In the myths and legends that are retold here, fagles has captured the energy and poetry of homers original in a bold, contemporary idiom, and given us an odyssey to read aloud, to savor, and to treasure for its sheer lyrical mastery. He did this to gain access to the kingdom of the dead. Im a bit late with my first post about the odyssey for trishs readalong. He has managed to create a poetic style that combines the pungency of modern colloquial english w a timeless dignity. With a large, funny chorus of narrators, several songs and raps, and even some cheerleading, the odyssey, oedipus, and others offers a brand new look at ageold classics. In the myths and legends that are retold here, renowned translator robert fagles has captured the energy and poetry of homers original in a bold, contemporary idiom and given us an edition of the odyssey to read aloud, to savor, and to treasure for its sheer lyrical mastery. In sophocles praise of man and the conflicts of the antigone, charles paul segal takes the stand that there are two protagonists in the drama which conflicts with this. Fagles was born in philadelphia, pennsylvania, the son of. Books, images, historic newspapers, maps, archives and more. Accordingly, i did as circe instructed, bleeding a sacrificed lamb into a pit.
Translator robert fagles traces the logic antigone uses to the histories of herodotus, in a story of a persian woman who saves her brother rather than her husband or children. This quality has led some scholars to conclude that homer wrote the odyssey at a later time of his life, when he showed less interest in struggles at arms and was more receptive to a storyline that focused on the fortunes and misadventures of. The nation fitzgeralds odyssey and iliad open up once more the unique greatness of homers art at the level above the formula. Ghosts out of erebus on reaching the shore, we dragged the vessel down to the glittering sea, and set up mast and sail in our black ship. Robert fagles, winner of the penralph manheim medal for translation and a 1996 academy award in literature from the american academy of arts and letters, presents us with homers bestloved and most accessible poem in a stunning.
The ancient greek poet homer established the gold standard for heroic quests and sweeping journeys with his pair of classic epic poems, the iliad and the odyssey. Odyssey 68 greek and latin texts with facing vocabulary. Then he freed the dead by pouring milk and honey, mellow wine, and water into the trench. Despite sophocles conceptual writing style, the robert fagles version of antigone is a modern english edition that can be understood by 9th. Tiresias, the blind prophet who had accompanied us to troy, was. Buy the odyssey penguin classics new ed by homer, bernard knox, bernard knox, robert fagles isbn. The tone of her argument seems uncharacteristic of antigone, who has expressed her convictions strongly all along even while lamenting her approaching death. By the time homers audience encounters odyssey 23, odysseus has revealed his identity to his son. For those of us who know and love the incomparable odyssey of.
Antigone the characterization sophocles tragic drama, antigone, presents to the reader a full range of characters. In book 11 of homers the odyssey, odysseus continues to share the story of his difficult journey with alkinoos and the phaiakians. Homer translated by robert fagles introduction and notes. Book ii now when the child of morning, rosyfingered dawn, appeared, telemachus rose and dressed himself. Meanwhile ulysses and the swineherd had lit a fire in the hut and were were getting breakfast ready at daybreak for they had sent the men out with the pigs.
There he pours libations and performs sacrifices as circe earlier instructs him to do to attract the souls of the dead. Telemachus feels awkward and embarrassed by his youth and inexperience, but under athenamentors guidance, he makes a. Just as odysseus taunts the blinded polyphemus in book 9 by boasting about his defeat of the cyclops, the members of his crew prove unable to resist looking into aeoluss bag, and their greed ends up complicating their nostos, or homeward voyage. The problem came when i sat down to write my summary of books 1 through 6 and couldnt work out the exact playbyplay. As telemachus and athena still disguised as mentor arrive at pylos, they come upon a huge ceremony in which some 4,500 people offer 81 bulls in sacrifice to poseidon. Fagles has been remarkably successful in finding a style that is of our time and yet timeless. Highly recommendedaudio book playlist of the odyssey, translated by robert fagles, read by sir ian mckellan gandalf from lord of the. This is an odyssey to delight both the classicist and the public at large, and to captivate a new generation of homers students.
Antigone, oedipus the king and oedipus at colonus before he felt. Crowded with characters, both human and nonhuman, and bursting with action, the epic tales detail the fabled trojan war and the adventures of odysseus as he struggles to return home. What is the importance of odysseuss bed in homers odyssey. Ismene highlights the physicality of the kinship antigone asserts with ismene at the price of. The mortal tendency to succumb to temptation manifests itself throughout book 10.
We learn that poseidon, god of the sea, holds a grudge though we dont know exactly why against odysseus and is making the guys voyage home a pretty difficult one. In chapter 11, odysseus and his remaining men travel from circes island to the ocean rivers bounds where the cimmerian people live house of the dead to seek tiresias. Book i athena inspires the prince sing to me of the man, muse, the man of twists and turns driven time and again off course, once he had plundered the hallowed heights of troy. See important quotations explained odysseus travels to the river of ocean in the land of the cimmerians. The land of the dead is near the homes of the cimmerians, who live shrouded in mist and cloud 11. Book 1 book 2 book 3 book 4 book 5 book 6 book 7 book 8 book 9 book 10 book 11 book 12 book book 14 book 15 book 16 book 17 book 18 book 19 book 20 book 21 book 22 book 23 book 24 themes all themes fate, the gods, and free will piety, customs, and justice cunning, disguise, and selfrestraint memory and grief glory and honor. Internet archive bookreader homer theodysseyfagles. He bound his sandals on to his comely feet, girded his sword about his shoulder, and left his room looking like an immortal god. So, fitzgerald leads the race for following the poetic format while fagles comes in first for his literal efforts to preserve accurate content.
Homer the odyssey translated by robert fagles book i athena inspires the prince sing to me of the man, muse, the man of twists and turns. He let the blood and gore of the beasts fall into the. This quality has led some scholars to conclude that homer wrote the odyssey at a later time of his life, when he showed less interest in struggles at arms and was more receptive to a storyline that focused on the fortunes and misadventures of a single man. Four wellloved tales the odyssey, oedipus the king, oedipus at colonus, and antigone are brought to life in this hilarious and accessible collection of short adaptations.
Summary and analysis book 11 the visit to the dead. Book 11 by god, id rather slave on earth for another man. Achilles containing what we now know as books i, 8 and 11 to 22 of the poem. On the shores of that realm odysseus digs a trench. Bernard knox is director emeritus of harvards center for hellenic studies in washington, d. Plot odysseus is still telling the phaecians his story.
Athena inspires the prince the odyssey, book 1, fagles translation 1. Nov 11, 2010 im a bit late with my first post about the odyssey for trishs readalong. Odysseus addressed a prayer to the dead and sacrificed the sheep into a pit that had been dug. Setting odysseus took his sword and dug a trench between the river of tears and the river of fire. When young dawn with her rosered fingers shone once more the true son of odysseus sprang from bed and dressed, over his. Ive been listening to ian mckellen read the epic to me on audio, which is fantastic. The odyssey is literatures grandest evocation of every mans journey through life. Find a summary of this and each chapter of the odyssey. My second favorite translation, based on the similitude in word choices and notes, is the publication by faglesthe iliad the odyssey. Many cities of men he saw and learned their minds, many pains he suffered, heartsick on the open sea, fighting to save. O great alkinoos, preeminent among all people, there is a time for many words, and a time for sleeping. The internet classics archive the odyssey by homer.
The odyssey book 1 lyrics the gods in councilminervas visit to ithacathe challenge from telemachus to the suitors tell me, o muse, of that ingenious hero who travelled far and wide after. Perfect for acing essays, tests, and quizzes, as well as for writing lesson plans. Robert fagles, the renowned translator of latin and greek whose. The poet invokes the muse to help him tell the story of odysseus. Oedipus at colonus sophocles, robert fagles, bernard knox on. Then we hauled the sheep aboard, and embarked ourselves, weeping, shedding huge tears. Robert fagles my own flesh and blooddear sister, dear. A selection of 33 vocabulary words from book 1 of homers the odyssey.
Jun 22, 2011 robert fitzgeralds translation is a masterpiece. Learn exactly what happened in this chapter, scene, or section of the odyssey and what it means. Chapter summary for homers the odyssey, book 11 summary. Fagles was nominated for the national book award in translation and won the harold morton.
The odyssey, oedipus, and others or greek story theatre. Odysseus follows circes instructions, digging a trench at the site prescribed and pouring libations of milk, honey, mellow wine, and pure water. Award in literature from the american academy of arts and letters for his translation of the odyssey. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. Robert fagles was an american professor, poet, and academic, best known for his many. Here eurylochus and another prepared the ram and ewe for sacrifice.
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