Description
In this sharp and often entertaining tour through antiquity, Emily Wilson—whose renditions of Homer’s Odyssey and Iliad have captured a generation’s imagination—explores the complicated terrain of reading and writing about the ancient past. Drawing on twenty years of scholarship and teaching, Wilson explores the difficult choices that translators must make, the pleasures of finding new solutions to old problems, and the inevitable frustrations of never fully capturing what is in the original work. Across chapters that range from the politics of Helen of Troy to the obscenities of Aristophanes, from Roman imitation of Greek models to contemporary debates over “foreignizing” and “domesticizing” styles, Wilson examines how modern norms of gender, sexuality, violence, humor, and power complicate our readings of ancient works, and how translation always risks denaturing what is unique and strange about the ancient world. Brilliant, erudite, and yet accessible to readers with no classical background, Crossing the Wine-Dark Sea is at once an introduction to the wonders of Greek and Roman literature, a manifesto for the value of translation in a rapidly changing world, and an invitation to encounter ancient cultures anew.
Reviews
"Wilson['s] translations of the Homeric epics the 'Iliad' and the 'Odyssey' have been justly celebrated for their directness and verve.... [A] wonderfully spirited new essay collection.... An expert in the ancient world, [Wilson] nevertheless draws constantly (and productively) from contemporary culture.... Wilson elegantly braids together close, line-by-line readings with larger arguments about how much is often at stake.... You don’t even have to be particularly interested in ancient literature to enjoy this book, though by the time you finish it you probably will be. Wilson’s excitement for her subject is irrepressibly moving.... Even when Wilson issues a barbed critique, she is making room — for more engagement, more imagination, more complexity." — Jennifer Szalai, New York Times Book Review
"In these essays, readers can see behind the headlines to [Wilson's] diligent and thoughtful work." — Kate Tuttle, Boston Globe
"In this dazzling exploration, Wilson, translator of recent editions of Homer’s Iliad and Odyssey, serves as an intrepid guide to the storm-tossed seas of literary translation . . . Through buoyant, accessible analyses and dynamic examples, Wilson artfully connects the ancient world to the present day. This is essential reading." — Publishers Weekly, starred review
"Enchanting, academic... A lively exploration of ancient literature." — Kirkus Reviews, starred review
"This fascinating collection of essays explores the challenges and issues that arise from translating classical works . . . an important work for anyone interested in language and literature. Recommended for public and academic libraries alike." — Library Journal, starred review
"Wilson is reliably alert to cultural nuance and complexity – not least our own – and does an impressive job of transfusing a classical scholar’s knowledge into the liveliness and uncondescending intelligence of good critical writing." — Peter McDonald, Times Literary Supplement [UK]
"Thanks to her best-selling translation of the Odyssey — and her viral pan of this summer’s blockbuster movie adaptation — Wilson may be the world’s most famous living classicist. These essays, on topics ranging from the challenges of translating Roman comedy to the commingling of misogyny and desire in the figure of Helen of Troy, show off her scholarly range and her accessible, authoritative, opinionated voice." — New York Times Book Review
"Fabulous . . . ranges widely, building toward a dazzling final essay in which [Wilson] lays out her particular philosophy of translation." — Leanne Ogasawara
"A great, approachable collection about the task of translating an alien world and language—the ancient Greeks—into our own." — Rhian Sasseen
"A masterclass in translation . . . fascinating." — Blake Morrison, Guardian UK
"Having embarked on an Odyssey of her own, Wilson considers the perils and prejudices of translating the classics . . . [an] engaging investigation into the translator’s art." — Chris Power, Observer
"Erudite and lively ... Anyone who's been exposed to Wilson's work will learn much from the insights of these essays and will hope her journey as a trusted guide through this distant world continues." — Harvey Freedenberg, Shelf Awareness
"Emily Wilson’s brilliant reconsiderations of the ancient world—through the figure of Helen of Troy, the remaking of the Iliad by Christopher Logue, the use of comedy to grapple with dark matters, even slavery, and much besides—makes this an enthralling and profoundly relevant book." — Salman Rushdie
"I adored reading these joyful, illuminating, and engrossing journeys through ancient literature. Wilson’s interest is wide-ranging, moving with elegance and insight across genres and millennia. With wit, passion and clarity, she invites us into each of these fascinating subjects. The final essay especially is required reading for anyone interest in translation, drawing back the veil on how a brilliant scholar and writer approaches her work." — Madeline Miller
"Vaulting from the ancient to the modern and back again, this collection is erudite, insightful and provocative. An unparalleled insight into the work of a classicist and translator at the height of their powers." — Paul Cooper, author of Fall of Civilizations
"We’re incredibly lucky to have Emily Wilson writing about the art, politics and ethics of translation and retranslation. Crossing the Wine-Dark Sea is an impressive display of Wilson’s expertise, conviction and wit. Her impact within and without the world of literary translation has been huge." — Jen Calleja, author of Fair: The Life-Art of Translation
"Emily Wilson unlocks the gates to ancient Greece and Rome: her deep understanding of translation is the key." — Peter Stothard, author of Horace: Poet on a Volcano
"By turns witty, stylish, ethical and pugilistic, Wilson reveals herself to be as brilliant an essayist as she is a translator…This sparkling collection uses the concept of translation to explore the varieties of the modern West’s addictive relationship to the Greeks and Romans, from its arrant misreadings tot hose moments when the ancients appear as if in a mirror." — Tim Whitmarsh, author of Battling the Gods
"In her discussion of the possibilities and pitfalls of translations, Wilson has produced a passionately personal—and a times polemic—celebration of language and the power of literature to speak across millennia." — David Stuttard, author of A History of Ancient Greece in 50 Lives