The Odyssey (Penguin Classics) [Mass Market Paperback]

Homer (Author), H. Rieu (Editor), E. V. Rieu (Translator), Peter Jones (Introduction)

Book Description

Series: Penguin Classics | Publication Date: April 29, 2003

The epic tale of Odysseus and his ten-year journey home after the Trojan War forms one of the earliest and greatest works of Western literature. Confronted by natural and supernatural threats - shipwrecks, battles, monsters and the implacable enmity of the sea-god Poseidon - Odysseus must test his bravery and native cunning to the full if he is to reach his homeland safely and overcome the obstacles that, even there, await him.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Homer is thought to have lived c.750-700 BC in Ionia and is believed to be the author of the earliest works of Western Literature: The Odyssey and The Iliad. E V Rieu was a celebrated translator from Latin and Greek, and editor of Penguin Classics from 1944-64. His son, D C H Rieu, has revised his work. Peter Jones is former lecturer in Classics at Newcastle. He co-founded the 'Friends of Classics' society and is the editor of their journal and a columnist for The Spectator.

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 18 and up
  
• Mass Market Paperback: 416 pages
• Publisher: Penguin Classics; Revised edition (April 29, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0140449116
• ISBN-13: 978-0140449112
• Product Dimensions: 8 x 5.1 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (12 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #43,885 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

23 of 24 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Comment on the translation, September 30, 2005

By 

T. Bachman (Victoria, BC) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Odyssey (Penguin Classics) (Mass Market Paperback)

I own a number of translations of Homer, and the Rieu/Jones translations of The Odyssey and The Iliad are among my favourite (the others are Albert Cook's and Mandelbaum's translation of The Odyssey). I like all these better than the Fagles since they are more faithful to the original text.

If you order this book, grab yourself a Cliff Notes just so you get the necessary background info so it all makes sense.

Good luck!

11 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Homer has the right stuff, August 13, 2005

By 

Bernard M. Patten "Book worm" (Seabrook, TX United States) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Odyssey (Penguin Classics) (Mass Market Paperback)

Pretty good and a classic. I've read it four times and it gets better and better. It's packed with exciting adventure and sufficient love interest (both marital and adulterous). There is a host of interesting characters including Calypso, a great man eater and a Lolita, the teen aged Nausicaa. Homer doesn't spell some things out about what happens with and to these women but I get it now whereas I didn't get it in high school. Events: They blind that one-eyed monster, do drugs (the lotus), and have some rough sailing excitement engineered by angry gods and goddesses. That final scene is in the best tradition of the American Western with fighting and winged death by that powerful bow. It's a page turned and much much better than the Iliad. The tone is calmer, pondered, not ponderous. And then there is the montage, the use of stories within stories and background info embedded in myth and history. Wow! Homer has the right stuff. He's great. But did he really write all of it? My impression is that the last 20 pages are so different in tone and quality that they are not his.

22 of 30 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars THE LONG ROAD HOME, April 23, 2006

By 

EMAN NEP - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Odyssey (Penguin Classics) (Mass Market Paperback)

This review is in two parts. The first being my opinons on the translation, the second being my opinions on the story itself.

THE TRANSLATION:

Let's face it, popular works that were written in the BC or early AD timeframe can be a nightmare to try and read. Who wants to try and pronounce multisyllable Greek names or struggle with words that have long since winked out of existence? If you are the "average Joe", then let me tell you that THIS is the translation for you. The whole story is written in a novel sort of format, much like I'm writing this here. The translator makes no attempt to rhyme or to use alliteration, or to format the words on the page so it looks like a non-rhyming poem. The language is very modern, the most archaic word you'll find probably is the word "aegis" and if I remember there is a footnote that tells you what that is.

For me, the translation was as good as Seamus Heaney's translation of "Beowulf" in regards to readability. Overall, if you want to read the Odyssey and have been pondering which translation to get, think no further, this is the best I've seen.

THE STORY:

I was a bit disappointed with the story at first. I was under the impression that I was going to read about Odysseus' trials in "real-time". Instead, most of the "popular" scenes (like with the Cyclops) are simply Odysseus recounting what happened to him as he talks to someone else in their lavish house.

The end is where the story really shines though. Although this is a mythological fantasy tale, I see it more as a love story. The fantasy scenes felt a bit rushed, whereas the preparations for the grand finale went at a much slower pace. At its heart, this story is about a husband and wife that have been seperated by war for 20 years and both are longing to see each other yet again. Odysseus wants to share his tales of monsters he's fought and cities he's sacked, but more than that he wants to get home to his wife Penelope and plan his bloody revenge on the Suitors that are eating away at his wealth.

Overall this was a really good book, especially given it's age (and that's mostly thanks to the translator). If you like love and mythology/fantasy, this is the book for you.

An interesting thought that crossed my mind while reading this book: How many military wives would wait for their husbands 20 years for them to come back from Iraq? This book certainly says something about how strong love and faith can be--and should be.