What is the best translation of the Iliad and Odyssey?

Robert Fitzgerald’s translation of Homer’s Odyssey is the best and best-loved modern translation of the greatest of all epic poems. Since 1961, this Odyssey has sold more than two million copies, and it is the standard translation for three generations of students and poets.

Which should I read first the Iliad or the Odyssey?

The Iliad is the earlier work (it was written first) [1]. Also the events in the Odyssey are a direct consequence of what happens in the Iliad and the reader of the Odyssey is assumed to know the summary of the plot in the Iliad and who the main characters are. So it would come natural to read the Iliad first.

What language is the Iliad written in?

Ancient Greek
Iliad/Original languages

What language is the Odyssey written in?

Greek
Ancient Greek
Odyssey/Original languages

What’s the best English translation of the Iliad?

The Fagles translation is far and away the best English translation, in my opinion. The rhythm and flow of his free verse is impeccable. That said, I encourage people to check out my own ongoing translation, in which I am attempting to reproduce the original meter of the Greek.

Is reading Iliad hard?

For the first-time reader, probably the hardest thing about Homer’s Iliad is its language. And once you get past the weird cultural details (reading the introduction to your edition will help), the poem is extremely accessible. The characters are vivid, and every reader will find someone to identify with.

Is Iliad worth reading?

The Iliad, Homer’s legendary account of this nine-year ordeal, is considered the greatest war story of all time and one of the most important works of Western literature. It’s a stirring tale of action, drama, romance, and tragedy. 2. It’s our best window into life in Bronze Age Greece, three thousand years ago.

What does Odyssey mean?

Full Definition of odyssey 1 : a long wandering or voyage usually marked by many changes of fortune his odyssey from rural South to urban North, from poverty to affluence, from Afro-American folk culture to a Eurocentric world of books— J. E. Wideman.

How long does it take to read the Odyssey?

2 hours and 45 minutes
The average reader will spend 2 hours and 45 minutes reading this book at 250 WPM (words per minute).

Best is pretty subjective, but I find Richmond Lattimore ‘s translation of the Iliad and the Odyssey to be quite good. Edit: Good if I could spell the guy’s name right. I also enjoyed the Lattimore translation of The Iliad, I found it to be more accessible than the Fagles translation although I only read a little of the latter.

Should I read the Pope translation of the Iliad straight through?

I have never read the Pope translation of the Iliad straight through, having just read portions when the mood strikes. It is a good poetic translation, though not as clear as the prose translations; and therefore best read after one of the prose translations IMO. 1.

How good is Lattimore’s translation of the Iliad?

Lattimore’s fidelity to the original Greek is quite good, though not perfect. With Fagles, I can’t say, since I have tried to use his translation to try to cheat my way through the original. I referred earlier to Malcolm Willcock’s Companion to the Iliad as an aid to understanding that work in Lattimore’s translation.

Is this a faithful translation of Homer’s Iliad?

To most, that makes it NOT a “faithful” translation. But as Bates pointed out in his introduction, Homer’s dactylic hexameters make for heavy lines in English.