Crossing the Wine-Dark Sea: Journeys through Ancient Literature

· Profile Books
Ebook
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This book will become available on June 4, 2026. You will not be charged until it is released.

About this ebook

How do we give old words new voices? What must a translator lose - and might she gain - when she moves between languages, bringing ancient stories to modern life?

Reflecting on the inspiration, interpretation and (mis)appropriation of words from Antiquity to today, Emily Wilson invites us to explore the translator's art and mind - and gives a wholly fresh insight into the joys and quandaries of her own work. From Athenian comedy and Rome's love of Greek culture to Han Kang's novels, Cardi B's lyrics and the discoveries she made whilst translating Homer, this is a playful and fascinating voyage into the promise, possibility and constant renewal of our founding classical culture.

About the author

Emily Wilson is Professor of Classical Studies at the University of Pennsylvania. Her translations of The Odyssey and The Iliad were critically acclaimed across the globe, and she is a regular contributor to the London Review of Books, the New York Times, the New Statesman and the Nation.

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