# How should I read the Odyssey? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [October 29, 2005, 2:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-should-i-read-the-odyssey/328409 "2005-10-29T02:34:42Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![flamingbananas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/f4b2a3/32.png) [@flamingbananas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flamingbananas)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2005, 2:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-should-i-read-the-odyssey/328409/1 "2005-10-29T02:34:42Z")
We’re starting the Odyssey in my English class at school and my teacher assigns us a book or two a night. The thing is, I’m not exactly sure how I should read this. Since it’s a poem I don’t think I should just read it silently but I’m not sure if I should read it aloud, or what. So how have you read the Odessey or epic poems in the past and how do you suggest I read it? Note: This isn’t meant to be a homework help thread, merely a way to understand and read the text in the best way possible. ---
**Author:** ![markdiscordia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c6cbf5/32.png) [@markdiscordia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/markdiscordia)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2005, 2:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-should-i-read-the-odyssey/328409/2 "2005-10-29T02:40:49Z")
Read it like a prose book, but pay special attention to the poetic devices that survive translation such as the epithets. It’s essentially impossible to translate Greek into English while keeping the meter, and I doubt the translation you’re using attempted it. In fact, I don’t know of any serious effort to do this for Homer, although I’m sure so-called “verse translations” that just translate lines on a one-to-one basis and limit innovation by the translator exist for this poem as they do for most translated epics. You’d be better off finding a recording of a part of the poem read in Greek (or any poem read in dactylic hexameter) so you have an idea what it sounded like, then reading your English version straight in order to absorb content. ---
**Author:** ![jackelope](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/a6a055/32.png) [@jackelope](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jackelope)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2005, 7:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-should-i-read-the-odyssey/328409/3 "2005-10-29T07:00:22Z")
Greek can be confusing to read. Start with James Joyce’s simple translation. ---
**Author:** ![flamingbananas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/f4b2a3/32.png) [@flamingbananas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flamingbananas)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2005, 2:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-should-i-read-the-odyssey/328409/4 "2005-10-29T14:19:46Z")
> [@jackelope](#): > > Greek can be confusing to read. Start with James Joyce’s simple translation. I should have specified, but we’re not reading the actual Greek version. We’re reading the translation by Stanley Lombardo. ---
**Author:** ![Sampiro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2005, 2:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-should-i-read-the-odyssey/328409/5 "2005-10-29T14:22:10Z")
I would read it aloud with the following voices: Odysseus: William Shatner Poseidon: Truman Capote Circe: Carol Channing Penelope: Edith Bunker Cyclops: Ralph Kramden Telemachos: Bart Simpson ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2005, 4:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-should-i-read-the-odyssey/328409/6 "2005-10-29T16:02:38Z")
> [@Sampiro](#): > > ICirce: Carol Channing o/` A root in the mud can be more fun than Yentl, but sloppin's are a pig's beeeest frieeeend!o/` ---
**Author:** ![ftg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ftg/32/2801_2.png) [@ftg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ftg)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2005, 4:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-should-i-read-the-odyssey/328409/7 "2005-10-29T16:08:13Z")
> [@markdiscordia](#): > > You’d be better off finding a recording of a part of the poem read in Greek (or any poem read in dactylic hexameter) so you have an idea what it sounded like, then reading your English version straight in order to absorb content. I would _really_ like to hear some samples of ancient Greek lyric poetry to get a feel for the tempo. If anyone has some links, I’d appreciate it muchly. ---
**Author:** ![flamingbananas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/f4b2a3/32.png) [@flamingbananas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flamingbananas)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2005, 4:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-should-i-read-the-odyssey/328409/8 "2005-10-29T16:11:14Z")
> [@ftg](#): > > I would _really_ like to hear some samples of ancient Greek lyric poetry to get a feel for the tempo. If anyone has some links, I’d appreciate it muchly. Seconded. ---
**Author:** ![Eonwe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eonwe/32/240_2.png) [@Eonwe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eonwe)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2005, 5:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-should-i-read-the-odyssey/328409/9 "2005-10-29T17:10:46Z")
> [@jackelope](#): > > Greek can be confusing to read. Start with James Joyce’s simple translation. Hah! ---
**Author:** ![commasense](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/commasense/32/3017_2.png) [@commasense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/commasense)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2005, 5:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-should-i-read-the-odyssey/328409/10 "2005-11-01T05:56:31Z")
I’m not familiar with the Lombardo translation, but don’t forget that the Odyssey was created in a pre-literate society, and for centuries before being written down was recited orally by bards from memory. The translator of any decent verse version will have kept that in mind, and will have been very conscious of the sound of his words. So try reading at least the first book aloud, and read interesting passages aloud from time to time. Couldn’t hurt! James Joyce’s _Ulysses_ gains from this, too. ---
**Author:** ![Humble\_Servant](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/47e85d/32.png) [@Humble\_Servant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Humble_Servant)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2005, 4:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-should-i-read-the-odyssey/328409/11 "2005-11-01T16:03:25Z")
> [@Sampiro](#): > > I would read it aloud with the following voices: > > Odysseus: William Shatner > Poseidon: Truman Capote > Circe: Carol Channing > Penelope: Edith Bunker > Cyclops: Ralph Kramden > Telemachos: Bart Simpson Permit me to say, “Bwahahaha!” ---
**Author:** ![dalej42](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@dalej42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dalej42)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2005, 4:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-should-i-read-the-odyssey/328409/12 "2005-11-01T16:08:10Z")
I’d suggest also using something like [Sparknotes](http://www.sparknotes.com/lit/odyssey/) while reading the actual poem. The different names of characters can get confusing.