The Iliad & The Odyssey, LE (12.viii.2025)

Now visible on Folio's coming soon page, the Hicks-Jenkins illustrated LE of Homer's The Iliad & The Odyssey.

Illustrated by Clive Hicks-Jenkins
Introduced by Emily Wilson

"Homer’s legendary epics The Iliad and The Odyssey are coming together in a spectacular Limited Edition, launching 12 August at 4pm (UK time).

Emily Wilson’s powerful translations are brought to life by Clive Hicks-Jenkins’s vivid illustrations, this edition is limited to just 500 copies, each signed by both Emily Wilson and Clive Hicks-Jenkins."

£750 (UK)

https://www.foliosociety.com/row/coming-soon

https://www.instagram.com/p/DJrNONnM_Dp/?e=acc42f98-b3e6-4fbd-8746-0c2de13be43d&...

https://entertainment-focus.com/2025/05/15/the-folio-society-unveils-limited-edi...

Having recently read Circe and Song of Achilles (not the Folio editions), my interest is high for a revisit of the Iliad and Odyssey. The bindings look very attractive to me. I will have to sample the translation though as I quite enjoy Fagles. I also wonder what the likelihood is of an eventual standard edition given that we still haven’t seen the most recent Beowulf make the transition. But given the “essential” status of Homer I would think we will see SE eventually

Then followed by the Austen set in September, it's looking to be a expensive couple of months.

A very easy pass for me. I dislike this translation, and the design is ugly.

Not keen on the art

I need to see more. I actually do not hate the translation in a small sampling and same goes for the art. I know it's two books, but if the price is right... I haven't bought directly for 3 years now.

This could give the Rob Roy LE a run for its money.

I am very interested in a nice edition of the Wilson translation. Skeptical of the design, however.

>7 cronshaw: This could give the Rob Roy LE a run for its money.

Ha ha! I must be the "other" person who actually owns the Rob Roy. I thank Folio for this latest LE as it makes Rob Roy look like a work of fine art by comparison. Ugly +++

Maybe I'm just an uncultured lowbrow rustic, but I have no problem at all with what little we see of the design. These works are over two thousand years old - a modern interpretation seems inappropriate here.

The art isn't my cup of tea or I would have bought this. As it is, I already have their previous editions and will stick with those, even though I'm not especially fond of those illustrations either. They would have had me if these editions had fit to the Herodotus and Thucydides editions.

I have some of the illustrator's other work (specifically, trade editions of books by Marly Youmans, with whom he is a frequent collaborator) and enjoy his style. I'd be tempted to get an SE of this set (or of the recent Beowulf LE) on that basis.

Folio appear to be hell bent on commissioning illustrations equivalent to 'modern art'. Indeed, just having looked further into the background of the illustrator, he appears to be imbued in that style. I mean look at this stuff, it's absurd. https://celfgallery.com/exhibitions/

Ah, Folio, wherefore hast thou gone?

>10 coynedj: You're not alone. I also have no problem with this design. We still have to see what the rest of it looks like. But so far, I'm into it.

>13 LesMiserables: Yes, agreed. It reminds me of the quote by the drill sergeant in Full Metal Jacket: "You're so ugly, you could be a modern art masterpiece!"

The one forthcoming book that bucks this lamentable trend is Mythago Wood.

I think I’ll stick to the Franklin Library on these. LOL!

Of two minds about this as I already have the superb Chester River Press edition.
See https://www.flickr.com/photos/warwick_carter/25006295193/in/photolist-E6HNmz

>17 wcarter: Very beautifully and traditionally done; both ornate and classical.

I find this edition odd, given the art style is so similar to Beowulf, which was not popular. I actually have and like the edition, but I find the art problematic (some of it works, some of it doesn't). Lovely construction of the book itself though (materials and technique).

Glad to see the art is unpopular - so I might be able to get one.

>20 JanPospisilCZ:

Beowulf was unpopular (or at least needed a half price sale to shift 250 remaining copies). Doesn’t necessarily follow that this will be, despite some similarities. Beowulf had some pretty bold colour choices as well. And it was bloody expensive at full price. Also, buyers are fickle.

>22 LT79: Yes, I thought so to. Adolescent.

>19 stubedoo: Some of the artwork looks like it’s from the movie Aliens.

>25 What_What:

Yeah, it is a bit H.R. Giger. I actually thought the same thing. Grendel definitely looks like a Xenomorph.

An opportunity was sadly missed as this strong, thrusting style would have been exciting and bold for the new Austen LE. Just imagine how Lydia’s tryst with Wickham could have exploded across the page, or the blushing frisson which Darcy could have raised in the dear reader. An editorial decision lost far too prematurely.

>27 cwl: The sarcasm is strong with this one! That was hilarious.

>27 cwl: You reminded me of Armstrong and Miller's series of sketches which brought out the primal urges lurking between Austen's lines.

To quote the late Tim Brooke-Taylor, there's not much double about the entendres here, and I will apologise now for my eye-wateringly low virtue:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dOUm8mThnTs&ab_channel=myLastTears

Bravo and well played. I dare say that your “low virtue” compares most favourably with that of a Whitechapel strumpet.

>27 cwl: haha well done.

>30 cwl: Woof, woof ;-)

>17 wcarter: It is a pretty poem, Dr. Carter ...

I guess I'm in the small minority here, but so far I find the cover illustration attractive. Of course I wish this was printed letterpress, but alas, I'm sure that's not to be.

>34 astropi: Agreed! It's the translation that I'm less enthusiastic about.

>35 HonorWulf: seconded (or thirded)! I discovered Clive Hicks-Jenkins recently, and I like his work a lot. A small favourite at the moment is his illustrations to the revised edition of Gawain and the Green Knight (Armitage). I’m curious to see the rest of the art for the Iliad / Odyssey.

And for what it’s worth I don’t like the FS Rob Roy..!

>29 Cat_of_Ulthar:
A most entertaining video!

I really like the art style. It has personality - maybe slightly abstract, but still very striking and purposeful. Also like the typeface used for the cover title.

Price is looking to be well over 1000 USD though, so it's not an easy purchase.

I don’t love the art style, but overall it is an attractive edition. Far too rich for my blood though. Would only be a half price sale item for me.

>39 Ibkay: but still very striking and purposeful.

Save yourself a fortune and buy a firesteel instead. Same utility I suppose.

>39 Ibkay: >40 stubedoo: Has there been any indication of pricing or is this speculation? Not to say I think it’s a bad guess.

>42 PJ-Reads: The original post here has it as £750 UK price with the source below.

https://entertainment-focus.com/2025/05/15/the-folio-society-unveils-limited-edi...

>43 assemblyman: ouch that doesn’t bode well for USD pricing. Shouldn’t be surprising considering the price of Mythago Wood and this will be 2 volumes.

I like the artwork a lot. I have the Beowulf limited edition illustrated by the same artists and I love it. I'm not sure about the translation though. I'd rather read it in Ancient Greek.

>45 BriainC: "I have the Beowulf limited edition illustrated by the same artists and I love it."

I love the Beowulf. That said, the art in it is hit and miss, for me. I think it would have been better having the art scattered through and omitted the blue-background spreads. Where the art was in-line with the text, it worked better. The blue spreads almost look a bit "cheap" in what was not a cheap book (even at 50% off). A wonderful production overall -- and one that is nicer in real life than in pictures, perhaps.

>45 BriainC: Same here. I got the Beowulf during the 50% off sale earlier this year. I really enjoy the artist's style. It's very unique, but not just for the sake of being different.

But likely over 1000 USD for this set. I'm assuming it's full leather binding from the pictures, similar to Beowulf. Needs some serious thinking before taking the plunge.

At $1000 USD, it's an easy pass for me.

One of these days, I'm going to do an audit of my Folio books and mark grade the illustrations on artistic merit (very subjective I know) alone - not the number, size in the publication. Then I will order them by publication date, to see if my thesis stands up.

>47 Ibkay: It is going to be quarter-bound leather going by the Entertainment Focus article.

https://entertainment-focus.com/2025/05/15/the-folio-society-unveils-limited-edi...

And £750. Not cheap.

>52 LT79: Thesis: That the illustrations the Folio Society are commissioning are becoming more strange, bonkers, and modern, and have been deteriorating towards the artistically bizarre for the last 10 years.

Ha ha.

>49 LesMiserables: would be fun to see what people’s favorite Folio illustrations are. Number, etc. factor into my favorite overall Folio books, but illustrations on their own artistic merit is an interesting thought

Can someone explain why there is controversy over Wilson's translation?
I saw some back and forth on Instagram when they announced this edition. Is it because the translation is too modern? too colloquial?

>56 dyhtstriyk: She is the first woman to translate the Odyssey, and she has gone straight to the original Greek without referring to the layers of translation that have accrued over the centuries, and she has cast it in iambic pentameter. All the usual blowhards are calling it woke, which makes me all the more interested in reading it. Good explanation here:

https://knowyourmeme.com/editorials/guides/why-is-twitter-talking-about-emily-wi...

>57 red_guy:

Interesting comparison, thanks for that. I definitely like the Wilson translation least of these. Since I also dislike the illustrations, I really don't need the new FS edition.

I have the Fagles translation in the previous FS edition, but I rather like the sound of the one by Robert Fitzgerald. Does anyone here know a nice edition of that one?

All translators have used the original Greek, and Wilson is not the first woman to translate them into English. She might be the first to have their translation published and distributed, however. Anyway, the controversies stem partly from misogyny and secondly from her choice to use common English words, or a single word, where the Greek has much more shading or meaning than that word choice allows. So her translation favours easy, smooth passages to capture the flow of the Greek over older literary or more-literal translations that attempt to capture more of the Greek nuance of meaning. The Homeric Greek is indeed very direct, but the problem lies in the fact that a single word often cannot be captured in an English parallel. The debate is really about audience and choice, and readers raised on older translations find her version distinctly down market due to the very clarity she seeks to transmit.

>59 cwl: I think that's a fair summation. In a very good NYT article :

https://www.nytimes.com/2017/11/02/magazine/the-first-woman-to-translate-the-ody...

Wilson says that there are at least 60 plausible interpretations of the word in the first line she has as 'complicated'. She proposes the idea that translators can be too mindful of each other and pay more attention to their translations than the original text. I can see how this might result in an excess of 'ye olde' (e.g. Lawrence and his 'Divine Poesy').

I have the Elizabeth Frink illustrated two volume (E.V.Rieu) set in immaculate condition which I'm not going to replace, but I would be interested in a paperback of the Emily Wilson. It seems to be as striking in its way as the Heaney Beowulf.

>58 SF-72: Franklin Library published a beautiful set of Fitzgerald (Iliad and Odyssey) in 1975 and 1976 that you can find on ebay, if you don't mind an older edition.

>61 Betelgeuse:

Thank you very much, that sounds good.

Do you know if all their Fitzgerald editions of Homer have what looks like a large number of illustrations that look like the art on antique vases? There are editions that look very different on the outside (and prices vary greatly), but they are of this translation and if the illustrations are identical, I might well go for one of the editions that don't cost as much.

>62 SF-72: I don't know. I have the set that looks like this current listing on ebay (I have no connection to the seller). I think it is a beautiful set. There are no illustrations except a map of the Aegean and ornamental medallions beginning each book in the Iliad; and a map of Odysseus' journey and silhouette figures beginning each book of the Odyssey. These illustrations are the work of Quention Fiore. The maps are on some type of light tan tissue-paper type paper, and the books are part of Franklin Library's "100 Greatest Books of All Time" series. https://www.ebay.com/itm/315477768391?_skw=franklin+library+homer+1976&itmme...

Is it safe to assume that Wilson's translations will supplant Fagles' once FS publishes SEs based on the LE set?

>63 Betelgeuse:

Thank you very much, that's really helpful. It looks like they made at least two different editions then, one illustrated by Quentin Fiore, one by Walter Brooks.

>59 cwl: Exactly. My preference is always for a more literal translation then something that's been massaged for modern colloquialism, but that doesn't make Wilson's less legitimate for those who prefer that particular style. My favorite contemporary translation is by Peter Greene. Caroline Alexander's translation of The Iliad (which was done a couple of years before Wilson's) is also quite excellent.

Here's the opening lines of The Iliad for comparison:

Fagles (current Folio):
Rage—Goddess, sing the rage of Peleus’ son Achilles,
murderous, doomed, that cost the Achaeans countless losses,
hurling down to the House of Death so many sturdy souls,
great fighters’ souls, but made their bodies carrion,
feasts for the dogs and birds,
and the will of Zeus was moving toward its end.
Begin, Muse, when the two first broke and clashed,
Agamemnon lord of men and brilliant Achilles.

Greene:
Wrath, goddess, sing of Achilles Pēleus’s son’s
calamitous wrath, which hit the Achaians with countless ills—
many the valiant souls it saw off down to Hādēs,
souls of heroes, their selves left as carrion for dogs
and all birds of prey, and the plan of Zeus was fulfilled—
from the first moment those two men parted in fury,
Atreus’s son, king of men, and the godlike Achilles.

Alexander (first published English version by a woman):
Wrath—sing, goddess, of the ruinous wrath of Peleus’ son Achilles,
that inflicted woes without number upon the Achaeans,
hurled forth to Hades many strong souls of warriors
and rendered their bodies prey for the dogs,
for all birds, and the will of Zeus was accomplished;
sing from when they two first stood in conflict—
Atreus’ son, lord of men, and godlike Achilles

Wilson (upcoming Folio):
Goddess, sing of the cataclysmic wrath
of great Achilles, son of Peleus,
which caused the Greeks immeasurable pain
and sent so many noble souls of heroes
to Hades, and made men the spoils of dogs,
a banquet for the birds, and so the plan
of Zeus unfolded—starting with the conflict
between great Agamemnon, lord of men,
and glorious Achilles.

An interesting footnote is that the first word of The Iliad is "Mēnin", which roughly translates as superhuman "rage" or "wrath" and is intentionally repeated in the opening line. Wilson chooses to omit the opening word entirely. She also plainly "connects the dots" between Zeus's plan and the conflict between Agamemnon and Achilles, which is inferred in the original text as captured by the other translators, and uses the modern term "Greeks" instead of the historical "Achaeans", etc. Again, no rights or wrongs here, just different style choices that may or may not fit one's personal taste.

>60 red_guy: re: that first line, she can come up with all the semantic justifications she wants, but it should still sound good as poetry, and "complicated man" does not.

(Edit: Misremembered re: Beowulf; disregard the following struck-out section. Thanks >69 jsg1976: .)

Also, this is the same person that thought the following was a good opening line to Beowulf:

"Bro! Tell me we still know how to speak of kings!"

(Yes, that's the actually published first line.)

As if what the poem needs to attract modern audiences is... more frat boy?

Conceptually, I'm down to explore some modern readings of the kind I think she's trying to create, but it all comes down to execution, and what I have read is not good.

At some level, I thinks she's trying to "update" the relevance of the narratives by dressing them in some pop culture garb, like Shakespeare in modern dress, but what she's missing is that such already exists in modern pop culture in a way that will always be better than her attempt, which in any case is written as an academic outsider. And unlike Shakespeare, which can retain his brilliant language when recostumed, with Homer the translation is all that remains for the audience. If we take verse epic poetry, for example, the closest modern emanation is probably high concept hip hop. Saul Williams (The Inevitable Rise and Fall), Kendrick's dialogues with Lucy (Lucifer) on To Pimp a Butterfly, ... hell, even Travis Scott and Weeknd smoke her in this contest.

(Lest one feel compelled to respond with the inevitable "taste is subjective" assertion, watch the first few minutes of the official video for Little Simz track Introvert, and then tell me Wilson's "Bro" and "Complicated Man" can hold a candle if the terms of the contest are updated epic verse poetry.)

All that said, I prefer Homer. But in a good translation.

(Apologies for the wall of text, it seems like my opinions on this are stronger than I assumed when I started writing the comment.)

>67 abysswalker: "Bro! "

*closes book, opens wood stove, incinerates stupidity*

>67 abysswalker: Emily Wilson is not the “Bro!” Beowulf translator. That was Maria Headley.

Emily Wilson’s translations of the Iliad and the Odyssey are not my favorite, but they are leagues better than the Headley Beowulf

>69 jsg1976: I stand corrected! Thanks for pointing it out.

>70 abysswalker: I did giggle at the thought of a daughter of A.N. Wilson saying 'Bro' !

>67 abysswalker: Coach Hines- DID YOU JUST CALL ME BBBRO? :)

>67 abysswalker: 'it should still sound good as poetry, and "complicated man" does not.'

I'm no expert on poetry (or hip-hop - I'm going to look up Little Simz because I've never heard of them before) but it sounds okay to me. I'm also not a translator but it seems like an area where 'semantic justifications' would be pretty important, if not at the very heart of the matter. Maybe not the be-all-and-end-all but a big consideration.

>69 jsg1976:

You piqued my curiosity and I looked up Maria Dahvana Headley's version. I've never heard of her before either so I didn't know what to expect but her translation is available here:

https://archive.org/details/beowulf-maria-dahvana-headley/mode/2up

I found the introduction really interesting and she addresses her choice of the word 'bro' at some length.* It might not be everybody's preferred verson but I think she makes a valid choice.

It occurs to me that 'bro' will probably date quite quickly but, you know, those other versions also sound quite dated in places.

* Long enough that I'm not going to copy it but I suggest you go and read it yourselves if you're interested: I think it's always best to go to the source rather than somebody else's interpretation of it, never mind that 'death of the author' stuff.

Edited to add that Little Simz is good. Check it out: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hxfGQ2AJHGk&ab_channel=LittleSimz

Seeing hip-hop on this forum made me smile. Maybe we aren’t too old to be Folio Society’s audience after all ;)

>64 CJDelDotto: I wish. But I think not. I don't know how rights work. I was hopeful that the LOTR and Hobbit would be replaced by SE of the current LE's but was disappointed. Especially with non-sci-fi works, I don't think it's a safe bet to assume an SE of an LE is going to come out. Similarly, it's not clear that FS has any plans to replace the Fagles. We'll just have to see. Only FS knows. I don't see any way to get any hints one way or another. However, the other contributors to FS Devotees are much more cleaver than I about reading FS tea leaves and about rights issues.

New illustrations put up on the FS Facebook page.
Hector at the Gate

Athena and Hera

The Funeral Pyre of Patroclus

I really respect Clive Hicks-Jenkins's work on this set, but I do not love it. Put differently, as a factor that would motivate me to buy this set, Clive Hicks-Jenkins's illustrations yield in me insufficient love.

This looks remarkably like some of the art gcse coursework I’ve seen, which goes on to get a B.

>80 LT79: Really?

https://monk.gallery/interviews/paint-me-a-story/

Garbage. FS have lost the plot.

>83 LesMiserables: Well, I guess Suntup has too since they just commissioned him for Richard Matheson's Born of Man and Woman, not to mention the dozens of other publishers he's worked for... Whether you like his particular style or not, he's a world-renowned and award-winning Welsh artist whose work is in literally every major public collection in Wales. FS was lucky to land him.

>84 HonorWulf: Oh yes for sure my comments are highly subjective, although I'd defend my opinions on the basis of centuries of tried and tested classically inspired artwork. I really feel that much of this stuff is purposely 'out there' to jar and challenge in order to gain attention and notoriety, rather than produce beautiful works that are for all ages rather than the present age.
Take for example Folio Society THE HOLY LAND & EGYPT AND NUBIA by David Roberts. Absolutely stunning, classic, beautifully illustrated.

Maybe it just me, but in comparison, the other stuff like the one in question is artistically dissonant.

I don't like C H-Js reliance on text to make his illustrations clear. Same with his Beowulf - I think the illustration should be meaningful without need for text. I don't hate his stuff by any means, but I do feel it could be better, certainly in this regard.

I guess there is a question as to whether the illustrations add much. I'd personally feel that they don't. For my eyes, they just aren't nice enough to look at on their own merit.

It does look as though he’s attempted a quasi-Attic black ceramic style, which often explicitly labels the figures. The execution doesn’t work for me, but I appreciate the idea, assuming that’s what this is. If it’s very similar to his other work (I’m not familiar with it at all), then it wouldn’t work on the intellectual level, either. It’s not so bad as to be laughable (Rob Roy, I’m looking at you), but it’s distinctly average and, as mentioned above, adds nothing.

>85 LesMiserables: That's fair enough and constructive criticism! Personally, I'm somewhat neutral on the art, but I think it's a good fit for a modern translation such as Emily Wilson. For Fagles or Fitzgerald, I agree that a more classical artistic approach would probably fit the work better.

I personally like the art very much. I find it imaginative and evocative, and at least for my mind, it definitely adds to the text. But I’m still unsure about the translation… Fagles is just so good.

>88 cwl: "If it’s very similar to his other work (I’m not familiar with it at all),"

Yep, it is.

>89 HonorWulf: After commenting, I came across the words put far more elegantly than I ever could, which encapsulates what I mean not just by this 'art' but all that follows in that vein.

Modernia does not see itself as indebted to what came before, nor does it seek to preserve, refine, or even reform the foundations laid by previous generations. It exists in opposition to them, treating the past as a burden to be discarded rather than a foundation upon which to build



Dr. Peter Kwasniewski

>82 LT79: Oh, certainly, if you visit his website and check out the galleries there, you can see the folk influence in a lot of his work: mumming, specifically, in the Mare's Tale sequence.* And he states** that his artistic process involves making maquettes/models which he uses to play around with ideas before getting them down on paper.

Homer (whoever he or they might actually have been) is, I believe, thought to have been part of the oral folk tale/poetry tradition. If so, isn't a folk-influenced art style as appropriate as a classical style? Speaking of which, >88 cwl: alluded to black-figure pottery which had also crossed my mind in a half-remembered sort of way. If you check out Wikipedia's article*** and the accompanying illustrations, they do look like a sort of negative image of what Hicks-Jenkins is doing, including the insertion of text in some of the images.

In the interview I cited previously**, he also mentions numerous other influences, such as: Renaissance art, which I think you can see sometimes in how he composes images and his use of luminous colours; early 20thC modernism (itself now historical, I guess, and amalgamated into the grist of the artistic mill) which is obvious in the still lives and the background landscapes of some of his works.

As for actors under the costumes, I think you could just as well say that about the more traditional art Folio uses, such as the Joan Hassall illustrations which a lot of commenters have been bigging up lately: they look very much like actors in a period drama to me. Which is not a bad thing but, if you're pursuing a realistic style, it's inevitable, really.

*https://www.hicks-jenkins.com/new-gallery-1

**https://monk.gallery/interviews/paint-me-a-story/

***https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black-figure_pottery

Edited to add: black-figure pottery led to red-figure pottery, which seems more like H-J's Homer illustrations: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red-figure_pottery.

It lacks his shimmering colours, which I can imagine shifting depending on the angle of the light, if Folio want to go down that road.

Edited to add more: here's one I hit on because it's got a Jack Russell (my best friend has an adorable Jack Russell who had to have her hip reconstructed after being run over) in it and it also shows the actual process:

https://clivehicksjenkins.wordpress.com/2014/02/11/green-george-behind-the-scene...

>91 stubedoo: Similar to, yes, in that he has a distinctive style of his own, which always shows through. A bit dismissive, though, of the variety of his output, I would say.

If you want to get the full flavour, check out his website and the various galleries of his art there: https://www.hicks-jenkins.com/gallery2

I feel like his work probably works better as individual art pieces than as illustrations for a book. Small doses and all that.

Let's just say that this illustrator has stopped me from buying three editions so far. Good for my wallet, probably not what the publishers were aiming for since I'm clearly not alone in this. Still, I wish enjoyment to those who like this style.

>85 LesMiserables: " I really feel that much of this stuff is purposely 'out there' to jar and challenge in order to gain attention and notoriety, rather than produce beautiful works that are for all ages rather than the present age."

But is there any point in reproducing Classical sculpture? It's commonplace and something of a cliché in these sorts of illustrated works. More interesting to do something a bit different and a bit special.

>99 InVitrio: Not really. Every artist produces unique content, regardless of the style. This applies to all art.

For anybody who's interested, Folio are offering signed copies of The Song of Achilles. Currently 45 left (of 125). £175 versus the normal £65.

>101 Cat_of_Ulthar: Sold out in 20 minutes! (The 45 quantity was cached.)

>59 cwl: Another controversy: her tendency to portray Odysseus's actions in the worst possible light. Daniel Mendelsohn, whose Odyssey translation was published by University of Chicago Press in April, has talked about this. I think it's a fair point.

Wilson argues that her translations mirror Homer's speed. Yes and no; her lines are half the lengths of the originals.

I like her translations (although I wouldn't want to be stuck with only them). But there are reasonable objections to it.

>73 Cat_of_Ulthar: I bristled at "bro" but ended up enjoying Headley's translation quite a bit.

Artwork and translation make this an easy pass for me.

Do we know the dimensions/size these are gonna be?

Some teases of the set on Hicks-Jenkins' Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/p/DMJVeVDieXO/
"The ‘box’ is covered in black linen blocked in silver."

https://www.instagram.com/p/DMJ-C1vCqwM/

https://www.instagram.com/p/DMMzUtaIgxi/

https://www.instagram.com/p/DMRwKsGikWj/

Hmm, looks like they could be a bit smaller than Beowulf perhaps?

>107 FitzJames: Thank you for these. Lovely to see an artist's mind at work.

Also a useful reminder that creating these books takes a very long time and much work and effort.

The artwork doesn't bother me, far from it - it's interesting! However, the translation is a complete non-starter. I had hardback copies of both Wilson's Odyssey and Iliad, but gave them away. I respect her achievement in fitting the translation to iambic pentameter, but it's just so grossly simplified, and misses out so much. Basically, it's an abridged version, and I don't feel the need for one, however brilliantly put together.

>110 Willoyd: My sentiments exactly.

I am generally very flexible when it comes to the added artwork in illustrated books. I've always considered it a bonus and an opportunity to experience another person's impression of the work in visual form. It's an addition to the original work, so I can always ignore it if I choose.

But this translation is an absolute deal breaker.

As you've pointed out, grossly simplified. I always want the translated text of any work as close as humanly achievable to the original. That to me is the purpose of a translation - the translator should be an invisible layer as much as possible. This is understandably very difficult (or maybe even impossible), as the translator will inevitably color the expressions with his own personal perception of the original. But still, the best human effort in perfect translation is the ultimate goal in my opinion, not modifications or simplifications.

Folio has posted a video of the wrap-around case and volumes:

https://www.instagram.com/p/DMmo-CbC7WK/

The case looks very impressive. Not enough to persuade me to buy, though.

>112 FitzJames: Thanks for the link. As >113 folio_books: says, 'The case looks very impressive.'

I was probably going to buy this anyway but that's added to my enthusiasm :-)

I was considering whether to purchase this LE, and so I checked out various translations from the library: Wilson, Fitzgerald, Mendelsohn, Pope, and Butler.

I didn't like the Wilson translation at all. It's too direct and contemporary, which I think takes away from how an epic is suppose to read. I think Fitzgerald or Mendelsohn would have been the best choices. Possibly Fagles since so many are familiar with that translation.

This LE is definite pass for me. Which is too bad because I would have really loved an LE of the Odyssey. I think Folio made a big mistake using the Wilson translation, which I think is just an attempt to be mass appealing. I'm wondering if the "old" FS would have made this kind of choice.

>115 nau2002: " I'm wondering if the "old" FS would have made this kind of choice."

Not sure, but it is a contemporary translation with contemporary art, so it kind of makes sense. The more classic translations are widely available, so I can see why they chose a different path.

I haven’t read the Wilson translation yet, but do those of you who dislike it also dislike the translation of Beowulf by Maria Headley? I read Headley’s version recently, almost directly after reading the Seamus Heaney translation, and found both equally compelling, though of course entirely different. Heaney’s is the greater work of art, but Headley’s interpretation had a visceral immediacy, which made it an exhilarating reading experience.

So I wonder if Wilson to Fagles is like Healdey to Heaney?

FS have just uploaded this short video on the illustrator’s work on this volume, and his first sight of the final edition.

https://youtu.be/sTCuNKGFjbE?feature=shared

>118 MisterTrister: Thanks.

My daughter was kind enough to buy me FS's The Odyssey for my birthday which I read last week. I was a first time, somewhat hesitant reader - what a 400+ page poem! Bernard Knox's introduction was fascinating and the illustrations worked for me, but it was Homer's text that just blew me away. What a fantastic read, now one of my all time favourites. I can't compare Fagles' translation to anything but it just flew along like a hollow black ship with a tailwind. I mustn't wait as long to get to the Iliad.

For Homer fans, I very much recommend this very recent edition:
The Odyssey: A New Translation by Daniel Mendelsohn
Not just a new translation, but a translation by an Odyssey specialist.
The preface, postface and the comments are by Mendelsohn too.
Brillant book.

I am ..."Silent, upon a peak in Darien".

>122 Macumbeira: I understand that reference! One of my all-time favorite poems.

This is for sure a day one purchase for me. The Clive Hicks-Jenkins art basically sold me on this. One of the more iconic styles from an illustrator I've seen in a long time. Will be a nice refresher before the Nolan adaptation happens next year (rumored to be based on the Wilson translation).

That was an expensive purchase. I hope they at least got Homer to sign a tip-in sticker.

Almost a 100 sold in the first 15 minutes. Be interesting to see how this one legs out.

I'm not too bothered with the controversial art or translation but at that price I'm forced to choose either this or the more conservative Austen set next month and between the two I'm more drawn to the latter. Though thinking about it, while I say "forced to choose" I can't say I'm exactly feeling all that desirous for this.

>127 wongie: Based on the physical production alone from what I've seen so far, I'm much more inclined towards this Iliad LE compared to the Austen set.

Not like I'm in the market for either set anyway, so I'll patiently wait for some detailed posts from those that get the sets and enjoy them vicariously :-)

Over 200 sold at the 30 minute mark.

220 copies sold in 30 mins.

I went for this and will skip the Austen set. Austen is much more “my” reading material, but I have good editions already (a mixture of LECs and the Niroot Puttapipat FS books, which I controversially love), and there’s quite a bit of appeal in the Homer set for me. I hope the typesetting is good! They haven’t shown a single text spread on the website, though the title page looks promising.

>130 BorisG:

I'm doing the same thing--but I would have been excited to purchase the Austen set if it weren't for the illustrations. Here, I am not thrilled by the translation but I love the illustrations.

>131 podaniel: I’m staying open-minded about the translation. I think in a work which has been translated so many times, each translation is an interpretation, and I read enough positives about Wilson’s approach to keep me hopeful.

(I wrote previously about the very different yet almost equally enjoyable translations of Beowulf by Heaney and Headley – this kinda snapped me out of searching for a “best” translation)

Over half-sold around 45 minutes.

About 2% of the limitation is up on eBay already.

223 remaining at the one hour mark.

179 remaining after 90 mins.

>134 A.Nobody:

Only £2556 ...

Bought it : 1025 euro

159 left at 2 hours. Moving faster than Mythago and Perdido.

Is this the first time in Folio history where it is cheaper in the US?

>140 Joshbooks1: Looks they're offering it at zero mark-up (i.e. $1000). Over the past 24 hours, the exchange rate would place it between $984 and $1013.

I picked up a copy alongside the standard edition of gormenghast so I could use my birthday voucher.

I'm quite happy to have acquired a copy. Obviously expensive, but hard to think of other titles that you'd prefer to spend the expense on. I'll be interested as to what I make of the translation. I suspect I'll like it as I'm no great scholar hankering after the detail of the original text.

I'm now hoping that the Autumn collection won't have too many books that I can't resist!

I’m happy to stick with my SEs from the 1990s. The more I look at those illustrations the more I don’t like it. I quite like the leather spines though. That’s just my personal preference as it’s selling well and could be sold out quickly. It’s beyond my price point anyway.

I was never going to pay $1500 CAD (+ shipping / taxes) for this set, but I do hope for a good LE -> SE edition. In the same vein as the Gormenghast set or the recent Shakespeare set.

That I’d be happy to buy.

Less than 100 left

69 as of now.

>132 BorisG:

Fair point--I'll see how the translation reads (my concern was that some had commented that the translation was more of an abridgement).

Won’t last the day at this pace. I like it, but a €1025 total cost prohibits me from buying. Hopefully we see the SE published not too long in the future. I really like the illustrations.

Lots of people saying they like the illustrations, but most people seemed to hate Beowulf, which had the same illustration style. I’m very confused.

>150 stubedoo: I don't think Folio did a good job marketing Beowulf, but once the half-price copies started making their way into peoples hands and they began posting pictures online, I think the tide turned in its favor. That said, figurative art, in general, can be quite polarizing, so it might not be in everyone's visual wheelhouse.

>150 stubedoo: I think a lot of folks didn't like the color palette against the yellow leather binding for Beowolf.

(edited to add) I picked it up at 50% off and have found to absolutely love the presentation. It's quite literally epic in its scope.

>150 stubedoo: I think what most people hated about Beowulf was the price - which is why it disappeared so quickly at 50% off during the sale. I understand some felt the yellow binding was rather garish - though once they had it in hand this objection seemed to disappear.

>153 antinous_in_london:

Yeah, possibly. The price was definitely a major issue. I bought one in the half price sale and love it (though the illustrations are a mixed bag - some better than others).

>153 antinous_in_london: I think the colours looked more garish in the promotional

>153 antinous_in_london: too true. In hand, as is so often the case with Folio, the book proved a delight - the gold detailing on the cover is particularly striking. Imo the Homer volumes’ illustrations work a little better than the monochrome of Beowulf

Remaining stocks of 15 at seven hours in.

And gone!

I wonder of the apparent (and to me, unexpected) success of this will drive interest in Beowulf on the used market.

Wow, faster than I thought! That makes Folio 6 for 6 on the year with nothing to add to the Winter Sale :)

It - 500 copies (7 minutes)
The Great Gatsby - 500 copies (2 hours, 15 minutes)
The Iliad & The Odyssey - 500 copies (7 hours, ~30 minutes)
The Lottery - 250 copies (~8 hours)
Perdido Street Station - 500 copies (1 day, ~18 hours)
Mythago Wood - 500 copies (5 days, ~6 hours)

>159 stubedoo: I was thinking about it just now, as I also thought this wouldn’t be a quick sellout. Some possible reasons:

1) Emily Wilson’s translation: I know there was quite a bit of negativity towards it on this forum, but I think it actually has loads of zeitgeisty geek-appeal. Over the past days, I was asking my friends if they knew of, or have read her version of the Odyssey. Of those younger than me (I am 41), three have read it in her translation, and all three were over-the-top positive about it. None of them have read another version. My older friends all at least knew of Wilson’s version even if they haven’t read it. So I think Folio knew what they were doing in going with her translation and not with one of the venerable others – it has buzz.

2) the Greek stories are super popular at the moment. Circe, the Song of Achilles, the retellings by Stephen Fry, the Silence of the Girls, the upcoming Nolan movie, the massively successful computer game Hades – talk of zeitgeisty appeal! It’s everywhere. So it might be that this cornucopia of retellings also generated interest in the source stories (especially in a modern translation!). And even outside the contemporary buzz, the Greek stories are so deeply embedded in western culture. Seamus Heaney in his introduction to Beowulf notes that the names of Troy, Helen, Achilles or Odysseus elicit by far a stronger emotional response than those of Heorot, Hrothgar or Wealhtheow.

3) and of course Folio Society’s own popularity.

It's already listed on eBay for substantial markup.

Did not bother setting the alarm for 1am as I thought this would be a slow seller. Fortunately when I arose at 7am there were still 34 available so just managed to get a copy. Amazed how quickly it sold, but scalpers are a pain.

>161 BorisG: As you mention, the Christopher Nolan film adaptation of the Odyssey coming next year & recent publicity around that may have garnered some added interest (maybe even from those who are playing a long-game & think that the film may make the LE an attractive resale proposition next year when the film publicity is in full flight)

Listed on ebay at 1300 and 1600 usd.

>161 BorisG: I’m on the negative camp when it comes to translation but your 2) point is very fair. If new translations can push more people into reading the classics I’m all for it.

Offered on ebay:
Kevinnal 1301 GBP
Ixth legion vault 1001,08 GBP
Adorable books 1129,88 GBP
It must be easy for FS to identify those investment buyers

>167 Macumbeira: "It must be easy for FS to identify those investment buyers"

Why would FS care? And there isn't anything illegal going on. From FS' perspective, the book is sold. Their interest ends at that point, assuming it isn't returned (and a person buying from a reseller doesn't even have that option).

Sadly, is win-win for Folio.

There are wineries in the Burgundy who number their expensive bottles. Each buyer can only buy 6 bottles and is registered. If a bottle reappears in a restaurant or on an ebay - type of site, that purchaser is banned to buy these exclusive wines for the future. They don’t play with their reputation.
But yes, that is next level brand protection.

>169 Macumbeira:

That’s marketing exclusivity more than anything.

Is that not what LE’s are all about ?

Given it wasn't complete chaos and took a good few hours to shift, I'm not fussed about the flippers. It's when genuine fans miss out on release (e.g recent CK Assassins Apprentice) that it gets me slightly miffed. Anyone desperate for this edition had plenty of notice and time to pick one up.

>172 Kargish: while I dislike scalping on principle, I agree in this case. The limitation lasted long enough that anyone that really wanted a copy could get one and, hopefully, that means less profit or even a bit of a loss for the resellers (although unlikely given Folio’s generous returns policy).

As far as I can tell, eBay has 18 listings for sale with zero sold. Not much of a market.

>161 BorisG: "the Greek stories are super popular at the moment. Circe, the Song of Achilles, the retellings by Stephen Fry, the Silence of the Girls, the upcoming Nolan movie, the massively successful computer game Hades – talk of zeitgeisty appeal! It’s everywhere."

Additionally here: 'Epic: The Musical'
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Epic:_The_Musical
https://youtu.be/6K-eMKjo1bs

My copy just arrived. I like the books and I look forward to reading them. I don't like the solander box though, it feels wildly impracticle and not that well made.

Are the copies numbered ?

My delivery confirmed for next tuesday. That will be a nail biting weekend

>177 Macumbeira: Yes they are.

Just watched a great video review. That clamshell is absolute trash. Books look Ok though, if nothing special.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?fbclid=IwY2xjawMLnUdleHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHpJc8p3UOkTOq...

>180 stubedoo: The clamshell is a paper hut ready for implosion. I imagine that it's not going to stand up to regular use.
The books look like ordinary Folio editions of a 10-20 years ago.
I hate the 'art'. Phallic art is it called?

I would have been the first to buy one, but the Wilson translation is an absolute deal breaker for me. It's a poor translation in my opinion. It would have only been worse if it was in prose. Rap music talk register only a couple of steps down from the translation used here. No thanks.

I don't have it but the box is cloth covered according to the FS website.

>183 BooksFriendsNotFood: "I don't have it but the box is cloth covered according to the FS website."

Cloth on the outside, paper on the inside from what I could see. Just really flimsy and a poor design. I wish publishers would stop trying to reinvent the solander. It is not needed and the results are invariably crap.

>184 stubedoo: Yes, agreed that it looked like paper on the inside based on the video you shared.

>184 stubedoo: Or if publishers are looking for a USP or wish to indulge their creative sides - don’t skimp!
It can succeed. Suntup’s numbered ‘Psycho’ is a prime example. Also, Folio’s Gormenghast LE box has a reasonable solidity to it. That said, I wish they’d allowed for future volume-shift. As has been highlighted previously, the books, when read, expand which makes returning the books to the box a bit difficult. These oversights can frustrate, especially considering this is their bread and butter.

I bought it, and sold it…

The books themselves are really well made –good quality leather, very thick cloth-covered boards, good paper (definite step up from the FS-ubiquitous abbey wove), good (though perhaps not breathtaking) typography – and separate kudos for the really well executed gilding, both (extensively) on the box and book spines, and on the top edge of both volumes. It was immaculate on my copy.

The solander has really not been thought through in terms of usability (though it looks good!). If you start opening it from a ‘normal’ position (box lying flat), you get to a point where you need to flip open the part of the box *with the books inside it*. There’s a small shelf preventing the books from falling out at that stage, but these are two heavy volumes, and it felt like luck that the shelf didn’t break the first time I opened the box. I later found that you could avoid this by starting to open the box with the title spine facing up. You then end up with both book spines facing towards you, making it easy to take them out. But who would normally think to open a solander box with the spine facing up…?

What made me sell it, though, was the translation. I have to regretfully agree with those of you who were against it. I was hoping for something like Headley’s Beowulf – a modern approach with a striking voice, gripping despite (or through) its modernity, but this wasn’t the case. The Iliad (I read the first two books) wasn’t bad, but there was an unpoetic simplicity to it, it felt like ‘a good read’ rather than a masterpiece. And the Odyssey was just a pale, flat reflection of the text – my husband, whom I showed the opening, compared to the Fagles edition we have, said “it reads like a precis”. I now know about Wilson’s decision to stick to a iambic pentameter line while not expanding the number of lines (which she did do in the Iliad, and it’s much better for it), and I’m absolutely sure that a lot of thought and work went into the translation, but I think too much gets lost as a result.

So, back to Fagles for me for the moment, and I might try the new Mendelssohn translation of the Odyssey.

>187 BorisG: "it felt like 'a good read' rather than a masterpiece."

Exactly.

Mendelssohn is a good translation. Supposedly, he followed the same approach as Lattimore. I read his notes on his approach to translation, and I found it thoughtful. I also found it poetic enough. However, he hasn't translated the Illiad yet, so I'm not sure if it would have been a good business decision to have a set by two different translators (I wouldn't mind).

I like Fitzgerald's translation. Very lyrical and beautiful. Not too archaic.

I'm still sampling Peter Green's translation. I really think that if Folio wanted something modern and approachable, this would have been a better choice than Wilson. His translation seems to hold a middle ground and a "compromise" between the scholarly like Mendelssohn/Lattimore, the poetic Fitzgerald, and the modern Wilson.

I'm not an expert by any stretch of the imagination, but that's the way I think about it.

I hope that they produce another LE using a different translation and artwork to match. I think there would be enough buyer demand for it.

>188 nau2002:
Yes, having dipped into various translations, and enjoyed both Fagles and Fitzgerald in the past (and disliked and sold Wilson), I've ordered the Green version from my local independent. Looks promising.

Received my books. Unfortunately the iliad’s cover slightly damaged…
On the slip in paper they mention vellum. Is there any vellum in the books ?

I was worried by the comments on The translation, but it is ok, very readable. I have the Fagles and the Mendelsohn in case I want to show off my erudition. The paper quality is not as nice as the Sappho, but you can’t have it all I guess.

>190 Macumbeira:

No, turn the slip over for leather. It's an economy to have the same slip work for the many vellum-bound books they publish...

>192 affle: ok got it

>192 affle: many vellum books they publish ?
Any example ?

>194 Macumbeira:

Irony, I'm afraid.

: )

>195 affle: To be fair, they have published a handful that I can recall, if not many: I'm thinking of the series of LEs of Alice; Just So Stories; Ancient Mariner; Gulliver's Travels; Wind in the Willows; and Rubaiyat, which all had quarter vellum and vellum tips to the corners of the boards.

Edit to add: Warwick reviewed various Folio editions of the Rubaiyat LE here: https://www.librarything.com/topic/331986

Another edit to add that Warwick also reviewed Gulliver's Travels: https://www.librarything.com/topic/306322

The Rime of the Ancient Mariner: https://www.librarything.com/topic/360345

and The Wind in the Willows: https://www.librarything.com/topic/342884

>197 Cat_of_Ulthar: I think The Waste Land, which was half-bound in vellum, may have been the last one to date.

>191 Macumbeira: I was worried by the comments on The translation, but it is ok, very readable.

I don't think there has been any doubt of its readability. I found it, indeed, very readable too. For me, it was more about how much was missed out, resulting in a loss of texture and depth (IMO). More of an abridged version, or so it felt. Reading Fagles et al is absolutely nothing to do with showing off erudition - I simply find them more enjoyable to read.

>198 HonorWulf: Thanks, I didn't think of that one. Probably because it isn't (officially) available in the UK.

I start to fantasize over Vellum…

So, because I bought this one, I went and looked about opinions about it, just because I'm curious what people think and it seems to be somewhat controversial. From the Art and Quality, to the Translation...there seems to be criticism about every aspects of this set of books, which I find really interesting (somehow). So I guess I just want to leave my thoughts about it somewhere:

- I think this is a very nice Edition, although I understand the criticism people have about it and I would never recommend people to buy it at this price anyway (I'm just crazy to buy it, is all...).
- I like the Art, it reminds me somewhat of cave-paintings come to live and the color palette reminds me of bronze patina, which seems very fitting to me.
- I don't know anything about the quality of books...so I kind of have to take peoples word for it...but to me personally, there is nothing major to critique; although I agree that the Box/Solander isn't very practical in the way it opens. Being able to open it from the front (like a door) and flip open to both sides would have been better I think. Because then you could flip it open completely like now, but you could also just open the front to take one of the books out.
- I also don't know much about the Translation...I just know, that the Wilson one is a bit controversial...I mostly know both stories from other Media, so this will be the first time reading it for me. From that point of view, I think it's not a bad idea to start with a more approachable Translation, even if some of the nuance might be lost. I have the Fagles version from Folio, too, so eventually I will have read both and I think this text is worth reading more than one version of...It's such an old text that, unless you can read the original Greek version and have a deep understanding of the times it was written, you don't have much of a choice other than reading it through someone else's lens...and by that point it's just about preference for most people other than academics.

Now, aside from the fact that I'm German, which means my English skills aren't perfect, I'm coming from the perspective of someone that isn't part of this community, until a year ago I wasn't even very interested in books at all...but some day I just decided, that I wanted a very nice Edition of the Hobbit, Lord Of The Rings and Silmarillion...then the Dune and Foundation Trilogy...then Frankenstein, Dracula and other classics would also be nice...and a year later I ended up with a bookshelf...
So what I've written here is from the point of view of someone that really has no idea...maybe people find that interesting, maybe not, I just leave it here.

>202 Tonbery:
It's interesting!
Most of us started our book collecting in a similar way.

>202 Tonbery: "It's such an old text that, unless you can read the original Greek version and have a deep understand of the times it was written, you don't have much of a choice other than reading it through someone else's lens...and by that point it's just about preference for most people other than academics."

I think people often forget this. They see a simpler text and think it must be further from the original because it is simple. I'm not qualified to say whether that is the case with this work, but I tend to feel that the more flowery the translation, the less likely it is to be an accurate representation. That was what I found when translating some Old Norse and comparing to more accomplished translations of the same bits of work. The accomplished translations sounded lovely, but they sure as hell were not accurate to the original text. Parts were just flat out made up based on what the translator felt was being inferred.

I'm actually going to read this translation, just not in a £750 edition!

>202 Tonbery:

Thank you for leaving your thoughts. You have gone about book collecting in a very methodical way which augurs well for your future in this hobby. Most collectors stumble through, making mistakes they come to regret. Choosing Folio books from the outset suggests this will be less likely in your case. My best wishes for your future book collecting. There are literally thousands of titles in Folio's back catalogue. Finally, I hope you won't consider it condescending if I congratulate you sincerely on your use of written English. If you hadn't mentioned that you are not a native speaker I'd never have guessed. A warm welcome to FSD!

Nice and honest post.
With me it has been different.
I have been an avid reader since a very young age.
Nowadays I replace a few cheap pockets of my preferred books by more expensive versions like the Folio's.
It is only now, at the end of my career that I can treat myself in such ways.

>204 stubedoo: Some of us are, indeed, familiar enough with the Homeric Greek to understand (or begin to understand) the nuances in translation and why simpler isn’t necessarily better. Some of the debate does devolve into personal preference, but at its heart the goal of the translator must always be to capture the original meaning as closely as possible. Discarding shades of meaning present in the original language (often vital in poetry) for linguistic niceties or to fit a pre-conceived template in the target language is not translation. I’m not saying that Wilson set out to do this, but for many that has been the result. If you want a good idea of how a simple direct translation will obscure all meaning in a text, have a look at medieval Sanskrit sutras cf to their contemporary exegesis.

I don't understand how people can spend $1k on a book without first checking to see if they will like the translation and researching the art style of the artist to see if they like it. Dunno. Maybe that's just me.

>208 nau2002: FOMO and successful a marketing campaign? I’ve thought the same.

>207 cwl: I've read each book four or five times by multiple translators. I'm halfway through Wilson's Iliad and I really enjoy the simplicity of it as if I'm hearing the story at a campfire compared with sitting down reading verbose text - it's something completely different and I give her credit. Fagles, Green and Fitzgerald already have superb translations and because of that what would be the point of someone writing another translation in similar style.

I don't mean to be disrespectful but people who are familiar with Ancient Greek on this website and someone who has studied at Oxford, then Yale, and has gone on to become a classics professor at UPenn for over twenty years might have different levels of competency when it comes to translating these works.

I got my books at last, and yeah - at first glance the only thing I genuinely dislike is the way the box works.
(surely they would've had someone unfamiliar with it try and open it in the prototyping stage and rip off that narrow tab holding the books in?)
The box is doubly annoying, because it doesn't fit on my shelf by about 5mm. -__-

>205 folio_books: Thank you for the compliment! As a Software-Developer I hear and read a lot of english, but I don't have a lot of opportunities to write or speak myself, so it's nice to hear, that at least the writing part is decent enough

This back and forth with the translations reminds me of a series of math-books that were popular at my University, while I got my Bachelor-Degree. Some of the Math-Professors didn't like them, because, according to them, they omitted various details or taught the subject-matter in a to simplistic way. But the students at that University weren't getting Math-Degrees, but Business-, IT- and Electronics-Degrees and these books covered exactly what was needed for them, which helped a lot of students through their math-classes.

I think these translations are similar; different translations for different audiences. I'm not denying the criticisms of the Wilson translation, they are probably warranted, from a certain point of view. But the way some people talk about it, almost makes it seem like it would be better if the Wilson translation didn't exist at all, and that doesn't feel right to me!
It's not like the other translations are invalidated or have disappeared because of it; nothing is lost.
It's just a new translation for a different audience and I would rather have that than not, as long as the translation isn't flat out wrong or misses the point of the story so completely, that it isn't worth reading anymore.
But I guess where that line is, also depends on who you are talking to...

Credit where credit is due, the Emily Wilson translations have introduced Homer to a new generation of readers, which is somewhat miraculous in-and-of itself given today's reading trends. Ironically, while Wilson is not my particular cup of tea, I've also grown disillusioned with Fagles on similar grounds of taking his own artistic liberties with the translation, albeit in different ways. I'd personally be interested in a Lattimore or Green Folio myself.

>213 Tonbery: Yes, this! No translation is perfect and the question of target audience and purpose is a valid one.

>213 Tonbery: totally agree, and I didn’t intend my post above to sound like I was denying the validity of Wilson’s translations! Not at all. It was just a personal realisation that I didn’t want / need a £750 edition of that translation – although I was sorry to let the books go, simply as superbly made book-objects.

>210 Joshbooks1: I like your comparison of Wilson’s version to a campfire story. I knew this was going to be the case, and again would like to compare it to Maria Headley’s Beowulf – Headley deliberately turned it into a modern-day bar story, told by a bro to other bros. The big difference for me was that I found Headley’s bro-rendering brilliant, full of memorable lines that felt like flashes of lightning while reading and had stuck in my head since, whereas Wilson’s campfire version for me was just not brilliant / captivating enough – not compared to the Homeric Greek (which I can’t read), but just in itself.

>216 BorisG: Completely understandable, the price-tag of this one makes it especially divisive. From all I've read from people talking about this Edition, I get the feeling that the Wilson translation itself isn't actually the problem, more so that Folio chose that particular one for this Limited Edition and many people would've liked it with a more traditional one instead; I guess that should've been obvious to me? I'm not sure...

now that we are warmed up, can we speak about Folio's choice for Anne Carson as the "translator" of Sappho ?

( just a joke guys and gals, just a joke )

in post 190, I mentioned that the Iliad book I received was slightly damaged. I got in contact with the Folio society, sent them a picture of the scratch and they immediately replaced the book.
What a service !
A top organization!

>219 Macumbeira:

Folio are pretty good at trying to solve customer issues. I have to say the Hobbit debacle was patience-trying though, with CS repeatedly having replacements sent out without them being QC checked. The will seems to be there sometimes, but the ability and systems appear to be lacking.

>220 stubedoo: I read in the FSD wiki that, until 2014, you had to be a Folio Society club-member if you wanted to buy from them. Maybe they struggle a bit with the volume of sales since opening up and going world-wide?

>221 Tonbery:
They have always been world-wide and used to have offices in the USA and Australia, but you are right about membership ceasing in 2014.

Some more copies have shown up in the Folio Vault:

https://www.foliosociety.com/uk/iliad-odyssey-limited-edition

Some back in stock on the FS site. Four left when I just checked.

https://www.foliosociety.com/uk/iliad-odyssey-limited-edition

Was the difference between the UK and ROW prices so egregious when the books released? 750 vs 865 pounds is insane

>225 AdPacem: Par for the course for Folio pricing, I'd think. ROW prices have been inflated for years now.

I admit I added it to my cart when I saw the message but then I looked again at the illustrations and remembered why I didn’t want to spend LE money on it :P

>226 Shotcaller: I really don't understand their model, none of the other premium/fine presses do this to my knowledge. On the positive side of things, I am now significantly more selective with Folio orders and have made much better second-hand purchases

>227 zorg2099: Exactly! I won’t even spend SE money on it.

>227 zorg2099: ...but then I looked again at the illustrations and remembered why I didn’t want to spend LE money on it :P

But you spent SE money on it! :)
https://www.librarything.com/topic/334435#9196915

>230 mr.philistine: Haha yeah I could live with the illos for the SE money. Its still a very nicely made edition in other respects and its a big upgrade over the paperbacks I had.

This book review from the Guardian may be of interest to those considering this FS edition:

https://www.theguardian.com/books/2026/may/26/crossing-the-wine-dark-sea-by-emil...

I'm very pleased to have added the LEs to my Homer editions.

>233 affle: This was really interesting — thank you for sharing!

>233 affle: and here's a counter-point --
https://www.marginallycompelling.com/p/a-critique-of-emily-wilsons-the-odyssey

If you want the full force of it all, listen to (or watch) the podcast. But for those of you who are readers, not listeners, here is the gist of it:

Emily Wilson’s Odyssey is being used as an “academic” translation, which means it is intended to be read in classrooms. It is, first and foremost, a bad translation. It misrepresents the core text, adds things that aren’t in the text, removes things that are in the text, and makes basic translation errors such as incorrectly translating “five hundred” as “fifty” and adding characters to the poem who do not exist in the text.

https://casa-kvsa.org.za/legacy/AC63-Whitaker-18DEC2019.pdf

This is drawing from Dr. Richard Whitaker’s paper on Wilson’s translation, which is more footnotes than it is text due to the voluminous translation mistakes Wilson commits and that Dr. Whitaker takes pains to document. Whitaker notes that there are voluminous misrepresentations, but properly focuses on the parts in the text that are flatly mistranslated.

It is strange to gawk at the plain awfulness of this translation while it is praised in higher cultural spaces and is being used to supplant more accurate translations in an academic setting.

Also of interest, might be Wilson's review of Whitaker's translation of The Odyssey:

https://bmcr.brynmawr.edu/2018/2018.05.38/

>236 FitzJames:

Feels like tit for tat shit reviews, with Wilson unconvincingly pretending not to be doing that.

>237 stubedoo: The consolation in the translation feuds is that they can all exist concurrently. More importantly, the original source material exists, so there's a clear chain as people can compare various translation efforts over time.

I personally appreciate Wilson's motivation for her choices. I might not always agree, but I am grateful for the endeavor nonetheless. Afterall, I just sit back and enjoy the fruits of decades of her experience and effort.

As for those that want an "academic" translation, there are plenty of alternatives if this is unsatisfactory. Classrooms have many other options to use.

I found this a useful comparison of several translations. https://youtu.be/vLn_wmedmT0?si=DiFQBCzuees8SiDB
I was puzzled at the time that Wilson said “fifty” when all the others had “five hundred” men. It is written fifty, not 50, so it isn’t the case of a missing 0.
Such a basic error is rather surprising.