I like this clarion call T”ell us this tale, goddess, child of Zeus; start anywhere in it!”. Likely that was often done. The story being familar (even if not to me) to everyone around the table or fire.
I’m looking forward to this read-along even if I’m not sure how one goes about it. I like Vashik’s thoughtfulness.
Hi Vashik. This is my first time posting here, and I’m looking forward to yet another traversal of the Odyssey. I have three translations, and thought I’d add to the choices of translation. Like you, my preferred translation is Robert Fagles, and you’ve already posted about that, so let’s move on to the one I last read six years ago: Richmond Lattimore. Here’s a sample of how that begins:
Tell me, Muse, of the man of many ways, who was driven
far journeys, after he had sacked Troy’s sacred citadel.
Many were they whose cities he saw, whose minds he learned of,
many the pains he suffered in his spirit on the wide sea,
struggling for his own life and the homecoming of his companions.
Even so he could not save his companions, hard though
he strove to; they were destroyed by their own wild recklessness,
fools, who devoured the oxen of Helios, the Sun God,
and he took away the day of their homecoming. From some point
here, goddess, daughter of Zeus, speak, and begin our story.
Then all the others, as many as fled sheer destruction,
were at home now, having escaped the sea and the fighting.
This one alone, longing for his wife, and his homecoming
was detained by the queenly nymph Kalypso, bright among goddesses,
in her hollowed caverns, desiring that he should be her husband.
I am looking forward to this, but I am concerned with your well-being. Your wife won't let you get a little book? If I were married with that major problem, I am certain my next wife wouldn't say that! Good luck. If you need to hangout at my house, let me know.
haha! I tried to convince her that the 7th translation is necessary, but in vain! I might take your hangout suggestion seriously, since there is another book, a copy of which I really need haha!
One translation won't be enough for me. I fear I may miss something. I will use Fagel's and Wilson's. I will get Mendelsohn's translation in case Vashik wishes to come here and read it.
Thank you Michael - I didn't know of the Peter Green translation but I really like the feel of it. And I found an interesting comparison of Green and Fagles here, which considers that Fagles is more active and propels the narrative forward but Green is more thoughtful. this review might be interesting for others who are still undecided -
So I've decided to buy Green although I already have Fagles. I have tried Emily Wilson too (!) but was disappointed, e.g. the "complicated man" just doesn't seem right to me.
I have not participated in one of these before. Where you mention the 3rd of May, for Books 1 & 2- Are we reading books 1 & 2 ourselves by that date, or is that the day we begin?
I'm looking forward to reading along Vashik! Here are the first 16 lines of Daniel Mendelsohn's new translation, as requested:
Tell me the tale of a man, Muse, who had so many roundabout ways
To wander, driven off course, after sacking Troy's hallowed keep;
Many the peoples whose cities he saw and whose ways of thinking he learned,
Many the toils he suffered at sea, anguish in his heart
As he struggled to safeguard his life and the homecoming of his companions.
But he did not save his companions even so, though he longed to,
For their heedlessness destroyed them, theirs and nobody else's -
Fools that they were, like children, who devoured the sun-god Hyperion's
Cattle, and so he took from them the day of their homecoming.
Goddess, start where you will; daughter of Zeus, share the tale with us too.
Now all of the other men - those who'd fled looming destruction -
Were home again, escaped from the war or saved from the depths of the sea,
Except for him. Though he yearned to come home, though he yearned for his wife,
A nymph - the Lady Kalypso, that radiant goddess - kept him
Back in her smooth-hollowed caves, burning to make him her husband.
But at last the time came around, as the seasons wheeled in their cycles...
Thank you so much Lisa!
For the read-along, I want to read a translation that’s new to me, so I’ve chosen Peter Green. Here’s a sample:
The man, Muse—tell me about that resourceful man, who wandered
far and wide, when he’d sacked Troy’s sacred citadel:
many men’s townships he saw, and learned their ways of thinking,
many the griefs he suffered at heart on the open sea,
battling for his own life and his comrades’ homecoming. Yet
no way could he save his comrades, much though he longed to—
it was through their own blind recklessness that they perished,
the fools, for they slaughtered the cattle of Hēlios the sun god
and ate them: for that he took from them their day of returning.
Tell us this tale, goddess, child of Zeus; start anywhere in it!
Now the rest, all those who’d escaped from sheer destruction,
were home by now, survivors of both warfare and the sea;
Him alone, though longing for his homecoming and his wife,
the queenly nymph Kalypsō, bright among goddesses,
held back in her hollow cavern, desiring him for her husband.
I like this clarion call T”ell us this tale, goddess, child of Zeus; start anywhere in it!”. Likely that was often done. The story being familar (even if not to me) to everyone around the table or fire.
I’m looking forward to this read-along even if I’m not sure how one goes about it. I like Vashik’s thoughtfulness.
Hi Vashik. This is my first time posting here, and I’m looking forward to yet another traversal of the Odyssey. I have three translations, and thought I’d add to the choices of translation. Like you, my preferred translation is Robert Fagles, and you’ve already posted about that, so let’s move on to the one I last read six years ago: Richmond Lattimore. Here’s a sample of how that begins:
Tell me, Muse, of the man of many ways, who was driven
far journeys, after he had sacked Troy’s sacred citadel.
Many were they whose cities he saw, whose minds he learned of,
many the pains he suffered in his spirit on the wide sea,
struggling for his own life and the homecoming of his companions.
Even so he could not save his companions, hard though
he strove to; they were destroyed by their own wild recklessness,
fools, who devoured the oxen of Helios, the Sun God,
and he took away the day of their homecoming. From some point
here, goddess, daughter of Zeus, speak, and begin our story.
Then all the others, as many as fled sheer destruction,
were at home now, having escaped the sea and the fighting.
This one alone, longing for his wife, and his homecoming
was detained by the queenly nymph Kalypso, bright among goddesses,
in her hollowed caverns, desiring that he should be her husband.
I am looking forward to this, but I am concerned with your well-being. Your wife won't let you get a little book? If I were married with that major problem, I am certain my next wife wouldn't say that! Good luck. If you need to hangout at my house, let me know.
haha! I tried to convince her that the 7th translation is necessary, but in vain! I might take your hangout suggestion seriously, since there is another book, a copy of which I really need haha!
I can’t wait! I’ve already read the first seven books so far this year. Eager to read the rest.
Vashik, this is so exciting! Can’t wait for this readalong. Thank you for hosting it and for all of your efforts!
Thank you so much Sandra! So Excited to have you on board!
Just saw your video on “Nabokov & Proust thought you should read books this way” fantastic stuff man. I can’t wait for the read along!!!
I am so glad you found this community. I am now in panic editing the first post , coming this Sunday
One translation won't be enough for me. I fear I may miss something. I will use Fagel's and Wilson's. I will get Mendelsohn's translation in case Vashik wishes to come here and read it.
Count me in, Vashik!
Let’s go!
Thank you Michael - I didn't know of the Peter Green translation but I really like the feel of it. And I found an interesting comparison of Green and Fagles here, which considers that Fagles is more active and propels the narrative forward but Green is more thoughtful. this review might be interesting for others who are still undecided -
https://www.themanchesterreview.co.uk/?p=9727
So I've decided to buy Green although I already have Fagles. I have tried Emily Wilson too (!) but was disappointed, e.g. the "complicated man" just doesn't seem right to me.
Looking forward very much to the readalong...
The second is by George Chapman done in 1614 and immortalised in Keats' poem "On First Looking into Chapman's Homer".
I've got the Princeton paperback.
(My spellchecker lost its mind when I was typing it out and underlined pretty much everything. Not a fan of 1600's spelling!)
The Man, O Muse, informe, that many a way
Wound with his wisdome to his wished stay;
That wandered wondrous farrre when He the towne
Of sacred Troy had sackt and shivered downe.
The cities of a world of nations,
With all their manners, minds and fashions,
He saw and knew; at Sea felt many woes,
Much care sustaind, to save from overthrowes
Himselfe and friends in their retreate for home.
But so their fates he could not overcome,
Though much he thirsted it. O men unwise,
They perisht by their owne impieties,
That in their hunger's rapine would not shunne
The Oxen of the lofitie-going Sunne,
Who therefore from their eyes the day bereft
Of safe returne. These acts, in some part left,
Tell us, as others, defied seed of Jove.
Now all the rest that austere Death out-strove
At Troy's long siege at home safe and anchor'd are,
Free from the malice both of sea and warre;
Onely Ulysses is denide accesse
To wife and home. The Grace of Goddesses,
The reverend Nymph Calypso, did detaine
Him in her Caves, past all the race of men
Enflam'd to make him her lov'd Lord and Spouse.
Always love Fagles' translations! Thought I'd try two I haven't read before.
The first is by Anthony Verity (Oxford World Classics paperback):
Tell me, Muse, of the man of many turns, who was driven
far and wide after he had sacked the sacred city of Troy.
Many were the men whose cities he saw, and learnt their minds,
many the sufferings on the open sea he endured in his heart,
struggling for his own life and his companions' homecoming.
Even so he could not protect them, though he desired it,
since they perished by reason of their own recklessness,
the fools, because they ate the cattle of the Sun, Hyperion,
and he took away the day of their homecoming. Tell us, too,
goddess of the daughter of Zeus, starting from where you will.
All the others, those who had escaped sheer destruction,
had reached home, now delivered from war and the sea;
one man alone, longing to return to his home and his wife, was
detained by Calypso, revered nymph, bright among goddesses,
in her hollow caverns, desiring him to be her husband.
Hi Vashik, thanks for offering this read-along.
I have not participated in one of these before. Where you mention the 3rd of May, for Books 1 & 2- Are we reading books 1 & 2 ourselves by that date, or is that the day we begin?
Thanks,
Craig