[egl2021]

I found Malcolm Wilcock, A companion to the Iliad, and Ralph Hexter, A guide to the Odyssey, helpful when I read Homer recently.

[voisin]

Thank you. Putting my thoughts into my comment made me wonder a bit more about the translation I am reading which is Butler’s translation included in the Great Books of Western Culture. It apparently is a somewhat weak translation when compared to modern ones and so I might switch to something modern to see if that helps.

[beezlebroxxxxxx]

With Homer, which translation you read can make a huge difference for the reading experience. Older translations tend to be far more purple and ornate, while recent translations, like Emily Wilson's, are far more straight forward with a more restrained diction and helpful translation notes and introductions. It's all really a matter of degree, though.