I Have Decided to Read Some Old-Timey Classics

[member 51464]

The Epic of Gilgamesh translated by Andrew George
The Iliad translated by Alexander Pope
Paradise Lost Norton Critical Editions

Any suggestions for best translation of The Odyssey to go with? Is the Pope version of that as well regarded as his Iliad work?

I have an unread copy of The Aeneid kicking around somewhere, so I have that covered.

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[nameless1]

Good choices. I personally love Gilgamesh, though many of my classmates did not.


I would also suggest Beowulf, if you have the time. Again, it is not everyone's cup of tea, but I do love my epic tales.

 

[member 51464]

Good call. Any suggested translation for Beowulf? I know there was a Tolkien one that I thought seemed fun, but then I think I recall reading that his translation is not that well regarded.

 

[nameless1]

Good call. Any suggested translation for Beowulf? I know there was a Tolkien one that I thought seemed fun, but then I think I recall reading that his translation is not that well regarded.

I packed away my stuff once I was done with school, so I am not sure which translation I read. However, many people said to avoid Heaney, and go with Michael Swanton.

 

[nameless1]

Good luck with Paradise Lost though. I tried to tackle it in high school, and I had a lot of trouble with it. In my opinion, that is probably the most difficult work on your list.

 

[Eisen]

I wonder why? They are a terrible reading experience, are incredibly symbolic (if you are not versed in the symbolism of that time, you miss a lot) and just have societal norms, that make it hard to engage. The narrative structure doesn't really help either. No discouragement intended. But if you like that kind of art, I recommend Erec (Hartmann von Aue) and Erec et Enide (Chrétien de Troyes). They are the same book by different authors (Hartmann copied Chrétien, but with crucial differences).

Edit: Mixed up my authors, embarrassingly.

 

[Franck]

I don't see the point in reading a translation of Beowulf, being confused and befuddled by the Old English and then having a big Aha!-moment each time you actually understood something is the only fun you can get out of it.

 

[Eisen]

Nibelungenlied is pretty nice too.

 

[member 51464]

I wonder why? They are a terrible reading experience, are incredibly symbolic (if you are not versed in the symbolism of that time, you miss a lot) and just have societal norms, that make it hard to engage. The narrative structure doesn't really help either. No discouragement intended. But if you like that kind of art, I recommend Erec (Wolfram) and Erec et Enide (Chrétien). They are the same book by different authors (Wolfram copied Chrétien, but with crucial differences).

All of them are a terrible reading experience? That is a shame.

Why am I reading them? To pass the time.

 

[Rebels57]

The Iliad and the Odyssey are must-reads really, and are far from "terrible reading experiences."

 

[Eisen]

All of them are a terrible reading experience? That is a shame.

Why am I reading them? To pass the time.

The easiest read of the ones you mentioned is probably Paradise lost. These are not your usual novels. They are old, meaning they are riddled with symbolism that is mostly lost to people who didn't study other texts of that time. In some cases, a lot of meaning can't be seen by a layman (assuming you are one). The narration is very different than what you would expect from a book. It's not impossible to read them, but I'm not sure how enjoyable they are to just read them to pass time. For academic purposes, they are canon.

 

[Eisen]

All of them are a terrible reading experience? That is a shame.

Why am I reading them? To pass the time.

By the way, I meant Hartmann von Aue, not Wolfram von Eschenbach.

 

[Eisen]

The Iliad and the Odyssey are must-reads really, and are far from "terrible reading experiences."

I have studied German and English with a focus on medieval studies and even most of the people in my course didn't like them.

 

[Ceremony]

The Odyssey is a better read than The Iliad. Try E.V. Rieu's translations.

 

[Dipsy Doodle]

Any suggestions for best translation of The Odyssey to go with? Is the Pope version of that as well regarded as his Iliad work?

I like the Robert Fitzgerald translations. They're what inspired me to go back to university and study classics.

The Odyssey is a better read than The Iliad.

Definitely a more accessible story. A great adventure as opposed to a war epic with a lot of cataloguing ships and men etc. But I really enjoy the insight into the human condition the Iliad brings too.

I have studied German and English with a focus on medieval studies and even most of the people in my course didn't like them.

I dunno. They can be a bit of a slog at times for the uninitiated, but the stories are timeless with some truly beautiful and visceral moments.