THE TRUTH ABOUT EMILY WILSON'S ODYSSEY

Ajouté : 2026-06-04

[00:00:00]Noble ones. I'm back. I am back indeed.

[00:00:03]Wait, I need I need a prop about that.

[00:00:06]As it was highly requested in my community, today we're going to talk about the channel called Lady of the Library, specifically about a recent video on the whole debacle that is Nolan's interpretation of the Odyssey.

[00:00:19]As you can see, latest video from 4 days ago. The Odyssey discourse is embarrassing, she says. You know what's funny? I actually agree with that. I do think the Odyssey discourse is embarrassing. The only thing is that I believe we think it's embarrassing for different reasons. Chinsia, Cynthia, I don't know how you pronounce it, but if I can use your name, I hope you don't mind. And that is not the only video that she made on the Odyssey because four months ago, she actually made a video called We Need to Talk about Nolan's Odyssey trailer. Yeah, tell me about it. Anyways, before we jump into it, I just want to say this very quickly. Okay, today I actually going to disagree with her quite a bit because we're going to focus on two things.

[00:00:53]Thing number one, what counts as an embarrassing critique when it comes to the Odyssey, and what counts as an appropriate critique of said work, debauchery. No, l. But mostly, we're going to address Emily Wilson's translation of the Odyssey, which Lady of the Library Defends. And I'm going to attack. With that being said, please don't go harass her, okay? Be nice in the comments because I just want to say it. I kind of like her channel. I like her presentation style. She sounds like a very intelligent, very learned woman.

[00:01:20]I appreciate her passion for the classics given she's very leftwing and usually leftwingers in the context of history and culture piss me off. But I'm going to try I'm going to try and be nice. I'm going to try and be respectful. Okay, I'll do my best. I mean, I can't promise anything. I'm Italian. I mean, keeping it cool with liberals for me. I'm joking. My gosh.

[00:01:41]Already all offended. Offended.

[00:01:46]Order a pizza. No, but I mean it. I mean it. I'm going to try. I mean it. Okay.

[00:01:49]I'm gonna try and be nice >> from the typical white voice of power employed by most of >> Oh my gosh. white voice of power, guys.

[00:01:56]I don't know how to do it. I don't know how to do it. I don't know how to not cringe when I watch leftwing creators.

[00:02:01]What do I do? What do I do?

[00:02:05]Just attack her arguments. I'm not going to attack her. She has every freedom to think whatever she wants. So, please don't go and attack her. Let's show how people with different ideas when it comes to social issues, economics, politics, interpretation of history, and the classics can still be decent.

[00:02:22]Without further ado, that was a lot of further ado, actually, but let's go.

[00:02:25]>> This video is sponsored by Squarespace, the all-in-one website platform for entrepreneurs to stand out and succeed online. Not the actual heck. Everyone seems to be ruining the Odyssey, and it seems as though people out there are doing everything they can to trick >> that would be uh that would be Nolan ruining the Ollie Odyssey. Nolan, first and foremost, >> Nolan, any of us who are in classics or ancient history and they're doing a really good job of it.

[00:02:50]I do not think I can hide the fact that I'm going to be really sassy in this video because I'm feeling extra sassy.

[00:02:57]And >> you do sound a little sassy.

[00:03:00]>> It was going to start off as like sort of a little innocent video critiquing the latest Nolan trailer for The Odyssey. Uh, and that's sort of been usurped by my feelings of hearing other people talk about it online and particularly one video on here on YouTube that has over 1.7 million views.

[00:03:18]>> That's as mongled, isn't it? That's that's Wait, wait, wait, wait. I need to for the investigation to be th because I don't think she's going to say it. Wait, wait, wait, wait, wait. Oh, DCongold.

[00:03:32]I got to Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. That's Assong. All right. That's Osmong. All right. 1.7 million. You might as well say it. I'm going to pronounce it the Italian way. You might as well say it at this point. Anyways, whatever your channel, let's go.

[00:03:46]>> And it spews absolute nonsense. Like the biggest nonsense I've ever heard.

[00:03:50]>> A bit like what Nolan is doing. Am I right?

[00:03:53]>> May I emphasize to an audience of 1.7 million people who have actually regurgitated that nonsense in my own YouTube channel comment section. We're not having it. We're not having it. How do people have the audacity >> that's my audio auditing software >> to spew such nonsense so confidently seriously. So it's kind of two parters.

[00:04:15]I'm first going to address the the silliness, the melodrama, the lies um that was spread by a single video here on YouTube in their analysis of the trailer and then I'm going to talk about my own analysis of the trailer. Good.

[00:04:30]But as I'm writing this script, I realized that news has evolved because we have heard rumors that there has been new castations. I believe we have Lupita Nyongo who has been confirmed as Helen of Troy but also Clive Estra.

[00:04:45]>> I am so okay. I am so looking forward to see what she's going to say about this because here's the thing. As I will demonstrate in a second, the lady of the library has been critical when it comes to the older trailer for the Odyssey.

[00:04:58]And generally speaking, I agree with her when she flipped about the armor, the Batman arm. Totally. Yeah, 100%. At that point, I think it doesn't even matter.

[00:05:05]Left, right, up, or down, whatever. We can all agree that that armor is awful.

[00:05:09]But she also has complained about skin tone.

[00:05:14]She has.

[00:05:15]>> Now, speaking of looking organic to the world in which they exist, let's talk about um the least looking Mediterranean cast choices I've ever seen, particularly the main trio. Uh whilst they're all brilliant actors, I'm sure uh they sort of personify the issues that we have with the British Museum and their Elgen marbles rather than the Pathon marbles. They sort of look like sterilized versions and look very out of place.

[00:05:38]>> I mean, Adysius does not look like a man who has been exposed to the Mediterranean climate in a war for 10 years followed >> Yeah. So his skin is too white, right?

[00:05:47]That's the reason why they don't look their parts. the skin is too white >> by three years at sea under the same climate followed by seven years stranded on a Mediterranean island. And like >> I mean I spent my whole life in my Mediterranean island and I mean >> Penelopey and Tmicus don't look like they remotely belong there. Like when did they last see the sun? It's not like it's Victorian England where people hide away to keep their skin pale.

[00:06:10]>> You see she's complaining about white skin. What is she going to say about this? I'm very curious your opinion cuz you have complained about skin tone being too white. So what are you going to do now?

[00:06:20]>> I think Lupita Nyongo would have been a better Penelope than Anne Hatheraway.

[00:06:26]>> I'm confused. Lup. Okay. She hasn't mentioned once that Helen of Troy is black.

[00:06:34]She can't mention it. Her audience won't forgive it. She has to pretend it's not even a thing. Ironically, Assassin's Creed Odyssey, a video game, does a much better job at showcasing authenticl looking Greek people.

[00:06:48]>> To be honest, that's a black woman. How is this an authentic looking Greek? Oh, maybe she's talking about him. But again, I think you're st Yes, some Mediterranean people have a darker complexion, but a lot of us don't. A lot of us are very white, and you can see this in all iconography. It's not just a modern thing. You can look at the iconography and it is what it is.

[00:07:07]>> People than this film. Uh, at least they look like they have been in the sun. And honestly, it would have been nice to have some Greek or Mediterranean actors in this film.

[00:07:16]>> So, I agree with this statement. That's lovely. Okay, I agree with this statement. But you are complaining about the white skin a lot. So now someone has to beg the question, if having too white a skin makes you an inappropriate casting for ancient Greeks, then how on green planet Earth doesn't being a black African make you inappropriate as a casting choice? Obviously that follows logical sense, but she can't say it. She can complain about the skin is too white all she wants because her audience is clearly left-wing. I mean, she makes videos talking about the rise of paganism and the far right. So, which is her choice. By the way, I respect the freedom, but clearly she is left-wing and she acrews left-wing audiences by the way her commentary is structured and the type of videos that she chooses to make. Thus, however, this also means that she cannot complain the same way.

[00:08:08]She can complain about the white skin all she wants and all the leftwing audience loves her for it. She can't do the same when it comes to the skin of the of Lupita Nyongo because they will cannibalize her. They will eat her alive and she knows it. You think it's not true what I'm saying? Then do it. Do the same. Make a video dedicated to the casting specifically of Lupita and at this point Zaya and tell us why their skin color is not appropriate. Cuz you see, I can do it. I can do it all I want because I don't pander. So I've I've complained about things that I knew people on the right wouldn't have liked and I still did it. and I complain about things and not knowing that people on the left will call me all sorts of things racist and this and that. And I still do it because I don't care. I have no one to control my words and my thoughts. I can respect my audience because they watch my content, but part of that respect is I don't pander.

[00:08:56]What you're demonstrating, I'm not trying to attack you, okay? I'm not trying to be disrespectful to you, but I'm following I'm giving you an honest critique here. You can prove me wrong anytime. complain the same way about Lupita Nyongo as you have about the white skin of the actors, then I'll be like, I'll take it back, guys. She did it. She did say that that was not Well, she can't she can't do it because she'd be eaten alive because on left-wing circles, you have to it's like a cult.

[00:09:24]You have a certain number of things that are acceptable, defend minorities and all that stuff. But one thing is not acceptable is to complain about the casting choice when it's a black woman.

[00:09:35]You can't do it. or a black man, you can't do it. She's not allowed to do it.

[00:09:39]And so she won't. She's not free.

[00:09:42]Because at this point then, don't criticize any skin, but you do criticize the white skin. You do.

[00:09:48]>> It's not like Nolan needs big cast names to pull people in to see any film of his. Like, he is the name of itself. And once again, these main characters, exempt from the gods and the mythological creatures, they're not fantasy characters. They are based on real peoples and their culture. So it would have been nice if they looked remotely like they lived in the environment.

[00:10:11]>> Exactly. The environment as the ancients tell us does not of ancient Greece and the Mediterranean does not make your skin black. Does it does not turn you into a black African.

[00:10:25]I'm using your own words, lady of to I'm mounting my attack to your argument using your own words because you don't stick to them. I agree with your statements, but you don't because if you did, you would complain about both Zenaia and Lupitaongo, but you can't.

[00:10:43]Okay, with Tmacus, I can give it to you.

[00:10:45]Yeah, if you're a man in ancient Greece, someone who spends a lot of time outside, you should be tanned. I agree with that. Although then again, spend a few days, it needs to be contextualized, right? because the skin can absolutely become pale again if they are for instance imprisoned and they don't leave a cell whatever Penelope though Greek women of high status absolutely should have a white skin so there is that Mediterranean are white we do tan but you spend two nights at home the tan goes away three nights at home the tan goes away so this idea that you're trying to push unless you have a tan skin you can't be Mediterranean excuse me >> myths thus express the beliefs and values of these subjects held by a certain culture. In other words, a myth is not a fantasy. It is rooted in reality and the supernatural elements of them are merely placeholders explaining how reality is shaped by the real peoples who told these stories >> aka the Greeks >> who did not have the archaeological or scientific understanding of the world we have today. Therefore, to ignore the real significance of the Bronze Age, the Bronze Aged peoples of the Odyssey, their mechanical, scientific, and aesthetic realities, their beliefs, their modes of transport, the limitations of their industry and production processes, how they looked, how they dressed, how they fought, >> is to ignore the Odyssey entirely.

[00:12:07]>> So, why aren't you complaining about the race swapping then? That's exactly ignoring how they looked, >> isn't it?

[00:12:13]>> How they look? How they look?

[00:12:14]>> I mean, come on. I'm using your own words. Let me use your words.

[00:12:19]I agree with you, but you don't agree with you. That's the problem.

[00:12:24]>> And to erase its historical and cultural significance for the benefit of oneself at a disservice to a text to which we owe centuries of culture and literature >> based. Yes, exactly. That's what But when we say this, you tell us that we are, oh, why are you complaining? That's You see, I agree with that statement.

[00:12:45]History, mythology, culture should be respected and represented as accurately as possible. But you only draw the line with the armor. You say that you draw the line with the way people looked, but then you don't. You only complain about white skin, but you never complain about Lupitaongo.

[00:13:02]Why is that? Why aren't you following your own thought process? Cuz I complain about everything. I complain about everything. I complain about the rim on a shield and the the rivets if they're not historically accurate. I want to flip that table.

[00:13:17]>> But I also complain about the race swapping you only do with white skin.

[00:13:22]Interestingly enough, >> I need to do a whole video on my analysis of the cast, including my own analysis of who I would have cast in particular roles. I think I had a better cast choice, but you know, >> I believe that. I truly believe anyone would have a better casting choice. My fruit vendor and fish mongers in Sicily barely speak Italian. They could totally have a better cast choice.

[00:13:43]>> We're not going to focus on cast choices in this video because really my main goal with this video is to put to bed this stupid rumor and this stupid nonsense lies that have been spread by a single YouTube video and potentially also Reddit because I'm quite frank.

[00:13:57]>> Oh no, Reddit. No, no, Reddit. Oh, she said Reddit. She said oh gosh.

[00:14:01]Absolutely not.

[00:14:04]Uh, lady of the library, next time you're going to mention Reddit on your videos, tell me beforehand. So, I prepared a crucifix. Thank you.

[00:14:12]Reddit, I I still don't know why she just won't say it's as Mongold. It's not like It's not like any views that me or you can't present when it comes to talking about him is going to change his empire. Anyways, plus I think Asongold is based, but that's a different situation. I mean, it's kind of whatever. She doesn't want to say it.

[00:14:30]She doesn't want to say it. It's causing a lot of damage and it's making people think that they know things that they don't. They don't. So allow me, I'm afraid to be extra sassy in this video.

[00:14:40]But you know me, what I'm going to say is I always emphasize this in my videos.

[00:14:44]I hope that comes across is I always aim to critique or look analytically at the actions and things people have said rather than the people themselves. I'm not interested in that. I'm interested entirely in actually the messages are being relayed and how they're being relayed, etc. You see, I appreciate that because unfortunately, in my experience with a lot of left-leaning or left-wing creators, now they start calling you a bigot. They call you racist. So, at least if she's attacking the argument for once instead of the person or try to do character assassination. She didn't do that, did she? She didn't talk about that. So, she didn't even mention him. I must, you know, I I appreciate it.

[00:15:20]Points to you, lady of the library.

[00:15:22]Points to you.

[00:15:23]>> Okay.

[00:15:24]>> I never want to mention channels or creators. Although in this instance, it may be quite obvious cuz they're a big creator. But I hope they realize that I'm just here to critique the flaws in one's argument or the misinformation one is spreading.

[00:15:37]>> Given on my side of politics, there are people that call everyone woke. I get it. Okay. How about we attack arguments?

[00:15:45]So that's what I'm going to do with her.

[00:15:46]Okay. Not going to call her anything apart from lady of the library. I guess that one I did call a lady with a library >> because to anyone who has actually read the obviously they were talking absolute out of their bottom um in this video and unfortunately the things that they said would perpetuate misogynistic ideas about women particularly in academia. So >> I'm confused though because we're talking about ancient Greece right? How how do you get more misogynistic than ancient Greeks? Just asking for a friend. Just asking for a friend.

[00:16:14]>> Please allow me to just pop this this this chap in their place for just a hot minute. Okay. but not in a critical way at a dril. Now we have to talk about it.

[00:16:23]So please allow me the floor to just >> I've allowed you three times >> decimate their sentiments. So the video that I'm discussing was just a critique of the trailer. It was absolutely largely fine. I naturally agreed with many of their takes regarding the aesthetics of the movie. Thank you.

[00:16:39]>> But but then the creator caught me off guard uh by saying something about Emily Wilson's translation of the Odyssey.

[00:16:48]Here we go. Meat and bones of this video. Do not click away.

[00:16:52]>> The translation which Nolan has apparently used when working on the film.

[00:16:56]>> G I wonder why.

[00:16:57]>> So they go on to say that the the film is based on a translation from Greek by the British writer Emily Wilson. Yeah.

[00:17:03]And they say the following quote. Why exactly does this matter? Well, because Emily Wilson just so happens to be a hardcore progressive feminist who specifically set out to rewrite sorry reimagine Homer's text through a female-coded gender critical postmodernist lens because of course she did. Basically stretching the very limits of the original text to bend it around modern sensibilities.

[00:17:29]>> I'm just going to say a little over exaggerated but generally true. So let's see how she debunks this. And to that I say, what a load of melodramatic nonsense.

[00:17:40]>> Melodramatic nonsense is um Yeah, I like that.

[00:17:43]>> Tell me you've never read a single translation of the Odyssey without telling me you've never read a single translation of the Odyssey.

[00:17:49]>> I'm interested in this claim actually because I like kind of agree with that statement though by Osman Gold. So uh and I have I it's not just that I just read the Odyssey. I grew up with it.

[00:17:59]That's what my mom read to me. the Odyssey, the Iliad, and the NAD as I was growing up in Sicily. That's what I grew up with. And then every Italian child reads them at school. So double I'm curious to see because she says, "If you agree with that statement, you've never read the Odyssey. To me, that's a facious argument and in fact a nonsequittor."

[00:18:20]Kind of feels like you're trying to undermine people's arguments. But maybe not. Maybe she'll do a phenomenal job and change my mind. So, why isn't Emily Wilson a progressive feminist who's trying to use a translation in order to adapt it to a modern audience? Please, >> particularly tell me you've never read Emily Wilson's translation of the Odyssey. How do people have the absolute audacity to say such things about texts they never read because it makes them look like a real fool quite frankly? And I can say this as someone who has read five translations of fantasy and I've read it at least 10 times over the past decade. And I don't like being brutal, but everything the person said in this section of their video was completely idiotic and untrue. No, Emily Wilson's translation is not a reimagining and it's not a retelling. It is a translation.

[00:19:07]>> Allow me a little pedantry if you don't mind. I'm sure you don't. I'm sure you don't cuz I mean you look like the pedantic type as well just like me. You are into the classics. Are you a trained linguist? Because in the classes of theory of translation which every linguist has to go through me included you know that a translation is never a onetoone. Now perhaps I'm misunderstanding what you're trying to say here. So I'll allow for the possibility that maybe I'm stronging you but a translation is never a onetoone.

[00:19:33]If you want a onetoone you have to read it in the original language. Otherwise it is going to be a retelling and there is nothing you can do about that. In fact, I if you give the same original text to 10 different translators, they will produce 10 different products. It's just the way translation is, which is why people can have their favorites.

[00:19:52]Now, if for you, Cynthia, Emily Wilson's translation is the best one. We'll have to see why. But if that's the best one, it's just your personal opinion, that's totally fine by me. I personally don't like it. The only thing I like about it is the fact that she tried to stick to the meter, poetic meter. I thought that that was nice, but I'll have to I want to see if she mentions it first because if she does, then I do have something to say about it. But we all have to be cognizant of the fact that a translation is a product of manipulation.

[00:20:22]You can't leave things one to one particularly when it comes to ancient languages. But to be fair, even modern languages, if I were to translate a text from modern Japanese, a language I speak fluently, I know I would have to make some decisions. And those decisions are going to be the product of my thought process, my ideas. A different interpretation of the same words might be just as valid.

[00:20:43]>> And no, Emily Wilson's translation does not stretch and contort the mirror material in the slightest.

[00:20:49]>> It absolutely does. This is very strange that you say this. No professional translator would agree with this statement. You do stretch the material.

[00:20:56]You have to. In fact, now I'm going to say it. her translation stretches it more than others precisely because she tried to stick to the actual original poetic meter. Okay, it is beautiful the fact that she can maintain a certain written to connected to the ancient text but that required manipulation in order to let things stick into different languages.

[00:21:18]>> Now, not only is Emily Wilson more loyal to the original than most translations for her poetic meter alone, >> but you see that's what I mean. First, I disagree, but it is only the poetic meter in fact and a couple of choices like the fact that she refused to use words like prostitute or [ __ ] or [ __ ] which to be honest were not in the original text. So, I do agree with Emily when it comes to that, but I so not using terms that weren't present. But at the same time, I don't like what she chose to do with it. Then I'll I'll go deeper into this. So, I agree with the sentiment, but not the execution.

[00:21:52]However, the poetic meter is really the only thing in my opinion that makes her translation shine from a technical standpoint. But it comes at a heavy cost. It comes at a heavy cost. And the reason why it comes at a heavy cost is because ancient Greek is an extremely condensed language where you can take one word and encapsulate five in English in order to represent the same meanings.

[00:22:15]What that means is that once you're trying to maintain the rhythm of the poetic meter, you have to cut, you have to transform, you have to like there is no way around it. It's a choice stillistic in nature, but yeah, >> but her translation is more loyal than say Fagel's translation for example in so far as that she refuses to sanitize the text.

[00:22:39]>> In what way? And she refuses to use terms like [ __ ] or wh to describe Helen of Troy like all the male translators did because >> why do you have to specify they're male though? This is weird to me. The other translators did. The m You see where I'm coming with this? I'm not saying that she's one of those like menhating feminists, which are absolutely a thing.

[00:23:00]She's not. But the language she's now choosing makes it sound like why why do you have to it's like when I talk to Afroentrists and all they do is saying oh these white do you have to specify that we're talking about professionals the other translators but the fact that you feel the need to underline they were male that's why they added the word [ __ ] but the female did it better why are you making it about gender is my question >> male translators than the male translator of male translators Male translators, male translators by male translator. You see male translator male translators like all the male transl the male translator. Male translators look at for example when the slave women in it are killed. The ones who slept with the suitors supporting those who were there to marry Penelopey and steal palace. When they are killed by Tmacus and the loyal servants in the original text, they are simply called those ones kind of a them in feminine. In past translations, authors did call them words that are not in the original text.

[00:24:00]Wilson restores this generic feminine form, but again she renders it as girls.

[00:24:04]Why? Well, as she tells us is because she says that while previous translations communicated a sense of justice in the act of killing them, she uses girls instead because want to emphasize the brutality of the act, giving them a human framing. It is more correct to say girls than prostitutes.

[00:24:21]But at this point, how about just saying those women? What did Homer think? Did he think that these women who betrayed Odysius deserved to die? Okay. Well, if the answer is yes, then you're changing what the communicative sense written source was to suit it for modern sensitivities.

[00:24:38]>> Those words are not in the original text.

[00:24:41]>> That's correct.

[00:24:41]>> The male translators have put them in there.

[00:24:43]>> I do want to make it 100% clear, just for clarity, that I'm not accusing you, lady of the library, of being a misand so we're clear. But I do want to point out this in logical inconsistency in your thought process specifically when it comes to your argument against say Asongold. You say that what Asongold said was embarrassing, incorrect, wrong because what he's saying generally speaking is that Emily Wilson's translation is wrong because she is a feminist progressive woman who is projecting her own ideas and politics into the text. You say that that's out of place. Yet that's exactly what you're doing with the other previous male translators. No, literally it's the same. You are saying that the previous translations were not as good and in fact a few times you don't like them at all because they are male. You specified it 15 times by now. And because you think they are projecting their own politics and ideas onto the text. So it's really the same thing in reverse.

[00:25:38]At least the framing of the critique is the same. Gender and political ideas projected onto the text. There is more records of male translators removing things they didn't like from it or sugarcoating or softening the air translations of the Odyssey to appease their contemporary audiences at the time than there is any evidence of Emily Wilson doing that at all. So in my advice in the future when you're so eager to take the opportunity to try and take down a woman and reduce decades of academic work in >> it's not about taking down a woman now you are misrepresenting Asongold's take given Asongold is not a classicist and I don't think that he has read the text differently from me and you but he was not trying to take down a woman I mean let's let's be honest about this why did Nolan choose that text can you with a straight face. Tell me it's not for politics. And if it is for politics, which it is, I mean, Hollywood is extremely left-wing, very progressive, in fact, and all they do is race swap and gender swap and push political ideas that are absolutely contemporary and not appropriate for the period. In fact, they cast ethnic groups that are not appropriate to the period. You don't seem to have a problem with that. You did say that you had a problem with the white skin of the people. I I had haven't seen you make a video about the black skin of the people cuz you can't.

[00:26:56]So that's what Assangold was attacking and it's what a lot of people on the conservative space are attacking. It's the fact that yes, the choice is obviously political and it's political because that text connects well with left-wing politics. You can't deny that.

[00:27:10]And the fact that now you're saying, "Oh, he's just trying to take down a woman that's a strawman." Then you're a very intelligent person. So you have to know that.

[00:27:18]>> To a misogynistic talking point to foam at the mouth over how wokeness is ruining the literary cannon. wokeness is ruining the literary cannon. What are we even talking about? That's exactly what's h even if you could successfully prove that this is not one of those cases. This is wokeness ruining the literary cannon. You cannot say otherwise. You can say you agree with it. You love it. You absolutely then you'll have to defend why you love it because honestly you can't love the classics and the misinterpretation of the classics at the same time. It's one or the other. This is DI tick boxes.

[00:27:53]This is a lie. So, do we love the truth or no? You can race swap all the white characters out, but do not touch the black characters. No race swapping on the other direction. I think it's an awful take because it's anti-equality of treatment of I my position don't race swap anything black or white. You know what Hollywood is doing >> and all modern media perhaps actually read the text that you're so eager to defend before spewing nonsense and fanning the flames for other uneducated womenhating people in your comment section to feel justified in their disdain for educated women and anyone of a marginalized status.

[00:28:29]>> Do you guys think that that applies to me? It's just a question because of course she's talking about Asongold. I don't think Asongold hates women. I don't think as gold aids hates people of marginalized status and I think that this is very disrespectful. You are in fact a lady of the of the if you notice for instance that doesn't apply to me and yet I agree with him. So how do you reconcile? It's either I'm a liar and in fact I hate all marginalized groups.

[00:28:54]Okay. Or you will have to reconcile that how is it possible that me I don't hate women and I don't hate marginalized groups. Why do I agree with him first?

[00:29:03]Second, and in fact it's defamatory in nature towards Asmongold. Does he hate people of marginalized status? Or is he fed up with people calling him a racist to a point he has accepted the title?

[00:29:14]This whole thing that you guys say people of marginalized status, you can be a mar, you want to cast someone marginalized status, cast Michelangelo.

[00:29:22]Michelangelo was quite obviously homosexual. You want to cast a gay man, cast him. Don't turn a straight man gay, which is what people do. Don't change the facts of history. Don't tell me that the Vikings, not her, but I'm saying the left in general. Don't tell us that the Vikings were transgender. It's nonsense.

[00:29:40]What is, in fact, I'm going to ask you this directly since you're into the classics, you're into history, I imagine. What do you think of Emperor Elagabalus?

[00:29:48]Was he transgender?

[00:29:50]>> So, the real contention here is actually over the words, the ancient Greek word konopes, which >> dogface >> translates to dogface. And when using this term dog phase, the vast majority of male translators have always said [ __ ] or [ __ ] But Emily Wilson doesn't use that. She uses the term dogface. And in doing so, she is more accurate, not less accurate, and more honest to the original translators than the male translators have been.

[00:30:16]>> I love that she keeps saying the male translators.

[00:30:21]I'm just Okay, pulling your leg a little bit. We'll circle back to the [ __ ] [ __ ] situation because there is something that she did and for some reason you're not mentioning it. So I'm going to have to discuss it and then I want to see what you think about the term slave because that's when she modified the test in fact a lot. So it's either you're not going to cover it or if you are going to cover it that's going to be really difficult to defend intellectually.

[00:30:44]>> You see male translators have more often than not casually slipped in misogynistic terms into the text with their translation. Again, we're talking ancient Greece here, right?

[00:30:53]>> That weren't there in the original. And this is emphasized by the fact that they don't call Agamemnon a [ __ ] or a [ __ ] But you know what?

[00:31:05]They totally should have. Oh, that would have been glorious. Could you imagine Achilles going to Agamenon and saying, "Game, you're my [ __ ] You're my bitch." And Agamenon goes, "What are you on about? Shut up, [ __ ] Get dressed for battle, [ __ ] I'm now going to petition for the in.

[00:31:23]She's right. Right. We need equality.

[00:31:25]Okay. So, if we're calling Helen of Troy a [ __ ] we should totally call Agamenon a I'm for it. I'm all for it. Next translation, I want Agamenon to be my [ __ ] That's how it's going to be.

[00:31:38]That's what I think. Thank you. Please.

[00:31:41]Despite the ancient Greek word konopis being employed against him by Achilles, the same word that they then chose to translate into [ __ ] when dealing with Helen. Now Emily Wilson doesn't do that not because she was catering to modern woke sensibilities, but because she was being academically honest and thorough and loyal to the text.

[00:32:02]>> Right? But that's not the reason why she then introduced the word slave when it wasn't present in the original text. And I have an interview that demonstrates why she did it. and it wasn't for academic honesty. When it comes to the slaves, the Odyssey is full of all sorts of servants, house servants, slaves of many types. It is a fact that by choosing to call them all slaves differently from the text, which instead specifies the exact profession that these slaves had, she flattens all of it. In the original Odyssey, Homer uses the Greek term that properly translate a slave only a couple of times. He prefers to use the moss and the moy which we may translate as domestics or household servants. We know that these were people who had been deprived of their freedom, prisoners of war and whatnot. And they were called this because they were property of the household from the point of view of the Greeks. In any case, this is different from the simple term for slave. That could be someone who breaks stones, someone who plows the land, another type of slave. Instead, the Odyssey tells us what these people do.

[00:33:05]the armory keeper, the swine herd, the hallkeeper, the domestic servant, the one who brings food, a female attendant, household woman, maid servant, nurse, housekeeper, herdsman, etc. Wilson often foregrounds the fact that this person is enslaved by using slave or slave girl, but removing the information that was presented from the original text. Just to give you two ideas, Urica is not just genetically a slave. She's Odicius old nurse bought by Leertes, honored in the household and entrusted with intimate family duties. Her Greek identity shaped by both enslavement and role. She's a nurse, household elder and a slave woman. Elus the swine herd is also a slave, but his function is Ali specific.

[00:33:46]He's not merely a slave. He's the loyal pig herder, a manager of Adicious livestock. And all of this is lost when she just decides to call them all slaves differently from Homer. This is an incorrect form of translation from any point of view that is professional. It is not what the text says and it is also a political choice. In her notes, she specifically writes that she realizes that using only slaves is not correct and it flattens things because in the American work, as we said, all of these are different occupations, but she wanted to emphasize the presence of slavery in the ancient world. Why? Well, it's a conscious political decision that has nothing to do with the translation of the text and not for a million years as it has anything to do with the way ancient Greek considered slaves, which for them was absolutely normal. So, if you really wanted to underline, you could have put a little asterisk every time you put one of these professions and in the footnotes underline that that was a slave, but removing it completely.

[00:34:41]Awful translation choice. To translate it as anything other than dogface is to impose your modern ideas of women and modern ideas of what an insult should mean. So what are the ancient what what are the ancient Greek ideas for the average ancient Greek man? What do you think their average ideas of women and their role in society are? It's a direct question for you. So if you want to I mean I don't know if she's going to respond to this. Maybe not. You can respond in a comment. I'm not saying you have to make the video if you want. More than happy. But I'm saying what do you think is the because I I understand what you think that the modern average man I guess thinks of women when they are being misogynistic as opposed to what what is the average overall idea of an ancient Greek man when it comes to the place of women in society and would you once described that consider it misogynistic because if the answer is yes then isn't it misogyny anyways >> rather than be honest and accept what the ancient Greeks had because They had different notions about the term which we can never truly come to terms with because we weren't there.

[00:35:47]>> That's a weird way to put it. We do have an idea what they mean. In fact, someone who's into history, possibly historioggraphy, ancient classics, it is kind of a strange argument to present.

[00:35:59]Well, you weren't there, so you can't really know, right? That defeats the entirety of academia then. But we do know. We have ideas on what that term means.

[00:36:07]>> And there's very limited evidence.

[00:36:09]Although this has been debated academically for centuries and we can genuinely agree that the term means shamef face or shameful which we can all agree is very different from the words [ __ ] and [ __ ] And likewise Emily Wilson doesn't sugarcoat terms like slaves.

[00:36:25]>> She does. Absolutely she does. I'll prove it in a second >> which are in the text like male translators did. Ironically male translators are more often than not sanitizing their translations to cape with the sensibilities of the time. So words like slaves became handmaidadens.

[00:36:41]Wilson on the other hand, >> this is the strangest thing. At this point, have you read the text in ancient Greek? You said you read five translations. Have you read it in ancient Greek? I'll let her finish the point and then I'll tell you why I'm asking this question >> the time. So words like slaves became handmaidadens. Wilson, on the other hand, does not sanitize the text to a Christian gentle audience like male translators have in the past.

[00:37:05]>> Oh no, not the Christians. Oh, not the Christian. Already you told me male and I'm shaking. But Christian male Christian. No. No. I'm not having it.

[00:37:15]I'm not having it.

[00:37:17]What is it with leftist? What is it with leftists and Christianity?

[00:37:21]>> And she doesn't impose her own modern thinking onto the translation like male translators have done so for centuries.

[00:37:29]>> She does. And I'm going to be honest, guys. I am trying to be nice, but her continuously saying male male male male is starting to annoy me, okay? Cuz it is what it is. I'm trying though. I'm I haven't insulted her, right? So, but but she's making it hard.

[00:37:49]Go on.

[00:37:50]>> Ironically, people who slag off Wilson's translation is because they haven't read it. Whereas, if they had read it, they would know that Wilson's translation is one of the greatest translations in English. subjective >> because of its loyalty to the original text because it feels the closest to reading the ancient Greek in terms of pace and poetic meter >> only that >> and she does all of that with such scholarly precision and epic intensity that it took her five to six years to complete it alongside her thinking about this translation for 20 years >> to me that doesn't say anything though because you could have if you notice what she's arguing here and I hope I'm trying to steal manner argument. But what she's arguing here is that all the male translators are biased because of politics, Christianity, XY chromosome, I suppose. And so they inject that in the text, but the female translator instead, no, she's unbiased. She's not. She's absolutely biased. And she's you could tell. And that's why you like her, by the way. You love the translation more than any other translation precisely because she's making it so the female characters have a pivotal role. Even though that's not reflective of the way Homer would have thought because you can't convince me that a modern left-wing woman is the closest we can get to the way an ancient Greek author thought. I don't believe that. Like absolutely not.

[00:39:13]>> Additionally, what's wonderful about Wilson's translation is that it's written in plain contemporary language, which makes it one of the most accessible and easy to read translations out there. Yeah, she does simplify a great deal by using a more colloquial language, a choice that I personally don't like. On the one hand, the rhythm and musicality are there, but the terms she uses within the structure are very simple. It's easier to read, but look at the opening. The epithet polyropos in the classical translation is a man of manysided cunnings or the man of many turns, a person with many facets, a person who does many things, a multi-sided intelligence. She translates it as a complicated man. I find it ugly, but it has specific connotations, feminist ones, negative if you will. A translation in very poor taste. But I want you to focus on this guys. This is the sorry for covering disrespecting again. Look at this. You know what I was telling you that the complexity of ancient and the richness of ancient Greek words requires many many many extra words in English and even in Italian which is the original translations that I've read in order to convey the identical meaning. And in fact, if you notice Emily Wilson's translation is the shortest. It is the shortest precisely because she has to cut around in order to maintain the rhythm because she's using a completely different language. Now, stylistically, this is an impressive work. I appreciate the thought process that went into this and the understanding of the poetic meter. However, look at the length. Just like any work of translation, Wilson's translations has pros and cons. As we said, one of the pros was the fact that she tried to maintain the original meter, but she still had to change it.

[00:40:55]So, she's not reproducing Homer's meter exactly. She's creating an English equivalent. So, the same number of lines as Homer, which is interesting, but not identical. Not only that, but as explained, this was a very demanding choice because homeriic Greek can pack more into a line than English can.

[00:41:10]Princeton's write up on Wilson makes this point directly. He says, "English often needs more syllables to express the same idea, while Wilson's pentameter line has fewer syllables than Homer's Greek." Of course, I'm not saying that she tried to remove events, full-on scenes, or plot points, but this cost is real and is found at a level of texture, repeated epithets, doubled adjectives, particles, formulate redundancy, and other descriptive amplifications.

[00:41:36]Imagine, for instance, when Homer uses two words to express the concept of sweet, while Winson only chooses to use one. She's cutting. Homer uses dense phrases such as sped safely and surely.

[00:41:46]Wilson compresses it to adapt it to the needs of the translation into English saying sped straight ahead. The original is 10 times better. It is a tradeoff.

[00:41:56]You can like it or dislike it. Look at the length she has to have removed. It comes at a cost. So, how can it also be the closest to the original language?

[00:42:06]It's the logics begin to break down.

[00:42:10]Also, notice how different they are. And this is once again strengthening the original argument that we do study in theory of translation when we go into language learning because every translation is a work of interpretation and it has to modify the original core language in order to contextualize it in a way that makes sense in the receiving or target language. That's how translation works >> and it highlights the inequalities that were otherwise again sugarcoated or worse completely removed by male translators in the past.

[00:42:40]>> They didn't remove them though. They didn't remove them as we discussed on the slave situation. You see, from the perspective of the ancient Greeks, it was absolutely normal to have slaves.

[00:42:49]Can we agree with that? So, you call them inequalities, but to them it was absolutely fine. To the author of the text and the people reading said text in period, it was not a matter of inequality. So, when you call them inequality, which I agree with you, of course, loss of freedom, I agree as a man of this century, it's an awful thing. But if you want to underline, you need to create a writer's note. Add writer's note. Don't change the text to highlight those inequalities because then you are applying absolutely you are projecting your modernist understanding onto the past. And if that's the route we're going, then how do you justify the translations that we currently have when it comes to the debelico by Julio Kaiser? Because that text constantly I mean Julius Caesar mutilated people for rebelling, destroyed entire villages, annihilated and conquered civilizations.

[00:43:41]Should we condemn and replace the words in order to underline the utter awful aspect of expansionistic war of a republic of classical antiquity? Or should we leave it as is?

[00:43:53]>> Now I've got that off my chest, let me return to my analysis of the latest trailer. But before we go any further, I'd like to take a moment to thank today's sponsor.

[00:44:00]>> I'll show the code on screen so people can use it if they want. Where is it?

[00:44:05]>> squarespace.com/ladyofthe library to save 10%. Guys, let's go.

[00:44:09]>> Off your first purchase of a website or domain. I've already done a whole video on my reaction of the first trailer regarding my feelings towards the difference between historical accuracy and mythology and fantasy. I explained that in great depth. So >> you did you did go in great depth as to why the skin shouldn't it was too white.

[00:44:26]I'm waiting for the second episode on whether why Helen's skin is too black.

[00:44:30]>> No, I concede that this crater and I are on opposing political positions and I want to emphasize that purely because it that in itself is not my issue. They have every right to critique ways in which they believe Hollywood may be overdoing it in terms of political correctness. And I will never agree with that in many ways.

[00:44:49]>> But it is true though. I mean, look, I appreciate that she say, "Bro, it's your freedom, political and whatnot." Fine.

[00:44:57]Cool. Yeah, I appreciate that one. But it is a fact that Hollywood is overdoing it at this point. If you want to have I'm sorry, I'm screaming. At this point, if you want to have a left-wing approach to this, you could say that you agree with the political correctness that is being pushed from Hollywood. I would rather appreciate that one more and then we can agree to disagree. But denying it, I mean, come on. Look at why do you think the Odyssey has chosen the specific cast that it has? Right. Can can we be honest about it as well? Like because it is is DEI. It's DEI. All the race swapping. We didn't we didn't make that one up.

[00:45:31]>> But that's absolutely fine. However, where I will call people out is if they are so blinded by their hatred of leftwing politics that they spew misinformation.

[00:45:42]>> That's fine. But do you also call out people who are blinded by their absolute hatred of right-wing politics that they spew misinformation? That's my question.

[00:45:50]Because you see, I've done that. I've done that. Contrary to what all of my critics say on the hit piece videos that they make about me, Metatron is alienating his audience because of his anti-woke content, right? But I have done it for years now, given after the death of Charlie Kirk, I kind of focused a little bit more on left-wing nonsense for obvious reasons. But then again, for years, I debunked left, right, right, left, left, right, right, left so much that I looked like a complete lunatic.

[00:46:18]Like I looked like someone who needed to talk to a psychologist, if not a psychiatrist at this point. On a Tuesday, I was metawoke. On a Thursday, I was the metach.

[00:46:28]The people that criticize me, however, click their channels. They debunk conservatives, all right, all the time.

[00:46:35]Not a single video when they debunk someone of their own. You know who the exception is? shoe on head, which is why I like her very much. She debunks her own. Just saying.

[00:46:42]>> I shan repeat the foundations of my thoughts here, although we will see many disappointing elements from that trailer repeated in this trailer. I mean, my initial understanding of the trailer is that it is incredibly dull. It's terribly dull. There is nothing exciting about this. For such an exciting story, the trailer is not selling it to me at all. And also, I agree with other people. The accents were initially a shock to me. I wasn't expecting Nolan to enforce such a pronounced American accent upon his cast. You know, I suppose it's nice maybe to break away from the typical white voice of power employed by most >> Oh my gosh. White voice of power, guys.

[00:47:20]I don't know how to do it. I don't know how to do it. I don't know how to not cringe when I watch leftwing creators.

[00:47:26]What do I do? What do I do? Because I want to be open-minded. I want to listen to people with different opinions.

[00:47:31]Opinions. What the heck is White Voice of Power though?

[00:47:36]What do we need then? Black power voices.

[00:47:40]What?

[00:47:42]How do you combat?

[00:47:46]White voice of power and everybody clapped in their community.

[00:47:50]>> Hollywood historical films, i.e. the British RP. Though my main gripe there is that if you're going to give the cast, you know, American accents, don't make Dissas have a Boston accent because we all know Ithaca is in New York.

[00:48:03]Really? I can understand why the American accent felt a little >> both the Boston accent and the New York accent traditionally are non-rotic though. So if you really want to make that distinction, it should be given a California accent. Then >> little bit jarring to a lot of us. I think we've become more comfortable with historical films set in ancient Europe being given a British RP accent because if the film is in English >> or cochnney to be honest, I've heard the Romans being like, "Oh, the line right."

[00:48:31]I've heard the Romans speak like that. I guess it depends >> obviously because British accents feel closer to the rest of Europe geographically and thus by default feels more fitting of a European story line than an American accent does.

[00:48:47]>> Which is kind of strange if you think about it because in the Middle Ages, you know how again normally in general the British accent meaning English accent in this case because I mean a Scottish accent is British accent just as much as an English accent is a British accent.

[00:49:00]Regardless, when we think of the stereotype RP, received pronunciation is a non-rotic accent. As you can notice, she doesn't pronounce the R at the end of words or in between consonants. But the reality is that in the Middle Ages, people in England did. So, the accent was rotic a bit like you could imagine how a Bristolian accent from like the countryside. So, they sound English, but they do say water instead of water. So, believe it or not, the fact that American accents, at least general American, do have the rotic component makes it closer to the way people spoke in period.

[00:49:34]>> Though, that does bring me on to the daddy issues, which has got everyone talking about. So, a very notable clip in this trailer is Antinois, played by Robert Patterson, is confronting Tmicus, who is played by >> Spider-Man. I can't remember his name.

[00:49:48]And then Robert Patterson's character, Antoninois, tells Tmicus, "Oh, you're just a boy pining for his daddy." Uh, to which then Tmicus taught, "Uh, my dad is on his way home." Everyone, including myself, felt that was incredibly strange. Now, here I am again to defend.

[00:50:05]Wilson's translation does not use the word dad or daddy at all. He uses the word father not just because it's the formality of Tmicus being a prince um of Ithaca, but it's also because it's a translation of the word pater. Uh he does not use any more informal words like >> strange you should pronounce it like that, but whatever.

[00:50:24]>> Papa or ta uh talking about his daddy.

[00:50:28]It's always about his father. So Noden's employment of dad and daddy compounded with his choice of Adysius yelling, "Let's go uh to his army of men." Yeah.

[00:50:40]Um it just seemed incredibly modern. And >> finally, we agree on something. Look at that. Me I'm agreeing with Lady of the Library. Let's go.

[00:50:48]>> Out of place for a king. Um although I would argue that Adysius, you know, doesn't really give off the uh sticking to the royal protocol vibes in any shape or form uh throughout the Odyssey.

[00:50:58]However, with American accents and the colloquial modern dialogue, uh that we have briefly heard so far, it is giving more ancient Avengers vibes, uh and which is not what a lot of us wanted in an Odyssey film. I know a lot of us have really been craving an Odyssey film, but we're not denied it. I want to talk about The Return because that came out in 2024 and that is a glorious retelling of the Odyssey. And yes, there is a mix of accents in this film as well, but everything's also played down. So if there is an American accent or there is an English accent, they're not very pronounced and they're also Greek accents scattered throughout creating a more Mediterranean bubble for the film.

[00:51:39]And Fines who plays Adysius is brilliant. He looks apart. He is the part. He's exactly how I imagined this.

[00:51:47]>> Do you think I am agreeing with her but the problem is that she is limit differently from me. I say whatever I want whenever I want. don't even care if it clashes with my audience. All respect to you guys, but you know me. I think the highest form of respect for your audience is ought to not pander to them cuz if I pander, I'm not telling you the truth. I'm just telling you what you want to hear. So, she can't do that, though. So, I'm just going to see this.

[00:52:07]Let's see. Let's see.

[00:52:11]Is this a good representation of Achilles? Let me know in the comments.

[00:52:16]Lady of the library, please. What do you think of this? Is this how you imagine Achilles? Is it? And um is this how you imagine Helen of Troy? Is it? Because you know I agree with you. I also agree that the Punisher is not a good representation of Manelos. I can say it totally should have been a redhead by the way, but whatever. But I also say it when it's black people. A lot of left-wingers don't. That's where they draw the line because they know they can't or she'll be cannibalized by her audience. She can't do it. She can't say it.

[00:52:44]So, um what are we doing here? If you notice, she's very intelligently, but in a way a little deceptively, walking across the lines of what she knows she can get. She can complain about white skin. She can complain about the accent.

[00:52:56]She can complain about the armor, but there are things she is not allowed to complain from a left-wing politics standpoint. And she won't she won't >> to be at this stage of life. And also, it's a really colorful film without taking away any of the severity of the story line. It actually looks as though it was filmed in the Mediterranean. It and but also it's gritty. Oh, it's beautiful. I love it. I love it so much.

[00:53:21]The tension is stunning. And I think what gets me frustrated is that the news of Nolan's Odyssey came out around the time that >> I noticed you speak a lot about the Mediterranean, which is where I was brought up. Have you ever been? Because um this is a genuine question. I'm not trying to trick you, but you do say you do have this point, this position that why are you talking about the Odyssey if you haven't read it? I have you been to the Mediterranean or have you only seen pictures? And if the answer is yes, then great. But I think as a Mediterranean man, I do have that question for you.

[00:53:54]>> The return was released, so it completely overshadowed The Return, but trust me, if you watch The Return, it looks and feels far more authentic from the costumes to the look of the people.

[00:54:04]finds looks as though he's actually seen the sun like he's been stuck in the Mediterranean Sea traveling it for like basically 20 years.

[00:54:12]>> So she's going again into the oh white skin, white skin. I would like to underline though I was again Mediterranean white. We do tan but you spend two nights at home the tan goes away. Three nights at home the tan goes away.

[00:54:31]So this idea that you're trying to push, unless you have a tan skin, you can't be Mediterranean. Excuse me. I am darker than an Irish man or a Germanic from Scandinavia.

[00:54:42]Sure. But then again, >> uh unlike Damon, who looks like he hasn't seen the sun in 20 years. And what I can see from the trailers and then also the return is that the difference between these two films thus far is that The Return isn't an action film and it's not trying to be one. is not trying to tap into the hero trope of the epic return because with all due respect, the Odyssey isn't like that.

[00:55:09]Like yes, on the basis of it, it is an epic and it is a return, but it's not like Avengers Endgame Hollywood idea of epic. The Odyssey's very quiet like the Odyssey's movements are incredibly slow and calculated and that's emphasized particularly when he returns to Ithaca.

[00:55:27]Odysius is a man of many turns. He isn't Achilles. He isn't action man charging forward into battle. If Nolan truly wanted that kind of battle scene, he should have really gone for the Iliad instead because Adysius and the Odyssey isn't. You know, Adysius by this stage of life, he's basically a pirate and he's cunning. He's aged and he's the brains behind everything. You know, he was the chief architect of the Trojan horse. He comes up with the idea. He is the reason that Troy finally fell. You know, the Greek army used brute force for a decade and they didn't get anywhere. But it's only when Adysius comes up with his plan, which is calculated and quiet, that Troy finally falls. But the scenes that we've seen so far in Nolan's Odyssey have been all focused on action. True.

[00:56:14]>> When really the violence of Adysius that erupts at the end of the Odyssey comes a bit as a shock. You know, it's a very slow build. It's like winter being slow.

[00:56:24]I I will say that I mean this is a trailer, okay? So we don't know if maybe the he showed the action moments on the trailer which makes it sound makes it look like I agree with her like oh it's going to be a action packed but maybe won't be in the final product. So that one is one thing. See, when people tell me, "Oh, you're criticizing. You haven't even watched it, right?" But I know that Helen of Troy is Helen of Congo right now. Like I don't need to watch the movie to criticize that choice. Just like I don't need to watch the movie to criticize like she's doing. Oh, they're using Matt Damon. I I would have been better to cast a Greek actor. To which I agree as well. Okay. I'm not I don't just complain about the black actors. I complain about every actor that I don't feel I I wish they were all Greek.

[00:57:09]That's what I've said the entire time.

[00:57:16]But when it comes to the action, who knows? We we'll have to we'll have to wait for that.

[00:57:20]>> And slowly heated for years and years and years and then suddenly it's at boiling point and it's spewing and it's gory and it's violent and it's really intense because we've seen a pretty damn calm man until that point. Now, how can you build up to that climax in Nolan's Odyssey when it's evidently forefronting battle and action hero montages over the subtlety of both Adysius and Penelopey's very slow building plans? And speaking of battles, there's a lot more armor in this film than I expected to see. I already talked about my ideas on the Batman armor and Adysius's armor already in the last video, but in this recent trailer, we see new armor. We have these armor Oh gosh. Oh no. I thought I was I thought I was done with the giants. Come on. Come on now.

[00:58:10]Give me a break.

[00:58:11]>> But men in a forest whom I'm going to guess are the Lonians. Uh the men eating giants in the Odyssey. I don't know who else they can be. I could be completely wrong there. No, I think you're right.

[00:58:22]If they are the life draggonians, putting them in armor is just a bit jarring really because >> and and the century of that armor. Can we talk about that?

[00:58:33]>> They no longer feel like mythological monsters. They just feel like any other army of men >> from the 16th century though.

[00:58:41]>> Uh let's talk about the actual silver armor itself because obviously steel did exist in Bronze Age Greece. Even though it's Bronze Age, it did exist. But as you can tell from the name, it was exceptionally rare. Uh it was more of a novelty that was produced accidentally by smelting iron ore. Um and that didn't exist enough. You know, there weren't enough accidents to to have made the quantities to create thousands of pieces of armor. So again, the armor looks anacronistic here. Though again, playing devil's advocate, perhaps that's what he was going for. You know, perhaps the mythical >> you can't you can't you you literally there is no way to justify that choice.

[00:59:17]I'm sorry. No way. No way. It's awful.

[00:59:20]It's terrible. It's Meccas. It's nothing. There's no way to justify the late 16th century Italian barbuts. Just don't just just don't just don't logical element of these creatures for Nolan is their employment of steel and their access to it. I know it's it's tenuous.

[00:59:40]Um but maybe that signals their mythological status even though it would be incredibly subtle uh and not quite so obvious to the majority of people. And again looking at them just aesthetically not analyzing it very deeply it looks medieval from a first >> it looks like [ __ ] >> glance and I'm not sure if that's something a Nolan will play with in this film are they all time traveling is that why you know we can see Batman armor that's being clearly >> oh that's why okay he's from Queens no that's Spider-Man >> printed or medieval style >> steel armor in another scene I'm not I'm not really sure the So, Agamemnon uh teleported from Gotham City. You heard it here first, guys.

[01:00:23]>> With this idea that I'm throwing out there hypothetically is that yes, medieval looking armor would look very mythical and magical to a bronze age Greek, but in a film for a modern audience, it just looks like a mismash of really strange historical time pieces, >> aka [ __ ] >> We have Viking ships, we have 3D printed armor, we have steel medieval armor. It is like a prop.

[01:00:53]>> And for me personally, I would want to make the monsters look like their powers. You know, nothing about these men, if they are the Lonians, scream men eating giants to me, you know. I'd give them like big mouths and teeth, you know. But maybe that's what's hiding under their helmets. But still, it's just not giving me mythological monsters. But they may not be the lifeians. That's just me throwing. Okay, but who the heck are they then?

[01:01:16]>> Seriously >> out ideas. I can't think what they are in general. You know, we obviously see the Cyclops a little bit in both trailers, but nothing about this is screaming luscious mythology. You know what we've seen from, I think, Cersei's Island. It's bland. It's like a bland desert. There is nothing on there. It looks like uh a new installment of the June film series, like June part 7 BCE.

[01:01:40]>> That is Yeah. Oh my gosh. Of course she uses BC.

[01:01:43]Yeah, I mean good idea. June part 7 BC.

[01:01:47]I'm telling you that's a actually very good one. I I love the Photoshop here.

[01:01:51]Did a fantastic job. You know what they should have done? If we're going to talk about photoshopping, just get and she will appreciate I think she probably hate me for everything else I said, but she might appreciate this one. They should have made the sea wine dark in color. Give it a little purple. And for someone who did was brought up in a Mediterranean island, it does look like that. Sometimes it actually looks like wine.

[01:02:15]It's rare and you need to hit it at the right time of day, but it does happen.

[01:02:21]Saw it with my own eyes.

[01:02:23]>> And perhaps when we see the actual film, the the scenes in the film will be more filled out than that, but my god, if that's what it looks like, poor goddess.

[01:02:32]Living there in such a bland wasteland is truly a punishment for anyone. And of course, again, biggest gripe of my life, bloody monochrome statues. We see Adysius cutting off the head of a bloody monochrome >> should be completely painted. She's right. Polychrommy is a characteristic of Mediterranean classical >> statatury and architectural buildings as well. Everything was in color >> statue instead of the beautiful polychrome that it should have been because heaven forbid Hollywood accepts that the ancient world had a personality. True. It's not garish just because it doesn't match the elitist maturity associated with the marbles adorning the British Museum. They had color once upon a time. Give them paint, guild them, dress them in garments and cloth like they had, you know, that's what it looked like.

[01:03:19]>> That's true.

[01:03:20]>> I mean, the only highlight of the trailer was the baby Argos, the sweetest little bean in all of ancient mythology.

[01:03:27]And if Nolan creates a film where the audience doesn't sob their hearts out at his death, then that will be proof that he has no idea about the Odyssey because no one can even read that passage without crying. And I'd comment more on Penelope and Tmacovs. But really, there's not much to say. They all look incredibly bland, and I can tell that despite the Botox paralyzing her forehead, that Anne Hathaway is really giving it her all. But aside from that, >> you know, I agree with that. It's terrible. The Botox is terrible. I'm surprised she says that though. I mean, we agree, lady of the of the library, but isn't that like a woman's independence to be able to do what she wants and feel the Botox and the lips and the and this and the forehead? I mean, I'm surprised you say that, but great, we agree on that. What What's your opinion on uh the septum rings then? I wonder if we agree on that one, too.

[01:04:17]>> You know, they just it looks so blah. If the casting is true, in my opinion, Nolan's missed lots of opportunities to actually have a really interesting diverse cast.

[01:04:28]>> Why diverse? It needs to be Greek. Why does it have to be diverse only when it's European, Mediterranean at this point? Cultures. Why don't we I don't want a diverse cast. I want a Greek looking cast. Not diverse. It doesn't need to be diverse. Why? And by the way, where are the Asians at this point? Why isn't there a a Korean actor that's disrespectful to Koreans? No, we don't need a diverse cast for this just as much as we don't need a diverse cast for Shakazulu. Because for Shakazulu, the cast needs to be all black except for the British soldiers when you do the battle. Then you need British guys.

[01:05:00]That's how it works. Because if we want to do a diverse cast for that story, then Shakazulu is going to be played by a blonde guy. Then you've got half the tribe. You've got some people are Mongolian, some people are English, some people are German. You don't understand why is is the Zulu played by a German guy, but then the English guy is played by an Asian. I mean, it's a mess, isn't it? But that's never going to happen because they never want they never want diversity on stories that aren't white.

[01:05:24]>> He's done it in the really backwards way. He's done it in a rage baty way when his here's spoiler for my discussion. I think Lupita Nyongo would have been a better Penelope than Anne Hatheraway.

[01:05:35]>> I'm confused. Lup. Okay.

[01:05:42]Lup.

[01:05:44]How about we don't race swap? How about that? I mean, you complained literally about the white skin. It's too white.

[01:05:53]Too white.

[01:05:54]But but Lupita Nionga will be a good Penelopey. Why? Why on green planet Earth can you say this with a straight face without being virtual signaling?

[01:06:07]It's It's disrespectful to the Greeks.

[01:06:10]You say you love the Greek classics. Do you love the Greek people?

[01:06:14]They can't all possibly be MAGA in Greece, right?

[01:06:18]And yet there are a lot of Greeks that are offended by this. What about Greek representation? What about Greek representation? I swear I don't know what to do. I keep ordering in Greek food to support the local Greek community here of immigrants from Greece because I don't know what else to do. I make videos to defend them and I eat Greek food. Why doesn't anyone care about the Greeks? because they're European. Cuz they're southern Europeans like me. So, we're not one of those oppressed minorities that you so strongly and bravely defend. Yeah. I'll never understand this. Like, it's the I don't know. Isn't then better to say, "Guys, don't rewap anyone. If it's a black historical character, keep him black.

[01:07:04]And if it's white, keep him white."

[01:07:06]>> You could have swapped those two roles over and it would have made been a better Penelope than Anne Hatheraway.

[01:07:12]You could have swapped those two roles over and it would have made a far more interesting discussion, particularly regarding Helen of Troy and Penelopey being opposites of each other. You know, the loyal wife versus the straying wife.

[01:07:23]They are perceived as complete opposites. I don't know what he's doing by making Helena Troy and Clive Tinestra look identical.

[01:07:32]>> See, do you see how she tiptoes? She hasn't mentioned once that Helen of Troy is black.

[01:07:39]She can't mention it. her audience won't forgive it. She has to pretend it's not even a thing. It didn't happen. No, I'm discussing the role, the personalities, everything, but and yet she does not use the same functions when it comes to the skin of the white actors. You'll have to explain this inconsistency of thought.

[01:08:00]Lady of the library, here is my question for you since you won't say it to yourself. What is your opinion on the casting of a black woman, Lupita Nyongo, for Helen of Troy/Helen of Sparta? What do you think of that casting choice? Do you think that that's an appropriate casting? And if so, how do you then justify your personal liking of the one translation that you allegedly consider to be the best one because you say it's the most faithful to the original works?

[01:08:28]Shouldn't you then want to be faithful when it comes to the casting as well?

[01:08:31]Shouldn't we get a Greek woman? You can't say that you want respect for the original works and words of the ancients, but then you have zero problems with the casting of a black woman for a woman who wasn't black in the original works. It's one or the other. They're mutually exclusive >> because that means there are two faces that could have launched a thousand ships. I don't think that's really the point. I don't know. I have to write more about it. But they could have been way better choices that would have made for a more interesting cast.

[01:08:56]>> Tell me about it. that would have channeled a lot of misconceptions about ancient Greece, how diverse ancient Greece was, what the people were like.

[01:09:04]Um, and he's just missed all those opportunities for a really >> define uh diverse in the concept of ancient Greece.

[01:09:10]>> Cheapl looking cast and a cheap looking film thus far. Obviously, these are just trailers. I could be proven completely wrong like I was with Withering Heights.

[01:09:19]It could be a really interesting film in its own way.

[01:09:21]>> I strongly doubt it.

[01:09:22]>> I don't know what he's doing. So, these just my initial thoughts. Yeah, what is he doing is exactly my question.

[01:09:28]>> But if you like me to talk about my cast ideas and what I think Nolan may have missed the opportunity to do with the cast, please let me know. I'm happy to do that video.

[01:09:35]>> Yes. And what I'm expecting, but you could prove me wrong. You will not mention black skin.

[01:09:42]Even if you make a dedicated video, you won't. Or if you will, you will say, I don't really like the casting of Lupita Niongo for this role because of personality, the message, the idea, the linguistic stratification of will it's like I don't know what it is. At least say it. Say you have no problems with race swapping when it's black on white.

[01:10:03]You do have a problem if it's white on black. At least at least say it. If that's your position, say it. So then we can we know we can agree to disagree. It will be a very difficult position to defend if we're talking equality of treatment. But at least it's a sincere position because this idea that you guys and when I say you guys, I mean left-wing people, leftwing people. this thing that you that you have to pretend it's not happening or you have to be like, "Oh, I don't even see it." and stuff like that. I'm not trying to straw man her, but she did not address it once. In two videos, she complained about the white skin. She didn't say a word about a black casting, though.

[01:10:38]>> I'm not going to lean into rage baiting stuff because with all due respect, a lot of people are all but hurt over nothing. Like, I'm sorry to say that the ancient world was far more diverse than you realize it was. I'm not going to cater to those sensibilities. The irony.

[01:10:53]>> It's Yeah. Okay. Those sensibilities and I tried to be nice. I tried to be nice.

[01:10:57]Do you have a problem with people race swapping someone who is black into white? If you do, are those silly sensibilities? Are you okay with taking someone who is historically Asian and turn him into a blonde Aryan type? Are those silly sensitivities? These are not This is our culture. This is our history. Okay, you're British. I'm Mediterranean. This is my side of the world. We do not want people to race swap us. The Romans were diverse. We know exactly what an Italian Roman looked like. We know exactly what a what the average Greek imperial looked like.

[01:11:30]You will not gaslight us into thinking that I don't know. There were 30% were black, 30% were white, 30% were Asian.

[01:11:38]The remaining 10% were from the Middle East. That's not how ancient Greece was.

[01:11:41]There were a European people. I'm not denying that there were black people living in the empire of Rome or within within Greece, but come on. I I just can't stand it, guys. I just can't stand it. Like, I'm trying to be nice. The woman, I'm trying to be nice, but she defeats her own arguments with these kind of left-wing virtual signaling nonsense. So, we are all stupid and we are all below you at this point when we complain about the race whopping and the deletion of our history and culture. No, we're not.

[01:12:13]You can think we're stupid. We're still going to do it. We're still going to say it because it's unilateral. You would never allow this if it was the other way around, which it has been. And I've attacked it. Oh, but I'm alienating my audience for calling for equality or treatment for all races. I'm alienating my audience. I'm preaching to the far right. I guess the >> irony that apparently NOLA is meant to be catering to sensibilities or Emily Wilson's translation was when the most sensitive people out there are the ones who haven't even read the bloody odyssey.

[01:12:46]>> I read it. I read it. I think the race swapping is inappropriate. Sue me >> in the first place. Sorry I was sassy in this one. It really drives me nuts. So with all that said and with all due respect, what the is this? What material is this made of in Bronze Age Grease?

[01:13:00]Honestly, it looked just like leftover material from the Batman films, which was far too expensive to justify discarding, but could have easily been handed over to the Marvel Studios for their latest Black Panther film as a charitable gesture, and no one would have been the wiser. And I know many people think it looks cool, but honestly, to me, it >> who the heck thinks that?

[01:13:19]>> It just looks like those garish barber shops all over the UK, and they have black walls and gold sinks. And unlike the costumes of Lord of the Rings, which is a fantasy film, this costume doesn't look organic to the world it's part of, you know, had it been like really dark bronze armor with a real spine, you know, running down the back, that would have been cool.

[01:13:40]>> Yeah, but why not following the you read the classics, right? The Agamenum's armor is described. His armor had three different components when it comes to the metallic aspect of it. It was made of 42 bands of metal. Some were copper, some were gilded bronze, and some were darkened bronze. So, uh, or blackened bronze. That's what it should have. We know what it looks like. It's described.

[01:14:01]I've got an entire dedicated video link in the description.

[01:14:04]>> Now, obviously, we're only talking about a trailer. We don't know what's actually happening. Any assumptions that I make in this video could be entirely explained away in the larger context of the film. So for perhaps his armor is divine armor, which is why it's made of some obscure material.

[01:14:19]>> Satanic armor, if anything, and why it's pristine, and why it has Chad cheekbones carved into the helmet that makes it look like handsome Squidward is cosplaying Greek Batman. And obviously, we have the plumemed helmets here, which is far from the bronze-aged armor or the bore tusk helmet Adysius famously wears, but I sort of accept.

[01:14:41]>> He only wears it once, though. only once in the text >> that Hollywood loves a plumemed helmet and they always pick it for aesthetic reasons even though I still think uh bronzeed age armor could have looked really cool if there was just a single >> you shouldn't it shouldn't be the dendra though as I as I was saying first this is too expensive for every soldier to have it should only be for the elites and by the time in which historical actual bubble of a few hundred years where the odyssey actually takes place we should have more bands because we already have the next evolutionary step from the Dendra Panop, >> but thank you as always for your support. Uh >> yeah, guys, I mean it's what can I tell you? It's it is what I expected. A few things were fair, but a lot of it was monumentally biased in the left-wing perception in a way that it's indefensible.

[01:15:33]I asked you some direct questions, lady, of the library. Let's see if you're going to dress