Litsy

The Iliad: A New Translation by Caroline Alexander | Homer

#SundayFunday @BookmarkTavern

This is one of the many which I have, along with the Iliad: A New Translation by Peter Green. Before I had discovered these books, I did not know that they were around to make these old works an easier read. At first, they were tough but the extras that these books come with, really helped, it's been amazing, I'm reading books that I always thought would be out of my reach, I am truly grateful to these books.

BookmarkTavern Wonderful pick! Thank you for sharing! 15h

9 likes1 comment

Robotswithpersonality

Odyssey | Homer

so-so

There was definitely some skimming in this reread. I still got out of it what I wanted: to reacquaint myself with the plot beats and characters so I'm better prepared for any recent retellings that catch my eye; to remind myself that the further from modern sensibilities, the less likely I am to enjoy a literary classic. 🤷🏼‍♂️ 1/?

Robotswithpersonality 2/? A pity I can't read it in its original Greek with its famed rhythm, as much as I can credit Emily Wilson, the translator of my edition, for presenting the narrative in natural language-feeling English while also fitting the verse into iambic pentameter, this does mean the sentence structure is truncated, it's a little stilted to read/read aloud. 1mo

Robotswithpersonality 3/3 It doesn't help that based on a lot of different reading about Ancient Greece/Greek myths in university, I remember summarized events chronologically, which is not the way they're recounted in the Odyssey, a little frustrating to wade through! Just my natural impatience coming to bite me. 💁🏼‍♂️ 1mo

10 likes2 comments

dabbe

Beowulf | Anonymous

#WickedWhispers
#gruesome
@Eggs
@Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks

Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks 😱😱 2mo

dabbe @Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks IKR? 🤩😱🤗 2mo

Eggs Definitely 💯 👍🏼 2mo

dabbe @Eggs 🤩😱🤗 2mo

49 likes4 comments

AnishaInkspill

Aeneid | Virgil

so-so

There were parts where the poetry was moving, but minus: the story of Dido; the sea voyage Aeneas has; and some sobering war scenes, this mostly read like a piece of propaganda, but I would read again. This time I read Robert Fagles verse translation, I found it to be an easy read.

#Fiction #books #readaway2024 #eBook #Romance #mythology #war #epic poetry

5 likes

Coffeymuse

The Epic of Gilgamesh: An English Verison with an Introduction | Anonymous

I remember reading an excerpt of this in a big chunky English Lit book for high school homework.

#Schoolspirit
@Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks
@Eggs

Eggs Excellent 👌🏼 2mo

Rome753 I remember reading excerpts also. Hopefully can get around to reading the full work sometime. 2mo

Coffeymuse @Rome753 I keep thinking about going back and reading the entirety but just haven\'t yet. Maybe next year? 2mo

Rome753 @Coffeymuse It can be tough making the time. Especially if there's alot on the TBR list. 2mo

21 likes4 comments

suvata

The Epic of Gilgamesh: An English Verison with an Introduction | Anonymous

pick

3.5 Stars • The Epic of Gilgamesh is one of the earliest great works of literature, originating from ancient Mesopotamia, likely around the 18th century BCE. Gilgamesh, the king of Uruk, is initially tyrannical until the gods create Enkidu to challenge him. They become friends and embark on adventures, including defeating Humbaba and the Bull of Heaven. ⬇️

suvata After Enkidu's death, Gilgamesh, fearing mortality, seeks immortality, meeting Utnapishtim, who survived a great flood. He learns of a plant that can restore youth but loses it to a snake, realizing immortality is unattainable. Gilgamesh returns to Uruk, accepting his mortality and finding meaning in his legacy. 3mo

31 likes1 comment

Robotswithpersonality

Iliad: (the Stephen Mitchell Translation) | Homer

This post contains spoilers

show me

so-so

The gods made me do it! 🙄
How is it I never remember that the Iliad does not end with the fall of Ilium (Troy), not even the fall of Achilles, but rather the funeral rites for Patroclus and that poor bastard Hector? Kind of a let down from a narrative perspective. The whole thing feels like it's building not just to a showdown between Achilles and Hector, but also to whether Troy will be spared or destroyed, and the book ends before you have 1/?

Robotswithpersonality 2/? an answer! If memory serves, I think the Odyssey covers the aftermath, but it's not a very satisfying reading experience to recognize you need to read another epic to compete the tale. You know how I feel about cliffhangers.
Also from an 'all Greek myth has gotten jumbled in my head perspective' it doesn't help that the beginning of the Iliad does not start with the reasons for this conflict, the story is very much in media res, 3mo

Robotswithpersonality 3/? the campaign has been going on for years, you find out why every one is mad and fighting as it goes along.
The text is fairly heavy handed in putting forth what were the societal values of the day: honouring your host, and they honouring your solemn requests in turn, not being lost to pride or rage, affording the proper honours to the gods and the dead. 3mo

Robotswithpersonality 4/? I'm sure the text has been mined many times for what it has to say about the culture, trade, every day customs of ancient times - with the proviso of anything with this many immortal participants can't be considered too factual. Do NOT get me started on how women (that includes goddesses) were represented and treated in the text. Talk about enforcing the values of the time. 😑 3mo

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Robotswithpersonality 5/? Speaking of the text, I can appreciate the plain language, how easy it was to comprehend, but maybe some of the poetry of this epic has been lost in this particular translation? Granted I don't have a professor to explain the more complex bits this time 'round, so for a public library edition it's probably for the best!
Regardless of translation, two things stood out to me: 3mo

Robotswithpersonality 6/? Metaphors/similes for battle are heavy on the power of nature, group of soldiers like wave, stampede, etc, also hunting scenes, either men hunting prey, or predatory animals hunting prey. It's one form of violence describing another at the end of the day, but it's a solid reminder for how brutal those times likely were, how brutal war always is. 3mo

Robotswithpersonality 7/? Another heavily repeated theme were stories of families, particularly a focus on lineage, frequent digressions in the text, to prove the honour of this or that soldier is to cite their history, to introduce a new player is to mention who they're related to.
Speaking of, I know it was a good strategy to have whole sections of text repeated if you're going to have to remember to perform this whole thing orally back in the day, 3mo

Robotswithpersonality 8/? but it feels kind of ridiculous reading a copy paste of two paragraphs ago all over again. I would be completely on board for a radical reduction of the text along the lines of 'and Isis delivered the message as Zeus had dictated' END OF SCENE.
You'd drop a good chunk off the word count without harming the narrative, I daresay improving the flow. Alas, Homer is hallowed ground these days, and I think most would pitch a fit at the idea of 3mo

Robotswithpersonality 9/9 edited reproduction. That's why retellings exist. 😉

⚠️Domestic abuse, slavery, ableism, animal death, gore, misogyny 3mo

2 likes8 comments

Robotswithpersonality

Iliad: (the Stephen Mitchell Translation) | Homer

New plan: Greek myth-sci-fi-fantasy fusion; can someone please write a story about the golden handmaids of Hephaestus?
I now have a mighty need for ancient Greek robot narratives! 💛🤖🏛️🏺

8 likes

Robotswithpersonality

Iliad: (the Stephen Mitchell Translation) | Homer

That's right, Zeus, nothing more seductive than telling your wife you suddenly find her sexier than all the women you cheated on her with, (a partial list). 😑🙄

dabbe One of my favorite parts! 😂 3mo

10 likes1 comment

Robotswithpersonality

Iliad: (the Stephen Mitchell Translation) | Homer

Ancient Greek smack talk. 🤌🏻

7 likes

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