The Odyssey

Audible Iliad & Odyssey, Book 2

De: Homer, Emily Wilson - translator

Narrado por: Claire Danes

Acclaimed actress Claire Danes burnishes an epic story of heroes, gods, and monsters in a groundbreaking translation of The Odyssey, the first great adventure story in the Western literary tradition. When the wily warrior-king Odysseus sets off for home after the Trojan War, he doesn’t realize this simple undertaking will become a perilous journey of 10 years. Beset at every turn, he encounters obstacles, detours, and temptations—both supernatural and human—while his wife Penelope fends off would-be suitors desperate to take the throne.

Emily Wilson is the first woman to take on the daunting task of translating over 100,000 lines of a three-millennium-old poem from Ancient Greek to modern-day English. Her breathtaking rendition captures the poetic immediacy of the original text, while allowing listeners to experience The Odyssey with an honesty and directness few other versions have achieved. The result is a lean, fleet-footed translation that recaptures Homer’s “nimble gallop” and brings an ancient epic to new life. A fascinating introduction provides an informative overview of the Bronze Age milieu that produced the epic, the major themes of the poem, the controversies about its origins, and the unparalleled scope of its impact and influence.

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying PDF will be available in your Audible Library along with the audio.

©2018 Emily Wilson (translation), Adrian Kitzinger (maps copyright) (P)2018 Audible, Inc.

It's been a pleasure to listen to and understand!

Wonderful performance by Claire Danes. I don't know what praise I can give. The emotion in her voice is incredible. My only thought throughout is of the rhythm of the epic poem, which I am unable to discern. As mentioned in the translator/author's comments in the introduction, Emily Wilson read allowed to create her own rhythm as she translated, and I hope she and Claire were able to discuss this and perfect it for the reading, if only because it was her intention. Regardless, Claire's reading was emotional and flowing and a joy to listen to.

Emily Wilson's translation is a breath of fresh air. Wilson commented on the fact that simply because the source material is old, does not mean old English is necessary for a proper and effective translation. She explains in her introductory comments, her aim was for an accurate translation using the language of this modern generation and not our parents or grandparents. She hit the nail on the head. This translation should become a required textbook for any middle or high school level reading of The Odyssey. It's clear and easily understood. I remember reading The Odyssey in school and I might as well have been reading the original Greek text, for all I understood of it. If college or AP professors want to challenge their students with deciphering ancient English, fine, but Wilson's work is much deserving of middle or high school textbook status.
Is it inconsiderate of me to add that I hope she translates The Iliad as well?

My only reason for docking the story down to 4 starts is due to the lengthy introduction. Although intriguing, after about the first fifteen or twenty minutes of history lesson at the beginning, I was ready for the story to start, but it didn't. It went on for three hours, followed by thirty minutes of translator's notes. I can see the challenge of trying to place that information anywhere within the text. If it were at the end, listeners might simply stop listening without finishing, but at the beginning, I nearly stopped listening before starting. I think, personally, I would have liked it better in small snippets at the end of each book (chapter), almost as if it were an analysis of what was just read, but Wilson was probably trying to avoid giving readers the feeling of reading a textbook with constant interruptions to the flow of the story. If you want to skip the intro and comments, go to chapter 4 of the audiobook, just over three and a half hours in, but be aware that I do think they are worth reading. In fact, I highly recommend and appreciate the analysis, but for me it was a bit much, right at the start, when I just wanted to dive into the story.

Overall thoughts: Before I had finished listening, I was already praising the narration and translation to family, friends, and coworkers. I think I've convinced my wife to listen to it, and I'm certain I'll listen again, and share with the kids as they grow up. Wilson's translation is a deserving addition to any library, and Danes' narration is emotional and right on key.

It brought tears to my eyes!

Excellent rendition of this epic story. Every time I read this tale I learn something about being human. In this wonderful translation I learned more of the father son relationship. Don’t miss this opportunity.

Combats Sexism

I love this translation so much that I purchased it in Kindle, hardcover, and audio. Clare Danes makes an amazing narrator in the audio version. Her narration is pitch perfect and the text itself reads like a novel. The language is very modern and grabs the reader immediately.

I’m particularly interested in the way the translator (the first woman to translate the entire Odyssey into English) interprets the women in this text. One of the things that struck me was that she used the word “slave,” instead of the more popular “maid,” or “servant.” This forced me as a modern reader to reckon with the brutality of Ancient Greek society. Odysseus was a hero - but he also had 50 female slaves and had 12 of them murdered.

In this translation, Calypso speaks with a candor and understanding about her beauty (refreshing and impressive in a world where women are encouraged to be demure and self effacing) and Helen is no longer “dog-faced.” Instead, she has the face that “hounded” men to war. As in Homer’s original, she also refrains from blaming herself for the violence men have done in her name.

Wilson states in her extensive introduction (a piece that is worth reading all on its own) that she has worked to avoid modern sexism in this translation. In my humble opinion at least, she has succeeded. Although my favorite version will always be that of Mr. Pope, this translation is a masterpiece in its own right. Wilson forces the reader to grapple with the concept of a society that, although idealized, takes the horror of slavery for granted and in which heroes are much less “heroic,” than they appear at first glance.

Highly recommended for all fans of the Odyssey. Even if you’re familiar with the text, this translation will help you experience in a way that is entirely different.

Nice translation

Good overview at the start of the book. Translation is modern so can listen without to much issue. The narrator adds to this.

Impossible to narrate better.

Again, it is impossible to narrate such a classically strange jewel of text any better than this. The prose is almost as enjoyable as your favorite song today. Great performance!