus on what's most important to you.
#9 Find modern influences
The Odyssey has influenced many artists throughout the centuries. When reading pay attention to which associations you make, which references suddenly make sense, where have you seen a similar writing style, set-up etc. in modern texts? When I read The Odyssey I couldn't shake the feeling that Patrick Rothfuss was deeply influenced by Odysseus as a character and unreliable narrator in his development of Kvothe, the hero of Rothfuss' The Kingkiller Chronicles. Just like Odysseus, Kvothe tells his own story to people who are eagerly listening. What lies is he making up to make himself look better? How is he distorting reality?
The slaughter of the suitors in Book 22, reminded me of Shakespeare's Titus Andronicus which is equally bloody and George R.R. Martin's Red Wedding... the list goes on and on.
#10 Don't let a modern judgment cloud your vision
There are many things in The Odyssey that happen which from a modern viewpoint are absolutely despicable. There's slavery, rape, murder etc. Women usually get the short end of the stick, and Odysseus is hailed for everything he does, even if it is ordering the hanging of the maids who were raped by the suitors because they are no longer "pure". As a modern reader, some of the prescribed events can be hard to stomach. However, I fared best with meeting the book where it's at 鈥� which means that I can still have my own reservations and judge some of the characters (especially Odysseus) rather harshly, but also keep Homer's values and the values of his time in mind. So therefore I don't have to see Odysseus as a "hero", but I will also not be pissed or confused why Homer portrayed it him as one. It makes perfect sense keeping the context in which the poem was written in in mind.
July 6, 2018
I mean, it's no Ulysses.
April 15, 2021
"Volver, con la frente marchita, las nieves del tiempo platearon mi sien. Sentir, que es un soplo la vida, que veinte a帽os no es nada, que febril la mirada, errante en las sombras, te busca y te nombra. Vivir, con el alma aferrada, a un dulce recuerdo que lloro otra vez."
Concuerdo totalmente con el periodista y traductor Joan Casas, cuando en el pr贸logo de esta edici贸n nos dice que si se hubieran reunido temas y canciones para una banda de sonido de este libro, hubiera sido su tema principal "Volver", ese inmortal tango de Gardel y Le Pera, que es el m谩s odiseico de todos los tiempos, puesto que esas sentidas estrofas concuerdan con la historia de este h茅roe, Laert铆ada, raza de Zeus, agudisimo Ulises, aunque para m铆 con una salvedad: jam谩s Ulises vuelve con la frente marchita sino con 茅sta bien alta, m谩s all谩 de los padeceres, deshonras y p茅rdidas que sufre en su periplo de retorno durante diez a帽os, luego de otros diez luchando en Troya cuando finalmente pisa su amad铆sima 脥taca.
Siempre consider茅 que para leer la Odisea me era indispensable primero terminar la Il铆ada aunque en realidad lo correcto ser铆a primero leer la Teogon铆a de Hes铆odo, en donde el aedo cuenta el origen del mundo hasta la aparici贸n de todos los dioses del Olimpo que luego Homero y el resto de los poetas griegos m谩s importantes tomar谩n como parte de sus relatos 茅picos y tragedias.
Luego viene la batalla de Troya tal como nos lo es contada en la Il铆ada, y posteriormente, los libros que narran los retornos por un lado, de Ulises en la Odisea, el de Eneas en la Ene铆da luego de la destrucci贸n de Troya (esto narrado por el poeta latino Virgilio pero que tiene directa conexi贸n con los otros poemas 茅picos), junto con el regreso de Agamen贸n a su casa, narrado por Esquilo, con un resultado completamente opuesto al de Ulises, puesto que a diferencia de Pen茅lope, es asesinado por su esposa Clitmnenestra y Egisto, su amante y posteriormente la Orest铆ada, tambi茅n de Esquilo, que cuenta la venganza de Orestes, hijo de Agamen贸n, matando al asesino de su padre.
Lamentablemente yo no mantuve ese orden de lectura. Le铆 primero la Eneida, luego la Il铆ada y Odisea y ahora comenc茅 con la Teogon铆a.
Pero volvamos a esta maravilla de libro. Realmente he disfrutado de la misma manera que en la Il铆ada lo que Homero nos cuenta en la Odisea con la diferencia que en este libro me ha sido a煤n m谩s placentera su lectura, dado que noto una prosa m谩s clara y m谩s amena que en la Il铆ada, m谩s all谩 de estar escrita en hex谩metros. Tal vez sea cierto lo que dicen los historiadores acerca de Homero y es que puede que separen a la Il铆ada de la Odisea much铆simos a帽os.
Es como que la primera fue relatada por un jovenc铆simo Homero, tal vez de 25 a帽os, digamos, mientras que la segunda tienen otro tenor en sus hex谩metros, como si las hubiera relatado un Homero de sesenta a帽os.
Yendo a la historia propiamente, en la Odisea nos encontramos nuevamente con la intervenci贸n divina, con la diferencia de que en este libro no son tantos los dioses que aparecen. D铆ria que son cuatro: Poseid贸n, Zeus, Palas Atenea y Hermes.
Veinte a帽os no es nada, agud铆simo Ulises.
Puedes descansar tranquilo, ya que el fin justific贸 los medios.
Concuerdo totalmente con el periodista y traductor Joan Casas, cuando en el pr贸logo de esta edici贸n nos dice que si se hubieran reunido temas y canciones para una banda de sonido de este libro, hubiera sido su tema principal "Volver", ese inmortal tango de Gardel y Le Pera, que es el m谩s odiseico de todos los tiempos, puesto que esas sentidas estrofas concuerdan con la historia de este h茅roe, Laert铆ada, raza de Zeus, agudisimo Ulises, aunque para m铆 con una salvedad: jam谩s Ulises vuelve con la frente marchita sino con 茅sta bien alta, m谩s all谩 de los padeceres, deshonras y p茅rdidas que sufre en su periplo de retorno durante diez a帽os, luego de otros diez luchando en Troya cuando finalmente pisa su amad铆sima 脥taca.
Siempre consider茅 que para leer la Odisea me era indispensable primero terminar la Il铆ada aunque en realidad lo correcto ser铆a primero leer la Teogon铆a de Hes铆odo, en donde el aedo cuenta el origen del mundo hasta la aparici贸n de todos los dioses del Olimpo que luego Homero y el resto de los poetas griegos m谩s importantes tomar谩n como parte de sus relatos 茅picos y tragedias.
Luego viene la batalla de Troya tal como nos lo es contada en la Il铆ada, y posteriormente, los libros que narran los retornos por un lado, de Ulises en la Odisea, el de Eneas en la Ene铆da luego de la destrucci贸n de Troya (esto narrado por el poeta latino Virgilio pero que tiene directa conexi贸n con los otros poemas 茅picos), junto con el regreso de Agamen贸n a su casa, narrado por Esquilo, con un resultado completamente opuesto al de Ulises, puesto que a diferencia de Pen茅lope, es asesinado por su esposa Clitmnenestra y Egisto, su amante y posteriormente la Orest铆ada, tambi茅n de Esquilo, que cuenta la venganza de Orestes, hijo de Agamen贸n, matando al asesino de su padre.
Lamentablemente yo no mantuve ese orden de lectura. Le铆 primero la Eneida, luego la Il铆ada y Odisea y ahora comenc茅 con la Teogon铆a.
Pero volvamos a esta maravilla de libro. Realmente he disfrutado de la misma manera que en la Il铆ada lo que Homero nos cuenta en la Odisea con la diferencia que en este libro me ha sido a煤n m谩s placentera su lectura, dado que noto una prosa m谩s clara y m谩s amena que en la Il铆ada, m谩s all谩 de estar escrita en hex谩metros. Tal vez sea cierto lo que dicen los historiadores acerca de Homero y es que puede que separen a la Il铆ada de la Odisea much铆simos a帽os.
Es como que la primera fue relatada por un jovenc铆simo Homero, tal vez de 25 a帽os, digamos, mientras que la segunda tienen otro tenor en sus hex谩metros, como si las hubiera relatado un Homero de sesenta a帽os.
Yendo a la historia propiamente, en la Odisea nos encontramos nuevamente con la intervenci贸n divina, con la diferencia de que en este libro no son tantos los dioses que aparecen. D铆ria que son cuatro: Poseid贸n, Zeus, Palas Atenea y Hermes.
Veinte a帽os no es nada, agud铆simo Ulises.
Puedes descansar tranquilo, ya que el fin justific贸 los medios.
September 19, 2023
Trojan War is ended and the Greeks are returning home with victory and their loot. But the homecoming is not so easy, for they have to struggle with their fate and the wrath of the Olympian gods they incurred. This is greater so for Odysseus, the greek warrior from Ithaca who played a key role in the Trojan War. His fate assures his return but his sudden incurring the wrath of Poseidon (the sea god) makes that returning almost perilous. Odysseus faces many adventures on his journey home which tests his strength and courage, and on his return, finds his household in greater calamity. It is this tale of Odysseus that Homer recounts in The Odyssey.
The many adventures Odysseus faces on his return journey were quite daunting and perilous. They try his strength of mind. But Odysseus is resourceful and cunning, and although he despairs at times, his steadfast courage sees him through the journey back home and restores his position as the king of Ithaca. Odysseus is a story of faith, courage, endurance, and strength of mind to fight all obstacles and attain your desired end. One can say to that extent, Homer's story is quite inspirational.
But the beauty of this epic poem is its quality as a work of art. It is both picturesque and dramatic with a touch of fantasy. Homer takes us to a fantastic world through Odysseus's voyage home, and we meet so many mythological characters - gods, men, and other creatures included. Odysseus's adventures are interesting to read. I enjoyed the journey Homer took me through this tale very much.
The prosaic translation I read contributed much to my enjoyment of this epic poem. It was an easy read and not too modern in the language which suited the antiquity of this Homeric tale. This reading taught me the importance of using the correct translation to match one's temperament. I enjoyed this work of Homer very much, something I couldn't say of The Iliad. And now I know where to lay the blame. :)
The many adventures Odysseus faces on his return journey were quite daunting and perilous. They try his strength of mind. But Odysseus is resourceful and cunning, and although he despairs at times, his steadfast courage sees him through the journey back home and restores his position as the king of Ithaca. Odysseus is a story of faith, courage, endurance, and strength of mind to fight all obstacles and attain your desired end. One can say to that extent, Homer's story is quite inspirational.
But the beauty of this epic poem is its quality as a work of art. It is both picturesque and dramatic with a touch of fantasy. Homer takes us to a fantastic world through Odysseus's voyage home, and we meet so many mythological characters - gods, men, and other creatures included. Odysseus's adventures are interesting to read. I enjoyed the journey Homer took me through this tale very much.
The prosaic translation I read contributed much to my enjoyment of this epic poem. It was an easy read and not too modern in the language which suited the antiquity of this Homeric tale. This reading taught me the importance of using the correct translation to match one's temperament. I enjoyed this work of Homer very much, something I couldn't say of The Iliad. And now I know where to lay the blame. :)
March 11, 2019
What can I say about this book that hasn't been said already? I'm sure that the influence and importance of it has been discussed to death already, so I won't even get started on that.
My reading experience was surprisingly pleasant: I didn't expect to get so invested! I found the language a bit hard at first, but once I got used to it (which didn't take all too long), I was able to fully enjoy the story. I'm glad that I finally read this classic piece of work, and it's definitely understandable that it's as famous as it is.
My reading experience was surprisingly pleasant: I didn't expect to get so invested! I found the language a bit hard at first, but once I got used to it (which didn't take all too long), I was able to fully enjoy the story. I'm glad that I finally read this classic piece of work, and it's definitely understandable that it's as famous as it is.
June 2, 2016
To this day, the most interesting research project that I鈥檝e ever done was the very first. It was on the Homeric Question.
I was a sophomore in college鈥攁 student with (unfortunate) literary ambitions who had just decided to major in anthropology. By this point, I had at least tacitly decided that I wanted to be a professor. In my future lay the vast and unexplored ocean of academia. What was the safest vessel to travel into that forbidden wine-dark sea? Research.
I signed up for a reading project with an anthropology professor. Although I was too na茂ve to sense it at the time, he was a man thoroughly sick of his job. Lucky for him, he was on the cusp of retirement. So his world-weariness manifested itself as a total, guilt-free indifference to his teaching duties. Maybe that鈥檚 why I liked him so much. I envied a man that could apparently care so little about professional advancement. That鈥檚 what I wanted.
In any case, now I had to come up with a research topic. I had just switched into the major, and so had little idea what typical anthropology research projects were like. And because my advisor was so indifferent, I received no guidance from him. The onus lay entirely on me. One night, as I groped half-heartedly through Wikipedia pages, I stumbled on something fascinating, something that I hadn鈥檛 even considered before.
Who is Homer? Nobody knew. Nobody could know. The man鈥攊f man he was鈥攚as lost to the abyss of time. No trace of him existed. We can鈥檛 even pin down what century he lived. And yet, we have these glorious poems鈥攑oems at the center of our history, the roots of the Western literary canon. Stories of the Greek Gods had fascinated me since my childhood; Zues and Athena were as familiar as Little Red Riding Hood and the Big Bad Wolf. That the person (or persons) responsible could be so totally lost to history baffled me鈥攊ntrigued me.
But I was not majoring in literature or the humanities. I was in anthropology, and so had to do a proper anthropological project. At the very least, I needed an angle.
Milman Parry and Albert Lord duly provided this angle. The two men were classicists鈥攕cholars of ancient Greece. But instead of staying in their musty offices reading dusty manuscripts, they did something no classicist had done before: they attempted to answer the Homeric question with field work.
At the time (and perhaps now?) a vibrant oral tradition existed in Serbo-Croatia. Oral poets (guslars, they鈥檙e called there) would tell massive stories at public gatherings, some stories even approaching the length of the Homeric poems. But what was most fascinating was that these stories were apparently improvised.
In our decadent culture, we have a warped idea of improvisation. Many of us believe improvisation to be the spontaneous outflowing of creative energies, manifesting themselves in something totally new. Like God shaping the Earth out of the infinite void, these imaginary improvisers shape their art from nothing whatsoever. Unfortunately, this never happens.
Whether you鈥檙e a jazz saxophonist playing on a Coltrane tune, a salesperson dealing with a new client, or an oral bard telling a tale, improvisation is done via a playful recombining of preexisting, formulaic elements. This was Milman and Parry鈥檚 great discovery. By carefully transcribing hundreds of these Serbo-Croation poems, they discovered that鈥攁lthough a single poem may vary from person to person, place to place, or performance to performance鈥攖he variation took place within predictable boundaries.
The poet鈥檚 brains were full of stock-phrases (鈥渨hen dawn with her rose-red fingers shone once more鈥�), common epithets (鈥渕uch-enduring Odysseus鈥�), and otherwise formulaic verses that allowed them to quickly put together their poems. Individual scenes, in turn, also followed stereotypical outlines鈥攆easts, banquets, catalogues of forces, battles, athletic contests, etc. Of course, this is not to say that the poet was not original. Rather, it is to say that they are just as original as John Coltrane or Charlie Parker鈥攊ndividuals working within a tradition. These formulas and stereotypical scenes were the raw material with which the poet worked. They allowed him to compose material quickly enough to keep up the performance, and not break his rhythm.
But could poems as long as The Odyssey and The Iliad come wholly from an oral tradition? It seems improbable: it would take multiple days to recite, and the bard would have to pick up where he left off. But Milman and Parry, during their fieldwork, managed to put our fears at rest. They found a singer that could (and did) compose poems equal in length to Homer鈥檚. (I actually read one. It鈥檚 called The Wedding of Smailagic Meho, and was recited by a poet named Avdo. It鈥檚 no Odyssey, but still entertaining.)
All this is impressive, but one question remained: how could the oral poems get on paper? Did an oral poet鈥擧辞尘别谤, presumably鈥攍earn to write, and copy it down? Not possible, says Alfred Lord, in his book The Singer of Tales. According to him, once a person becomes literate, the frame of mind required to learn the art of oral poetry cannot be achieved. A literate person thinks of language in an entirely different way as a non-literate one, and so the poems couldn鈥檛 have been written by a literate poet who had learned from his oral predecessors.
According to Lord, this left only one option: Homer must have been a master oral poet, and his poems must have been transcribed by someone else. (This is how the aforementioned poem by Avdo was taken down by the researchers.) At the time, this struck me as perfectly likely鈥攊ndeed, almost certain. But the more I think about it, the less I can imagine an oral poet submitting himself to sit with a scribe, writing in the cumbersome Linear B script, for the dozens and dozens of hours it would have taken to transcribe these poems. It鈥檚 possible, but seems unlikely.
But according to Ruth Finnegan, Alfred Lord鈥檚 insistence that literacy destroys the capacity to improvise poems is mistaken. An anthropologist, Finnegan found many cases in Africa of semi-literate or fully literate people who remained capable of improvising poetry. So it鈥檚 at least equally possible that Homer was an oral poet who learned to read, and then decided to commit the poems to paper (or whatever they were writing on back then).
I submit this longwinded overview of the Homeric Question because, despite my usual arrogance, I cannot even imagine writing a 鈥榬eview鈥� for this poem. I feel like that would be equivalent to 鈥榬eviewing鈥� one鈥檚 own father and mother. For me, and everyone alive in the Western world today, The Odyssey is flesh of my flesh, blood of my blood. Marvelously sophisticated, fantastically exciting, it is the alpha and omega of our tradition. From Homer we sprang, and unto Homer shall we return.
[Note: I'd also like to add that this time, my third or forth time through the poem, I decided to go through it via audiobook. Lucky for me, the Fagles translation (a nice one if you're looking for readability) is available as an audiobook, narrated by the great Sir Ian McKellen. It was a wonderful experience, not only because Sir Ian has such a beautiful voice (he's Gandalf, after all), but because hearing it read rather than reading it recreated, however dimly, the original experience of the poem: as a performance. I highly recommend it.]
I was a sophomore in college鈥攁 student with (unfortunate) literary ambitions who had just decided to major in anthropology. By this point, I had at least tacitly decided that I wanted to be a professor. In my future lay the vast and unexplored ocean of academia. What was the safest vessel to travel into that forbidden wine-dark sea? Research.
I signed up for a reading project with an anthropology professor. Although I was too na茂ve to sense it at the time, he was a man thoroughly sick of his job. Lucky for him, he was on the cusp of retirement. So his world-weariness manifested itself as a total, guilt-free indifference to his teaching duties. Maybe that鈥檚 why I liked him so much. I envied a man that could apparently care so little about professional advancement. That鈥檚 what I wanted.
In any case, now I had to come up with a research topic. I had just switched into the major, and so had little idea what typical anthropology research projects were like. And because my advisor was so indifferent, I received no guidance from him. The onus lay entirely on me. One night, as I groped half-heartedly through Wikipedia pages, I stumbled on something fascinating, something that I hadn鈥檛 even considered before.
Who is Homer? Nobody knew. Nobody could know. The man鈥攊f man he was鈥攚as lost to the abyss of time. No trace of him existed. We can鈥檛 even pin down what century he lived. And yet, we have these glorious poems鈥攑oems at the center of our history, the roots of the Western literary canon. Stories of the Greek Gods had fascinated me since my childhood; Zues and Athena were as familiar as Little Red Riding Hood and the Big Bad Wolf. That the person (or persons) responsible could be so totally lost to history baffled me鈥攊ntrigued me.
But I was not majoring in literature or the humanities. I was in anthropology, and so had to do a proper anthropological project. At the very least, I needed an angle.
Milman Parry and Albert Lord duly provided this angle. The two men were classicists鈥攕cholars of ancient Greece. But instead of staying in their musty offices reading dusty manuscripts, they did something no classicist had done before: they attempted to answer the Homeric question with field work.
At the time (and perhaps now?) a vibrant oral tradition existed in Serbo-Croatia. Oral poets (guslars, they鈥檙e called there) would tell massive stories at public gatherings, some stories even approaching the length of the Homeric poems. But what was most fascinating was that these stories were apparently improvised.
In our decadent culture, we have a warped idea of improvisation. Many of us believe improvisation to be the spontaneous outflowing of creative energies, manifesting themselves in something totally new. Like God shaping the Earth out of the infinite void, these imaginary improvisers shape their art from nothing whatsoever. Unfortunately, this never happens.
Whether you鈥檙e a jazz saxophonist playing on a Coltrane tune, a salesperson dealing with a new client, or an oral bard telling a tale, improvisation is done via a playful recombining of preexisting, formulaic elements. This was Milman and Parry鈥檚 great discovery. By carefully transcribing hundreds of these Serbo-Croation poems, they discovered that鈥攁lthough a single poem may vary from person to person, place to place, or performance to performance鈥攖he variation took place within predictable boundaries.
The poet鈥檚 brains were full of stock-phrases (鈥渨hen dawn with her rose-red fingers shone once more鈥�), common epithets (鈥渕uch-enduring Odysseus鈥�), and otherwise formulaic verses that allowed them to quickly put together their poems. Individual scenes, in turn, also followed stereotypical outlines鈥攆easts, banquets, catalogues of forces, battles, athletic contests, etc. Of course, this is not to say that the poet was not original. Rather, it is to say that they are just as original as John Coltrane or Charlie Parker鈥攊ndividuals working within a tradition. These formulas and stereotypical scenes were the raw material with which the poet worked. They allowed him to compose material quickly enough to keep up the performance, and not break his rhythm.
But could poems as long as The Odyssey and The Iliad come wholly from an oral tradition? It seems improbable: it would take multiple days to recite, and the bard would have to pick up where he left off. But Milman and Parry, during their fieldwork, managed to put our fears at rest. They found a singer that could (and did) compose poems equal in length to Homer鈥檚. (I actually read one. It鈥檚 called The Wedding of Smailagic Meho, and was recited by a poet named Avdo. It鈥檚 no Odyssey, but still entertaining.)
All this is impressive, but one question remained: how could the oral poems get on paper? Did an oral poet鈥擧辞尘别谤, presumably鈥攍earn to write, and copy it down? Not possible, says Alfred Lord, in his book The Singer of Tales. According to him, once a person becomes literate, the frame of mind required to learn the art of oral poetry cannot be achieved. A literate person thinks of language in an entirely different way as a non-literate one, and so the poems couldn鈥檛 have been written by a literate poet who had learned from his oral predecessors.
According to Lord, this left only one option: Homer must have been a master oral poet, and his poems must have been transcribed by someone else. (This is how the aforementioned poem by Avdo was taken down by the researchers.) At the time, this struck me as perfectly likely鈥攊ndeed, almost certain. But the more I think about it, the less I can imagine an oral poet submitting himself to sit with a scribe, writing in the cumbersome Linear B script, for the dozens and dozens of hours it would have taken to transcribe these poems. It鈥檚 possible, but seems unlikely.
But according to Ruth Finnegan, Alfred Lord鈥檚 insistence that literacy destroys the capacity to improvise poems is mistaken. An anthropologist, Finnegan found many cases in Africa of semi-literate or fully literate people who remained capable of improvising poetry. So it鈥檚 at least equally possible that Homer was an oral poet who learned to read, and then decided to commit the poems to paper (or whatever they were writing on back then).
I submit this longwinded overview of the Homeric Question because, despite my usual arrogance, I cannot even imagine writing a 鈥榬eview鈥� for this poem. I feel like that would be equivalent to 鈥榬eviewing鈥� one鈥檚 own father and mother. For me, and everyone alive in the Western world today, The Odyssey is flesh of my flesh, blood of my blood. Marvelously sophisticated, fantastically exciting, it is the alpha and omega of our tradition. From Homer we sprang, and unto Homer shall we return.
[Note: I'd also like to add that this time, my third or forth time through the poem, I decided to go through it via audiobook. Lucky for me, the Fagles translation (a nice one if you're looking for readability) is available as an audiobook, narrated by the great Sir Ian McKellen. It was a wonderful experience, not only because Sir Ian has such a beautiful voice (he's Gandalf, after all), but because hearing it read rather than reading it recreated, however dimly, the original experience of the poem: as a performance. I highly recommend it.]
November 3, 2019
As you set out for Ithaka
hope your road is a long one,
full of adventure, full of discovery.
Laistrygonians, Cyclops,
angry Poseidon鈥攄on鈥檛 be afraid of them:
you鈥檒l never find things like that on your way
as long as you keep your thoughts raised high,
as long as a rare excitement
stirs your spirit and your body.
Laistrygonians, Cyclops,
wild Poseidon鈥攜ou won鈥檛 encounter them
unless you bring them along inside your soul,
unless your soul sets them up in front of you.
Hope your road is a long one.
Ithaka By C. P. Cavafy Translated by Edmund Keeley
螝喂 伪谓 蟺蟿蠅蠂喂魏萎 蟿畏谓 尾蟻蔚喂蟼, 畏 螜胃维魏畏 未蔚谓 蟽蔚 纬苇位伪蟽蔚. 螆蟿蟽喂 蟽慰蠁蠈蟼 蟺慰蠀 苇纬喂谓蔚蟼, 渭蔚 蟿蠈蟽畏 蟺蔚委蟻伪, 萎未畏 胃伪 蟿慰 魏伪蟿维位伪尾蔚蟼 畏 螜胃维魏蔚蟼 蟿喂 蟽畏渭伪委谓慰蠀谓.
螚 蠄蠀蠂萎 渭慰蠀 蟿慰 尉苇蟻蔚喂, 蟺蠈蟽慰 渭蔚纬维位畏 伪谓维纬魏畏 蟿慰 蔚委蠂伪 谓伪 蟿慰 魏维谓蠅 尉伪谓维 伪蠀蟿蠈 蟿慰 渭蔚纬维位慰 蟿伪尉委未喂 渭伪味委 渭蔚 蟿慰谓 蟺慰位蠉蟺伪胃慰 螣未蠀蟽蟽苇伪. 螝伪喂 未喂维位蔚尉伪 蟿畏 渭蔚蟿维蠁蟻伪蟽畏 蔚魏蔚委谓畏, 蟿畏谓 蟺蟻蠋蟿畏, 伪蟺慰 蟿伪 蟽蠂慰位喂魏维 渭慰蠀 蠂蟻蠈谓喂伪, 蟿慰蠀 螙萎蟽喂渭慰蠀 危委未蔚蟻畏, 伪位位维 蔚委蠂伪 伪蟺蠈 未委蟺位伪 魏伪喂 蟿慰 伪蟻蠂伪委慰 魏蔚委渭蔚谓慰 纬喂伪 谓伪 蟺伪委蟻谓蠅 未喂蟺位萎 蠂伪蟻维, 伪蟺蠈 蟿畏 纬位蠋蟽蟽伪 渭慰蠀 伪蠀蟿萎谓 蟿畏谓 蟺伪谓维蟻蠂伪喂伪, 蟿喂蟼 位苇尉蔚喂蟼 蟺慰蠀 伪魏蠈渭伪 渭喂位慰蠉渭蔚 魏伪喂 蟺慰蠀 渭蔚 伪蠀蟿苇蟼 伪魏蠈渭伪 魏伪喂 蟽萎渭蔚蟻伪, 蔚魏蠁蟻维味慰蠀渭蔚 蟿喂蟼 蠂伪蟻苇蟼, 蟿慰蠀蟼 蟺蠈谓慰蠀蟼, 蟿喂蟼 伪纬蠅谓委蔚蟼 魏伪喂 蟿喂蟼 蔚位蟺委未蔚蟼 渭伪蟼.
螝伪喂 畏 伪纬伪蟺畏渭苇谓畏 渭慰蠀 畏 螒胃畏谓维... 螝维胃蔚 渭苇蟻伪, 魏伪胃蠋蟼 蟿慰 位蔚蠅蠁慰蟻蔚委慰 蟺伪委蟻谓蔚喂 蟿畏 蟽蟿蟻慰蠁萎 蟽蟿畏 未喂伪蟽蟿伪蠉蟻蠅蟽畏 蟿畏蟼 螔伪蟽喂位委蟽蟽畏蟼 危慰蠁委伪蟼, 蟽蟿畏谓 螤位伪蟿蔚委伪 危蠀谓蟿维纬渭伪蟿慰蟼, 蟽蟿蟻苇蠁蠅 蟿慰 尾位苇渭渭伪 纬喂伪 渭喂伪 蟽蟿喂纬渭萎, 谓伪 未蠅 渭苇蟽伪 伪蟺蠈 蟿伪 蟿蟽喂渭苇谓蟿伪 魏伪喂 蟿慰 魏伪蠀蟽伪苇蟻喂慰, 蟺维谓蠅 伪蟺' 蟿慰蠀蟼 尾喂伪蟽蟿喂魏慰蠉蟼 未喂伪尾维蟿蔚蟼, 蟿慰谓 螜蔚蟻蠈 蟿畏蟼 螔蟻维蠂慰, 魏维蟿蠅 伪蟺蠈 蟿慰谓 委未喂慰 慰蠀蟻伪谓蠈, 蟺慰蠀 蔚委蟿蔚 纬魏蟻委味慰蟼 蔚委蟿蔚 魏伪蟿伪纬维位伪谓慰蟼 魏伪喂 畏位喂蠈位慰蠀蟽蟿慰蟼, 蔚委谓伪喂 慰 委未喂慰蟼 慰蠀蟻伪谓蠈蟼 魏维蟿蠅 伪蟺蠈 蟿慰谓 慰蟺慰委慰 伪喂蠋谓蔚蟼 蟿蠋蟻伪 蟽蟿苇魏蔚喂 慰 蟿蠈蟺慰蟼 渭慰蠀 魏伪喂 渭喂位喂苇蟿伪喂 畏 纬位蠋蟽蟽伪 渭慰蠀. 螝喂 蠈蟿伪谓 渭慰蠀 蟽蠋谓蔚蟿伪喂 魏伪渭喂维 蠁慰蟻维 慰 伪苇蟻伪蟼, 伪蟺蠈 蟿喂蟼 未蠀蟽魏慰位委蔚蟼 蟿畏蟼 味蠅萎蟼, 苇蠂蠅 伪谓维纬魏畏 蟽蔚 伪蠀蟿蠈谓 蟿慰 尾蟻维蠂慰 谓伪 魏伪蟿伪蠁蔚蠉纬蠅, 喂魏苇蟿喂未伪, 纬喂伪 谓伪 伪谓伪蟽维谓蠅. 螝伪喂 蟺伪委蟻谓蠅 未蠉谓伪渭畏 伪蟺蠈 蟿喂蟼 蟺伪位喂苇蟼 蟺伪谓伪谓胃蟻蠋蟺喂谓蔚蟼 喂蟽蟿慰蟻委蔚蟼 魏喂 苇蟿蟽喂 魏伪蟿畏蠁慰蟻委味蠅 蟺维位喂 尉伪谓维 渭苇蟽伪 蟽蟿畏谓 纬魏蟻委味伪 蟺蠈位畏, 纬喂伪蟿蟻蔚渭苇谓畏.
螚 螒胃畏谓维 渭蔚 蟿畏谓 渭慰蟻蠁萎 蟿慰蠀 螠苇谓蟿畏 蟿慰蠀 伪蟻蠂畏纬慰蠉 蟿蠅谓 韦伪蠁喂蠅蟿蠋谓 蟺维蔚喂 蟽蟿畏谓 螜胃维魏畏 蟽蟿慰 蟺伪位维蟿喂 蟿慰蠀 螣未蠀蟽蟽苇伪, 尾蟻委蟽魏蔚喂 蟿慰谓 谓蔚伪蟻蠈 蟿慰蠀 纬喂慰, 蟿慰谓 韦畏位苇渭伪蠂慰 魏伪喂 蟿慰谓 蟽蠀渭尾慰蠀位蔚蠉蔚喂 谓伪 渭畏谓 魏维胃蔚蟿伪喂 维位位慰 伪谓维渭蔚蟽伪 蟽蟿慰蠀蟼 渭谓畏蟽蟿萎蟻蔚蟼, 伪位位维 谓伪 蟺维蟻蔚喂 苇谓伪 魏伪蟻维尾喂 魏伪喂 谓伪 蔚蟺喂蟽魏蔚蠁蟿蔚委 蟿慰 螡苇蟽蟿慰蟻伪 蟽蟿畏谓 螤蠉位慰 魏伪喂 蟿慰谓 螠蔚谓苇位伪慰 蟽蟿畏谓 危蟺维蟻蟿畏, 纬喂伪 谓伪 渭维胃蔚喂 谓苇伪 纬喂伪 蟿慰谓 蠂伪渭苇谓慰 蟿慰蠀 蟺伪蟿苇蟻伪, 蟺慰蠀 蔚委魏慰蟽喂 蠂蟻蠈谓喂伪 蟿蠋蟻伪 位蔚委蟺蔚喂 伪蟺蠈 蟿畏谓 螜胃维魏畏, 魏伪喂 未蔚谓 尉苇蟻蔚喂 魏伪谓苇谓伪蟼 伪谓 味蔚喂 萎 伪谓 蟺苇胃伪谓蔚. 螣 谓苇慰蟼 蠁蔚蠉纬蔚喂 魏蟻蠀蠁维, 魏喂 蠈蟿伪谓 蟿慰 蟺位畏蟻慰蠁慰蟻慰蠉谓蟿伪喂 慰喂 渭谓畏蟽蟿萎蟻蔚蟼 蟽蠂蔚未喂维味慰蠀谓 蟽蟿畏谓 蔚蟺喂蟽蟿蟻慰蠁萎 谓伪 蟿慰谓 蟽魏慰蟿蠋蟽慰蠀谓, 伪位位维 蟿慰 胃蟻维蟽慰蟼 蟿慰蠀蟼 未蔚谓 胃伪 蟿慰蠀蟼 尾纬蔚喂 蟽蔚 魏伪位蠈 魏伪胃蠋蟼 维位位蔚蟼 蔚委谓伪喂 慰喂 尾慰蠀位苇蟼 蟿蠅谓 胃蔚蠋谓.
螢伪谓维 渭蔚 蟺伪蟻伪魏委谓畏蟽畏 蟿畏蟼 螒胃畏谓维蟼, 蠁蟿维谓蔚喂 慰 螘蟻渭萎蟼 蟽蟿畏 谓畏蟽委 蟿畏蟼 惟纬蠀纬委伪蟼, 蔚魏蔚委 蟺慰蠀 畏 螝伪位蠀蠄蠋 魏蟻伪蟿维蔚喂, 伪蟺蠈 苇蟻蠅蟿伪, 伪喂蠂渭维位蠅蟿慰 蟿慰谓 螣未蠀蟽蟽苇伪 魏伪喂 蟿畏蟼 未委谓蔚喂 蔚谓蟿慰位萎 谓伪 蟿慰谓 伪蠁萎蟽蔚喂 谓伪 蠁蠉纬蔚喂, 纬喂伪 蟿慰 谓畏蟽委 蟿蠅谓 桅伪喂维魏蠅谓. 螘魏蔚委 蟺伪蟻慰蠀蟽喂维味蔚蟿伪喂 渭喂伪 伪蟺蠈 蟿喂蟼 蠅蟻伪委蔚蟼 蟺蔚蟻喂纬蟻伪蠁苇蟼 蟺慰蠀 未蔚谓 蠂蠈蟻蟿伪喂谓伪 谓伪 未喂伪尾维味蠅 蟺伪位喂维, 蠈蟿伪谓 萎渭慰蠀谓 伪魏蠈渭畏 渭伪胃萎蟿蟻喂伪 蟽蟿慰 螕蠀渭谓维蟽喂慰:
"蠈蟽慰 蟺慰蠀 尾蟻萎魏蔚 渭喂伪 蟽蟺畏位喂维 渭蔚纬维位畏, 蠈蟺慰蠀 畏 谓蔚蟻维喂未伪
魏伪胃蠈谓蟿伪谓蔚 畏 位伪渭蟺蟻蠈渭伪位位畏 魏伪喂 渭苇蟽伪 蔚魏蔚委 蟿畏谓 萎尾蟻蔚.
桅蠅蟿喂维 渭蔚纬维位畏 蔚委蠂蔚 蟽蟿畏 蟽蟿喂伪 魏伪喂 渭喂伪 蔚蠀蠅未喂维 伪蟺' 伪位维蟻纬伪
渭慰蟽魏慰尾慰位慰蠉蟽蔚 蟽蟿慰 谓畏蟽委, 魏苇未蟻慰蠀 魏喂 伪蠁蟻维蟿畏蟼 胃慰蠉纬喂伪蟼
蟺慰蠀 魏伪委纬慰蠀谓蟿伪谓. 螝喂 畏 螝伪位蠀蠄蠋, 渭' 慰位蠈蠂蟻蠀蟽畏 蟽伪螑蟿伪
蟽蟿慰谓 伪蟻纬伪位蔚喂蠈 蟿畏蟼 蠉蠁伪喂谓蔚 魏伪喂 纬位蠀魏慰蟿蟻伪纬慰蠀未慰蠉蟽蔚.
桅慰蠉谓蟿蠅谓蔚 纬蠉蟻蠅 蟽蟿畏 蟽蟺畏位喂维 未蟻慰蟽慰位慰蠀蟽渭苇谓慰 未维蟽慰蟼
渭蔚 魏蠀蟺伪蟻委蟽蟽喂伪 蔚蠀蠅未喂伪蟽蟿维, 渭蔚 蟺蔚蠉魏蔚蟼 魏伪喂 渭蔚 蟽魏位萎胃蟻伪,
蠈蟺慰蠀 蟺位伪蟿蠉蠁蟿蔚蟻伪 蟺慰蠀位喂维 蠁蠅位喂维味伪谓蔚 蔚魏蔚委 蟺维谓蟿伪,
纬蔚蟻维魏喂伪 魏喂 伪谓慰喂蠂蟿蠈蠁蠅谓蔚蟼 魏慰蠀蟻慰蠉谓蔚蟼, 尾伪蟻未慰位慰蠉蟺蔚蟼
胃伪位伪蟽蟽慰蟺慰蠉位喂伪 蟺慰蠀 伪纬伪蟺慰蠉谓 蟿伪 蟺苇位伪纬伪 谓伪 蟽魏委味慰蠀谓.
螝喂 慰位蠈纬蠀蟻伪 蟽蟿畏谓 魏慰蠀蠁蠅蟿萎 蟽蟺畏位喂维 萎蟿伪谓 伪蟺位蠅渭苇谓畏,
魏位畏渭伪蟿伪蟻喂维 蟺慰位蠉尾位伪蟽蟿畏 蟽蟿伪蠁蠉位喂伪 蠁慰蟻蟿蠅渭苇谓畏.
韦苇蟽蟽蔚蟻蔚喂蟼 尾蟻蠉蟽蔚蟼 蟽蟿畏 蟽蟿蔚蟻喂维 纬位蠀魏蠈 谓蔚蟻蠈 伪谓伪尾蟻蠉味伪谓,
魏慰谓蟿维-魏慰谓蟿维, 魏喂 维位位畏 伪蟺' 伪位位慰蠉 魏蠀位慰蠉蟽蔚 蟿伪 谓蔚蟻维 蟿畏蟼.
螝喂 伪谓胃慰蠉蟽伪谓 纬蠉蟻蠅 蟽蟿畏 蟽蔚喂蟻维 位喂尾维未喂伪 渭蔚 纬喂慰蠁蠉位喂伪
魏伪喂 蟽苇位喂谓伪, 蟺慰蠀 伪谓 蟿伪 '尾位蔚蟺蔚 魏喂 伪胃维谓伪蟿慰蟼 伪魏蠈渭伪,
胃伪 蟽维蟽蟿喂味蔚 魏伪喂 渭苇蟽伪 蟿慰蠀 胃伪 尉维谓慰喂纬蔚 畏 魏伪蟻未喂维 蟿慰蠀".
螆蟿蟽喂 蠁蔚蠉纬蔚喂, 纬蔚渭维蟿慰蟼 蠂伪蟻维 慰 螣未蠀蟽蟽苇伪蟼, 渭苇蟽伪 蟽蔚 渭喂伪 蟽蠂蔚未委伪, 伪位位维 苇渭蔚位位蔚 谓伪 蠁蟿维蟽蔚喂 蟽蟿慰 谓畏蟽委 蟿蠅谓 桅伪喂维魏蠅谓 谓伪蠀伪纬蠈蟼, 魏伪胃蠋蟼 慰 螤慰蟽蔚喂未蠋谓伪蟼 蟽萎魏蠅蟽蔚 胃伪位伪蟽蟽慰蟿伪蟻伪蠂萎 纬喂伪 谓伪 蟿慰谓 蟺谓委尉蔚喂, 伪位位维 畏 螜谓蠋 蟿慰蠀 苇未蠅蟽蔚 蟿慰 伪胃维谓伪蟿慰 渭伪谓蟿萎位喂 蟿畏蟼 魏伪喂 蟿慰谓 苇蟽蠅蟽蔚. 螝喂 蠈蟿伪谓 畏 魏蠈蟻畏 蟿慰蠀 尾伪蟽喂位喂维 螒位魏委谓慰慰蠀 魏伪喂 蟿畏蟼 蟽蔚尾维蟽渭喂伪 螒蟻萎蟿畏蟼, 畏 螡伪蠀蟽喂魏维, 蟿慰谓 尾蟻委蟽魏蔚喂 谓伪蠀伪纬蠈, 未蔚谓 伪蟻纬蔚委 慰 萎蟻蠅伪蟼 谓伪 蠁蟿维蟽蔚喂 蟽蟿慰 蟺伪位维蟿喂 魏伪喂 谓伪 尾蟻蔚喂 尾慰萎胃蔚喂伪. 螘魏蔚委 未喂畏纬蔚委蟿伪喂 蠈位蔚蟼 蟿喂蟼 蟺蔚蟻伪蟽渭苇谓蔚蟼 蟿慰蠀 蟺蔚蟻喂蟺苇蟿蔚喂蔚蟼 (畏 伪蠁畏纬畏渭伪蟿喂魏萎 蟿蔚蠂谓喂魏萎 蟿慰蠀 in medias res).
螝伪喂 伪谓 蟺苇蟻伪蟽蔚 蟺蔚蟻喂蟺苇蟿蔚喂蔚蟼 慰 胃伪位伪蟽蟽慰未伪蟻渭苇谓慰蟼 萎蟻蠅伪蟼... 螒蟺蠈 蟿慰蠀蟼 螝委魏慰谓蔚蟼 魏伪喂 蟿慰蠀蟼 螞蠅蟿慰蠁维纬慰蠀蟼, 蟽蟿畏 蠂蠋蟻伪 蟿蠅谓 螝蠀魏位蠋蟺蠅谓 蠈蟺慰蠀 渭蔚 蟿苇蠂谓伪蟽渭伪 (螣蠉蟿喂蟼 蔚渭慰委 纬' 蠈谓慰渭伪) 慰 萎蟻蠅伪蟼 魏伪喂 慰喂 蟽蠉谓蟿蟻慰蠁慰委 蟿慰蠀 蟽蠋味慰谓蟿伪喂 伪蟺蠈 蟿慰谓 伪谓胃蟻蠅蟺慰蠁维纬慰 纬委纬伪谓蟿伪, 伪蠁慰蠉 蟺蟻蠋蟿伪 蟿慰谓 渭蔚胃蠉蟽慰蠀谓 魏伪喂 蟿慰谓 蟿蠀蠁位蠋蟽慰蠀谓:
芦韦喂 蟽慰蠀 '蟿蠀蠂蔚, 螤慰位蠉蠁畏渭蔚, 魏伪喂 渭蔚纬伪位慰蠁蠅谓维味蔚喂蟼
渭蔚蟼 蟽蟿畏谓 伪胃维谓伪蟿畏 谓蠀蠂蟿喂维 魏伪喂 渭伪蟼 蠂伪位维蟼 蟿慰谓 蠉蟺谓慰;
螠畏谓 维胃蔚位维 蟽慰蠀 蟽' 维蟻蟺伪尉蔚 魏伪谓苇谓伪蟼 蟿慰 魏慰蟺维未喂;
螠萎谓伪 蟽慰蠀 蟺伪委蟻谓蔚喂 蟿畏 味蠅萎 渭' 伪蟺维蟿畏 魏伪喂 渭' 伪谓蟿蟻蔚委伪;禄.
螝喂 慰 蠁慰尾蔚蟻蠈蟼 螤慰位蠉蠁畏渭慰蟼 伪蟺' 蟿畏 蟽蟺畏位喂维 伪蟺伪谓蟿慰蠉蟽蔚路
芦螒未苇蟻蠁喂伪, 渭' 苇蠁伪纬蔚 慰 螝伪谓蔚委蟼 渭' 伪蟺维蟿畏, 蠈蠂喂 渭' 伪谓蟿蟻蔚委伪禄.
螝喂 蔚魏蔚委谓慰喂 蟿' 伪蟺伪谓蟿慰蠉蟽伪谓蔚 渭蔚 蟺蔚蟿伪蠂蟿维 蟿慰蠀蟼 位蠈纬喂伪
芦螒蠁慰蠉 魏伪谓蔚委蟼 未蔚 蟽' 苇尾位伪蠄蔚 魏伪喂 渭苇蟽伪 蔚委蟽伪喂 渭慰谓维蠂慰蟼,
伪蟺' 蟿畏谓 伪蟻蟻蠋蟽蟿喂伪 蟺慰喂慰蟼 渭蟺慰蟻蔚委 蟿慰蠀 螖委伪 谓伪 蟽蔚 蟽蠋蟽蔚喂;
螖蔚萎蟽慰蠀 蟽蟿慰谓 蟺伪蟿苇蟻伪 蟽慰蠀 蟿慰 蟽蔚委蟽蟿畏 螤慰蟽蔚喂未蠋谓伪禄.
螝喂 伪蟺蠈 蔚魏蔚委 蟽蟿畏谓 螒喂慰位委伪, 蠈蟺慰蠀 慰 螒委慰位慰蟼 苇魏位蔚喂蟽蔚 蟽蔚 苇谓伪谓 伪蟽魏蠈 蠈位慰蠀蟼 蟿慰蠀蟼 伪谓苇渭慰蠀蟼 魏喂 维蠁畏蟽蔚 渭蠈谓慰 蟿畏谓 蟺谓慰萎 蟿慰蠀 螙苇蠁蠀蟻慰蠀 谓伪 蟿慰蠀蟼 纬蠀蟻委蟽蔚喂 蟽蟿畏谓 蟺伪蟿蟻委未伪, 魏伪喂 蟺蟻维纬渭伪蟿喂 渭蔚蟿维 伪蟺蠈 未苇魏伪 渭苇蟻蔚蟼 胃伪位伪蟽蟽喂谓萎蟼 蟺慰蟻蔚委伪蟼 苇蠁蟿伪蟽伪谓 蟿伪 魏伪蟻维尾喂伪 谓伪 尾位苇蟺慰蠀谓 伪蟺蠈 渭伪魏蟻喂维 蟿畏 蟽蟿蔚蟻喂维 蟿畏蟼 螜胃维魏畏蟼. 螒位位维 慰喂 伪谓蠈畏蟿慰喂 蟽蠉谓蟿蟻慰蠁慰喂 蟿慰蠀 螣未蠀蟽蟽苇伪 维谓慰喂尉伪谓 蟿慰谓 伪蟽魏蠈 魏伪喂 蔚蟺苇蟽蟿蟻蔚蠄伪谓 蟽蟿慰 谓畏蟽委 蟿慰蠀 螒喂蠈位慰蠀. 螝喂 伪蟺蠈 蔚魏蔚委 伪蟺慰未喂蠅纬渭苇谓慰喂 苇蠁蟿伪蟽伪谓 蟽蟿畏谓 韦畏位苇蟺蠀位慰, 蟿畏 纬畏 蟿蠅谓 螞伪喂蟽蟿蟻蠀纬蠈谓蠅谓, 伪蟺蠈 蠈蟺慰蠀 渭蠈谓慰 蟿慰 魏伪蟻维尾喂 蟿慰蠀 螣未蠀蟽蟽苇伪 纬位委蟿蠅蟽蔚. 螝喂 伪蟺蠈 蔚魏蔚委 蟽蟿慰 谓畏蟽委 蟿畏蟼 螒委伪蟼 蠈蟺慰蠀 畏 螝委蟻魏畏 渭蔚蟿伪渭蠈蟻蠁蠅蟽蔚 蟿慰蠀蟼 蟽蠀谓蟿蟻蠈蠁慰蠀蟼 蟿慰蠀 蟽蔚 纬慰蠀蟻慰蠉谓喂伪.
螝喂 伪蟺蠈 蔚魏蔚委 未喂伪蟽蠂委味慰谓蟿伪蟼 蟿慰谓 惟魏蔚伪谓蠈, 蠁蟿维谓蔚喂 慰 萎蟻蠅伪蟼 谓伪 魏维谓蔚喂 味蠅谓蟿伪谓蠈蟼 (未委蟿伪蠁慰蟼 - 未喂蟽胃伪谓萎蟼) 慰 委未喂慰蟼, 魏伪蟿维尾伪蟽畏 蟽蟿慰蠀蟼 谓蔚魏蟻慰蠉蟼 蟿慰蠀 螁未畏, 纬喂伪 谓伪 蟺维蟻蔚喂 蠂蟻畏蟽渭蠈 伪蟺蠈 蟿慰谓 韦蔚喂蟻蔚蟽委伪 纬喂伪 蟿慰 蟺蠋蟼 胃伪 蔚蟺喂蟽蟿蟻苇蠄蔚喂 蟽蟿畏谓 蟺伪蟿蟻委未伪. 螝伪喂 蟿慰谓 蟽蠀渭尾慰蠉位蔚蠄蔚 慰 蟽慰蠁蠈蟼 渭伪谓蟿畏蟼 谓伪 渭畏 蠁维谓蔚 蟿伪 尾蠈未喂伪 蟿慰蠀 螇位喂慰蠀 蟽伪谓 尾蟻蔚胃慰蠉谓 蟽蟿慰 谓畏蟽委 蟿畏蟼 螛蟻喂谓伪魏委伪蟼. 螝喂 苇蟺蔚喂蟿伪 蟺苇蟻伪蟽蔚 伪蟺蠈 蟿喂蟼 危蔚喂蟻萎谓蔚蟼, 蟿畏 危魏蠉位位伪 魏伪喂 蟿畏 围维蟻蠀尾未畏 魏喂 苇蠁蟿伪蟽蔚 蟽蟿慰 谓畏蟽委 蟿慰蠀 螇位喂慰蠀, 蠈蟺慰蠀 慰喂 蟽蠉谓蟿蟻慰蠁慰委 蟿慰蠀 蟽蟺蟻蠅纬渭苇谓慰喂 伪蟺蠈 蟿畏谓 蟺蔚委谓伪 蟺伪蟻伪尾委伪蟽伪谓 蟿慰谓 蠂蟻畏蟽渭蠈 魏伪喂 苇蟿蟽喂 蠈位慰喂 蠂维胃畏魏伪谓 蔚魏蟿蠈蟼 伪蟺蠈 蟿慰谓 委未喂慰 蟿慰谓 螣未蠀蟽蟽苇伪 蟺慰蠀 魏伪蟿苇位畏尉蔚 谓伪蠀伪纬蠈蟼 魏伪喂 伪喂蠂渭维位蠅蟿慰蟼, 蔚蟻伪蟽蟿萎蟼 蟿畏蟼 螝伪位蠀蠄蠋蟼 蟺慰蠀 萎胃蔚位蔚 谓伪 蟿慰谓 魏维谓蔚喂 伪胃维谓伪蟿慰.
螝喂 伪蟺蠈 蔚魏蔚委 蟽蟿慰 谓畏蟽委 蟿蠅谓 桅伪喂维魏蠅谓 蔚蟺喂蟽蟿蟻苇蠁蔚喂 慰 萎蟻蠅伪蟼 蟽蟿畏谓 螜胃维魏畏 纬蔚渭维蟿慰蟼 未蠋蟻伪, 伪位位维 慰喂 蟺蔚蟻喂蟺苇蟿蔚喂苇蟼 蟿慰蠀 未蔚谓 蟿蔚位蔚喂蠋谓慰蠀谓 蔚未蠋. 螒蟻蠂喂魏维 未蔚谓 伪谓伪纬谓蠅蟻委味蔚喂 蟿慰谓 委未喂慰 蟿慰蠀 蟿慰谓 蟿蠈蟺慰 魏伪胃蠋蟼 苇蠂慰蠀谓 蟺蔚蟻维蟽蔚喂 蟿蠈蟽伪 蠂蟻蠈谓喂伪. 螠蔚 蟿畏谓 蟺伪蟻苇渭尾伪蟽畏 蟿畏蟼 螒胃畏谓维蟼 蟺慰蠀 蟿慰谓 渭蔚蟿伪渭慰蟻蠁蠋谓蔚喂 蟽蔚 纬苇蟻慰蟼 蔚蟺伪委蟿畏, 蠁蟿维谓蔚喂, 伪纬谓蠋蟻喂蟽蟿慰蟼 蟽蟿畏谓 魏伪位蠉尾伪 蟿慰蠀 螘蠉渭伪喂慰蠀 蟿慰蠀 蠂慰喂蟻慰尾慰蟽魏慰蠉.
螣 螘蠉渭伪喂慰蟼, 慰 蟺喂蟽蟿蠈蟼, 慰 伪蠁慰蟽喂蠅渭苇谓慰蟼, 慰 蟽慰蠁蠈蟼 魏伪喂 蠁喂位蠈尉蔚谓慰蟼, 未蔚谓 蔚委谓伪喂 苇谓伪蟼 伪蟺位蠈蟼 未慰蠉位慰蟼 蟿慰蠀 螣未蠀蟽蟽苇伪. 危伪谓 萎蟿伪谓 渭喂魏蟻蠈 蟺伪喂未维魏喂, 纬喂慰蟼 尾伪蟽喂位喂维, 蟿慰谓 伪蟺萎纬伪纬伪谓 魏喂 苇蟿蟽喂 尾蟻苇胃畏魏蔚 谓伪 蠀蟺畏蟻蔚蟿蔚委 蟿畏谓 慰喂魏慰纬苇谓蔚喂伪 蟿慰蠀 螞伪苇蟻蟿畏 蟽蟿畏谓 螜胃维魏畏. 螕喂' 伪蠀蟿蠈谓 慰 螌渭畏蚁慰蟼 蔚蟺喂蠁蠀位维蟽蟽蔚喂 渭喂伪 喂未喂伪委蟿蔚蟻畏 蟿喂渭萎, 魏维胃蔚 蠁慰蟻维 蟺慰蠀 渭喂位维蔚喂 蟽蟿慰 苇蟻纬慰, 慰 蟺慰喂畏蟿萎蟼 伪蟺蔚蠀胃蠉谓蔚蟿伪喂 蟽蔚 伪蠀蟿蠈谓 蟽蟿慰 尾 蔚谓喂魏蠈 (蟿慰谓 未鈥� 伪蟺伪渭蔚喂尾蠈渭蔚谓慰蟼 蟺蟻慰蟽苇蠁畏蟼, 螘蠉渭伪喂蔚 蟽蠀尾蠋蟿伪):
韦蠈蟿蔚, 螘蠉渭伪喂蔚 蠂慰喂蟻慰尾慰蟽魏苇, 蟿' 伪蟺维谓蟿畏蟽蔚蟼 魏喂 苇蟿蟽喂 蔚委蟺蔚蟼路
螖蔚谓 蟿慰 '蠂蠅, 纬苇蟻慰, 蟽蔚 魏伪位蠈 蟿慰谓 尉苇谓慰 谓' 伪蠄畏蠁萎蟽蠅,
蠂蔚喂蟻蠈蟿蔚蟻蠈蟼 蟽慰蠀 魏喂 伪谓 蔚蟻胃蔚委. 螕喂伪蟿委 蟽蟿伪位蟿慰委 伪蟺' 蟿慰 螖委伪
蔚委谓伪喂 蠈位慰喂 慰喂 尉苇谓慰喂 魏伪喂 慰喂 蠁蟿蠅蠂慰委. 韦慰 未蠈蟽喂渭蠈 渭伪蟼 位委纬慰
渭伪 蟺蟻蠈蟽蠂伪蟻慰.
螆蟿蟽喂 渭蔚蟿伪渭慰蟻蠁蠅渭苇谓慰蟼, 魏伪胃蠋蟼 蔚蟺喂蟽蟿蟻苇蠁蔚喂 魏伪喂 慰 韦畏位苇渭伪蠂慰蟼 伪蟺蠈 蟿慰 蟿伪尉委未喂 蟿慰蠀, 蠁蟿维谓蔚喂 蟽蟿慰 蟺伪位维蟿喂 蟿慰蠀, 味畏蟿喂维谓慰蟼, 蠀蟺蠈魏蔚喂蟿伪喂 蟽蔚 蟿伪蟺蔚喂谓蠋蟽蔚喂蟼 魏伪喂 蔚尉蔚蠀蟿蔚位喂蟽渭慰蠉蟼 伪蟺蠈 蟿慰蠀蟼 渭谓畏蟽蟿萎蟻蔚蟼, 蠋蟽蟺慰蠀, 尉伪谓维 渭蔚 蟿畏谓 蔚谓胃维蟻蟻蠀谓蟽畏 蟿畏蟼 螒胃畏谓维蟼, 蟺蔚蟿维蔚喂 蟿伪 魏慰蠀蟻苇位喂伪 蟿慰蠀 魏伪喂 伪蟻蠂委味蔚喂 渭喂伪 渭维蠂畏 蟺慰蠀 胃伪 萎蟿伪谓 维谓喂蟽畏 蠂蠅蟻委蟼 蟿畏谓 蟺伪蟻苇渭尾伪蟽畏 蟿畏蟼 胃蔚维蟼, 魏伪胃蠋蟼 蟺慰位蔚渭维谓蔚 蟿苇蟽蟽蔚蟻喂蟼 伪蟺蠈 蟿畏 渭喂伪 (螣未蠀蟽蟽苇伪蟼, 韦畏位苇渭伪蠂慰蟼, 螘蠉渭伪喂慰蟼 魏伪喂 慰 尾慰蟽魏蠈蟼 桅喂位慰委蟿喂慰蟼) 魏伪喂 蟺维谓蠅 伪蟺蠈 蔚魏伪蟿蠈 伪蟺蠈 蟿畏谓 维位位畏 蟺位蔚蠀蟻维:
螖蔚谓 蔚委谓伪喂 渭喂伪, 未蔚谓 蔚委谓伪喂 未蠀慰 未蔚魏维未蔚蟼 慰喂 螠谓畏蟽蟿萎蟻蔚蟼
渭蠈谓' 蔚委谓伪喂 伪魏蠈渭伪 蟺喂慰 蟺慰位位慰委, 魏喂 维魏慰蠀 谓伪 蟿慰蠀蟼 渭蔚蟿蟻萎蟽蠅.
螒蟺' 蟿慰 螖慰蠀位委蠂喂 未喂伪位蔚蠂蟿慰委 蟺蔚谓萎谓蟿伪 未蠀慰 位蔚尾苇谓蟿蔚蟼,
渭' 苇尉喂 渭伪味委 蟿慰蠀蟼 蟺伪蟻伪纬喂慰蠉蟼. 螝喂 蠈蟽慰喂 萎蟻胃伪谓 伪蟺' 蟿畏 危维渭畏,
蔚委谓伪喂 蠈位慰喂 蔚委魏慰蟽喂 蟿苇蟽蟽蔚蟻蔚喂蟼. 螝喂 蔚委魏慰蟽喂 尾维位蔚 伪魏蠈渭伪,
蠈蟽慰喂 萎蟻胃伪谓 伪蟺' 蟿畏 螙维魏蠀谓胃慰, 魏伪喂 未蠋未蔚魏伪 伪蟺' 蟿慰 螛喂维魏喂,
伪蟿蟻蠈渭畏蟿慰喂 蠈位慰喂 蟽蟿畏谓 魏伪蟻未喂维. 螝喂 慰 螠苇未慰谓蟿伪蟼 慰 魏蟻维蠂蟿畏蟼,
魏喂 慰 胃蔚蠆魏蠈蟼 蟿蟻伪纬慰蠀未喂蟽蟿萎蟼, 蟺蠈蠂慰蠀谓 魏喂 伪蠀蟿慰委 渭伪味委 蟿慰蠀蟼,
未蠀慰 蟺伪蟻伪纬喂慰蠉蟼, 蟽蟿慰 渭慰委蟻伪蟽渭伪 蟿蠅谓 蠁伪纬畏蟿蠋谓 蟿蔚蠂谓委蟿蔚蟼.
螠蔚蟿维 蟿畏 未慰位慰蠁慰谓委伪 蟿蠅谓 渭谓畏蟽蟿萎蟻蠅谓, 魏喂 伪蠁慰蠉 蟿伪魏蟿慰蟺慰喂萎蟽蔚喂 蟿伪 蟿慰蠀 慰委魏慰蠀 蟿慰蠀 慰 螣未蠀蟽蟽苇伪蟼 尉伪谓伪蟽渭委纬蔚喂 渭蔚 蟿畏谓 螤畏谓蔚位蠈蟺畏 (蟿慰 胃畏位蠀魏蠈 蟺慰位蠀渭萎蠂伪谓慰 苇蟿蔚蟻慰谓 萎渭喂蟽蠀 蟿慰蠀 萎蟻蠅伪, 渭喂伪 纬蔚谓谓伪委伪, 蟺伪谓苇尉蠀蟺谓畏, 蔚蠀纬蔚谓喂魏萎 魏伪喂 蟺喂蟽蟿萎 蟽蠉味蠀纬慰蟼 魏伪喂 渭畏蟿苇蟻伪) 魏伪喂 蟿畏谓 蔚蟺慰渭苇谓畏 蟺畏纬伪委谓蔚喂 谓伪 蟽蠀谓伪谓蟿萎蟽蔚喂 蟿慰谓 纬苇蟻慰 蟺伪蟿苇蟻伪 蟿慰蠀, 蟿慰谓 螞伪苇蟻蟿畏. 螝伪喂 伪蠁慰蠉, 尉伪谓维 渭蔚 蟿畏谓 蟺伪蟻苇渭尾伪蟽畏 蟿畏蟼 螒胃畏谓维蟼, 伪蟺慰蟿蟻苇蟺蔚蟿伪喂, 蟿畏谓 蟿蔚位蔚蠀蟿伪委伪 蟽蟿喂纬渭萎, 畏 蔚渭蠁蠉位喂伪 蟽蠉纬魏蟻慰蠀蟽畏 伪谓维渭蔚蟽伪 蟽蟿慰蠀蟼 蟽蠀纬纬蔚谓蔚委蟼 蟿蠅谓 渭谓畏蟽蟿萎蟻蠅谓 渭蔚 蟿慰谓 慰委魏慰 蟿慰蠀 螣未蠀蟽蟽苇伪, 畏 喂蟽蟿慰蟻委伪 蟿蔚位蔚喂蠋谓蔚喂, 蠈蠂喂 蠈渭蠅蟼 蟿慰 蟿伪尉委未喂. 螝伪喂 畏 味蠅萎 蟽蠀谓蔚蠂委味蔚蟿伪喂...
韦伪 畏蟻蠅喂魏维 蟿蟻伪纬慰蠉未喂伪 蟿畏蟼 渭蠀魏畏谓伪蠆魏萎蟼 蔚蟺慰蠂萎蟼, 蟺慰蠀 未喂畏纬慰蠉谓蟿伪谓 蟿喂蟼 蟺蔚蟻喂蟺苇蟿蔚喂蔚蟼 蟿蠅谓 螒蠂伪喂蠋谓, 伪谓维渭蔚蟽伪 蟽蔚 伪蠀蟿维 魏喂 畏 未喂萎纬畏蟽畏 蟿畏蟼 蟺慰位喂慰蟻魏委伪蟼 蟿畏蟼 韦蟻慰委伪蟼, 魏伪喂 畏 蟺蔚蟻喂蟺位维谓畏蟽畏 蟿慰蠀 螣未蠀蟽蟽苇伪, 未喂伪渭慰蟻蠁蠋胃畏魏伪谓 渭苇蟽伪 伪蟺蠈 蔚蟺伪纬纬蔚位渭伪蟿委蔚蟼 蟿蟻伪纬慰蠀未喂蟽蟿苇蟼 渭蔚 蟿畏 蟽蠀谓慰未蔚委伪 蔚谓蠈蟼 苇纬蠂慰蟻未慰蠀 慰蟻纬维谓慰蠀 (伪慰喂未慰委) 魏伪喂 蟿慰蠀蟼 魏伪蟿慰蟺喂谓蠈蟿蔚蟻慰蠀蟼 蟻伪蠄蠅未慰蠉蟼 (蟺慰蠀 苇魏伪谓伪谓 伪蟺伪纬纬蔚位委伪 蟿蠅谓 蟺慰喂畏渭维蟿蠅谓 魏蟻伪蟿蠋谓蟿伪蟼 蟽蟿慰 未蔚尉委 蟿慰蠀蟼 蠂苇蟻喂 苇谓伪 蟻伪尾未委) 魏伪喂 魏维蟺蠅蟼 苇蟿蟽喂 纬委谓蔚蟿伪喂 蟿慰 蟺苇蟻伪蟽渭伪 伪蟺蠈 蟿畏谓 伪蟻蠂伪喂蠈蟿蔚蟻畏 蟺蟻慰蠁慰蟻喂魏萎 蟺伪蟻维未慰蟽畏 蟽蟿伪 魏伪蟿伪纬蔚纬蟻伪渭渭苇谓伪 苇蟺畏 (伪魏慰位慰蠀胃蠋谓蟿伪蟼 蟿慰谓 蟻蠀胃渭蠈 蟿慰蠀 未伪魏蟿蠀位喂魏慰蠉 蔚尉伪渭苇蟿蟻慰蠀), 蠈蟺蠅蟼 伪蠀蟿维 蟽蠋味慰谓蟿伪喂 蠅蟼 蟽萎渭蔚蟻伪. 危蟿畏谓 螣未蠉蟽蟽蔚喂伪 蟺伪蟻慰蠀蟽喂维味慰谓蟿伪喂 未蠉慰 伪慰喂未慰委 慰 螖畏渭蠈未慰魏慰蟼 蟽蟿慰蠀蟼 桅伪委伪魏蔚蟼 魏伪喂 慰 桅萎渭喂慰蟼 蟽蟿慰蠀蟼 螉胃伪魏蔚蟼.
螒蟺蠈 蔚未蠋 魏伪蟿苇尾伪蟽伪 蟿畏谓 渭蔚蟿维蠁蟻伪蟽畏 蟿慰蠀 危委未蔚蟻畏, 伪蟺蠈 蟿慰 蟽蠂慰位喂魏蠈 尾喂尾位委慰 蠈蟺蠅蟼 蟿畏谓 未喂未维蠂蟿畏魏伪 纬喂伪 蟺蟻蠋蟿畏 蠁慰蟻维, 蟽蟿慰 蟽蠂慰位蔚委慰 慰位维魏蔚蟻畏:
螒蟺蠈 蔚未蠋 未喂维尾伪蟽伪 未喂维蠁慰蟻蔚蟼 蟽蠂蔚蟿喂魏苇蟼 渭蔚 蟿伪 苇蟺畏 渭蔚位苇蟿蔚蟼 蟿喂蟼 慰蟺慰委蔚蟼 尾蟻萎魏伪 喂未喂伪委蟿蔚蟻伪 蠂蟻萎蟽喂渭蔚蟼:
hope your road is a long one,
full of adventure, full of discovery.
Laistrygonians, Cyclops,
angry Poseidon鈥攄on鈥檛 be afraid of them:
you鈥檒l never find things like that on your way
as long as you keep your thoughts raised high,
as long as a rare excitement
stirs your spirit and your body.
Laistrygonians, Cyclops,
wild Poseidon鈥攜ou won鈥檛 encounter them
unless you bring them along inside your soul,
unless your soul sets them up in front of you.
Hope your road is a long one.
Ithaka By C. P. Cavafy Translated by Edmund Keeley
螝喂 伪谓 蟺蟿蠅蠂喂魏萎 蟿畏谓 尾蟻蔚喂蟼, 畏 螜胃维魏畏 未蔚谓 蟽蔚 纬苇位伪蟽蔚. 螆蟿蟽喂 蟽慰蠁蠈蟼 蟺慰蠀 苇纬喂谓蔚蟼, 渭蔚 蟿蠈蟽畏 蟺蔚委蟻伪, 萎未畏 胃伪 蟿慰 魏伪蟿维位伪尾蔚蟼 畏 螜胃维魏蔚蟼 蟿喂 蟽畏渭伪委谓慰蠀谓.
螚 蠄蠀蠂萎 渭慰蠀 蟿慰 尉苇蟻蔚喂, 蟺蠈蟽慰 渭蔚纬维位畏 伪谓维纬魏畏 蟿慰 蔚委蠂伪 谓伪 蟿慰 魏维谓蠅 尉伪谓维 伪蠀蟿蠈 蟿慰 渭蔚纬维位慰 蟿伪尉委未喂 渭伪味委 渭蔚 蟿慰谓 蟺慰位蠉蟺伪胃慰 螣未蠀蟽蟽苇伪. 螝伪喂 未喂维位蔚尉伪 蟿畏 渭蔚蟿维蠁蟻伪蟽畏 蔚魏蔚委谓畏, 蟿畏谓 蟺蟻蠋蟿畏, 伪蟺慰 蟿伪 蟽蠂慰位喂魏维 渭慰蠀 蠂蟻蠈谓喂伪, 蟿慰蠀 螙萎蟽喂渭慰蠀 危委未蔚蟻畏, 伪位位维 蔚委蠂伪 伪蟺蠈 未委蟺位伪 魏伪喂 蟿慰 伪蟻蠂伪委慰 魏蔚委渭蔚谓慰 纬喂伪 谓伪 蟺伪委蟻谓蠅 未喂蟺位萎 蠂伪蟻维, 伪蟺蠈 蟿畏 纬位蠋蟽蟽伪 渭慰蠀 伪蠀蟿萎谓 蟿畏谓 蟺伪谓维蟻蠂伪喂伪, 蟿喂蟼 位苇尉蔚喂蟼 蟺慰蠀 伪魏蠈渭伪 渭喂位慰蠉渭蔚 魏伪喂 蟺慰蠀 渭蔚 伪蠀蟿苇蟼 伪魏蠈渭伪 魏伪喂 蟽萎渭蔚蟻伪, 蔚魏蠁蟻维味慰蠀渭蔚 蟿喂蟼 蠂伪蟻苇蟼, 蟿慰蠀蟼 蟺蠈谓慰蠀蟼, 蟿喂蟼 伪纬蠅谓委蔚蟼 魏伪喂 蟿喂蟼 蔚位蟺委未蔚蟼 渭伪蟼.
螝伪喂 畏 伪纬伪蟺畏渭苇谓畏 渭慰蠀 畏 螒胃畏谓维... 螝维胃蔚 渭苇蟻伪, 魏伪胃蠋蟼 蟿慰 位蔚蠅蠁慰蟻蔚委慰 蟺伪委蟻谓蔚喂 蟿畏 蟽蟿蟻慰蠁萎 蟽蟿畏 未喂伪蟽蟿伪蠉蟻蠅蟽畏 蟿畏蟼 螔伪蟽喂位委蟽蟽畏蟼 危慰蠁委伪蟼, 蟽蟿畏谓 螤位伪蟿蔚委伪 危蠀谓蟿维纬渭伪蟿慰蟼, 蟽蟿蟻苇蠁蠅 蟿慰 尾位苇渭渭伪 纬喂伪 渭喂伪 蟽蟿喂纬渭萎, 谓伪 未蠅 渭苇蟽伪 伪蟺蠈 蟿伪 蟿蟽喂渭苇谓蟿伪 魏伪喂 蟿慰 魏伪蠀蟽伪苇蟻喂慰, 蟺维谓蠅 伪蟺' 蟿慰蠀蟼 尾喂伪蟽蟿喂魏慰蠉蟼 未喂伪尾维蟿蔚蟼, 蟿慰谓 螜蔚蟻蠈 蟿畏蟼 螔蟻维蠂慰, 魏维蟿蠅 伪蟺蠈 蟿慰谓 委未喂慰 慰蠀蟻伪谓蠈, 蟺慰蠀 蔚委蟿蔚 纬魏蟻委味慰蟼 蔚委蟿蔚 魏伪蟿伪纬维位伪谓慰蟼 魏伪喂 畏位喂蠈位慰蠀蟽蟿慰蟼, 蔚委谓伪喂 慰 委未喂慰蟼 慰蠀蟻伪谓蠈蟼 魏维蟿蠅 伪蟺蠈 蟿慰谓 慰蟺慰委慰 伪喂蠋谓蔚蟼 蟿蠋蟻伪 蟽蟿苇魏蔚喂 慰 蟿蠈蟺慰蟼 渭慰蠀 魏伪喂 渭喂位喂苇蟿伪喂 畏 纬位蠋蟽蟽伪 渭慰蠀. 螝喂 蠈蟿伪谓 渭慰蠀 蟽蠋谓蔚蟿伪喂 魏伪渭喂维 蠁慰蟻维 慰 伪苇蟻伪蟼, 伪蟺蠈 蟿喂蟼 未蠀蟽魏慰位委蔚蟼 蟿畏蟼 味蠅萎蟼, 苇蠂蠅 伪谓维纬魏畏 蟽蔚 伪蠀蟿蠈谓 蟿慰 尾蟻维蠂慰 谓伪 魏伪蟿伪蠁蔚蠉纬蠅, 喂魏苇蟿喂未伪, 纬喂伪 谓伪 伪谓伪蟽维谓蠅. 螝伪喂 蟺伪委蟻谓蠅 未蠉谓伪渭畏 伪蟺蠈 蟿喂蟼 蟺伪位喂苇蟼 蟺伪谓伪谓胃蟻蠋蟺喂谓蔚蟼 喂蟽蟿慰蟻委蔚蟼 魏喂 苇蟿蟽喂 魏伪蟿畏蠁慰蟻委味蠅 蟺维位喂 尉伪谓维 渭苇蟽伪 蟽蟿畏谓 纬魏蟻委味伪 蟺蠈位畏, 纬喂伪蟿蟻蔚渭苇谓畏.
螚 螒胃畏谓维 渭蔚 蟿畏谓 渭慰蟻蠁萎 蟿慰蠀 螠苇谓蟿畏 蟿慰蠀 伪蟻蠂畏纬慰蠉 蟿蠅谓 韦伪蠁喂蠅蟿蠋谓 蟺维蔚喂 蟽蟿畏谓 螜胃维魏畏 蟽蟿慰 蟺伪位维蟿喂 蟿慰蠀 螣未蠀蟽蟽苇伪, 尾蟻委蟽魏蔚喂 蟿慰谓 谓蔚伪蟻蠈 蟿慰蠀 纬喂慰, 蟿慰谓 韦畏位苇渭伪蠂慰 魏伪喂 蟿慰谓 蟽蠀渭尾慰蠀位蔚蠉蔚喂 谓伪 渭畏谓 魏维胃蔚蟿伪喂 维位位慰 伪谓维渭蔚蟽伪 蟽蟿慰蠀蟼 渭谓畏蟽蟿萎蟻蔚蟼, 伪位位维 谓伪 蟺维蟻蔚喂 苇谓伪 魏伪蟻维尾喂 魏伪喂 谓伪 蔚蟺喂蟽魏蔚蠁蟿蔚委 蟿慰 螡苇蟽蟿慰蟻伪 蟽蟿畏谓 螤蠉位慰 魏伪喂 蟿慰谓 螠蔚谓苇位伪慰 蟽蟿畏谓 危蟺维蟻蟿畏, 纬喂伪 谓伪 渭维胃蔚喂 谓苇伪 纬喂伪 蟿慰谓 蠂伪渭苇谓慰 蟿慰蠀 蟺伪蟿苇蟻伪, 蟺慰蠀 蔚委魏慰蟽喂 蠂蟻蠈谓喂伪 蟿蠋蟻伪 位蔚委蟺蔚喂 伪蟺蠈 蟿畏谓 螜胃维魏畏, 魏伪喂 未蔚谓 尉苇蟻蔚喂 魏伪谓苇谓伪蟼 伪谓 味蔚喂 萎 伪谓 蟺苇胃伪谓蔚. 螣 谓苇慰蟼 蠁蔚蠉纬蔚喂 魏蟻蠀蠁维, 魏喂 蠈蟿伪谓 蟿慰 蟺位畏蟻慰蠁慰蟻慰蠉谓蟿伪喂 慰喂 渭谓畏蟽蟿萎蟻蔚蟼 蟽蠂蔚未喂维味慰蠀谓 蟽蟿畏谓 蔚蟺喂蟽蟿蟻慰蠁萎 谓伪 蟿慰谓 蟽魏慰蟿蠋蟽慰蠀谓, 伪位位维 蟿慰 胃蟻维蟽慰蟼 蟿慰蠀蟼 未蔚谓 胃伪 蟿慰蠀蟼 尾纬蔚喂 蟽蔚 魏伪位蠈 魏伪胃蠋蟼 维位位蔚蟼 蔚委谓伪喂 慰喂 尾慰蠀位苇蟼 蟿蠅谓 胃蔚蠋谓.
螢伪谓维 渭蔚 蟺伪蟻伪魏委谓畏蟽畏 蟿畏蟼 螒胃畏谓维蟼, 蠁蟿维谓蔚喂 慰 螘蟻渭萎蟼 蟽蟿畏 谓畏蟽委 蟿畏蟼 惟纬蠀纬委伪蟼, 蔚魏蔚委 蟺慰蠀 畏 螝伪位蠀蠄蠋 魏蟻伪蟿维蔚喂, 伪蟺蠈 苇蟻蠅蟿伪, 伪喂蠂渭维位蠅蟿慰 蟿慰谓 螣未蠀蟽蟽苇伪 魏伪喂 蟿畏蟼 未委谓蔚喂 蔚谓蟿慰位萎 谓伪 蟿慰谓 伪蠁萎蟽蔚喂 谓伪 蠁蠉纬蔚喂, 纬喂伪 蟿慰 谓畏蟽委 蟿蠅谓 桅伪喂维魏蠅谓. 螘魏蔚委 蟺伪蟻慰蠀蟽喂维味蔚蟿伪喂 渭喂伪 伪蟺蠈 蟿喂蟼 蠅蟻伪委蔚蟼 蟺蔚蟻喂纬蟻伪蠁苇蟼 蟺慰蠀 未蔚谓 蠂蠈蟻蟿伪喂谓伪 谓伪 未喂伪尾维味蠅 蟺伪位喂维, 蠈蟿伪谓 萎渭慰蠀谓 伪魏蠈渭畏 渭伪胃萎蟿蟻喂伪 蟽蟿慰 螕蠀渭谓维蟽喂慰:
"蠈蟽慰 蟺慰蠀 尾蟻萎魏蔚 渭喂伪 蟽蟺畏位喂维 渭蔚纬维位畏, 蠈蟺慰蠀 畏 谓蔚蟻维喂未伪
魏伪胃蠈谓蟿伪谓蔚 畏 位伪渭蟺蟻蠈渭伪位位畏 魏伪喂 渭苇蟽伪 蔚魏蔚委 蟿畏谓 萎尾蟻蔚.
桅蠅蟿喂维 渭蔚纬维位畏 蔚委蠂蔚 蟽蟿畏 蟽蟿喂伪 魏伪喂 渭喂伪 蔚蠀蠅未喂维 伪蟺' 伪位维蟻纬伪
渭慰蟽魏慰尾慰位慰蠉蟽蔚 蟽蟿慰 谓畏蟽委, 魏苇未蟻慰蠀 魏喂 伪蠁蟻维蟿畏蟼 胃慰蠉纬喂伪蟼
蟺慰蠀 魏伪委纬慰蠀谓蟿伪谓. 螝喂 畏 螝伪位蠀蠄蠋, 渭' 慰位蠈蠂蟻蠀蟽畏 蟽伪螑蟿伪
蟽蟿慰谓 伪蟻纬伪位蔚喂蠈 蟿畏蟼 蠉蠁伪喂谓蔚 魏伪喂 纬位蠀魏慰蟿蟻伪纬慰蠀未慰蠉蟽蔚.
桅慰蠉谓蟿蠅谓蔚 纬蠉蟻蠅 蟽蟿畏 蟽蟺畏位喂维 未蟻慰蟽慰位慰蠀蟽渭苇谓慰 未维蟽慰蟼
渭蔚 魏蠀蟺伪蟻委蟽蟽喂伪 蔚蠀蠅未喂伪蟽蟿维, 渭蔚 蟺蔚蠉魏蔚蟼 魏伪喂 渭蔚 蟽魏位萎胃蟻伪,
蠈蟺慰蠀 蟺位伪蟿蠉蠁蟿蔚蟻伪 蟺慰蠀位喂维 蠁蠅位喂维味伪谓蔚 蔚魏蔚委 蟺维谓蟿伪,
纬蔚蟻维魏喂伪 魏喂 伪谓慰喂蠂蟿蠈蠁蠅谓蔚蟼 魏慰蠀蟻慰蠉谓蔚蟼, 尾伪蟻未慰位慰蠉蟺蔚蟼
胃伪位伪蟽蟽慰蟺慰蠉位喂伪 蟺慰蠀 伪纬伪蟺慰蠉谓 蟿伪 蟺苇位伪纬伪 谓伪 蟽魏委味慰蠀谓.
螝喂 慰位蠈纬蠀蟻伪 蟽蟿畏谓 魏慰蠀蠁蠅蟿萎 蟽蟺畏位喂维 萎蟿伪谓 伪蟺位蠅渭苇谓畏,
魏位畏渭伪蟿伪蟻喂维 蟺慰位蠉尾位伪蟽蟿畏 蟽蟿伪蠁蠉位喂伪 蠁慰蟻蟿蠅渭苇谓畏.
韦苇蟽蟽蔚蟻蔚喂蟼 尾蟻蠉蟽蔚蟼 蟽蟿畏 蟽蟿蔚蟻喂维 纬位蠀魏蠈 谓蔚蟻蠈 伪谓伪尾蟻蠉味伪谓,
魏慰谓蟿维-魏慰谓蟿维, 魏喂 维位位畏 伪蟺' 伪位位慰蠉 魏蠀位慰蠉蟽蔚 蟿伪 谓蔚蟻维 蟿畏蟼.
螝喂 伪谓胃慰蠉蟽伪谓 纬蠉蟻蠅 蟽蟿畏 蟽蔚喂蟻维 位喂尾维未喂伪 渭蔚 纬喂慰蠁蠉位喂伪
魏伪喂 蟽苇位喂谓伪, 蟺慰蠀 伪谓 蟿伪 '尾位蔚蟺蔚 魏喂 伪胃维谓伪蟿慰蟼 伪魏蠈渭伪,
胃伪 蟽维蟽蟿喂味蔚 魏伪喂 渭苇蟽伪 蟿慰蠀 胃伪 尉维谓慰喂纬蔚 畏 魏伪蟻未喂维 蟿慰蠀".
螆蟿蟽喂 蠁蔚蠉纬蔚喂, 纬蔚渭维蟿慰蟼 蠂伪蟻维 慰 螣未蠀蟽蟽苇伪蟼, 渭苇蟽伪 蟽蔚 渭喂伪 蟽蠂蔚未委伪, 伪位位维 苇渭蔚位位蔚 谓伪 蠁蟿维蟽蔚喂 蟽蟿慰 谓畏蟽委 蟿蠅谓 桅伪喂维魏蠅谓 谓伪蠀伪纬蠈蟼, 魏伪胃蠋蟼 慰 螤慰蟽蔚喂未蠋谓伪蟼 蟽萎魏蠅蟽蔚 胃伪位伪蟽蟽慰蟿伪蟻伪蠂萎 纬喂伪 谓伪 蟿慰谓 蟺谓委尉蔚喂, 伪位位维 畏 螜谓蠋 蟿慰蠀 苇未蠅蟽蔚 蟿慰 伪胃维谓伪蟿慰 渭伪谓蟿萎位喂 蟿畏蟼 魏伪喂 蟿慰谓 苇蟽蠅蟽蔚. 螝喂 蠈蟿伪谓 畏 魏蠈蟻畏 蟿慰蠀 尾伪蟽喂位喂维 螒位魏委谓慰慰蠀 魏伪喂 蟿畏蟼 蟽蔚尾维蟽渭喂伪 螒蟻萎蟿畏蟼, 畏 螡伪蠀蟽喂魏维, 蟿慰谓 尾蟻委蟽魏蔚喂 谓伪蠀伪纬蠈, 未蔚谓 伪蟻纬蔚委 慰 萎蟻蠅伪蟼 谓伪 蠁蟿维蟽蔚喂 蟽蟿慰 蟺伪位维蟿喂 魏伪喂 谓伪 尾蟻蔚喂 尾慰萎胃蔚喂伪. 螘魏蔚委 未喂畏纬蔚委蟿伪喂 蠈位蔚蟼 蟿喂蟼 蟺蔚蟻伪蟽渭苇谓蔚蟼 蟿慰蠀 蟺蔚蟻喂蟺苇蟿蔚喂蔚蟼 (畏 伪蠁畏纬畏渭伪蟿喂魏萎 蟿蔚蠂谓喂魏萎 蟿慰蠀 in medias res).
螝伪喂 伪谓 蟺苇蟻伪蟽蔚 蟺蔚蟻喂蟺苇蟿蔚喂蔚蟼 慰 胃伪位伪蟽蟽慰未伪蟻渭苇谓慰蟼 萎蟻蠅伪蟼... 螒蟺蠈 蟿慰蠀蟼 螝委魏慰谓蔚蟼 魏伪喂 蟿慰蠀蟼 螞蠅蟿慰蠁维纬慰蠀蟼, 蟽蟿畏 蠂蠋蟻伪 蟿蠅谓 螝蠀魏位蠋蟺蠅谓 蠈蟺慰蠀 渭蔚 蟿苇蠂谓伪蟽渭伪 (螣蠉蟿喂蟼 蔚渭慰委 纬' 蠈谓慰渭伪) 慰 萎蟻蠅伪蟼 魏伪喂 慰喂 蟽蠉谓蟿蟻慰蠁慰委 蟿慰蠀 蟽蠋味慰谓蟿伪喂 伪蟺蠈 蟿慰谓 伪谓胃蟻蠅蟺慰蠁维纬慰 纬委纬伪谓蟿伪, 伪蠁慰蠉 蟺蟻蠋蟿伪 蟿慰谓 渭蔚胃蠉蟽慰蠀谓 魏伪喂 蟿慰谓 蟿蠀蠁位蠋蟽慰蠀谓:
芦韦喂 蟽慰蠀 '蟿蠀蠂蔚, 螤慰位蠉蠁畏渭蔚, 魏伪喂 渭蔚纬伪位慰蠁蠅谓维味蔚喂蟼
渭蔚蟼 蟽蟿畏谓 伪胃维谓伪蟿畏 谓蠀蠂蟿喂维 魏伪喂 渭伪蟼 蠂伪位维蟼 蟿慰谓 蠉蟺谓慰;
螠畏谓 维胃蔚位维 蟽慰蠀 蟽' 维蟻蟺伪尉蔚 魏伪谓苇谓伪蟼 蟿慰 魏慰蟺维未喂;
螠萎谓伪 蟽慰蠀 蟺伪委蟻谓蔚喂 蟿畏 味蠅萎 渭' 伪蟺维蟿畏 魏伪喂 渭' 伪谓蟿蟻蔚委伪;禄.
螝喂 慰 蠁慰尾蔚蟻蠈蟼 螤慰位蠉蠁畏渭慰蟼 伪蟺' 蟿畏 蟽蟺畏位喂维 伪蟺伪谓蟿慰蠉蟽蔚路
芦螒未苇蟻蠁喂伪, 渭' 苇蠁伪纬蔚 慰 螝伪谓蔚委蟼 渭' 伪蟺维蟿畏, 蠈蠂喂 渭' 伪谓蟿蟻蔚委伪禄.
螝喂 蔚魏蔚委谓慰喂 蟿' 伪蟺伪谓蟿慰蠉蟽伪谓蔚 渭蔚 蟺蔚蟿伪蠂蟿维 蟿慰蠀蟼 位蠈纬喂伪
芦螒蠁慰蠉 魏伪谓蔚委蟼 未蔚 蟽' 苇尾位伪蠄蔚 魏伪喂 渭苇蟽伪 蔚委蟽伪喂 渭慰谓维蠂慰蟼,
伪蟺' 蟿畏谓 伪蟻蟻蠋蟽蟿喂伪 蟺慰喂慰蟼 渭蟺慰蟻蔚委 蟿慰蠀 螖委伪 谓伪 蟽蔚 蟽蠋蟽蔚喂;
螖蔚萎蟽慰蠀 蟽蟿慰谓 蟺伪蟿苇蟻伪 蟽慰蠀 蟿慰 蟽蔚委蟽蟿畏 螤慰蟽蔚喂未蠋谓伪禄.
螝喂 伪蟺蠈 蔚魏蔚委 蟽蟿畏谓 螒喂慰位委伪, 蠈蟺慰蠀 慰 螒委慰位慰蟼 苇魏位蔚喂蟽蔚 蟽蔚 苇谓伪谓 伪蟽魏蠈 蠈位慰蠀蟼 蟿慰蠀蟼 伪谓苇渭慰蠀蟼 魏喂 维蠁畏蟽蔚 渭蠈谓慰 蟿畏谓 蟺谓慰萎 蟿慰蠀 螙苇蠁蠀蟻慰蠀 谓伪 蟿慰蠀蟼 纬蠀蟻委蟽蔚喂 蟽蟿畏谓 蟺伪蟿蟻委未伪, 魏伪喂 蟺蟻维纬渭伪蟿喂 渭蔚蟿维 伪蟺蠈 未苇魏伪 渭苇蟻蔚蟼 胃伪位伪蟽蟽喂谓萎蟼 蟺慰蟻蔚委伪蟼 苇蠁蟿伪蟽伪谓 蟿伪 魏伪蟻维尾喂伪 谓伪 尾位苇蟺慰蠀谓 伪蟺蠈 渭伪魏蟻喂维 蟿畏 蟽蟿蔚蟻喂维 蟿畏蟼 螜胃维魏畏蟼. 螒位位维 慰喂 伪谓蠈畏蟿慰喂 蟽蠉谓蟿蟻慰蠁慰喂 蟿慰蠀 螣未蠀蟽蟽苇伪 维谓慰喂尉伪谓 蟿慰谓 伪蟽魏蠈 魏伪喂 蔚蟺苇蟽蟿蟻蔚蠄伪谓 蟽蟿慰 谓畏蟽委 蟿慰蠀 螒喂蠈位慰蠀. 螝喂 伪蟺蠈 蔚魏蔚委 伪蟺慰未喂蠅纬渭苇谓慰喂 苇蠁蟿伪蟽伪谓 蟽蟿畏谓 韦畏位苇蟺蠀位慰, 蟿畏 纬畏 蟿蠅谓 螞伪喂蟽蟿蟻蠀纬蠈谓蠅谓, 伪蟺蠈 蠈蟺慰蠀 渭蠈谓慰 蟿慰 魏伪蟻维尾喂 蟿慰蠀 螣未蠀蟽蟽苇伪 纬位委蟿蠅蟽蔚. 螝喂 伪蟺蠈 蔚魏蔚委 蟽蟿慰 谓畏蟽委 蟿畏蟼 螒委伪蟼 蠈蟺慰蠀 畏 螝委蟻魏畏 渭蔚蟿伪渭蠈蟻蠁蠅蟽蔚 蟿慰蠀蟼 蟽蠀谓蟿蟻蠈蠁慰蠀蟼 蟿慰蠀 蟽蔚 纬慰蠀蟻慰蠉谓喂伪.
螝喂 伪蟺蠈 蔚魏蔚委 未喂伪蟽蠂委味慰谓蟿伪蟼 蟿慰谓 惟魏蔚伪谓蠈, 蠁蟿维谓蔚喂 慰 萎蟻蠅伪蟼 谓伪 魏维谓蔚喂 味蠅谓蟿伪谓蠈蟼 (未委蟿伪蠁慰蟼 - 未喂蟽胃伪谓萎蟼) 慰 委未喂慰蟼, 魏伪蟿维尾伪蟽畏 蟽蟿慰蠀蟼 谓蔚魏蟻慰蠉蟼 蟿慰蠀 螁未畏, 纬喂伪 谓伪 蟺维蟻蔚喂 蠂蟻畏蟽渭蠈 伪蟺蠈 蟿慰谓 韦蔚喂蟻蔚蟽委伪 纬喂伪 蟿慰 蟺蠋蟼 胃伪 蔚蟺喂蟽蟿蟻苇蠄蔚喂 蟽蟿畏谓 蟺伪蟿蟻委未伪. 螝伪喂 蟿慰谓 蟽蠀渭尾慰蠉位蔚蠄蔚 慰 蟽慰蠁蠈蟼 渭伪谓蟿畏蟼 谓伪 渭畏 蠁维谓蔚 蟿伪 尾蠈未喂伪 蟿慰蠀 螇位喂慰蠀 蟽伪谓 尾蟻蔚胃慰蠉谓 蟽蟿慰 谓畏蟽委 蟿畏蟼 螛蟻喂谓伪魏委伪蟼. 螝喂 苇蟺蔚喂蟿伪 蟺苇蟻伪蟽蔚 伪蟺蠈 蟿喂蟼 危蔚喂蟻萎谓蔚蟼, 蟿畏 危魏蠉位位伪 魏伪喂 蟿畏 围维蟻蠀尾未畏 魏喂 苇蠁蟿伪蟽蔚 蟽蟿慰 谓畏蟽委 蟿慰蠀 螇位喂慰蠀, 蠈蟺慰蠀 慰喂 蟽蠉谓蟿蟻慰蠁慰委 蟿慰蠀 蟽蟺蟻蠅纬渭苇谓慰喂 伪蟺蠈 蟿畏谓 蟺蔚委谓伪 蟺伪蟻伪尾委伪蟽伪谓 蟿慰谓 蠂蟻畏蟽渭蠈 魏伪喂 苇蟿蟽喂 蠈位慰喂 蠂维胃畏魏伪谓 蔚魏蟿蠈蟼 伪蟺蠈 蟿慰谓 委未喂慰 蟿慰谓 螣未蠀蟽蟽苇伪 蟺慰蠀 魏伪蟿苇位畏尉蔚 谓伪蠀伪纬蠈蟼 魏伪喂 伪喂蠂渭维位蠅蟿慰蟼, 蔚蟻伪蟽蟿萎蟼 蟿畏蟼 螝伪位蠀蠄蠋蟼 蟺慰蠀 萎胃蔚位蔚 谓伪 蟿慰谓 魏维谓蔚喂 伪胃维谓伪蟿慰.
螝喂 伪蟺蠈 蔚魏蔚委 蟽蟿慰 谓畏蟽委 蟿蠅谓 桅伪喂维魏蠅谓 蔚蟺喂蟽蟿蟻苇蠁蔚喂 慰 萎蟻蠅伪蟼 蟽蟿畏谓 螜胃维魏畏 纬蔚渭维蟿慰蟼 未蠋蟻伪, 伪位位维 慰喂 蟺蔚蟻喂蟺苇蟿蔚喂苇蟼 蟿慰蠀 未蔚谓 蟿蔚位蔚喂蠋谓慰蠀谓 蔚未蠋. 螒蟻蠂喂魏维 未蔚谓 伪谓伪纬谓蠅蟻委味蔚喂 蟿慰谓 委未喂慰 蟿慰蠀 蟿慰谓 蟿蠈蟺慰 魏伪胃蠋蟼 苇蠂慰蠀谓 蟺蔚蟻维蟽蔚喂 蟿蠈蟽伪 蠂蟻蠈谓喂伪. 螠蔚 蟿畏谓 蟺伪蟻苇渭尾伪蟽畏 蟿畏蟼 螒胃畏谓维蟼 蟺慰蠀 蟿慰谓 渭蔚蟿伪渭慰蟻蠁蠋谓蔚喂 蟽蔚 纬苇蟻慰蟼 蔚蟺伪委蟿畏, 蠁蟿维谓蔚喂, 伪纬谓蠋蟻喂蟽蟿慰蟼 蟽蟿畏谓 魏伪位蠉尾伪 蟿慰蠀 螘蠉渭伪喂慰蠀 蟿慰蠀 蠂慰喂蟻慰尾慰蟽魏慰蠉.
螣 螘蠉渭伪喂慰蟼, 慰 蟺喂蟽蟿蠈蟼, 慰 伪蠁慰蟽喂蠅渭苇谓慰蟼, 慰 蟽慰蠁蠈蟼 魏伪喂 蠁喂位蠈尉蔚谓慰蟼, 未蔚谓 蔚委谓伪喂 苇谓伪蟼 伪蟺位蠈蟼 未慰蠉位慰蟼 蟿慰蠀 螣未蠀蟽蟽苇伪. 危伪谓 萎蟿伪谓 渭喂魏蟻蠈 蟺伪喂未维魏喂, 纬喂慰蟼 尾伪蟽喂位喂维, 蟿慰谓 伪蟺萎纬伪纬伪谓 魏喂 苇蟿蟽喂 尾蟻苇胃畏魏蔚 谓伪 蠀蟺畏蟻蔚蟿蔚委 蟿畏谓 慰喂魏慰纬苇谓蔚喂伪 蟿慰蠀 螞伪苇蟻蟿畏 蟽蟿畏谓 螜胃维魏畏. 螕喂' 伪蠀蟿蠈谓 慰 螌渭畏蚁慰蟼 蔚蟺喂蠁蠀位维蟽蟽蔚喂 渭喂伪 喂未喂伪委蟿蔚蟻畏 蟿喂渭萎, 魏维胃蔚 蠁慰蟻维 蟺慰蠀 渭喂位维蔚喂 蟽蟿慰 苇蟻纬慰, 慰 蟺慰喂畏蟿萎蟼 伪蟺蔚蠀胃蠉谓蔚蟿伪喂 蟽蔚 伪蠀蟿蠈谓 蟽蟿慰 尾 蔚谓喂魏蠈 (蟿慰谓 未鈥� 伪蟺伪渭蔚喂尾蠈渭蔚谓慰蟼 蟺蟻慰蟽苇蠁畏蟼, 螘蠉渭伪喂蔚 蟽蠀尾蠋蟿伪):
韦蠈蟿蔚, 螘蠉渭伪喂蔚 蠂慰喂蟻慰尾慰蟽魏苇, 蟿' 伪蟺维谓蟿畏蟽蔚蟼 魏喂 苇蟿蟽喂 蔚委蟺蔚蟼路
螖蔚谓 蟿慰 '蠂蠅, 纬苇蟻慰, 蟽蔚 魏伪位蠈 蟿慰谓 尉苇谓慰 谓' 伪蠄畏蠁萎蟽蠅,
蠂蔚喂蟻蠈蟿蔚蟻蠈蟼 蟽慰蠀 魏喂 伪谓 蔚蟻胃蔚委. 螕喂伪蟿委 蟽蟿伪位蟿慰委 伪蟺' 蟿慰 螖委伪
蔚委谓伪喂 蠈位慰喂 慰喂 尉苇谓慰喂 魏伪喂 慰喂 蠁蟿蠅蠂慰委. 韦慰 未蠈蟽喂渭蠈 渭伪蟼 位委纬慰
渭伪 蟺蟻蠈蟽蠂伪蟻慰.
螆蟿蟽喂 渭蔚蟿伪渭慰蟻蠁蠅渭苇谓慰蟼, 魏伪胃蠋蟼 蔚蟺喂蟽蟿蟻苇蠁蔚喂 魏伪喂 慰 韦畏位苇渭伪蠂慰蟼 伪蟺蠈 蟿慰 蟿伪尉委未喂 蟿慰蠀, 蠁蟿维谓蔚喂 蟽蟿慰 蟺伪位维蟿喂 蟿慰蠀, 味畏蟿喂维谓慰蟼, 蠀蟺蠈魏蔚喂蟿伪喂 蟽蔚 蟿伪蟺蔚喂谓蠋蟽蔚喂蟼 魏伪喂 蔚尉蔚蠀蟿蔚位喂蟽渭慰蠉蟼 伪蟺蠈 蟿慰蠀蟼 渭谓畏蟽蟿萎蟻蔚蟼, 蠋蟽蟺慰蠀, 尉伪谓维 渭蔚 蟿畏谓 蔚谓胃维蟻蟻蠀谓蟽畏 蟿畏蟼 螒胃畏谓维蟼, 蟺蔚蟿维蔚喂 蟿伪 魏慰蠀蟻苇位喂伪 蟿慰蠀 魏伪喂 伪蟻蠂委味蔚喂 渭喂伪 渭维蠂畏 蟺慰蠀 胃伪 萎蟿伪谓 维谓喂蟽畏 蠂蠅蟻委蟼 蟿畏谓 蟺伪蟻苇渭尾伪蟽畏 蟿畏蟼 胃蔚维蟼, 魏伪胃蠋蟼 蟺慰位蔚渭维谓蔚 蟿苇蟽蟽蔚蟻喂蟼 伪蟺蠈 蟿畏 渭喂伪 (螣未蠀蟽蟽苇伪蟼, 韦畏位苇渭伪蠂慰蟼, 螘蠉渭伪喂慰蟼 魏伪喂 慰 尾慰蟽魏蠈蟼 桅喂位慰委蟿喂慰蟼) 魏伪喂 蟺维谓蠅 伪蟺蠈 蔚魏伪蟿蠈 伪蟺蠈 蟿畏谓 维位位畏 蟺位蔚蠀蟻维:
螖蔚谓 蔚委谓伪喂 渭喂伪, 未蔚谓 蔚委谓伪喂 未蠀慰 未蔚魏维未蔚蟼 慰喂 螠谓畏蟽蟿萎蟻蔚蟼
渭蠈谓' 蔚委谓伪喂 伪魏蠈渭伪 蟺喂慰 蟺慰位位慰委, 魏喂 维魏慰蠀 谓伪 蟿慰蠀蟼 渭蔚蟿蟻萎蟽蠅.
螒蟺' 蟿慰 螖慰蠀位委蠂喂 未喂伪位蔚蠂蟿慰委 蟺蔚谓萎谓蟿伪 未蠀慰 位蔚尾苇谓蟿蔚蟼,
渭' 苇尉喂 渭伪味委 蟿慰蠀蟼 蟺伪蟻伪纬喂慰蠉蟼. 螝喂 蠈蟽慰喂 萎蟻胃伪谓 伪蟺' 蟿畏 危维渭畏,
蔚委谓伪喂 蠈位慰喂 蔚委魏慰蟽喂 蟿苇蟽蟽蔚蟻蔚喂蟼. 螝喂 蔚委魏慰蟽喂 尾维位蔚 伪魏蠈渭伪,
蠈蟽慰喂 萎蟻胃伪谓 伪蟺' 蟿畏 螙维魏蠀谓胃慰, 魏伪喂 未蠋未蔚魏伪 伪蟺' 蟿慰 螛喂维魏喂,
伪蟿蟻蠈渭畏蟿慰喂 蠈位慰喂 蟽蟿畏谓 魏伪蟻未喂维. 螝喂 慰 螠苇未慰谓蟿伪蟼 慰 魏蟻维蠂蟿畏蟼,
魏喂 慰 胃蔚蠆魏蠈蟼 蟿蟻伪纬慰蠀未喂蟽蟿萎蟼, 蟺蠈蠂慰蠀谓 魏喂 伪蠀蟿慰委 渭伪味委 蟿慰蠀蟼,
未蠀慰 蟺伪蟻伪纬喂慰蠉蟼, 蟽蟿慰 渭慰委蟻伪蟽渭伪 蟿蠅谓 蠁伪纬畏蟿蠋谓 蟿蔚蠂谓委蟿蔚蟼.
螠蔚蟿维 蟿畏 未慰位慰蠁慰谓委伪 蟿蠅谓 渭谓畏蟽蟿萎蟻蠅谓, 魏喂 伪蠁慰蠉 蟿伪魏蟿慰蟺慰喂萎蟽蔚喂 蟿伪 蟿慰蠀 慰委魏慰蠀 蟿慰蠀 慰 螣未蠀蟽蟽苇伪蟼 尉伪谓伪蟽渭委纬蔚喂 渭蔚 蟿畏谓 螤畏谓蔚位蠈蟺畏 (蟿慰 胃畏位蠀魏蠈 蟺慰位蠀渭萎蠂伪谓慰 苇蟿蔚蟻慰谓 萎渭喂蟽蠀 蟿慰蠀 萎蟻蠅伪, 渭喂伪 纬蔚谓谓伪委伪, 蟺伪谓苇尉蠀蟺谓畏, 蔚蠀纬蔚谓喂魏萎 魏伪喂 蟺喂蟽蟿萎 蟽蠉味蠀纬慰蟼 魏伪喂 渭畏蟿苇蟻伪) 魏伪喂 蟿畏谓 蔚蟺慰渭苇谓畏 蟺畏纬伪委谓蔚喂 谓伪 蟽蠀谓伪谓蟿萎蟽蔚喂 蟿慰谓 纬苇蟻慰 蟺伪蟿苇蟻伪 蟿慰蠀, 蟿慰谓 螞伪苇蟻蟿畏. 螝伪喂 伪蠁慰蠉, 尉伪谓维 渭蔚 蟿畏谓 蟺伪蟻苇渭尾伪蟽畏 蟿畏蟼 螒胃畏谓维蟼, 伪蟺慰蟿蟻苇蟺蔚蟿伪喂, 蟿畏谓 蟿蔚位蔚蠀蟿伪委伪 蟽蟿喂纬渭萎, 畏 蔚渭蠁蠉位喂伪 蟽蠉纬魏蟻慰蠀蟽畏 伪谓维渭蔚蟽伪 蟽蟿慰蠀蟼 蟽蠀纬纬蔚谓蔚委蟼 蟿蠅谓 渭谓畏蟽蟿萎蟻蠅谓 渭蔚 蟿慰谓 慰委魏慰 蟿慰蠀 螣未蠀蟽蟽苇伪, 畏 喂蟽蟿慰蟻委伪 蟿蔚位蔚喂蠋谓蔚喂, 蠈蠂喂 蠈渭蠅蟼 蟿慰 蟿伪尉委未喂. 螝伪喂 畏 味蠅萎 蟽蠀谓蔚蠂委味蔚蟿伪喂...
韦伪 畏蟻蠅喂魏维 蟿蟻伪纬慰蠉未喂伪 蟿畏蟼 渭蠀魏畏谓伪蠆魏萎蟼 蔚蟺慰蠂萎蟼, 蟺慰蠀 未喂畏纬慰蠉谓蟿伪谓 蟿喂蟼 蟺蔚蟻喂蟺苇蟿蔚喂蔚蟼 蟿蠅谓 螒蠂伪喂蠋谓, 伪谓维渭蔚蟽伪 蟽蔚 伪蠀蟿维 魏喂 畏 未喂萎纬畏蟽畏 蟿畏蟼 蟺慰位喂慰蟻魏委伪蟼 蟿畏蟼 韦蟻慰委伪蟼, 魏伪喂 畏 蟺蔚蟻喂蟺位维谓畏蟽畏 蟿慰蠀 螣未蠀蟽蟽苇伪, 未喂伪渭慰蟻蠁蠋胃畏魏伪谓 渭苇蟽伪 伪蟺蠈 蔚蟺伪纬纬蔚位渭伪蟿委蔚蟼 蟿蟻伪纬慰蠀未喂蟽蟿苇蟼 渭蔚 蟿畏 蟽蠀谓慰未蔚委伪 蔚谓蠈蟼 苇纬蠂慰蟻未慰蠀 慰蟻纬维谓慰蠀 (伪慰喂未慰委) 魏伪喂 蟿慰蠀蟼 魏伪蟿慰蟺喂谓蠈蟿蔚蟻慰蠀蟼 蟻伪蠄蠅未慰蠉蟼 (蟺慰蠀 苇魏伪谓伪谓 伪蟺伪纬纬蔚位委伪 蟿蠅谓 蟺慰喂畏渭维蟿蠅谓 魏蟻伪蟿蠋谓蟿伪蟼 蟽蟿慰 未蔚尉委 蟿慰蠀蟼 蠂苇蟻喂 苇谓伪 蟻伪尾未委) 魏伪喂 魏维蟺蠅蟼 苇蟿蟽喂 纬委谓蔚蟿伪喂 蟿慰 蟺苇蟻伪蟽渭伪 伪蟺蠈 蟿畏谓 伪蟻蠂伪喂蠈蟿蔚蟻畏 蟺蟻慰蠁慰蟻喂魏萎 蟺伪蟻维未慰蟽畏 蟽蟿伪 魏伪蟿伪纬蔚纬蟻伪渭渭苇谓伪 苇蟺畏 (伪魏慰位慰蠀胃蠋谓蟿伪蟼 蟿慰谓 蟻蠀胃渭蠈 蟿慰蠀 未伪魏蟿蠀位喂魏慰蠉 蔚尉伪渭苇蟿蟻慰蠀), 蠈蟺蠅蟼 伪蠀蟿维 蟽蠋味慰谓蟿伪喂 蠅蟼 蟽萎渭蔚蟻伪. 危蟿畏谓 螣未蠉蟽蟽蔚喂伪 蟺伪蟻慰蠀蟽喂维味慰谓蟿伪喂 未蠉慰 伪慰喂未慰委 慰 螖畏渭蠈未慰魏慰蟼 蟽蟿慰蠀蟼 桅伪委伪魏蔚蟼 魏伪喂 慰 桅萎渭喂慰蟼 蟽蟿慰蠀蟼 螉胃伪魏蔚蟼.
螒蟺蠈 蔚未蠋 魏伪蟿苇尾伪蟽伪 蟿畏谓 渭蔚蟿维蠁蟻伪蟽畏 蟿慰蠀 危委未蔚蟻畏, 伪蟺蠈 蟿慰 蟽蠂慰位喂魏蠈 尾喂尾位委慰 蠈蟺蠅蟼 蟿畏谓 未喂未维蠂蟿畏魏伪 纬喂伪 蟺蟻蠋蟿畏 蠁慰蟻维, 蟽蟿慰 蟽蠂慰位蔚委慰 慰位维魏蔚蟻畏:
螒蟺蠈 蔚未蠋 未喂维尾伪蟽伪 未喂维蠁慰蟻蔚蟼 蟽蠂蔚蟿喂魏苇蟼 渭蔚 蟿伪 苇蟺畏 渭蔚位苇蟿蔚蟼 蟿喂蟼 慰蟺慰委蔚蟼 尾蟻萎魏伪 喂未喂伪委蟿蔚蟻伪 蠂蟻萎蟽喂渭蔚蟼:
October 5, 2022
La Odisea me ha gustado much铆simo m谩s que la Il铆ada, ya que no se me hizo tan pesada. Sin embargo, considero que es necesario leer esta 煤ltima primero para tener m谩s contexto en este libro, ya que aparecen personajes del pasado y se deja en claro cu谩l fue el desenlace mismo de ellos. Es lo m谩s recomendable.
La historia empieza in media res, cuando muchos de los eventos ya han sucedido y algunos ya est谩n evolucionando (luego del desenlace de la Guerra de Troya, los problemas que se le han presentado a Ulises en su regreso a casa, Pen茅lope y sus pretendientes, Tel茅maco en busca de su padre, etc). Trama y subtramas por varios lados; historias entre historias.
La Odisea utiliza tantos t贸picos literarios que a m铆 me fascinan. Comenzando por la seducci贸n, la tentaci贸n, la fidelidad/infidelidad, la soledad, la muerte, el anhelo, la astucia y sagacidad del protagonista para salir con vida de variadas situaciones, conspiraciones, venganza, el viaje del h茅roe con retorno a casa: y a su misma vez la importancia de la familia y el hogar. Pruebas, presagios y la lealtad puesta sobre la mesa.
Toda una aventura para Ulises; quien es un l铆der con defectos y virtudes, que luego de meter la pata es capaz de crear planes ingeniosos para salirse con la suya. Es quiz谩s por eso que me fascin贸 el libro, ya que Ulises muy por el contrario a Aquiles utiliza la inteligencia. Es un h茅roe que aprende de sus errores anteriores, por lo que no los vuelve a cometer y ejecuta sus prop贸sitos con mayor cuidado y paciencia; ya no tan a la ligera, por lo que no se deja llevar por impulsos emocionales que de nada le sirven.
Pasamos de isla en isla, recorremos tempestuosos mares y conocemos a la ninfa Calipso y Circe la hechicera. Con seres mitol贸gicos como las criaturas marinas escila y caribdis, los gigantes, c铆cloples, sirenas y los tan temidos y omnipotentes dioses del Olimpo, aunque aqu铆 solo tenemos como presencia absoluta a Atenea y en parte toman importancia Poseid贸n y Zeus.
Ha sido un largo viaje para Ulises ir a la batalla y regresar a su patria; en el que diez a帽os le cost贸 la guerra de Troya lejos de su familia y diez a帽os m谩s regresar con ellos por la ira de Poseid贸n. Veinte a帽os y toda una verdadera odisea para el pobre.
La historia empieza in media res, cuando muchos de los eventos ya han sucedido y algunos ya est谩n evolucionando (luego del desenlace de la Guerra de Troya, los problemas que se le han presentado a Ulises en su regreso a casa, Pen茅lope y sus pretendientes, Tel茅maco en busca de su padre, etc). Trama y subtramas por varios lados; historias entre historias.
La Odisea utiliza tantos t贸picos literarios que a m铆 me fascinan. Comenzando por la seducci贸n, la tentaci贸n, la fidelidad/infidelidad, la soledad, la muerte, el anhelo, la astucia y sagacidad del protagonista para salir con vida de variadas situaciones, conspiraciones, venganza, el viaje del h茅roe con retorno a casa: y a su misma vez la importancia de la familia y el hogar. Pruebas, presagios y la lealtad puesta sobre la mesa.
Toda una aventura para Ulises; quien es un l铆der con defectos y virtudes, que luego de meter la pata es capaz de crear planes ingeniosos para salirse con la suya. Es quiz谩s por eso que me fascin贸 el libro, ya que Ulises muy por el contrario a Aquiles utiliza la inteligencia. Es un h茅roe que aprende de sus errores anteriores, por lo que no los vuelve a cometer y ejecuta sus prop贸sitos con mayor cuidado y paciencia; ya no tan a la ligera, por lo que no se deja llevar por impulsos emocionales que de nada le sirven.
Pasamos de isla en isla, recorremos tempestuosos mares y conocemos a la ninfa Calipso y Circe la hechicera. Con seres mitol贸gicos como las criaturas marinas escila y caribdis, los gigantes, c铆cloples, sirenas y los tan temidos y omnipotentes dioses del Olimpo, aunque aqu铆 solo tenemos como presencia absoluta a Atenea y en parte toman importancia Poseid贸n y Zeus.
Ha sido un largo viaje para Ulises ir a la batalla y regresar a su patria; en el que diez a帽os le cost贸 la guerra de Troya lejos de su familia y diez a帽os m谩s regresar con ellos por la ira de Poseid贸n. Veinte a帽os y toda una verdadera odisea para el pobre.
August 18, 2009
It's funny how many people feel intimidated by this book. Sure, it's thousands of years old, and certainly Greek culture has some peculiarities, but the book is remarkably, sometimes surprisingly modern, and most translations show the straightforward simplicity of the story.
Perhaps like The Seventh Seal, The Odyssey has gotten a reputation for being difficult because it has been embraced by intellectuals and worse, wanna-be intellectuals. But like Bergman's classic film, The Odyssey is focused on action, low humor, and vivid characters, not complex symbolism and pretension.
It shouldn't really surprise us how modern the story seems, from it's fast-paced action to its non-linear story: authors have taken cues from it for thousands of years, and continue to take inspiration from it today. Any story of small people, everyday heroes, and domestic life we read today is only a few steps removed from Odysseus' tale.
Unlike the Iliad, this book is not focused on grand ideas or a grand stage. The characters do not base their actions on heroic ideals but on their emotions, their pains and joys, their grumbling bellies. It is less concerned with the fate of nations than the state of the family and friendship.
Since the story turns on whims instead of heroic ideals, it is much less focused than the Iliad, meandering from here to there in a series of unconnected vignettes drawn from the mythic tradition. Like The Bible, it is a combination of stories, but without a philosophical focus.
There are numerous recurring themes that while not concluded, are certainly explored. The most obvious of these may be the tradition of keeping guests in Greece. The most honorable provide their guests with feasts, festivals, and gifts. This seems mostly the effect of a noblesse oblige among the ruling class.
Like the codes of war or the class system, it is a social structure which benefits their rulership. Like the palace of Versailles of Louis XIV, keeping someone as a guest was a way to keep an eye on them and to provide camaraderie and mutual reliance amongst the fractitious ruling class.
The second theme is that of 'metis', represented by Odysseus himself. Metis is the Greek term for cunning. It is a quick-witted cleverness that is sometimes considered charming and other times deceitful. Achilles tells Odysseys in the Iliad that he resents the clever man's entreaties, and those of any man who says one thing but thinks another.
Odysseus later mimics this sentiment as part of an elaborate lie to gain the trust of another man. Such are the winding ways of our hero. He misleads his son, his wife, his servants, and his despondent father after his return, careful not to overplay his hand in a dangerous situation, arriving as a stranger.
Each of these prevarications can be seen sometimes as cruel, but each deception has a reasoning behind it. He uses his stories to carefully prepare his listeners for his return, instead of springing it upon them unwarned. He ensures that he will be received upon the most profitable terms, though he also enjoys the game of it all.
These acts of sudden, cruel cleverness are not uncommon in epics and adventure tales. One tale of Viking raiders tells of how, after sailing into the Mediterranean, their ship reached one of the cities of the Roman Empire. Though just a small outpost, the Viking chief thought it was Rome itself, since its stone buildings towered over the farms of his homeland.
He hid in a coffin with a wealth of swords and had his soldiers bear him into the town, telling the inhabitants they wished to make burial rights for their dead king. When they were let in, the coffin was opened, the swords passed around, and the city sacked. What is curious is that while warriors like the Greeks or Vikings maintained a strict sense of honor and honesty, this kind of trick was not only common in their stories, but admired.
The honor of the battlefield does not extend to the Trojan Horse (Odysseus' idea) or to the tale of Sinon in the Aeneid. The rule seems to be that if the tricks played are grand and clever enough, they are allowed, while small, mean pranks and betrayals are not. Not all the soldiers agree what is outsmarting and what is dishonorable (Achilles puts Odysseus in the latter camp), but there is a give and take there.
What is most remarkable about Odysseus is not merely that he comes up with these tricks, but that he passes them off on proud, honorable men without incurring their wrath. Moreover, he does all this while having a famous reputation for being tricky. You'd think he'd get an intentional walk now and then.
Odysseus was not as strong a character as Achilles or Hector were in the Iliad, though this may be because he was a complex character who did not rely on the cliche characterizations of 'the noble warrior'. He is not a man with a bad temper, nor a good one. He is a competent and powerful warrior and leader, but those are not his defining characteristics, either.
Odysseus represents the Greek ideal of 'arete' as well as metis. Arete is the idea that a man who is truly great should excel in all things, not merely concentrate on one area of life. Even raging Achilles showed the depth of his arete in the Iliad when he served as host and master of the games. He was capable of nobility, sound judgment, and generosity, even if he didn't always put his best foot forward.
Odysseus is likewise skilled in both war and domesticity, in the sword and politics, and he's clever and wily to boot. In the end, there isn't much room left over for negative character traits, which is what makes him feel a bit flat. What makes people interesting as individuals is not their best traits, but their worst.
For Odysseus, this is his pride. After spending twenty years of his life away at war, leaving his wife and infant son behind, it's not surprising that he wants to return home with wealth and with his name on the lips of poets and minstrels.
Between his pride, his easy smile, and his quick wit, he is the model for the modern action hero. He is not merely some chivalric picture of goodness, nor simply mighty and overwhelming, but a conflicted man with a wry sense of humor and above all, a will to survive.
Don't read this book simply because it is old, influential, and considered great. Read it because it is exciting and approachable and thoughtful. Even without all the reputation, it can stand on its own.
I read the Fagles translation, which was enjoyable and often lovely, though some modern idioms did slip in here and there. The Knox intro rehashes a lot of the introduction to The Iliad, but it's still very useful.
Perhaps like The Seventh Seal, The Odyssey has gotten a reputation for being difficult because it has been embraced by intellectuals and worse, wanna-be intellectuals. But like Bergman's classic film, The Odyssey is focused on action, low humor, and vivid characters, not complex symbolism and pretension.
It shouldn't really surprise us how modern the story seems, from it's fast-paced action to its non-linear story: authors have taken cues from it for thousands of years, and continue to take inspiration from it today. Any story of small people, everyday heroes, and domestic life we read today is only a few steps removed from Odysseus' tale.
Unlike the Iliad, this book is not focused on grand ideas or a grand stage. The characters do not base their actions on heroic ideals but on their emotions, their pains and joys, their grumbling bellies. It is less concerned with the fate of nations than the state of the family and friendship.
Since the story turns on whims instead of heroic ideals, it is much less focused than the Iliad, meandering from here to there in a series of unconnected vignettes drawn from the mythic tradition. Like The Bible, it is a combination of stories, but without a philosophical focus.
There are numerous recurring themes that while not concluded, are certainly explored. The most obvious of these may be the tradition of keeping guests in Greece. The most honorable provide their guests with feasts, festivals, and gifts. This seems mostly the effect of a noblesse oblige among the ruling class.
Like the codes of war or the class system, it is a social structure which benefits their rulership. Like the palace of Versailles of Louis XIV, keeping someone as a guest was a way to keep an eye on them and to provide camaraderie and mutual reliance amongst the fractitious ruling class.
The second theme is that of 'metis', represented by Odysseus himself. Metis is the Greek term for cunning. It is a quick-witted cleverness that is sometimes considered charming and other times deceitful. Achilles tells Odysseys in the Iliad that he resents the clever man's entreaties, and those of any man who says one thing but thinks another.
Odysseus later mimics this sentiment as part of an elaborate lie to gain the trust of another man. Such are the winding ways of our hero. He misleads his son, his wife, his servants, and his despondent father after his return, careful not to overplay his hand in a dangerous situation, arriving as a stranger.
Each of these prevarications can be seen sometimes as cruel, but each deception has a reasoning behind it. He uses his stories to carefully prepare his listeners for his return, instead of springing it upon them unwarned. He ensures that he will be received upon the most profitable terms, though he also enjoys the game of it all.
These acts of sudden, cruel cleverness are not uncommon in epics and adventure tales. One tale of Viking raiders tells of how, after sailing into the Mediterranean, their ship reached one of the cities of the Roman Empire. Though just a small outpost, the Viking chief thought it was Rome itself, since its stone buildings towered over the farms of his homeland.
He hid in a coffin with a wealth of swords and had his soldiers bear him into the town, telling the inhabitants they wished to make burial rights for their dead king. When they were let in, the coffin was opened, the swords passed around, and the city sacked. What is curious is that while warriors like the Greeks or Vikings maintained a strict sense of honor and honesty, this kind of trick was not only common in their stories, but admired.
The honor of the battlefield does not extend to the Trojan Horse (Odysseus' idea) or to the tale of Sinon in the Aeneid. The rule seems to be that if the tricks played are grand and clever enough, they are allowed, while small, mean pranks and betrayals are not. Not all the soldiers agree what is outsmarting and what is dishonorable (Achilles puts Odysseus in the latter camp), but there is a give and take there.
What is most remarkable about Odysseus is not merely that he comes up with these tricks, but that he passes them off on proud, honorable men without incurring their wrath. Moreover, he does all this while having a famous reputation for being tricky. You'd think he'd get an intentional walk now and then.
Odysseus was not as strong a character as Achilles or Hector were in the Iliad, though this may be because he was a complex character who did not rely on the cliche characterizations of 'the noble warrior'. He is not a man with a bad temper, nor a good one. He is a competent and powerful warrior and leader, but those are not his defining characteristics, either.
Odysseus represents the Greek ideal of 'arete' as well as metis. Arete is the idea that a man who is truly great should excel in all things, not merely concentrate on one area of life. Even raging Achilles showed the depth of his arete in the Iliad when he served as host and master of the games. He was capable of nobility, sound judgment, and generosity, even if he didn't always put his best foot forward.
Odysseus is likewise skilled in both war and domesticity, in the sword and politics, and he's clever and wily to boot. In the end, there isn't much room left over for negative character traits, which is what makes him feel a bit flat. What makes people interesting as individuals is not their best traits, but their worst.
For Odysseus, this is his pride. After spending twenty years of his life away at war, leaving his wife and infant son behind, it's not surprising that he wants to return home with wealth and with his name on the lips of poets and minstrels.
Between his pride, his easy smile, and his quick wit, he is the model for the modern action hero. He is not merely some chivalric picture of goodness, nor simply mighty and overwhelming, but a conflicted man with a wry sense of humor and above all, a will to survive.
Don't read this book simply because it is old, influential, and considered great. Read it because it is exciting and approachable and thoughtful. Even without all the reputation, it can stand on its own.
I read the Fagles translation, which was enjoyable and often lovely, though some modern idioms did slip in here and there. The Knox intro rehashes a lot of the introduction to The Iliad, but it's still very useful.
June 21, 2019
Audiobook read by Claire Danes ..
I finished this Audiobook weeks ago - but the physical book - I鈥檓 throwing in the towel. I own the physical book - but I just couldn鈥檛 get myself to stay with it.
I liked listening to Claire Danes ... I was fully engaged at the time ...(she was helpful for me staying interested )...but I鈥檓 already forgetting everything...
I need to borrow another person鈥檚 brain!
I finished this Audiobook weeks ago - but the physical book - I鈥檓 throwing in the towel. I own the physical book - but I just couldn鈥檛 get myself to stay with it.
I liked listening to Claire Danes ... I was fully engaged at the time ...(she was helpful for me staying interested )...but I鈥檓 already forgetting everything...
I need to borrow another person鈥檚 brain!
August 27, 2016
I started this as I it is essential reading if I ever want to give a shot at reading . I was a bit apprehensive and spent a long time deciding on which translation to choose. Finally it was that convinced me to go for the ' version. I have no way of judging how good a decision that was.
This translation, by Robert Fagles, is of the Greek text edited by David Monro and Thomas Allen, first published in 1908 by the Oxford University Press. This two-鈥媣olume edition is printed in a Greek type, complete with lower- and uppercase letters, breathings and accents, that is based on the elegant handwriting of Richard Porson, an early-鈥媙ineteenth-鈥媍entury scholar of great brilliance, who was also an incurable alcoholic as well as a caustic wit. This was of course not the first font of Greek type; in fact, the first printed edition of Homer, issued in Florence in 1488, was composed in type that imitated contemporary Greek handwriting, with all its complicated ligatures and abbreviations. Early printers tried to make their books look like handwritten manuscripts because in scholarly circles printed books were regarded as vulgar and inferior products听鈥� cheap paperbacks, so to speak.
First up, I enjoyed the book, even the droll parts. It was fun to repeatedly read Odysseus's laments and Telemachus' airy threats about the marauding suitors.
But now that I have finished it, how do I attempt a review? What can I possibly say about an epic like this that has not been said before? To conclude by saying that it was wonderful would be a disservice. To analyse it would be too self-important and to summarize it would be laughable.
Nevertheless, I thought of giving a sort of moral summary of the story and then abandoned that. I then considered writing about the many comparisons it evoked it my mind about the Indian epics that I have grown up with, but I felt out of my depth since I have not even read the Iliad yet.
With all those attempts having failed, I am left with just repeating again that it was much more enjoyable than I expected. That is not to say that it was an epic adventure with no dull moments. No. The characters repeat themselves in dialogue and in attitude, all major dramatic points are revealed in advance as prophesy and every important story event is told again at various points by various characters.
Even though I avoided it as much as I can, I could not at times avoid contrasting my reading experience with that of the epics I have grown up with and I remember thinking to myself that in comparison this reads like a short story or a novella. Maybe this impression is because I am largely yet unaware of the large mythical structure on which the story is built. I intend to allay that deficiency soon.
The characters are unforgettable, the situations are legendary and I am truly happy that I finally got around to a full reading of this magnificent epic. It has opened up a new world.
August 12, 2022
5 猸�
鈥溾€� I wouldwalk sail 500 [nautical] miles
and I wouldwalk sail 500 more,
just to be the man whowalked sailed a thousand [nautical] miles
tofall down slay the suitors at your door.鈥�
- Odysseus the Proclaimer
I鈥檝e been under the weather the last week or so, feeling about as upbeat as Uranus鈥� following his castration at the hands of his own Son Cronus; or as joyous as Pasiphae recovering her senses and grasping the full extent of her dalliance with the snow-white bull. Alas, I鈥檓 better now and am pleased to finally get a chance to 鈥渞eview鈥� this beauty! In keeping with my self-enforced regulation on bringing an unparalleled level of sophistication and succinctness to my analyses of these illustrious cornerstones of Western Mythology, I鈥檒l be covering the themes that stood out most prominently to me and strictly in the most intellectual and earnest fashion.
"Welcome the coming, speed the parting guest!"
The Guest-Host Code of Conduct is a constant throughout Homer鈥檚 poem and, when compared to the state of modern hospitality, it becomes clear that we鈥檝e lost our way; By the river Styx, woe be us, we have lost our way! Not once do I recall a host ever offering to have me bathed, rubbed down with oil and dressed in a fine robe when I've deigned to visit their abode. What has come of us?! Has Zeus, being the God this most concerns, lost his zeal for the divine enforcement of the etiquette of hospitality? For the love of the Gods, lather me! And forget not to bestow upon me a parting gift!
In general, a host is most likely to be at fault in the interaction between guest and host if they don鈥檛 properly cater to any wayward soul that stumbles upon their palace but the opposite can also be seen in the 108 suitors who, in attempting to court the absent Odysseus鈥� wife, Penelope, in a brutish, non-ritualistic manner, take advantage of their host鈥檚 hospitality, consuming their reserves of food and wine and ravishing their female servants.
If the domestic settings of Homer's epics are at all reflective of Ancient Greek society in the time they were written, there is an interesting parallel regarding ritual propriety and even, to a lesser degree, filial piety with Chinese culture in the time of Confucius, several hundred years later.
鈥漈he fame of her great virtue will never die.
The immortal gods will lift a song for all mankind,
A glorious song in praise of self-possessed Penelope鈥� - Agamemnon
Loyalty and faithfulness, in all their forms are a big one and nobody embodies these more than Odysseus鈥� wife, Penelope, the soul of loyalty! (Besides maybe Argos, the loyal dog) Despite Odysseus advising her to wed the man she likes as soon as she sees hair on, their son, Telemachus鈥� face, she holds out for 20 years despite 108 oily degenerates attempting to court her when it is presumed Odysseus dies at Troy. What a woman! Gents, find yourself a Penelope! Ladies, if the men in this book are anything to go by, I鈥檓 afraid you鈥檒l probably have to settle for a Pep茅 Le Pew.
It鈥檚 probably worth noting that Hesiod, Homer's contemporary, states, in his Theogony of the Gods, that Odysseus sired 4 children on his 10-year journey home; 2 with Calypso and 2 with Circe. So, while Penelope was faithfully waiting for him at home, he was gettin鈥� down with 2 Nymph Goddesses (that we know of)! Ok, I鈥檓 being a little flippant here; at least one of these was totally against his will *wink, wink, nudge, nudge*. One notices a distinct lack of detail when Odysseus recounts his adventures to his wife.
鈥漌hen a man cries, it鈥檚 the last thing he wants to do鈥� He will do anything but cry. He will stop himself crying no matter how tragic it is. And he would do everything, and only when he鈥檚 completely defeated emotionally will he start to cry properly.鈥� - Michael Caine
Michael Caine obviously never read 鈥楾he Odyssey鈥� 鈥榗os while resilience/perseverance are another major theme of 鈥楾he Odyssey鈥�, there is also A LOT of grown ass men crying! There鈥檚 nothing wrong with that and, in context, I should mention that Caine made that comment in an acting masterclass BUT these are battle-hardened soldiers who are returning home from a 10-year war and have absolutely no qualms raping and pillaging as they go. I hardly think they are the super-sentimental types. I鈥檓 not talking a tear trickling down the cheek either; we鈥檙e talking platoons of soldiers in a communal sob session, wailing, shrieking, going full Timberlake-cry-me-a-river at the slightest provocation! However, once the tears have abated, our characters always push on, particularly Odysseus and 鈥渨hat good can come of grief?鈥� appears a recurring rhetorical query and the message appears to be, dust yourself off and carry on!
Odysseus is not a great guy really, but his determination and ability to will himself on in the face of great odds is endearing, regardless of his shortcomings. He is the hero of the story and held in high esteem for possessing many of the typical Homeric heroes attributes: Strength, bravery, godly physique, and also diplomacy, tactfulness, cunning and deceitfulness (also seen as a positive attribute). I couldn鈥檛 help having a bit of a chuckle when Odysseus and a small number of his crew are stuck in, the Cyclops, Polyphemus鈥� cave and trying to deduce a means of escape. Homer is really trying to drive home Odysseus鈥� cunning鈥� 鈥滿y wits kept weaving, weaving cunning schemes鈥� till this plan struck my mind as best鈥� and then:
鈥滺ey, hey, guys, GUYS! Hide yourselves beneath the sheep! Two sheep to a man; except me, I鈥檒l take this large one. He鈥檒l never see us! Oh, Gods be praised, I鈥檓 so cunning; a real clever sausage!鈥�
Odysseus at his finest! A man endowed with the God鈥檚 own wisdom; foxy, ingenious!.... Anyone who thinks Homer didn鈥檛 have a sense of humour is kidding themselves.
Following a positive experience with Robert Fagles鈥� translation of 鈥楾he Iliad鈥�, I opted for the deluxe edition of his Odyssey translation for the 鈥楶enguin Classics鈥� line and, once again, I thought it was very readable. It鈥檚 a non-rhyming verse translation with varying line length. I think it succeeds in sounding traditional while also being absolutely accessible to the modern reader. Fagles mentions something along the lines of Homer鈥檚 works being quite fast paced and energetic and, without any knowledge of the original, it seems to me that he's succeeded in maintaining this high level of rapidity and excitement. There was only one example of, what I thought was, a poor translation when, at one point, Fagles uses the phrase 鈥漜ramping my style鈥�. I鈥檓 being knit-picky but it doesn鈥檛 fit with the overall tone of the rest of the text and feels too modern. Bernard Knox鈥檚 introduction and notes are also, once again, fascinating and illuminating regarding the origins and the nature of the poem, particularly a discussion on the more prominent (read:existent) role of women in the Odyssey when compared with the sausage-fest that is the Iliad.
More than anything, for me, 鈥楾he Odyssey鈥� is just a rollicking good adventure! If you鈥檙e perhaps someone who tried the Iliad and didn鈥檛 enjoy it (what is wrong with you?!) but really love Mythology retellings, you may very well still love this one which has an entirely different thematic focus and overall tone; less relentless war, more of combination of treachorous journey and domestic affair! I really can鈥檛 recommend it highly enough.
It's as glorious as the young dawn with her rose-red fingers!
鈥溾€� I would
and I would
just to be the man who
to
- Odysseus the Proclaimer
I鈥檝e been under the weather the last week or so, feeling about as upbeat as Uranus鈥� following his castration at the hands of his own Son Cronus; or as joyous as Pasiphae recovering her senses and grasping the full extent of her dalliance with the snow-white bull. Alas, I鈥檓 better now and am pleased to finally get a chance to 鈥渞eview鈥� this beauty! In keeping with my self-enforced regulation on bringing an unparalleled level of sophistication and succinctness to my analyses of these illustrious cornerstones of Western Mythology, I鈥檒l be covering the themes that stood out most prominently to me and strictly in the most intellectual and earnest fashion.
"Welcome the coming, speed the parting guest!"
The Guest-Host Code of Conduct is a constant throughout Homer鈥檚 poem and, when compared to the state of modern hospitality, it becomes clear that we鈥檝e lost our way; By the river Styx, woe be us, we have lost our way! Not once do I recall a host ever offering to have me bathed, rubbed down with oil and dressed in a fine robe when I've deigned to visit their abode. What has come of us?! Has Zeus, being the God this most concerns, lost his zeal for the divine enforcement of the etiquette of hospitality? For the love of the Gods, lather me! And forget not to bestow upon me a parting gift!
In general, a host is most likely to be at fault in the interaction between guest and host if they don鈥檛 properly cater to any wayward soul that stumbles upon their palace but the opposite can also be seen in the 108 suitors who, in attempting to court the absent Odysseus鈥� wife, Penelope, in a brutish, non-ritualistic manner, take advantage of their host鈥檚 hospitality, consuming their reserves of food and wine and ravishing their female servants.
If the domestic settings of Homer's epics are at all reflective of Ancient Greek society in the time they were written, there is an interesting parallel regarding ritual propriety and even, to a lesser degree, filial piety with Chinese culture in the time of Confucius, several hundred years later.
鈥漈he fame of her great virtue will never die.
The immortal gods will lift a song for all mankind,
A glorious song in praise of self-possessed Penelope鈥� - Agamemnon
Loyalty and faithfulness, in all their forms are a big one and nobody embodies these more than Odysseus鈥� wife, Penelope, the soul of loyalty! (Besides maybe Argos, the loyal dog) Despite Odysseus advising her to wed the man she likes as soon as she sees hair on, their son, Telemachus鈥� face, she holds out for 20 years despite 108 oily degenerates attempting to court her when it is presumed Odysseus dies at Troy. What a woman! Gents, find yourself a Penelope! Ladies, if the men in this book are anything to go by, I鈥檓 afraid you鈥檒l probably have to settle for a Pep茅 Le Pew.
It鈥檚 probably worth noting that Hesiod, Homer's contemporary, states, in his Theogony of the Gods, that Odysseus sired 4 children on his 10-year journey home; 2 with Calypso and 2 with Circe. So, while Penelope was faithfully waiting for him at home, he was gettin鈥� down with 2 Nymph Goddesses (that we know of)! Ok, I鈥檓 being a little flippant here; at least one of these was totally against his will *wink, wink, nudge, nudge*. One notices a distinct lack of detail when Odysseus recounts his adventures to his wife.
鈥漌hen a man cries, it鈥檚 the last thing he wants to do鈥� He will do anything but cry. He will stop himself crying no matter how tragic it is. And he would do everything, and only when he鈥檚 completely defeated emotionally will he start to cry properly.鈥� - Michael Caine
Michael Caine obviously never read 鈥楾he Odyssey鈥� 鈥榗os while resilience/perseverance are another major theme of 鈥楾he Odyssey鈥�, there is also A LOT of grown ass men crying! There鈥檚 nothing wrong with that and, in context, I should mention that Caine made that comment in an acting masterclass BUT these are battle-hardened soldiers who are returning home from a 10-year war and have absolutely no qualms raping and pillaging as they go. I hardly think they are the super-sentimental types. I鈥檓 not talking a tear trickling down the cheek either; we鈥檙e talking platoons of soldiers in a communal sob session, wailing, shrieking, going full Timberlake-cry-me-a-river at the slightest provocation! However, once the tears have abated, our characters always push on, particularly Odysseus and 鈥渨hat good can come of grief?鈥� appears a recurring rhetorical query and the message appears to be, dust yourself off and carry on!
Odysseus is not a great guy really, but his determination and ability to will himself on in the face of great odds is endearing, regardless of his shortcomings. He is the hero of the story and held in high esteem for possessing many of the typical Homeric heroes attributes: Strength, bravery, godly physique, and also diplomacy, tactfulness, cunning and deceitfulness (also seen as a positive attribute). I couldn鈥檛 help having a bit of a chuckle when Odysseus and a small number of his crew are stuck in, the Cyclops, Polyphemus鈥� cave and trying to deduce a means of escape. Homer is really trying to drive home Odysseus鈥� cunning鈥� 鈥滿y wits kept weaving, weaving cunning schemes鈥� till this plan struck my mind as best鈥� and then:
鈥滺ey, hey, guys, GUYS! Hide yourselves beneath the sheep! Two sheep to a man; except me, I鈥檒l take this large one. He鈥檒l never see us! Oh, Gods be praised, I鈥檓 so cunning; a real clever sausage!鈥�
Odysseus at his finest! A man endowed with the God鈥檚 own wisdom; foxy, ingenious!.... Anyone who thinks Homer didn鈥檛 have a sense of humour is kidding themselves.
Following a positive experience with Robert Fagles鈥� translation of 鈥楾he Iliad鈥�, I opted for the deluxe edition of his Odyssey translation for the 鈥楶enguin Classics鈥� line and, once again, I thought it was very readable. It鈥檚 a non-rhyming verse translation with varying line length. I think it succeeds in sounding traditional while also being absolutely accessible to the modern reader. Fagles mentions something along the lines of Homer鈥檚 works being quite fast paced and energetic and, without any knowledge of the original, it seems to me that he's succeeded in maintaining this high level of rapidity and excitement. There was only one example of, what I thought was, a poor translation when, at one point, Fagles uses the phrase 鈥漜ramping my style鈥�. I鈥檓 being knit-picky but it doesn鈥檛 fit with the overall tone of the rest of the text and feels too modern. Bernard Knox鈥檚 introduction and notes are also, once again, fascinating and illuminating regarding the origins and the nature of the poem, particularly a discussion on the more prominent (read:existent) role of women in the Odyssey when compared with the sausage-fest that is the Iliad.
More than anything, for me, 鈥楾he Odyssey鈥� is just a rollicking good adventure! If you鈥檙e perhaps someone who tried the Iliad and didn鈥檛 enjoy it (what is wrong with you?!) but really love Mythology retellings, you may very well still love this one which has an entirely different thematic focus and overall tone; less relentless war, more of combination of treachorous journey and domestic affair! I really can鈥檛 recommend it highly enough.
It's as glorious as the young dawn with her rose-red fingers!
March 7, 2022
Homer Therapy 102
鈥淏y hook or by crook, this peril too shall be something we remember.鈥�
During covid lockdown, my husband and I decided to study Ancient Greece. Each night after dinner, we listened to a half an hour lecture or read from a classic text. It鈥檚 become a habit or rather a household ritual in which even our dog partakes. (She has a chair she sits in while we listen.) We studied history, philosophy, mythology, and when omicron threatened, we decided to re-read Homer. It has been magical, therapeutic even. On Saturday, we finished the Odyssey.
Living in such trying times makes me long for something of lasting quality. Emily Wilson鈥檚 exquisite translation of Odysseus鈥檚 tumultuous ten-year journey home from Troy helped me grapple with the precariousness of the human condition and our own mortality. We listened to Claire Danes read and simultaneously read along. Homer is meant to be heard, and Danes gives an outstanding performance. Our understanding of the text was enhanced by interspersing Elizabeth Vandiver鈥檚 excellent lectures throughout our reading. Our journey with Odysseus, Penelope, and Telemachus provided a needed uplift for us as it has for others over the past 2,500 years. Highly recommend.
Thanks to Bruce Katz for recommending Emily Wilson's translation.
鈥淏y hook or by crook, this peril too shall be something we remember.鈥�
During covid lockdown, my husband and I decided to study Ancient Greece. Each night after dinner, we listened to a half an hour lecture or read from a classic text. It鈥檚 become a habit or rather a household ritual in which even our dog partakes. (She has a chair she sits in while we listen.) We studied history, philosophy, mythology, and when omicron threatened, we decided to re-read Homer. It has been magical, therapeutic even. On Saturday, we finished the Odyssey.
Living in such trying times makes me long for something of lasting quality. Emily Wilson鈥檚 exquisite translation of Odysseus鈥檚 tumultuous ten-year journey home from Troy helped me grapple with the precariousness of the human condition and our own mortality. We listened to Claire Danes read and simultaneously read along. Homer is meant to be heard, and Danes gives an outstanding performance. Our understanding of the text was enhanced by interspersing Elizabeth Vandiver鈥檚 excellent lectures throughout our reading. Our journey with Odysseus, Penelope, and Telemachus provided a needed uplift for us as it has for others over the past 2,500 years. Highly recommend.
Thanks to Bruce Katz for recommending Emily Wilson's translation.
July 27, 2020
I immensely enjoyed reading The Iliad, and since everyone said that The Odyssey is even better, I was expecting to love it. That didn't happen. I liked The Odyssey, but I found it to be a lot less compelling than The Iliad, both narratively and thematically. This is strange, I usually prefer adventure tales to war stories, but The Odyssey didn't have the grandeur, the atmosphere of despair, the philosophical undertones, or even the literary beauty of The Iliad.
The Odyssey reads almost like a long folk tale, not an epic. Every translation of the Odyssey that I consulted was considerably simpler and less eloquent than the same translator's edition of The Iliad. I had highlighted many similes and beautiful lines in The Iliad, but my highlights in the Odyssey weren't that many at all.
Of course, I enjoyed parts of it. The adventures are fun to read and they reverberate interesting details about ancient myths of the Bronze Age Greek-speaking world and its surrounding lands. The parts about Odysseus' adventures (which are, sadly, only a very short section of the poem from books IX to XII, told in a flashback by Odysseus himself) are full of wonder, whimsy, and excitement. I would've enjoyed The Odyssey a lot more if those parts weren't washed over and occupied a larger portion. Everyone praises the mythical creatures and whimsy and wonder in the book but they forget to mention that those interesting creatures are present only in a very short section of the book. The second half only focuses on how Odysseus plans to kill all 118 of his wife's suitors and regain his 鈥渕asculine prowess鈥�.
Misogyny, Slavery, and the Necessity of Taking Context into Account:
This brings me back to my usual problem with ancient texts: I have to shut my whole system of moral judgment (with modern standards) to engage with these stories. This was much easier to do in the Iliad because the setting was a battlefield, and war is never "nice and moral", but Odyssey's most violent parts happen in Odysseus' own home, in times of peace, and at least partly out of sheer lust for vengeance (in contrast with the sense of duty in warriors). In this regard, the Odyssey was harder to put up with for me. Every problem I had with the Iliad is present here too, just harder to look past.
There's a scene where Telemachus hangs twelve slave women (who'd slept with the suitors, thus "dishonoring" Odysseus and his family). He says he doesn't want to grant them an easy death by stabbing them, but make them suffer to death. To me, this abhorrent devilry sounds excessive even within the context. Misogyny in the Odyssey is expressed in different ways than the Iliad, but it's still very much present, and it's even more unsettling. Slavery is also a lot more visible and taken for granted in the Odyssey. Even so, I won't make a hassle out of it because of the obvious reason of context. The Odyssey begs to be read, enjoyed, and understood within its ancient, alien context, and I acknowledge that.
Intricate Details
Now, that doesn't mean that I won't give the book the credit it deserves. Many parts of it are interesting, i.e. the delicate attention to detail: Fingers of women weaving carpets are described as "quick rustling poplar leaves". The scene where Odysseus suddenly aims his bow at Antinous describes the latter as "mindlessly twirling the wine in his goblet", ignorant of what's about to happen. There are many examples of meticulous attention to detail that make the book astonishing.
The Gods Are Missing
The less serious downside of the Odyssey is that the gods, comic, irreverent, and hilarious as they are, don't get the well-deserved spotlight they had in The Iliad. Athena is present throughout and we see glimpses of Zeus, Poseidon, and Hermes, but there are none of the stupid bickerings on top of Olympus that gave the Iliad a comical edge. The absence of the dear old ox-eyed Lady Hera and her hilarious scheming is quite unfortunate.
The Unreliable Narrator
Interestingly, Odysseus is an unreliable narrator. Contrary to what is assumed about ancient heroes, he's not black or white, but a complicated man, "a man of many ways" that is capable of bravery, resilience, and love as well as deceit, vengeance and pure evil. His quick wits allow him to lie to everyone and conjure up interesting stories (which are totally false). It looks like most people take it for granted that he's truthful when recounting his adventures, They may as well be fabrications like the rest of his lies. The 'narrator' never testifies for his stories. He says he encountered the Sirens and sea monsters Charybdis and Scylla, but when have we ever seen Odysseus tell the truth?
I think this bit about the unreliability of Odysseus makes the whole story a lot more intriguing. The whole story is open to interpretation, you take from it what you will.
馃敽馃敾馃敽 Notes on Translations
There are lots of other interesting themes and details in the Odyssey, but I want to focus on my persistent preoccupation: Translations. I have an obsessive dedication to comparing translations. I enjoyed reading everyone's introduction, translator's notes, and commentaries far more than I enjoyed the actual story.
Like what I did with the Iliad, I read the Odyssey from 5 different English translations: two from cover to cover (Fitzgerald & Emily Wilson), most of Lattimore, and consulted the other two only occasionally (Rieu and Fagles). I read everyone's Introductions in full.
Disclaimer: I am neither a translator nor a classicist; I don't know Greek, and I am by no means an expert here. I am well aware that "translation is the art of failure" and the only way to fully understand a work of literature is to read it in its original. However, I really like comparing translations, because each of them has its merits and shortcomings; I can get a better understanding of the whole book by reading the interpretations and insights of different translators.
First, I will quote the same lines from each of these translations so you can get a sense of what they're like. (IV. 561-67)
The Emily Wilson Translation
I will write more about this one because it's the most interesting. Wilson's new (2017) translation (first ever by a woman!) has a magnificent 90-page introduction in which she goes into detail about the history and context of the epic, the origin and making of it, the Homeric question (whether a single person called Homer ever existed or not), the qualities of Homeric verse and epics, its deep roots in traditions of oral performance, the influence of myths and beliefs from inside and outside Greece on these poems, the debates and studies that scholars have focused on, each major character in the story, themes, and the topic of translation itself. Her introduction is so informative and insightful that it deserves five stars on its own.
Her comments on translations of Homer throughout the centuries are very interesting. She says that each translation is closely connected with the translator's individual interpretation of the poem, and with the norms of the society in which it was produced. For example, Chapman (1615) presents Odysseus "as a true soldier and gentleman, a proto-Christian, and proto-Stoic whose greatest virtue is his ability to endure suffering and control his impulses." Alexander Pope's 18th-century translation "makes the Odyssey into a text about those essentially 18th-century preoccupations: proper manners and good government".
Wilson argues that each translation is as much a product of its own time as it is an ancient text. She continues that "elevated, grandiloquent" language used is many translations is not accurate: all translations are "modern" next to Homer. 18th century English is no closer to Homer than 21st century English is. Therefore, her translation is written in a modern language, which makes it a fast-paced and easy read but also (in my opinion) it takes away some of the charm from it. It reads almost like a 'simplified' synopsis.
She also says she's avoided importing contemporary types of sexism into the text. Other translators have used derogatory language (such as calling the slave women "sluts") and that this labeling isn't present in the original Greek. Since I can't check the original, I'll take her word for it.
She claims to look at the Odyssey through a female lens and she tries hard to make a case for the female characters (specially Penelope). While I appreciate her effort, I still fail to think of the Odyssey as anything but misogynistic. Penelope does not have the agency and assertiveness that Wilson and many others would like to think she has. Trying to force assertiveness on female characters that really are just victimized in a patriarchal context is a bit counterproductive. I'd rather just accept that fact and move on.
Overall, I highly recommend this wonderful edition (with emphasis on the amazing intro). Her translation is readable and simple but I would suggest you also take a quick look at one of those more "elevated" translations if you enjoy some lyricism and eloquent phrases.
The Lattimore Translation
Is the most literary eloquent by far (wich Wilson considers a negative) but I enjoyed reading it a lot because his writing is simply beautiful. It also relatively stays clear of unnecessary sexist or charged language.
- It has an introduction in which Lattimore explores main themes, the narrative, and characters, and also compares the Odyssey with the Iliad.
- It provides line numbers (from the original) and doesn't miss any details.
- It uses the Greek form of the names (i.e. Kirke not Circe).
I loved this translation and I definitely recommend it.
The Fitzgerald Translation
This is the one I enjoyed reading the most. Its language is not as elevated as Lattimore; it's still very eloquent and poetic, but in a very readable and fluid way. It doesn't make the poem too difficult or incomprehensive, but I still like the beauty and lyricism that it provides. Its rhythm is more noticeable than Wilson's attempted iambic pentameter, and on a few occasions (whenever Hermes is speaking and the song of the Sirens), it actually rhymes. This one is my preferred edition for reading the actual poem.
- It has an afterword in which poetic qualities of the original poem are explored and he tries his best to show how he's tried to stay true to the meaning while also paying a lot of attention to rhythm and lyricism. He provides many lines in Greek (which I couldn't read) and elaborates on his examples.
- It uses Greek versions of the names.
- Provides a list of further reading and critical texts about Homer, and has a glossary.
- The only problem with it is that it doesn't provide line numbers. (not a problem for a casual read, but if you're trying to compare translation, the lack of line numbers gets frustrating.)
Still, I definitely recommend it.
The Fagles Translation
This one is easy to read, it's pretty straightforward, but it uses some modern slangs and language that feel a bit out of place. I didn't connect with it that much and it didn't stand out, so I only consulted it on certain interesting phrases.
- It has an introduction by Bernard Knox which is almost a repetition of his introduction to the Iliad but it's still interesting.
- It uses the more familiar Romanized names (i.e. Telemachus and not Telemakhos)
On the plus side:
- It provides line numbers, offers maps, genealogy charts, suggestions on further reading, and a pronunciation glossary which are great.
The Rieu Translation
The only prose version that I consulted. It's fine if you like prose. It's easy to understand and straightforward (but I only consulted it occasionally). It uses what Wilson called unnecessary sexist language.
- It has a nice and long 40-page introduction in which he explores the history of Homeric poems, reading Homer, problems with the Odyssey, themes and individual characters, and also problems and limitations of translation itself. It has a note on its previous 1964 edition, too.
- It uses Romanized names.
- Provides original line numbers within the prose (sometimes mid-sentence).
- Has maps, many endnotes, and a list of suggestions for further reading (similar to Fagles' suggestions).
Final Rating
Five stars for everyone's introductions (especially Wilson's), three stars for the story (compared to Iliad whose rating I upgraded to 5), and 3.5 stars as my final rating. I might come back and round it down in the future.
In the end, I feel like I enjoyed the introductions and commentary more than the story itself. Even though I still like the Iliad more, I certainly loved immersing myself in the world of the Odyssey and learning a lot from it.
The Odyssey reads almost like a long folk tale, not an epic. Every translation of the Odyssey that I consulted was considerably simpler and less eloquent than the same translator's edition of The Iliad. I had highlighted many similes and beautiful lines in The Iliad, but my highlights in the Odyssey weren't that many at all.
Of course, I enjoyed parts of it. The adventures are fun to read and they reverberate interesting details about ancient myths of the Bronze Age Greek-speaking world and its surrounding lands. The parts about Odysseus' adventures (which are, sadly, only a very short section of the poem from books IX to XII, told in a flashback by Odysseus himself) are full of wonder, whimsy, and excitement. I would've enjoyed The Odyssey a lot more if those parts weren't washed over and occupied a larger portion. Everyone praises the mythical creatures and whimsy and wonder in the book but they forget to mention that those interesting creatures are present only in a very short section of the book. The second half only focuses on how Odysseus plans to kill all 118 of his wife's suitors and regain his 鈥渕asculine prowess鈥�.
Misogyny, Slavery, and the Necessity of Taking Context into Account:
This brings me back to my usual problem with ancient texts: I have to shut my whole system of moral judgment (with modern standards) to engage with these stories. This was much easier to do in the Iliad because the setting was a battlefield, and war is never "nice and moral", but Odyssey's most violent parts happen in Odysseus' own home, in times of peace, and at least partly out of sheer lust for vengeance (in contrast with the sense of duty in warriors). In this regard, the Odyssey was harder to put up with for me. Every problem I had with the Iliad is present here too, just harder to look past.
There's a scene where Telemachus hangs twelve slave women (who'd slept with the suitors, thus "dishonoring" Odysseus and his family). He says he doesn't want to grant them an easy death by stabbing them, but make them suffer to death. To me, this abhorrent devilry sounds excessive even within the context. Misogyny in the Odyssey is expressed in different ways than the Iliad, but it's still very much present, and it's even more unsettling. Slavery is also a lot more visible and taken for granted in the Odyssey. Even so, I won't make a hassle out of it because of the obvious reason of context. The Odyssey begs to be read, enjoyed, and understood within its ancient, alien context, and I acknowledge that.
Intricate Details
Now, that doesn't mean that I won't give the book the credit it deserves. Many parts of it are interesting, i.e. the delicate attention to detail: Fingers of women weaving carpets are described as "quick rustling poplar leaves". The scene where Odysseus suddenly aims his bow at Antinous describes the latter as "mindlessly twirling the wine in his goblet", ignorant of what's about to happen. There are many examples of meticulous attention to detail that make the book astonishing.
The Gods Are Missing
The less serious downside of the Odyssey is that the gods, comic, irreverent, and hilarious as they are, don't get the well-deserved spotlight they had in The Iliad. Athena is present throughout and we see glimpses of Zeus, Poseidon, and Hermes, but there are none of the stupid bickerings on top of Olympus that gave the Iliad a comical edge. The absence of the dear old ox-eyed Lady Hera and her hilarious scheming is quite unfortunate.
The Unreliable Narrator
Interestingly, Odysseus is an unreliable narrator. Contrary to what is assumed about ancient heroes, he's not black or white, but a complicated man, "a man of many ways" that is capable of bravery, resilience, and love as well as deceit, vengeance and pure evil. His quick wits allow him to lie to everyone and conjure up interesting stories (which are totally false). It looks like most people take it for granted that he's truthful when recounting his adventures, They may as well be fabrications like the rest of his lies. The 'narrator' never testifies for his stories. He says he encountered the Sirens and sea monsters Charybdis and Scylla, but when have we ever seen Odysseus tell the truth?
I think this bit about the unreliability of Odysseus makes the whole story a lot more intriguing. The whole story is open to interpretation, you take from it what you will.
馃敽馃敾馃敽 Notes on Translations
There are lots of other interesting themes and details in the Odyssey, but I want to focus on my persistent preoccupation: Translations. I have an obsessive dedication to comparing translations. I enjoyed reading everyone's introduction, translator's notes, and commentaries far more than I enjoyed the actual story.
Like what I did with the Iliad, I read the Odyssey from 5 different English translations: two from cover to cover (Fitzgerald & Emily Wilson), most of Lattimore, and consulted the other two only occasionally (Rieu and Fagles). I read everyone's Introductions in full.
Disclaimer: I am neither a translator nor a classicist; I don't know Greek, and I am by no means an expert here. I am well aware that "translation is the art of failure" and the only way to fully understand a work of literature is to read it in its original. However, I really like comparing translations, because each of them has its merits and shortcomings; I can get a better understanding of the whole book by reading the interpretations and insights of different translators.
First, I will quote the same lines from each of these translations so you can get a sense of what they're like. (IV. 561-67)
Emily Wilson:
鈥淕ods will carry you
off to the world鈥檚 end, to Elysium.
Those fields are ruled by tawny Rhadamanthus
and life is there the easiest for humans.
There is no snow, no heavy storms or rain,
but Ocean always sends up gentle breezes
of Zephyr to refresh the people there.鈥�
Fitzgerald:
鈥淭he gods intend you for Elysion
with golden Rhadamanthos at the world鈥檚 end,
where all existence is a dream of ease.
Snowfall is never known there, neither long
frost of winter, nor torrential rain,
but only mild and lulling airs from Ocean
bearing refreshment for the souls of men鈥�
the West Wind always blowing.鈥�
Lattimore:
鈥淭he immortals will convoy you to the Elysian Field, and the limits of the earth, where fair-haired Rhadamanthys
is, and where there is made the easiest life for mortals,
for there is no snow, nor much winter there, nor is there ever
rain, but always the stream of the Ocean sends up breezes
of the West Wind blowing briskly for the refreshment of mortals.鈥�
Fagles:
鈥淭he deathless ones will sweep you off to the world鈥檚 end,
the Elysian Fields, where gold-haired Rhadamanthys waits,
where life glides on in immortal ease for mortal man;
no snow, no winter onslaught, never a downpour there
but night and day the Ocean River sends up breezes,
singing winds of the West refreshing all mankind.鈥�
Rieu:
鈥淭he immortals will send you to the Elysian Fields at the world鈥檚 end, to join auburn-haired Rhadamanthus in the land where living is made easy for mankind, where no snow falls, no strong winds blow and there is never any rain, but day after day the West Wind鈥檚 tuneful breeze comes in from the Ocean to refresh its people.鈥�
The Emily Wilson Translation
I will write more about this one because it's the most interesting. Wilson's new (2017) translation (first ever by a woman!) has a magnificent 90-page introduction in which she goes into detail about the history and context of the epic, the origin and making of it, the Homeric question (whether a single person called Homer ever existed or not), the qualities of Homeric verse and epics, its deep roots in traditions of oral performance, the influence of myths and beliefs from inside and outside Greece on these poems, the debates and studies that scholars have focused on, each major character in the story, themes, and the topic of translation itself. Her introduction is so informative and insightful that it deserves five stars on its own.
Her comments on translations of Homer throughout the centuries are very interesting. She says that each translation is closely connected with the translator's individual interpretation of the poem, and with the norms of the society in which it was produced. For example, Chapman (1615) presents Odysseus "as a true soldier and gentleman, a proto-Christian, and proto-Stoic whose greatest virtue is his ability to endure suffering and control his impulses." Alexander Pope's 18th-century translation "makes the Odyssey into a text about those essentially 18th-century preoccupations: proper manners and good government".
Wilson argues that each translation is as much a product of its own time as it is an ancient text. She continues that "elevated, grandiloquent" language used is many translations is not accurate: all translations are "modern" next to Homer. 18th century English is no closer to Homer than 21st century English is. Therefore, her translation is written in a modern language, which makes it a fast-paced and easy read but also (in my opinion) it takes away some of the charm from it. It reads almost like a 'simplified' synopsis.
She also says she's avoided importing contemporary types of sexism into the text. Other translators have used derogatory language (such as calling the slave women "sluts") and that this labeling isn't present in the original Greek. Since I can't check the original, I'll take her word for it.
She claims to look at the Odyssey through a female lens and she tries hard to make a case for the female characters (specially Penelope). While I appreciate her effort, I still fail to think of the Odyssey as anything but misogynistic. Penelope does not have the agency and assertiveness that Wilson and many others would like to think she has. Trying to force assertiveness on female characters that really are just victimized in a patriarchal context is a bit counterproductive. I'd rather just accept that fact and move on.
Overall, I highly recommend this wonderful edition (with emphasis on the amazing intro). Her translation is readable and simple but I would suggest you also take a quick look at one of those more "elevated" translations if you enjoy some lyricism and eloquent phrases.
The Lattimore Translation
Is the most literary eloquent by far (wich Wilson considers a negative) but I enjoyed reading it a lot because his writing is simply beautiful. It also relatively stays clear of unnecessary sexist or charged language.
- It has an introduction in which Lattimore explores main themes, the narrative, and characters, and also compares the Odyssey with the Iliad.
- It provides line numbers (from the original) and doesn't miss any details.
- It uses the Greek form of the names (i.e. Kirke not Circe).
I loved this translation and I definitely recommend it.
The Fitzgerald Translation
This is the one I enjoyed reading the most. Its language is not as elevated as Lattimore; it's still very eloquent and poetic, but in a very readable and fluid way. It doesn't make the poem too difficult or incomprehensive, but I still like the beauty and lyricism that it provides. Its rhythm is more noticeable than Wilson's attempted iambic pentameter, and on a few occasions (whenever Hermes is speaking and the song of the Sirens), it actually rhymes. This one is my preferred edition for reading the actual poem.
- It has an afterword in which poetic qualities of the original poem are explored and he tries his best to show how he's tried to stay true to the meaning while also paying a lot of attention to rhythm and lyricism. He provides many lines in Greek (which I couldn't read) and elaborates on his examples.
- It uses Greek versions of the names.
- Provides a list of further reading and critical texts about Homer, and has a glossary.
- The only problem with it is that it doesn't provide line numbers. (not a problem for a casual read, but if you're trying to compare translation, the lack of line numbers gets frustrating.)
Still, I definitely recommend it.
The Fagles Translation
This one is easy to read, it's pretty straightforward, but it uses some modern slangs and language that feel a bit out of place. I didn't connect with it that much and it didn't stand out, so I only consulted it on certain interesting phrases.
- It has an introduction by Bernard Knox which is almost a repetition of his introduction to the Iliad but it's still interesting.
- It uses the more familiar Romanized names (i.e. Telemachus and not Telemakhos)
On the plus side:
- It provides line numbers, offers maps, genealogy charts, suggestions on further reading, and a pronunciation glossary which are great.
The Rieu Translation
The only prose version that I consulted. It's fine if you like prose. It's easy to understand and straightforward (but I only consulted it occasionally). It uses what Wilson called unnecessary sexist language.
- It has a nice and long 40-page introduction in which he explores the history of Homeric poems, reading Homer, problems with the Odyssey, themes and individual characters, and also problems and limitations of translation itself. It has a note on its previous 1964 edition, too.
- It uses Romanized names.
- Provides original line numbers within the prose (sometimes mid-sentence).
- Has maps, many endnotes, and a list of suggestions for further reading (similar to Fagles' suggestions).
Final Rating
Five stars for everyone's introductions (especially Wilson's), three stars for the story (compared to Iliad whose rating I upgraded to 5), and 3.5 stars as my final rating. I might come back and round it down in the future.
In the end, I feel like I enjoyed the introductions and commentary more than the story itself. Even though I still like the Iliad more, I certainly loved immersing myself in the world of the Odyssey and learning a lot from it.
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August 12, 2015
My parents split when I was very young. The arrangement they made between them was that my brother and I would spend the weekends with our father, but would live, during the week, with my mother. One winter, when I was ten years old, it started to snow heavily and gave no indication of stopping any time soon. It was a Sunday morning and my brother and I were due to leave dad鈥檚 and return to what, for us, was home. The snow, however, had other ideas.
To go home we had to catch two buses. The first was running late, but, otherwise, the ride, although slow, was pretty uneventful. We arrived in the centre of Sheffield sometime around one o鈥檆lock. It was then that things started to go awry. At the stop where we would usually catch the next bus, which was to take us into Rotherham, there was one already waiting. It did not, however, give the appearance of preparing to go anywhere; the engine was off and the driver was stood outside, smoking a cigarette. Being ten years old I did not want to ask the driver what was happening but I heard another potential passenger enquire as to when we would be allowed to board. 鈥榊ou won鈥檛鈥� said the driver. 鈥楢ll buses have been cancelled due to the snow. I鈥檓 returning to the depot.鈥�
At this a strange kind of panic overcame me. My brother and I were halfway between my mother鈥檚 and my dad鈥檚, with no phone and our fare the only money in our pockets. Typically, my brother wanted to wait it out. The buses would start running again soon, he said. But I knew that wasn鈥檛 the case. The snow had settled, and heavy spidery flakes were still bombing the city. Waiting would only make it harder to walk; and walking, I knew, was inevitable.
To return to dad鈥檚 was, relatively speaking, easier; it was closer and the route was straightforward; but, as when after the split, when we were asked which parent we wanted to live with, we instinctively felt drawn to our mother, despite the inevitable hardships. And so, our decision made, we set off through the snow in the direction of home, following the route the bus would have taken. Yet time and distance, we found, are deceptive. What had taken 25 minutes on a bus, would, we thought, only take us an hour. But the bus wasn鈥檛 a young child; it wasn鈥檛 cold and tired and scared. On the bus, home had always seemed close, just around the next corner; but as we mashed through the snow it seemed impossible, unreachable; it seemed, after a couple of hours, as though it no longer existed; nothing existed, except the snow, which is all we could see.
Two or three times my brother fell down, and I, almost without stopping, dragged him to his feet, shouting encouragement into the snow. At some point night fell too; and still the heavy spidery flakes came down, punctuating the darkness. By this stage I could not have said why I was doing what I was doing; instinct had kicked in; one foot followed the other, regardless. I remember coming to a distinctive spot, a part of the journey that, by bus, always felt significant, because it meant only another five or ten minutes until we reached home. But on foot, mashing through thick boot-clinging snow, that last leg, which was up hill, seemed monstrous.
Eventually we made it, of course. As we descended the hill on the other side we were met by my mother and her then boyfriend, who, we were told, could not bear to wait any longer and had started to walk to meet us on the way. And there it was: home; which is, I found, not a physical building, but the look in my mother鈥檚 eyes as she ran to greet us.
[Odysseus in the Cave of Polyphemus by Jacob Jordaens]
The point of this story is to illustrate how universal great literature is, for whenever I think back to that day, which is something that I do quite often, I am immediately reminded of The Odyssey, Homer鈥檚 immortal poem. My brother and I did not encounter any Sirens, or Lotus Eaters or Cyclops, but our walk through the snow was, in principle, a fight to get home, to overcome adversity and return to the familiar and comfortable. And, on the most basic level, this is just what The Odyssey is about. Following the war at Troy, as he sought to return to Ithica, to his wife and son, Odysseus had stumbled from one disastrous situation to the next, until the great warrior found himself entrapped on an island for seven years by Calypso, a Goddess. Eventually, with the help of Pallas Athena, he is allowed to leave; and so continues his famous, epic quest.
It may seem like an unusual thing to say about epic poetry, but there is a tremendous amount of dumb fun to be had when reading The Odyssey. The tricking of Polyphemus 鈥� who Odysseus gets drunk and subsequently blinds 鈥� is probably the most famous episode, but I also particularly enjoyed the beautiful witch Circe, who turns a number of the ship鈥檚 crew into pigs. To the modern reader, The Odyssey is a fantasy, having much in common with something like The Tempest or A Midsummer鈥檚 Night Dream or even fairytales; indeed, to highlight a more recent example, one can draw a number of parallels between Homer鈥檚 work and the Lord of the Rings saga. In this way, I would say that it has a broader appeal, is easier to digest, and certainly contains greater variety, than the brutal, relentless Iliad.
Despite the weird creatures, the faraway lands, the quest, and the prominence of a great hero, the heart of The Odyssey is conventional and domestic, in that it is concerned with values such as love and friendship and the importance of family. Again, this is in contrast to The Iliad, where honour and death and war are the focus. When Telemachus, Odysseus鈥� son, goes in search of news of his father he is given hospitality from a number of Odysseus鈥� friends, and their sons and daughters and wives, who are willing to do all they can to help him. Penelope, meanwhile, is, even after a number of years, and not knowing whether her husband is alive or dead, still resisting the suitors who have almost taken over her house. In fact, she even plays a trick on them, promising to take a new husband only after she has finished weaving a shroud, while unpicking it each night to make sure that she never does.
One thing I find refreshing about Greek myths, and by extension Homer鈥檚 work, is that women play such a strong role. It鈥檚 funny how hundreds of years later women would be seen as delicate, incapable creatures who need protecting by being locked up at home, and yet here their position, and personalities, are not dissimilar to the men鈥檚. For example, Goddesses are worshipped and invoked just as much as God鈥檚, and it is not the case that these Goddesses are concerned with flower arranging and children, they get their hands dirty, intervening and interacting with what is happening on earth, be that war or whatever. In fact, although The Odyssey is certainly Odysseus鈥� story [the clue is in the title], the second most important character is the grey-eyed Pallas Athena. Moreover, as noted earlier, Penelope, although upset that her husband is lost or dead, is no sap, while, conversely, the mighty Odysseus frequently bursts into tears.
If you have read any of my reviews you will likely know that, when approaching translated literature, choosing the best translation is, for me, of paramount importance; so much so that there are books that I haven鈥檛 enjoyed in one translation, and later really liked in another. The question of which translation one should read becomes particularly critical when one is concerned with poetry. Part of me, I must admit, is resistant to the idea of translated poetry altogether, because I just cannot see how it can possibly bear any great or significant resemblance to the original. Yet I think this is less of a danger with epic, narrative poetry; with something like The Odyssey, the translator has a story to tell, and as long as he or she tells it faithfully they have done at least half the job right.
For The Iliad I chose Robert Fagles鈥� critically acclaimed version. The reason for this is that I felt that his robust [you might uncharitably call it inelegant] style suited the material. I did, however, cringe frequently at some of his phrasing and word choices, which were far too modern for my taste. Therefore, for The Odyssey I went with Robert Fitzgerald, who, I believe, had a stronger ear for poetry and a more subtle touch. Yet, having said that, I wouldn鈥檛 necessarily recommend Fitzgerald鈥檚 rendering to the first time reader of Homer鈥檚 work. I think the popularity of Fagles鈥� translations has much to do with how accessible they are; the truth is that most people don鈥檛 care about the use of modern language in an ancient Greek text; in fact, the average reader would likely prefer language that is recognisable to them.
In comparison, Firtzgerald鈥檚 rendering is more of a challenge. Don鈥檛 get me wrong, his work is still readable and is, for the most part, easy enough to get a handle on, but some of his choices are potentially alienating or disorientating. For example, character and place names are spelt in a way that most of us will not recognise [Calypso is Kalypso, Circe is Kirke, Ithica is Ithika etc]. In most cases, deciphering these is, as you call tell by my examples, not especially difficult, but occasionally the spellings are outright baffling. The worst I can recall is Sirens, which in Fitzgerald鈥檚 version is Seirenes. When one encounters something like this, one is, unfortunately, taken out of the text as you try and work out what or whom exactly we are dealing with.
However, as previously hinted, the strength of his version is that it stands up as poetry. I can鈥檛, of course, say that it is the best or most successful version, not having read them all, but it is consistently smooth, beautiful and stirring. There鈥檚 one line in it, which is repeated throughout the text, about the dawn鈥檚 鈥榝inger tips of rose,鈥� that I was particularly taken with, and which, moreover, I have seen elsewhere translated in such disappointing and clunky ways.
[Odysseus and the Sirens by Herbert James Draper]
Perhaps the most surprising aspect of the poem is the sophisticated structure. I expected that it would be episodic, and it is, but I did not anticipate a non-linear narrative. The Odyssey begins in media res, with a significant proportion of the action already in the past. As we enter the story, Odysseus has been missing for many years, the suitors are surrounding his house in an effort to take his wife, and his son is about to begin his own journey for news of his father. Therefore, for quite some time the main character is off-stage, so to speak. When he does appear, he spends much of his time recounting the details of his life following the war in Troy. So, we only have access to the most exciting, and the most famous, episodes as flashbacks.
What this highlights is the important role that oral story-telling plays in the text. Throughout, Odysseus and many other characters tell tales, be they fictional or true, as a way or bonding or sharing information or entertaining each other, in the same way that we do now. I have always found this interesting, this seemingly universal, immortal desire to give voice to, and share, stories with other people. It is something, as the rambling introductions to my reviews attest, that I feel compelled to do myself. At one stage, Athena turns Odysseus into a beggar, and the hero creates for him an entire history, fleshing out and breathing life into the character he is playing. So there you have it: a book that shouts loudly about home and family and so on, but which, in a more subtle fashion, is equally concerned with, as well as being itself an example of, the joy and importance of communication and human interaction.
To go home we had to catch two buses. The first was running late, but, otherwise, the ride, although slow, was pretty uneventful. We arrived in the centre of Sheffield sometime around one o鈥檆lock. It was then that things started to go awry. At the stop where we would usually catch the next bus, which was to take us into Rotherham, there was one already waiting. It did not, however, give the appearance of preparing to go anywhere; the engine was off and the driver was stood outside, smoking a cigarette. Being ten years old I did not want to ask the driver what was happening but I heard another potential passenger enquire as to when we would be allowed to board. 鈥榊ou won鈥檛鈥� said the driver. 鈥楢ll buses have been cancelled due to the snow. I鈥檓 returning to the depot.鈥�
At this a strange kind of panic overcame me. My brother and I were halfway between my mother鈥檚 and my dad鈥檚, with no phone and our fare the only money in our pockets. Typically, my brother wanted to wait it out. The buses would start running again soon, he said. But I knew that wasn鈥檛 the case. The snow had settled, and heavy spidery flakes were still bombing the city. Waiting would only make it harder to walk; and walking, I knew, was inevitable.
To return to dad鈥檚 was, relatively speaking, easier; it was closer and the route was straightforward; but, as when after the split, when we were asked which parent we wanted to live with, we instinctively felt drawn to our mother, despite the inevitable hardships. And so, our decision made, we set off through the snow in the direction of home, following the route the bus would have taken. Yet time and distance, we found, are deceptive. What had taken 25 minutes on a bus, would, we thought, only take us an hour. But the bus wasn鈥檛 a young child; it wasn鈥檛 cold and tired and scared. On the bus, home had always seemed close, just around the next corner; but as we mashed through the snow it seemed impossible, unreachable; it seemed, after a couple of hours, as though it no longer existed; nothing existed, except the snow, which is all we could see.
Two or three times my brother fell down, and I, almost without stopping, dragged him to his feet, shouting encouragement into the snow. At some point night fell too; and still the heavy spidery flakes came down, punctuating the darkness. By this stage I could not have said why I was doing what I was doing; instinct had kicked in; one foot followed the other, regardless. I remember coming to a distinctive spot, a part of the journey that, by bus, always felt significant, because it meant only another five or ten minutes until we reached home. But on foot, mashing through thick boot-clinging snow, that last leg, which was up hill, seemed monstrous.
Eventually we made it, of course. As we descended the hill on the other side we were met by my mother and her then boyfriend, who, we were told, could not bear to wait any longer and had started to walk to meet us on the way. And there it was: home; which is, I found, not a physical building, but the look in my mother鈥檚 eyes as she ran to greet us.
[Odysseus in the Cave of Polyphemus by Jacob Jordaens]
The point of this story is to illustrate how universal great literature is, for whenever I think back to that day, which is something that I do quite often, I am immediately reminded of The Odyssey, Homer鈥檚 immortal poem. My brother and I did not encounter any Sirens, or Lotus Eaters or Cyclops, but our walk through the snow was, in principle, a fight to get home, to overcome adversity and return to the familiar and comfortable. And, on the most basic level, this is just what The Odyssey is about. Following the war at Troy, as he sought to return to Ithica, to his wife and son, Odysseus had stumbled from one disastrous situation to the next, until the great warrior found himself entrapped on an island for seven years by Calypso, a Goddess. Eventually, with the help of Pallas Athena, he is allowed to leave; and so continues his famous, epic quest.
鈥淢en are so quick to blame the gods: they say
that we devise their misery. But they
themselves- in their depravity- design
grief greater than the griefs that fate assigns.鈥�
It may seem like an unusual thing to say about epic poetry, but there is a tremendous amount of dumb fun to be had when reading The Odyssey. The tricking of Polyphemus 鈥� who Odysseus gets drunk and subsequently blinds 鈥� is probably the most famous episode, but I also particularly enjoyed the beautiful witch Circe, who turns a number of the ship鈥檚 crew into pigs. To the modern reader, The Odyssey is a fantasy, having much in common with something like The Tempest or A Midsummer鈥檚 Night Dream or even fairytales; indeed, to highlight a more recent example, one can draw a number of parallels between Homer鈥檚 work and the Lord of the Rings saga. In this way, I would say that it has a broader appeal, is easier to digest, and certainly contains greater variety, than the brutal, relentless Iliad.
Despite the weird creatures, the faraway lands, the quest, and the prominence of a great hero, the heart of The Odyssey is conventional and domestic, in that it is concerned with values such as love and friendship and the importance of family. Again, this is in contrast to The Iliad, where honour and death and war are the focus. When Telemachus, Odysseus鈥� son, goes in search of news of his father he is given hospitality from a number of Odysseus鈥� friends, and their sons and daughters and wives, who are willing to do all they can to help him. Penelope, meanwhile, is, even after a number of years, and not knowing whether her husband is alive or dead, still resisting the suitors who have almost taken over her house. In fact, she even plays a trick on them, promising to take a new husband only after she has finished weaving a shroud, while unpicking it each night to make sure that she never does.
鈥淣ow from his breast into the eyes the ache
of longing mounted, and he wept at last,
his dear wife, clear and faithful, in his arms,
longed for as the sunwarmed earth is longed for by a swimmer
spent in rough water where his ship went down
under Poseidon鈥檚 blows, gale winds and tons of sea.
Few men can keep alive through a big serf
to crawl, clotted with brine, on kindly beaches
in joy, in joy, knowing the abyss behind:
and so she too rejoiced, her gaze upon her husband,
her white arms round him pressed as though forever.鈥�
One thing I find refreshing about Greek myths, and by extension Homer鈥檚 work, is that women play such a strong role. It鈥檚 funny how hundreds of years later women would be seen as delicate, incapable creatures who need protecting by being locked up at home, and yet here their position, and personalities, are not dissimilar to the men鈥檚. For example, Goddesses are worshipped and invoked just as much as God鈥檚, and it is not the case that these Goddesses are concerned with flower arranging and children, they get their hands dirty, intervening and interacting with what is happening on earth, be that war or whatever. In fact, although The Odyssey is certainly Odysseus鈥� story [the clue is in the title], the second most important character is the grey-eyed Pallas Athena. Moreover, as noted earlier, Penelope, although upset that her husband is lost or dead, is no sap, while, conversely, the mighty Odysseus frequently bursts into tears.
If you have read any of my reviews you will likely know that, when approaching translated literature, choosing the best translation is, for me, of paramount importance; so much so that there are books that I haven鈥檛 enjoyed in one translation, and later really liked in another. The question of which translation one should read becomes particularly critical when one is concerned with poetry. Part of me, I must admit, is resistant to the idea of translated poetry altogether, because I just cannot see how it can possibly bear any great or significant resemblance to the original. Yet I think this is less of a danger with epic, narrative poetry; with something like The Odyssey, the translator has a story to tell, and as long as he or she tells it faithfully they have done at least half the job right.
For The Iliad I chose Robert Fagles鈥� critically acclaimed version. The reason for this is that I felt that his robust [you might uncharitably call it inelegant] style suited the material. I did, however, cringe frequently at some of his phrasing and word choices, which were far too modern for my taste. Therefore, for The Odyssey I went with Robert Fitzgerald, who, I believe, had a stronger ear for poetry and a more subtle touch. Yet, having said that, I wouldn鈥檛 necessarily recommend Fitzgerald鈥檚 rendering to the first time reader of Homer鈥檚 work. I think the popularity of Fagles鈥� translations has much to do with how accessible they are; the truth is that most people don鈥檛 care about the use of modern language in an ancient Greek text; in fact, the average reader would likely prefer language that is recognisable to them.
In comparison, Firtzgerald鈥檚 rendering is more of a challenge. Don鈥檛 get me wrong, his work is still readable and is, for the most part, easy enough to get a handle on, but some of his choices are potentially alienating or disorientating. For example, character and place names are spelt in a way that most of us will not recognise [Calypso is Kalypso, Circe is Kirke, Ithica is Ithika etc]. In most cases, deciphering these is, as you call tell by my examples, not especially difficult, but occasionally the spellings are outright baffling. The worst I can recall is Sirens, which in Fitzgerald鈥檚 version is Seirenes. When one encounters something like this, one is, unfortunately, taken out of the text as you try and work out what or whom exactly we are dealing with.
However, as previously hinted, the strength of his version is that it stands up as poetry. I can鈥檛, of course, say that it is the best or most successful version, not having read them all, but it is consistently smooth, beautiful and stirring. There鈥檚 one line in it, which is repeated throughout the text, about the dawn鈥檚 鈥榝inger tips of rose,鈥� that I was particularly taken with, and which, moreover, I have seen elsewhere translated in such disappointing and clunky ways.
[Odysseus and the Sirens by Herbert James Draper]
Perhaps the most surprising aspect of the poem is the sophisticated structure. I expected that it would be episodic, and it is, but I did not anticipate a non-linear narrative. The Odyssey begins in media res, with a significant proportion of the action already in the past. As we enter the story, Odysseus has been missing for many years, the suitors are surrounding his house in an effort to take his wife, and his son is about to begin his own journey for news of his father. Therefore, for quite some time the main character is off-stage, so to speak. When he does appear, he spends much of his time recounting the details of his life following the war in Troy. So, we only have access to the most exciting, and the most famous, episodes as flashbacks.
What this highlights is the important role that oral story-telling plays in the text. Throughout, Odysseus and many other characters tell tales, be they fictional or true, as a way or bonding or sharing information or entertaining each other, in the same way that we do now. I have always found this interesting, this seemingly universal, immortal desire to give voice to, and share, stories with other people. It is something, as the rambling introductions to my reviews attest, that I feel compelled to do myself. At one stage, Athena turns Odysseus into a beggar, and the hero creates for him an entire history, fleshing out and breathing life into the character he is playing. So there you have it: a book that shouts loudly about home and family and so on, but which, in a more subtle fashion, is equally concerned with, as well as being itself an example of, the joy and importance of communication and human interaction.
October 2, 2017
Book Review
4 out of 5 stars to , published around 800 BC and written by . I was tasked with reading this epic work as part of an Advanced Placement English course in between my junior and senior years of high school. I loved literature back then as much as I do now, and my reading habits probably grew from everything my teachers encouraged us to read during the summer hiatus and mid-year breaks. We sampled literature from all over the world, and this Greek tome was one of the many we read. We only read certain sections, as it's over 500 pages long, but I finished it on my own over winter break that year. It often depends on the translation version you read, as it might make it better or worse for you. I don't recall which one the teacher selected, but it must have been good as I did my quarterly papers on both this book and Homer's other work, . The Odyssey was an amazing tale of a journey through the famed Trojan Wars in ancient Greece. Meeting all the gods and goddesses, understanding the genealogy and family structure, the plots between all their shenanigans and games... for someone with my hobbies and interests, this was perfect. The only part I found a bit dull was when it truly went into war-time battle descriptions, as reading details about fighting is not typically something I enjoy. But the soap opera-like quality of these characters cum deity realities was just absorbing fun. The lyrics and the words fly off the pages. The images and the metaphors are pretty. And if you know enough about Greek history, you almost feel as if you're in the story.
About Me
For those new to me or my reviews... here's the scoop: I read A LOT. I write A LOT. And now I blog A LOT. First the book review goes on 欧宝娱乐, and then I send it on over to my WordPress blog at , where you'll also find TV & Film reviews, the revealing and introspective 365 Daily Challenge and lots of blogging about places I've visited all over the world. And you can find all my social media profiles to get the details on the who/what/when/where and my pictures. Leave a comment and let me know what you think. Vote in the poll and ratings. Thanks for stopping by.
4 out of 5 stars to , published around 800 BC and written by . I was tasked with reading this epic work as part of an Advanced Placement English course in between my junior and senior years of high school. I loved literature back then as much as I do now, and my reading habits probably grew from everything my teachers encouraged us to read during the summer hiatus and mid-year breaks. We sampled literature from all over the world, and this Greek tome was one of the many we read. We only read certain sections, as it's over 500 pages long, but I finished it on my own over winter break that year. It often depends on the translation version you read, as it might make it better or worse for you. I don't recall which one the teacher selected, but it must have been good as I did my quarterly papers on both this book and Homer's other work, . The Odyssey was an amazing tale of a journey through the famed Trojan Wars in ancient Greece. Meeting all the gods and goddesses, understanding the genealogy and family structure, the plots between all their shenanigans and games... for someone with my hobbies and interests, this was perfect. The only part I found a bit dull was when it truly went into war-time battle descriptions, as reading details about fighting is not typically something I enjoy. But the soap opera-like quality of these characters cum deity realities was just absorbing fun. The lyrics and the words fly off the pages. The images and the metaphors are pretty. And if you know enough about Greek history, you almost feel as if you're in the story.
About Me
For those new to me or my reviews... here's the scoop: I read A LOT. I write A LOT. And now I blog A LOT. First the book review goes on 欧宝娱乐, and then I send it on over to my WordPress blog at , where you'll also find TV & Film reviews, the revealing and introspective 365 Daily Challenge and lots of blogging about places I've visited all over the world. And you can find all my social media profiles to get the details on the who/what/when/where and my pictures. Leave a comment and let me know what you think. Vote in the poll and ratings. Thanks for stopping by.
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