Homer. 1997 - The Odyssey Translated by Robert Fagles. New York: Penguin Classics edition 560 pp. Introduction and notes by Bernard Knox. Audiobook read by Ian McKellen.

Reading along with Ian McKellen is the way to experience this, in the way Homer himself/themselves would have expected. A tall tale in which the gods are regular participants. Immediate impressions are that there is little in Hollywood epics that doesn’t seem directly derivative of The Odyssey. And that it seems at least in part a morality tale - surely somebody must have hoped this would discourage would-be rebellions. Although there are many opinions on whether there were one or many Homers and when they lived, at least we can be certain from this that Homer wasn’t a woman.

Haven’t dipped into other translators but couldn’t hope for better than Robert Fagles’ version.

After a decent interval I’ll move on to (back to) The Iliad, again with the Robert Fagles translation.