Few works have travelled as far across centuries, languages and interpretations as Homer’s The Odyssey. The ancient Greek epic has repeatedly found new life through translations, each bringing its own rhythm, sensibility, and understanding to Odysseus’ long journey home.

For modern readers, Emily Wilson’s 2017 translation became particularly influential, offering a version of the poem that was accessible without losing sight of its literary weight. So much so that it even became the backbone of Christopher Nolan's record-shattering The Odyssey this year. Though she was not particularly fond of what Nolan did with the film, her work has helped introduce Homer’s epic to a new generation while sparking conversations about how an ancient story should sound in the modern world.

Now, Wilson is preparing to embark on another journey with Homer’s epic—and this one promises to be very different.

While Homer gave the world an epic that has endured for millennia, Emily Wilson gave modern readers a translation worthy of its legacy in 2017. Now, nearly a decade later, her relationship with the epic is far from over. Wilson is once again returning to Odysseus’ journey, but this time, she is not simply polishing the version that introduced her work to millions of readers. She is starting anew.

"It’s a complete retranslation. It’s not a revision of the old version. I’m about halfway through,” she told The Associated Press during a Zoom interview from her home in Philadelphia.

Wilson’s original translation was groundbreaking in more ways than one. As the first major English-language translation of Homer’s epic by a woman, it became a bestseller while also finding itself at the center of debates over how ancient literature should be approached and interpreted. But nearly a decade of distance has given Wilson a different perspective on her own work.

She now feels, as she shared in the interview, that her translation methods have evolved, allowing her to spot choices she would handle differently today. One example is her use of “slave,” which she believes flattened distinctions between the different forms of enslavement present in ancient Greek society. The new translation will therefore be longer and more attentive to the varied social worlds within Homer’s poem.

While Wilson is re-translating her own work, she was equally unafraid to scrutinize Nolan’s The Odyssey.

In her London Review of Books essay, An Uncomplicated Man, Emily Wilson argued that The Odyssey misses much of what makes the ancient poem compelling, particularly its psychological, emotional, political, and ethical dimensions. She also took issue with the film’s characterization, arguing that its characters lacked convincing motivations.

"The writing is abysmal. None of the characters has convincing motivation for their actions or words," she wrote.

Wilson acknowledged that adaptations need not mirror their source material with the precision expected of a translation, but felt Nolan’s version went too far in prioritizing spectacle. She described its narrative structure as “gimmicky,” criticized its relentless pace, and even joked about the absence of s** scenes and the unappealing food. Her sharpest dismissal came when she said she “would be ashamed to have written any part of this script.”

Whether revisiting Homer or challenging Nolan, Wilson continues to prove that The Odyssey remains a story worth debating.

Hollywood is Back! Summer 2026 Smashes All-Time Record on the Back of 'The Odyssey', 'Spider-Man' and More

Are you excited for the new translation of Homer's epic? Let us know in the comments below.