Professor brings Homer to life in visit to Princeton High School

Robert Fagles reads from his much-acclaimed translation of "The Odyssey."

By: Rachel Silverman
   The world of ancient Greek mythology came to life Wednesday afternoon at Princeton High School as Princeton University Professor Robert Fagles read part of his much-acclaimed translation of "The Odyssey" to the entire freshman class.
   The 357 ninth-grade students had just completed studying the epic tale of Odysseus’ tumultuous journey home after the Trojan War.
   Freshman class President Blair Thompson, who introduced the speaker, referred to Dr. Fagles’ translation as "almost a daily part of Princeton High School class."
   The four-month reading project allowed students to learn about mythology, storytelling and translation, said English teacher Julie Dunham, who organized Wednesday’s event.
   "It’s been done for about 12 years," Ms. Dunham said.
   Dr. Fagles, however, has made only one other visit to the high school during that time.
   "He did a reading seven or eight years ago," Ms. Dunham said. "We tried repeatedly since then, but he was not able to come."
   But this year, thanks to some strategically placed personal connections, Dr. Fagles stepped up to the podium once more.
   Addressing a packed auditorium, Dr. Fagles called "The Odyssey" "a story of human struggle, of human strength and moral endurance." He also referred to the tale as "a gripping good yarn … filled with monsters, seduction and grizzly death." The professor then proceeded to read portions of his translation in both Greek and English verse.
   Dr. Fagles, who has also completed translations of Homer’s "The Iliad," Sophocles’ "Three Theban Plays" and Aeschylus’ "Oresteia," is noted for his poetic style and injection of modernity into classic works. A professor of comparative literature, Dr. Fagles has received, among other honors, an Academy Award in Literature from the American Academy of Arts and Letters and the Harold Morton Landon Translation Award by The Academy of American Poets. The Philadelphia-area native said he "fell in love" with antiquity and mythological text while at Amherst College.
   "I thought it was the most beautiful thing ever written," Dr. Fagles said, referring to "The Odyssey."
   Dr. Fagles’ lecture — part of an ongoing special-event initiative Wednesday afternoons at the high school — was well-received by his audience.
   "It taught me a lot more about "The Odyssey" than I had known, hearing him explain it out loud," ninth-grader Adam Friedman said.
   "Fagles’ translation was easy to understand," 14-year-old Harris Perlman said. "I read ‘The Iliad’ in another translation and found it difficult."
   "It’s not a book I’d normally read," 15-year-old Brad Dewey admitted. "But it was fun."