Comparing and evaluating translations of Homer, focusing on Lattimore, and the difficulties and decisions involved.

Exploring the classical world - Audio

Homer - lost in translation?

Exploring the classical world

Reading' classical texts and the differing philosophies of translation, with a dramatised example from the Lattimore translation of Homer's Odyssey.

Interpreting Homer

Metaphor, imagery, characterisation and the portrayal of strong emotion in Homer's Odyssey, with dramatised excerpts from book iv.

Homer's people

The power of the Gods and the nature of Homeric heroes, including a reading from the original Greek and dramatisations from Odyssey book v.

Homer's world

Different approaches to recreating the original Homeric experience in prose, poetry and on stage.

Homer - translation through recreation

The love poetry of Catullus and his place in contemporary Roman society, with readings in Latin and translation.

Catullus - poetic voices

The role of Catullus and his poetry in political and personal rivalries in the late Roman Republic.

Catullus - political worlds

The sounds and rhythms of Latin poetry, focusing on the Alcaic form with readings from Horace's ode 3.6.

The Alcaic stanzas of Horace

The sounds and rhythms of Roman Elegiac poetry, with readings in Latin and translation.

Exploring Roman elegiac poetry

Scolastico