A masterpiece of translation—fluent, elegant, vigorous.—Rowan Williams, Master of Magdalene College, University of Cambridge
Irresistibly readable, Wilson’s Odyssey turns Homeric epic into a poetic feast.
—Froma Zeitlin, Princeton University
A staggeringly superior translation—true, poetic, lively and readable, and always closely engaged with the original Greek—that brings to life the fascinating variety of voices in Homer’s great epic.—Richard F. Thomas, Harvard University
This will surely be the Odyssey of choice for a generation.
—Lorna Hardwick, The Open University, London
Emily Wilson has produced a clear, vigorous, sensitive Odyssey that conveys both the grand scale and the individual pathos of this foundational story. This is the most accessible, and yet accurate, translation of Homer’s masterwork that I have ever read.
—Susan Wise Bauer, author of The History of the Ancient World
'Each generation must translate for itself,' T. S. Eliot declared. Emily Wilson has convincingly answered this call: hers is a vital Odyssey for the twenty-first century that brings into rhythmic English the power, dignity, variety, and immediacy of this great poem.
—Laura Slatkin, New York University
Having a female scholar and translator look with fresh eyes upon one of the foundational myths of Western civilization is nothing short of revolutionary. Emily Wilson’s riveting translation of The Odyssey ripples with excitement and new meaning. This important and timely addition to our understanding of Homer will be enjoyed for generations to come.
—Aline Ohanesian, author of Orhan’s Inheritance
Emily Wilson's Odyssey sings with the spare, enchanted lucidity of a minstrel fallen through time. Ever readable but endlessly surprising, this translation redefines the terms of modern engagement with Homer’s poetry.
—Tim Whitmarsh, author of Battling the Gods
A remarkable new translation. Poised and unadulterated—a feast for the senses.—Daisy Dunn, author of Catullus’ Bedspread
This is it—a translation of The Odyssey that is 'eminently rapid…plain and direct,' as Matthew Arnold famously described Homer himself. It is also contemporary and exciting. A gift.
—Barbara Graziosi, author of The Gods of Olympus
As the first English translation of this ancient tale by a woman, this lively, fast-paced retelling of Homer’s epic is long overdue. Much as Homer did in his time, Wilson whisks the audience into a realm both familiar and fantastical. The world of Odysseus and his adventures take shape before the reader’s eyes, luminescent once more, in this engaging new translation.—Justine McConnell, King’s College, London, author of Black Odysseys
To translate Homer’s Odyssey from ancient Greek to contemporary English presents the translator with a virtually insurmountable challenge, because our lives, our minds, and our languages are so different from those of the Greeks of eighteen centuries ago. Somehow, Emily Wilson has pulled it off. To read her translation is to receive a tremendous and unexpected gift.
—Thomas Cahill, author of Sailing the Wine-Dark Sea
Wilson’s translation is pared down but accurate and readable; it maintains the intrinsic interest of the story and the rapid forward momentum of the poetic line. The metrical regularity is a rare and welcome feature in a modern translation. The diction and tone are contemporary but not slangy or prosaic. All in all, a compelling Odyssey for our time.
—Lillian Doherty, University of Maryland
