Do they speak Greek in Assassin‘s Creed Odyssey?
Hey there! As a long-time fan of the Assassin‘s Creed franchise and a bit of a history buff, I‘m fascinated by how well Odyssey captures the feel of ancient Greece. The immersive quality goes beyond just the stunning visuals – the use of Greek voice acting and language plays a huge part too. Let‘s take a deep dive into how Odyssey handles Greek and what we can learn from it.
The Powerful Impact of Native Greek Actors
Hiring Greek actors Melissanthi Mahut and Michael Antonakos as the lead stars was a masterstroke by Ubisoft. It brings unparalleled authenticity and emotional nuance to the cutscenes and dialogue.
Both Mahut and Antonakos naturally speak fluent Greek as their first language. This gives them an intuitive understanding of the linguistic rhythms, pronunciations and cultural context. Their theatre backgrounds also lend them fantastic dramatic range.
As a result, their voice work sounds completely organic and conversational, while packing a dramatic punch in key story moments. When Kassandra laments "Theós gnorízi póso me lípei", you feel her ache across the centuries!
These actors tap into the rich cultural heritage they inherit as Greeks and channel it into empathetic, engaging performances. It massively boosts player immersion and connection to the setting.
According to interviews, Antonakos and Mahut also improvised some dialogue, helping it feel more authentic:
“We played a lot in the studio, because that’s the beauty of it — you can play and find magical moments through that improvisation,” Antonakos said.
This freedom and input from native Greek speakers undoubtedly elevated Odyssey‘s linguistic authenticity. Ubisoft‘s casting was visionary and honours the legacy of Hellenic culture.
Unpacking the Meaning of "Misthios"
As you journey across ancient Greece, you‘ll keep hearing one curious term in conversations: "misthios". This epithet is applied to your character countless times. But what exactly does misthios imply in Greek?
The word translates straightforwardly to “mercenary” or “hired sword” in ancient Greek. It stems from the Greek noun misthos, meaning payment or wages. Plus the verb misthoo, meaning to hire or rent out services.
So in essence, a misthios is a warrior who fights for money instead of loyalty or duty. They sell their deadly skills to the highest bidder as a sword-for-hire.
Considering the war-torn setting of the Peloponnesian conflict, it makes perfect sense that your misthios would become embroiled. There’s plenty of opportunity to fight battles for both the Athenians and Spartans. This free agent role allows you to shift loyalties between the warring states.
Getting constantly called misthios highlights your status as a wandering warrior unbound by allegiance. It’s a memorable epithet that reinforces mercenary culture and your motivation of drachmae.
Some NPCs say it in a friendly way, some spitefully. But either way, hearing this Greek term echoes through the ages and places you right in the ancient world. It’s an iconic sobriquet.
Why "Malaka" Resonates as the Perfect Greek Insult
Easily Odyssey‘s most memorable and hilariously vulgar phrase is “malaka”. You’ll hear it constantly cried in anger during fights or dropped casually into conversation. But why does this particular Greek insult resonate so well?
Malaka directly translates into English as “wanker” or “jerk off”. It signifies someone who excessively masturbates or is a contemptible idiot.
Malaka derives from the ancient Greek word malakos, meaning soft or weak. And malakia, meaning effeminate. So it implies cowardice, weakness and unmanliness.
As a versatile insult, malaka packs a satisfying punch without sounding overly pretentious. It’s vulgar enough to be funny, but not so crude as to be unrealistic in ancient times. This balancing act works wonderfully.
Game Director Scott Phillips explained in an interview why they chose malaka as the signature Odyssey insult:
“It’s a word that’s still used today. It fits with the time period and connotes sort of a rascally nature. It just seemed to really click and fit.”
Indeed, malaka clicks perfectly as a coarse yet timeless epithet! Hearing the yelled phrase transports you right into ancient Greek culture. It‘s an ingrained part of the Odyssey experience.
How Homeric Greek Differs from Modern Greek
Obviously the Greek language evolved enormously over the millennia, begging the question – what flavour of Greek does Odyssey actually use?
Primarily, the game employs Homeric Greek to reflect the setting circa 400 BCE during the Peloponnesian War. This dialect combines:
- Ionic Greek (Attic influence)
- Aeolic Greek
- Arcadocypriot Greek
By contrast, modern Greek dialects like Demotic Greek took shape much later and are what Greeks predominantly speak today.
There‘s the odd linguistic anachronism where Odyssey uses more modern phrases or words. However, in major story bits, the language strives to recreate a Homeric Greek feel.
Some examples of how Odyssey mimics Homeric Greek:
- Dropping word-final sigmas – mistho not misthos
- -tos adjective ending instead of -teos
- Infinitive verb ending of -men rather than -ein
Of course, there‘s debate over how ancient Greek truly sounded, given the lack of recordings. But through grammar and vocabulary choices, Odyssey does a commendable job capturing Homeric Greek in spirit.
Kassandra‘s Accent Deepens Immersion
Playing as the canon protagonist Kassandra is made even more rewarding by her unique Greek accent. Actress Melissanthi Mahut uses a heavier Greek accent to reflect Kassandra‘s Spartan upbringing.
Kassandra will proudly exclaim “Eímai Spárti!” (I am Spartan!) when meeting certain characters. This immediately establishes her cultural heritage through the Hellenic inflection.
Some examples of Kassandra‘s accent include:
- Pater for father rather than Latin-influenced patera
- Distinctive vowels like the long o sound being emphasized
- Rolling ‘r’ sounds to give a stronger Greek cadence
These subtle touches embed us within the ancient Mediterranean setting on a visceral level. We inherently associate that accent and timbre with Greek ancestry. It subconsciously pulls us into the culture.
Assassin’s Creed III had also implemented indigenous accents to ground you in the period setting. Ubisoft leveled up this effect brilliantly in Odyssey through Kassandra‘s voice.
Vulgar Greek Insults for a Colorful Ancient Lexicon
Beyond malaka, Odyssey has great fun peppering its dialogue with plenty more Greek vulgarities and curse words:
| Greek Insult | Translation |
|---|---|
| Skáse | Shit |
| Peédiko | Faggot |
| Koproléo | Shithead |
| Malákas | You wanker (direct address) |
| Kooré | Young lady of loose morals |
| Panagiotáki mou | My little St Peter (sarcastic) |
Hearing this hilariously crude slang coming out of ancient Greek mouths adds wonderful flavour. The insults sound fittingly classical yet pack a modern punch. It makes the scheming and bickering between factions full of vim and bile.
Some language experts criticize Odyssey‘s swear words as perhaps too vulgar for ancient Greece. But a bit of salty language undoubtedly helps create resonating and memorable characters. It makes the world feel alive.
Impactful Greek Phrases Ground Key Moments
At pivotal emotional story beats, evocative Greek dialogue grants weight and gravitas:
“Chaire misthios” – Greetings, mercenary.
A simple yet culturally authentic welcome. Sets the tone.
"Theós gnorízi póso me lípei" – God knows how much I‘ve missed you.
An aching sentiment in elegant poetic Greek.
“De ti fovámai” – I’m not afraid.
A defiant line that sounds defiant in any age.
These key phrases embed you profoundly in the moment. The language conveys timeless sentiments that resonate across millennia. The excellent acting sells each line, convincingly linking us to the ancient era.
Even if you don’t cognitively understand the words, the emotional tenor still comes through. This helps craft unforgettable story moments.
Evaluating the Authenticity of Odyssey‘s Greek
In assessing how authentically Odyssey captures ancient Greek, allowances have to be made for playability and artistic license. Some academics argue it’s nearly impossible to accurately simulate ancient Greek accents or dialects.
Nonetheless, Assassin’s Creed Odyssey does a commendable job imbuing its world with a “flavor” of antiquity, while keeping things enjoyable and dynamic.
Through clever casting, grammar choices, vocabulary range and euphony, Odyssey “feels” credibly Hellenic. The developers consulted linguistics experts to help craft an "ancient Greek-lite" that sets the atmosphere.
Minor linguistic mistakes aside, the game transports players to the glory days of Greek antiquity in a way no other medium can match. Odyssey‘s language breathes astonishing life into ancient Greece.
So in summary friend, I found Odyssey‘s linguistic elements hugely enhanced my Greek odyssey! Let me know your own thoughts on whether Odyssey captured that original Hellenic spirit. Chaire!