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blueheartbooks · 2 months

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"Navigating the Epic Journey: A Review of The Odyssey by Homer, Translated by Rev. W. Lucas Collins M.A."

The Odyssey, an epic poem attributed to the ancient Greek poet Homer, is a timeless tale that transcends generations with its captivating narrative and profound themes. Reverend W. Lucas Collins M.A.'s translation of this classic work breathes new life into Homer's masterpiece, offering readers a fresh perspective on the epic journey of Odysseus as he strives to return home to Ithaca after the Trojan War.

At its core, The Odyssey is a story of perseverance, resilience, and the enduring power of the human spirit. Through the trials and tribulations faced by Odysseus during his ten-year voyage, Homer explores fundamental aspects of the human condition, from the complexities of identity and the importance of loyalty to the inevitability of fate and the consequences of hubris. Collins' translation expertly captures the essence of these themes, presenting them in a language that is accessible yet rich in poetic beauty.

One of the most striking aspects of Collins' translation is his ability to evoke the vivid imagery and rich symbolism present throughout The Odyssey. From the menacing Cyclops and the enchanting nymph Calypso to the treacherous whirlpool of Charybdis and the alluring song of the Sirens, each character and episode is rendered with precision and depth, transporting readers to the fantastical world of ancient Greece. Collins' mastery of language shines through in his poetic descriptions, allowing readers to immerse themselves fully in Odysseus' epic journey.

Moreover, Collins' translation preserves the rhythmic cadence and musicality of Homer's original verse, enhancing the reading experience and capturing the oral tradition from which The Odyssey emerged. The use of meter and rhythm adds a lyrical quality to the text, making it a pleasure to read aloud and further accentuating the epic nature of the tale. Whether experienced silently or recited aloud, Collins' translation ensures that the beauty and power of Homer's language are fully realized.

Beyond its literary merits, The Odyssey remains relevant today for its exploration of timeless themes and universal truths. As readers accompany Odysseus on his quest for homecoming, they are confronted with profound questions about the nature of heroism, the meaning of loyalty, and the pursuit of one's destiny. Through its enduring appeal and profound insights, The Odyssey continues to resonate with readers of all ages and backgrounds, cementing its status as one of the greatest works of world literature.

In conclusion, Reverend W. Lucas Collins M.A.'s translation of The Odyssey offers readers a masterful interpretation of Homer's epic poem, capturing the essence of the original while infusing it with new vitality and resonance. Through Collins' skillful rendering of Homer's timeless tale, readers are transported to a world of gods and monsters, heroes and villains, where the human spirit is tested and triumphs in the face of adversity. With its lyrical prose, rich imagery, and profound themes, The Odyssey remains an essential read for anyone seeking to embark on an unforgettable literary journey.

Homer's "Odyssey" is available in Amazon in paperback 12.99$ and hardcover 19.99$ editions.

Number of pages: 183

Language: English

Rating: 10/10

Link of the book!

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blueheartbookclub · 2 months

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"Navigating the Epic Journey: A Review of The Odyssey by Homer, Translated by Rev. W. Lucas Collins M.A."

Homer's "Odyssey" is available in Amazon in paperback 12.99$ and hardcover 19.99$ editions.

Number of pages: 183

Language: English

Rating: 10/10

Link of the book!

Review By: King's Cat

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theodysseyofhomer · 8 months

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every time someone says odysseus "just" loves his wife or "just" wants to go home, i get so agitated... you don't understand. odysseus wants everything. he wants to be at home, and he wants to be a hero. he wants to die, and he wants to live. he wants his family, and he wants to lie to them. he wants to tell the story of his life, and he wants to keep his secrets. he wants to go back and for everything to be as it was, and he wants the glory and wealth and reputation he hard-won. he wants to be at peace, and he wants to do violence. he wants to sail past the sirens safely, and he wants to hear them. he wants the war to end, and he wants it to mean something. he wants to have his cake and eat it too. he's the man of many ways. he'll get his damn homecoming but he's a rube goldberg machine. he doesn't "just" anything.

#may be the preacher alienating the choir here. but oh well #anna.txt #a tag for bitching

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wolfythewitch · 6 months

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So like. Theoretically. How long would it take Odysseus to find a land of people who mistake his oar as a winnowing fan after his homecoming

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smilerri · 2 months

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many thoughts about epic: the musical...

i am once again in the middle of essay writing but plautus is boring and my friend introduced me to this album so u already know I binged the entire thing

(quick warning for spoilers of homer's odyssey? if that's necessary?? man idk whatever)

first thoughts naturally concerned odysseus. i have hated this man with a burning passion ever since I started studying classics - i think he is irredeemably selfish, a liar masquerading as a 'resourceful hero,' and basically just a twat all around. that being said, i respect that epic is not an exact replica. in fact, i like that about it!

readings of odysseus as a loving husband and father, and a man who cares deeply for his crew and fellow warriors is one i would love to see reflected in the source text (though i admit i have only read two different translations so far, so this is subject to change depending on translators choice!), if only because it would be so so refreshing. and epic does that extremely well! i find epic's odysseus to be far more likeable, insofar as he is fueled not by greed for glory (kleos for the nerds out there) but rather the desire to return to his wife and son. (I personally would argue that, while homer's odysseus is indeed fueled by a desire for homecoming (nostos), it is not for the sake of penelope and telemachus, but rather concern over the security of his status and position within the household (oikos))

i also very much enjoy that the love he holds for his family is not an inherently positive trait. in the aeneid, and often in myth, it is achilles' son, neoptolemus/pyrrhus who kills the son of hector and andromache, astyanax by throwing him from the walls of troy - less common, it is odysseus (which i did not know until i googled it just now oops). homer's odysseus does not reject the gods. he is beloved by some, hated by others - he receives their boons and curses as they come. he revels in the attention of the divine, no matter positive or negative, for it is proof of his kleos. epic's odysseus is so much more... human. he doesn't vie for glory that reaches the skies. if anything, he rues it. in the horse and the infant he supplicates himself to (who i assume is) zeus - which is such a loaded act i am genuinely struggling to think of how to articulate it, but boy am I gonna try my darndest.

the act of supplication and guest-friendship (xenia) is a very key theme within the odyssey, and to a point in the iliad also - essentially, if a traveller were to arrive at your doorstep, you were obliged to let them in and provide food, drink, and lodgings to that traveller, no questions asked. in return (because reciprocity is VERY important in homer especially), the guest would provide entertainment, tales of their travels, etc, and would be respectful of their host. the patron of these travellers was zeus. any violation of these terms, on part of the guest or host, would be met with divine scorn. for odysseus to supplicate himself to zeus is therefore meta as hell, but I would instead bring attention to the echoing lyric "hes bringing you down to your knees." 'he,' assumedly, is astyanax. his father, hector, is dead; as is his grandfather, priam, and all of priam's other sons. at this point, one could assume that it is astyanax who is ruling troy, who is now the host of the city that odysseus, a traveller from another land, has entered and ransacked. zeus' 'prophecy' of astyanax growing old and seeking revenge (reciprocity! homeric greece had a 'revenge culture' - essentially 'an eye for an eye' as well as 'you scratch my back, I'll scratch yours,' though not always so clear-cut), therefore, would be odysseus' punishment for violating the terms of xenia.

supplication, however, is not limited to guest-friendship alone. for example, in odyssey 22, when odysseus slaughters the suitors occupying his home (is that spoilers?), their priest leodes supplicates himself at odysseus' feet, begging to be spared. odysseus takes his head from his neck in an instant. odysseus' kneeling before astyanax, therefore, is no simple act between a guest and his host - perhaps he is begging the infant for mercy, for forgiveness, or perhaps he is positioning himself for punishment; in killing astyanax, odysseus accepts his own death. perhaps this means his fate (which, in case of homeric epic, refers to the time and manner of one's death), or perhaps it is a part of him that has died. in just a man, odysseus asks "when does a man become a monster?" his killing astyanax prevents the boy from ever becoming a man, and spares him from a life fueled only by revenge and the need to regain his glorious birthright, and it turns him into a monster. just as he says he would, he trades in the world where he is 'just a man' for a world where he is a cruel beast, all for sake of his family.

(quick detour but i really like how odysseus' focus is primarily on penelope rather than telemachus. [insert deadbeat dad joke here], but in reality, he doesn't even know the boy. penelope he chose to marry and fall in love with - it's no question that he loves telemachus, but after ten years, it is only natural that he would miss his beautiful, tricky wife with more fervour than the child he never had the chance to love. it shows he is imperfect, even illogical - the son is the father's entire legacy. just as odysseus is 'son of laertes', so will telemachus be 'son of odysseus', the protector of his immortal heroic legacy. yet it is penelope whom odysseus yearns for.)

(another detour but "i'm just a man" is such a juicy lyric, because the entire message of homer's odyssey is that odysseus is not any man - he is a man that the muses deem worthy to inspire great poets to compose epic poems that persist through thousands of years and a million different voices - a hero. but epic's odysseus is not that hero. he is a man, trying to go home, craving comfort and the warmth of the hearth. these 'flaws' humanise him more than homer's odysseus could ever imagine.)

skipping over to polyphemus, odysseus violates xenia once again by killing polyphemus' sheep, albeit unwittingly. homer makes this violation very obvious - odysseus and crew eat polyphemus' cheese and wine while polyphemus tends to his sheep, knowing that the cave is obviously inhabited, and they even wait for polyphemus to return to ask for more. it is worth noting as well that, at this point, odysseus and crew are still jubilant about their victory, and unlike in epic, these 'detours' are purposeful, specifically so that odysseus can scope out the islands for anything of interest he can snatch and add to his spoils of war, adding to his kleos by means of physical wealth (timē) - which makes odysseus' offer of treasure to appease polyphemus all the more baffling in epic. this odysseus is a leader who prioritises the lives of his men over his own kleos, which makes the final lines - "you shall be the final man to die" // "what?" // "watch out!" - all the more heartbreaking. he wants to protect his men, so that they too may return to their families back on ithaca; the prospect of watching them die before his eyes after he already witnessed so many lose their lives in battle must be so utterly terrifying.

polyphemus is so excellently creepy as well! i loved him in the odyssey - this was where I really started to dislike odysseus, actually. he's a cyclops, obviously inhuman, yet he rears sheep and makes cheese and wine and weaves wicker baskets to keep them in, trying to play at humanity. i really did sympathise with him from the first time I read it. epic's polyphemus is similar, so very calm in his anger yet ruthless all the same, and demonstrates great restraint in comparison to his counterpart in the odyssey, who gets filthy drunk after mashing six men dead and allows odysseus+co. to fashion a stake with which to blind him. much of the violence against polyphemus, as well as the violation of xenia in homer's odyssey is 'excused' by the fact that polyphemus is a 'barbarian', to whom concepts of civilised people do not belong.

(very quick detour but polyphemus' first admonishment of odysseus - "you killed my sheep" up to "take from you like you took from me" - makes such heartbreaking parallels to astyanax's murder and the sack of troy. it almost provides a visualisation of the guilt that odysseus must still be battling. i would have loved to have been in his brain when he heard polyphemus say that.)

the mercy odysseus shows polyphemus is particularly interesting - homer's odysseus leaves him alive and tells him his name purely so that his name will spread and his kleos will grow. but epic's odysseus, despite his conviction to kill in survive and to avenge is fallen comrades in remember them, spares him. in part, this is to assure them an escape, so that the cyclops' giant body does not block their exit - but athena's interruption makes clear that this is not all. she criticises him, remarks "he is still a threat until he's dead." no doubt this calls back to zeus' warnings about astyanax, hence his refusal (or inability?) to commit to slaughter. for a homeric greek hero to allow a foe to live on after his allies had been slaughtered is a grave failure of reciprocity, casting shame on both the hero and their enemy. homer's odysseus escapes this with his reputation intact, since as a result polyphemus curses him to face poseidon's wrath - as I mentioned, for a hero, even negative attention from the gods is a good thing as it proves that their reputation/glory is known all over, even in olympus. but, as we have established, epic's odysseus cares not for kleos. the decision to tell polyphemus his name is entirely impulsive and irrational, grieving his comrades, hence athena's outrage.

the relationship between athena and odysseus is founded entirely on the principles they share, described in warrior of the mind (if anyone can lmk whereabouts this song fits in the timeline I will be so grateful, I'm stupid unfortunately :/). they value wisdom, reason, and rationality over brute strength and bloodlust. epic's athena becomes odysseus' patron goddess with the goal to "make a greater tomorrow" and "change the world" - aspirations that are entirely foreign to any homeric god. gods in homer do not care about the wellbeing of humans unless they are directly related to them, and they certainly don't care about the wellness of humanity as a whole. humans are toys and tools of the gods. the amount that athena cares for odysseus, even in the odyssey, is unusual, demonstrative of how much she cares for him, yet epic makes their comradery more obvious, even going as far as to (tentatively) call them friends. my goodbye frames athena's anger as disappointment at an experiment failed - calling back to warrior of the mind, where she claims to have "designed" him - but odysseus' replies to her makes clear that it is far more personal. perhaps, to her, odysseus acting so irrationally is even a betrayal; odysseus is abandoning the principles of reason they both once held and thus is forsaking all that they once shared and that she, as the goddess of wisdom, stands for.

ive always considered athena to be a very interesting goddess. she is a patron of both war, which in homer is only carried out by men, and weaving, the traditional work of women within the household - her very nature is a contradiction of masculine and feminine. although it is ares who is considered the 'black sheep' of the olympians for his brutality in war, epic's portrayal of athena through odysseus' lens paints her as lonely and ostracised - "since you claim you're so much wiser // why's your life spent all alone? // you're alone." It is clear that odysseus here does not view her as his patron at all, rather as a friend - and to that she takes offence, because she is a goddess, eternal and all-powerful. she does not need friendship or comradery; those are mortal concerns alone. personally, I see epic's athena as incredibly insecure. she cuts odysseus off because she cannot bare that a mortal has been able to read her so clearly, to see all the ugly parts of herself that she keeps hidden to retain the facade of the perfect goddess. she knows the paradox within herself - warrior and woman, immortal and alone - and rues that odysseus was able to see it as well. the cruellest part, the most ironic, is that his being able to figure out the true, imperfect nature of a god shows that he has not abandoned the path of the warrior of the mind. in fact, his wisdom extends beyond mortality into the realm of the divine. but athena is blinded by her anger and insecurity, and she says her goodbyes. she disappears from there, only to appear again to try to warn odysseus of his crew opening the bag of winds given to him by aeolus in keep your friends close, once again demonstrating her care for him, despite her anger.

the amount that odysseus cares for his crew is demonstrated time and again throughout the album, yet in the end, he still slowly loses their trust. aeolus' winds are the first sign. his crew betrays his orders upon the first whisper on the wind that he might be keeping treasure from them. the next sign, in puppeteer, is eurylochus' confession upon arrival to aeaea (circe's island), which odysseus brushes off, much as he brushed off eurylochus' concerns in luck runs out. then, in a matter of moments, 600 men are reduced to forty by the wrath of poseidon - which in itself is a significant change. while odysseus in epic is explicitly blamed for failing to kill polyphemus, homer's odysseus takes no responsibility for the deaths of hundreds of his men. it happens when they arrive at telepylos, which, unbeknownst to them, is home to the laestrygonians, a race of cannibalistic giants. odysseus, apparently sensing something off (who tf does he think he is, spiderman?), allows his entire fleet to enter the bay of telepylos while his ship alone remains outside - and when those ships are attacked and trapped, he alone takes his single ship and escapes, allowing twelve ships of men to be ripped apart and eaten by cannibals. an act which he shows no remorse for.

in my interpretation of homer's odyssey, it is this slowly slipping trust that eventually leads to his men ignoring his warnings and feasting on the cows of helios which leads to the deaths of all his remaining crew, including eurylochus and polites (spoilers? idk). so, once epic: the musical catches up to book 12 of the odyssey you WILL be seeing me again I hope ur excited.

there is definitely more i could say here, especially about the circe saga bcs ohhh my god I love circe and I love this circe especially (a female character with actual motive other than being a victim? homer could never) but unfortunately I'm running out of steam and I do in fact have 3 essays due this month (help) so I will probably return to this later !! hopefully its readable bcs I'm not going back to edit any of this ;)

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peggy-sue-reads-a-book · 10 months

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Send it, Muse, of big brain Odysseus, who took mad Ws, after he wriggidy-wrecked Troy’s secret citadel. Right did he swipe for many honies, and legit was his cred, yet bad were the vibes he suffered on the wide sea, and real was the struggle for his own life and the homecoming of the squad. Even so, he could not save his boat bois, ass tho he busted; they were srsly fucked by their own clowning, fools, who snatched the oxen of sunboi Helios, ye tho Odysseus told them to take several seats bc those cows were hella sus. Thus was canceled the day of their homecoming. O goddess, fam of Zeus, share the tea.

*I uhhh. I made another one*

#tagamemnon #greek mythology #classical literature #for gen z #Odysseus #the odyssey #homer’s odyssey

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asthy · 8 days

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Odysseus spiderman AU except its literally only the titles.

•Odysseus: Away From Home

•Odysseus: Missing Home

•Odysseus: Homecoming

•Odysseus: Lost From Home

#odysseus #the odyssey #I love my sopping wet cat so much #he just misses his wife and son

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finelythreadedsky · 1 year

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#mine

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hoeratius · 5 months

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okay, asking this question is maybe the dumbest i've ever felt bc it feels like there should be a straightforward, obvious answer here, but every time i've tried to look it up, i've found nothing but pages upon pages of what feels like people talking in circles and only serving to make me more confused in the end. since you're the most knowledgable person i follow when it comes to the Classics, i figured this might be a good place to ask and maybe get an actual answer? (that being said, it's fine if you don't want to/don't have the time to answer this! obviously!!)

where can i read about the older greek myths? as in pre-trojan war. mostly, i'm interested in theseus but also just pre-trojan war stories in general. i know not everything got the iliad/odyssey treatment and there's probably not any surviving text to point at in a lot of cases, but there must've been something. every time i try to look up where to read about the history of theseus, i'm being directed to a bunch of modern retellings, but google has gotten so bad as a search engine, i literally cannot find anything about the origins of this thing everybody's retelling

from what i understand, theseus was sort of everywhere sticking his nose in everything at all times, so i'm not asking for a comprehensive timeline of his whackass life and everything he ever appeared in or anything, but if you could point me in the direction of anything about him--actual plays or academic texts, anything like that--that's more credible than, like, a self-published, self-described "bold new reimagining" with a stock image of a dude in party city roman cosplay as the cover, it would be MUCH appreciated 😭

(again, sorry about how... basic this question is i guess lol? i'm very new to classics in general and still pretty ignorant about everything, so it's EXTREMELY likely that this is a very dumb question with a very obvious answer, but thank you regardless!)

Hello! What an exciting ask (and apologies for my excited and maybe incoherent answer)!

Since you seem to be most interested in Theseus, I’ll use him as an example but much of this can be applied to other Greek heroes/myths/stories more generally.

As you noted, few get the Iliad/Odyssey treatment. In fact, even Achilles and Odysseus don’t, considering the Iliad spans only 7 weeks or so, and the Odyssey misses out on Odysseus’s actions before and during the Trojan War, and after he came home – and he did a lot after he came home. So where to go to find all the other stories that happened?

Some things to keep in mind:

Writers assumed their audience was familiar with the hero’s greatest deeds already

The big boys – Achilles, Odysseus, Theseus, Perseus, Heracles, Oedipus – had their stories shared in many formats. Think of the Parthenon metopes, which show Theseus’s key deeds in sculpture, or vases, hymns, public performances, bedtime stories, etc. People would encounter these often enough that the outlines of these heroes’ stories were known to them from a young age.

One of the Metopes of the Parthenon, showing (probably) Athena and Theseus.

As a result, ancient texts never show the entire story; they select the moment they want to tell and focus in on that. Hence the Iliad focuses on Achilles’s wrath, the Odyssey emphasises his homecoming, and the Argonautica tells the story of the Golden Fleece. Similarly, tragedies will choose a meaningful moment: not all of Agamemnon and Clytemnestra’s struggles, but his return home in the Agamemnon, or the events that lead directly to Pentheus’s dismemberment in the Bakchai.

So finding one text that will give you a useful overview will be hard!

These heroes are often also connected to so many other famous characters, that sometimes they show up as a side character in their stories, so it depends on which stories capture your interest most.

Pre-Homeric texts are few and far between

But this is not to say there aren’t pre-Trojan-War myths!

There are loads! Anything with Heracles or Theseus is pre-Iliadic, and others, like the house of Pelops, link more to the Trojan War but are also separate from it. Plus, there is Hesiod’s Theogony (roughly contemporary with Homer), which tells of the births of the gods and goes all the way back to the start of the universe.

The Ovid situation

Many Greek texts are lost, and we’ve only got allusions to this or that part of the myth in the existing fragments, etc. etc. So how do we still know so much about so many of these stories?

Enter my fave: Ovid.

Far later than Homer (1st century versus 8th century BC), but with access to all the Greek texts and them some, he wrote a lot of fairly comprehensive stories. These include the Heroides, letters written from the perspective of female characters trying to connect to their male lovers, with letter 10 coming from Ariadne to Theseus, and Metamorphoses 8 with parts of Theseus’s story.

If you’re looking for a high-level overview of what was what in ancient myth, starting with the Metamorphoses will give you all the big boys and many of the smaller ones.

Theseus specifically:

I must admit that Theseus is not my strong suit, but sources I’m familiar with that I would recommend:

Hippolytus, by Euripides and Phaedra by Seneca: these both tell of Theseus’s second wife Phaedra falling for his son Hippolytus and causing his death

Catullus 64: A lament from Ariadne after Theseus has abandoned her on Naxos

Metamorphoses 8, 12, by Ovid: Snippets of Theseus’s life, incl the Minotaur

Ones I’m not as familiar with but might be up your street:

Life of Theseus, Plutarch: a historian/scholar’s biography. He had them in pairs, where he compared the two; Theseus is linked to Romulus

The Argonautica, Apollonius Rhodus: Follows Jason in his quest for the Golden Fleece; Theseus is one of his heroes

Oedipus at Colonnus, Sophocles: apparently Theseus is a major side character here but I don’t remember!

There is also The King must Die by Mary Renault, a modern retelling from the ‘80s that blew me away. The only book set in ancient Greece I’ve ever read that doesn’t shy away from how alien their culture and values are to us today and doesn’t try to sugarcoat things.

And if you’re looking for more heroes: Wikipedia is your friend!

The Classics-related pages are pretty reliable, and they often mention the main sources per character.

I hope this gets you started but please do hit me up with more questions, I always love diving into these things!

#tagamemnon #classics #asks #theseus

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katerinaaqu · 1 month

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Now Odysseus getting inked is one of the most random and in a way cute headcannons ever! 😆

Like:

Agamemnon: Hey, Menelaus. Where is Odysseus? Cannot find him anywhere

Menalaus: Probably by the ships. It was resupply day today.

Agamemnon: But that was hours ago. What on earth is he doing?

Menelaus: Yeah you are probably right let's go and check it out

*They find Odysseus on the beach sitting on a rock while a Scythian probably covered in tattoos of his people is tattooing his upper arm*

Agamemnon: Odysseus, what in the gods' names are you doing?

Odysseus: Oh, can't you see? I am getting a tattoo from this man. He is very good actually.

Agamemnon: Seriously?! We are at war and this is a military camp!

Odysseus: Don't worry, he's cool. I checked.

Menelaus: But weren't you wounded a couple of days ago? Surely shouldn't you be taking it easy? I know they call you "equal to gods" but you ain't immortal

Odysseus: No worries. I am accustomed to pain. This is nothing.

Agamemnon: Even so! That is not a king's behavior. What is wrong with you?!

Odysseus: Why not? Besides look!

*shows his half-done olive branch tattoo*

Odysseus: Olive for my homeland, flowers for my wife and the bittersweet fruit is my dear Telemachus. I want my family with me. I might die tomorrow and my body will not be buried to my land. I want my family with me to the funeral pyre...

Menelaus: *sniffing loudly* You know, brother, you have to admit that is the most fucking adorable thing ever!

Agamemnon: Humph! Whatever! *turns around to hide a manly tear*

🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

Even better imagine the funny and adorable interaction with Penelope! Hahahahaha like:

Penelope: *sees the tat when she prepares Odysseus for bed* Darling...what is this exactly?

Odysseus: *innocently looking for he had forgotten he had it* Oh, this? I got it at war...

Penelope: But but...this isn't exactly the most...noble behavior isn't it?

Odysseus: Well...it wasn't very "noble" where I was, Penelope but still look here...

*touching the branch*

Odysseus: Olive branch for our homeland...our bed and palace...

*tracing the tiny flowers*

Odysseus: Flowers for my beautiful wife, whom I longed for, for years

*pointing the olives*

Odysseus: the sweet fruit of my dear Telemachus whom I never saw growing and this...

*touching a tiny detail that looks like the silhouette of a bird*

Odysseus: The bird, the swallow coming home is me. I swore to come back to you no matter what I would need to do. Back to our land and our sweet Telemachus

*Penelope smiling now touched and embraces his neck*

Penelope: I still am not sure that I like this idea but it looks good because it is you who has it...

Sorry guys hahahaha 😆 random cheesy brainstorming. Blame my dialog with @aaronofithaca05 for it hahahaha 😆

#greek mythology #odysseus #the odyssey #greek myth #the odyssey 1997 #the illiad #homeric poems #homecoming odysseus #homeric epics #tattoo #tattoos #odysseus and penelope #odyssey #odysseus the sailor #odysseus the master mariner #sorry i am not sorry for this random idea #skythian tattoos are awesome

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aaronofithaca05 · 1 month

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As you may have seen @katerinaaqu and I have been discussing about a head canon of hers, tatted Odysseus.

For a while we searched for Scythian tattoos as they are the closest society that allowed tattoos, we weren´t sure if in Mykenean Greece they were frowned upon but in classical Greece they were (criminals, shady or barbaric people wore them).

So to make it plausible we came up with this idea: in the middle of the Troyan war in a resupply day, Menelaus and Agamemnon find Odysseus been tattooed an olive tree by a Scythian, perplexed by this they told him that it was a nothing a king should do, shady look.

But Odysseus told them it was a memory of his home of Penelope and Telamachus, that at least if he died there it would have died with his family. Also is a display of Ody´s more flamboyant personality traits, he didn´t tattoed a small olive or branch, nonono, he tattoed a whole tree!.

As the real design is composed of branches inspired by Scythians tattoos of deer´s antlers, (the lack of trees in the steppes prevented them from forming a more floral and plant style; being deer's antlers where we find more plant 'like designs),

The olive flowers are simplifications of the actual flower,

Flowers for my beautiful wife, whom I longed for, for years

The leaves are blackouts of the originals and the olives are also simplifications.

The sweet fruit of my dear Telemachus whom I never saw growing

The images below are the sketches I made for having an idea of the placement and elements we wanted to include.

We chose the upper arm as it was more concealable and only be fully revealed to Penelope.

As you can see there´s a swallow drawing, it has it reasons, swallows (Hirundo rustica) have a year migration and came back to Europe and Greece in spring, being heralds of the season and all that entails (hope, regrowth, fertility...) but the most important attributes for us were; (Athena transforms into a swallow and flies away from Telemachus in the Odyssey). Also it is mentioned that the chord of Odysseus's bow "sang like a swallow" when he used it to kill the suitors symbolizing his homecoming.

Swallows have always been linked to journeys specially to homecoming. They idea was of one swallow (Odysseus) but swallows are paired and as a small reminder, the biggest and most ornate is Penelope, fully in flight and more artistically and Odysseus is the one below more naturalistic as he is lesser in his eyes than her. The swallows are more linear and not painted as it also seems more secretive and blank spaces for everyone except him (So he can say everything I have been writing to her)

These is the final rendition of the idea!

I hope you have enjoyed and that it becomes your new headcanon!

@katerinaaqu thank you so much for everything! It has been a pleasure!

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blueheartbooks · 8 months

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A Timeless Journey through Epic Tales

"The Iliad & The Odyssey," translated by William Lucas Collins, is an awe-inspiring compilation of two of the greatest literary masterpieces in human history. Homer's epic poems have transcended time and culture, and Collins' translation successfully captures the essence, grandeur, and emotional depth of these ancient Greek classics.

"The Iliad" tells the story of the Trojan War, a conflict between the Greeks and Trojans that unfolds with a cast of legendary characters like Achilles, Hector, and Odysseus. Collins' translation maintains the poetic qualities of the original text while making it accessible to modern readers. His language is evocative, and he skillfully preserves the rhythmic cadence of the narrative. The vivid descriptions of battles, the clash of gods and mortals, and the underlying themes of honor, glory, and fate come to life in Collins' rendition.

Moving on to "The Odyssey," the adventures of Odysseus as he journeys home from the Trojan War are equally captivating. The translation maintains the narrative's episodic nature, where Odysseus encounters mythical creatures, endures hardships, and displays remarkable cunning on his quest to return to Ithaca. Collins captures the essence of Odysseus' character – his intelligence, resilience, and yearning for home – making it easy for readers to empathize with the hero.

What sets Collins' translation apart is his ability to convey the emotional depth of these ancient tales. From the grief of Achilles to the longing of Penelope, the characters' emotions resonate with authenticity. His translation captures the nuances of human experiences, making these epic stories relatable across centuries.

The addition of Collins' insightful introductions to both epics provides valuable context and background information, enriching the reading experience for newcomers and seasoned scholars alike. The footnotes, though sparingly used, offer explanations of culturally specific references and help readers navigate the complexities of the narratives.

The hardcover edition is a testament to the enduring appeal of these works. It is beautifully bound, making it a worthy addition to any bookshelf or a thoughtful gift for literature enthusiasts. The inclusion of illustrations and maps enhances the visual experience and aids in understanding the geographical and mythological aspects of the tales.

In conclusion, "The Iliad & The Odyssey" translated by William Lucas Collins is an exceptional rendition of two of humanity's greatest literary treasures. Collins' translation is not just a faithful adaptation; it's a passionate tribute to the timeless stories that have shaped our literary heritage. This edition ensures that Homer's epic poems continue to inspire and enthrall readers for generations to come. Whether you're a first-time reader or revisiting these classics, this book is a must-have for anyone who appreciates the power of storytelling and the enduring legacy of ancient Greece.

"The Iliad & The Odyssey," of Homer translated by William Lucas Collins is available in Amazon in paperback 15.99$ and hardcover 23.99$ editions.

Length of the book: 390 pages

Language: English

Rating: 10/10

Link of the book!

Reviewed by King's Cat