The Odyssey
Translator - E. V. Rieu
Revised by - D. C. H. Rieu
Introduction by - Peter Jones
Penguin Classics
Paperback
: 30 Jan 2003
£7.99
Revised by D. C. H. Rieu
Introduction by Peter Jones
Synopsis
‘I long to reach my home and see the day of my return. It is my never-failing wish’
In Homer's Odyssey, the epic tale of Odysseus and his ten-year journey home after the Trojan War forms one of the earliest and greatest works of Western literature. Confronted by natural and supernatural threats – shipwrecks, battles, monsters and the implacable enmity of the sea-god Poseidon – Odysseus must test his bravery and native cunning to the full if he is to reach his homeland safely and overcome the obstacles that, even there, await him.
E. V. Rieu’s translation of The Odyssey was the very first Penguin Classic to be published, and has itself achieved classic status. For this edition, his text has been sensitively revised and a new introduction added to complement E. V. Rieu’s original introduction.
The Odyssey by Homer is also available as an eBook .
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Reviews
Customer Review: 28 May 2007
Reviewer: Classical Civilisation student
A classic! JK Rowling doesn't even come close! Let's hope Hollywood doesn't ruin it with an inferior imitation like it did the Iliad with the blockbuster "Troy".
» Submit a reviewCritic Review:
‘One of the world’s most vital tales … The Odyssey remains central to literature’
Malcolm Bradbury
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Student review by Aaron Camm.
'I long to reach my home and see the day of my return. It is my never-failing wish'
The Odyssey is one of those magical texts that changes every time you read it. I pour myself into the timeless epic on a fairly regular basis and each reading is never quite the same. At first I put this down to multiple translators, which can impact any story severely, but after reading E. V. Rieu's celebrated translation in its entirety for the second time, I realised that this was not the case. It is a tale that morphs and shifts in much the same way as its main protagonist Odysseus, the man of many ways, conceals himself in various disguises. New scenes reveal themselves, old ones disappear and the characters themselves appear to take on fresh qualities. Perhaps the changeable spirit of oral poetry, passed down through the centuries, remains infused within the narrative, continuing to realign the story even after it has been printed on the page. Whatever the reasons behind this enchantment, it encourages and rewards repeated readings. I first came to the Odyssey as a young boy, starting off on picture book editions and eventually moving onto the full translations. I was spellbound from beginning to end and would spend hours captivated within the world, experiencing fantasies, nightmares, and yearnings for the realm of heroes and gods. Never before had my imagination been so affected, and thus my love of Greek mythology was sprung.
Homer's Odyssey is a sequel to the Iliad. Following the sack of Troy, it details the aftermath of the famous siege, namely the ten year return voyage of the hero Odysseus and the consequence of his homecoming to Ithaca. In his absence, a bunch of unruly suitors from the neighbouring islands have taken up residence in his palace; courting his wife, bullying his son, and squandering his wealth. The long suffering Odysseus must pit his wits against numerous obstacles if he hopes to see his homeland and family again.The poem was composed in dactylic hexameter, and is the second major work of Western literature. It is divided into twenty four books spread over a non-linear plot which pre-empts the modern novel. This format may feel strange at first, especially within an ancient text where one would naturally expect a very formulaic structure, yet the Odyssey is anything but a simple construction. It is a product of multiple genres; adventure, tragedy, fantasy, horror, romance, drama, and revenge tale all in one, with plenty of humour scattered throughout. It has the power to reduce its audience to tears just as readily as it can incite laughter, such is the majesty of the verse.The language is truly exquisite; lyrical and resonant, it effortlessly transports the reader to a realm of gilded palaces, echoing porticoes, and wine dark seas - to name but a few epithets! When reading the Odyssey, one feels assured of being in very skilled and capable hands, much like the blind bard Demodocus in the palace of King Alcinous.
Although the Odyssey is sometimes cheapened into a run-of-the-mill fantasy adventure, its central themes and motifs are remarkably mature and insightful of human nature. Subjects such as xenia (Greek for hospitality), loyalty, duty, vengeance, love, honour, greed, gluttony, wisdom, intellect, temptation and many others permeate the pages of the sprawling epic, combining to create a complex platter of very real, and very human drives, fears and desires. The supernatural and fantastic elements of the tale are merged seamlessly with the rational and every day. Polyphemus may be a man-eating giant, but he acts just like a regular, methodical shepherd towards his cherished flock. In a brilliant reversal of sympathies, we are even made to feel tenderness towards him. The immortal gods themselves are given human attributes; petty jealousies, insecurities, and wanton lust. Magic and sorcery never feel out of place, and are dealt with more naturally than any subsequent fantasy romps have managed. The audience is made to accept right from the start that the realms of the natural and the supernatural are one and the same. Characterisation is expertly done, and whether likeable or not, I inevitably find myself rooting for Odysseus by the end of the poem. If asked what my favourite part of the Odyssey is, I would have to go for the crew's perilous passage between the sea monsters Scylla and Charybdis, a scene which has haunted my dreams for many years.
Praise for the Odyssey aside, I will briefly sum up a few points which new readers (or even old) may take issue with. There is repetition in abundance, particularly with epithets and stock formulas, often entire scenes and speeches are replicated word for word. Rather than finding them wearisome however, I eventually learned to appreciate the poetic device. There are some minor inconsistencies in the plot, but with such an ancient text deriving from oral tradition, it is a miracle that there are not more! In addition to this, there are moments of great cruelty which some readers might find distasteful, the beginning is painfully slow (we don't even meet Odysseus until book 5), and the ending is rather feeble and abrupt. Indeed, there is much indecision as to whether the ending is even authentic, and was not later tacked on by a lesser poet. Despite these unavoidable gripes, my enjoyment of the poem remains undiminished, and I can quite confidently ascertain that the Odyssey is my favourite work of literature of all time. On the other hand, I do sympathise with a lot of peoples' aversion to the mighty epic, due largely in part to the often dry way it is taught at school. I nonetheless urge those with bad experiences to give it another try, and Rieu's translation is by no means a bad way to make the plunge.
Rating: 5/5
Product details
Format :
Paperback
ISBN: 9780140449112
Size : 129 x 198mm
Pages : 416
Published : 30 Jan 2003
Publisher : Penguin Classics
Other formats for The Odyssey:
» Paperback : £14.99
The Odyssey
Translator - E. V. Rieu
Revised by - D. C. H. Rieu
Introduction by - Peter Jones
£7.99
