Best translation of The Odyssey for a first-time classics reader

3 replies

Secretgardenhistory · 06/08/2026 20:56

What’s the best translation of The Odyssey for someone who has never read any of the classics?

I’ve read some of the more modern takes on the classics (e.g the song of Achilles) so have some loose awareness of plot and characters. Tempted to get Emily Wilson’s due to the recent film adaptation but yet to decide…

TIA

OP posts:

Dappy777 · Yesterday 19:28

Robert Fagles. His translation of the scene in which Hermes (I think) visits Calypso on her island is the most beautiful, magical thing I have ever read. I have never read Wilson, but if she does a better job than Fagles then she's a genius beyond compare.

Btw, did anyone know that T E Lawrence (of Arabia) translated the Odyssey?

Classicist19 · Yesterday 00:32

I would recommend Emily Wilson's translation. I think it does a good job of retaining the spirit of the original within a modern idiom.

If you think you will be interested, there is a Norton Critical Edition of this translation which has an introduction, annotations, contextual material (mostly relating to the reception of the Odyssey) and some critical essays. These are really useful for learning more about the poem and its history.

Jmpjmpleeds · 06/08/2026 23:24

I would say the one by E V Rieu in Penguin Classics, revised by his son. It has a good introduction and several notes. The Rieu Penguin translation of the Iliad is also excellent for a beginner. These are both prose translations - you could go onto a poetic translation after you're familiar with the story.

The film wasn't based on the Wilson translation - Nolan mentioned it, but he also mentioned the Rieu and Fagles versions.

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