# Emily Wilson Odyssey translation developments

> Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/emily-wilson-odyssey-translation-developments
> Updated: 2026-08-31T03:59:10.000Z. Sources: 8. Developments: 3.

Classical scholar Emily Wilson, known for her 2017 English verse translation of Homer’s Odyssey, has discussed the literary influences behind her work and her criticisms of contemporary adaptations. In recent commentary, she identified several books that informed her approach to rhythm and clarity, while also describing Christopher Nolan’s recent epic film as “emotionally empty” and “structurally strained.”

Wilson has since announced that she is undertaking an entirely new, complete retranslation of The Odyssey rather than a revision of her previous version. This new project, which is reportedly halfway complete, aims for greater linguistic precision regarding ancient social roles. Specifically, Wilson noted that her previous version frequently used the word ‘slave’ to describe various social roles that the ancient Greek language distinguishes more specifically. The new edition is expected to be more extensive and feature a different formal structure, utilizing more lines than the original to allow for more varied pacing and word length.

Industry experts, including Kate Deimling of the American Translators Association, have noted that while minor edits are common, a full retranslation of such a commercially successful epic within a decade is “highly unusual” in the publishing industry. Despite the controversy surrounding her criticism of Nolan’s film—which cited her 2017 translation as an influence—both the film and her previous translation have contributed to a significant surge in book sales for the epic poem.

## Claims

- The new work is a complete retranslation of Homer’s The Odyssey rather than a revision of the 2017 version. (corroborated by 3 sources)
- Wilson is approximately halfway through the new translation project. (corroborated by 3 sources)
- The 2017 translation overused the single English word 'slave' to describe various distinct categories of enslaved people in ancient Greek. (corroborated by 3 sources)
- Starting over entirely on a successful, full-length classical text is virtually unheard of in modern publishing. (corroborated by 3 sources)
- The new edition of The Odyssey will be more extensive than the previous version. (single source)

## Timeline

### 2026-08-31: Emily Wilson to retranslate Homer’s Odyssey from scratch

Professor Emily Wilson is retranslating Homer’s ‘The Odyssey’ from scratch, seeking to implement a more nuanced approach to the ancient Greek text than her bestselling 2017 version.

2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/emily-wilson-to-retranslate-homers-odyssey-from-scratch

### 2026-08-28: Emily Wilson to undertake complete retranslation of The Odyssey

Professor Emily Wilson is performing a complete retranslation of Homer’s The Odyssey, aiming for greater linguistic precision regarding social roles and ancient Greek terminology.

6 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/emily-wilson-to-undertake-complete-retranslation-of-the-odyssey

### 2026-08-06: Emily Wilson on the books that shaped her Odyssey translation and her criticism of Nolan’s film

Emily Wilson details the five books that inspired her acclaimed Odyssey translation and condemns Christopher Nolan’s film as emotionally empty and structurally strained.

2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/emily-wilson-on-the-books-that-shaped-her-odyssey-translation-and-her-criticism-of-nolans-film

---
Cite as: Emily Wilson Odyssey translation developments. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/emily-wilson-odyssey-translation-developments