Instant Classics BONUS Emily Wilson on translating the Odyssey
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Aug 18, 2026 
Emily Wilson, classical scholar and translator best known for her acclaimed 2017 English Odyssey, discusses choosing iambic pentameter and the tradeoffs of rendering Homeric hexameter. She reveals plans to retranslate the Odyssey, explains strategies for epithets and repetition, and talks about preserving oral speed, performability, and visible versus invisible translation choices.
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How Emily Chose To Translate The Odyssey
- Emily only decided to translate The Odyssey after an editor at Norton asked and she tested the Cyclops book against a dozen translations to see what she could do differently.
- That close experiment revealed the lack of regular meter in modern translations and pushed her to pursue a metrically traditional English version.
Why Iambic Pentameter Fits Homer's Momentum
- Emily chose iambic pentameter to give Homeric speed and propulsive rhythm in English rather than attempt a dactylic hexameter that forces awkward phrasing.
- She traded line length for musical momentum and authenticity of performability, even though pentameter is shorter than Homeric hexameter.
Avoid Bloated Translations Preserve Original Pace
- Keep translations roughly the original's length to preserve pace; overly long English translations can feel boring compared with the brisk Greek.
- Emily constrained herself to a similar line count and regular meter to avoid bloated, slower-rendered English.
