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University of Pennsylvania Classical Studies Department

@pennclassics

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We teach and research all aspects of Classics, from languages and literature to history, archaeology and cultural studies.
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Emily Wilson is a classicist, translator, and professor and chair of Classical Studies at the University of Pennsylvania. Her work includes translations of Seneca, Sophocles, Euripides, and both of Homer’s epics. She is best known for her 2017 translation of The Odyssey, the first complete published English translation of the poem by a woman. Her version, written in iambic pentameter, uses direct, contemporary language while preserving the pace and structure of Homer’s poetry. Her translations also ask readers to notice what earlier versions sometimes softened or obscured. Wilson names enslaved people as enslaved, pays close attention to the treatment of women, and uses clear, direct language to reveal the text's complexity. That same concern with complexity shaped her response to Christopher Nolan’s adaptation of The Odyssey. Wilson argued that the film favored grand visual over substance and that it lost the epic’s psychological, emotional, political, and ethical depth. She criticized its treatment of war, memory, family, and responsibility. She did, however, acknowledge the interest in Homer and classical literature that the film has inspired. Wilson’s work also shows why there can never be only one definitive translation of a text like The Odyssey. Every translator interprets the epic differently and makes different choices about tone, rhythm, character, and meaning. Reading multiple translations allows us to see it from different perspectives and to notice how much each translator shapes the story we experience.
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As audiences prepare to revisit "The Odyssey", take a look at the work of Emily Wilson of @PennSAS, whose acclaimed translation introduced the epic to a new generation of readers. She also translated "The Iliad" bringing another of Homer’s works to modern audiences. Watch her perform a passage from "The Iliad". Tap the link in our bio to view the full excerpt reading.
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Before "The Odyssey" arrives in theaters, @Zendaya picked up the source material during a recent visit to Rakestraw Books in Danville, California 📚🎬 She is holding the translation by @PennSAS professor of classical studies Emily Wilson, whose work has introduced Homer's epic to a new generation of readers. Zendaya in a bookstore holds up two books, "Dune Messiah" by Frank Herbert and "The Odyssey" by Homer, translated by Emily Wilson.
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Huge shoutout to the 2026 Dean’s Awards for Distinguished Teaching by Graduate Students winners! Your dedication to shaping the next generation of scholars at Penn Arts & Sciences is truly inspiring. Thank you for all that you do for our students! 👏 Pictured TOP ROW FROM LEFT TO RIGHT : Luca Garzino Demo, PHIL; Alvaro Pintado , MATH MIDDLE ROW FROM LEFT TO RIGHT: Kyilah Maria Terry, PSCI; Ezekiel Vergara, PHIL; Andrew Matthias McIntosh Burke, MUSC; Saul Nathaniel Hilsenrath, MATH BOTTOM ROW FROM LEFT TO RIGHT: Tom Andrew Pattiz, PSCI; Idil Cakmur, PHIL; Peter E Diamond, ENGL; Gabrielle Roehr; CLST #UPenn #SASGRAD #PennArtsAndSciences #TeachingExcellence #GradStudents #PhDJourney
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Grady Ziegler ‘26 and Arul Jindal ‘26 joined Mr. Turner for a field trip to Philadelphia to observe and discuss the many examples of Neo-Classical and Greek Revival architecture in the city, including the Philadelphia Museum of Art and Founder’s Hall at Girard College. Stops at Penn Museum and Reading Terminal Market rounded out a great day downtown. #architecture #design #philadelphia #cityofneighborhoods
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Announcing the Turning Away Tour! Let me know if you can make it out to any of these--even just aspirationally! 4/7 - BLOOMINGTON, IN @iubloomington thank you Joey & @shannongayk 4/8 - KNOXVILLE, TN @utknoxville thank you @ryandanielperry 4/10-11 - SEWANEE, TN Medieval Colloquium thank you @mnemosyne12 4/13 - NASHVILLE, TN Vanderbilt @vuartsci thank you @caviar_emptor & @shonaadler 4/14 - CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA @englishatuva @classics_uva @uva_artdepartment thank you @phil_lol_ogist and @bruceholsingerauthor 4/16 - PHILADELPHIA, PA @pennenglishdepartment @pennarthistory @pennclassics thank you @liflode1971 4/17 - NYC w/ @richiehof @bookculture @nymedievalsociety thank you @padailey 4/18 - NYC - Launch Party @kgbbarredroom bks by @posmanbooks thank you @elliottsnyder_ & Chris Bradley 4/20 - UC IRVINE @ucihumanities @ucienglish @ctsa_ucirvine thank you @eallen7777 @rebeccadavis17 @profbetancourt @sarahthomasine 4/22 - LOS ANGELES, CA w/ Bronwen Wilson and David Russell @uclacmrscegs @uclaenglish @ucla_arthistory thank you @zrinkastahuljak 4/28 - STANFORD, CA w/ Mark Greif and Miriam Kamil @stanford_english @stanfordaah thank you @bernspeak & @emtreharne 4/29 - BERKELEY, CA w/ Martin Jay @townsendcenter @ucberkeleyenglish @euaucb @ucberkeleyhistory @ha_ucb thank you @sbest415 4/30 - AUSTIN, TX @livrabooks thank you @msg_livrabooks 5/6 - CHICAGO, IL w/ @edgaresque @semcoop @uchicagoenglish @uchicagoahddos @chicago_writing @weslpress 5/16 - KALAMAZOO, MI @westernmichu #ICMS 5/19 - CHICAGO, IL w/ @meganeogrady @threetoplounge @chihumanities @saltshedchicago 6/16 - OXFORD, UK @queenscollegeoxford @englishfaculty_oxford @ruskin_school_art_oxford thank you @nancy.thebaut 6/17 - LONDON, UK w/ @ayla.lepine @housmans_books thank you @azad_ashim & @al__anderson 6/22 - COPENHAGEN, DK University of Copenhagen Huge thanks to @uchicagopress, my editors @agthomas81 @tudormusicrocks & publicity team @meredithnini @publicityspy, @uchicagoahddos @nehgov & @newberrylibrary for funding! @monograph_studio for design! @johnniesrostrum for idexification! @slgarrettphoto for the photo! all the others who made this possible. See you around! Book tour poster for "Turning Away: The Poetics of an Ancient Gesture" by Benjamin A. Saltzman. Includes dates and locations: April 7, Bloomington, IN (Indiana University lecture); April 8, Knoxville, TN (University of Tennessee lecture); April 10-11, Sewanee, TN (Medieval Colloquium); April 13, Nashville, TN (Vanderbilt University lecture); April 14, Charlottesville, VA (University of Virginia lecture); April 16, Philadelphia, PA (University of Pennsylvania lecture); April 17, NYC (in conversation with Richie Hofmann at Book Culture); April 18, NYC (launch party at KGB, RSVP requested).
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This Friday, March 27: Join us in Van Pelt Library or online for our Undergraduate Humanities Forum Research Conference, Unlocking the Truth. Wolf's 2025-26 Undergraduate Research Fellows will present their projects on this year's theme, Truth. Saanvi Agarwal, English, Legal Studies & Business Ethics, Statistics Inheritance of Post-Colonial Trauma in the Modern Diaspora Max Brody, English, Native and Indigenous Studies Crazed, Psychotic, and…Desperate?: Prototypes of “The Sick Woman Theory” in 20th Century Theory and Literature Kara Butler, Communication, Anthropology Play Fighting: Comparative Attitudes on Children in American and Japanese Propaganda Sergio Emilio Carballido, Religious Studies, Mathematical Economics Accessing Truth Through Mind: A Comparative Study of Ratnakīrti’s Epistemology and Nāgārjuna’s Mādhyamaka Cristina Diaz, History, Linguistics The Etymological Method in Alphonsine Chronicle Thalia Graeff, History of Art Artists’ Books by Women: Selections from Penn Libraries Noa Rubinstein, History, International Relations Truth on Trial: International Influences on Canada’s Truth & Reconciliation Commission Eric Ryu, Health and Societies, History, Classical Studies “The Boy on the Benches”: Into the Classrooms of the Scottish Enlightenment Ella Sohn, English In Name Only: Mapping Nonhuman Personhood in Richard Powers’ Gain and The Overstory Izzy Welsh, English, Cinema & Media Studies Beyond the Self: The Ethics of Authorial Voice in the Poetics of Patti Smith Ryan Wolff, History A Shift in Statecraft: Human Rights and U.S. Intervention in Latin America’s Southern Cone During the Late Cold War Arwen Zhang, Finance, International Studies “A Collection of the Most Curious Facts”: Truth, Travel, and Self-Representation in the Works of Gerald of Wales ------------ March 27, 9:15am–5:15pm Kislak Center, Van Pelt Library Livestream available. Free and open to the public. https://wolfhumanities.upenn.edu/events/unlocking-truth
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This Women’s History month we are taking a deeper dive into Ancient Literature with Doctor Emily Wilson, Professor of Classical Studies at the University of Pennsylvania. Join us on Friday, March 27th in Room 200 of the Arch Building (Fireside Lounge) from 5:00 to 6:30 PM! Light refreshments will be provided!
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The Classics are anything but boring, and the epics are so named for a reason! Penn Professor and Chair of the Department of Classical Studies Emily Wilson studies Greek and Roman texts, bringing vibrant new translations of these ancient works to modern audiences. Discover more about how Penn Matters at the link in our profile.
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Join us on Friday, March 27 for the 25th annual Undergraduate Humanities Forum Research Conference, Unlocking the Truth. The Wolf Humanities Center’s 2025–2026 Undergraduate Research Fellows will present their projects on this year’s theme, Truth. Saanvi Agarwal Inheritance of Post-Colonial Trauma in the Modern Diaspora Max Brody Crazed, Psychotic, and…Desperate?: Prototypes of “The Sick Woman Theory” in 20th Century Theory and Literature Kara Butler Play Fighting: Comparative Attitudes on Children in American and Japanese Propaganda Sergio Emilio Carballido Murcio Accessing Truth Through Mind: A Comparative Study of Ratnakīrti’s Epistemology and Nāgārjuna’s Mādhyamaka Cristina Diaz The Etymological Method in Alphonsine Chronicle Thalia Graeff Artists’ Books by Women: Selections from Penn Libraries Noa Rubinstein Truth on Trial: International Influences on Canada’s Truth & Reconciliation Commission Eric Ryu “The Boy on the Benches”: Into the Classrooms of the Scottish Enlightenment Ella Sohn In Name Only: Mapping Nonhuman Personhood in Richard Powers’ Gain and The Overstory Izzy Welsh Beyond the Self: The Ethics of Authorial Voice in the Poetics of Patti Smith Ryan Wolff A Shift in Statecraft: Human Rights and U.S. Intervention in Latin America’s Southern Cone During the Late Cold War Arwen Zhang “A Collection of the Most Curious Facts”: Truth, Travel, and Self-Representation in the Works of Gerald of Wales ------------ March 27, 9:15am–5:15pm Kislak Center, Van Pelt Library Livestream available. Free and open to the public. https://wolfhumanities.upenn.edu/events/unlocking-truth
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This coming Thursday, the UVA Department of Classics is hosting Jeremy McInerney to give a lecture: “Inhuman, Nonhuman, and Subhuman.” Jeremy McInerney is a Christopher H. Browne Distinguished Professor of Clasical Studies at the University of Pennsylvania. This lecture is the annual 2025 James Constantine Lecture and will delve into what constitutes a human and how in-, non-, and sub-humanity terms shape hierarchies of inequality. This lecture will take place on Thursday, November 6th at 5:00 p.m. in the Cocke Hall’s Gibson Room with a reception afterwards. We hope to see you there! #uva #archaeology #interdisciplinaryarchaeologymajor #uvaarchaeology #uvaarts #artsdepartment #yadig #uvaclassics #human #humanity #jamesconstantinelecture
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Great turnout at @labyrinth.books last night for our own Prof. Dan-el Padilla Peralta in an enthralling conversation with Prof. Kate Meng Brassel (@pennclassics) on his new book "Classicism and Other Phobias"—out now from @princetonupress! "'Classicism and Other Phobias' contends with loss in its own way, by asking if classics might be used to combat forces, like racism, that give rise to profound losses—whether, in his words, the study of ancient worlds can be used 'for world-building.'" —@newyorkermag (Co-sponsored by the #PrincetonPublicLibrary, #PrincetonUniversityPress, #PrincetonClassics, the Humanities Council, and #LabyrinthBooksPrinceton) Kate Meng Brassel speaking into a microphone on a dais with Dan-el Padilla Peralta before a seated audience in a bookstore.
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