SCOUT· 65%59m·2026-09-24·HistoryClassic Chats: Daniel Mendelsohn on translating the Odyssey
Mary and Charlotte talk to Daniel Mendelsohn, one of America’s most revered classicists, whose new translation of the Odyssey was published last year. Daniel’s decision to translate the Odyssey occurred rather unusually. In 2011, his 82-year-old father decided to attend his weekly Odyssey seminar at Bard College. In…
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What people are saying
“Thanks that was marvelous! Would it be possible to get Daniel Mendelsohn back on the podcast to talk about the poet C. P. Cavafy whose work he also translated? There is so much about the ancient world in Cavafy.”
“Why in the world would someone feel a sense of 'ownership' or 'correctness' about something that was passed down verbally for generations and then finally written down in a now dead language? It's pretty sad that adults don't have themselve…”
“Warm greetings from Greece. A great show; Mendelssohn is delightful, and I found his book «The elusive embrace= desire and the riddle of identity» (2012) fascinating. I would like to know if his father managed to read it and what he thought…”
“Fabulous! Daniel is so brilliant and clear to listen to, his voice tone is a delight too, so interesting. A great combination of hearing you all casually chat. Love it! Let’s have Daniel back again please”
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