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The Odyssey
The Odyssey
The Odyssey
Audiobook10 hours

The Odyssey

Written by Homer

Narrated by Simon Prebble

Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

4.5/5

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About this audiobook

Greek poet Homer established the standard for tales of epic quests and heroic journeys with the Odyssey. Crowded with characters, both human and nonhuman, and bursting with action, the Odyssey details the adventures of Ulysses, king of Ithaca and hero of the Trojan War, as he struggles to return to his home and his waiting, ever-faithful wife, Penelope.

Along the way Ulysses encounters the seductive Circe, who changes men into swine; the gorgeous water-nymph Calypso, who keeps him a "prisoner of love" for seven years; the terrible, one-eyed, man-eating giant Cyclops; and a host of other ogres, wizards, sirens, and gods. But when he finally reaches Ithaca after ten years of travel, his trials have only begun. There he must battle the scheming noblemen who, thinking him dead, have demanded that Penelope choose one of them to be her new husband-and Ithaca's new king.

Often called the "second work of Western literature" (the Iliad, also by Homer, being the first), the Odyssey is not only a rousing adventure drama but also a profound meditation on courage, loyalty, family, fate, and undying love. More than 3,000 years old, it was the first story to delineate carefully and exhaustively a single character arc-a narrative structure that serves as the foundation and heart of the modern novel.
LanguageEnglish
Release dateJun 11, 2009
ISBN9781400182183
Author

Homer

Although recognized as one of the greatest ancient Greek poets, the life and figure of Homer remains shrouded in mystery. Credited with the authorship of the epic poems Iliad and Odyssey, Homer, if he existed, is believed to have lived during the ninth century BC, and has been identified variously as a Babylonian, an Ithacan, or an Ionian. Regardless of his citizenship, Homer’s poems and speeches played a key role in shaping Greek culture, and Homeric studies remains one of the oldest continuous areas of scholarship, reaching from antiquity through to modern times.

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Rating: 4.274611398963731 out of 5 stars
4.5/5

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  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    A wonderful translation, easy to read and to understand. But thank goodness for the intro.Hard to believe but I've never read this before. And rather than get lost in the lengthy introduction, I jumped ahead and just began the tale itself. It was hard to put down and I sped right through it, but by the end I was thinking, "Boy, these people were weird", so thank goodness for that intro, which I started after finishing the main work. One of the first things mentioned is that no one in the ancient world, at any time, acted or spoke like these people. So that was one question answered.

    1 person found this helpful

  • Rating: 2 out of 5 stars
    2/5
    This book is a timeless epic (and an actual epic, not in the way the word is overused anymore). The language of Homer is down to earth and not flowery or difficult to read or understand. The characters are relatable to some degree; one quickly realizes the superstitions of today are deeply rooted in ancient cultures.
  • Rating: 2 out of 5 stars
    2/5
    Great story, but such a terrible translation.

    God, Heaven, Hell, and I think even the Devil make an appearance. I kept expecting Jesus to show up walking across the water to convey Odysseus home. Plus it's written as if this tale takes place in the British Isles rather than the Mediterranean.

    I'm not going to force myself to slog through another dated mistranslation. Life is too short for that.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Not for the faint of heart. But well worth the read.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    A must read
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    The sea repeats. The day repeats. The night repeats. And home, home is the ultimate repetition.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Don't read this book - listen to it. Epic poetry is meant to be recited...
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    **MY COVER IS DIFFERENT** I couldn't find the Oxford University Press's edition (hardcover)My Review:This version:Translated by Anthony Verity and Introduction by William AllanSeries : Oxford World’s ClassicsOxford University Press‘Tell me, Muse, of the man of many turns, who was drivenfar and wide after he had sacked the sacred city of Troy’Synopsis:Twenty years after setting out to fight in the Trojan War, Odysseus is yet to return home to Ithaca. His household is in disarray: a horde of over 100 disorderly and arrogant suitors are vying to claim Odysseus’ wife Penelope, and his young son Telemachus is powerless to stop them. Meanwhile, Odysseus is driven beyond the limits of the known world, encountering countless divine and earthly challenges. But Odysseus is “of many wiles” and his cunning and bravery eventually lead him home, to reclaim both his family and his kingdom.The Odyssey rivals the Iliad as the greatest poem of Western culture and is perhaps the most influential text of classical literature. This elegant and compelling new translation is accompanied by a full introduction and notes that guide the reader in understanding the poem and the many different contexts in which it was performed and read.Readership : Readers interested in classical literature, epic, myth, Homer; students of classics, ancient history, archaeology, English literature and other modern European literature, comparative literature, philosophy, oriental studies, anthropology, war literature.MY THOUGHTS:There are many translated editions out there. This is a newer one. I received this book from Oxford University Press in exchange for my honest review. The copy I received is a hardcover (no book jacket), with a plain but gorgeous pic on the front and the title and author below it. On the back is the quote written above. All are yellow on a linen, dark cover, with inside yellow cover pages.Anthony Verity was Master of Dulwich College before his retirement. His previous translations include “Theocritus, The Idylls (2002), Pindar, The Complete Odes (2007), and Homer, The Iliad (2011).William Allan is McConnell Laing Fellow and Tutor in Classical Languages and Literature at University College, Oxford. His previous publications include “The Adromache” and “Euripedean Tragedy” (2000), “Euripedes: The Children of Heracles” (2001), “Euripides: Medea” (2002), “Euripedes: Helen” (2008), “Homer: The Iliad” (2002), and “Classical Literature: A Very Short Introduction” (2014).The epic mythological journey of the son of Laertes and Anticlea, Odysseus, takes place following the conquering of the city of Troy using a masterful plan including a wooden Trojan Horse. The journey home to Ithaca takes ten years. Odysseus faces many trials along the way that include: escaping imprisonment by Calypso on Ogygia, battling Cyclops and traveling and living through a journey to Hades, living through the wrath of Neptune at sea and more. During this time, his wife, Penelope, faithfully waits for his return, not knowing if he’s even still alive. She is overwhelmed with suitors, each trying to win the hand of Odysseus’s wife. She resists in a truly epic way. Too bad he didn’t return the gesture.He manages to return home with help from Hermes, Zeus, and his son Telemachus, who thought his father still alive and had set out on a quest of his own to locate Odysseus with the help of the goddess, Athena. Odysseus is called, “Hero of Ithaca.” I love how “The Odyssey” is written in a story-telling, conversational manner unlike, “The Iliad.”“The Odyssey” takes the reader on a spiritual journey sharing insight into the human condition through a timeless tale involving exile, temptation, cunning, survival, desire, and social expectations. Odysseus is not the same man upon his return home that he was when he began his journey. His self-examination of his innermost ideas and conceptions have been greatly altered by his quest.Some may claim that this classic reading is boring and slow, but I didn’t see or experience this for myself. Because of how it’s written and flows, encompassing the basic themes of many Greek tales such as love, friendship and loyalty, and fulfilling quests and becoming a hero, “The Odyssey” is a brilliant and beautiful, epic story that has greatly inspired many important literature pieces throughout history. It will open the door to understanding Greek history at its basic beginnings and be incredibly entertaining in process. “The Odyssey” will forever hold an important place in historical literature.Some will claim that Odysseus among many other things, is a master negotiator, strategian, and manipulator.Greek life during this period is superbly shown by Homer. His ability to weave an epic tale of self-discovery in a quest-like format is truly extraordinary.I will read and re-read this book often. The translation is easy to follow and like I said previously, it’s not the only translation out there so you may want to pick up a few others to compare. This will be a collector’s book for me and has already found its place on my bookshelf.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Can't go wrong with the Odyssey. I've probably read this ten times by now, it never gets old and I always find new things I missed before.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    I read this in high school and then we watched the movie. I have to say, this was one of my favorites. This, the canterbury tales, and beowulf were some of my favorite reads in my 10th/11th grade english class.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Over the last fifty years I've read four translations of 'The Odyssey': E V Rieu (Penguin Classics), Butcher & Lang (used and parodied by Joyce in 'Ulysses'; despised by Pound), T E Lawrence (critics are a bit sniffy, but I enjoyed it) and finally the only verse translation I've read, the other three are prose, by the American poet Robert Fagles (pronounced as in bagel). I was further delighted to find when listening to Adam Nicolson's book, 'The mighty dead: why Homer matters' (2014) that Fagles is his choice of an exemplary modern translation.Of course it could be growing familiarity with the tale over three quarters of my life that enhances the jouissance of re-reading, but Fagles is now my choice - every evening I looked forward to picking up the book. His use of verse enhances the emotion and action of the tale. You have to pay attention otherwise you may lose who is speaking or the thread of the tale's subtle structures of back story and/or current action, oftentimes twined. I was pleased when re-reading Robin Knox's introduction to find that some passages I'd enjoyed for their impact were highlighted by him, but also noted, to my chagrin, that I'd missed some as well - how could I have missed this and this? Of course that's the pleasure of the text - with each reading you find something new. This text repays close attention, at times difficult because the action urges the reader on - so I'll be going back for more - this really is a book to live with.The edition is enhanced with Robin Knox's introduction, as mentioned, maps, translation notes, genealogies, textual variants, suggestions for further reading and a pronunciation glossary - all very useful.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    This is an amazing book, and one of the easiest classical Greek reads I've discovered.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    I won't say too much about the actual story. Everyone already knows that stuff from freshman English and general knowledge of myths and literary tropes. It has monsters and heroes and true love and coming of age and an awesome scene with a trick arrow shot and 3 guys against the world. Give it a try if you haven't looked at it since you were 15.

    I'm not sure I had ever read the whole Odyssey before. In any case, I now have heard the whole thing performed by Ian McKellen. I suppose Homer on audio book is about as close as I'll get to the original, unless someone can point me to someone who does the audio book in ancient Greek... McKellen's narration was great, but I bought the book to listen to while driving, and it put me to sleep. The story was really quite exciting, even if it did drag on a little when Odysseus was planning his suitor revenge. I guess we skipped that part in 9th grade English. But Gandalf's voice seemed to be more suited for bedtime stories than distracting me from traffic jams. I know what I'll be listening to when I can't get to sleep though.

    The translation, by Robert Fagles, was excellent. There were some places where I was like "that seems really colloquial" but then I was glad because it really was easy to understand. I would use this translation if I ever needed to read Homer for some reason.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    {Review of E.V. Rieu's prose translation, Penguin Classics} Reading a prose version of The Odyssey is like having your learned friend read the poem silently to himself and occasionally pausing to explain to you what's going on. This is a very thorough translation of the action, but you won't grasp why Homer is called a master bard or find his genius. For all the translator's efforts this reads almost like a comic book version minus the pictures. That makes it simple to breeze through and there's no question you'll know the whole story by the end, but you'll not have been swept up by it as you would if you've any ear for poetry. Where reading the Iliad felt like rehashing a story I already knew, it was a different experience with The Odyssey. My knowledge of this one was more episodic, and getting the full story has finally sewn it together. While I'd recommend reading a poetic version if you can, the translator's introduction points out that The Odyssey can be likened to a novel and this is ably supported by its prose rendition. Techniques we view as modern can be found here in work that's 3,000 years old: different points of view, timeline jumps, foreshadowing etc. that could trick me into believing it's much more recent. I only regret the disproportionate page count once he gets to Ithaca, which I didn't find nearly as engaging as what came before. It's still easy to prefer this to the Iliad, but reading that first lends this one extra weight. It's the ending we didn't get, and this time it satisfies.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    This is a classic epic poem. Give it a chance!
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Great story, but can be a bit hard to read. Some of the phrases used in this translation are a bit weird- I suppose they were chosen to fit the rhythm, but it doesn't really fit. However, it is a very readable translation and the story is, of course, excellent.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5


    I never was a reader of classic in fact I had to read the cliff notes version before attempting one. Last year's reading through all those Jane Austen was a pain but weirdly enough this classics is really good. Initially I thought The Odyssey would be hard on me and I was right when I begin the reading with Samuel Butler's translation. I tried using Librivox's audiobook to keep me going but its confusing me since Pallas Athena became Minerva, Zeus became Jove and Odysseus became Ulysses, I end up being so disinterest with the descriptiveness that I turn to Fagles. Fagles saved me.

    There's a huge differences between Fagles (1996), Butler's (1922) and Rieu's (1946) translations. I read through nearly half of Butler's, quarter of Rieu's and all of the Fagles and to be honest, if you saw Fagles version. Get them.

    One of the reason that Fagles is most preferred is that when a professor recommend it, you get it. Other than that, Fagles is said to be closest to the poetic form from the original Ancient Greek and even I notice the poetic elements in the words rather than the excessive descriptive paragraphs of the same thing with Rieu and Butler's. Both translated Odyssey in novel style and most of the free source "The Odyssey" translation came from Butler, it made absolute sense why some people have differences in opinions on this epic.

    Before I began, I actually read this book with the help of Ian McKellan's narration. I know I have been an anti-audiobook thing but I'm not being hypocrite, in fact I was still struggling with the audiobooks but I was absolutely fine with poems (and The Odyssey actually is a series of rhapsodies) since these things are not meant to be read. Its mean to be said out loud and for me, this is quite an exception. But I still have problems concentrating with the listening part because I often fall asleep or space out so thats why I read and listen at the same time.

    With Ian McKellan's (aka Gandalf or Magneto if you don't know who that was) theatric experience, he effectively brought the classic into deathless dramatic epicness. Experiencing "The Odyssey" is nothing if you haven't listen to it being told by a bard who is ironically is who Ian McKellan is and listening to Sir Ian McKellan breathing the soul of Homer into Odyssey is possibly near orgasmic thing that I've ever had to listen to.

    The Odyssey began with a prayer to the Muse as the narrator started giving a short summary of the story. It's mostly centered around the events surrounding the missing hero, Odysseus, King of Ithaca. 20 years since Odysseus went to Troy to fight the war for Helen of Argos (not Helen of Troy!), the hero never went home and everyone including his wife and son accepted that he's died. Years earlier prior to the even in the first book, hundreds of men came to Ithaca to court the King's widow, Queen Penelope as it seems to be a custom for a beautiful young widow to remarry after the death of their husband. But Penelope managed to avoid the remarriage by prolonging the courtship which ends with the suitors overstaying Penelope's palace for years and spend all of the palace's resources on their feasting.

    In the first book, Athena became distraught over the plight of the great hero who is stuck in limbo and the fate of Odysseus's wife and son with their guests terrorizing their home. After she begged Zeus to command Calypso to let Odysseus go from her sensual snare, she disguised herself as Mentes, an old friend of Odysseus, to nudge the young prince to take action against the suitor's menace. With the guidance by the goddess, Telemachus finally set off to the seas to search for real news from his father. Meanwhile, Odysseus escaped Calypso's grasp finally heading towards his home but his journey was diverted and he was stranded again in Scheria due to Poseidon's being angry over what Odysseus had blinded his son, the cyclops Polyphemus during his earlier journey. In Scheria, he began to weave his tale and finally tell the Phaecians of his past and his journey back from Troy to Ithaca. The tales itself include his encounter with Circe, Polyphebus, Aeolus, The Cattle of the Sun and etc. The Phaecians took pity on him and send him back to Ithaca where he plotted doom against the suitors who defiled his house.

    The story is being told in various multiple narration in the beginning (Athena, Telemachus, Penelope, Odysseus etc) that is why I get some readers would get lost and felt it is boring but if its being read out loud, the poetry in Odyssey is much more prevalent than some passive narration style. Because Fagles updated the translation to be nearer to the original, you'll get the feel of what Homer had initially tried to portray with his stories.

    Since I do critical reading with The Odyssey, I do take note to the major recurrent theme of Xenia. A concept of hospitality by the Greek that embrace travelers into their home, mostly because they fear a god would disguise themselves as travellers and would punish them if they didn't treat their guests well. There are also signs from the gods or the hint by Odysseus cunning tongue or the forebodings. Some argue that The Odyssey is used to justify the role of some political ideologies that even I couldn't grasp it firmly. Besides I was thinking that The Odyssey's characterizations and conflicts are being overused in so many modern literature particularly famous archetypal ones.

    Other than that, I do notice this book is actually a mild romance novel, particularly with Penelope who is constantly grieving about her husband from the start of the book. I can't say about Odysseus fidelity but frankly, some characters in this book is classic strong female archetype. Athena (obviously.. disguising as several guys, fighting in wars, a peacekeeper etc), Penelope (a loyal woman who acting skills and great patience is what kept her in that limbo and somehow did do something to escape her near inevitable fate of loveless forced marriage from a broken mutual love marriage), Calypso (a woman desperate in need of love and companionship so much that she offers everything kept a man who never love her) and Circe (basically a lonely girl who know how to defend herself against a bunch of men coming into her house and turn them into pigs which they are). Ironically, the female in this book have more character than a bunch of YA novels and hypes these days.

    I had some misgivings about the story initially since Telemachus part of the book is really annoying. But it move well whenever Athena and Odysseus was around.

    To anyone who is considering to take on the classic, for more immersive experience, I would recommend the combination of Fagles translation and Sir Ian McKellan's audiobook if you want to read the epic. It will take longer than a few days if you read them at night, but its well worth to see Ian McKellan curses and narrating female parts nicely.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Everything classic Greek literature should be.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    815 The Odyssey: The Story of Ulysses, by Homer translated by W. H. D. Rouse (read 13 Aug 1965) Frankly, I read this because I figured everybody should have read this. I read it right after reading the Iliad. Over the years I had read parts of this, but I have no specific memory of being overly moved in the reading. Nor can I make any meaningful comment on the merit of the translation. This translation was published first in 1938
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    I have only ever read a junior version of The Odyssey (in fourth grade) but am familiar with the story and the characters. I was inspired to read it now after finishing Madeline Miller's Circe. This version of the story is told in paragraphs, not verses, which probably worked better for me. The language is still in convoluted form and I had to pay close attention and reread some sentences to get them straight.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    A thoroughly enjoyable, entertaining book..there is drama, action, romance, mythical creatures, magic, gods and goddesses, and many more. Its not just for those who love classics but should be read by everyone. Its worth the time and one gets to understand why people love the work of Homer so much
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    There are certainly some great episodes in the Odyssey, but after the incredible intensity of the Iliad, I found it somewhat tedious, and it took me a long time to finish. I liked Lombardo's translation of the Iliad very much, so I assume the fault is not his.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    The greatest of all ancient Greek works is spellbinding. Fagles' prose is lean and muscular, giving a grit and immediacy to his adventures. Loved it when I read it in high school, love it still today. As relevant today as it was nealy 3000 years ago.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    This was a book I decided to tackle with audiobook and I thought it came across better listening to a narrator. Will give the Iliad go to.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    Great classic book of travel, adventure, and myths.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    Once I got past the "dated" prose it was very interesting. Though it was read through English1H, it wasn't hard to get through; it went generally fast. Besides having to memorize all 958 characters for tests and quizzes, it was a good read. It's hard to believe this 300 page novel was read by memory at parties to the tune of a harp.
  • Rating: 2 out of 5 stars
    2/5
    For ordinary people: you should be patient to read it.
    For aspiring PR managers: gods (especially Athena) definitely can teach you some tricks.
    And of course, it's excellent choice for those who likes totally unmotivated massive murders. Or like reading about crying people who are constantly complaining how miserable and unlucky they are.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Experienced an unplanned event while traveling? Or feel like you are living through an epic of misfortune that will not end? Or just having a really bad day? If you answered yes to any of these questions then rush to your shelves and re-read a chapter of Odysseus’ travails on his way home. [Pause for you to finish reading chapter]. OK, deep breath, now your problems don’t seem so bad, do they? Recommended for all adventurers who need more perspective.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Rereading this I can't believe I once found Homer boring. In my defense, I was a callow teen, and having a book assigned in school often tends to perversely make you hate it. But then I had a "Keats conversion experience." Keats famously wrote a poem in tribute to a translation of Homer by Chapman who, Keats wrote, opened to him "realms of gold." My Chapman was Fitzgerald, although in this reread I tried the Fagles translation and really enjoyed it. Obviously, the translation is key if you're not reading in the original Greek, and I recommend looking at several side by side to see which one best suits. A friend of mine who is a classicist says she prefers the Illiad--that she thinks it the more mature book. I love the Illiad, but I'd give Odyssey a slight edge. Even just reading general Greek mythology, Odysseus was always a favorite, because unlike figures such as Achilles or Heracles he succeeded on his wits, not muscle. It's true, on this reread, especially in contrast to say the Illiad's Hector, I do see Odysseus' dark side. The man is a pirate and at times rash, hot-tempered, even vicious. But I do feel for his pining for home and The Odyssey is filled with such a wealth of incident--the Cyclops, Circe, Scylla and Charybdis, the Sirens--and especially Hades, the forerunner of Dante's Hell. And though my friend is right that the misogynist ancient Greek culture isn't where you go for strong heroines, I love Penelope; described as the "matchless queen of cunning," she's a worthy match for the crafty Odysseus. The series of recognition scenes on Ithaca are especially moving and memorable--I think my favorite and the most poignant being that of Odysseus' dog Argos. An epic poem about 2,700 years old, in the right translation it can nevertheless speak to me more eloquently than many a contemporary novel.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    I read the Robert Fagles translation, which was fairly easy to navigate, and enjoyable to read. It was a wonderful story, all about making choices, understanding consequences, and accepting them. It was also about being brave in the face of adversity.Odysseus is an appealing character: Strong, smart and cunning, and able to rise above his apparent punishment by the gods to redeem his condition.