Customer Reviews

The Essential Homer: Selections from the Iliad and the Odyssey

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Lombardo's translations of Homer are brilliant, energetic, and fun to read. While other translations are as dry and dusty as ancient Greek itself, Lombardo remarkably manages to bring it all to life, and reading both the Iliad and the Odyssey are as interesting and exciting as reading the most fascinating and lurid novel you've ever had in your hands.

The best thing about this edition is that it has MAPS in the front, and NAME GLOSSARIES in the back (for both the Iliad and the Odyssey). This edition is abridged, but I found that only long, tedious descriptions of preparations for battles seemed to be missing.

This is the ideal student text. (If you are looking for the best FULL edition ever, Lombardo's entire translations of the Iliad and Odyssey are also available.

If I could give it six stars, I would.

I had to use this book for a school project. This version by Stanley lombardo is great, and the refreshed modern day speaking makes the book easier to get through. Furthermore, the character guides and reference to other books in the back proved to be very helpful!

Stanley Lombardo's translation of Homer's works is modern and sings. This compilation is great for getting the story of Homer's epics without reading through some of the unnecessary parts of The Iliad and The Odyssey. As I purchased this for the Kindle, I think that the layout and access of the work is excellent.

To be fair, I have not yet read the full versions of either the Iliad or the Odyssey. Thus, it is perhaps difficult to accurately review a book that omits sections of the two aforementioned epics. I had Dr. Lombardo for an Intro. Greek and Roman Myth class one year ago, and the man is, by all accounts, a Genius. One need only to look at his prolific career of translations to agree, but listening to his unparalleled eloquence in lecture makes me confident that I am right in calling him a brilliant man. As such, I am equally confident that Lombardo has provided the reader with the bare necessities to Homer. He does not sacrifice any of the storyline but condenses the less salient scenes. Even with some of the story purged, both the Iliad and the Odyssey are quite enjoyable reads. Lombardo's translation is highly readable, some would say too casual. His explanation for this, given in class, is simple: the ancient bards did not tell these stories in a formal tone. Lombardo is being true to the reader by avoiding the verbosity of other translators. I've read excerpts of Fagles' translation of the Odyssey, and I didn't find the same emotion and appeal as I did reading Lombardo's work. The scholar would perhaps suggest trying several versions of the Iliad and Odyssey. For the Everyman, this should suit him perfectly.

Also try: Ovid's Metamorphosis trans. by Lombardo - The only other work of his I've read.