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Homer
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The Odyssey Paperback – 6 March 2003

by Homer (Author)
4.6 out of 5 stars 1,750 ratings
Edition: 1st
Penguin Classics relaunch

The epic tale of Odysseus and his ten-year journey home after the Trojan War forms one of the earliest and greatest works of Western literature. Confronted by natural and supernatural threats - shipwrecks, battles, monsters and the implacable enmityof the sea-god Poseidon - Odysseus must test his bravery and native cunning to the full if he is to reach his homeland safely and overcome the obstacles that, even there, await him.
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  1. ISBN-10
    9780140449112
  2. ISBN-13
    978-0140449112
  3. Edition
    1st
  4. Publisher
    Penguin
  5. Publication date
    6 March 2003
  6. Language
    English
  7. Dimensions
    20.22 x 12.85 x 2.51 cm
  8. Print length
    416 pages
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Product description

About the Author

HOMER is thought to have lived c.750-700 BC in Ionia and is believed to be the author of the earliest works of Western Literature- The Odyssey and The Iliad.

E. V. RIEU was a celebrated translator from Latin and Greek, and editor of Penguin Classics from 1944-64. His son, D. C. H. RIEU, has revised his work.

PETER JONES is former lecturer in Classics at Newcastle. He co-founded the 'Friends of Classics' society and is the editor of their journal and a columnist for The Spectator.

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ 0140449116
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Penguin; 1st edition (6 March 2003)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Paperback ‏ : ‎ 416 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 9780140449112
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0140449112
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 20.22 x 12.85 x 2.51 cm
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.6 out of 5 stars 1,750 ratings

About the author

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Homer

Homer

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Homer was probably born around 725BC on the Coast of Asia Minor, now the coast of Turkey, but then really a part of Greece. Homer was the first Greek writer whose work survives.

He was one of a long line of bards, or poets, who worked in the oral tradition. Homer and other bards of the time could recite, or chant, long epic poems. Both works attributed to Homer - The Iliad and The Odyssey - are over ten thousand lines long in the original. Homer must have had an amazing memory but was helped by the formulaic poetry style of the time.

In The Iliad Homer sang of death and glory, of a few days in the struggle between the Greeks and the Trojans. Mortal men played out their fate under the gaze of the gods. The Odyssey is the original collection of tall traveller's tales. Odysseus, on his way home from the Trojan War, encounters all kinds of marvels from one-eyed giants to witches and beautiful temptresses. His adventures are many and memorable before he gets back to Ithaca and his faithful wife Penelope.

We can never be certain that both these stories belonged to Homer. In fact 'Homer' may not be a real name but a kind of nickname meaning perhaps 'the hostage' or 'the blind one'. Whatever the truth of their origin, the two stories, developed around three thousand years ago, may well still be read in three thousand years' time.

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4.6 out of 5 stars
1,750 global ratings

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Top reviews from Australia

  • M Peter
    5.0 out of 5 stars Easy Read
    Reviewed in Australia on 3 October 2024
    Verified Purchase
    Interesting read
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  • Dhiviyan Maheswaran
    5.0 out of 5 stars Great book, its the Odyssey. Greek classic, not much else to explain.
    Reviewed in Australia on 31 December 2023
    Verified Purchase
    The Odyssey is one of the oldest pieces of Western literature. It's a good read.
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  • John
    5.0 out of 5 stars Timely Arrival during the Covid lockdown
    Reviewed in Australia on 6 November 2020
    Verified Purchase
    I have long been a fan of the Iliad and the Odyssey. After moving and downsizing I lost my ageing copies of both. This is an update on the original copy that I owned and I have really enjoyed re reading it. The updated version of the Odyssey is easier to read; has a structure and content section and extensive background information that I really enjoyed. Now I am going to order the Iliad by the same two translators.
    One person found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

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  • ayhan kahraman
    5.0 out of 5 stars Kitap
    Reviewed in Turkey on 21 April 2021
    Verified Purchase
    Beklediğim gibi....
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  • Edward Gonzales
    5.0 out of 5 stars Great read from poetry from the ancients
    Reviewed in the United States on 13 January 2025
    Verified Purchase
    Some words you find in hittite clay tablets and their fighting amongs heroes but who knows how far homer goes
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  • Victoria
    5.0 out of 5 stars v campos
    Reviewed in Spain on 2 October 2014
    Verified Purchase
    Merece la pena por el precio para estudios de latino y classical civilisation. Para mi hijo de 16 años. 2014
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  • lemoulinroger
    5.0 out of 5 stars Un classique.... so British!
    Reviewed in France on 15 November 2024
    Verified Purchase
    C'était un cadeau pour une ado.
    La version anglaise était à sa demande.
    Le livre lui a plu.
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  • Gazza
    5.0 out of 5 stars The Odyssey
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 15 September 2024
    Verified Purchase
    Just purchased translations of The Odyssey and The Iliad by E.V. Rieu and, though some of the reviews incline to the slightly negative, I can only disagree.

    Both books (transitions) are absolutely fine; excellently written so that the prose style emulates the poetry of the originals; extended Introductions, outlining changes made, and why these were needed and considered improvements; and The Iliad, for me the more complex of the two stories (epics), begins each chapter with a hugely helpful, summarised numbered outline of what is to follow, making the reading of the text much more accessible.

    True, there may be better translations out there. Personally I can’t really say; but for me these two books read beautifully and I’m totally pleased with my purchase and would recommend them to others who wish to get a taste of these wonderful stories in an engaging, readable format.

    I hope you find my review helpful.
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