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Summary: Lattimore's pride
Review: As with his work on the Iliad, few translators have had the success that Richmond Lattimore has when it comes to THE ODYSSEY. I would be hard pressed to find a better translation since others are either too literal to be poetic or too liberal to be faithful to Homer's story. Alexander Pope's is, of course, one of the greatest, but you have to go back 250 years to find one as enduring as Lattimore's.
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Summary: My review of The Odyssey
Review: Have you ever imagined yourself traveling the world and discovering new lands and inhabitants that no one knew existed? Homer uses this idea in his classic epic, The Odyssey, to capture the attention of his readers as they are taken on the adventures of the main hero Odysseus. The epic functions on two levels, one following the hero on his journey and the other showing the trials that Odysseus' family must face in his absence. During the time period Homer existed, the idea of a hero greatly appealed to the general public. Even today, the idea of battling a Cyclops or defeating suitors in an archery contest captivates audiences to the point where they do not want to stop reading. In the end, Odysseus returns to his homeland, Ithaca, after enduring a great number of challenges. We are able to share in the emotions of the hero at this moment and share in his joy of conquering the tests he encountered. This is what makes The Odyssey a truly great epic that will stand the test of time.
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Summary: CORRECTION to review I wrote about Lattimore's bad trans.
Review: HI: i can't find out from Help how to edit the prior review I wrote explaining that because I found Lattimore's translations of the Gospels&Revelation inaccurate, I wondered how good His Homer could be. So, consider this the correction. The prior review was way too strongly-worded. I meant what I said, but it wasn't as soft as it should have been.No one is perfect, and there is YET no good English translation of the New Testament, so why should Lattimore be expected to get right what NO one has ever gotten right? So, please bear this thought in mind as you see me lambast Lattimore in my other review, which has the words "ek koilia" in it (vocabulary form). I heartily apologize for the other review's tone!
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Summary: CORRECTION to review I wrote about Lattimore's bad trans.
Review: HI: i can't find out from Help how to edit the prior review I wrote explaining that because I found Lattimore's translations of the Gospels&Revelation inaccurate, I wondered how good His Homer could be. So, consider this the correction. The prior review was way too strongly-worded. I meant what I said, but it wasn't as soft as it should have been. No one is perfect, and there is YET no good English translation of the New Testament, so why should Lattimore be expected to get right what NO one has ever gotten right? So, please bear this thought in mind as you see me lambast Lattimore in my other review, which has the words "ek koilia" in it (vocabulary form). I heartily apologize for the other review's tone!
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Summary: Homer portrays weakness and endurance of human nature
Review: I have read this epic poem four times and I still cannot get enough. Some people say it is an absolute bore and I find it to be intriguing. Odysseus is a character with strength and weakness. He has many struggles and setbacks on his misguided journey, yet he never ceases to lose hope. Odysseus' pride is being challenged and his hope for survival is motivated by getting home and loving his wife and ruling his land. Homer's poetry is refined with detailed thought displayed through angelic rythm. I have read Robert Fagle's translation and Robert Fitzgerald's. Fagle keeps Homer's complicated and beautiful antiquity as Fitzgerald's translation is easier to comprehend. I would not pass up the oppurtunity this book brings with it's famous plot (ever see Star Wars?) and the face of human nature. If you get a chance to read this epic poem, do not pass it up. Try to endure it's lessons and it's classical antiquity.
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Summary: A great edition
Review: I read the odyssey for my high school English class, and it was not an easy read. However, the Lattimore edition that we used was terrific. It provided short summaries (just three to five words) at the top of each page to clue the reader in to what would be happening on the page. In addition, the translation was clear and easy to understand. I highly recommend this edition of Homer's Odyssey.
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Summary: Did Lattimore translate Homer as badly as he did Gospels?
Review: I'll have to get the book to find out, I guess. I found several of his Gospel renderings inexcusable, suffering from the same idiocy as 1st-year seminary students (i.e., translating ek koilia as "in the womb", when it only and always means "out from the womb" as any 1st-year text can prove). I didn't see him render ANY of the Atticisms in Gospels as Atticisms, for another example. So, I'm skeptical. Then again, with Homer he's not got the same politically-correct strictures. Will have to see...
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Summary: The best sequel in history?
Review: If you are trying to plough through the Canon, then this book is the next stop after the Iliad. And what a stop it is! Although I think that the Iliad is a better read, the Odyssey is an excellent sequel and a very good story too. Want to know whether Odysseus returned from Troy, and how? Want to know which other heroes made it? Want to catch up with a few of them, dead or alive, on the way? If so then this is the book for you. Lattimore's translation is excellent and highly recommended. Anyone who enjoyed his Iliad will find the same brilliance at work here.
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Summary: The Odyssey
Review: Introduction:
The Odyssey is the story of an epic hero's voyage home and the lessons he learns throughout his journey home. The story involves the regaining of a king's throne and the maturing he and his son must go through in order to accomplish their goals. Homer's Odyssey is considered by many a historical document of the time following the fall of Troy ("Trojan War", Encarta). His writings influenced later Greek society and some of the greatest writers of all time ("Homer", Encarta). The Odyssey has been studied for thousands of years and is considered a masterpiece of the Greek language ("Homer", Encarta).
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Summary: Richard or Richmond?
Review: Is it possible that HarperCollins has misprinted the cover, changing the first name of the translator?
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