MN Readalong : Homer’s The Odyssey in 2026

[EineReiseDurchDieZeit]

Proposing 2 chapters a month so for January

1. Athene Visits Telemachus
2. The Debate In Ithaca

Convening at the end of each month

Everyone welcome!

@SheilaFentimanI think she means the audiobook??

Well as a result of listening to "Troy" I discovered i had "Odyssey" in my queue (a long way down).

I think I'll start the CD version so as not to confuse anyone. Especially myself. 😄

Finally broke the seal on the audiobook (Claire Danes). Halfway through Chapter one ...

Not having looked at the actual print, am I correct in that it's a very "tight" translation ? There seems to be a very subtle rhythm ...

But very much enjoying it. 😀

Emily Wilson has used a different rhythm to the original (because the rhythm that works in Greek doesn't work very well in English) but with the intention of being true to the experience of the original.

I do love the care and detail she puts into her translations.

I've listened to my two chapters (books) now. I'll be honest, it didn't sound particularly poetic to me. I was expecting it to be Shakespearean somehow. Anyway, enjoyed the story so far.

Look forward to discussing it.

@EineReiseDurchDieZeit I wonder if we should move at a slightly faster pace as the chapters are quite short?

do we know when the film is out?

I think the movie comes out in July.

Yes perhaps?

what does everyone think ?

4 a month?

Film is July

I'm happy to read 4 a month

I’ll wait for a consensus and see what people say

@Onceuponasunflower

Ooh, translation theory. Bet that's interesting. I'm a Rilke fan and cannot believe how much difference the translations make to the poems.

Are peeps allowed to join in the readalong if they use one or more ancient Project Gutenberg translations? So far I've found William Cowper, 1791, (English blank verse) and Samuel Butler, 1900, (English prose). I might get my local library to order in a more up-to-date translation if necessary.

I’m happy to do 2 or 4- whatever suits the majority.

Also happy to read 4, don’t realise there was a film coming out but good to finish it before July then

Yeah I started it because I wanted to reread before the film

I would also be really happy to do 4 books a month, might be able to do more. I didn't know a film was coming out, off to Google!

I'd probably choose 2 a month personally to give time to discuss and digest but if people prefer 4 that's ok.
I'm mostly daunted by the 100 or so pages of intro in my edition!

@Frannyisreading I have skipped most of the intro

I'd prefer to stick with 2 a month as well to fit in around other things and allow discussion and thought over each section.

Hmm we seem split, maybe keep the discussion to two each month but people are welcome to read ahead

I think the intro is worth it if you haven't read it before.

Ive just started the illiad….i did not read the intro cos i wanted to finish the main story before starting the odyssey

i am happy to read 2 or 4

Hello.

I would love to join.

I am a first timer - on Homer, and on participating on one of these threads.

I do lurk though.

As I have too many demands on Time, I will have to do an audio book.

I started the other day, and am captured! Confused, but captured. 😁

Thank you

I'll try 4, but it might be a bit much for my senior brain to hang on to all the detail for discussion.
Have now found my Penguin Classics version and the chapters we read in Greek at school are helpfully circled in pencil, 7, 11 and 12!
I also remember enjoying reading about how the recurring phrases showed the oral origin of the stories eg the wine-dark sea etc.

Looking forward to the discussion!

Oh yes and the epithets to help you keep track of who's who.

May I join? We have the Emily Wison somewhere (moved recently) which i can dig out. Should be able to keep up with two books per month