#TheOdyssey #EmilyWilson #translation #Homer

“But the goddess Athena met his gaze & said, "Do not hold me back now. I must be on my way.
As for the gift you feel inspired to give me, save it for when I come on my way home and let me give you presents then as well in fair exchange."
With that, the owl-eyed goddess
flew away like a bird, up through the smoke.
She left him feeling braver, more determined, and with his father even more in mind.
Watching her go, he was amazed and saw she was a god.“

#Translation #EmilyWilson #Gods #Lunchtime #readingcommunity

“ #lunchtimereading #EmilyWilson

“Wilson: I’ve always been interested in the fact that the same Greek culture that conceived of gods in this way then produced Plato. It’s no accident, I think. Plato was able to articulate these profound questions about ethics in a whole new way, probably because the connection between ethics and religion had not yet been established. If you think about it, it’s not a given that the creation of the universe is connected to ideas of right and wrong. One could argue that the two have nothing to do with each other.

Guernica: That’s so interesting. So what can we learn from these gods and their immorality?

Wilson: I’m not sure. Maybe, if there’s one thing to focus on, it’s their interpersonal complexity, and especially their interest in the mortal world. It makes you think about what it would be like if you lived in a society where some had this enormous privilege, the privilege of living forever.”

https://www.guernicamag.com/back-draft-emily-wilson/

#Translation #EmilyWilson

“Ben Purkert interviewed #Odyssey translator Emily Wilson! "We discussed toxic masculinity, pseudo feminism, and which pronouns are most appropriate for Homer," says Purkert. "She explained what lessons we might take from The Iliad, and why the epic remains so compelling to the 'emo teenager' in all of us." From their conversation:

Guernica: ...[The] Times referred to you as the first woman to translate The Odyssey, and I know many other outlets have really focused on this too. What has that been like?

Wilson: I’m grateful for the question. I should begin by clarifying that I’m the first woman to translate a complete edition of The Odyssey into English; other women have translated the poem into other languages. Some of the media coverage has made me uncomfortable, because it reflects Anglophone hegemony. Like, if it doesn’t exist in English, it doesn’t exist.”

https://www.poetryfoundation.org/harriet-books/2020/02/guernica-talks-to-emily-wilson-while-she-translates-the-iliad

Someone asked which author's would be a bad fit for ending #ASongOfIceAndFire in case it was necessary to pass the torch. Someone replied "Homer in verse", which inspired me to do a pastiche in the style of the #WilliamCullenBryant translation (with some #EmilyWilson thrown in for good measure).

@bookstodon #bookstodon