Homer Therapy 102
“By hook or by crook, this peril too shall be something we remember.”

During covid lockdown, my husband and I decided to study Ancient Greece. Each night after dinner, we listened to a half an hour lecture or read from a classic text. It’s become a habit or rather a household ritual in which even our dog partakes. (She has a chair she sits in while we listen.) We studied history, philosophy, mythology, and when omicron threatened, we decided to re-read Homer. It has been magical, therapeutic even. On Saturday, we finished the Odyssey.

Living in such trying times makes me long for something of lasting quality. Emily Wilson’s exquisite translation of Odysseus’s tumultuous ten-year journey home from Troy helped me grapple with the precariousness of the human condition and our own mortality. We listened to Claire Danes read and simultaneously read along. Homer is meant to be heard, and Danes gives an outstanding performance. Our understanding of the text was enhanced by interspersing Elizabeth Vandiver’s excellent lectures throughout our reading. Our journey with Odysseus, Penelope, and Telemachus provided a needed uplift for us as it has for others over the past 2,500 years. Highly recommend.

Thanks to Bruce Katz for recommending Emily Wilson's translation.

I first read extracts of the Odyssey in junior high and high school and some years later purchased the highly acclaimed Fitzgerald translation. It is a masterpiece that brings out the strengths of this iconic story of the voyage of Ulysses from the fall of Troy back to his native Ithaca and his beloved and besieged Penelope. The story is highly readable and full of adventure and misadventure, monsters and heroes and ultimately a triumphant voyage home. Yes, it is very masculine in perspective so I cannot excuse that except to say that if you read James Joyce's version and the final chapter of Penelope, you can see a far more feminine viewpoint. Regardless, I found this book more entertaining pound for pound than the Iliad or the Aeneid and I hope you will too.

I immensely enjoyed reading The Iliad, and since everyone said that The Odyssey is even better, I was expecting to love it. That didn't happen. I liked The Odyssey, but I found it to be a lot less compelling than The Iliad, both narratively and thematically. This is strange, I usually prefer adventure tales to war stories, but The Odyssey didn't have the grandeur, the atmosphere of despair, the philosophical undertones, or even the literary beauty of The Iliad.

The Odyssey reads almost like a long folk tale, not an epic. Every translation of the Odyssey that I consulted was considerably simpler and less eloquent than the same translator's edition of The Iliad. I had highlighted many similes and beautiful lines in The Iliad, but my highlights in the Odyssey weren't that many at all.

Of course, I enjoyed parts of it. The adventures are fun to read and they reverberate interesting details about ancient myths of the Bronze Age Greek-speaking world and its surrounding lands. The parts about Odysseus' adventures (which are, sadly, only a very short section of the poem from books IX to XII, told in a flashback by Odysseus himself) are full of wonder, whimsy, and excitement. I would've enjoyed The Odyssey a lot more if those parts weren't washed over and occupied a larger portion. Everyone praises the mythical creatures and whimsy and wonder in the book but they forget to mention that those interesting creatures are present only in a very short section of the book. The second half only focuses on how Odysseus plans to kill all 118 of his wife's suitors and regain his “masculine prowess”.

Misogyny, Slavery, and the Necessity of Taking Context into Account:
This brings me back to my usual problem with ancient texts: I have to shut my whole system of moral judgment (with modern standards) to engage with these stories. This was much easier to do in the Iliad because the setting was a battlefield, and war is never "nice and moral", but Odyssey's most violent parts happen in Odysseus' own home, in times of peace, and at least partly out of sheer lust for vengeance (in contrast with the sense of duty in warriors). In this regard, the Odyssey was harder to put up with for me. Every problem I had with the Iliad is present here too, just harder to look past.
There's a scene where Telemachus hangs twelve slave women (who'd slept with the suitors, thus "dishonoring" Odysseus and his family). He says he doesn't want to grant them an easy death by stabbing them, but make them suffer to death. To me, this abhorrent devilry sounds excessive even within the context. Misogyny in the Odyssey is expressed in different ways than the Iliad, but it's still very much present, and it's even more unsettling. Slavery is also a lot more visible and taken for granted in the Odyssey. Even so, I won't make a hassle out of it because of the obvious reason of context. The Odyssey begs to be read, enjoyed, and understood within its ancient, alien context, and I acknowledge that.

Intricate Details
Now, that doesn't mean that I won't give the book the credit it deserves. Many parts of it are interesting, i.e. the delicate attention to detail: Fingers of women weaving carpets are described as "quick rustling poplar leaves". The scene where Odysseus suddenly aims his bow at Antinous describes the latter as "mindlessly twirling the wine in his goblet", ignorant of what's about to happen. There are many examples of meticulous attention to detail that make the book astonishing.

The Gods Are Missing
The less serious downside of the Odyssey is that the gods, comic, irreverent, and hilarious as they are, don't get the well-deserved spotlight they had in The Iliad. Athena is present throughout and we see glimpses of Zeus, Poseidon, and Hermes, but there are none of the stupid bickerings on top of Olympus that gave the Iliad a comical edge. The absence of the dear old ox-eyed Lady Hera and her hilarious scheming is quite unfortunate.

The Unreliable Narrator
Interestingly, Odysseus is an unreliable narrator. Contrary to what is assumed about ancient heroes, he's not black or white, but a complicated man, "a man of many ways" that is capable of bravery, resilience, and love as well as deceit, vengeance and pure evil. His quick wits allow him to lie to everyone and conjure up interesting stories (which are totally false). It looks like most people take it for granted that he's truthful when recounting his adventures, They may as well be fabrications like the rest of his lies. The 'narrator' never testifies for his stories. He says he encountered the Sirens and sea monsters Charybdis and Scylla, but when have we ever seen Odysseus tell the truth?
I think this bit about the unreliability of Odysseus makes the whole story a lot more intriguing. The whole story is open to interpretation, you take from it what you will.

College Reading.

What amazes me about stories like this is how long it has been around. There are hundreds of generations who have read this and passed it down. This story has been around for thousands of years. To me, that is mind blowing. Truly.

I recently read 'Circe' that is taken from The Odyssey and The Iliad. The story has influenced much of literature in some way. This is the ultimate quest story.

I still have a hard time understanding a journey for 10 years. How your family would miss you. Cyclops, witches, Sirens, and more come from this story. I hope to re-read it some day.

What can I say about this book that hasn't been said already? I'm sure that the influence and importance of it has been discussed to death already, so I won't even get started on that.
My reading experience was surprisingly pleasant: I didn't expect to get so invested! I found the language a bit hard at first, but once I got used to it (which didn't take all too long), I was able to fully enjoy the story. I'm glad that I finally read this classic piece of work, and it's definitely understandable that it's as famous as it is.

:فرهنگ هلنیستی vs فرهنگ بایبلی

تقریباً این گزاره‌ مورد قبول همگان است که آنچه"فرهنگ غرب" می‌نامیمش، بر دو ستون فرهنگ هلنیستی و فرهنگ بایبلی استوار است. و بطور اخص، ادبیات غرب را زیر سایه‌ی الیاد و اودیسه‌ی هومر و کتاب مقدس می‌بینند.

اما آیا این اهمیت آثار هومر و بایبل بر اروپا، به تصویرسازی و ارجاعات فراوان ادبیات و هنر اروپا به تصاویر و داستانک‌های متنوع و موقعیت‌های متعدد داخل این کتاب‌ها، برمی‌گردد؟
جواب این سوال، بله‌ است، اما قطعا دلیلی ناکافی‌ست برای اینکه این آثار را ستون‌هایی برای ادبیات و هنر و فرهنگ اروپایی بدانیم.

در واقع، به نظرم عهد عتیق و حماسه‌های هومر، حاملان دو تا سنت متفاوت فلسفی-الهیاتی هستند که سنت فکری/ادبیات/هنر/فرهنگ غرب بر روی آنها بنا می‌شود و گرچه این دو سنت‌هایی متضاد یکدیگر می‌باشند، اما در طی قرون متمادی، سنت هلنیستی و بایبلی به همزیستی با یکدیگر ادامه می‌دهند جالبه که اینا توی اروپا، با هم همزیستی پیدا میکنن و در فرهنگ غرب ریشه می‌دوانند.



اودیسه vs سفر خروج:

بیایید این بحث را با یک مثال، با مقایسه حماسه اودیسه و کتاب سفر خروج تشریح کنیم:

اودیسئوس در میان دریاها، برای رسیدن به خانه خودش (ایتاکا) دست به سفر می‌زند که شرح آن در اودیسه آمده است.
بطور مشابه‌ای، بنی‌اسرائیل هم برای رسیدن به خانه خودش (کنعان)، دست به سفری در میان بیابان‌ سینا می‌زند.
در هر دو، مسافرانی در سفر طولانی، فرسایشی و حماسی، از منزلی به منزل دیگری حرکت می‌کنند، و پس از تحمل دشواری‌های فراوان، به خانه‌شان می‌رسند.


اما در اسطوره‌شناسی تطبیقی، تفاوت‌ها و چرایی آنها بسیار بسیار مهم‌تر و قابل توجه‌تر از این شباهت‌های ظاهری می‌باشند.
حال، چه تفاوتی بین این دو حماسه وجود دارد:

در بایبل، این یهوه (قدرت الوهی) است که با برانگیختن بنی‌اسرائیل و دادن وعده‌ی بازگشت به "ارض موعود" (=خانه)، تبدیل نیروی محرکه‌ی آنها برای سفر می‌شود‌. و در واقع خود یهوه هم به نوعی با آن‌ها همراه می‌شود؛
بنابراین این سفر حماسیِ جمعی، یک بعد مذهبی رو پیدا می‌کند و تبدیل به سفری زیارت‌گونه می‌شود که افراد با قدم گذاشتن در آن و تلاش برای به پایان رساندنش، در حالت محقق ساختن وعده‌ی الهی می‌باشند.
بنابراین وقتی یک فرد مذهبی که بعدها بایبل را می‌خوانده، احتمالا سفر موسی و بنی‌اسرائیل را به مثابه‌ سفری می‌دیده که با انگیزش و پشتیبانی یهوه انجام می‌گیرد‌، همچون یک ماموریت تاریخی-مذهبی (اگرچه جاهایی بنی‌اسرائیل با تنبیه یهوه هم روبرو می‌شود، اما در مقابل طرح عظیمی که یهوه به آن می‌اندیشد، اهمیتی ندارد).
بدین ترتیب است که حتی رویدادهای تاریخی‌ای مثل سفر صلیبی، سفر مؤمنان کالوینی به اولین مستعمرات امریکا، و سفر تبعیدگونه یهودیان به امریکا به دنبال استیلای نازی‌ها بر اروپا هم معنایی بایبلی به خود می‌گیرند و با سفر خروج بنی‌اسرائیل این همانی می‌شوند.

اما در اودیسه، اودیسئوس از همان ابتدای سفر بازگشت به خانه، موجبات خشم خدایان (قدرت الوهی) را فراهم می‌کند، و همین باعث می‌گردد که این قدرت‌ها بکوشند که از رسیدن او به خانه‌اش جلوگیری کنند.
در واقع سفر رجعت اودیسئوس و یارانش (که آنها خیلی زود حذف می‌شوند تا سفر قهرمانی، سفر انفرادی باشد)، انگار تبدیل می‌شود به یک سفر حماسی-قهرمانی و به تعبیری یک مبارزه‌ی یک انسان تنها برای غلبه بر خواست الوهیت (گرچه گاها کمک‌هایی از آسمان هم به او می‌رسد).
شاید همین تنهاییِ قهرمان اودیسه در مقابل خدایان/سرنوشت/طبیعت و تلاش برای پس زدن آنها است که این حماسه هومری را برای انسان اومانیستی که بعد از رنسانس در اروپا سر بر می‌آورد، جذاب می‌کند و چنین حس همذات‌پنداری‌ای را در او برمی‌انگیزد.




پ‌ن: اگر این حماسه خوانده شد، به لطف دوستانی بود که در همخوانی آن شرکت کردند.
پ‌ن۲: ریویوی من بر سفر خروج:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Odysseus is the ultimate anti-hero, and that's probably why - as much as he annoys me at times with his antics - I'll always prefer him to Achilles. Sure, one can't deny how unreliable and n  prejudicedn he is as a narrator - just look at how he twists the reality when describing the Cyclops' life and culture - but that's precisely - in addition to the engaging structure - what makes The Odyssey so readable and less 'old-felt' than The Iliad. Well assuming you're reading a translation in verses, of course (but why wouldn't you now).

I can appreciate that Homer's trying to give his female characters a voice - much more than Virgile, anyway - but let's face it, as all classics it's still full of dudes who make the decisions (and end sleeping with every woman they meet, because why the fuck not?).

Still a must-read as far as I'm concerned, at the very least to be able to notice how far the references spread (colonization will do that to you, nudge nudge Alexander the Great).

For more of my reviews, please visit:

n  n    n  n

Obradovao sam se kada sam video da je Karpos ponovo štampao zaboravljeni devetnaestovekovni prevod „Odiseje” u prozi Panajota Papakostopulosa. Znao sam da takav prevod postoji, ali je bilo teško doći do njega jer, nakon što je Đurić prepevao ep u heksametre, izgubila se potreba za prevodom u prozi. „Odiseja” preobučena u prozu srpskog jezika 19. veka lepo zvuči. Negde između ritmične proze sa otmenim imperfektom Daničićevog prevoda „Starog zaveta” i poletnih, živorazgovornih prevoda Milovana i Stanke Glišić sa ruskog i francuskog. Panajatov prevod sigurno nije sadržinski najprecizniji, a formalno je daleko od onoga što ep jeste. A opet, „Odiseja” u formi „romana” nije ništa manje savršena nego u formi stiha. Posebno meni, kome bi „Odiseja” bila omiljena knjiga da ne postoji „Ilijada”.

U kulturnoj svesti postoje dve „Odiseje”: jedna je o Odisejevim avanturima, druga je o domu ili, tačnije o domovima. U kulturi je prisutnija prva, ali sam ep peva više o drugome. I to ne mislim samo na to što je epsko težište na Odisejevom povratku u dom koji mu rasturaju prosci, već i na to što je, recimo, opisu gozbi i običaja na dvorovima Nestora i Menelaja u prvim pevanjima dato više prostora nego opisu susreta sa sirenama ili Scilom i Haridbom. Dok sam bio mlađi zanimljiviji su mi bila četiri retrospektivna avanturistička poglavlja, a sada su mi više legli opisi života u kućama Nestora, Meneleja, Alkinoja i na Itaci. Ne samo zato što na tim mestima Homerova poezija dostiže vrhove, već i zato što je predstavljeni svet i dalje simpatično domaćinski – dobro se jede i pije, oseća se širina zajednice, a plemstvo je i dalje tako dobro upoznato sa svakodnevnim delatnostima domaćinstva da se na staleške razlike pomalo i zaboravlja. Stoga kod Homera i kraljice i boginje uvek nešto pletu i tkaju, a vladari su vešti i u stočarskim i poljopivrednim poslovima. Ta domaća idila posebno dobija na vrednosti jer je krha, naposletku ugroženi dom jeste u središtu epa. Idila lako nestaje pritisnuta i natkriljena svetom olimpijskih bogova, koji su daleko strašniji od ovih nižih božanstava čudovišta razasutih po ostrvima - sa čudovištima barem znaš na čemu si, dok Olimpljani uglavnom ne znaju ni sami šta hoće, ali očekuju da ljudi znaju njihove želje.

After having read and enjoyed Fagles' translation not too long ago, I decided to join with a group reading a new translation by Emily Wilson, the first woman to take on this task in English. This has proved to be an excellent decision. While I have always had respect for those who translate literature, I now realize even more fully how seemingly small, insignificant details can radically alter one’s perception of a classic or at least cause you to reconsider long-held beliefs about characters or events (be they historic or mythical). Wilson’s translation has done that for me by its lean style which, for me, serves to emphasize more of the humanity of the humans and the human-like behavior of the gods who influence the action.

There is so much here but I believe my response largely stems from Wilson’s chosen style and word choice. While I love Fagles’ translation for its poetry and imagery, I love Wilson’s for where it has led me and my thoughts. For that credit must also go to our wonderful group.

...to be continued

So my first “non-school related" experience with Homer’s classic tale, and my most powerful impression, beyond the overall splendor of the story, was...HOLY SHIT SNACKS these Greeks were a violent bunch. Case in point:

n  ...they hauled him out through the doorway into the court,
lopped his nose and ears with a ruthless knife,
tore his genitals out for the dogs to eat raw
and in manic fury hacked off hands and feet.
then once they’d washed their own hands and feet
they went inside again to join odysseus.
their work was done here now.n

"Their work was done here now." What a great line.

Want more violence you say? How about slaughtering over 100 house guests for over-indulging in your hospitality? Can you say overkill!! And for the true splatter junkies out there, you can add in some casual rapes, widespread maiming, a score of people-squishing, crew members being chewed and swallowed, healthy doses of mutilation and torture, and one cyclops blinding. That should make even the most discriminating gore hound leg-humping happy. Yes...that's me...guilty.

However, beyond the cockle-warming violence and mayhem, this is a rocking good story that I enjoyed (as in "smile on my face thinking this is genuinely cool”) much more than I expected to going into it. There is nothing dry or plodding about the story. Beautifully written, and encompassing themes of love, loyalty and heroism while commenting on many facets of the human condition. As important as this story is to literature, it is above all else...ENTERTAINING. In fact, without its massive entertainment factor, I'm pretty sure it's overall importance among the classics would be significantly reduced. Thankfully, there is no risk of that.

n  A NOTE ON THE TEXTn

Before I continue, I want to comment on the version I read/listened to because I think can be critical to people’s reaction to the story. There are a TRUCKLOAD of Odyssey translations out there and, from what I’ve seen, they range wider in quality and faithfulness to the original text than those of almost any other work of Western Literature. These versions can differ so much that I believe two people with identical reading tastes could each read a different translation and walk away with vastly different opinions on the work.

The version I am reviewing (and from which the above quote is derived) is the Robert Fagles translation which uses contemporary prose and structure while remaining faithful to the content of the original. I found it a terrific place for a “first experience” with this work because of how easy to follow it was. Plus, I listened to the audio version read by Sir Ian McKellen which was an amazing experience and one I HIGHLY RECOMMEND.

In addition to the Fagles version, I also own the Alexander Pope translation as part of my Easton Press collection of The 100 Greatest Books Ever Written. While listening to the Fagles version, I would often follow along with the Pope translation and let me tell you....they are vastly different. While the overall story is the same, the presentation, prose and the structure are nothing alike. As an example, here is the same passage I quoted earlier from the Pope translation.

n  Then forth they led [______], and began
Their bloody work; they lopp’d away the man,
Morsel for dogs! then trimm’d with brazen shears
The wretch, and shorten’d of his nose and ears;
His hands and feet last felt the cruel steel;
He roar’d, and torments gave his soul to hell.
They wash, and to Ulysses take their way:
So ends the bloody business of the day.n

Very different treatments of the same scene. In my opinion, the Pope language is more beautiful and far more poetic and lyrical than the Fagles translation. However, I am glad I started with the Fagles version because it provided me with a much better comprehension of the story itself. No head-scratching moments. Now that I have a firm grounding in the story, I plan to go back at some point and read the Pope version so that I can absorb the greater beauty of that translation.

In a nutshell, I'm saying that you should make sure you find a translation that works for you. That’s my two or three cents.

n  THE STORYn

So Odysseus, master strategist and tactician (not to mention schemer, manipulator and liar extraordinaire), travels home to Ithaca after the Trojan War. Delays and detours ensue which take up the first half of the story. Most of these travel snags are caused by Poseidon, who is grudging on Odysseus for stick-poking Poseidon’s son (i.e. the Cyclops) in the peeper. Not to fear, Athena (goddess of guile and craftiness) is a proud sponsor of Odysseus and, along with some help for big daddy god Zeus, throws Odysseus some Olympian help.

Odysseus’ travels are full of great summer blockbuster-like entertainment and at the same time explore all manner of Greek daily life as well as touching on many of their beliefs and traditions. It really is a perfect blend of fun and brain food. From his time on the island homes of the goddesses Calypso and Circe (who he gets busy with despite his “undying” love for his wife, Penelope...men huh?), to his run ins with the giant Laestrygonians and the Lotus-eaters (i.e., thugs and drugs) and his fateful encounter with the Cyclops, Polyphemus. Odysseus even takes a jaunt to the underworld where he speaks to Achilles and gets to listen to dead king Agamemnon go on an anti-marriage rant because his conniving wife poisoned him to death. Homer does a superb job of keeping the story epic while providing the reader with wonderful details about the life of the greek people during this period.

The man had story-telling chops..

Meanwhile, while Odysseus is engaged in the ancient greek version of the Amazing Race, back on Ithaca we’ve got a full-fledged version of the Bachelorette going on as over a hundred suitors are camped out at Odysseus pad trying to get Penelope to give them a rose. This has Odysseus’ son, Telemachus, on the rage because the suitors are eating, drinking and servant-boinking him out of his entire inheritance while they wait on Penelope. You might think that Telemachus could just kick the freeloaders out, but the law of “hospitality” was huge for the Greeks and the suitor-douches use it to full advantage.

Well Odysseus eventually makes it back to Ithaca, alone and in disguise, after all of this crew have been eaten, squashed, drowned or otherwise rendered life-impaired. Not an easy place to live is ancient Greece. Odysseus proceeds to work a web of deceit and revenge against the suitors that is a wonder to behold. I’ll leave the final climax to you, but I will say that there was no free lunch in Homer’s time and the checks that people wrote with their bad behavior are paid in full.

n  MY THOUGHTSn

This was a fun, fun, fun read. I want to start with that because this is not one of those classics that I think is worth while only to get it under your belt or checked off a list. This was a great story with great characters and in a style that was both “off the usual path” but still easy to follow.

Going back to my comments on the various versions of the story, I think this may end up being a five star read in one of the more flowery, densely poetic translations where the emotion and passion is just a bit more in your face. I am still thrilled to have listened to the version I did (especially as read by Gandalf) because I now have a firm foundation in the story and can afford to be a bit more adventurous with my next version.

The tone of the story is heroic and yet very dark. The gods are capricious and temperamental and cause a whole lot of death and devastation for nothing more than a bruised ego or even a whim. The pace of the story is fast and moves quickly with hardly a chance to even catch your breath.

It is a big epic story...it is THE BIG EPIC STORY...and its reputation is well deserved. A terrific read as well as one of the most important works in the Western canon. Definitely worth your time.

4.5 stars. HIGHEST POSSIBLE RECOMMENDATION!!

I shelved this as "classic newly-read" only because I don't think I ever read a full version in verse. Parts in prose. And B-movies starring either Kirk Douglas or Anthony Quinn or Charlton Heston as the toga-clad avenger.

Like butter, this translation of Fagles'. Loved how smooth it read. And the repeating tropes modifying various nouns: "sparkling-eyed Athena," "bright-eyed goddess," "Dawn with her rose-red fingers," "wine-dark sea," "Odysseus, master of craft," etc.

What threw me was how fast the trip-home chapters went: The Lotus Eaters, the Cyclops, Scylla & Charybdis, et al. Instead, it was the planning-to-kill-the-suitors chapters that spread out widely, on and on, until the anxious end. And, much as I enjoyed the comeuppance portioned out to the suitors, echoing in my head are the words of Adam Nicholson, author of Why Homer Matters, who cited "heroes" Achilles (in The Iliad) and Odysseus (in The Odyssey) as two of the biggest mass murderers of all time.

Minor point. This is mythology. Plus, the gods willed it.

Speaking of, what I'd give for a Mentor like Athena. Some classy dame who could swoop in like some deus ex machina in my many hours of need.

Bright-eyed Athena, if you're still out there, I'll cook a bull in your honor (er, maybe a Perdue chicken instead). Hear my prayer!

Well worth my time and effort, this one.

Quite possibly one of my favourite books!
It was this novel that ignited my love for Greek and Roman mythology and antiquity - leading me to choose a degree in Classical Civilisations.
I always look back on The Odyssey with fondness - I love all the monsters he faces and the gods who involve themselves with Odysseus' trials as he makes his way home after the Trojan War.
LOVE LOVE LOVE.