Crossing the Wine-Dark Sea

Crossing the Wine-Dark Sea“Brilliant… enthralling and profoundly relevant” Salman Rushdie“Joyful, illuminating and engaging… required reading for anyone interested in translation” Madeline MillerHow 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.Emily Wilson’s brilliant reconsiderations of the ancient world – through the figure of Helen of Troy, the remaking of the Iliad by Christopher Logue, the use of comedy to grapple with dark matters, even slavery, and much besides – makes this an enthralling and profoundly relevant book. – Salman RushdieI adored reading these joyful, illuminating, and engrossing journeys through ancient literature. Wilson’s interest is wide-ranging, moving with elegance and insight across genres and millennia. With wit, passion, and clarity, she invites us into each of these fascinating subjects. The final essay especially is required reading for anyone interested in translation, drawing back the veil on how a brilliant scholar and writer approaches her work. – Madeline Miller, author of THE SONG OF ACHILLESVaulting from the ancient to the modern and back again, this collection is erudite, insightful, and provocative. An unparalleled insight into the work of a classicist and translator at the height of their powers. – Paul Cooper, author of FALL OF CIVILIZATIONSWe’re incredibly lucky to have Emily Wilson writing about the art, politics, and ethics of translation and retranslation. Crossing the Wine-Dark Sea is an impressive display of Wilson’s expertise, conviction, and wit. Her impact within and without the world of literary translation has been huge. – Jen Calleja, author of FAIR: THE LIFE-ART OF TRANSLATION