Emily Wilson’s Homer: modernizing ancient classics

In Britain and the United States, Emily Wilson has become a well-known and sometimes controversial translator of classical Greek literature, particularly Homer’s Iliad and Odyssey.

She first gained prominence by being the first woman to translate these works into English. Wilson didn’t simply aim for a feminine or feminist interpretation, but intentionally brought the language closer to modern, everyday speech, departing from the traditionally elaborate and formal style.

Her translation gained even wider recognition when Christopher Nolan chose it for his film Odyssey, sparking both praise and debate. Wilson then published an article criticizing Nolan’s adaptation, finding fault with its weak moral messages regarding war, diminished female characters (especially Penelope), preference for visual effects over narrative depth, and overlooking the realities of slavery within the epic. Following this controversy, Wilson announced plans to re-translate The Odyssey, despite the recent success of her existing version.

While some of her stated reasons, such as revisiting the word “slave,” seemed unconvincing, she also expressed a belief that translation inherently involves a degree of “betrayal” of the original text, and that The Odyssey is a rich text deserving of continued exploration. She recently released a new book, Dark Wine Tastes Like Sea, which explores her approach to translating ancient literature and considers how to understand these ancient voices without imposing modern expectations.

The book poses questions about how to read ancient texts authentically, acknowledging the challenges of interpreting them without applying contemporary ideas. Wilson examines topics ranging from ancient rhetoric to the influence of Greek culture on Rome, and even draws parallels between ancient comedy and modern talk shows. Ultimately, she suggests that literature reminds us that we are remembered and understood through words, long after our lives have ended.