165.00€
A highly collectible edition of Homer’s Odyssey in one of the most celebrated modern Greek translations of the twentieth century, produced through the remarkable collaboration of Nikos Kazantzakis and the eminent classical scholar Ioannis Kakridis.
Published in Athens by Ioannis Kakridis in 1965, this handsome volume presents one of the landmark achievements of modern Greek literature and classical scholarship. The translation sought to render Homer’s epic into a vibrant, living modern Greek while preserving the grandeur, rhythm, and poetic force of the original ancient text.
Unlike more literal academic translations, Kazantzakis and Kakridis created a version that reads as an independent literary masterpiece while remaining deeply faithful to Homer’s spirit. Their collaboration is widely regarded as one of the finest modern Greek renderings of the Odyssey and remains influential among scholars, writers, and readers alike.
A Landmark Collaboration
The translation united two of the most distinguished figures in twentieth-century Greek intellectual life.
Nikos Kazantzakis (1883–1957) is Greece’s most internationally celebrated modern author, renowned for works including Zorba the Greek, The Last Temptation of Christ, The Rock Garden, and Report to Greco. A novelist, philosopher, poet, and traveller, he devoted much of his life to making the great texts of world literature accessible to modern readers. His profound engagement with Homer also inspired his own monumental poetic sequel, The Odyssey: A Modern Sequel, one of the longest poems in modern literature.
His collaborator, Ioannis Kakridis (1901–1992), ranks among the greatest Greek classical philologists of the twentieth century. An internationally respected Homeric scholar, Kakridis combined rigorous academic expertise with a deep appreciation for the living continuity of the Greek language. Together, the two men created a translation that successfully bridges ancient epic and modern literary expression.
Dust Jacket Artwork
The original illustrated dust jacket, preserved with this copy, was designed by the Greek artist Kostas Stavridis. Dust jackets from this period are frequently lost, making surviving examples considerably more desirable among collectors.
Bibliographical Details
Author: Homer
Title: Οδύσσεια (Odyssey)
Translation: Nikos Kazantzakis & Ioannis Kakridis
Publisher: Ioannis Kakridis
Place of Publication: Athens
Year: 1965
Edition: First Kakridis edition
Language: Modern Greek
Pages: 331
Dimensions: 22.5 cm × 15 cm
Dust Jacket: Illustrated by Kostas Stavridis
Condition
Good (+) vintage condition.
The volume remains complete and sound with expected signs of age and handling. Approximately half of the pages remain uncut, indicating that much of the book has never been read. The original illustrated dust jacket has been preserved, an increasingly uncommon feature that significantly enhances the book’s collectability.
Please examine the accompanying photographs carefully, as they form an integral part of the description.
Highlights
Celebrated modern Greek translation by Nikos Kazantzakis and Ioannis Kakridis
First Kakridis edition (1965)
Original illustrated dust jacket by Kostas Stavridis
Approximately half the pages remain uncut
Landmark twentieth-century Greek literary publication
Important collaboration between Greece’s foremost novelist and one of its greatest classical philologists
Desirable collector’s copy
Perfect For Collections Of
Homer
Nikos Kazantzakis
Ioannis Kakridis
Classical Greek Literature
Homeric Studies
Modern Greek Literature
Antiquarian & Collectible Books
Greek Translation History
Classical Philology
Twentieth-Century Greek Publishing
