Just wondering which English translation I should pick up to avoid any deluded scratchings and get more of the truth to these works. Also other book recommendations with trusted English translation? I know Jackson crawford's poetic edda has been told to be very reliable (despite his xtianity)
Here, I will repost something I shared about the iliad:
It depends on the translation. They can vary immensely, from pretty simplified to the point where it's missing not only details but larger information and context(Wilson's) to being pretty elaborate and obtuse. Subtle details can really affect how it's read.
That's why I got Wilson's translation, because it seemed to be the most readable, but I later found out how oversimplified it is, and important details kinda threw me off. An example is references to Phobos and Deimos, which I only recognized because she translated their names into fear & dread and I already knew the connection. They're not just emotions, but also gods.
It brought up the question of how do you know when the Iliad intended them to be gods or to be emotions, and how can you trust the translator's interpretation and representation of the text? Important context can be missing.
Athena is often referred to with a descriptor, and this detail can vary widely as well. Some write gray-eyed, others clear-eyed, others owl-eyed or bright-eyed. Obviously, liberties have to be taken when translating poetry, but these details can be critical when reading out of a symbolic/mythological/spiritual interest.
That's why when studying the ancients for liturgical purposes, you have to go directly to the source and read their works in their own words. People who are without don't understand or percieve the greater meaning in these things and spiritual concepts can literally get lost in translation.
