Samuel Butler’s famous 1900 translation brought Homer to Victorian readers in clear, accessible prose — but over a century later, Butler’s own language has begun to show its age. This edition modernizes Butler’s Victorian English for today’s readers while restoring the original Greek names for gods and goddesses, delivering The Odyssey as Butler always intended — readable, immediate, and true to its Greek origins.
This is the complete and unabridged translation, all 24 books.
Features of this edition:
Authentic Greek Names: All Roman god and goddess names are fully restored to their original Greek, bringing the text back into alignment with Homer’s true world.Modernized Language: Archaic Victorian vocabulary and grammar have been updated throughout, while preserving Butler’s distinctive readable style.Polished Prose: Subtle improvements to grammar and punctuation to ensure a smoother narrative flow.American Spelling: Standard American spelling replaces the original Victorian British English throughout.Easy to Read: The paperback is set in a generously sized typeface for comfortable reading — no squinting at tiny print.Whether you are reading Homer for the first time or returning to a beloved classic, this edition offers the most accessible and authentic Butler translation available today.
A taste of Homer:
“‘Here, Cyclops,’ said I, ‘have some wine to wash down that meal of human flesh, and see what kind of drink we had on board my ship. I was bringing it as a gift for you, hoping you might take pity on me and help me on my way home, but you are going on rampaging in a way that is past all bearing. How do you expect anyone to come visit you if this is how you treat them?’
“He took the cup and drank. He was so delighted with the taste of the wine that he asked me for another bowlful. ‘Be kind enough,’ he said, ‘to give me some more, and tell me your name right now. I want to give you a gift you will be glad to have. We do have wine in this country, for our soil grows grapes and the sun ripens them, but this tastes like nectar and ambrosia rolled into one.’
“I gave him more; three times I filled the bowl, and three times he drained it without thinking twice; then when I saw the wine had gone to his head, I spoke to him as smoothly as I could: ‘Cyclops, you ask my name and I will tell you; give me therefore the gift you promised me; my name is Nobody; that is what my father and mother and all my friends have always called me.’
“But the cruel brute said, ‘Then Nobody will be the last I eat, and all his friends will go first. That shall be my gift to him.’
— Homer, The Odyssey, Book lX
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