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| The Maine Humanities Council Home of the Harriet P. Henry Center for the Book For additional information about the Council and its programs, please write, call or e-mail us: 674 Brighton Avenue, Portland, ME 04102 Toll Free Number: 1-866-MEreader or 1-866-637-3233 Phone: (207) 773-5051 Fax: (207) 773-2416 e-mail: info@mainehumanities.org |
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At
the Council's first Winter Weekend in March of 1998, Maine readers
took a voyage through the pages of Homer's Odyssey with Robert
Fagles' highly readable new translation of the epic poem. In addition
to a general discussion of the work, scholars focused on Homeric
Archaeology and the episodes in the poem depicting Odysseus in
the Cyclop's cave and his return home to Ithaka and his wife Penelope.
Interwoven throughout the program was new scholarship in classical
studies related to women in the ancient world, Greek religion,
and the nature of the epic hero. The program was developed following
a 1997 Odyssey summer seminar for Maine teachers that drew twice
as many applications as we had places. People "are hungering for
stories we can sink our teeth into," said Fagles in a recent interview.
The Muse, in other words, has responded to Homer's timeless pleas:
"Sing for our time too."