The Odyssey

The Fitzgerald Translation

By: Homer, D. S. Carne-Ross - introduction, Robert Fitzgerald - translator

Narrated by: Dan Stevens

"In classical Greece men called rhapsodes memorized and recited “The Iliad” and “The Odyssey.” My own rhapsode is the English actor Dan Stevens, whom fans of “Downton Abbey” will know as Matthew Crawley. He’s been performing the Robert Fitzgerald translation, and no Hellene could do it better." — Wall Street Journal

Robert Fitzgerald's translation of The Odyssey has been the standard translation for more than three generations of students and poets. Macmillan Audio is delighted to publish the first ever audio edition of this classic work, the greatest of all epic poems. Fitzgerald's supple verse is ideally suited for audio, recounting the story of Odysseus' long journey back to his wife and home after the Trojan War. Homer's tale of love, adventure, food and drink, sensual pleasure, and mortal danger reaches the English-language listener in all its glory.

In keeping with the oral tradition of the time, Dan Stevens, whose many celebrated performances include Downton Abbey's Matthew Crawley, makes this epic tale come alive. The listener becomes totally immersed in the adventure and drama of the story – this is the way The Odyssey was meant to be experienced.

Also included on the program is a portion of the poem read in ancient Greek so that listeners may experience the lyricism and music of the original language.

Critic reviews

“Fitzgerald's smooth, musical verse is perfectly matched in this performance by the light, honeyed tones of Dan Stevens, the British actor who played Matthew Crawley in the first three seasons of "Downton Abbey." Stevens has beautiful, clear articulation, and wonderful pacing, and he really seems to enjoy the poetry of the words. I confess that I could listen to him all day.” —The Boston Globe

“The lightness of Fitzgerald's touch, his almost conversational poetry, is well suited to the spoken word and to an audio version. His translation is in turn well served by the audio production... The reader is the talented actor Dan Stevens… his tone is not conventionally ‘bardic,' which is to say not dark, ponderous or declamatory, but rather young, bright and noble – as if King Harry had decided to deliver Homer instead of his St. Crispin's Day speech.” —The New York Times

Loved Dan stevens' expression in this translation.

I don't care for Odysseus ' s double standards , but stevens' interpretation was so helpful. I love that he caught the humor in this classic

outstanding performance

I know most Audible reviews talk about the story, but this story was written thousands of years ago. What could I even add to that? So let me just tell you that the performance by Dan Stevens is outstanding. He's great at changing voices for different characters without sounding cartoonish. And many parts of the story made me weep with sadness, largely thanks to the evocative narration.

Finally able to enjoy the classics

My last experience with the Odyssey was in my high school English class, and I found it a pain
This translation and narration made the book so much more enjoyable. It does help to be familiar with the source material, as the names and relevancies of the characters do get confusing. I felt well prepared after listening to Stephen Fry’s Mythos trilogy (which conveniently covers the events of the Iliad)

If you’re intimidated by Homer, as I was, this version is worth the credit! I found it helpful to set the speed to 0.9x. The cadence of the epic poem is lovely, but my brain needs time to process.

A classic for a reason

This translation is the most true to the original, and is very entertaining! The narrator is wonderful and the story is exciting and adventurous!

My favorite book of all time.

I have always loved this book, but Dan Stevens' narration just made it that much more immersive by change of inflection depending on character and mood. I wish he narrated all my books on here.

Great performance

Fabulous - translation, narrator, and of course one of the best stories ever. Highly recommend.

Wonderful tone

Dan Stevens shines in his narration, bringing this lion of a tale to life. Well worth it.

Masterpiece

Riveting, superbly narrated, a masterpiece. Both the translation and the narration make this classic a joy to listen to.

All around loved it

The story itself is great. The narration was great and appreciate how it maintains the dactylic hexameter that the poem is supposed to be read. Will probably listen to it again in the future, maybe a few times.

great narration, classic story

Thanks to the astonishingly captivating voice of the reader, Fitzgerald's translation of this poetic classic simply pops, leaping to life in ways it never does on the page. Homer, even in translation, is simply meant to be read aloud, and this audiobook is one of the best ways to hear it.