THE ODYSSEY. Translated by Sir William Marris. (Milford. 8s. 6d.
net.) TRANSLATORS still argue viciously over the metre into which Homer would be best translated. Sir William Marris's choice of blank verse as his medium seems to us the most sensible, in the ordinary way. A novelty of view may perhaps be gained from translations in ballad metre or rhyme royal, but they are not likely to wear well. Sir William manages blank verse with sufficient variety of rhythm to please us, and his lack of ornament is a great relief. It will happen at times that the reader is shocked by the bareness of the phraseology :— " ' Friend, I am off to look after the pigs . . Then wise Telemachus replied to him : So be it, Daddy ! ' " There is surely no epic ring to such verses ; and on the whole they leave an impression of primitiveness that is far from typical of the Greek. Nevertheless this is as good a reading- version of the Odyssey as we have come across.
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