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The Iliad: Original Alexander Pope Translation
It is one of the oldest works of literature currently in print and frequently read by modern audiences. The poem, like the Odyssey, is divided into 24 books and has 15,693 lines in its most frequently recognized version, written in dactylic hexameter. The poem is set at the close of the Trojan War, a ten-year siege of Troy by a coalition of Mycenaean Greek kingdoms, and portrays major events in the siege's last weeks. It shows a particularly heated argument between King Agamemnon and the legendary warrior Achilles. It is an essential component in the Epic Cycle. The Iliad is often recognized as the first important work of literature.
A stunning reprint
We take every step possible to ensure the original integrity of this book has been upheld to its highest standard. This means that the texts in this story are unedited and unchanged from the original authors publication, preserving its earliest form for your indulgence. We are ready to ship this book off to you today at lightning speed, so you will find yourself indulging in this title without delay.
Title Details
What is Unique in this Book?
A stunning reprint
We take every step possible to ensure the original integrity of this book has been upheld to its highest standard. This means that the texts in this story are unedited and unchanged from the original authors publication, preserving its earliest form for your indulgence. We are ready to ship this book off to you today at lightning speed, so you will find yourself indulging in this title without delay.
Title Details
What is Unique in this Book?
576 pages, Paperback
Published September 20, 2022
About the author
Homer
5,209 books7,722 followersHomer (Greek: Όμηρος born c. 8th century BC) was a Greek poet who is credited as the author of the Iliad and the Odyssey, two epic poems that are foundational works of ancient Greek literature. Homer is considered one of the most revered and influential authors in history.
Homer's Iliad centers on a quarrel between King Agamemnon and the warrior Achilles during the last year of the Trojan War. The Odyssey chronicles the ten-year journey of Odysseus, king of Ithaca, back to his home after the fall of Troy. The poems are in Homeric Greek, also known as Epic Greek, a literary language which shows a mixture of features of the Ionic and Aeolic dialects from different centuries; the predominant influence is Eastern Ionic. Most researchers believe that the poems were originally transmitted orally. Despite being predominantly known for its tragic and serious themes, the Homeric poems also contain instances of comedy and laughter.
Homer's epic poems shaped aspects of ancient Greek culture and education, fostering ideals of heroism, glory, and honor. To Plato, Homer was simply the one who "has taught Greece" (τὴν Ἑλλάδα πεπαίδευκεν). In Dante Alighieri's Divine Comedy, Virgil refers to Homer as "Poet sovereign", king of all poets; in the preface to his translation of the Iliad, Alexander Pope acknowledges that Homer has always been considered the "greatest of poets". From antiquity to the present day, Homeric epics have inspired many famous works of literature, music, art, and film.
The question of by whom, when, where and under what circumstances the Iliad and Odyssey were composed continues to be debated. Scholars remain divided as to whether the two works are the product of a single author. It is thought that the poems were composed at some point around the late eighth or early seventh century BC. Many accounts of Homer's life circulated in classical antiquity; the most widespread account was that he was a blind bard from Ionia, a region of central coastal Anatolia in present-day Turkey. Modern scholars consider these accounts legendary.
French: Homère, Italian: Omero, Portuguese, Spanish: Homero.
Homer's Iliad centers on a quarrel between King Agamemnon and the warrior Achilles during the last year of the Trojan War. The Odyssey chronicles the ten-year journey of Odysseus, king of Ithaca, back to his home after the fall of Troy. The poems are in Homeric Greek, also known as Epic Greek, a literary language which shows a mixture of features of the Ionic and Aeolic dialects from different centuries; the predominant influence is Eastern Ionic. Most researchers believe that the poems were originally transmitted orally. Despite being predominantly known for its tragic and serious themes, the Homeric poems also contain instances of comedy and laughter.
Homer's epic poems shaped aspects of ancient Greek culture and education, fostering ideals of heroism, glory, and honor. To Plato, Homer was simply the one who "has taught Greece" (τὴν Ἑλλάδα πεπαίδευκεν). In Dante Alighieri's Divine Comedy, Virgil refers to Homer as "Poet sovereign", king of all poets; in the preface to his translation of the Iliad, Alexander Pope acknowledges that Homer has always been considered the "greatest of poets". From antiquity to the present day, Homeric epics have inspired many famous works of literature, music, art, and film.
The question of by whom, when, where and under what circumstances the Iliad and Odyssey were composed continues to be debated. Scholars remain divided as to whether the two works are the product of a single author. It is thought that the poems were composed at some point around the late eighth or early seventh century BC. Many accounts of Homer's life circulated in classical antiquity; the most widespread account was that he was a blind bard from Ionia, a region of central coastal Anatolia in present-day Turkey. Modern scholars consider these accounts legendary.
French: Homère, Italian: Omero, Portuguese, Spanish: Homero.
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
March 11, 2026
A most immersive reread, or Pope vs Cowper
It’s been years since I read The Iliad last. To make things more interesting and more immersive, I decided to read two translations at the same time, choosing Alexander Pope’s and William Cowper’s. Both are from the eighteenth century. I chuckled at Cowper’s introduction, where he expresses the utmost respect for Mr Pope, and then proceeds to say ”that he has sometimes altogether suppressed the sense of the author, and has not seldom intermingled his own ideas with it…”. Pope’s text is beautiful, it has a flow and a rhythm that I like. Some of his details and sometimes whole passages are very different in content compared to Cowper. Make of it what you will! Cowper reads easier, his text is more transparent. There is a joy of poetry. I will remember his “heart-freshening joy”. I can’t proclaim a winner, but my love for The Iliad has only grown. In any case, not reading Homer in Ancient Greek is a game of whispers, but whispers so powerful and persistent that you cannot help feeling overwhelmed.
Reviewing The Iliad sounds like a silly undertaking. I’ll just sit and think about things that struck me, and things that I had fun (yes, fun!) with.
🏺The descriptions of battles seem endless sometimes. Yet I saw no battle glory this time, there was nothing but blood, gore, and grief. There is a reason why everyone who is killed is named – Homer tells us who they were, what kind of persons they were, who their parents were, that they were loved. I was suddenly wondering if The Iliad was an anti-war poem. “...and in all hearts awakened joyful hope that there should end war’s long calamities.”
🏺Agamemnon is a coward, a bully, an idiot, a murderer. He is still one of the worst (the worst?) humans in Greek mythology. Down with Agamemnon!
🏺Down with meddling Athena as well, while we are on that topic.
🏺Paris: gaaah, don’t get me started. ”As smooth of face as fraudulent of mind!” This is Paris after his disastrous performance during the duel with Menelaus, as retold by yours truly:
Helen: You are a coward. I wish you were dead.
Paris: Well, I am a little embarrassed, but it was the gods’ fault anyway. Whatever. Let’s have sex already.
🏺Diomedes in action, as retold by yours truly:
Diomedes: I have the biggest cojones in the Iliad!!!
Humans: Ruuuuuun!
Gods: Eh!?
Aphrodite: Ouch, my hand, ouch. I’m out of here.
Diomedes: Apollo, I am gonna get you!
Apollo: Can’t you see I am a god? Leave me alone! Ares, you are supposed to be the god of war! Can you do something about this guy?
Ares: Sure.
Athena: Diomedes, go get Ares!
Diomedes: Raaaaah!
Ares: Diomedes, what sharp spear you have! Ouch, ouch. I’m out of here.
🏺Hector and Andromache have such wonderful domestic moments, I loved them both so much.
🏺There came a day when I wanted to tell people: “Stop discussing these utterly uninteresting and unimportant things! Don’t you know that Patroclus has just died? His horses are crying…” I didn’t, because for some reason people think that I am sensible, and I’d like to keep it that way. I was tempted, though.
🏺I waited almost a week before I could start Book XXII. It’s called “Death of Hector”, and I was being a coward about it. Is Hector going to die again? Are you sure we can’t do it differently this time?
🏺I forgot there was a chariot race. There should be more chariot races in books.
🏺I waited almost a week before I could start Book XXIV, because then The Iliad would be over. I have spent two months with it. What am I going to do now?
It’s been years since I read The Iliad last. To make things more interesting and more immersive, I decided to read two translations at the same time, choosing Alexander Pope’s and William Cowper’s. Both are from the eighteenth century. I chuckled at Cowper’s introduction, where he expresses the utmost respect for Mr Pope, and then proceeds to say ”that he has sometimes altogether suppressed the sense of the author, and has not seldom intermingled his own ideas with it…”. Pope’s text is beautiful, it has a flow and a rhythm that I like. Some of his details and sometimes whole passages are very different in content compared to Cowper. Make of it what you will! Cowper reads easier, his text is more transparent. There is a joy of poetry. I will remember his “heart-freshening joy”. I can’t proclaim a winner, but my love for The Iliad has only grown. In any case, not reading Homer in Ancient Greek is a game of whispers, but whispers so powerful and persistent that you cannot help feeling overwhelmed.
Reviewing The Iliad sounds like a silly undertaking. I’ll just sit and think about things that struck me, and things that I had fun (yes, fun!) with.
🏺The descriptions of battles seem endless sometimes. Yet I saw no battle glory this time, there was nothing but blood, gore, and grief. There is a reason why everyone who is killed is named – Homer tells us who they were, what kind of persons they were, who their parents were, that they were loved. I was suddenly wondering if The Iliad was an anti-war poem. “...and in all hearts awakened joyful hope that there should end war’s long calamities.”
🏺Agamemnon is a coward, a bully, an idiot, a murderer. He is still one of the worst (the worst?) humans in Greek mythology. Down with Agamemnon!
🏺Down with meddling Athena as well, while we are on that topic.
🏺Paris: gaaah, don’t get me started. ”As smooth of face as fraudulent of mind!” This is Paris after his disastrous performance during the duel with Menelaus, as retold by yours truly:
Helen: You are a coward. I wish you were dead.
Paris: Well, I am a little embarrassed, but it was the gods’ fault anyway. Whatever. Let’s have sex already.
🏺Diomedes in action, as retold by yours truly:
Diomedes: I have the biggest cojones in the Iliad!!!
Humans: Ruuuuuun!
Gods: Eh!?
Aphrodite: Ouch, my hand, ouch. I’m out of here.
Diomedes: Apollo, I am gonna get you!
Apollo: Can’t you see I am a god? Leave me alone! Ares, you are supposed to be the god of war! Can you do something about this guy?
Ares: Sure.
Athena: Diomedes, go get Ares!
Diomedes: Raaaaah!
Ares: Diomedes, what sharp spear you have! Ouch, ouch. I’m out of here.
🏺Hector and Andromache have such wonderful domestic moments, I loved them both so much.
🏺There came a day when I wanted to tell people: “Stop discussing these utterly uninteresting and unimportant things! Don’t you know that Patroclus has just died? His horses are crying…” I didn’t, because for some reason people think that I am sensible, and I’d like to keep it that way. I was tempted, though.
🏺I waited almost a week before I could start Book XXII. It’s called “Death of Hector”, and I was being a coward about it. Is Hector going to die again? Are you sure we can’t do it differently this time?
🏺I forgot there was a chariot race. There should be more chariot races in books.
🏺I waited almost a week before I could start Book XXIV, because then The Iliad would be over. I have spent two months with it. What am I going to do now?
June 8, 2026
1.5 ⭐️ rounded up out of respect for classic author and translator
Rough. I read this in high school and not since. Of course I'm going to have a different perspective, for being older and knowing the best of what I'm going into already. Maybe that latter made it more difficult as I had more flexibility to review as I was reading, not just read to understand and follow to write a paper or take a test. But also... the world has changed pretty dramatically in the interim which also colors my perspective on this reading.
It's an epic poem. It's good to remember that and when I finally did, it made me have more grace for what I was finding frustrating. Good news/ bad news: it's repetitive. It was delivered orally originally so the "author" needed to make sure people were keeping up with the arc of the story as he told it. My recommendation - don't get frustrated with the repetitiveness, but let yourself relax and ride the rhythm of the poetic nature. If you glaze over a sentence you'll likely be pointed back to the story's path soon enough.
The language is what makes this work worthwhile. The story itself is all war on war on war with detailed descriptions and gore and don't worry - extra bro time, too. When it's not in that mode there's regular animal slaughter so everyone can eat hearty while listening to the hoary elders and consuming their fill to have more vigor on the killing field. But don't worry, they stop like they're clocking out at the end of the night frequently, go back to their beds, eat, drink, gripe about their opponents and occasionally (between Agamemnon and Achilles) their "colleagues", and divide or enjoy the spoils of war including women who have no say or exhibit an ancient Stockholm syndrome. Another fun element is having the same person referred to by given name and by their home location or ancestry as if it's their given name - like Agamemnon being also referred to as Atrides. There's a lot of characters in this tale for sure, but less than you think!
Bottom line... everyone should read it once, just to understand the origins of storytelling. And to make their own opinion on whether Hector is villain or hero, Achilles villain or hero - at a minimum.
Rough. I read this in high school and not since. Of course I'm going to have a different perspective, for being older and knowing the best of what I'm going into already. Maybe that latter made it more difficult as I had more flexibility to review as I was reading, not just read to understand and follow to write a paper or take a test. But also... the world has changed pretty dramatically in the interim which also colors my perspective on this reading.
It's an epic poem. It's good to remember that and when I finally did, it made me have more grace for what I was finding frustrating. Good news/ bad news: it's repetitive. It was delivered orally originally so the "author" needed to make sure people were keeping up with the arc of the story as he told it. My recommendation - don't get frustrated with the repetitiveness, but let yourself relax and ride the rhythm of the poetic nature. If you glaze over a sentence you'll likely be pointed back to the story's path soon enough.
The language is what makes this work worthwhile. The story itself is all war on war on war with detailed descriptions and gore and don't worry - extra bro time, too. When it's not in that mode there's regular animal slaughter so everyone can eat hearty while listening to the hoary elders and consuming their fill to have more vigor on the killing field. But don't worry, they stop like they're clocking out at the end of the night frequently, go back to their beds, eat, drink, gripe about their opponents and occasionally (between Agamemnon and Achilles) their "colleagues", and divide or enjoy the spoils of war including women who have no say or exhibit an ancient Stockholm syndrome. Another fun element is having the same person referred to by given name and by their home location or ancestry as if it's their given name - like Agamemnon being also referred to as Atrides. There's a lot of characters in this tale for sure, but less than you think!
Bottom line... everyone should read it once, just to understand the origins of storytelling. And to make their own opinion on whether Hector is villain or hero, Achilles villain or hero - at a minimum.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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July 19, 2025July, 2025. Montana.
Man, the Iliad sure is misogynistic. If this is a foundational work of western Mythos and culture, I suppose it's also a good reminder of both how negative those roots are and how far we've come.
I didn't enjoy this as much this time around as I expected. Poetry, especially epic poetry, seems always so dependent on what environment and head space I'm currently in.
Somebody should have taught all those ancient Greeks and their gods some conflict resolution skills, though then we wouldn't have this epic tale as part of our cultural zeitgeist.
The battle, and entire premise are actually kind of laughable if one considers it seriously. Like, in the middle of a massive war they mostly fight by calling each other names, one-on-one combat and running back to homebase to rest and reload. Most of the ending of the book deals with the funeral games for Patroclus. "Time out from the war guys, we need to have a chariot race."
On to the Aeneid and then the Odyssey I suppose.
Man, the Iliad sure is misogynistic. If this is a foundational work of western Mythos and culture, I suppose it's also a good reminder of both how negative those roots are and how far we've come.
I didn't enjoy this as much this time around as I expected. Poetry, especially epic poetry, seems always so dependent on what environment and head space I'm currently in.
Somebody should have taught all those ancient Greeks and their gods some conflict resolution skills, though then we wouldn't have this epic tale as part of our cultural zeitgeist.
The battle, and entire premise are actually kind of laughable if one considers it seriously. Like, in the middle of a massive war they mostly fight by calling each other names, one-on-one combat and running back to homebase to rest and reload. Most of the ending of the book deals with the funeral games for Patroclus. "Time out from the war guys, we need to have a chariot race."
On to the Aeneid and then the Odyssey I suppose.
February 1, 2024
It's amazing that something created almost 3000 years ago is still going strong.
February 27, 2025
A blind poet in a pre-literate society invents a new art form that inspires but is not surpassed by the greats of history. Legendary.
September 26, 2025
I will be honest; the majority of the time I had no idea what was going on. But it was really pretty to listen to. I enjoyed the rhythm of the poetry. I also enjoyed the commentary by Pope.
Did Not Finish
March 26, 2026Exchanging this for an easier version to read because I’m dumb
June 18, 2026
Fantastic - read again soon 👍
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews