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The Essential Homer: Selections from the Iliad and the Odyssey
Selections from both the Iliad and the Odyssey, made with an eye for those episodes that figure most prominently in the study of mythology. ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Stanley Lombardo is Professor of Classics, University of Kansas.
Stanley Lombardo is Professor of Classics, University of Kansas.
Paperback, 510 pages
Published
September 1st 2000
by Hackett Publishing Company
(first published 1964)
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In my view, Stanley Lombardo's is the best translation of Homer's epic poetry. Even though the current rage is Robert Fagles' translation, Stanley Lombardo's is active, passionate, and accessible. Lombardo has full translations of both Iliad and Odyssey, though I don't find them listed on goodreads.
The volume pictured here features abridged versions. This is the book I use in my Mythology class. The abridgment is effective -- in fact it improves the narrative pace! Themes like ...more
The volume pictured here features abridged versions. This is the book I use in my Mythology class. The abridgment is effective -- in fact it improves the narrative pace! Themes like ...more
Listened to the audio book. The narrators were pleasant, and had a decent command of voices, with firm changing tones.
The books were fairly fluid, and translated quite nicely, with very little awkwardness of the type you would find in other translations.
Complaints:
Tracks were too long; should have subdivided the tracks.
Intro music got to be a bit much for the 14 cds. They could have put more of the book in during that time.
The books were fairly fluid, and translated quite nicely, with very little awkwardness of the type you would find in other translations.
Complaints:
Tracks were too long; should have subdivided the tracks.
Intro music got to be a bit much for the 14 cds. They could have put more of the book in during that time.
Transl. Robert Fitzgerald. Tale of Odysseus' 20 year return home after the Trojan Wars, delayed by Poseidon and his many adventures.
Now that I'm finally reading the Odyssey in its entirety, I understand that selections just aren't enough.
Although (and maybe because) it's abridged, I really enjoyed these epic poems (The Iliad more than The Odyssey). The translation was readable and poetic. And I just really like the relationships between the Greek gods and the humans. Very enjoyable.
None
Honestly, this translation is not great. The Odyssey portion is better than the Iliad, but still, this isn't what I'd recommend if you're interested in the artistry of Homer's masterpiece. However, it is good for a quicker kind of read if you're just interested becoming more familiar with the stories of the Odyssey and the Iliad. Glad I read it, anyway.
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Homer (ancient Greek: Ὅμηρος), or Omero (in Italian), is a legendary ancient Greek epic poet, traditionally considered the author of the epic poems the Iliad and the Odyssey. No reliable biographical information about Homer survives from classical antiquity, and he is generally considered a legendary, rather than a historical figure. The Iliad and the Odyssey are now considered by many to be the p...more
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“And for yourself, may the gods grant you your heart's desire, a husband and a home, and the blessing of a harmonious life. For nothing is greater or finer than this, when a man and woman live together with one hear and mind, bringing joy to their friends and grief to their foes.”
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