Smithsonian lectures
My friend Will tells me that you can become a Smithsonian Resident Associate (and get discounted lecture prices) for only $19 (but I think it costs more to renew). This is a considerable savings, particularly for the bigger, pricier lectures (such as Decoding Mycenaean Greek Heroic Culture).
And while I'm talking about Smithsonian lectures, I'll make this my final reminder for Dr. Steven Rutledge's Fiddling with Nero this Tuesday (the 19th) at 6:30PM.
Anyway, I'm such a Classics freak that, apparently, people at my store will tell customers that one of their employees (that'd be me!) is a Classics major when people buy things like The Giving Tree in Latin or Harrius Potter! Hah! Yes, we finally sold Harrius Potter (apparently, sometime last night).
And then, of course, a customer today asked where Homer was, and I ended up telling her which translations are the best. I pick Lattimore, Fagles, and Fitzgerald and award NEGATIVE points to Samuel Butler (and to the Signet edition, because it's a prose translation). I loathe Butler. I've not actually read his translations, but I read the introduction to his book, Authoress of the Odyssey. There are not enough WORDS to describe what a pretentious PRAT he was. I wrote a short paper on this last semester, and I still despise him. He almost turned me into a "militant" feminist. Ugh.
And while I'm talking about Smithsonian lectures, I'll make this my final reminder for Dr. Steven Rutledge's Fiddling with Nero this Tuesday (the 19th) at 6:30PM.
Anyway, I'm such a Classics freak that, apparently, people at my store will tell customers that one of their employees (that'd be me!) is a Classics major when people buy things like The Giving Tree in Latin or Harrius Potter! Hah! Yes, we finally sold Harrius Potter (apparently, sometime last night).
And then, of course, a customer today asked where Homer was, and I ended up telling her which translations are the best. I pick Lattimore, Fagles, and Fitzgerald and award NEGATIVE points to Samuel Butler (and to the Signet edition, because it's a prose translation). I loathe Butler. I've not actually read his translations, but I read the introduction to his book, Authoress of the Odyssey. There are not enough WORDS to describe what a pretentious PRAT he was. I wrote a short paper on this last semester, and I still despise him. He almost turned me into a "militant" feminist. Ugh.
posted by Glaukôpis at 9:58 PM
6 Comments:
Haha! Yeah, it does seem like it would be entertaining, at the very least!
Have you read the wonderful introduction to the Fagles translations written by Bernard Knox? I found them very insightful and interesting. Knox's introductions make the Fagles translations worth picking up if for no other reason.
Re: Mark
Actually, I don't think I have. I'll try to remember to when I get a spare moment!
Lattimore is a CHOICE translation? You must be drunk. He's nothing but a pain in the arse, non-sentimental doorstop. -Allison
Re: Allison
Well, Lattimore is more in there by word of mouth than by having read his version personally. And anyway, it's better than the prose crap and better than Butler (may the Furies haunt him).
I agree with Mark. The Fagles translation with the Knox introduction is the best.
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