Sales of Homer's "Odyssey" and "Iliad" have jumped as much as 400% in Greece ahead of the July 17 premiere of Christopher Nolan's film adaptation, according to publishers who say the movie has reignited global interest in the ancient epics.
Yiannis Leventis, publisher at Kaktos, which produces a six-volume edition pairing the ancient Greek text with modern translation and commentary, said sales of the company's newer, single-volume editions - stripped of the ancient text and academic annotation to appeal to younger readers — have risen four to five times over as the film's release approaches.
"The books have already become best-sellers, but as the premiere date nears we're seeing 400% growth," Mr. Leventis said.
Publishers say the surge predates the film itself. Mr. Leventis said Kaktos secured agreements with major publishing houses in Asia and the Arab world to translate and export the Homeric texts before Nolan's project was even announced, describing global interest in Homer as enduring rather than movie-driven.
"The Odyssey and the Iliad are the foundation of everything," he said.
"Homer doesn't belong to Greece - he belongs to world civilization."
Giorgos Patmios of Patakis Publications said Homer's staying power lies in themes that remain universally resonant.
"The Iliad and the Odyssey aren't just stories about gods, heroes and monsters," he said. "They're about loss, trauma, the search for identity, resilience and the difficult work of return - not just to one's homeland, but to oneself."
The renewed attention has also boosted interest in contemporary works engaging with the Homeric tradition, publishers said, including Nikos Kazantzakis's 1938 continuation of the "Odyssey," a 2016 adaptation by poet Michalis Ganas, and a newly released retelling by British actor and author Stephen Fry, published by Patakis.
Dora Tsaknaki of Metaichmio Publications said the film represents "an excellent opportunity to redirect public attention toward Homer," though publishers cautioned that a film adaptation doesn't automatically translate into book sales - rather, it opens new public dialogue around a centuries-old text.
Mr. Leventis said the relationship works both ways: "Nolan needs Homer, but Homer also needs Nolan.
The film brings him back into the spotlight, into the everyday awareness of a much wider audience."
By Mano Livadaros