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Which Odyssey translation wins a blind reading test?

homer.scrivium.com

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Re: Which Odyssey translation wins a blind reading test?

#11

Post by Ensorceled »

headPoet wrote: post #8
npinsker wrote: post #7

“How much you enjoy the prose” doesn’t really seem like the metric by which we should rank these? I’d prefer to read whatever’s most faithful to the original, which isn’t measured here.

Is there such thing as an original for a 3000 year old tale? The ancient Greek versions will be heavily edited and modified

They mean "a faithful translation" where "original" means whatever Greek version was chosen to be the source not "original" as in the first text from Homer.

Re: Which Odyssey translation wins a blind reading test?

#13

Post by Ensorceled »

comrade1234 wrote: post #3

At this point I don't think I'll see the movie because I don't want it to ruin the good memories/scenes I have in my mind from the book I read a few years ago. Maybe someday but I think I'll reread the book before then. Also, there was too much data n the linked article. :)

I'm curious, why do you think the movie will ruin your good memories?

Re: Which Odyssey translation wins a blind reading test?

#16

Post by gbjcantab »

npinsker wrote: post #7

“How much you enjoy the prose” doesn’t really seem like the metric by which we should rank these? I’d prefer to read whatever’s most faithful to the original, which isn’t measured here.

There are at least two possible meanings of “faithful,” which are “translates the literal meaning most accurately” and “evokes the same feeling most poetically.” Given that it’s Homer and not Aristotle, the vibes-based approach is probably the right criterion. It’s a bit hard to express but, having read a lot of Homer in Greek, I can say that some of these translations absolutely fail to translate Homer even if there’s nothing inaccurate per se.

Re: Which Odyssey translation wins a blind reading test?

#17

Post by asimpletune »

I could be misremembering this but I think Lattimore and Lombardo were once good friends until they had a falling out. I think Lattimore was so bothered by Lombardo's translation of either the Iliad or Odyssey, that he set out to do his own translation of both.

At any rate Lattimore's translation of Odyssey is beautiful.

Re: Which Odyssey translation wins a blind reading test?

#18

Post by gbjcantab »

oliculipolicula wrote: post #2

Sorry this could be offensive didn't mean to be.. Any Greek speakers who studied Homer in school here can share what are your favourite English translations? Prefer Lattimore or Fitzgerald as being closer to original?

I’m not quite who you asked; I’m a native English speaker but I’ve read much more Homer in Greek than in English. (Say, I’ve read a little more than half the Odyssey in Greek.) Honestly none of the English translations really capture the magic, at least for me. Skimming through a bit, I’d say Fagles is the closest.

But it’s like saying: “Any Texans who ate BBQ growing up, can you share your favorite fast food places? Prefer McDonald’s or BK as being closer to the original?”

(Emily Wilson’s version is great but doesn’t feel like Homer at all, when I read it.)

Re: Which Odyssey translation wins a blind reading test?

#19

Post by rob74 »

oliculipolicula wrote: post #2

Sorry this could be offensive didn't mean to be.. Any Greek speakers who studied Homer in school here can share what are your favourite English translations? Prefer Lattimore or Fitzgerald as being closer to original?

I'm not really familiar with ancient or modern Greek, but according to https://speakgreektome.com/blog/ancient-vs-modern-greek/#hom..., people who can only read modern Greek need a translation too if they want to read Homer's works ("While reading, many words here and there will be familiar to a Greek or at least will make sense via etymological references, it’s impossible, though, for average folk to understand a text 100% without a translation and formal study, because many words that are key to the meaning will be incomprehensible.").
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