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    The Odyssey
    The Odyssey
    The Odyssey
    Audiobook (abridged)4 hours

    The Odyssey

    Written by Homer

    Narrated by Anton Lesser

    4.5/5

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    About this audiobook

    The Trojan War is over and Odysseus, the cunning King of Ithaca, sets out for home, his wife Penelope and his son Telemachus. It proves a long, ten-year journey, fraught with dangers, from Polyphemus, the one-eyed Cyclops, and the seductive Sirens, to the love of Calypso on her all-too-comfortable isle. When he arrives in Ithaca, he has to contend with a group of suitors who have been pressing his wife to forget about her husband, admit she is a widow, and marry one of them. Anton Lesser, one of Britain’s finest audiobook stars, brings this great classic to life in the new and imaginative translation by Ian Johnston.
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherNaxos Audiobooks
    Release dateJul 1, 2007
    ISBN9789629546595
    Author

    Homer

    Two epic poems are attributed to Homer, the Iliad and the Odyssey. They are composed in a literary type of Greek, Ionic in basis with Aeolic admixtures. Ranked among the great works of Western literature, these two poems together constitute the prototype for all subsequent Western epic poetry. Modern scholars are generally agreed that there was a poet named Homer who lived before 700 B.C., probably in Asia Minor.

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    Reviews for The Odyssey

    4.5/5

    185 ratings142 reviews

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    • 5/5
      Wilson's translation of the Odyssey is excellent, but the real value is her introductory material and notes, including the three maps of the world of The Odyssey and of the actual classical Greek world. As for the translation, my Greek is not adequate to comment but it reads very well, lively and yet true to the Homeric conventions. The pace is brisker than that of the archaic translations I have previously read, and more like contemporary English than some of the more modern. I even found myself sympathizing with different characters as I read. And I noticed some character development, in Telemachus, for example.

      1 person found this helpful

    • 2/5
      This book is a timeless epic (and an actual epic, not in the way the word is overused anymore). The language of Homer is down to earth and not flowery or difficult to read or understand. The characters are relatable to some degree; one quickly realizes the superstitions of today are deeply rooted in ancient cultures.
    • 5/5
      The tribulations of the wily Odysseus making his way home after the Trojan war to his wife Penelope in Ithaca. An excellent translation for today's reader with a masterly introduction by the classicist Bernard Knox. "So they traded stories, the two ghosts standing there in the House of Death..." As Ted Hughes wrote, "Just the right blend of sophistication and roughness it seems to me."
    • 5/5
      I finally completed it, and what a long strange trip it's been.Before beginning my trek, I was somewhat familar with The Odyssey as a major work in Western Literature, one that has spawned influences in other literary works and drama.It was slow going at first, what with the whole medias res thing and trying to get a bead on the characters and time placement. and Telemachus's search,and of course, Odysseus's trails and tribulations. I was struck by the violence, most especiallythe staggering unmerciless detailed killing of the suitors and servants upon Odysseus'sreturn to Ithaca. I would read it again; a work of this magnitude should be read more than once if only to grasp the continual width and panorama of it. Just the encounters with thecreatures alone make my mind boggle at the imaginative creativity involved to envision such a thing.
    • 4/5
      I've read this one twice for school and I really like it. Its all about life, and the struggle to find ourselves, and our way home.
    • 3/5
      A must read
    • 4/5
      Though most people seem to prefer The Iliad to The Odyssey, I like the latter for its sheer fabulous inventiveness. The story is fairly simple, Odysseus is trying to make his way home to the Greek island of Ithaca after the Trojan war, but he's earned the ire of the god Poseidon so it's not going to be an easy task. Meanwhile, his wife Penelope is beset with a veritable infestation of suitors and she's running out of delaying tactics.The poem divides itself between Odysseus's ordeals (exciting!) and the troubles back at home with his wife and son (not quite so exciting). Some of my favorite parts:- the encounter with a certain cranky monoptic giant with a taste for human flesh- the trip to the underworld and Odysseus's conversations with the recently deceased. (Apparently being dead kind of sucks.)- the Scylla and Charybdis incident, in which a crevice-lurking multi-headed monstrosity and a nasty whirlpool double-team our hero and his ship. What's not to like?- The sirens, Circe and her isle of enchanted pigs, and so on.. All good stuff.PS: I had one small irritation while reading this. Robert Fagles deploys the phrase "dawn with her rose-red fingers" one too many times in this book. He used it quite a bit in The Iliad as well, but The Iliad has a different flow and therefore it doesn't seem quite as conspicuously repetitive. I know it's part of Homer's poetic style, but a bit more variation from the translator would have been appreciated.One last thought: I felt very, very sorry for Odysseus's dog.
    • 4/5
      The Odyssey, along with its predecessor, The Iliad, are the oldest known works of Western literature. Attributed to the Greek epic poet, Homer (whose history and authorship are subjects of dispute), The Iliad chronicles the Trojan War. The Odyssey is the sequel, which details the adventures of the Greek hero Odysseus as he attempts to return to his home on Ithaca.Most are familiar with the travails of Odysseus as he encounters the Cyclops, Calypso, Scilla, Charybdis and various other Gods and obstacles before finally making his way home after a twenty year absence. In his absence, his wife Penelope and son Telemachus have been beset by a large group of “suitors” who have dissipated the estate of Odysseus. The text is surprisingly approachable (depending upon the translation, I’m sure) given its age. The constant reference to God worship becomes a little tiresome (most frequent phrase, “..the child of morn, Rosy fingered Dawn…”), but otherwise the cultural differences are not so extreme as to make understanding difficult.Written in 24 “chapters”, the first fourteen are devoted to the journey to Ithaca. Thereafter, the story deals with resolution of the “suitor” situation. I must say there was a stretch of about six chapters (15-21) that progressed VERY slowly and became somewhat repetitive. Aside from that, however, I was very pleasantly surprised with my tolerance of this classic.
    • 5/5
      I am finally reviewing this book - after reading it two or three months ago. Firstly, this book is very readable. The translator did an excellent job of making this book accessible to a general reader. I am sure there are translations that stay closer to the original - but.This is a story of Odysseus and his journey to get home after a long war. Of course, the book was written around 3000 years ago, when literature was just starting. As a result, the story is quite simple. This isn't a detraction. It adds a sense of place to the story - setting it in a location and time that is very far away.Odysseus is a very simple fellow - not stupid. He takes the most direct route, never lying, never cheating on his way to get home. Of course, there are parts that are truly strange, actions, words, beliefs. You can read this story without understanding the cultural references. But, for me, it was helpful to consult outside sources for a deeper understanding.One last thing - I am currently reading the Aeneid by Virgil written 1500 years later. This also covers the Trojan War. I haven't finished it - but I am finding the difference in writing to be very interesting. The Aeneid is more sophisticated, characters are more complex. Its the difference between the start of a civilization compared to the end of a civilization (or maybe the middle of one, if you consider current civilization to be a continuation). Either way, it is an interesting comparison.
    • 4/5
      I've read this classic a number of times. Most "recently" was for Mythology and Parageography at university. I always enjoy mythology, and I'm not a great judge of translations or anything, but I do better reading this outloud to myself.

      I love Odysseus and his travels. I should read it more often.
    • 4/5
      Surprisingly, The Odyssey was not a part of my education in any form whether abridged or otherwise. When I set a goal to read more classics this year I decided, what better place to start to than one of the foundations of western literature!First of all, the translation by Robert Squillace is anything but poetic, but served as a good starting point for an Odyssey novice such as myself. The prose format made it easy to read and the endnotes provided necessary background information which was essential for my understanding as I have never had much of a background in Greek or Roman mythology. This story has it all romance, adventure, betrayal, manipulative schemes, and violence in abundance...let's just say, its epic! Odysseus, King of Ithaca, survives the Trojan war only to meet obstacle upon obstacle on his journey home to his faithful wife, Penelope. Along the way he and his men must battle a man eating Cyclops, the charms of Circe who turns Odysseus' men into pigs, the wrath of the Sun god and Poseidon the god of the seas, Calypso who makes Odysseus a prisoner of love and other wizards, sirens, and gods. In all it takes Odysseus 10 years to return to Ithaca only to find that his home has been plundered by suitors seeking his wife's hand in marriage.As a classic, it is easy to see how The Odyssesy affected the creation of such movies/books as: Lord of the Rings, Star Wars, and Harry Potter. The Odyssey certainly deserves its place among classic literature for these reasons and its obvious entertainment value. I would be hard pressed to say that this was my favorite book to read, it did take me nearly 10 months to complete it after all, but it is one that I'm glad I took the time to read just for the background knowledge I acquired. As I read the epic, I found myself alternately amused and irritated with Odysseus who uses cleverness and intelligence to get him out of more than one scrape only to be led into another with his personality flaw of arrogance. The epic shows Odysseus' ability to manipulate his enemies and lead his men, but somehow miss all opportunities to return to his wife, who is forced to deal with the aggressive suitors. Despite the fantastic/mythical nature of the read, the humanness of Odysseus is ultimately the very aspect of the epic, in addition to his classical influence, that makes it worth the time to read. I can only imagine what this epic would be like to hear performed, how entertaining it must have been for its listeners!
    • 4/5
      I have read several versions of The Odyssey ranging from ones designed for collegiate readers to ones designed for early readers, and frankly I like them all. I have long been a fan of this particular story for all its colorful characters and life lessons. I think that the parallel story lines of Odysseus, Telemachus, and Penelope offer a variety of perspectives for any reader.
    • 3/5
      I read this book as an assignment in school so ... it's was not necessary my like or my choice, but I think it was a goodread ( :) ), isn't it a classic after all? I get confused between the Illiad and the Odyssey - that's how concentrated I was but I have always thought and made a mental note to read it later in my life. It is later in my life now ... mmm
    • 4/5
      Well, it seems a bit odd to be reviewing The Odyssey after all these centuries, but of course it's a great story. The new translation is excellent, very accessible and easy to read, although some of the colloquialisms did seem a bit odd in the context (I guess it's the balance between seeming realistic and being easy to read). The Appendices containing the stories of the dead in Hades were great, poetic as well as easy to read, and reminded me a bit of Alice Oswald's Memorial. I might even try rereading the Iliad with this new translation, as I found it a bit hard going the last time I read it (an older translation).
    • 5/5
      Sing to me of the man, Muses, the man of twists and turnsdriven time and again off course, once he had plundered the hallowed heights of Troy.Here we are once again, with the poet imploring the Muse to sing her song about the adventures ensuing the the fall of Troy. Having just finished rereading The Iliad which told of the rage of Achilles and the Trojan War, I find The Odyssey a much more congenial book, seeimngly modern in structure and outlook, even as it tells of events before the beginning of history as we know it. It tells the journey of Odysseus on his way hhome from Troy, a journey that takes him ten years. Odysseus is a man who, according to none other than Zeus, "excels all men in wisdom," (1.79). Odysseus has offended Poseidon, the god of the seas, by blinding his son Polyphemus the Cyclops; and, Poseidon, in retaliation has driven Odysseus off-course and delayed his return home to Ithaca. Athena rouses the rest of the gods and takes up Odysseus case. It is thus that we find Athena going to Ithaca and, in the form of Mentes, helping Odysseus' son Telemachus as part of her plan. We also meet Penelope, the wise and patient wife of Odysseus, who has been fending off the suitors who have been pursuing her in Odysseus absence. Telemachus tells Athena: "And mother . . . she neither rejects a marriage she despises nor cn she bear to bring the courting to an end -- while they continue to bleed my household white."(1.289-91). The situation is untenable and calls for action. With Athena's assurance that his father is still alive, Telelmachus may take the necessary action. We find ourselves in a very different kind of poem than The Iliad, but one that promises suspense and excitement. Key themes that appear and will reappear as we continue include the idea of the heroic journey, both for Odysseus and Telemachus, and the growth of the character of Odysseus, who is described by Athena as he endures his captivity under Calypso's power:But he, straining for no more than a glimpseof hearth-smoke drifting up from his own land,Odysseus longs to die . . .(1.69-71)
    • 5/5
      The Odyssey is an epic tale of a war hero's struggle to reclaim his life after the final battle ends. There are elements of action, adventure, romance and just about everything in-between sewn into the plot. It has proven to be a timeless classic that will be enjoyed for generations to come. The excitement of the tale will hold the reader's interest from page to page, eagerly reading on to see what obstacles Odysseus and his faithful crew will face next in their journey. The Odyssey is a great example of greek mythology at it's finest, and will spark interest further into the genre.
    • 4/5
      This is the classic story of how Odysseus leaves the finished battle of Troy for his return voyage to Ithaca only to be beset by many trials and obstacles. Meanwhile, back at the ranch--I mean palace, his wife and son creatively ward off a group of rowdy suitors who want to take Odysseus' wife as their own and gain the kingdom. Also in the background, the Greek gods argue with each other, some punish Odysseus and others try to help.I chose to read the Alexander Pope translation because I wanted to read the free version on my ereader. I never finished The Iliad because I was overwhelmed by the length of the book. I needed to trick my brain into thinking this wasn't so long. That said, I would recommend a more recent translation like the Fagles' translation. There were portions that I found difficult to understand, and it was especially difficult to understand who was talking at times.A couple of observations on the great epic poem. There are some very touching (emotional) scenes in this book. One that stands out to me is Odysseus's visit to hell. There he sees his mother and learns she has died of grief over Odysseus's failure to return from the war. He also sees Agamemnon who was killed by his wife and her lover on his return from the war. A cast of characters parades in front of him from the war who are now dead. Another is when Odysseus returns to Ithaca and his old dog dies of joy. Odysseus sees his father, the former king, in rags, and his wife in tears. I rejoiced when Penelope finally had the joy of spending the night with her husband. What a reunion!I was surprised by some of the violence because I'd read The Children's Homer by Colum three times to my children through the years. Obviously, Colum edited the story to make it more suitable for children. This has a very modern feel when the monster eats his comrades, and when Odysseus cuts off the heads of the suitors and tortures one of the suitors' servants, then he decides to hang the women conspirators.All in all the enduring classic quality of this story hinges on the emotional connection we all feel to our hero Odysseus.
    • 5/5
      The 4 & 1/2 star rating in this case is only for the 2005 Penguin Audio audiobook edition of Robert Fagles' 1996 translation of Homer's The Odyssey. This is not a reflection on Fagles' translation or Ian McKellen's narration which are both 5 stars. The lower rating is only due to a few chapter/verse timing issues and the occasional distraction due to the ambience of different recording sessions combined into one audiobook. The recording is from the pre-digital download era and the audio chapters are based on approximate 30 minute timings (1 side of a cassette tape?), regardless of the actual Homeric verses. So the 24 Chapter starts are only occasionally equal to the beginnings of the 24 Verses of the Odyssey. This may or may not be a distraction for some. It is probably not a major issue if you are following along with a print edition.One segment, Chapters 9 to 12 in the audiobook, middle of Verse 10 to the end of Verse 12 in Homer, has a significant audio issue. The speed of McKellen's reading drops to a deep bass voice at a seemingly slowed down audiospeed, as if the tape slowed down or McKellen was suffering from a serious cold on the day of the recording. This is enormously distracting when compared to the sound of the voice before and after this segment. Again, this is not a deal breaker but listeners should at least be forewarned of this fault.The audiobook also excludes Bernard Knox's introduction that is available in the Penguin print edition.
    • 3/5
      I'm glad that my library had this as an audiobook - I think it made me like the tale much more. Had I read it in paper the style would just make me bored and quit but the story fit well in an audio format.

      The writing style was mediocre and much repetitions to make the reader remember that it was Athena in a different shape etcetera. I wouldn't have liked this style at all in paper form. But it's heart-warming, thinking that someone back in the ancient days wrote this, that the humans had the same reactions and feelings back then. And the story in itself is a good adventure tale.
    • 5/5
      As with my review of Lombardo's translation of the Iliad, I will not comment on homers masterful and classic story. Many others have done so and I can add little.

      But, like his translation of the Iliad, Lombardo's modern and dramatic style make this classic engaging.

      Highly recommended.
    • 5/5
      How much more can possibly be said about this book?
    • 5/5
      Rated: A-The New Lifetime Reading Plan: Number 3Life as the journey.And thus he spoke among the immortals:"Ah, how quick men are to blame the gods!From us, they say, all their evils come,When they themselves, by their own ridiculous pride,Bring horrors on far beyond anything fateWould ever have done.For a better and a higher gift than this there cannot be, when with accordant aims man and wife have a home. Great grief is it to foes and joy to friends; but they themselves best know its meaning.Our lives are soon over. If one is unfeeling,And cruel in his thoughts, all men call down cursesUpon him while he is alive, and after he's deadThey mock and scorn him. but if one is kind-hearted and generous,Strangers carry his fame throughtout the worldAnd many are they who call that mortal good.
    • 5/5
      If you've never actually read the Odyssey, you must take a shot at this translation. 16,000 lines of poetry may seem daunting, but Home is the source, the ur-source, of most of Western fantasy literature. You need to read this excellent translation to really understand the story, and dispel the various accretions that movies and TV have glopped on.
    • 5/5
      After the ten-year Trojan War ends the warriors return to their home lands. Odysseus’ journey is longer than most because he has angered Poseidon. He runs into one obstacle after another as he fights to return to his wife and son. He fights a Cyclops, travels to the land of the dead, narrowly misses the call of the sirens and spends years trapped on Calypso's island. When he finally returns to Ithaca his home is filled with suitors attempting to woo his wife. I first read The Odyssey in high school, rereading it a decade later was a very different experience. This time I paid much more attention to Penelope’s story. She is such an incredible character. Her loyalty and patience is remarkable. Even though her husband has been gone for 20 years she still holds out that he is alive and will return to her. It made me wonder how long someone would wait nowadays. Obviously there were fewer communication options back then, but still a couple decades is a long time to hang on to hope. Penelope is surrounded by suitors and keeps them at bay by telling them she’ll consider them once she finishes what she’s weaving. She weaves all day and then at night she undoes everything she’s woven. Margaret Atwood wrote an interesting novella about her story, The Penelopiad: The Myth of Penelope and Odysseus.I enjoyed his son Telemachus’ journey. When his father leaves he is only a baby, but he’s grown to become a man in Odysseus’ absence and he longs to find his father. He isn’t sure if he should search for his father or stay and protect his mother, it’s a difficult decision. For me, it’s important that Odysseus is not a god. He is just a mortal man. So many of the stories in Greek literature are about the gods or demigods. Odysseus is neither, he occasionally has help from the gods, like Athena, at other times he is persecuted by the gods, especially Poseidon, but he has none of their powers. He must rely on his intelligence and cunning to outsmart his captors. BOTTOM LINE: An absolute must for classic lovers. It’s also one of the most accessible pieces of Greek literature and a gateway drug into that world. p.s. This time around I listened to the Robert Fagles translation on audio and it was read by the magnificent Ian McKellen. I would highly recommend it!  
    • 4/5
      Opmerkelijke, niet-chronologische structuur. Ook minder tragedisch-hero?sch dan Ilias, meer accent op waarden trouw, vriendeschap. Verschuiving tav Ilias: mensheld speelt hier de hoofdrol; Odysseus doorspartelt alle gevaren dankzij zijn formidabele karakter (groot hart, eerlijk maar ook vurig en wreedaardig), een man voor alle tijden; doorslaggevend: hij gelooft in eigen kunnen. Ook intelligent-listig (soms web van leugens), daarom in de Oudheid eerder als negatieve figuur gezien (corrupt en leugenachtig), pas met Renaissance gerehabiliteerd.Maar Odysseus is wel de enige onbesproken held, alle anderen (inclusief Telemachos en Penelope) worden in een dubieus daglicht gesteld. Tav Ilias komen vrouwen meer op voorgrond (maar niet altijd positief).Geen mythe, maar wel heldenverhaal, epos. De hoofdlijn is grondig vermengd met andere verhalen (dat van de cycloop is bij andere volkeren in 125 versies te vinden). Het centraal thema is de queeste, de zoektocht naar wat verloren is gegaan (vergelijking met Gilgamesj mogelijk: bezoek aan onderwereld, nihilistische visie op dood).
    • 4/5
      A classic and a great look into Greek lit.
    • 3/5
      This review is of the translation, not of Homer's great song. Fagles domesticates, flattens, Americanizes at every turn. To get a feeling of the high poetic sweep of the original Greek, compare this with Robert Fitzgerald's version, which really sings.
    • 4/5
      Confession time: I managed to make it through high school and an undergrad degree in English without reading The Odyssey or The Iliad.I know... One of my professors was appalled too. The truth is, as I find verse difficult to being with, epic poetry scares me. If it weren't for a friend's encouragement to read it in tandem, I probably would have let this languish on my shelves even longer despite the fact that I'd purposely bought Robert Fagles' translation as one I could pretty much follow what was happening.Everyone knows the story the gist of the story, so I'll dispense with the summary. The story starts out slowly with Odysseus' son and what's going on in his absence; it wasn't until around Book 5 that the action started moving along for me. One moment I was moving along swimmingly and the next I was getting bogged down. One moment was boring and the next brutally violent. I knew the end of the story, but I was really surprised by how at once familiar and unfamiliar I was with how the journey played out. On the one hand, I recognized a lot of the characters and incidents. On the other, I had no idea they happened in this particular myth in this particular way. I usually read multiple books, and admittedly this was not the first book I was drawn to read when I had the time, but I kept moving along and - in the end - I'm glad I read it.
    • 4/5
      How do I meaningfully review a piece of work that has been around so long and is part of the foundation of all western literature? If you've read it, you'll know how great it is, and if you're thinking about reading it, then do so. Don't be afraid. It is great literature, but it's also a great read. It's deep but it's readable, it's tragic and it's comic. What strikes me is that you can imagine meeting the characters today, despite them having been written thousands of years ago, in another language, in another place. Sheer, accessible, genius.
    • 3/5
      A very abbreviated version of the Odyssey. However, the illustrations are nicely done and the fill-in-blanks information after the actual "story" is helpful