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The Odyssey

By Homer
Book Hero Magic crafted this summary to help describe this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Summary
Twenty years after the Trojan War, Odysseus struggles to return home to Ithaca, where his household is besieged by suitors seeking his wife Penelope. His son Telemachus is powerless as Odysseus faces numerous divine and earthly challenges, relying on his cunning and bravery to reclaim his family and kingdom.
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Format: Paperback / softback
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Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?

This edition appeals to readers interested in classical literature, ancient Greek culture, and epic poetry, especially those seeking an accessible yet scholarly translation.

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The Odyssey tells the story of the Greek hero Odysseus' epic ten year journey home after the end of the Trojan War of the Iliad. Its epic sweep has gripped generations of readers.

Homer's Odyssey rivals the Iliad as the greatest poem of Western culture and is perhaps the most influential text of classical literature.

Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

"Grey-eyed Athena sent them a following breeze, the fresh-blowing westerly, whistling over the wine-dark sea."

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.

Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?

Colin Burrow of the London Review of Books praises Verity's translation as excellent, clear, and traditionally literal yet non-poetic. Roger Barnes from Classics for All describes it as a distinguished addition to the Oxford World's Classics series and a leader in its genre.

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Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9780198736479

Publisher: Oxford University Press

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 22 February 2018

Country: United Kingdom

Imprint: Oxford University Press

Illustration: 1 black & white map

Contributors:

  • Translated by Anthony Verity
  • Introduction by William Allan

Audience: Tertiary education

DIMENSIONS

Spine width: 17.0mm

Width: 129.0mm

Height: 196.0mm

Weight: 264g

Pages: 384

About the Author

Anthony Verity is a classical scholar and educationalist whose appointments include Head of Classics at Bristol Grammar School, Headmaster of Leeds Grammar School, and Master of Dulwich College from 1986 to 1995. His translations for Oxford World's Classics include Theocritus, Idylls and Pindar, The Complete Odes, and the Iliad. William Allan is McConnell Laing Fellow and Tutor in Classical Languages and Literature at University College, Oxford. His previous publications include The Andromache and Euripidean Tragedy (2000), Euripides: The Children of Heracles (2001), Euripides: Medea (2002), Euripides: Helen (2008), Homer: The Iliad (2012), and Classical Literature: A Very Short Introduction (2014).

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