Odysseus, Christopher Nolan-style —Courtesy of UniversalChristopher Nolan’s The Odyssey is the first major, modern, big-screen adaptation of one of the most well-known stories in the Western canon. Greek myths seem ready-made for the IMAX treatment. They involve gods, monsters, major battles, and—because these are the Greek islands we’re talking about—enough shots of massive waves overtaking wooden ships to induce seasickness.While Nolan’s adaptation does follow the major beats of The Odyssey, he modernizes the story and adds extra dimension to some characters who can come off as archetypes in the ancient tale. In order to fully appreciate how Nolan has reinterpreted The Odyssey for a modern audience, you’ll need to be familiar with the Greek story itself. We have some suggestions on which translations you might want to read and what other books you—and your children—might delve into if The Odyssey sparks a hunger for more Greek myths.The Iliad and The Odyssey are epic poems credited to the ancient Greek poet Homer. Tales from the Trojan War were passed down orally by bards for centuries until someone put pen to paper. The Iliad tells the story of the war itself, which began when the Trojan prince Paris absconded with Helen, the wife of Meneleus, the king of Sparta. Meneleus’ brother Agamemnon led the Greek kings and warriors—heroes like Achilles, Ajax, and Odysseus—in a siege against Troy that lasted 10 years and ended when Odysseus, who was known as a schemer, came up with the trick to leave a gigantic horse statue outside the walls of Troy, a supposed gift to the gods to ensure the Greeks safe passage home. The Greeks waited inside, and when the Trojan horse was brought inside the city walls, Odysseus and the Greeks snuck out, opened the gates of the city to the waiting Greek army, and slaughtered the Trojans to win the war.The Odyssey is, essentially, the sequel. It chronicles Odysseus’ 10-year journey home to Ithaca where his loyal wife Penelope and son Telemachus wait for him despite their palace being overrun by suitors vying to take Odysseus’ spot on the throne. Odysseus encounters the Cyclops, who gobbles up men, sirens who drive sailors to madness so they crash their ships, and the witch Circe who turns trespassers into animals. It’s got everything—adventure, romance, tragedy, revenge, challenges of both wit and brawn.The many translations of The OdysseyThe Trojan Horse in Nolan's The Odyssey —Courtesy of UniversalIf you want to start with the text itself, you have plenty of options. The Odyssey has been translated many, many times. The version by Robert Fagles is the classic, more poetic translation while still being very readable. High school and college classes often assign the Fagles or Robert Fitzgerald translations. During a conversation with Christopher Nolan for a May cover story in this magazine, the director himself emphasized that he did not use any one translation of The Odyssey but said he found himself often looking at the translation by E.V. Rieu.Many people have found a more recent translation by Emily Wilson, published in 2017, more modern, though detractors argue that she can stray a bit far from the original text. It is also sometimes wry. One particularly memorable line from her translation: “Lying Odysseus replied, ‘I will tell you the truth completely.’”More approachable still is Stephen Fry’s Odyssey (2024), part of the renowned British actor and writer’s project to retell the Greek myths in a more novelistic format. He relates Odysseus’ story in modern vernacular but also adds context by interweaving the tales of other major characters departing Troy after the war, like the Greek king Agamemnon who faces a surprise upon his return to Mycenae, and the Trojan refugee Aeneas, who goes on to found Rome. The audiobook is read by the knighted actor himself and is a lovely listen. (Also check out Mythos, Heroes, and, most relevant, Troy, considering much of the film depicts the destruction of that city.)Modern reinterpretations of Greek storiesAnne Hathaway as Penelope —Courtesy of UniversalIf you love Greek mythology and want to learn more about the stories connected to The Odyssey, The Song of Achilles and Circe, both by Madeline Miller, are gorgeous books. The Song of Achilles reinterprets the story of Greece’s mightiest hero, Achilles, and the Trojan War from the perspective of Patroclus, Achilles’ lover. And Circe reimagines the tale of that sorceress who kept Odysseus on her island and, unbeknownst to him, later bore him a son; told from her perspective and with the context of Greek myths involving the character, Odysseus’ encounter with Circe takes on a new light. The novels are at once lyrical and enthralling, and each adds a new dimension to these old stories, much like Nolan’s version of The Odyssey adds new shades to well-known characters.Margaret Atwood also found a new framing for The Odyssey in her 2005 novella The Penelopiad. As the title suggests, the book focuses on Odysseus’ wife Penelope and the slave girls who contend with the suitors while awaiting Odysseus’ return in a misogynistic world where the women are often casualties of the rivalries of men.How to introduce kids to Greek mythologyMatt Damon as Odysseus, Zendaya as Athena —Courtesy of UniversalThough Nolan’s film may be rated R, it’s never too early for kids to discover the wondrous and magical myths of the Greeks, which frequently include mischievous deities, awe-inspiring transformations, and memorable life lessons. D’Aulaires’ Book of Greek Myths has long been a classic gift for children interested in these subjects. It covers a wide range of myths told in very short stories set alongside beautiful illustrations and even includes helpful family trees to explain how the many gods and heroes are related to one another. For older kids, Percy Jackson and The Olympians offers a new, tween-friendly spin on many of the most popular Greek myths. The book series follows the exploits of Poseidon’s half-human son as he battles Greek gods and monsters and has been adapted into a well received series for Disney+. And a podcast called Greeking Out from NatGeo offers a humorous spin on ancient Greek myths for kids and even includes fun historical tidbits.