Emily Wilson made history as the first woman to translate The Odyssey into English verse. Published in 2017, her translation is at once bold and in conversation with history, bringing the ancient words down to earth with plainer language that reflects its oral tradition and an iambic pentameter rhythm that honors the lineage of English poetry and mimics the human heartbeat. When Christopher Nolan adapted The Odyssey into a blockbuster, he cited her work — and she responded with not one but two searing critiques of the film for the London Review of Books and The Atlantic, opening a Pandora’s box of discourse about myth, authority and retelling. It’s the perfect time, then, for Wilson to come to Nashville to discuss her new book Crossing the Wine-Dark Sea: Journeys Through Ancient Literature, which considers the philosophy and prejudices of translating the classics. Co-presented by The Parthenon and Parnassus Books in partnership with Centennial Park Conservancy, Wilson — who also translated The Iliad in 2023 — will appear at The Parthenon for a conversation with education director Helen Sanders and a book signing. Tickets are available online.
6:30 p.m. at The Parthenon
2500 West End Ave.
