Bro, This Is Not The 'Beowulf' You Think You Know

[conuly]

I was sold on this after the first excerpt, and nominate this person to do versions of ALL the epic poetries.

Comments

[ioplokon]

Spoken as someone on the other side of the bro-dude divide, so east coast!

Seriously, though, seems like a delightful translation. I remember in Greek class we pressed for the ability to translate colloquially for sight reading (on exams, you have to demonstrate you know the grammar of the original, so, less freedom)

[conuly]

You randomly reminded me of this link: https://eidolon.pub/the-twists-and-turns-of-translation-33f1272dffa8?gi=2a87356c7234

[ioplokon]

I definitely see her point, though I feel like my perspective has been different, since my classics and modern language courses complemented each other (plus I did half of my classics training in France, where you take composition, translation, philology, and literature each year - however, the reason they take this approach is because most students there start Latin and Greek in middle school. The translation first/only approach is what makes it possible to attain a scholarly level in Greek and Latin in undergrad)

[steorra]

I just ordered a copy of this for the bookstore where I work today.

[readerjane]

Thanks! *scribbles on TBR list+

[firecat]

There's something annoyingly bombastic about the article, but the book sounds good. I recently got a translation of The Odyssey that was also more feminist and more modern sounding, but still poetic, and I loved it.

[sylvaine]

... oh man, I want this as an audiobook. It's perfect for listening to, I think!

[larryhammer]

Bro! That’s AWESOME!

[elainegrey]

THank you for the pointer -- and the modern-set novel sounds fascinating, too.

[silveradept]

That sounds like it will be an excellent translation, and I hope it gets used and quoted widely. (Perhaps even performed?)