Iliad

by Homer

Book Overview

"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...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0226469409
• ISBN13: 9780226469409
• Release Date: January 1961
• Publisher: University of Chicago Press
• Length: 526 Pages
• Weight: 1.12 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.3" x 7.3" x 11.0"

Customer Reviews

great!

exactly what you want and expect when thrifting homer

Great Epic

I absolutley adored this book. I am reading the Odyssey now. I recommend you read both. It adds depth to the whole tale.

Under Rated Translation

I don't think that this translation has been given the respect it deserves. It could be called low-brow or simplified, suitable only for children. I think such comments spring from snobbishness. The langauge is simple, but forceful. It moves at a short, brisk pace, suitable for a war story. It is meant to be read out loud. Readability is nothing to be ashamed of either. If you doubt that, try reading Lattimore's translation of the Iliad. I would probably choose Fagles over this translation, if I had to choose one, but I recommend taking a look at this.

The best Iliad for the general reader

The Iliad is one of the greatest treasures of Western Civilization-and not just because a teacher told you it was. On the surface, it offers raw emotions, visceral action sequences and colorful characters you admire and hate, often at the same time. But it is much, much deeper than that. The scene where Hector bids his young wife good-bye and holds up his infant son to the gods, praying that the boy will one day be a better man than ever he himself was, has never been equaled as a statement of what it means to be a man, husband or father. The debates about honor and duty are still the same we face every day. The humanity, insight and profound philosophy are remarkable-especially for a work now 3,000 years old. The problem? How do you convey all that power? How do you do so in a way that captures the feel of original? Iliad translations have started to come fast and furious, as every ten years or so someone tries to tackle the monumental task of bringing the poem to modern readers. The process isn't helped by the fact that the text was already 300 years old to the classical Greeks like Aristotle, Sophocles and Euripides-making it as vaguely old-fashioned as Shakespeare is to us. Should it sound antiquated to us, too? If you really want a line by line translation, one that has some kind of meter that approaches the Greek original, the obvious choice is Lattimore's classic translation. It has the side benefit now of being somewhat dated in its English usage too. That said, for just a good ol' read of the Iliad, Lattimore isn't even my third choice. For all its accuracy, I've always felt I was reading a textbook, written by a classics scholar rather than an honest-to-goodness writer. Lombardo, on the other hand, is my preferred translation for sitting back and reading what is still a rip-roaring adventure (with enough deep thoughts to give it extra weight). Lombardo confesses there really is no way to adequately convey the "musicality" of the original, and goes on to re-cast it in freer poetry, based on natural speech. He's built up his translation thru multiple performances of the poems, with drum accompaniment, in public places, and his Iliad is honed to a razor sharp edge. The musty old poem students rolled their eyes at becomes a terrifying, beautiful beast that grabs you by the throat and doesn't let go. It is so immediate, trilling and relevant. Lombardo's translation is an Iliad you will feel, not just respect. Pick up the Lombardo translation and you will understand immediately why this work is still called the cornerstone of Western culture.