The Odyssey - Hardcover

Robert Fagles's translation is a jaw-droppingly beautiful rendering of Homer's Odyssey, the most accessible and enthralling epic of classical Greece. Fagles captures the rapid and direct language of the original Greek, while telling the story of Odysseus in lyrics that ring with a clear, energetic voice. The story itself has never seemed more dynamic, the action more compelling, nor the descriptions so brilliant in detail. It is often said that every age demands its own translation of the classics. Fagles's work is a triumph because he has not merely provided a contemporary version of Homer's classic poem, but has located the right language for the timeless character of this great tale. Fagles brings the Odyssey so near, one wonders if the Hollywood adaption can be far behind. This is a terrific book.

Alexander Pope, master of the heroic couplet, is the best-known poet of the early eighteenth century. Several of Pope's couplets have been so often quoted that they seem like cliches now, which is an indication of the power and influence of his work. Some examples are 'A little learning is a dang'rous thing', 'To err is human, to forgive, divine', 'For fools rush in where angels fear to tread'. Most of us, at some point in our lives, have quoted Pope without realizing it.