/lit/ - Literature

We have this thread every goshdarned day. Lattimore has a fantastic translation that is mostly true to the greek, even down to syntactic structure. Fitzgerald strays a bit, but is largely beautiful. Pope was the standard for centuries, but his poem has very little to do with what is actually said in the Greek. Fagles is for highschoolers. The best translation of Homer is the one that you actually read.

>>11368227
>Fagles is for highschoolers
fine for me, i dont think im smart enough to tackle any other translation

>>11368262
pretty succinct desu

>>11368262
So Butler?

>>11368267
The university of chicago edition of lattimores translation is fine. Theres notes and a name glossary to help you out if you dont know wtf is going on. You dont have to be a genius to get homer. A decent memory helps but isnt super neccassary just enjoy the ride.

>>11368286
Thanks, I’m currently going through Hamilton’s mythology. I’m hoping this helps

Outta the way, boys

>WHAT'S ALL THIS ABOUT AN ANGRY FELLA

What the fuck was she thinking?

What should you read before the illiad? some introduction? some backrgound?

>>11368227
Lombardo would get mentioned more but his covers are ugly

>>11368510
Start with Mesopotamians.

>>11368474
Has anyone here who knows Ancient Greek read her translation or do people just shit on her because she is a woman?

>>11368474
She makes changes that she deems toxic masculinity

First time I read Fagles, thought it was great.
Then read Fitzgerald and had my mind blown. Will never go back to Fagles again.

>>11368510
You just need to have some basic knowledge of Greek mythology and the events that lead to the Trojan War (the Judgement of Paris etc). It’s not really necessary to read anything prior to Iliad.

>>11368227
Lattimore imho, but anything but Pope is fine.

>>11368738
That's because Fitzgerald exaggarates and deviates from the text.

>>11368799
If you're not reading the Iliad in Greek, it literally doesn't matter which translation you read. So might as well just read the most poetic and pleasing one.

>>11368227
Pope

>>11368803
It does matter, though. Homer didn't write pretty pleasing poetry, and a good translation (not Pope's or Fitzgerald's) can indeed reflect this.

>>11368474
>Sing in me, Muse, and through me tell the story
>of man that get a feeling so complicated

>>11368300
Maybe it will help 1% mostly a waste of time, just read your boy! Stop prepping for reading!

>>11368227
Quick rundown

>fargels
Easy modern but not to modern

>lattmore
Harder but acidemicly liked

>Fitzgerald
middle ground weird names

>butler
Old

>pope
Beutiful but not accurate

All others is shit

Lattimore is always the scholarly consensus and has been the bench mark since it was published

>>11368739
don't know what lead to the trojan war, so what should i read then?

Is Thomas Hobbes' translation good?

>>11369474
Mythology by Edith Hamilton, a /lit/ classic

>>11368262
/thread

>>11368227
Rundown:

Lattimore: accurate (word for word basically), one of the least poetic.

Fitzgerald (I recommend): less accurate than Lattimore but not by much. Beautiful use of language, one of the most poetic translations. The accuracy/poetic bridge between Lattimore and Pope.

Pope: basically a different poem. To be read only after an initial reading with another translation. The most poetic.

Fagles: if your IQ is <100.

>>11368227
I only read Fitzgerald, so that one.

>>11368227
Speaking of translations, I want to read the Old Testament, but apparently in full it consists of 46 books and I have no idea which translation is the best. Is there a definitive version?

Fagles get shit on a lot by /lit/, but he's actually pretty good. He does some clever wordplay to mimic the Greek sound, but loses accuracy while attempting to do so.

Pope is beautiful, but I feel that I'm reading more Pope and less Homer when I read him, and sometimes that's what I want, but sometimes it's not.

Honestly, pick a few key pieces from the text, and compare which one you like best, this:
>>11368781
is a good start.

>>11368262
>Lattimore
Yeah no

Is butler no good?

best Homer translators are usually women

>>11368736
>Feminist produces new translation of the Iliad, only 5 pages long.

>>11370180
King James Version nigga

>>11371371
Ridiculous. Young's literal translation is best.

>>11372261
You have to read KJV just for its influence.

>not reading it in Greek
What's the point of reading it in translation? At least read it in Latin translation.

Out of the way contrarian coming through, i like butler the best overall.

>>11370487
>Pope is beautiful, but I feel that I'm reading more Pope and less Homer when I read him
That's how i feel about it too. On a related note i love the dryden translation of the aeneid for this too.

>>11372268
What is meant by saying read the more influential translation?
That we will understand the texts which were influenced by the ur-text better? Better how? Better, perhaps, as a consequence of an increased familiarity with a certain manner of arranging statements, effecting how it will sound and roll off the tongue, as well as how it achieves its meaning through a network of signs. And this way of enouncing the word of God is most importantly limited to the English speaking world.
Most of us read translations into English quite often, and we also read contemporary texts, so KJV, or any influential translation for that matter, has no privilege.

>>11368542

They grow on you.

>>11372373
From this follows that there are two criteria for choosing KJV over any other, and if one does not fulfil them, then he might, I'm afraid, be a pretentious faggot:
> 1. Being familiar with the modern corpus of Anglophone religious, artistic, and political literature.
> 2. Looking up a certain passage in relation to a certain person because you already know a bit about the Bible in the Hebrew or non-English context, and there is a good reason for you to not prioritise an overview of the Bible's influence around the world.

>>11368474

Her fans are so embarrassing.

>>11369094
>butler
Old

Mind elaborating? Read his version of the Odyssey and thought it was fantastic.

>>11372373
Because KJV was the version read by almost every subsequent English writer and you need to be familiar with its phraseology and rhythms. There's no need to be quite such a faggot

>>11368267
Fagles is fine and has a great introduction.

>>11372335
>dryden translation of the aeneid for this too.
I think it might be the best poem in English sometimes.