Homer

HOMER’s identity is shrouded in mystery. Most scholars agree that an epic poet named Homer likely existed anywhere between 900 to 700 B.C.E. Legend, originating in antiquity, says that Homer was a blind bard from Ionia, but no account of Homer’s life can be verified. The Iliad and The Odyssey, the two epic poems attributed to Homer, which take place during the Trojan War and its aftermath, were derived from the oral storytelling tradition. Their method of composition—either by a single author or several bards working in tandem—remains unknown. The Homeric Poems are among the most significant narratives in the Greek and Western literary canon.

Homer

Awards

Shortlisted — American Literary Translators Association National Translation Award, 2018

Commended — New York Times Notable Selection, 2018

Shortlisted — Runciman Award, 2024

Books by Homer

The Odyssey: A New Verse Translation
Homer, Albert Cook
Paperback, 1968
A retelling of Homer's epic that describes the adventures of the hero Odysseus as he encounters many monsters and other obstacles on his journey home from the Trojan War.
The Odyssey
Homer, Emily Wilson
Hardback, 2017
A lean, fleet-footed translation that recaptures Homer’s "nimble gallop" and brings an ancient epic to new life.
The Odyssey
Homer, Emily Wilson
Paperback, 2018
A lean, fleet-footed translation that recaptures Homer’s "nimble gallop" and brings an ancient epic to new life.
The Odyssey: A Norton Critical Edition
Homer, Emily Wilson
First Edition, Paperback, 2020
“A revelation. Never have I been so aware at once of the beauty of the poetry, the physicality of Homer’s world, and the moral ambiguity of those who inhabit it.” —Susan Chira, The New York Times...
The Odyssey
Homer, Emily Wilson
Paperback, 2020
A lean, fleet-footed translation that recaptures Homer’s "nimble gallop" and brings an ancient epic to new life.
The Odyssey
Homer, Emily Wilson
E Book, 2017
A lean, fleet-footed translation that recaptures Homer’s "nimble gallop" and brings an ancient epic to new life.
The Odyssey
Homer, Emily Wilson
E Book, 2021
About Emily Wilson’s translation
The Odyssey: A Norton Critical Edition
Homer, Emily Wilson
First Edition, E Book, 2021
“A revelation. Never have I been so aware at once of the beauty of the poetry, the physicality of Homer’s world, and the moral ambiguity of those who inhabit it.” —Susan Chira, The New York Times...
The Iliad
Homer, Emily Wilson
Hardback, 2023
The greatest literary landmark of classical antiquity masterfully rendered by the most celebrated translator of our time
The Iliad
Homer, Emily Wilson
E Book
The greatest literary landmark of classical antiquity masterfully rendered by the most celebrated translator of our time