“Well, first off, even though the bookshelf says the translation is by Alexander Lattimore, it's wrong. This translation is by Robert Fagles, and was done in 1996. It is a great translation - preserving the meter of the original poem while updating the language to modern English.
My son and I read this as part of his literature/history class, and we had a blast. This is the original, very first adventure novel. Odyssus' trials and exploits are richly worded, and it is no wonder this book has been around for over 3000 years.
It is a story about how Odyssus, a hero of the Trojan War, manages to finally get back home to Ithica, in spite of (or maybe because of) the interference of the gods. The book starts when Odyssus' son Telemachos is visited by Pallas Athena, who tells him that his father is alive and that Telemachos needs to go find him.
Meanwhile, his wife Penelope, is being courted by suitors, greedy to take over Odyssus' wealth and power. She has been staving them off for many years, but now they are getting a bit more pushy.
I especially like how Homer interleaves the interplay of the gods and the human characters. Greek gods are not distant deities, but active in everyday life. The mingle with humans and influence their thoughts on a daily basis. Fagles' translation is brilliant and turns this ancient tale into one that everyone can relate to.
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