Wine-Dark Press

Numbered first printing of 500

The Odyssey, Illustrated Collector's Edition

Homer's poem in the plain prose translation readers have used since 1900, printed as a 6x9 hardcover with 24 full-page plates, a cast key, a voyage map and a synopsis of every book.

Order the edition, $49.95

Ships in 7 to 12 business days. 30-day returns.

The Odyssey, Illustrated Collector's Edition, oxblood casewrap with a gold ship medallion.
The
Odyssey
Homer
translated by Samuel Butler

What is inside

24 full-page plates

One plate for each book of the poem, drawn in the copperplate engraving style, plus a frontispiece.

Cast key

Who is who, in one place. Names, households and gods, so you never lose the thread of a scene.

24-book synopsis

A short paragraph for each book. Read it first, or use it to find your place again.

Voyage map

A full-page plate of the route from Troy to Ithaca, with the landfalls marked in order.

Orientation essay

Why this translation, and how to read the poem without a seminar to lean on.

Numbered first printing

Each copy of the first printing carries its own number on the edition page. 500 in all.


The plates

Black and white line art, printed full page on cream paper, one for every book.

Plate from Book I
Book I
Plate from Book V
Book V
Plate from Book IX
Book IX
Plate from Book XII
Book XII
Plate from Book XVII
Book XVII
Plate from Book XIX
Book XIX
Plate from Book XXII
Book XXII
Plate from Book XXIII
Book XXIII

Eight of the 24. Every book of the poem gets its own plate.


On the translation

The text is Samuel Butler's translation, the plain prose translation readers have used since 1900. Butler wrote the poem out as English sentences rather than verse, which is why it still reads at the pace of a story. It is in the public domain, so nothing stands between the reader and the text.

Nothing has been modernized away. The reading aids sit around the poem, not inside it.


Specifications

Format6x9 inch hardcover, casewrap
LengthAbout 380 pages
PaperCream book stock
Illustrations24 full-page black and white plates, plus a frontispiece
TranslationSamuel Butler, 1900, public domain
PrintingPrinted in the USA
ShippingShips in 7 to 12 business days

First printing, numbered

$49.95plus $6.95 shipping in the United States
The voyage of Odysseus from Troy to Ithaca, printed map.
Add the printed voyage map, 18x24 inches on heavy stock, for $12. Stripe offers it on the payment page, so you can add it or skip it there.

Secure checkout by Stripe. Order up to five copies.

Also from Wine-Dark Press: The Lost Books of the Bible, Restored Apocrypha Edition.


Questions

Which translation is this?

Samuel Butler's 1900 prose translation, complete and unabridged. It is public domain, and it reads as plain English prose rather than verse.

What are the plates?

24 full-page black and white illustrations, one for each book of the poem, plus a frontispiece. They are printed on the same cream stock as the text.

When does it ship?

Each copy is printed to order in the United States and ships in 7 to 12 business days. You get tracking by email when it leaves the printer.

What if I do not like it?

Send it back within 30 days of delivery for a full refund of the purchase price. Write to hello@winedarkpress.com and we will tell you where to send it.

Is this related to the movie?

No. This is Homer's text in the Butler translation, published by Wine-Dark Press. We are not affiliated with, endorsed by, or connected to any film, studio or production.