The Odyssey @ richardeward.com

The Odyssey
by Homer
from Penguin Classics

Customer Reviews:

• Avg. Customer Rating: 4.0 / 5.0

• Faithful Rendition
  The Odyssey / 0-14-026886-3
  I'm not going to lie and say that I pull this (or it's companion, The Illiad) out every other weekend for light reading, but if you're going to have a copy of The Odyssey on hand, this is a good one to add to the library. The translation is good, and is very poetic yet easy enough to read, considering the source material. The verse form has been maintained and reminds the reader that this was originally a verse, and not a prose narrative. The binding is tight and attractive,... more info

• DON'T buy into the Fagles "hype"!
  Although I respect Fagles as a modern translator, I cannot recommend his translations of Homer...I would probably only recommend his translations of Sophocles's 3 Theban Plays.
  Homer's Iliad and Odyssey don't sound like Epics anymore under Fagles...they are turned into mild nice sounding children stories! He tones down Homer to the point that I feel that Fagels wants his personality to shine NOT Homer's! I am gravely disappointed by this.
  I also find that he not only forces beauty into the text... more info

• Good, but not the best...
  I find the new translation by Ian Johnston to be vastly superior to that of Fagles. It is clear, direct and presented in a more modern English style while still remaining true to the Greek original. It is increasingly being used by high schools and universities and makes a great addition to any library. I highly recomment Mr. Johnston's translations for any lover of Greek (and other) classics.

• Fagles finds the translator's "middle ground" amidst controversy
  About the Odyssey itself, I can add no greater praise than that which has already been deservedly heaped onto one of humankind's greatest literary creations. This particular version is graced with an excellent introduction and notes by Bernard Knox, and what I consider to be a very good translation by Robert Fagles.
  The translation style stirs up controversy, with one highly rated review here going so far as to suggest that Fagles' version is not even worthy of being called a translation. In his... more info

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