Homer's Iliad (1867)

By William Lucas Collins and Homer

Book Overview

Homer's Iliad is a classical epic poem that tells the story of the Trojan War. It is one of the oldest works of Western literature and is considered a masterpiece of ancient Greek literature. The poem is set during the final year of the war, and it follows the conflict between the Greeks and the Trojans, focusing on the hero Achilles and his rage against his king Agamemnon. The Iliad explores themes of honor, pride, glory, and the human condition, and it is known for its vivid descriptions of battles and its complex characters. This edition of the Iliad was translated by Samuel Butler in 1867 and has become a widely recognized and celebrated translation of the classic work.This scarce antiquarian book is a facsimile reprint of the old original and may contain some imperfections such as library marks and notations. Because we believe this work is culturally important, we have made it available as part of our commitment for protecting, preserving, and promoting the world's literature in affordable, high quality, modern editions, that are true to their original work.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1437143504
• ISBN13: 9781437143508
• Release Date: October 2008
• Publisher: Kessinger Publishing
• Length: 440 Pages
• Weight: 1.29 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.9" x 6.0" x 9.0"

Customer Reviews

The ground is dark with blood.

With many books, translations are negligible, with two obvious exceptions: one is the Bible, and surprisingly, the other is The Iliad. Each translation can give a different insight and feel to the story. Everyone will have a favorite. I have several. There are partial translations that are worth reading, but as with any abridgment or incomplete Iliad, you will never know what is missing. Our story takes place in the ninth year of the ongoing war. We get some introduction to the first nine years, but they are just a background to this tale of pride, sorrow, and revenge. The story will also end abruptly before the end of the war. We have a wide conflict between the Trojans and Achaeans over a matter of pride; the gods get to take sides and many times direct spears and shields. Although the more focused conflict is the power struggle between two different types of power. That of Achilles, son of Peleus and the greatest individual warrior, and that of Agamemnon, lord of men, whose power comes from his position. We are treated to a blow-by-blow inside story as to what each is thinking and an unvarnished description of the perils of war and the search for Arête (to be more like Aries, God of War). Next, before reading the Odyssey, you will want to bridge the gap with “The War at Troy: What Homer Didn't Tell” by Quintus of Smyrna.