Choose the translation you’ll actually want to read.
We put the same passages from major English translations next to one another, explain what changes, and show you which edition contains the words you chose.
Compare Odyssey translations01Start with our answer
We tell you which translation suits each kind of reader.
02Read the same lines
We set the important passages side by side and point out what changes.
03Buy the words you chose
We keep the translation date separate from the date of the edition in your hands.
The Odyssey
For our first guide, we read eleven English Odysseys. We compare three passages where their differences are easy to hear, then recommend four translations for four kinds of reader.
- First, fluent read
- Emily Wilson
- Epic scale
- Robert Fagles
- Closest to Greek
- Richmond Lattimore
- Free edition
- Samuel Butler
We do not think there is one best translation for everyone. The right one depends on the kind of reading you want.
See how we reached our answer.
We start with a recommendation, show you the passages behind it, and identify the exact edition. Our retailer links are ordinary links, and they do not affect our judgment.
Read the methodology