The Iliad (Penguin Classics Deluxe Edition)

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This groundbreaking English version by Robert Fagles is the most important recent translation of Homer's great epic poem. The verse translation has been hailed by scholars as the new standard, providing an Iliad that delights modern sensibility and aesthetic without sacrificing the grandeur and particular genius of Homer's own style and language. The Iliad is one of the two great epics of Homer, and is typically described as one of the greatest war stories of all time, but to say the Iliad is a war story does not begin to describe the emotional sweep of its action and characters: Achilles, Helen, Hector, and other heroes of Greek myth and history in the tenth and final year of the Greek siege of Troy.

Book Description

This timeless poem-more than 2,700 year old-still vividly conveys the horror and heroism of men and gods wrestling with towering emotions and battling amid devastation and destruction as it moves inexorably to its wrenching, tragic conclusion. Readers of this epic poem will be gripped by the finely tuned translation and enlightening introduction.

Translated by Robert Fagles
Introduction and Notes by Bernard

Customer Reviews:

One of the hard slog classic reads.......2007-10-11

No need to review this classic.
Recommendation: If you are buying this to actually read, get a version with larger type. I can barely read this with my reading glasses on. I'm going to have to get another version myself.

A great story that anyone would enjoy putting aside all the academic chatter........2007-08-08

Translation (in my opinion and experience) is not so much about accuracy as it is about hearing or reading something, absorbing it, and telling the same thing in another language in a way that can best be understood or even--we hope in this case--engaging or entertaining to the listener or reader. The Penguin Classic version of the Iliad does this quite well; and the translator has proven himself to be a good teller of the story in English given to us by Homer so long ago.

Don't read the Iliad because it's a classic, or because it's Greek, or because Homer wrote it. Read it for the same reasons and with the same mindset as you would any book written today, because it's good--and in this case outstanding. Put simply, don't analyse it or study it, just read and enjoy.

The Iliad is really that good.

A deeply powerful tale told in an equally powerful way by Fagles.......2007-05-22

The Iliad is certainly a piece of literature that has stood the test of time - and with good reason. War has constantly been a feature of human society and the Iliad tells of all its horrors like few other pieces of literature. But the epic is more than just a war story - it's a story of human limits and mankind's (especially in the West) constant struggle to deal with the realities they create. I suppose one could respond that this epic is more involved with human potential but it is very hard to read either the character of Hector or Achilles as anything but a tragic character - as someone who paid dearly for his role as "hero" of Troy or Greece. This is not a great piece of literature because it projects heroic ideals that should inspire us, though this aspect of the epic has played its own powerfully important role, rather, it is a great piece of literature because just as the epic appears to throw those ideals up for lauding, it problematizes them - it illustrates their often tragic consequences. The heroic individual who can single-handedly make a difference and the ethic of competition the epic oozes have played profoundly important roles in shaping Western history but the Iliad is great because it draws out the ugly consequences these ideals can produce and the price one pays for holding them too close.

Fagles' translation - for all I can tell - is an excellent one. I know no Greek (Sanskrit was my "classical" language) but the power of Fagles' rendering is palpable throughout (especially in the masterful first chapter) and it is difficult, though not impossible, to imagine it being more so in another translator's hands.

Requirement for Western Civilization.......2007-05-12

How can anyone not give The Iliad 5 stars? Not only is it the fountainhead of all Western literature, it's a great story!! READ IT!!

Okay translation.......2007-03-29

I'm not convinced that this translation is an improvement to the Lattimore or Fitzgerald translations. It's readable and slightly more up to date in idiom, but it is somewhat predictable as a translation. It lacks the boldness of the translation by Stanley Lombardo, who has, in my opinion, produced the freshest and most exciting translations of both the Iliad and the Odyssey. The prose renditions of the Odyssey (the updated Rhieu and the Griffin/Hammond) are as readable and more exciting than the translation by Fagles. That said, it is still a fine translation, but if you already have the Lattimore translation (or if you are lucky enough to have the Lombardo translation) there isn't a whole lot to be gained with this translation.

Black Ships Before Troy: The Story of The Iliad

Average customer rating:

no illustrations in my edition
Great book for an 18-year old remedial reader
Familiarity breeds comfort in the classics
Very good retelling--but not the best
Black Ships Before Troy

Black Ships Before Troy: The Story of The Iliad
Rosemary Sutcliffe
Manufacturer: Frances Lincoln
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 1845073592

Book Description

Homer's epic poem, The Iliad, is one of the greatest adventure stories of all time. Rich with arresting imagery and memorable characters, its powerful metaphors still permeate modern culture. This brilliant retelling offers young readers an exciting introduction to the heroes of ancient Greece while providing the complete story of the battle of Troy. The legendary beauty, Helen, is abducted, leading to a decade-long conflict in which even the gods and goddesses take sides and intervene. This is the Trojan War, where the most valiant heroes of the ancient world are pitted against one another. Here Hector, Ajax, Achilles, and Odysseus meet their most formidable challenges and in some cases, their tragic ends. Rosemary Sutcliff makes such extraordinary stories as those of the Trojan horse, of Aphrodite and the golden apple, and of the fearsome warrior women, the Amazons, accessible to contemporary young people. Superb illustrations enhance the story's dramatic appeal.

Customer Reviews:

no illustrations in my edition.......2007-10-10

I have not yet read this book- so my review is only based on my disappointment that I bought this book after reading about the wonderful illustrations. I have a much longer version of the Iliad, which I am reading to my children. I bought this so I could read it to them also, to give them more of an understanding of the Iliad. I read the wonderful reviews about the illustrations and thought the book sounded perfect. While the cover is beautiful, it is the ONLY illustration in the whole book. The older edition must be the one with the pictures, I will be checking into whether or not it is still available.

Great book for an 18-year old remedial reader.......2007-03-15

I have been tutoring an 18-year old remedial reader in basic phonics. We first read D'Aulaire's Greek Myths, as he wanted to read about heroes. We then graduated to Black Ships Before Troy, as he had seen the movie, Troy. This is a great book. It is well-written, full of intriguing details and actions which are brought to life by Sutcliff. She is one of my favorite authors, anyway, so I knew it would be good, but it is GREAT. We can hardly wait to move on to the Odyssey.

I'm sure it would be good for younger, excellent readers, but it is a great hero book for older students and adults, too.

Familiarity breeds comfort in the classics.......2007-01-04

Rosemary Sutcliff excels at story telling by making the epic story of the Iliad understandable and thrilling to a seven year old. I have read this book to my son at least three times, beginning when he was seven years old. He is now so familiar with the story and characters of the Iliad as a result of Black Ships Before Troy that to read Homer's Iliad will simply mean meeting these familiar characters again. Sutcliff's writing is so engaging that parents as well will enjoy this book. An absolute bonus is the excellent illustrations by Alan Lee.

Very good retelling--but not the best.......2006-12-20

My seven year old and I read this together immediately after finishing the version of the Iliad retold by Ian Strachan and illustrated by Viktor Ambrus. While Sutcliff and Lee's effort is a good one, and I would recommend it highly, Strachan and Ambrus's is superior: the language is tighter and less florid, the artwork more dynamic and compelling. Unfortunately, the Strachan version is out of print and hard to find, but this one is a more than acceptable substitute.

Sutcliff's language is full (to the point of distraction) of similes and other figures of the "wine-dark sea" sort, which like a tongue-tingling seasoning (see what I mean?) is fine in moderation, but she overdoes it. Nevertheless, it's a good introduction to the Iliad. At 113 pages, it's possible to read this at bedtime over a week if you've checked it out from the school library, as my son did.

But do check out my review of the Strachan version.

Black Ships Before Troy.......2006-08-07

Most anyone knows that they are supposed to read Homer's Iliad at some point in their life, but many are intimidated by its complexity. For starters, try Rosemary Sutcliff's Black Ships Before Troy. It is a beautiful and delightful read for all ages. You can easily sort the characters and get a grip on the plot without wading through the epic or the longer narrative. Once you have done this, you may muster the courage to attack the Iliad itself and impress all of your friends, or you can just let them think you are an expert in ancient literature after Black Ships Before Troy.

Average customer rating:

A great translation.... not for the meek at heart.
The Speaker's Handbook!
Awkward translation
Excellent English Iliad
The Best English Version

The Iliad of Homer
Homer
Manufacturer: University Of Chicago Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0226469409

Book Description

"The finest translation of Homer ever made into the English language."—William Arrowsmith

"Certainly the best modern verse translation."—Gilbert Highet

"This magnificent translation of Homer's epic poem . . . will appeal to admirers of Homer and the classics, and the multitude who always wanted to read the great Iliad but never got around to doing so."—The American Book Collector

"Perhaps closer to Homer in every way than any other version made in English."—Peter Green, The New Republic

"The feat is decisive that it is reasonable to foresee a century or so in which nobody will try again to put the Iliad in English verse."—Robert Fitzgerald

"Each new generation is bound to produce new translations. [Lattimore] has done better with nobility, as well as with accuracy, than any other modern verse translator. In our age we do not often find a fine scholar who is also a genuine poet and who takes the greatest pains over the work of translation."—Hugh Lloyd-Jones, New York Review of Books

"Over the long haul Lattimore's translation is more powerful because its effects are more subtle."—Booklist

"Richmond Lattimore is a fine translator of poetry because he has a poetic voice of his own, authentic and unmistakable and yet capable of remarkable range of modulation. His translations make the English reader aware of the poetry."—Moses Hadas, The New York Times

Customer Reviews:

A great translation.... not for the meek at heart........2007-09-07

The Lattimore translation is, as I was told my my humanities teacher, the closest translation to the Greek to date. This is good in that it keeps true to the intended poetry of the work. This is bad if you are a non-English major college student :P

In this translation, not meant to be easily understood by today's English speakers, there are many sentences that end in the subject of the sentence, which can be confusing. If you don't pay very close attention, you will get lost. There are many similies and metaphors that can be confusing unless followed closely.... it sounds something like, "Then Hektor of the wide arms spoke unto Melos of the flowing hair. Then they two took their swift spears and their shining swords upon those whom the Goddess of the White arms had chosen.... not a direct quote, mind you but the book sounds like this throughout.

I would call this a difficult read. I would suggest it for the English majors, those who are poetry minded, or those who want a better understanding, better translation after having read another, more understandable translation.

Enjoy.

The Speaker's Handbook!.......2007-06-06

What the Iliad REALLY is

By Chris Miller

It is rather unfortunate that very few people today really know what the Iliad is. Upon being asked, most readers would say that the Iliad is about the Trojan War, or about Achilles or about Hector and so on; some might say it is about war or the frailty of human existence. But the plethora of answers indicates that they have not hit upon the one thing that ties all of them together. The Iliad is about speechmaking. It was written at a time when speechmaking meant life and death to the peoples of Greece. Under the oligarchic systems in place in Athens, Sparta, Corinth and other major cities in Archaic Greece, one's skill in speaking in front of the courts, councils, foreign officials, high-ranking dignitaries, armies and even in the market place could spell the differences between death, war, confiscation, banishment, fines, payments, safety, survival and peace. This book filled a demand for a handbook of speechmaking, the speeches of the Ancient heroes of the great united Greek forces who defeated a seemingly undefeatable Asian foe. The tale being set very far back in time, and glorifying all the Greek cities, removed any political or nationalistic barriers to its reception anywhere in Greece. It could therefore display the orator's art to the full, pulling no punches (sometimes literally so!) because it ran no risk of offending anyone. About 50% of the Iliad is speeches, and the other 50% narrative but written in dramatic, emotive, rhetorical fashion. This is not to say that Homer intentionally created a textbook for speechmaking, but rather that his audience craved an epic full of brilliant speeches, since their lives were so involved with this art. The kind of exquisite rhetoric Homer provided his audience befitted the oratory they thought their glorious ancestors possessed, and it in due form became the model for their own speeches and remained so through the democratic period, through the Hellenistic kingdoms, through the Roman empire and even into the Middle Ages. It was the central text for study in Greek schools, and the raw material for speechwriting exercises there. Senators and Emperors read and reread it, even memorizing it. In our own day we seem to have forgotten the Iliad's purpose and have viewed it as a rousing tale of war and adventure; but to do so misses the point. It was not read as a pleasant novel for petty diversion but instead as a study in public speaking. It can safely be said that this text enshrined the democratic tendencies of the Archaic Greeks in the everyday life of the ancient Greek and Roman world, and set the stage for the dialectical development of thought, culture and even science. The Iliad established the debate as a socially acceptable and even necessary thing for arriving at correct ideas. The debate remains the hallmark of Western developments in all areas. This is really what the Iliad is all about and is why it is the central piece of our Western civilization.

Awkward translation.......2007-02-14

The major problem I have with this translation is the awkwardness of its language. There are long, unwieldy sentences with twisted syntax. Sometimes, the translation is obscure. For example: "...and the will of Zeus was accomplished/since that time when first there stood in divison of conflict..." Not every line is as bad as that, however. There are some passages that read fairly smoothly, and the last two lines of the fourth book stand out. The translation as a whole, however, mutilates the English language. There are better options if you would like to read the Iliad.

Excellent English Iliad.......2007-01-28

Richmond Lattimore's translation of The Iliad is the strongest, most resonant version I have yet read. It doesn't have the energy or the high poetry of the Fagles or Fitzgerald translations, but it is nevertheless the most moving and the most rewarding to read.

Lattimore's translation approximates as closely as possible what it would have been like to hear Homer speak for himself, in long, rhythmic lines that leisurely extol the story of Achilles's wrath. One feature that I found helpful was Lattimore's direct transliteration of Greek names into English, rather than using their Latin equivalents. Here, Achilles is Achilleus, Menelaus is Menelaos, Hephaestus is Hephaistos, and so forth. Printing the names so that they can be pronounced as they were in the original Greek helped in separating this reading of Homer from those I had experienced before. And unlike the Fitzgerald translation, these names are not encumbered with accent marks and other distracting apparatus.

Lattimore's introduction is also worthwhile. He spends a few pages examining each of the many major figures--Odysseus, Diomedes, Agamemnon, Paris, Hektor--as well as describing the cultural context of Homer's epic. And index of characters and where in the text they can be found makes this, along with the introduction, an excellent edition for students and beginners.

But the chief attraction is, of course, the story itself. As I said, this is neither the most energetic nor poetic of the English versions, but it is certainly the best and most faithful to the original. Despite having read The Iliad several times before, I found myself moved and excited again and again by the often poignant scenes of war that Homer presents.

If you only read one English version of The Iliad, make this it. Highly recommended.

The Best English Version.......2007-01-22

Aside from Pope's, which sadly is very difficult to locate, Lattimore's Iliad is the best English Iliad ever made for a number of reasons. First, Lattimore translates the poem line by line, so that, if you want to follow the Greek text, you'll be able to do so with much greater facility than, Fagles, for example, who translates in verse "paragraphs" rather than lines. In Lattimore's careful, graceful rendering of Homer's prosody lends the verse authenticity without ever slipping into the pedantic. The line-by-line approach, moreover, most faithfully carries Homer's rhetoric and pace.

Second, Lattimore preserves Homer's formulas. Where a series of lines appears describing some event or passing some message, Homer packages those lines and repeats them virtually verbatim when the subject comes up again. Thus, for example, Agamemnon's speech in which he "tests" the resolve of the Greeks to raze Troy (with unfortunate results), by falsely urging them to drop ship and flee, is repeated almost exactly later in the poem when Agamemmnon really means it (2: 110-141; 9: 17-28). Similarly, each major character has a set of adjectives and adjectival phrases describing the character ("brilliant", "swift-footed" Achilles; Hector "of the shining helm" the "flowing-haired" Achaens, the "deep-benched" ships, etc.) These formulas accompany the characters and objects throughout the poem. Lattimore observes these formulas. (Fagles does too, frequently but not consistently. Fitzgerald generally does not.)

Third, Lattimore's rendering of the dactylic hexameter characteristic of Homer's verse, is amazing, at times bordering on the miraculous. Dactylic meters are generally awkward in English ("higgledy piggledy"). The virtousity, ease and fluidity that Lattimore acheives is something I wouldn't have believed possible before reading it here.

Because Lattimore tries throughout to translate what Homer said, rather than what one wishes he said (see Lattimore's introduction), the English verse is supple and aptly conveys what "makes it great." Moreover, the emotional and dramatic contexts are reliable. The butchering and slaughtering are immediate and terrible; the teeth-chattering fear of the heroes in the face of certain destruction prepares the many remarkable instances when a hero will flee rather than fight; the poignancy of Hector's grim certainty of his fate (as expressed in the famous scene in Book 6 where he "lets go" his heart's dearest treasure because he knows it is his destiny to do so) is dark and heartwrenching. Consider the famous speech of Achilles to Lycaon in Book 21, before Achilles cuts him down with a single stroke of his sword: After acknowledging that in a previous encounter, Achilles agreed to spare Lycaon and sell him into slavery instead, Achilles addresses Lycaon stoically, even calling Lycaon his "friend" before butchering him. Reminding Lycaon that that was then and this is now, Achilles points out that no one can survive his rage over Patroclus' death. "So, friend, you die also. Why all this clamor about it?/ Patroklos also is dead, who was far better than you are./ Do you not see what a man I am, so huge, so splendid/ and born of a great father, and the mother who bore me immortal?/ Yet even I have also my death and my strong destiny,/ and there shall be a dawn or an afternoon or a noontime/when some man in the fighting will take the life of me also,/ either with a spearcast or an arrow flown from the bowstring...." This speech is as moving and strange in English as it is in Greek. Nobody touches Lattimore in lyricism and profundity of diction in passages like this.

These are just a few of the many qualities that put Lattimore at the top of Homer's modern English translators. It is impossible to overstate the virtuosity of Lattimore's line. I hate comparisons of apples and oranges, even where they improbably fall from the same tree. That said, if I could only have one translation, it would be Lattimore's. Fagles' is very fine, and both reveal aspects of Homer's genius with a brilliance unknown before their separate appearances. Lattimore, however, renders the poem's diction, style and thematic exposition more closely than Fagles, and since Homer's poem iw what we want to read when we read it in English, this is the bottom line. (Fitzgerald doesn't compare.) But since we live in times of unprecedented abundance, I don't have to make that choice.

My only quibble: Lattimore tries, inconsistently, to transliterate names more "accurately," than in most versions. Thus, Achilles is "Achilleus;" Ajax is "Aias." Admirable sentiment. Awkward for the verse. I ignore it and "hear" the received versions when I'm reading Lattimore.

Average customer rating:

An epic translation
Great in print, even better on CD
Kudos for Lombardo
Lombardo's Defense
Effortless Homer

Iliad
Homer
Manufacturer: Hackett Publishing Company
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0872203530

Amazon.com

So great is the impact of ancient Greek literature on Western culture that even people who have never read Homer's Iliad or The Odyssey know a lot about them. The Trojan Horse, Achilles' heel, the Sirens' call, Scylla and Charybdis--all have entered popular mythology, becoming metaphors for the less heroic situations we face in our own lives. Ever since these oral poems were committed to paper (probably in the 8th century B.C.E.), people have been translating them. The version of Iliad translated by Stanley Lombardo is a brave departure from previous translations; Lombardo attempts to adapt the text to the needs of readers rather than the listeners for whom the work was originally intended. To this end, he has streamlined the poem, removing many of the stock repetitions such as the infamous "rosy-fingered dawn," or rewriting them in ways dependent on their context. What emerges is a vivid, lively rendition of one of the world's great stories of men and war.

But classicists, beware: This Iliad has something of a '90s sensibility, from the cover art (a photograph of the D-Day Normandy landing) to Achilles' Rambo-like diction. It might well outrage the purists, but for those who remember their musty high-school reading of Homer's great epic with a barely suppressed yawn, Lombardo's energetic translation is just the version to change their minds.

Customer Reviews:

An epic translation.......2007-05-22

"Sprung out of bitterness, the philosophy of the Iliad excludes resentment." Thus Rachel Bespaloff, stating the seemingly impossible. Years ago I read the Iliad in Fitzgerald's fine translation, but every page had the heavy cadence of a "classic." Now I'm reading Fagles' and Lombardo's translations back to back, and am surprised how much I'm enjoying the poem. I don't dispute those who judge Fagles the superior translator, but for me the Lombardo version is far more stirring.

Consider the opening lines. Fagles translates:

Rage--Goddess, sing the rage of Peleus' son Achilles,
murderous, doomed, that cost the Achaeans countless losses,
hurling down to the House of Death so many sturdy souls,
great fighters' souls, but made their bodies carrion,
feasts for the dogs and birds,
and the will of Zeus was moving toward its end.

Lombardo captures the rage and waste in way Fagles does not:

Rage:
Sing, Goddess, Achilles' rage,
Black and murderous, that cost the Greeks
Incalculable pain, pitched countless souls
Of heroes into Hades' dark,
And left their bodies to rot as feasts
For dogs and birds, as Zeus' will was done.

This is bitterness on the edge of blasphemy. It sounds like the war we're reading about every morning, where soldiers' bodies are blown to shreds and the bloody will of God is invoked by each side. Lombardo also brings an unexpected poetry to the brutality of the poem, reminding me of the best of Logue's ongoing masterpiece. For example, in Book 6, Hector returns to Troy for a rushed moment and is met by the wives of men dying on the plain.

He told them all,
Each woman in turn, to pray to the gods.
Sorrow clung to their heads like mist.

Again, more bitterness -- the gods regard the heroes as little more than chess pieces to be sacrificed in the course of their game. The final line evokes not only grief but the blind futility of faith. (Fagles translates the line, inertly, as "Hard sorrows were hanging over many.")

Whether this is your first go at the Iliad or if you're ready to re-read it, I recommend Lombardo's performance version, with its "heroes more godlike than the gods, and more human than men." (Bespaloff again -- from her essay "On the Iliad." NYRB recently republished it, along with Simone Weil's magnificent "The Iliad, or the Poem of Force" under the title "War and the Iliad," a slim volume which page for page beats any commentary on the Iliad I've ever read.)

Great in print, even better on CD.......2006-11-25

What a treat!

First of all, when the Iliad is inflicted on kids in school, this is the translation that should be used. It is hands down the most accessible translation I have ever seen. Nice introduction, too.

But more to the point, do not buy this book at all in hard copy form. Instead, search Amazon & you will find a marvelous reading on cd by Stanley Lombardo. On the cd, each "book" of the Iliad is prefaced with a brief summary of what you are about to hear. And then, with a minimalist bit of drums & fiddle, Lombardo delivers one of the best readings of anything I have heard. When your kid has to read the Iliad for class, let him download the cd onto his iPod or other mp3 player. Tell him to listen while he walks the dog.

I confess that I bought both the cd & the book. And after listening to it, I bought Lombardo's cd & book of the Odyssey. I am just a few books into the Odyssey, and I am already annoyed that Lombardo does not seem to have a reading of his translation of the Aeneid. (Get on with it, will you, Stan?)

Check out Jacket Magazine number 21 on the internet for an interview by Michael Leddy of Lombardo concerning his translations. And for a real treat, look for Wired For Books on the internet. They have some mp3 files of Lombardo reading the Iliad in Greek. Even if you don't know Greek, listening can give you a sense of the rhythm and fluidity of the original.

Kudos for Lombardo.......2006-09-13

The Lombardo translation of the Iliad has made this awesome epic much more accessible to me with its use of colloquial modern English, though he doesn't overdo it. Earlier translations have put me to sleep, Lombardo keeps me awake and turning pages. Occasionally he goes a bit overboard with colloquialisms - his use of the word "bitch" I found somewhat jarring yet forgivable. Lombardo claims his translation is poetry, with which I would take mild exception. His translation, true enough, is typeset in verse fashion, but there is no sense of traditional verse to it. Hence I find it reads more like prose than poetry, but I don't fault it for that. I understand Lombardo has given public recitations of his translation. Perhaps if I heard him declaiming it aloud I would revise my opinion. In fact, knowing he has done so has expanded my appreciation of his translation: it is meant to be recited, not just silently read. Useful are his appendices, which catalog the principal and many minor actors in the epic with brief life-stories, and which offer a guide to pronouncing the names (I was amazed at how many names I have heard mispronounced!). There is also an appendix of major speeches. All in all this is a great book. I am reading it side by side with the Chapman translation and each one complements the other.

Lombardo's Defense.......2006-07-26

Those critics who consider Lombardo's translation anti-Classical (or even "low-brow" and "simplistic") would do well to read Lombardo's own explanation:
------
[Taken from an interview in 2002 between Mr. Lombardo and Michael Leddy]

Leddy: Your Iliad and Odyssey have met with great praise from classicists. But they're also `controversial' -- a characterization that seems to come only from Greekless readers. What expectations are such readers bringing to Homer?

Lombardo: That because it's a classical work, it should sound like Elizabethan English, or at least have some element of archaic diction -- I think those are the expectations. I suspect that these expectations come, ultimately, from the King James Version of the Bible, and from Shakespeare. If Milton were read more, I would blame Milton.

I don't know of any classicist who has said anything negative about my translations. [...] I think you're right, that it's Greekless readers who see them as controversial. Their only basis for comparison is other translations, which except for Fitzgerald and maybe T.E. Shaw, do have some of that archaic quality. So they think that must be the way Homer is. But for Homer's audience, there's no doubt that the poetry was an immediate, direct, vital experience, or it wouldn't have survived, much less had the reputation that it had.
------

As has been frequently repeated in these reviews, literature does not exist to be archaic, boring, and alien. Instead, great literature has power because of its relevance and impact on the reader. In this regard Lombardo has succeeded.

Again, in Lombardo's own words:
"One could argue that Homer's poetic dialect is artificial, and that therefore we should use an artificial dialect in translating. But Homer goes the other way around: he takes a poetic dialect and makes it into natural speech. In my translations I take natural speech and make it into poetry. The processes mirror each other."

Effortless Homer.......2005-10-04

Having become immersed in Greek History over the past few months, reading Herodotus and then Thucidydes, I realized that I really needed to read Homer to have a better understanding of Greek thought. It was not something I looked forward to, however. Generally, long poems leave me very cold and are very difficult to enjoy. (I was an English major and an inveterate reader, so difficulty doesn't phase me, just obscurity!)

Lombardo achieves what I would have thought impossible. Producing a translation of Homer, that while straightforward, still soars to poetic heights. The deeper you read into the work, the better it gets. With no footnotes to bog you down, and very few unfamiliar words at all for anyone with a basic knowledge of Greek history, Lombardo's Iliad reads like a modern thriller. You simply cannot put it down.

Lombardo performed his version live for many years before publishing this translation, and I have to feel that reading his version may be as close as one can come to what Homer's original listeners felt. I feel like a new world has been opened to me, and filled with light so that I can understand it.

The great thing is that this is a work that will bear re-reading. I already have copies of some of the older translations, which now that I am familiar with the story, will no doubt feel less obscure and reveal their own rewards. It should be a great experience to re-read a great work, but see it from different translators' points of view.

Now I'm on to Lombardo's Odyssey and Aeneid.

A Companion to The Iliad (Phoenix Books)

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Unreserved Praise for Wilcock's Helpful Guide
Thorough commentary

A Companion to The Iliad (Phoenix Books)
Malcolm M. Willcock
Manufacturer: University Of Chicago Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0226898555

Book Description

Those who are able to read Homer in Greek have ample recourse to commentaries, but the vast majority who read the Iliad in translation have not been so well served—the many available translations contain few, if any, notes. For these readers, Malcolm M. Willcock provides a line-by-line commentary that explains the many factual details, mythological allusions, and Homeric conventions that a student or general reader could not be expected to bring to an initial encounter with the Iliad.

The notes, which always relate to particular lines in the text, have as their prime aim the simple, factual explanation of things the inexperienced reader would be unlikely to have at his or her command (What is a hecatomb? Who is Atreus' son?). Second, they enhance an appreciation of the Iliad by illuminating epic style, Homer's methods of composition, the structure of the work, and the characterization of the major heroes. The "Homeric Question," concerning the origin and authorship of the Iliad, is also discussed.

Professor Willcock's commentary is based on Richmond Lattimore's translation—regarded by many as the outstanding translation of the present generation—but it may be used profitably with other versions as well. This clearly written commentary, which includes an excellent select bibliography, will make one of the touchstones of Western literature accessible to a wider audience.

Customer Reviews:

Unreserved Praise for Wilcock's Helpful Guide.......2007-05-17

I have used this handy guide for over twenty years. I just had to get another one because I gave my first copy to the teacher who replaced me when I retired. It is keyed to the Lattimore translation of the Iliad, and addresses many scholarly and linguistic issues that can be problems when teaching the epic. The first-time reader of Homer can profit from the book as well, but its primary value seems to be for the teacher or the advanced student.

Thorough commentary.......2004-11-20

Though not for the impatient, this companion to Lattimore's translation of the Iliad is quite accessible to the non-specialist. Difficult passages are explained by making reference to archaelogical and linguistic evidence, other ancient texts (including the scholia and the Odyssey), and recent research on the transmission of oral literature.

The reader is thus better able to place this seminal literary work in its proper context. Willcox helps us understand the cultural, political and human forces that shaped the Iliad during the centuries it was an oral poem, and the slight variations it probably underwent once committed to the written word.

Overall, an outstanding work of scholarship.

Age of Bronze Volume 1: A Thousand Ships

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Intricate story of a legendary war
I got my copy autographed.
Holy Cow! This is off the chart great.
the Bronze Age brought brilliantly to life
Wow!

Age of Bronze Volume 1: A Thousand Ships
Eric Shanower
Manufacturer: Image Comics
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 1582402000

Book Description

Daring heroes, breathtaking women, betrayals, love and death--the most spectacular war story ever told: The Trojan War. When a lustful Trojan prince abducts the beautiful Queen Helen of Sparta, Helen`s husband vows to recover her no matter the cost. So begins the Trojan War. From far and wide the ancient kings of Greece bring their ships to join the massive force to pledge their allegiance to High King Agamemnon. Featuring the greatest of the Greek heroes: Achilles, Odysseus, and Herakles, along with a cast of thousands. AGE OF BRONZE: A THOUSAND SHIPS reveals hidden secrets of the characters` pasts, serving up joy and sorrow, leading up to the brink of war, and foreshadowing the terror to come. Age of Bronze will be included in a major international exhibition travelling to three German museums in 2002. The exhibit is centered on the current excavations at Troy and features Age of Bronze in an exhibit devoted to modern interpretations of Troy. Age of Bronze has been nominated for numerous Eisner (The comic industry's Oscar) Awards. Rack it in your mythology and historical fiction sections for even more sales success.

Customer Reviews:

Intricate story of a legendary war.......2007-06-13

A Thousand Ships is the first in a series of comics which retell the story of the Trojan war in comic book form. It begins with Paris, the lost prince of Troy who has been raised by farmers as a farmer, making his first ever journey to the capital. He tells his girlfriend it's a short trip, but even before he leaves the oracles are speaking and don't seem to agree. Meanwhile, Achillies is just leaving boyhood and, when confronted with the choice of short life and fame in war versus a long life that won't be remembered, he is very much for the short glorious life. His mother has other plans and struggles to save him from himself.

The plot is extremely intricate. It all comes from mythology, and there's a lot there to pull from. Doing the Illiad in seven comics makes sense. One book would only have allowed for the outline of the story. By breaking it into more books, the story is more complete and here the Illiad has been adapted well to the medium.

Graphically the book is well drawn. I'm guessing that the big challenge here was to keep faces consistent so that all the characters can be told apart. There are many, many characters and they are recognizable from frame to frame, if that helps to tell you the level of detail. The storytelling and how layouts play into that is good too. Layouts help to blend in and reveal characters's backstories (and everyone has a back story in mythology) and to communicate oracles and messages from the various gods.

This is a good read as a comic book. Being a modern take on the Illiad, which concievably someone might someday make you read, is an added bonus. Libraries should definitely stock this series. For individuals and families this is a good buy for a comic book, and a pretty good read. You should already know this, but if you don't then here goes, many of the classics have a lot of sex and violence. So, don't buy this for your four year old if you don't want them to see naked people and drawings of smeared entrails.

I got my copy autographed........2006-08-09

This book reprints the first nine issues of the Age of Bronze comic books. It's a beautifully drawn, well written comic book about the Trojan War. The only problem I have with the comic, and it'a a minor problem, is that there are so many characters, it's hard to keep track of who's who. Highly recommended to fans of graphic literature.

Holy Cow! This is off the chart great........2006-06-28

I just ripped through A Thousand Ships and the second book in the series, Sacrifice, in two days and I'm bowled over. What a tour de force these books are. Shanower seamlessly incorporates all the myths entwined in the Trojan War. An incredible feat by itself, it's even more impressive because he achieves this without bogging down what is, after all, a ripping good story.

In the course of the book, Shanower offers some interesting insights on some of the more puzzling and disturbing events (Iphigenia's sacrifice comes to mind). I also was impressed by how he developed the characters. For instance, he convincingly portrays Odysseus changing from a clever Trojan War draft-dodger to a gung-ho warrior by the end of the second book.

I can't wait for Shanower's next book in the series. Until then, I'm pressing these books on everyone I know. They're THAT good. Bravo!

the Bronze Age brought brilliantly to life.......2006-02-06

Eric Shanower does a fabulous job of bringing the Mycenaean world and the story of the Trojan War to life. Shanower has a different perspective on many of the characters than I might choose, but still I find his protagonists credible and compelling. With a combination of strong characterization and historically accurate settings and costumes, this is simply one of the best reimaginings of the myth I've encountered.

Highly recommended for fans of graphic novels and aficionados of the ancient world alike -- as well as for those who just love a gripping story!

Wow!.......2005-03-15

This book is the first in a series by author and illustrator Eric Shanower. This series combines the Classic stories surrounding the Trojan War with modern archaeology, and uses a graphic novel format to bring those ancient stories to life. Everyone is here: Priam, Paris, Odysseus, Menelaus, and (of course) the radiant Helen. This book begins with Paris's arrival in the court of King Priam, and follows through to Agamemnon's gathering of the Greek armada.

This is a wonderful graphic novel, one that really brings the old stories to life, and puts them together to form a complete and logical whole. I really liked the way the author used our present knowledge of ancient architecture and clothing to make the stories seem so realistic.

Now, I don't recommend this graphic novel for younger or more sensitive readers. If you are familiar with the Classical stories, you know that such topics as rape, incest, and homosexuality are an integral part of the story. As such, any book that deals with these stories *must* deal with these topics.

But, even with that in mind, I must say that this is an excellent book. If you are a fan of the ancient Greek and Roman stories, and would like to see them in a modern format, then this is the book for you. I am very glad that I read this book, and can't wait for the next one to come out!

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The Iliad (Classic Fiction)
Homer
Manufacturer: Naxos Audiobooks
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: 9626344288
Release Date: 2006-08-01

Average customer rating:

A must-have
Great tool

The Iliad (Cliffs Notes)
Bob Linn
Manufacturer: Cliffs Notes
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 076458586X

Book Description

The original CliffsNotes study guides offer expert commentary on major themes, plots, characters, literary devices, and historical background. The latest generation of titles in this series also feature glossaries and visual elements that complement the classic, familiar format.

Homer's classic Greek epic, The Iliad, plunges you into the midst of the battle of Troy as swords flash and ancient angers flare — and CliffsNotes is at your side through the fray to shield you from being unprepared for class discussion. CliffsNotes character analyses and critical essays delve into the depths of well-fueled feuds and fatal choices to explain the context of the heroic exploits of Achilles, Agamemnon, Hektor, and Priam. As Achaians fight Trojans to the bitter end for the hand of fair Helen, turn to CliffsNotes on The Iliad for plot summaries and commentaries that make sense of the themes of strife and reconciliation in this fast-action work of classic literature.

Other features that help you figure out this important work include

A close look at the author's life, which offers insight into his writing
A background of the epic poem, to help you understand the setting
List of characters and their descriptions
A map that diagrams the relationships among the characters
Glossaries to help you fully understand the poem
A review section that tests your knowledge, and suggested essay topics

Classic literature or modern modern-day treasure — you'll understand it all with expert information and insight from CliffsNotes study guides.

Customer Reviews:

A must-have.......2004-05-25

especially if you're new to Greek, or are somewhat intimidated by Homer. Any student studying The Iliad should have a copy of this to help them keep the families and factions in order. However - if you're already familiar with Greek and/or Homer, this won't provide you with much info that you don't already know. I would think the student would benefit the most from this.

Great tool.......2000-10-04

This book really helped me w/paraphrasing and understanding characters in the Iliad. Since summarizing a whole 18-page chapter (book) isn't sumthing i do, let alone understanding it, Cliff Notes where GREAT!!!

Average customer rating:

IF YOU NEED SMALL & PROSE
Language, please
a great war
good, in its way, but...
The unknown Homer

The Iliad
Homer
Manufacturer: Signet Classics
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0451527372

Book Description

Focusing on the closing days of the Trojan War, this novel incorporates the same epic cast of gods and warriors from The Odyssey. From the kidnapping of Helen from her Greek home to the death of Achilles's companion, the battle rages between two warring nations and the gods which protect both sides. Thrilling in content, but literate and subtle in its meaning, The Iliad remains a classic among classics.

Customer Reviews:

IF YOU NEED SMALL & PROSE.......2007-09-04

Perfect, if you plan on reading this classic in a bus or a train. Written in prose, not verse. This is the copy you need for that little ride to work.

Language, please.......2007-05-05

I haven't read any other translations of this poem, nor do I read Greek, but I found the language in this particular version to be bizarre. The Shootafar thing that another reviewer mentioned bothered me, too, but worse was the use of such terms as higgledy-piggledy. (Three times. I counted.) I first read that in a Bloom County comic strip and that's where it belongs. I'll be getting another translation as soon as I can and hopefully it will be one written for adults.

a great war.......2007-01-29

The Iliad is a heroic story of a man named Achilles who left his home Ithaca, Greece to fight in a war between the Greeks and the Trojans. The war starts when a prince of Troy named Paris, falls in love the wife of a Spartan man named Menelaos. Menelaos is the brother of king Agamemnon, the king of the Greeks. Agamemnon wants to start a war with the Trojans to take their land and eventually the world. Paris takes Helen of Sparta home to Troy thus being one of the causes of the Trojan War. King Agamemnon gathers all his soldiers to fight against the Trojans, but there is one man that he needs to win this war and this man doesn't have any respect for the king or for anyone else. This man known as one of the greatest warriors of ancient times was known as Achilles. Now the king and Achilles do not get along at all, but Achilles still fights for him because he knows that this war will be remembered for eternity. So the Greeks take all their men over to the shores of Troy to fight in one of the world's greatest wars. The king of Troy's oldest son Hector, must lead his men to fight undefeated warriors in a battle that could wipe out all the Trojans. Hector, a strong and brave fighter leads his men out to meet the Greeks as they reach the Trojans shores. Achilles doesn't think that Agamemnon is doing this for his brother so he refuses to fight till he gets what he wants form Agamemnon. He doesn't fight until Hector kills Achilles' close friend Patroclos. Achilles only wants to kill Hector because he kills Patroclos. But Troy's high walls save her for a time until the Greeks find a way in.

I would recommend this book to people who spend a lot of time reading books about ancient history. This book is about the ancient history of the Greeks and their mythology. It is one of the world's greatest war stories of all time. It tells of the hate between men. "An angry man...bitter rancor of Achilles," tells of how upset and resentful Achilles was to Agamemnon. "Prophet of evil," takes of how men long ago where much more bitter and angry to their fellow man. In this story the theme is not as evident till the end. The theme is that being bitter, angry, and resentful of others can only lead you to your ultimate demise. This in truth this story symbolizes that if we fight for selfish reasons that in the end we will always be left unsatisfied. This book represents the war that is fought in all people, the inner fight for what we want and what we need. The book is an amazing war story for those of us who love gore. But a great inner war story for those of us who love to search deeper inside of ourselves to see the truth behind ones selfish ambitions. If you don't have a lot of time to spend translating what this book is trying to tell you then don't read it, but if you love to read a war story or look for enlightenment in a book then this is the book for you.

good, in its way, but..........2006-11-23

why the ridiculous and uneven epithets ("shootafar" [!], instead of, "he who shoots from afar" [i mean, really!], or, "far shooting"; "phoibos", instead of, "shining")!? confusing and, frankly, silly enough to ruin the reading.

The unknown Homer.......2006-11-08

(Before I start, let me presume you know the story).If people want you to read Homer they say things like: he's the father of western literature or: he stood at the cradle of our civilization. They probably are right but let me give you another reason to read the Iliad: the humor of Homer. I give two examples. When things turn sour for the Greeks and the Trojan soldiers almost destroyed their camp, Nestor - the military advisor for he's to old to fight - calls the young Greek soldiers at his side and tells them how brave and invincible he was when h was young. You can imagine the Greeks listening politely but impatiently to Nestor's sermon. What Nestor means is that the youth of today is worthless. I've heard this before. What makes you smile is the bragging of Nestor and the fact that apparently the youngsters are worthless since three thousand years. Later on, when some of the gods reproach Zeus with not helping the Trojans, Zeus answers: 'You know my wife! If she finds out I'm helping Troy she will be mad at me!' If Homer was the father of literature then Zeus was the father of the henpecked husbands. If you are reluctant to read Homer, try to discover
some other examples of Homer's humor

Troy: From Homer's Iliad to Hollywood Epic

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Interesting

Troy: From Homer's Iliad to Hollywood Epic

Manufacturer: Blackwell Publishing Limited
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 1405131829

Book Description

This is the first book to examine systematically Wolfgang Petersen 's epic film Troy from archaeological, literary, cultural, and cinematic perspectives. The collection addresses the most important aspects of the film: its use of Homer 's Iliad and the myth of the Trojan War, its presentation of Bronze-Age archaeology, its modern political overtones, and its place in film history with regard to both previous epics on the Trojan War and the director 's own earlier work.The book explains why, despite or perhaps because of the liberties the film takes with ancient myth, literature, and archaeology, Troy has found huge worldwide audiences. For those who wish to explore the subject further, the book includes an annotated list of feature films and television films and series episodes on the Trojan War.

Customer Reviews:

Interesting.......2007-07-09

INteresting group of essays looking at the movie and the legend that inspired it. My favorite was on Briseis and all the aspects of her personality that were really Cassandra!

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