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The Illiad
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Published January 1, 1967
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About the author
Homer
4,710 books7,020 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 - 30 of 102 reviews
March 13, 2025
I want to read classic/influential books in chronological order to better understand references to past works and to get a sort of survey of Western thought. The Illiad is my starting point.
What surprised me most in this book was how, in a story over 3,000 years old, taking place on the other side of the world, the characters are not foreign but familiar. I expected a hostile, cruel world without mercy or "softness," but instead, it’s a deeply sympathetic book.
Not a soldier dies without their name being told to us and often the parents or a short backstory of the soldier’s life, which makes for some monotonous chapters but reminds us that these people, whose "limbs have been unstrung", have a significance greater than "Trojan soldier #42."
Grief is as much a driving force in the story as force is. A father grieving for his daughter brings the curse on the Greeks that kicks off the events, and a father grieving for his son brings Achilles to mercy and the book to a close. In between, we have horses weeping for their fallen riders, and each heroic figure sobbing for their friends at least once.
I particularly loved this passage:
“So speaking, glorious Hector reached out for his son, but the child turned away back to the breast of his fair-girdled nurse, screaming, and frightened at the aspect of his own father, in fear at the bronze and the crest with its horse-hair, as he saw it nodding dreadfully, he held it in his eyes. Then his beloved father laughed out, and his honored mother, and at once glorious Hector lifted from his head the helmet and laid it in all its shining upon the ground. Then taking up his dear son, he tossed him about in his arms, and kissed him.”
Seeing a man who just drove a spear through hundreds and gloried in their deaths then enter the other side of the gates and toss his son about in his arms lovingly surprised me. I expected a story about warriors, but Homer makes it a story about people in war. He removes the frightening helmets to show the fathers and sons beneath them, and that was the most surprising thing.
I also loved the passage about Achilles’s shield—it shows that war is only one small part of a much larger world. I think there is symbolism in the idea that the mother gives the son an image/representation of the world that becomes a shield for the son against danger and enables him to succeed.
Overall, there were times where reading this book took a lot of effort. It wasn’t always a page-turner, and I had to look things up a lot in the beginning to figure out what was going on. But there were other times where the story was super captivating and moving. So overall, 7/10.
What surprised me most in this book was how, in a story over 3,000 years old, taking place on the other side of the world, the characters are not foreign but familiar. I expected a hostile, cruel world without mercy or "softness," but instead, it’s a deeply sympathetic book.
Not a soldier dies without their name being told to us and often the parents or a short backstory of the soldier’s life, which makes for some monotonous chapters but reminds us that these people, whose "limbs have been unstrung", have a significance greater than "Trojan soldier #42."
Grief is as much a driving force in the story as force is. A father grieving for his daughter brings the curse on the Greeks that kicks off the events, and a father grieving for his son brings Achilles to mercy and the book to a close. In between, we have horses weeping for their fallen riders, and each heroic figure sobbing for their friends at least once.
I particularly loved this passage:
“So speaking, glorious Hector reached out for his son, but the child turned away back to the breast of his fair-girdled nurse, screaming, and frightened at the aspect of his own father, in fear at the bronze and the crest with its horse-hair, as he saw it nodding dreadfully, he held it in his eyes. Then his beloved father laughed out, and his honored mother, and at once glorious Hector lifted from his head the helmet and laid it in all its shining upon the ground. Then taking up his dear son, he tossed him about in his arms, and kissed him.”
Seeing a man who just drove a spear through hundreds and gloried in their deaths then enter the other side of the gates and toss his son about in his arms lovingly surprised me. I expected a story about warriors, but Homer makes it a story about people in war. He removes the frightening helmets to show the fathers and sons beneath them, and that was the most surprising thing.
I also loved the passage about Achilles’s shield—it shows that war is only one small part of a much larger world. I think there is symbolism in the idea that the mother gives the son an image/representation of the world that becomes a shield for the son against danger and enables him to succeed.
Overall, there were times where reading this book took a lot of effort. It wasn’t always a page-turner, and I had to look things up a lot in the beginning to figure out what was going on. But there were other times where the story was super captivating and moving. So overall, 7/10.
April 6, 2024
okay so the thing about this particular translation: if you want a fun book to read for leisure in your spare time, this ain't it. however, if you approach it like a puzzle, it's a good time! takes a bit to figure out how to parse the language and get used to what is important to pay attention to vs. what long lists of names and violent deaths you can basically ignore, but i genuinely found reading it to be a fun experience, albeit kind of tricky, and there are both some really profound and some really funny bits in here
(of course, i am the kind of person who reads the iliad for fun, so. read this entire review through that lens)
(of course, i am the kind of person who reads the iliad for fun, so. read this entire review through that lens)
May 26, 2025
I got a bit confused with all the names and who belonged to which army. It's also crazy how the gods orchestrated things on a whim. But I've wanted to read The Illiad and Odyssey for several years now.
I sadly couldn't find it narrated by Dan Stevens, but the narration by Anthony Heald was also good.
I sadly couldn't find it narrated by Dan Stevens, but the narration by Anthony Heald was also good.
December 18, 2024
This book was too long. I'll probably appreciate it more when I'm older but I am convinced that homer didn't exist and English teachers wrote the illiad themselves to give themselves an ideal book to fit every theme there is it literature (no hate to the English teacher it actually wasn't half that bad it was just loooooooong) 🤓
October 30, 2025
Difficult, it’s necessary to read the history of the Trojan war before reading the book otherwise one would not understand it.
However, it’s a literary masterpiece.
However, it’s a literary masterpiece.
September 23, 2023
It is hard to rate the work less than 5 if for no other reason than it’s importance to the Western Tradition.
This is not to diminish the quality of the work, however. I am sure it is even more wonderful in the Greek. The Lattimore trans., however, it quite good.
What I will reflect on for some time after reading this is the nature of bitterness in human experience. Achilles is gripped by it for it entirety of the poem and it wreaks havoc on all around him. He simply has no conception of love covering a multitude of sins. Woe to us who wallow in our own anger and bitterness.
This is not to diminish the quality of the work, however. I am sure it is even more wonderful in the Greek. The Lattimore trans., however, it quite good.
What I will reflect on for some time after reading this is the nature of bitterness in human experience. Achilles is gripped by it for it entirety of the poem and it wreaks havoc on all around him. He simply has no conception of love covering a multitude of sins. Woe to us who wallow in our own anger and bitterness.
Read
November 7, 2024even if i had to read it for class idc i will still add it
September 18, 2025
more like the sillyad for how petty Achilles was
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 7, 2024
3 stjerner fordi jeg har kæmpet. Men det har været så VILDT at læse dette gamle værk. Jeg føler at jeg har fat i rødderne til hele den europæiske litteraturhistorie her, og selve scenerne og vendingerne har så meget genklang i mig. Det er noget fjernt nostalgisk over den måde jeg nu føler mig knyttet til oldgrækerne, som om vi er lidt de samme men bare adskilt af tid. Men nuvel, jeg elskede historien om Achilles og Patroklos så meget at jeg er nødt til at læse achilles sang nu. Men ellers var mange af de andre karakterer ikke super spændende for mig
August 5, 2024
I almost fell asleep in class every time we read this ngl
October 4, 2025
this book is fire as an audiobook, but being forced to read for a class. ugh 🙄
to long for a school book
to long for a school book
September 9, 2024
This was exactly as dull as i thought it would be- perhaps it was more interesting as a spoken story?
October 19, 2024
Homer's Iliad is a pillar of human achievement upon which much of Western philosophy—and subsequently, civilization—rests. Reading this epic is not merely an encounter with history; it feels like an encounter with humanity itself. It is incredible how the ancient words of Homer (or, depending on whom you ask, generations of oral poets) speak so directly and potently to universal themes. Given its accuracy and profound influence, one must wonder: does The Iliad so precisely capture the human experience that its themes have transcended time and space to remain relevant today, or has its influence on Greek thought—and by extension Western philosophy—helped shape the very framework through which we now understand the human condition? Individually, either would be remarkable achievements, but I believe there is truth in both.
Together with its companion The Odyssey, The Iliad became the "Greek bible" from which the Ancient thinkers drew to develop the philosophical foundations that still resonate in modern thought. This makes The Iliad the primary source of all primary sources in the Western tradition. It would be difficult to overstate the sense of awe and significance that comes from experiencing this epic firsthand. You might expect that, with all the layers of interpretation from centuries of great thinkers, today's reader could only gain a sense of wonder around time and humanity (which, I would argue, is reason enough to make it a mandatory read). Yet, the core ideas remain as powerful and relevant to our lives today as they were nearly 3,000 years ago.
While delving into timeless themes such as heroism, honor, fate, and the fragility of human life, The Iliad investigates what is worth dying for. Below I will describe some of my favorite books of the epic that speak to these themes
Book 1: The Rage of Achilles
Rage. The first word of this epic and the defining characteristic of its hero, Achilles, from the opening to the final book. Book 1 serves as the catalyst for Achilles' wrath. The Greek king, Agamemnon, seizes Briseis, Achilles' wife, though more importantly (to the Greeks at the time), a spoil of war—a symbol of Achilles' honor and glory. This act illustrates the immense value the Greeks placed on glory, especially earned in battle. Taking Briseis is equivalent to stripping Achilles of the honor he gained from war.
Achilles, nearly god-like on the battlefield, protests, arguing that he contributed more to the Greek victory than even Agamemnon, yet receives no reward while lower-ranked soldiers benefit. Agamemnon, by taking Briseis, asserts his authority and makes it clear that even Greece’s greatest warrior is beneath him, showing that any defiance—even from their best soldier—will be met with punishment.
The sting of this insult is compounded by Achilles’ known fate, which forms the core of his internal conflict. He is destined to either die young in Troy with eternal glory or live a long, quiet life but be forgotten. The fact that we are still writing about Achilles thousands of years later reveals his eventual choice. But at this point in the epic, he is still fated to die, and not only is he being denied additional glory, his current honor is being taken from him.
In response, Achilles decides to withdraw from the fighting, letting hundreds—if not thousands—of Greeks die until this wrong is made right. This marks the first instance of Achilles behaving like a god, not only in his ability to alter major human affairs but in his indifference to human life in the pursuit of his own goals.
Book 9: The Embassy to Achilles
Agamemnon feels betrayed by Zeus, believing that he is not destined to see Troy fall. In desperation, he expresses a desire to return home if Achilles does not rejoin the fight. In an empowered speech to his soldiers, Agamemnon promises great riches to Achilles, offering treasure, wives—including his own daughter—and the return of Briseis, Achilles' wife, who had been taken from him. All Agamemnon asks in return is that Achilles fights for him and acknowledges that Agamemnon is the greater man. The latter is something Achilles could never accept. He tells Menelaus and Odysseus that he is seriously considering returning home and living out the quieter side of his fate.
This chapter marks a turning point in Achilles' character. The Greeks around him continue to try to appease him as if he were a god, but Achilles is now strongly contemplating abandoning this part of himself—the side defined by glory and heroism—in favor of a forgotten, peaceful life. He declares that no wealth is worth his life, and he would reject the offer even if it were twenty times as much. It seems Achilles might have followed through with his plan to leave, were it not for the persuasive words of Odysseus and the others.
As Achilles starts to drift away from his earlier self, Hector—the great Trojan warrior—begins to take on more of Achilles' characteristics, foreshadowing their eventual encounter and mutual downfall.
Book 16: Patroclus Fights and Dies
With Achilles still refusing to fight, Patroclus, his lifelong friend and a great warrior in his own right, senses the tide of war turning once again against the Greeks. Desperate, he tries to convince Achilles to rejoin the battle. Though Achilles remains resolute in his decision, they agree that Patroclus can lead a charge while wearing Achilles' armor. The sight of "Achilles" on the battlefield would rally the Greeks and strike fear into the Trojans.
However, as Patroclus steps into the fight, the potential for glory clouds his judgment (with some influence from the gods), and he pushes too far forward. Patroclus faces Hector, leading to his death. Hector strips Achilles' armor from Patroclus and claims it for himself, falling deeper into his imitation of Achilles—a role he will continue to embody until it ceases to be an imitation at all. Patroclus' death serves as a warning to Hector, showing him the fatal end of this destructive path. Patroclus even prophesies that Hector will meet the same fate, but these warnings fall on deaf ears, sealing Hector's doom.
Book 17: Menelaus' Finest Hour
The armies clash over the body of Patroclus, but eventually, the Greeks manage to retrieve his body. Even after Hector dons Achilles' armor, the Trojans are forced to retreat.
There is something profoundly moving about witnessing the Greeks lay down their lives to protect the honor of their fallen comrade, Patroclus, even though he recklessly pushed beyond his limits in battle. The Greeks don't question whether defending Patroclus' body is worth the additional loss of life—it is a given. This moment beautifully reflects Greek cultural values surrounding war and glory. It also underscores the deep respect Achilles commands among the Greek warriors, as their efforts to recover Patroclus's body are undoubtedly driven by their recognition of his bond with Achilles. And all of this happens while Achilles himself has yet to step back onto the battlefield!
Much is revealed about Hector in this book as well. After putting on Achilles' armor, Hector sends his own armor back to Troy. This custom is typically observed when a soldier has fallen in battle, symbolizing that the "old" Hector is effectively dead—his transformation into an Achilles-like figure is complete. However, during the retreat, one of Hector’s comrades says to him, "Hector... in battle, all a sham! That empty glory of yours, a runner’s glory." On the surface, "runner" refers to the retreat, making it an insult to Hector's courage. But "swift runner" is also the most common epithet associated with Achilles, referring to his speed and efficiency in battle. Though the comrade would have been unaware of the deeper implication, this statement juxtaposes Hector with Achilles, exposing him as an imitation of a great warrior rather than the real thing.
Book 24: Achilles and Priam
The final and most important book of The Iliad sees Hector dead, slain by Achilles. Achilles finally reenters the war after the death of his close friend, Patroclus, and gives him an honorable burial. In contrast, Hector’s body is dragged behind Achilles’ chariot. Yet, because Hector honored the gods throughout his life, they intervene to protect his body from being mangled. Meanwhile, Priam, the Trojan king and Hector's father, is determined to give his son a proper burial. After a series of divine consultations, Priam—an old, frail man—decides to go to the Greek camp alone to confront Achilles.
Achilles, still consumed with grief for Patroclus, has not eaten in days. His attempt to desecrate Hector’s body is a reflection of his own self-destruction, as he lets his rage consume him physically and emotionally. Priam, risking his life, humbles himself before Achilles and begs for pity, the very man who murdered his son. He appeals to Achilles' sense of empathy, drawing a poignant comparison between himself and Achilles’ own father, who will soon lose his son as well. For the first time in the epic, Hector is compared not to the warrior Achilles but to the human Achilles—both are great warriors but also sons who will leave grieving fathers behind.
It is this deeply human comparison that finally quenches Achilles' infamous rage. Achilles lets go of his god-like fury and allows human-like pity and compassion to take hold. He agrees to halt the fighting and grants Priam the time he needs to bury Hector, wrapping the body himself in linen cloths, a gesture of humanity and respect.
The epic concludes with the line: “And so the Trojans buried Hector, breaker of horses.”
If it wasn’t already clear, this final book reveals that The Iliad is not really about the Trojan War. The war is merely a backdrop. After all, the epic begins in the middle of the war and ends still in the middle of it. The true story is about the triumph of humility, of pity, and ultimately of humanity. The fact that this epic has survived in its complete form for millennia is not an accident—it speaks to something uniquely human that continues to resonate. It is a story that I feel compelled to experience and reflect on, again and again.
Great video sources I used along with my reading!
Zachary May YouTube playlist: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7ZrGF...
Overly Sarcastic Productions: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G3bn0...
Together with its companion The Odyssey, The Iliad became the "Greek bible" from which the Ancient thinkers drew to develop the philosophical foundations that still resonate in modern thought. This makes The Iliad the primary source of all primary sources in the Western tradition. It would be difficult to overstate the sense of awe and significance that comes from experiencing this epic firsthand. You might expect that, with all the layers of interpretation from centuries of great thinkers, today's reader could only gain a sense of wonder around time and humanity (which, I would argue, is reason enough to make it a mandatory read). Yet, the core ideas remain as powerful and relevant to our lives today as they were nearly 3,000 years ago.
While delving into timeless themes such as heroism, honor, fate, and the fragility of human life, The Iliad investigates what is worth dying for. Below I will describe some of my favorite books of the epic that speak to these themes
Book 1: The Rage of Achilles
Rage. The first word of this epic and the defining characteristic of its hero, Achilles, from the opening to the final book. Book 1 serves as the catalyst for Achilles' wrath. The Greek king, Agamemnon, seizes Briseis, Achilles' wife, though more importantly (to the Greeks at the time), a spoil of war—a symbol of Achilles' honor and glory. This act illustrates the immense value the Greeks placed on glory, especially earned in battle. Taking Briseis is equivalent to stripping Achilles of the honor he gained from war.
Achilles, nearly god-like on the battlefield, protests, arguing that he contributed more to the Greek victory than even Agamemnon, yet receives no reward while lower-ranked soldiers benefit. Agamemnon, by taking Briseis, asserts his authority and makes it clear that even Greece’s greatest warrior is beneath him, showing that any defiance—even from their best soldier—will be met with punishment.
The sting of this insult is compounded by Achilles’ known fate, which forms the core of his internal conflict. He is destined to either die young in Troy with eternal glory or live a long, quiet life but be forgotten. The fact that we are still writing about Achilles thousands of years later reveals his eventual choice. But at this point in the epic, he is still fated to die, and not only is he being denied additional glory, his current honor is being taken from him.
In response, Achilles decides to withdraw from the fighting, letting hundreds—if not thousands—of Greeks die until this wrong is made right. This marks the first instance of Achilles behaving like a god, not only in his ability to alter major human affairs but in his indifference to human life in the pursuit of his own goals.
Book 9: The Embassy to Achilles
Agamemnon feels betrayed by Zeus, believing that he is not destined to see Troy fall. In desperation, he expresses a desire to return home if Achilles does not rejoin the fight. In an empowered speech to his soldiers, Agamemnon promises great riches to Achilles, offering treasure, wives—including his own daughter—and the return of Briseis, Achilles' wife, who had been taken from him. All Agamemnon asks in return is that Achilles fights for him and acknowledges that Agamemnon is the greater man. The latter is something Achilles could never accept. He tells Menelaus and Odysseus that he is seriously considering returning home and living out the quieter side of his fate.
This chapter marks a turning point in Achilles' character. The Greeks around him continue to try to appease him as if he were a god, but Achilles is now strongly contemplating abandoning this part of himself—the side defined by glory and heroism—in favor of a forgotten, peaceful life. He declares that no wealth is worth his life, and he would reject the offer even if it were twenty times as much. It seems Achilles might have followed through with his plan to leave, were it not for the persuasive words of Odysseus and the others.
As Achilles starts to drift away from his earlier self, Hector—the great Trojan warrior—begins to take on more of Achilles' characteristics, foreshadowing their eventual encounter and mutual downfall.
Book 16: Patroclus Fights and Dies
With Achilles still refusing to fight, Patroclus, his lifelong friend and a great warrior in his own right, senses the tide of war turning once again against the Greeks. Desperate, he tries to convince Achilles to rejoin the battle. Though Achilles remains resolute in his decision, they agree that Patroclus can lead a charge while wearing Achilles' armor. The sight of "Achilles" on the battlefield would rally the Greeks and strike fear into the Trojans.
However, as Patroclus steps into the fight, the potential for glory clouds his judgment (with some influence from the gods), and he pushes too far forward. Patroclus faces Hector, leading to his death. Hector strips Achilles' armor from Patroclus and claims it for himself, falling deeper into his imitation of Achilles—a role he will continue to embody until it ceases to be an imitation at all. Patroclus' death serves as a warning to Hector, showing him the fatal end of this destructive path. Patroclus even prophesies that Hector will meet the same fate, but these warnings fall on deaf ears, sealing Hector's doom.
Book 17: Menelaus' Finest Hour
The armies clash over the body of Patroclus, but eventually, the Greeks manage to retrieve his body. Even after Hector dons Achilles' armor, the Trojans are forced to retreat.
There is something profoundly moving about witnessing the Greeks lay down their lives to protect the honor of their fallen comrade, Patroclus, even though he recklessly pushed beyond his limits in battle. The Greeks don't question whether defending Patroclus' body is worth the additional loss of life—it is a given. This moment beautifully reflects Greek cultural values surrounding war and glory. It also underscores the deep respect Achilles commands among the Greek warriors, as their efforts to recover Patroclus's body are undoubtedly driven by their recognition of his bond with Achilles. And all of this happens while Achilles himself has yet to step back onto the battlefield!
Much is revealed about Hector in this book as well. After putting on Achilles' armor, Hector sends his own armor back to Troy. This custom is typically observed when a soldier has fallen in battle, symbolizing that the "old" Hector is effectively dead—his transformation into an Achilles-like figure is complete. However, during the retreat, one of Hector’s comrades says to him, "Hector... in battle, all a sham! That empty glory of yours, a runner’s glory." On the surface, "runner" refers to the retreat, making it an insult to Hector's courage. But "swift runner" is also the most common epithet associated with Achilles, referring to his speed and efficiency in battle. Though the comrade would have been unaware of the deeper implication, this statement juxtaposes Hector with Achilles, exposing him as an imitation of a great warrior rather than the real thing.
Book 24: Achilles and Priam
The final and most important book of The Iliad sees Hector dead, slain by Achilles. Achilles finally reenters the war after the death of his close friend, Patroclus, and gives him an honorable burial. In contrast, Hector’s body is dragged behind Achilles’ chariot. Yet, because Hector honored the gods throughout his life, they intervene to protect his body from being mangled. Meanwhile, Priam, the Trojan king and Hector's father, is determined to give his son a proper burial. After a series of divine consultations, Priam—an old, frail man—decides to go to the Greek camp alone to confront Achilles.
Achilles, still consumed with grief for Patroclus, has not eaten in days. His attempt to desecrate Hector’s body is a reflection of his own self-destruction, as he lets his rage consume him physically and emotionally. Priam, risking his life, humbles himself before Achilles and begs for pity, the very man who murdered his son. He appeals to Achilles' sense of empathy, drawing a poignant comparison between himself and Achilles’ own father, who will soon lose his son as well. For the first time in the epic, Hector is compared not to the warrior Achilles but to the human Achilles—both are great warriors but also sons who will leave grieving fathers behind.
It is this deeply human comparison that finally quenches Achilles' infamous rage. Achilles lets go of his god-like fury and allows human-like pity and compassion to take hold. He agrees to halt the fighting and grants Priam the time he needs to bury Hector, wrapping the body himself in linen cloths, a gesture of humanity and respect.
The epic concludes with the line: “And so the Trojans buried Hector, breaker of horses.”
If it wasn’t already clear, this final book reveals that The Iliad is not really about the Trojan War. The war is merely a backdrop. After all, the epic begins in the middle of the war and ends still in the middle of it. The true story is about the triumph of humility, of pity, and ultimately of humanity. The fact that this epic has survived in its complete form for millennia is not an accident—it speaks to something uniquely human that continues to resonate. It is a story that I feel compelled to experience and reflect on, again and again.
Great video sources I used along with my reading!
Zachary May YouTube playlist: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7ZrGF...
Overly Sarcastic Productions: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G3bn0...
February 4, 2025
“5 stars
5 thumbs up
5 childre—“
—Lobster Bisque Man
5 thumbs up
5 childre—“
—Lobster Bisque Man
February 14, 2025
This is literally the worst book to pick if you’re new to classics, Homer, or the English language, which I just so happened to be when I read this.
November 3, 2025
Composite: 28/33 (5 stars for being one of the oldest works of literature still read by modern audiences).
The Illiad was an epic poem written down in the 7th or 8th century B.C. and attributed to Homer. I could write about epithets or how Homer's historic warfare confusion actually lends authenticity to the Illiad. But you don't care about my list of translation suggestions addressed to Samuel Butler and I must give you what you came for (my lukewarm takes on a story written down almost three millennia ago). The Illiad was meant to be read aloud and this fact permeates the very narrative itself. The rhythm of the prose was essential to the orators for the same reason you can't recall a single sentence from the last textbook you read but have albums of song lyrics trapped inside your brain. The Illiad is 24 books long and would have taken roughly a day to recite aloud. Despite its length it does not contain the start of the war, nor the sacking of Troy (w/ the famous Trojan Horse) and therefore narratively is missing its introduction and its climax. I do not recommend reading this but have to admit that calling someone "the dread son of Kronos" is objectively cool. Below is my (unasked for) summaries of the books of the Illiad.
Book I: King Agamemnon acts a punk a** b**tch. Achilles puts himself in time-out.
Book II: Without Achilles, King Agamemnon immediately suggests they give up the siege of Troy. Odysseus, Nestor, and you are furious with the coward king.
Book III: Menelaus challenges Paris to single combat. Since Paris started this whole war when he kidnapped Helen (Menelaus's wife) we could have concluded the story here. After losing the single combat, Paris is saved from certain death by Deus Ex Machina Aphrodite.
Book IV: You can skip this one.
Book V: Athena empowers Diomedes to attack the Trojans. The gods function as plot devices to turn the tide of battle. Diomedes wounds Aeneas.
Book VI: Diomedes and Glaucus choose friendship over killing each other. Someone should tell the rest of the Greeks that this is an option. Hector returns within the city gates of Troy to sacrifice to Athena. He finds Paris hiding from the battle with Helen. Helen says she would rather throw herself from the walls of the city than be with Paris and Paris says he wasn't being a coward, he was, um, just resting you guys...
Book VII: Hector and Ajax fight to a draw in single combat. Antenor proposes Helen be returned to the Greeks thus ending the war, but Paris refuses because he is just the worst.
Book VIII: Zeus, lord of all the gods, forbids the gods from interfering in the Trojan War. Zeus then immediately interferes in the war by throwing lightning bolts at the Greeks.
Book IX: King Agamemnon calls for the Greeks to give up the siege, head back to their ships and return home. Diomedes and Nestor chide him for his cowardice and I wonder how this guy ever got put in charge in the first place. King Agamemnon shows some self awareness and attempts an apology to Achilles. Achilles refuses.
Book X: Reflecting on his bad decisions, King Agamemnon cannot sleep and decides to do his favorite thing - asking other people to do the hard work for him. Diomedes and Odysseus team up to spy on the enemy camp at night. This should read like a buddy cop adventure but it really doesn't.
Book XI: The Greek heroes get wounded as the Trojans begin pushing them back towards their ships. Nestor urges Patroclus (Achilles's "comrade") to fight in Achilles' armor.
Book XII: Led by Hector, the Trojans break through the Greek defense and they flee towards their ships. Darkness signals the end of battle each day and I long for the simpler times when the lack of sunlight stopped humans from relentlessly killing each other.
Book XIII: Poseidon adopts several disguises to help the Greeks. This seems to be normal behavior by the gods. The battle is fought to a stalemate.
Book XIV: Queen of the gods Hera borrows Aphrodite's clothing to seduce her husband Zeus so as to distract him away from helping the Trojans. This plan works and is hard evidence that humans having been telling each other insane stories for thousands of years. The Greeks push the Trojans back.
Book XV: Zeus discovers he has been tricked by Hera (and Poseidon, and Ares, and Athena, and Apollo, and...) and tells the gods to stop interfering because only he is allowed to do that you guys. Patroclus tries to convince Achilles to join the fight.
Book XVI: Achilles still will not fight but allows Patroclus to borrow his armor and fight on his behalf. Led by Patroclus, the Greeks fight the Trojans all the way back to the city gates. The god Apollo paralyzes Patroclus's limbs thus leading to his death at the hands of Hector and proving once and for all that nobody listens to Zeus.
Book XVII: The Greeks and Trojans play hot potato with the corpse of Patroclus and Achilles's cell phone is on silent.
Book XVIII: Achilles is told of the death of his friend (and let's be real: lover) Patroclus and takes himself out of time out. Side note: it is never explicitly stated that Achilles is immortal except for his heel. In fact, Achilles talks about how he is fated to die constantly. This must have been a Hollywood invention. Hephaestus forges new armor for Achilles.
Book XIX: With his new armor, Achilles readies for war. His talking horse, Xanthus warns him of his upcoming death. This isn't a big deal and the talking horse is never mentioned again.
Book XX: Zeus informs the gods that they are now free to take part in the conflict (because they were like 100% totally listening to him before). Poseidon saves Aeneas from Achilles (what? he has to found Rome you guys) and Apollo saves Hector from Achilles. Rightfully infuriated, Achilles kills many Trojans.
Book XXI: Achilles clogs up the river Scamander with corpses. Achilles apologizes to the river but the river is unhappy being filled with dead people and attacks Achilles. Achilles fights the river, and is saved by *checks notes* Hera telling Hephaestus to scorch the river with fiery blasts. I am as confused as you are. Athena beats up Ares, and Hera grabs Artemis's arms and like a school yard bully plays "stop hitting yourself" with her. The Trojans, save for Hector, hide behind the walls of Troy.
Book XXII: Hector makes his final stand against Achilles outside the gates of Troy. He is killed by Achilles and the city mourns the loss of its staunchest defender.
Book XXIII: We interrupt the siege of Troy for some chariot racing!
Book XXIV: King Priam of Troy asks for the body of his son Hector to be returned to him (and to no longer be dragged through the dirt behind Achilles' chariot). Achilles grants this request and an 11 day stoppage of fighting so that the Trojans might have a funeral for Hector.
The Illiad was an epic poem written down in the 7th or 8th century B.C. and attributed to Homer. I could write about epithets or how Homer's historic warfare confusion actually lends authenticity to the Illiad. But you don't care about my list of translation suggestions addressed to Samuel Butler and I must give you what you came for (my lukewarm takes on a story written down almost three millennia ago). The Illiad was meant to be read aloud and this fact permeates the very narrative itself. The rhythm of the prose was essential to the orators for the same reason you can't recall a single sentence from the last textbook you read but have albums of song lyrics trapped inside your brain. The Illiad is 24 books long and would have taken roughly a day to recite aloud. Despite its length it does not contain the start of the war, nor the sacking of Troy (w/ the famous Trojan Horse) and therefore narratively is missing its introduction and its climax. I do not recommend reading this but have to admit that calling someone "the dread son of Kronos" is objectively cool. Below is my (unasked for) summaries of the books of the Illiad.
Book I: King Agamemnon acts a punk a** b**tch. Achilles puts himself in time-out.
Book II: Without Achilles, King Agamemnon immediately suggests they give up the siege of Troy. Odysseus, Nestor, and you are furious with the coward king.
Book III: Menelaus challenges Paris to single combat. Since Paris started this whole war when he kidnapped Helen (Menelaus's wife) we could have concluded the story here. After losing the single combat, Paris is saved from certain death by Deus Ex Machina Aphrodite.
Book IV: You can skip this one.
Book V: Athena empowers Diomedes to attack the Trojans. The gods function as plot devices to turn the tide of battle. Diomedes wounds Aeneas.
Book VI: Diomedes and Glaucus choose friendship over killing each other. Someone should tell the rest of the Greeks that this is an option. Hector returns within the city gates of Troy to sacrifice to Athena. He finds Paris hiding from the battle with Helen. Helen says she would rather throw herself from the walls of the city than be with Paris and Paris says he wasn't being a coward, he was, um, just resting you guys...
Book VII: Hector and Ajax fight to a draw in single combat. Antenor proposes Helen be returned to the Greeks thus ending the war, but Paris refuses because he is just the worst.
Book VIII: Zeus, lord of all the gods, forbids the gods from interfering in the Trojan War. Zeus then immediately interferes in the war by throwing lightning bolts at the Greeks.
Book IX: King Agamemnon calls for the Greeks to give up the siege, head back to their ships and return home. Diomedes and Nestor chide him for his cowardice and I wonder how this guy ever got put in charge in the first place. King Agamemnon shows some self awareness and attempts an apology to Achilles. Achilles refuses.
Book X: Reflecting on his bad decisions, King Agamemnon cannot sleep and decides to do his favorite thing - asking other people to do the hard work for him. Diomedes and Odysseus team up to spy on the enemy camp at night. This should read like a buddy cop adventure but it really doesn't.
Book XI: The Greek heroes get wounded as the Trojans begin pushing them back towards their ships. Nestor urges Patroclus (Achilles's "comrade") to fight in Achilles' armor.
Book XII: Led by Hector, the Trojans break through the Greek defense and they flee towards their ships. Darkness signals the end of battle each day and I long for the simpler times when the lack of sunlight stopped humans from relentlessly killing each other.
Book XIII: Poseidon adopts several disguises to help the Greeks. This seems to be normal behavior by the gods. The battle is fought to a stalemate.
Book XIV: Queen of the gods Hera borrows Aphrodite's clothing to seduce her husband Zeus so as to distract him away from helping the Trojans. This plan works and is hard evidence that humans having been telling each other insane stories for thousands of years. The Greeks push the Trojans back.
Book XV: Zeus discovers he has been tricked by Hera (and Poseidon, and Ares, and Athena, and Apollo, and...) and tells the gods to stop interfering because only he is allowed to do that you guys. Patroclus tries to convince Achilles to join the fight.
Book XVI: Achilles still will not fight but allows Patroclus to borrow his armor and fight on his behalf. Led by Patroclus, the Greeks fight the Trojans all the way back to the city gates. The god Apollo paralyzes Patroclus's limbs thus leading to his death at the hands of Hector and proving once and for all that nobody listens to Zeus.
Book XVII: The Greeks and Trojans play hot potato with the corpse of Patroclus and Achilles's cell phone is on silent.
Book XVIII: Achilles is told of the death of his friend (and let's be real: lover) Patroclus and takes himself out of time out. Side note: it is never explicitly stated that Achilles is immortal except for his heel. In fact, Achilles talks about how he is fated to die constantly. This must have been a Hollywood invention. Hephaestus forges new armor for Achilles.
Book XIX: With his new armor, Achilles readies for war. His talking horse, Xanthus warns him of his upcoming death. This isn't a big deal and the talking horse is never mentioned again.
Book XX: Zeus informs the gods that they are now free to take part in the conflict (because they were like 100% totally listening to him before). Poseidon saves Aeneas from Achilles (what? he has to found Rome you guys) and Apollo saves Hector from Achilles. Rightfully infuriated, Achilles kills many Trojans.
Book XXI: Achilles clogs up the river Scamander with corpses. Achilles apologizes to the river but the river is unhappy being filled with dead people and attacks Achilles. Achilles fights the river, and is saved by *checks notes* Hera telling Hephaestus to scorch the river with fiery blasts. I am as confused as you are. Athena beats up Ares, and Hera grabs Artemis's arms and like a school yard bully plays "stop hitting yourself" with her. The Trojans, save for Hector, hide behind the walls of Troy.
Book XXII: Hector makes his final stand against Achilles outside the gates of Troy. He is killed by Achilles and the city mourns the loss of its staunchest defender.
Book XXIII: We interrupt the siege of Troy for some chariot racing!
Book XXIV: King Priam of Troy asks for the body of his son Hector to be returned to him (and to no longer be dragged through the dirt behind Achilles' chariot). Achilles grants this request and an 11 day stoppage of fighting so that the Trojans might have a funeral for Hector.
October 30, 2024
Lattimore, without doubt, has a translation that makes a genuine effort to stay as close to the original work as possible. However: for those who are planning to read the Iliad for leisure and not for academic purposes, I will note that this is one of the more denser translations. I believe that Lattimore does a good job mimicking the claustrophobic nature of the poem that Homer makes.
I will say though, that much is lost in translation and I wish that there was more footnotes to help the reader understand the depth of Homer-- and just the sheer amount of craft and thought that went into the poem.
I will say though, that much is lost in translation and I wish that there was more footnotes to help the reader understand the depth of Homer-- and just the sheer amount of craft and thought that went into the poem.
November 26, 2023
He made his attempts to translate the gay out of it (as confirmed by my Greek Lit professor) but it was otherwise one of the better translations I’ve read.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 5, 2024
Love the story.
But don’t like how the translation got rid of the obvious gayness
But don’t like how the translation got rid of the obvious gayness
September 8, 2024
How about let’s just kill Paris and let Priam live in peace? Jesus!!
October 27, 2024
okay slay 600 pages of the illiad i read the (emily norton translation) I HEART HECTOR!
April 3, 2025
Nepotism is real
October 17, 2023
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.
For example:
“I Thee beseech, O Goddess milde, the hateful hate to plaine”
- Translated by Arthur Hall, 1581
“Achilles Peleus Son's destructive Rage. Great Goddess, sing”
- Translated by John Ogilby, 1669
“THE wrath of the son of Peleus, —O goddess of song, unfold! The deadly wrath of Achilles”
- Translated by James Macpherson, 1773
“Sing, goddess, the wrath of Achilles Peleus' son”
- Translated by Ernest Myers, 1883
“Sing, O Goddess, the ruinous wrath of Achilles, Son of Peleus”
- Translated by Ennis Rees, 1963
Unrhymed English Meter
- Translated by F.W. Newman, 1856
“Wrath be thy song, O goddess, the baneful wrath of Achilles,
Peleus’ son, which brought the Achaians numberless sorrows;
Hurling the valiant souls of heroes many to Hades,
Whilst their bodies were left for a prey unto dogs, and winged.
Fowls of the air. Yet thus the will of Zeus was advancing,
E’em from the hour when first, contending fiercely, in anger
Parted Atreides, king of men, and god-like Achilles.”
The Iliad, I-IV into English hexameters. Ninety-three pages
- Translated by Henry Smith Wright, 1885
Martin Hammond
James Inglis Cochrane, 1876
John Arthur Platt, before 1923
Michael Reck 1994 (Michael Pierce Reck)
Alston Hurd Chase and William G. Perry Jr. (prose) (1950)
F.W. Newman 1856 (Unrhymed English Meter)
Ichabod Charles Wright (vol. 1, 1859; vol. 2 was to appear in 1865)
Augustus Taber Murray for the Loeb Classical Library (1924)
There is a revised and updated version by D. Christopher H. Rieu or D.C.H. Rieu – son of E.V. Rieu
“The wrath of Achilles is my theme, the fatal wrath which, in fulfillment of the will of Zeus, brought the Achaeans so much suffering and sent the gallant souls of many noblemen to Hadês, leaving their bodies as carrion for dogs and passing birds. Let us begin, goddesses of song with the angry parting that took place between Agamemnon King of Men and the great Achilles son of Peleus. Which of the gods was it that made them quarrel?”
- Translated by E.V. Rieu, 1950 prose version.
“O Goddess sing what woe the discontent
Of Thetis' Son brought to the Greeks, what Souls
Of Heroes down to Erebus it sent,
Leaving their bodies unto Dogs and Fowls;
Whilst the two Princes of the Army stove,
King Agamemnon and Achilles stout.
That so it should be the will of Jove,
But who has he that made them first fall out?
Apollo, who incensed the wrong”
- Translated by Thomas Hobbes, 1686
“O Goddess, sing Pelides Achilles’ baneful ire,
Which brought on the Achaians ten thousand sorrows dire,
And many strong souls of heroes sent down to Hades’ sway;
Themselves to all the birds and dogs became a prey,
Since first, in anger parting (it was the will of Jove),
The king of men, Atrides, and divine Achilles strove.”
- Translated by Edgar Alfred Tibbetts Boston 1907
“Sing, Devine Muse, sing the implacable wrath of Achilleus!
Heavy with Death and with woe to the banded sons of Achaia!
Many the souls of the mighty, the souls of redoubtable heroes,
Hurried by it prematurely to Hades. The vultures and wild-dogs
Tore their tombless limbs. Yet thus did the will of the Highest
Work to an end from the day when strive drove asunder,
Atreus’ son, king of men; and the Godlike leader Achileus.”
- Translated by Joseph Henry Dart, 1862 (English Hexameter verse)
“The wrath sing, goddess, of Peleus’ son, Achilles, that destructive wrath which brought countless woes upon the Achaeans, and sent forth to Hades many valiant souls of heroes, and made them themselves spoil for dogs and every bird; thus, the plan of Zeus came to fulfillment, from the time when firs they parted in strife Atreus’ son, King of men, and Brilliant Achilles.”
- Translated by A. T. Murray, 1924
Known for “The Parallel English / Greek - The Iliad”
“Sing, O Goddess, the anger of Achilles, son of Peleus, that brought countless ills upon the Achaeans. Many a hero did it yield a prey to dogs and vultures, for so were the counsels of Zeus fulfilled from the day on which the son of Atreus, king of men, and great Achilles first fell out with one another.”
- Translated by Louise R. Loomis
“Goddess, sing me the anger, of Achilles, Peleus’ son, that fatal anger that brought countless sorrows on the Greeks, and sent many valiant souls of warriors down to Hades, leaving their bodies as spoil for dogs and carrion birds: for thus was the will of Zeus brought to fulfillment. Sing of it from the moment when Agamemnon, Atreus’ son, that king of men, parted in wrath from noble Achilles.”
- Translated by A. S. Kline, 2009
“O goddess! Sing the wrath of Peleus’ son,
Achilles; sing the deadly wrath that brought
Woes numberless upon the Greeks, and swept
To Hades many a valiant soul, and gave
Their limbs a prey to dogs and birds of air, -
For so had Jove appointed, - from the time
When the two chiefs, Atrides, king of men,
And great Achilles, parted first as foes.”
-Translated by William Cullen Bryant, 1870
"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 souls,
great fighters' souls. But made their bodies carrion,
feasts for dogs and birds,
and the will of Zeus was moving towards its end.
Begin, Muse, when the two first broke and clashed,
Agamemnon lord of men and brilliant Achilles."
-Translated by Robert Fagles, 1990 free verse
"Sing, O Goddess, the anger of Achilles, son of Peleus, that brought countless ills upon the Achaeans. Many a brave soul did it send hurrying down to Hades, and many a hero did it yield a prey to dogs and vultures for so were the counsels of Zeus fulfilled from the day on which the son of Atreus, king of men, and great Achilles first fell out with one another."
-Translated by Samuel Butler, 1898
Greek Latin
----- -----
Zeus. Jupiter.
Hera. Juno.
(Pallas) Athene. Minerva.
Aphrodite. Venus.
Poseidon. Neptune.
Ares. Mars.
Hephaestus. Vulcan.
"Rage:
Sing, Goddess, Achilles' rage,
Black and murderous, that cost the Greeks
Incalculable pain pitched countless souls
Of heroes into Hades' dark,
And let their bodies rot as feasts
For dogs and birds, as Zeus' will was done.
Begin with the clash between Agamemnon--
The Greek Warlord--and godlike Achilles."
-Translated by Stanley Lombardo, 1997
"Anger be now your song, immortal one,
Akhilleus' anger, doomed and ruinous,
that caused the Akhaians loss on bitter loss
and crowded brave souls into the undergloom,
leaving so many dead men--carrion
for dogs and birds; and the will of Zeus was done.
Begin it when the two men first contending
broke with one another--
the Lord Marshal Agamémnon, Atreus' son, and Prince Akhilleus."
-Translated by Robert Fitzgerald, 1974
"Sing, goddess, the anger of Peleus' son of Achilleus and its devastation, which puts pains thousandfold upon the Achains,
hurled in the multitudes to the house of Hade's strong souls of heroes, but gave their bodies to be the delicate feasting of dogs, of all birds, and the will of Zeus was accomplished since that time when first there stood the division of conflict Atrecus' son the lord of men and brilliant Achilleus."
-Translated by Richmond Lattimore, 1951
"Sing, goddess, of Peleus' son Achilles' anger, ruinous, that caused the Greeks untold ordeals, consigned to Hades countless valiant souls, heroes, and left their bodies prey for dogs or feast for vultures. Zeus's will was done from when those two first quarreled and split apart, the king, Agamemnon, and matchless Achilles."
-Translated by Herbert Jordan, 2008
"An angry man-there is my story: the bitter rancor of Achillês, prince of the house of Peleus, which brought a thousand troubles upon the Achaian host. Many a strong soul it sent down to Hadês, and left the heroes themselves a prey to the dogs and carrion birds, while the will of God moved on to fulfillment."
-Translated and transliterated by W.H.D. Rouse, 1938
"Achilles' wrath, to Greece the direful spring
Of woes unnumber'd, heavenly goddess, sing!
That wrath which hurl'd to Pluto's gloomy reign
The souls of mighty chiefs untimely slain;
Whose limbs unburied on the naked shore,
Devouring dogs and hungry vultures tore.
Since great Achilles and Atrides strove,
Such was the sovereign doom,
and such the will of Jove!"
-Translated by Alexander Pope, 1715-1720
"Achilles sing, O Goddess! Peleus' son;
His wrath pernicious, who ten thousand woes
Caused to Achaia's host, sent many a soul
Illustrious into Ades premature,
And Heroes gave (so stood the will of Jove)
To dogs and to all ravening fowls a prey,
When fierce dispute had separated once
The noble Chief Achilles from the son
Of Atreus, Agamemnon, King of men."
-Translated by William Cowper, London 1791
"Achilles' baneful wrath - resound, O Goddess - that impos'd
Infinite sorrow on the Greeks, and the brave souls loos'd
From beasts heroic; sent them far, to that invisible cave*
That no light comforts; and their limbs to dogs and vultures gave:
To all which Jove's will give effect; from whom the first strife begun
Betwixt Atrides, king of men, and Thetis' godlike son*"
-Translated by George Chapman, 1616 the first translator of Homer.
"The Rage of Achilles--sing it now, goddess, sing through me
the deadly rage that caused the Achaeans such grief
and hurled down to Hades the souls of so many fighters,
leaving their naked flesh to be eaten by dogs
and carrion birds, as the will of Zeus was accomplished.
Begin at the time when bitter words first divided
that king of men, Agamemnon, and godlike Achilles."
-Translated by Stephen Mitchell, 2011
"Sing now, goddess, the wrath of Achilles the scion of Peleus,
ruinous rage which brought the Achaians uncounted afflictions;
many of the powerful souls it sent to the dwelling of Hades,
those of the heroes, and spoil for the dogs it made it their bodies,
plunder for the birds, and the purpose of Zeus was accomplished__"
-Translated by Rodney Merrill
"Sing, goddess, the anger of Achilles, Peleus' son,
the accused anger which brought the Achaeans countless
agonies and hurled many mighty shades of heroes into Hades,
causing them to become the prey of dogs
and all kinds of birds; and the plan of Zeus was fulfilled."
-Translated by Anthony Verity
"Of Peleus' son, Achilles, sing, O Muse,
The vengeance, deep and deadly; whence to Greece
Unnumbered ills arose; which many a soul
Of mighty warriors to the viewless shades
Ultimately sent; they on the battle plain
Unburied lay, to rav'ning dogs,
And carrion birds; but had Jove decreed,"
-Translated by Edward George Geoffrey Smith-Stanley, 1862
Also known as, Edward Earl of Derby/Lord Stanley
"Sing, goddess, of the anger of Achileus, son of Peleus, the accrued anger which brought uncounted anguish on the Achaians and hurled down to Hades many mighty souls of heroes, making their bodies the prey to dogs and the birds' feasting: and this was the working of Zeus' will"
-Translated by Martin Hammond
"Sing, Goddess of the rage of Achilles, son of Peleus-
that murderous anger which condemned Achaeans
to countless agonies and threw many warrior souls
deep into Hades, leaving their dead bodies
carrion food for dogs and birds-
all in the fulfillment of the will of Zeus"
- Translated by Professor Ian Johnston, British Columbia, 2006
"The rage, sing O goddess, of Achilles, son of Peleus,
The destructive anger that brought ten-thousand pains to the
Achaeans and sent many brave souls of fighting men to the house
of Hades and made their bodies a feast for dogs
and all kinds of birds. For such was the will of Zeus."
- Translated by Barry B. Powell, 2013
“Sing of rage, Goddess, that bane of Akhilleus,
Peleus' son, which caused untold pain for Akhaians,
sent down throngs of powerful spirits to Aides,
war-chiefs rendered the prize of dogs and every
sort of bird.”
- Translated by Edward McCrorie Born: Nov 19, 1936
“Sing O goddess, the destructive wrath of Achilles, son of Peleus, which brought countless woes upon the Greeks and hurled many valiant souls of heroes down to hades, and themselves a prey to dogs and all birds [but the will of Jove was being accomplished], from the time when Atrides, king of men, and noble Achilles, first contending, were disunited.”
- Translated by Theodore Alois Buckley 1873
"Sing, goddess, the wrath of Achilles Peleus' son, the ruinous wrath that brought on the Achaians woes innumerable, and hurled down into Hades many strong souls of heroes, and gave their bodies to be a prey to dogs and all winged fowls; and so the counsel of Zeus wrought out its accomplishment from the day when first strife parted Atreides king of men and noble Achilles."
- Translated by Andrew Lang, M.A., Walter Leaf, Litt.D., And Ernest Myers, M.A.
Books I. - IX. . . . . W. Leaf.
" X. - XVI. . . . . A. Lang.
" XVII. - XXIV. . . . . E. Myers.
- Translated 1883
A translation is by Ennis Samuel Rees, Jr. (March 17, 1925 - March 24, 2009) more in the line of poetry.
A translation is by Thomas Starling Norgate 1864. Dramatic blank verse.
A translation is by Arthur Sanders Way 1882.
A translation is by W.C. Bryant 1870
Wrath–sing, goddess, of the ruinous wrath of Peleus’ son Achilles,
that inflicted woes without number upon the Achaeans,
hurled forth to Hades many strong souls of warriors
and rendered their bodies prey for the dogs,
for all birds, and the will of Zeus was accomplished;
sing from when they too first stood in conflict-
Atreus’ son, lord of men, and godlike Achilles.
- Translated by Caroline Alexander, 2015
“Wrath, goddess, sing of Achilles Pēleus’s son’s
calamitous wrath, which hit the Achaians with countless ills-
many the valiant souls it saw off down to Hādēs,
souls of heroes, their selves left as carrion for dogs
and all the birds of prey, and the plan of Zeus was fulfilled-
from the first moment those two men parted in fury,
Atreus’s son, king of men, and the godlike Achilles.”
- Translated by Peter Green, 2015
Brutal wrath of Akhilléüs,
Péleüs’s sone, o goddess sing-
Which put unnumbered woes on Akhaioi,
And which hurled to Hades many valiant souls of heroes,
And which made them prey for dogs and all the birds-
And Zeus’s will was being brought to pass-
From when the son of Átreüs, men’s king,
And brilliant Akhilléüs first conceived offense and quarreled.
Who of the gods then brought those two
In strive together fighting?
Ths son of Léto and Zeus.
- Translated by William Guy 2015
Sing of wrath, goddess – the deadly wrath of Peleus' son Achilles,
that brought sufferings by the thousands down on the Achaeans and
hurled so many sturdy souls to the realm of Hades, souls of splendid
warriors, while they themselves were left for dogs and all manner of
carrion birds to feast on, as the will of Zeus went driving toward its
goal; start your song from the moment when the two first stood face
to face in open strife – Agamemnon, lord of men, and godlike Achilles.
- Translated by Joe Sachs 2018
Goddess, sing the rage of Achilles, son of Peleus, which brought countless woes to the Achaeans and sent the souls of many brave heroes to Hades, their bodies made into a feast for dogs and crows all to carry out the unfathomable will of Zeus. Begin from the first time when they first quarreled: the warrior king, son of Atreus, and godlike Achilles.
- Translated by Michael Heumann 2021
===============================
There are so many lesser-known translations that they cannot fit in this review. However, they are worth searching for. Most nowadays are just OCR reprints.
You will find that some translations are easier to read but others are easier to listen to on recordings, lectures, Kindle, and the like. If you do not see information on specific translators, it is still worth the speculation and purchase. Right after the translation readability and understanding, do not overlook the introduction which gives an insight into what you are about to read.
The Stephen Mitchell translation goes through each of the major characters so well that you think you know them before you start reading. Other introductions explain the struggle between different types of power. Rodney Merrill's 28-page introduction focuses on singing.
The Peter Green translation is easy to read. It is a transliteration. However, it is all the scholarly supplemental information that gives worth to his contribution.
The Oxford University Press Barry B. Powell has an extensive introduction with real "MAPS". Also, there is the information of the finder Schliemann. We even get annotations on the meaning being conveyed.
The Caroline Alexander Translation is most excellent for a first translation reading. While other translations rely so much on being scholarly, her translation with plenty of white space makes you feel that you are partaking in listening in awe. The only thing missing is the background music.
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 the 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.
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.
For example:
“I Thee beseech, O Goddess milde, the hateful hate to plaine”
- Translated by Arthur Hall, 1581
“Achilles Peleus Son's destructive Rage. Great Goddess, sing”
- Translated by John Ogilby, 1669
“THE wrath of the son of Peleus, —O goddess of song, unfold! The deadly wrath of Achilles”
- Translated by James Macpherson, 1773
“Sing, goddess, the wrath of Achilles Peleus' son”
- Translated by Ernest Myers, 1883
“Sing, O Goddess, the ruinous wrath of Achilles, Son of Peleus”
- Translated by Ennis Rees, 1963
Unrhymed English Meter
- Translated by F.W. Newman, 1856
“Wrath be thy song, O goddess, the baneful wrath of Achilles,
Peleus’ son, which brought the Achaians numberless sorrows;
Hurling the valiant souls of heroes many to Hades,
Whilst their bodies were left for a prey unto dogs, and winged.
Fowls of the air. Yet thus the will of Zeus was advancing,
E’em from the hour when first, contending fiercely, in anger
Parted Atreides, king of men, and god-like Achilles.”
The Iliad, I-IV into English hexameters. Ninety-three pages
- Translated by Henry Smith Wright, 1885
Martin Hammond
James Inglis Cochrane, 1876
John Arthur Platt, before 1923
Michael Reck 1994 (Michael Pierce Reck)
Alston Hurd Chase and William G. Perry Jr. (prose) (1950)
F.W. Newman 1856 (Unrhymed English Meter)
Ichabod Charles Wright (vol. 1, 1859; vol. 2 was to appear in 1865)
Augustus Taber Murray for the Loeb Classical Library (1924)
There is a revised and updated version by D. Christopher H. Rieu or D.C.H. Rieu – son of E.V. Rieu
“The wrath of Achilles is my theme, the fatal wrath which, in fulfillment of the will of Zeus, brought the Achaeans so much suffering and sent the gallant souls of many noblemen to Hadês, leaving their bodies as carrion for dogs and passing birds. Let us begin, goddesses of song with the angry parting that took place between Agamemnon King of Men and the great Achilles son of Peleus. Which of the gods was it that made them quarrel?”
- Translated by E.V. Rieu, 1950 prose version.
“O Goddess sing what woe the discontent
Of Thetis' Son brought to the Greeks, what Souls
Of Heroes down to Erebus it sent,
Leaving their bodies unto Dogs and Fowls;
Whilst the two Princes of the Army stove,
King Agamemnon and Achilles stout.
That so it should be the will of Jove,
But who has he that made them first fall out?
Apollo, who incensed the wrong”
- Translated by Thomas Hobbes, 1686
“O Goddess, sing Pelides Achilles’ baneful ire,
Which brought on the Achaians ten thousand sorrows dire,
And many strong souls of heroes sent down to Hades’ sway;
Themselves to all the birds and dogs became a prey,
Since first, in anger parting (it was the will of Jove),
The king of men, Atrides, and divine Achilles strove.”
- Translated by Edgar Alfred Tibbetts Boston 1907
“Sing, Devine Muse, sing the implacable wrath of Achilleus!
Heavy with Death and with woe to the banded sons of Achaia!
Many the souls of the mighty, the souls of redoubtable heroes,
Hurried by it prematurely to Hades. The vultures and wild-dogs
Tore their tombless limbs. Yet thus did the will of the Highest
Work to an end from the day when strive drove asunder,
Atreus’ son, king of men; and the Godlike leader Achileus.”
- Translated by Joseph Henry Dart, 1862 (English Hexameter verse)
“The wrath sing, goddess, of Peleus’ son, Achilles, that destructive wrath which brought countless woes upon the Achaeans, and sent forth to Hades many valiant souls of heroes, and made them themselves spoil for dogs and every bird; thus, the plan of Zeus came to fulfillment, from the time when firs they parted in strife Atreus’ son, King of men, and Brilliant Achilles.”
- Translated by A. T. Murray, 1924
Known for “The Parallel English / Greek - The Iliad”
“Sing, O Goddess, the anger of Achilles, son of Peleus, that brought countless ills upon the Achaeans. Many a hero did it yield a prey to dogs and vultures, for so were the counsels of Zeus fulfilled from the day on which the son of Atreus, king of men, and great Achilles first fell out with one another.”
- Translated by Louise R. Loomis
“Goddess, sing me the anger, of Achilles, Peleus’ son, that fatal anger that brought countless sorrows on the Greeks, and sent many valiant souls of warriors down to Hades, leaving their bodies as spoil for dogs and carrion birds: for thus was the will of Zeus brought to fulfillment. Sing of it from the moment when Agamemnon, Atreus’ son, that king of men, parted in wrath from noble Achilles.”
- Translated by A. S. Kline, 2009
“O goddess! Sing the wrath of Peleus’ son,
Achilles; sing the deadly wrath that brought
Woes numberless upon the Greeks, and swept
To Hades many a valiant soul, and gave
Their limbs a prey to dogs and birds of air, -
For so had Jove appointed, - from the time
When the two chiefs, Atrides, king of men,
And great Achilles, parted first as foes.”
-Translated by William Cullen Bryant, 1870
"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 souls,
great fighters' souls. But made their bodies carrion,
feasts for dogs and birds,
and the will of Zeus was moving towards its end.
Begin, Muse, when the two first broke and clashed,
Agamemnon lord of men and brilliant Achilles."
-Translated by Robert Fagles, 1990 free verse
"Sing, O Goddess, the anger of Achilles, son of Peleus, that brought countless ills upon the Achaeans. Many a brave soul did it send hurrying down to Hades, and many a hero did it yield a prey to dogs and vultures for so were the counsels of Zeus fulfilled from the day on which the son of Atreus, king of men, and great Achilles first fell out with one another."
-Translated by Samuel Butler, 1898
Greek Latin
----- -----
Zeus. Jupiter.
Hera. Juno.
(Pallas) Athene. Minerva.
Aphrodite. Venus.
Poseidon. Neptune.
Ares. Mars.
Hephaestus. Vulcan.
"Rage:
Sing, Goddess, Achilles' rage,
Black and murderous, that cost the Greeks
Incalculable pain pitched countless souls
Of heroes into Hades' dark,
And let their bodies rot as feasts
For dogs and birds, as Zeus' will was done.
Begin with the clash between Agamemnon--
The Greek Warlord--and godlike Achilles."
-Translated by Stanley Lombardo, 1997
"Anger be now your song, immortal one,
Akhilleus' anger, doomed and ruinous,
that caused the Akhaians loss on bitter loss
and crowded brave souls into the undergloom,
leaving so many dead men--carrion
for dogs and birds; and the will of Zeus was done.
Begin it when the two men first contending
broke with one another--
the Lord Marshal Agamémnon, Atreus' son, and Prince Akhilleus."
-Translated by Robert Fitzgerald, 1974
"Sing, goddess, the anger of Peleus' son of Achilleus and its devastation, which puts pains thousandfold upon the Achains,
hurled in the multitudes to the house of Hade's strong souls of heroes, but gave their bodies to be the delicate feasting of dogs, of all birds, and the will of Zeus was accomplished since that time when first there stood the division of conflict Atrecus' son the lord of men and brilliant Achilleus."
-Translated by Richmond Lattimore, 1951
"Sing, goddess, of Peleus' son Achilles' anger, ruinous, that caused the Greeks untold ordeals, consigned to Hades countless valiant souls, heroes, and left their bodies prey for dogs or feast for vultures. Zeus's will was done from when those two first quarreled and split apart, the king, Agamemnon, and matchless Achilles."
-Translated by Herbert Jordan, 2008
"An angry man-there is my story: the bitter rancor of Achillês, prince of the house of Peleus, which brought a thousand troubles upon the Achaian host. Many a strong soul it sent down to Hadês, and left the heroes themselves a prey to the dogs and carrion birds, while the will of God moved on to fulfillment."
-Translated and transliterated by W.H.D. Rouse, 1938
"Achilles' wrath, to Greece the direful spring
Of woes unnumber'd, heavenly goddess, sing!
That wrath which hurl'd to Pluto's gloomy reign
The souls of mighty chiefs untimely slain;
Whose limbs unburied on the naked shore,
Devouring dogs and hungry vultures tore.
Since great Achilles and Atrides strove,
Such was the sovereign doom,
and such the will of Jove!"
-Translated by Alexander Pope, 1715-1720
"Achilles sing, O Goddess! Peleus' son;
His wrath pernicious, who ten thousand woes
Caused to Achaia's host, sent many a soul
Illustrious into Ades premature,
And Heroes gave (so stood the will of Jove)
To dogs and to all ravening fowls a prey,
When fierce dispute had separated once
The noble Chief Achilles from the son
Of Atreus, Agamemnon, King of men."
-Translated by William Cowper, London 1791
"Achilles' baneful wrath - resound, O Goddess - that impos'd
Infinite sorrow on the Greeks, and the brave souls loos'd
From beasts heroic; sent them far, to that invisible cave*
That no light comforts; and their limbs to dogs and vultures gave:
To all which Jove's will give effect; from whom the first strife begun
Betwixt Atrides, king of men, and Thetis' godlike son*"
-Translated by George Chapman, 1616 the first translator of Homer.
"The Rage of Achilles--sing it now, goddess, sing through me
the deadly rage that caused the Achaeans such grief
and hurled down to Hades the souls of so many fighters,
leaving their naked flesh to be eaten by dogs
and carrion birds, as the will of Zeus was accomplished.
Begin at the time when bitter words first divided
that king of men, Agamemnon, and godlike Achilles."
-Translated by Stephen Mitchell, 2011
"Sing now, goddess, the wrath of Achilles the scion of Peleus,
ruinous rage which brought the Achaians uncounted afflictions;
many of the powerful souls it sent to the dwelling of Hades,
those of the heroes, and spoil for the dogs it made it their bodies,
plunder for the birds, and the purpose of Zeus was accomplished__"
-Translated by Rodney Merrill
"Sing, goddess, the anger of Achilles, Peleus' son,
the accused anger which brought the Achaeans countless
agonies and hurled many mighty shades of heroes into Hades,
causing them to become the prey of dogs
and all kinds of birds; and the plan of Zeus was fulfilled."
-Translated by Anthony Verity
"Of Peleus' son, Achilles, sing, O Muse,
The vengeance, deep and deadly; whence to Greece
Unnumbered ills arose; which many a soul
Of mighty warriors to the viewless shades
Ultimately sent; they on the battle plain
Unburied lay, to rav'ning dogs,
And carrion birds; but had Jove decreed,"
-Translated by Edward George Geoffrey Smith-Stanley, 1862
Also known as, Edward Earl of Derby/Lord Stanley
"Sing, goddess, of the anger of Achileus, son of Peleus, the accrued anger which brought uncounted anguish on the Achaians and hurled down to Hades many mighty souls of heroes, making their bodies the prey to dogs and the birds' feasting: and this was the working of Zeus' will"
-Translated by Martin Hammond
"Sing, Goddess of the rage of Achilles, son of Peleus-
that murderous anger which condemned Achaeans
to countless agonies and threw many warrior souls
deep into Hades, leaving their dead bodies
carrion food for dogs and birds-
all in the fulfillment of the will of Zeus"
- Translated by Professor Ian Johnston, British Columbia, 2006
"The rage, sing O goddess, of Achilles, son of Peleus,
The destructive anger that brought ten-thousand pains to the
Achaeans and sent many brave souls of fighting men to the house
of Hades and made their bodies a feast for dogs
and all kinds of birds. For such was the will of Zeus."
- Translated by Barry B. Powell, 2013
“Sing of rage, Goddess, that bane of Akhilleus,
Peleus' son, which caused untold pain for Akhaians,
sent down throngs of powerful spirits to Aides,
war-chiefs rendered the prize of dogs and every
sort of bird.”
- Translated by Edward McCrorie Born: Nov 19, 1936
“Sing O goddess, the destructive wrath of Achilles, son of Peleus, which brought countless woes upon the Greeks and hurled many valiant souls of heroes down to hades, and themselves a prey to dogs and all birds [but the will of Jove was being accomplished], from the time when Atrides, king of men, and noble Achilles, first contending, were disunited.”
- Translated by Theodore Alois Buckley 1873
"Sing, goddess, the wrath of Achilles Peleus' son, the ruinous wrath that brought on the Achaians woes innumerable, and hurled down into Hades many strong souls of heroes, and gave their bodies to be a prey to dogs and all winged fowls; and so the counsel of Zeus wrought out its accomplishment from the day when first strife parted Atreides king of men and noble Achilles."
- Translated by Andrew Lang, M.A., Walter Leaf, Litt.D., And Ernest Myers, M.A.
Books I. - IX. . . . . W. Leaf.
" X. - XVI. . . . . A. Lang.
" XVII. - XXIV. . . . . E. Myers.
- Translated 1883
A translation is by Ennis Samuel Rees, Jr. (March 17, 1925 - March 24, 2009) more in the line of poetry.
A translation is by Thomas Starling Norgate 1864. Dramatic blank verse.
A translation is by Arthur Sanders Way 1882.
A translation is by W.C. Bryant 1870
Wrath–sing, goddess, of the ruinous wrath of Peleus’ son Achilles,
that inflicted woes without number upon the Achaeans,
hurled forth to Hades many strong souls of warriors
and rendered their bodies prey for the dogs,
for all birds, and the will of Zeus was accomplished;
sing from when they too first stood in conflict-
Atreus’ son, lord of men, and godlike Achilles.
- Translated by Caroline Alexander, 2015
“Wrath, goddess, sing of Achilles Pēleus’s son’s
calamitous wrath, which hit the Achaians with countless ills-
many the valiant souls it saw off down to Hādēs,
souls of heroes, their selves left as carrion for dogs
and all the birds of prey, and the plan of Zeus was fulfilled-
from the first moment those two men parted in fury,
Atreus’s son, king of men, and the godlike Achilles.”
- Translated by Peter Green, 2015
Brutal wrath of Akhilléüs,
Péleüs’s sone, o goddess sing-
Which put unnumbered woes on Akhaioi,
And which hurled to Hades many valiant souls of heroes,
And which made them prey for dogs and all the birds-
And Zeus’s will was being brought to pass-
From when the son of Átreüs, men’s king,
And brilliant Akhilléüs first conceived offense and quarreled.
Who of the gods then brought those two
In strive together fighting?
Ths son of Léto and Zeus.
- Translated by William Guy 2015
Sing of wrath, goddess – the deadly wrath of Peleus' son Achilles,
that brought sufferings by the thousands down on the Achaeans and
hurled so many sturdy souls to the realm of Hades, souls of splendid
warriors, while they themselves were left for dogs and all manner of
carrion birds to feast on, as the will of Zeus went driving toward its
goal; start your song from the moment when the two first stood face
to face in open strife – Agamemnon, lord of men, and godlike Achilles.
- Translated by Joe Sachs 2018
Goddess, sing the rage of Achilles, son of Peleus, which brought countless woes to the Achaeans and sent the souls of many brave heroes to Hades, their bodies made into a feast for dogs and crows all to carry out the unfathomable will of Zeus. Begin from the first time when they first quarreled: the warrior king, son of Atreus, and godlike Achilles.
- Translated by Michael Heumann 2021
===============================
There are so many lesser-known translations that they cannot fit in this review. However, they are worth searching for. Most nowadays are just OCR reprints.
You will find that some translations are easier to read but others are easier to listen to on recordings, lectures, Kindle, and the like. If you do not see information on specific translators, it is still worth the speculation and purchase. Right after the translation readability and understanding, do not overlook the introduction which gives an insight into what you are about to read.
The Stephen Mitchell translation goes through each of the major characters so well that you think you know them before you start reading. Other introductions explain the struggle between different types of power. Rodney Merrill's 28-page introduction focuses on singing.
The Peter Green translation is easy to read. It is a transliteration. However, it is all the scholarly supplemental information that gives worth to his contribution.
The Oxford University Press Barry B. Powell has an extensive introduction with real "MAPS". Also, there is the information of the finder Schliemann. We even get annotations on the meaning being conveyed.
The Caroline Alexander Translation is most excellent for a first translation reading. While other translations rely so much on being scholarly, her translation with plenty of white space makes you feel that you are partaking in listening in awe. The only thing missing is the background music.
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 the 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.
January 12, 2025
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.
For example:
“I Thee beseech, O Goddess milde, the hateful hate to plaine.”
- Translated by Arthur Hall, 1581
“Achilles Peleus Son's destructive Rage. Great Goddess, sing”
- Translated by John Ogilby, 1669
“THE wrath of the son of Peleus, —O goddess of song, unfold! The deadly wrath of Achilles”
- Translated by James Macpherson, 1773
“Sing, goddess, the wrath of Achilles Peleus' son”
- Translated by Ernest Myers, 1883
“Sing, O Goddess, the ruinous wrath of Achilles, Son of Peleus”
- Translated by Ennis Rees, 1963
Unrhymed English Meter
- Translated by F.W. Newman, 1856
“Wrath be thy song, O goddess, the baneful wrath of Achilles,
Peleus’ son, which brought the Achaians numberless sorrows;
Hurling the valiant souls of heroes many to Hades,
Whilst their bodies were left for a prey unto dogs, and winged.
Fowls of the air. Yet thus the will of Zeus was advancing,
E’em from the hour when first, contending fiercely, in anger
Parted Atreides, king of men, and god-like Achilles.”
The Iliad, I-IV into English hexameters. Ninety-three pages
- Translated by Henry Smith Wright, 1885
Martin Hammond
James Inglis Cochrane, 1876
John Arthur Platt, before 1923
Michael Reck 1994 (Michael Pierce Reck)
Alston Hurd Chase and William G. Perry Jr. (prose) (1950)
F.W. Newman 1856 (Unrhymed English Meter)
Ichabod Charles Wright (vol. 1, 1859; vol. 2 was to appear in 1865)
Augustus Taber Murray for the Loeb Classical Library (1924)
There is a revised and updated version by D. Christopher H. Rieu or D.C.H. Rieu – son of E.V. Rieu
“The wrath of Achilles is my theme, the fatal wrath which, in fulfillment of the will of Zeus, brought the Achaeans so much suffering and sent the gallant souls of many noblemen to Hadês, leaving their bodies as carrion for dogs and passing birds. Let us begin, goddesses of song with the angry parting that took place between Agamemnon King of Men and the great Achilles son of Peleus. Which of the gods was it that made them quarrel?”
- Translated by E.V. Rieu, 1950 prose version.
“O Goddess sing what woe the discontent
Of Thetis' Son brought to the Greeks, what Souls
Of Heroes down to Erebus it sent,
Leaving their bodies unto Dogs and Fowls;
Whilst the two Princes of the Army stove,
King Agamemnon and Achilles stout.
That so it should be the will of Jove,
But who has he that made them first fall out?
Apollo, who incensed the wrong.”
- Translated by Thomas Hobbes, 1686
“O Goddess, sing Pelides Achilles’ baneful ire,
Which brought on the Achaians ten thousand sorrows dire,
And many strong souls of heroes sent down to Hades’ sway;
Themselves to all the birds and dogs became a prey,
Since first, in anger parting (it was the will of Jove),
The king of men, Atrides, and divine Achilles strove.”
- Translated by Edgar Alfred Tibbetts Boston 1907
“Sing, Devine Muse, sing the implacable wrath of Achilleus!
Heavy with Death and with woe to the banded sons of Achaia!
Many the souls of the mighty, the souls of redoubtable heroes,
Hurried by it prematurely to Hades. The vultures and wild-dogs
Tore their tombless limbs. Yet thus did the will of the Highest
Work to an end from the day when strive drove asunder,
Atreus’ son, king of men; and the Godlike leader Achileus.”
- Translated by Joseph Henry Dart, 1862 (English Hexameter verse)
“The wrath sing, goddess, of Peleus’ son, Achilles, that destructive wrath which brought countless woes upon the Achaeans, and sent forth to Hades many valiant souls of heroes, and made them themselves spoil for dogs and every bird; thus, the plan of Zeus came to fulfillment, from the time when firs they parted in strife Atreus’ son, King of men, and Brilliant Achilles.”
- Translated by A. T. Murray, 1924
Known for “The Parallel English / Greek - The Iliad”
“Sing, O Goddess, the anger of Achilles, son of Peleus, that brought countless ills upon the Achaeans. Many a hero did it yield a prey to dogs and vultures, for so were the counsels of Zeus fulfilled from the day on which the son of Atreus, king of men, and great Achilles first fell out with one another.”
- Translated by Louise R. Loomis
“Goddess, sing me the anger, of Achilles, Peleus’ son, that fatal anger that brought countless sorrows on the Greeks, and sent many valiant souls of warriors down to Hades, leaving their bodies as spoil for dogs and carrion birds: for thus was the will of Zeus brought to fulfillment. Sing of it from the moment when Agamemnon, Atreus’ son, that king of men, parted in wrath from noble Achilles.”
- Translated by A. S. Kline, 2009
“O goddess! Sing the wrath of Peleus’ son,
Achilles; sing the deadly wrath that brought
Woes numberless upon the Greeks, and swept
To Hades many a valiant soul, and gave
Their limbs a prey to dogs and birds of air, -
For so had Jove appointed, - from the time
When the two chiefs, Atrides, king of men,
And great Achilles, parted first as foes.”
-Translated by William Cullen Bryant, 1870
"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 souls,
great fighters' souls. But made their bodies carrion,
feasts for dogs and birds,
and the will of Zeus was moving towards its end.
Begin, Muse, when the two first broke and clashed,
Agamemnon lord of men and brilliant Achilles."
-Translated by Robert Fagles, 1990 free verse
"Sing, O Goddess, the anger of Achilles, son of Peleus, that brought countless ills upon the Achaeans. Many a brave soul did it send hurrying down to Hades, and many a hero did it yield a prey to dogs and vultures for so were the counsels of Zeus fulfilled from the day on which the son of Atreus, king of men, and great Achilles first fell out with one another."
-Translated by Samuel Butler, 1898
Greek Latin
----- -----
Zeus. Jupiter.
Hera. Juno.
(Pallas) Athene. Minerva.
Aphrodite. Venus.
Poseidon. Neptune.
Ares. Mars.
Hephaestus. Vulcan.
"Rage:
Sing, Goddess, Achilles' rage,
Black and murderous, that cost the Greeks
Incalculable pain pitched countless souls
Of heroes into Hades' dark,
And let their bodies rot as feasts
For dogs and birds, as Zeus' will was done.
Begin with the clash between Agamemnon--
The Greek Warlord--and godlike Achilles."
-Translated by Stanley Lombardo, 1997
"Anger be now your song, immortal one,
Akhilleus' anger, doomed and ruinous,
that caused the Akhaians loss on bitter loss
and crowded brave souls into the undergloom,
leaving so many dead men--carrion
for dogs and birds; and the will of Zeus was done.
Begin it when the two men first contending
broke with one another--
the Lord Marshal Agamémnon, Atreus' son, and Prince Akhilleus."
-Translated by Robert Fitzgerald, 1974
"Sing, goddess, the anger of Peleus' son of Achilleus and its devastation, which puts pains thousandfold upon the Achains,
hurled in the multitudes to the house of Hade's strong souls of heroes, but gave their bodies to be the delicate feasting of dogs, of all birds, and the will of Zeus was accomplished since that time when first there stood the division of conflict Atrecus' son the lord of men and brilliant Achilleus."
-Translated by Richmond Lattimore, 1951
"Sing, goddess, of Peleus' son Achilles' anger, ruinous, that caused the Greeks untold ordeals, consigned to Hades countless valiant souls, heroes, and left their bodies prey for dogs or feast for vultures. Zeus's will was done from when those two first quarreled and split apart, the king, Agamemnon, and matchless Achilles."
-Translated by Herbert Jordan, 2008
"An angry man-there is my story: the bitter rancor of Achillês, prince of the house of Peleus, which brought a thousand troubles upon the Achaian host. Many a strong soul it sent down to Hadês, and left the heroes themselves a prey to the dogs and carrion birds, while the will of God moved on to fulfillment."
-Translated and transliterated by W.H.D. Rouse, 1938
"Achilles' wrath, to Greece the direful spring
Of woes unnumber'd, heavenly goddess, sing!
That wrath which hurl'd to Pluto's gloomy reign
The souls of mighty chiefs untimely slain;
Whose limbs unburied on the naked shore,
Devouring dogs and hungry vultures tore.
Since great Achilles and Atrides strove,
Such was the sovereign doom,
and such the will of Jove!"
-Translated by Alexander Pope, 1715-1720
"Achilles sing, O Goddess! Peleus' son;
His wrath pernicious, who ten thousand woes
Caused to Achaia's host, sent many a soul
Illustrious into Ades premature,
And Heroes gave (so stood the will of Jove)
To dogs and to all ravening fowls a prey,
When fierce dispute had separated once
The noble Chief Achilles from the son
Of Atreus, Agamemnon, King of men."
-Translated by William Cowper, London 1791
"Achilles' baneful wrath - resound, O Goddess - that impos'd
Infinite sorrow on the Greeks, and the brave souls loos'd
From beasts heroic; sent them far, to that invisible cave*
That no light comforts; and their limbs to dogs and vultures gave:
To all which Jove's will give effect; from whom the first strife begun
Betwixt Atrides, king of men, and Thetis' godlike son*"
-Translated by George Chapman, 1616 the first translator of Homer.
"The Rage of Achilles--sing it now, goddess, sing through me
the deadly rage that caused the Achaeans such grief
and hurled down to Hades the souls of so many fighters,
leaving their naked flesh to be eaten by dogs
and carrion birds, as the will of Zeus was accomplished.
Begin at the time when bitter words first divided
that king of men, Agamemnon, and godlike Achilles."
-Translated by Stephen Mitchell, 2011
"Sing now, goddess, the wrath of Achilles the scion of Peleus,
ruinous rage which brought the Achaians uncounted afflictions;
many of the powerful souls it sent to the dwelling of Hades,
those of the heroes, and spoil for the dogs it made it their bodies,
plunder for the birds, and the purpose of Zeus was accomplished__"
-Translated by Rodney Merrill
"Sing, goddess, the anger of Achilles, Peleus' son,
the accused anger which brought the Achaeans countless
agonies and hurled many mighty shades of heroes into Hades,
causing them to become the prey of dogs
and all kinds of birds; and the plan of Zeus was fulfilled."
-Translated by Anthony Verity
"Of Peleus' son, Achilles, sing, O Muse,
The vengeance, deep and deadly; whence to Greece
Unnumbered ills arose; which many a soul
Of mighty warriors to the viewless shades
Ultimately sent; they on the battle plain
Unburied lay, to rav'ning dogs,
And carrion birds; but had Jove decreed,"
-Translated by Edward George Geoffrey Smith-Stanley, 1862
Also known as, Edward Earl of Derby/Lord Stanley
"Sing, goddess, of the anger of Achileus, son of Peleus, the accrued anger which brought uncounted anguish on the Achaians and hurled down to Hades many mighty souls of heroes, making their bodies the prey to dogs and the birds' feasting: and this was the working of Zeus' will"
-Translated by Martin Hammond
"Sing, Goddess of the rage of Achilles, son of Peleus-
that murderous anger which condemned Achaeans
to countless agonies and threw many warrior souls
deep into Hades, leaving their dead bodies
carrion food for dogs and birds-
all in the fulfillment of the will of Zeus"
- Translated by Professor Ian Johnston, British Columbia, 2006
"The rage, sing O goddess, of Achilles, son of Peleus,
The destructive anger that brought ten-thousand pains to the
Achaeans and sent many brave souls of fighting men to the house
of Hades and made their bodies a feast for dogs
and all kinds of birds. For such was the will of Zeus."
- Translated by Barry B. Powell, 2013
“Sing of rage, Goddess, that bane of Akhilleus,
Peleus' son, which caused untold pain for Akhaians,
sent down throngs of powerful spirits to Aides,
war-chiefs rendered the prize of dogs and every
sort of bird.”
- Translated by Edward McCrorie Born: Nov 19, 1936
“Sing O goddess, the destructive wrath of Achilles, son of Peleus, which brought countless woes upon the Greeks and hurled many valiant souls of heroes down to hades, and themselves a prey to dogs and all birds [but the will of Jove was being accomplished], from the time when Atrides, king of men, and noble Achilles, first contending, were disunited.”
- Translated by Theodore Alois Buckley 1873
"Sing, goddess, the wrath of Achilles Peleus' son, the ruinous wrath that brought on the Achaians woes innumerable, and hurled down into Hades many strong souls of heroes, and gave their bodies to be a prey to dogs and all winged fowls; and so the counsel of Zeus wrought out its accomplishment from the day when first strife parted Atreides king of men and noble Achilles."
- Translated by Andrew Lang, M.A., Walter Leaf, Litt.D., And Ernest Myers, M.A.
Books I. - IX. . . . . W. Leaf.
" X. - XVI. . . . . A. Lang.
" XVII. - XXIV. . . . . E. Myers.
- Translated 1883
A translation is by Ennis Samuel Rees, Jr. (March 17, 1925 - March 24, 2009) more in the line of poetry.
A translation is by Thomas Starling Norgate 1864. Dramatic blank verse.
A translation is by Arthur Sanders Way 1882.
A translation is by W.C. Bryant 1870
Wrath–sing, goddess, of the ruinous wrath of Peleus’ son Achilles,
that inflicted woes without number upon the Achaeans,
hurled forth to Hades many strong souls of warriors
and rendered their bodies prey for the dogs,
for all birds, and the will of Zeus was accomplished;
sing from when they too first stood in conflict-
Atreus’ son, lord of men, and godlike Achilles.
- Translated by Caroline Alexander, 2015
“Wrath, goddess, sing of Achilles Pēleus’s son’s
calamitous wrath, which hit the Achaians with countless ills-
many the valiant souls it saw off down to Hādēs,
souls of heroes, their selves left as carrion for dogs
and all the birds of prey, and the plan of Zeus was fulfilled-
from the first moment those two men parted in fury,
Atreus’s son, king of men, and the godlike Achilles.”
- Translated by Peter Green, 2015
Brutal wrath of Akhilléüs,
Péleüs’s sone, o goddess sing-
Which put unnumbered woes on Akhaioi,
And which hurled to Hades many valiant souls of heroes,
And which made them prey for dogs and all the birds-
And Zeus’s will was being brought to pass-
From when the son of Átreüs, men’s king,
And brilliant Akhilléüs first conceived offense and quarreled.
Who of the gods then brought those two
In strive together fighting?
Ths son of Léto and Zeus.
- Translated by William Guy 2015
Sing of wrath, goddess – the deadly wrath of Peleus' son Achilles,
that brought sufferings by the thousands down on the Achaeans and
hurled so many sturdy souls to the realm of Hades, souls of splendid
warriors, while they themselves were left for dogs and all manner of
carrion birds to feast on, as the will of Zeus went driving toward its
goal; start your song from the moment when the two first stood face
to face in open strife – Agamemnon, lord of men, and godlike Achilles.
- Translated by Joe Sachs 2018
Goddess, sing the rage of Achilles, son of Peleus, which brought countless woes to the Achaeans and sent the souls of many brave heroes to Hades, their bodies made into a feast for dogs and crows all to carry out the unfathomable will of Zeus. Begin from the first time when they first quarreled: the warrior king, son of Atreus, and godlike Achilles.
- Translated by Michael Heumann 2021
===============================
There are so many lesser-known translations that they cannot fit in this review. However, they are worth searching for. Most nowadays are just OCR reprints.
You will find that some translations are easier to read but others are easier to listen to on recordings, lectures, Kindle, and the like. If you do not see information on specific translators, it is still worth the speculation and purchase. Right after the translation readability and understanding, do not overlook the introduction which gives an insight into what you are about to read.
The Stephen Mitchell translation goes through each of the major characters so well that you think you know them before you start reading. Other introductions explain the struggle between different types of power. Rodney Merrill's 28-page introduction focuses on singing.
The Peter Green translation is easy to read. It is a transliteration. However, it is all the scholarly supplemental information that gives worth to his contribution.
The Oxford University Press Barry B. Powell has an extensive introduction with real "MAPS". Also, there is the information of the finder Schliemann. We even get annotations on the meaning being conveyed.
The Caroline Alexander Translation is most excellent for a first translation reading. While other translations rely so much on being scholarly, her translation with plenty of white space makes you feel that you are partaking in listening in awe. The only thing missing is the background music.
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 the 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.
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.
For example:
“I Thee beseech, O Goddess milde, the hateful hate to plaine.”
- Translated by Arthur Hall, 1581
“Achilles Peleus Son's destructive Rage. Great Goddess, sing”
- Translated by John Ogilby, 1669
“THE wrath of the son of Peleus, —O goddess of song, unfold! The deadly wrath of Achilles”
- Translated by James Macpherson, 1773
“Sing, goddess, the wrath of Achilles Peleus' son”
- Translated by Ernest Myers, 1883
“Sing, O Goddess, the ruinous wrath of Achilles, Son of Peleus”
- Translated by Ennis Rees, 1963
Unrhymed English Meter
- Translated by F.W. Newman, 1856
“Wrath be thy song, O goddess, the baneful wrath of Achilles,
Peleus’ son, which brought the Achaians numberless sorrows;
Hurling the valiant souls of heroes many to Hades,
Whilst their bodies were left for a prey unto dogs, and winged.
Fowls of the air. Yet thus the will of Zeus was advancing,
E’em from the hour when first, contending fiercely, in anger
Parted Atreides, king of men, and god-like Achilles.”
The Iliad, I-IV into English hexameters. Ninety-three pages
- Translated by Henry Smith Wright, 1885
Martin Hammond
James Inglis Cochrane, 1876
John Arthur Platt, before 1923
Michael Reck 1994 (Michael Pierce Reck)
Alston Hurd Chase and William G. Perry Jr. (prose) (1950)
F.W. Newman 1856 (Unrhymed English Meter)
Ichabod Charles Wright (vol. 1, 1859; vol. 2 was to appear in 1865)
Augustus Taber Murray for the Loeb Classical Library (1924)
There is a revised and updated version by D. Christopher H. Rieu or D.C.H. Rieu – son of E.V. Rieu
“The wrath of Achilles is my theme, the fatal wrath which, in fulfillment of the will of Zeus, brought the Achaeans so much suffering and sent the gallant souls of many noblemen to Hadês, leaving their bodies as carrion for dogs and passing birds. Let us begin, goddesses of song with the angry parting that took place between Agamemnon King of Men and the great Achilles son of Peleus. Which of the gods was it that made them quarrel?”
- Translated by E.V. Rieu, 1950 prose version.
“O Goddess sing what woe the discontent
Of Thetis' Son brought to the Greeks, what Souls
Of Heroes down to Erebus it sent,
Leaving their bodies unto Dogs and Fowls;
Whilst the two Princes of the Army stove,
King Agamemnon and Achilles stout.
That so it should be the will of Jove,
But who has he that made them first fall out?
Apollo, who incensed the wrong.”
- Translated by Thomas Hobbes, 1686
“O Goddess, sing Pelides Achilles’ baneful ire,
Which brought on the Achaians ten thousand sorrows dire,
And many strong souls of heroes sent down to Hades’ sway;
Themselves to all the birds and dogs became a prey,
Since first, in anger parting (it was the will of Jove),
The king of men, Atrides, and divine Achilles strove.”
- Translated by Edgar Alfred Tibbetts Boston 1907
“Sing, Devine Muse, sing the implacable wrath of Achilleus!
Heavy with Death and with woe to the banded sons of Achaia!
Many the souls of the mighty, the souls of redoubtable heroes,
Hurried by it prematurely to Hades. The vultures and wild-dogs
Tore their tombless limbs. Yet thus did the will of the Highest
Work to an end from the day when strive drove asunder,
Atreus’ son, king of men; and the Godlike leader Achileus.”
- Translated by Joseph Henry Dart, 1862 (English Hexameter verse)
“The wrath sing, goddess, of Peleus’ son, Achilles, that destructive wrath which brought countless woes upon the Achaeans, and sent forth to Hades many valiant souls of heroes, and made them themselves spoil for dogs and every bird; thus, the plan of Zeus came to fulfillment, from the time when firs they parted in strife Atreus’ son, King of men, and Brilliant Achilles.”
- Translated by A. T. Murray, 1924
Known for “The Parallel English / Greek - The Iliad”
“Sing, O Goddess, the anger of Achilles, son of Peleus, that brought countless ills upon the Achaeans. Many a hero did it yield a prey to dogs and vultures, for so were the counsels of Zeus fulfilled from the day on which the son of Atreus, king of men, and great Achilles first fell out with one another.”
- Translated by Louise R. Loomis
“Goddess, sing me the anger, of Achilles, Peleus’ son, that fatal anger that brought countless sorrows on the Greeks, and sent many valiant souls of warriors down to Hades, leaving their bodies as spoil for dogs and carrion birds: for thus was the will of Zeus brought to fulfillment. Sing of it from the moment when Agamemnon, Atreus’ son, that king of men, parted in wrath from noble Achilles.”
- Translated by A. S. Kline, 2009
“O goddess! Sing the wrath of Peleus’ son,
Achilles; sing the deadly wrath that brought
Woes numberless upon the Greeks, and swept
To Hades many a valiant soul, and gave
Their limbs a prey to dogs and birds of air, -
For so had Jove appointed, - from the time
When the two chiefs, Atrides, king of men,
And great Achilles, parted first as foes.”
-Translated by William Cullen Bryant, 1870
"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 souls,
great fighters' souls. But made their bodies carrion,
feasts for dogs and birds,
and the will of Zeus was moving towards its end.
Begin, Muse, when the two first broke and clashed,
Agamemnon lord of men and brilliant Achilles."
-Translated by Robert Fagles, 1990 free verse
"Sing, O Goddess, the anger of Achilles, son of Peleus, that brought countless ills upon the Achaeans. Many a brave soul did it send hurrying down to Hades, and many a hero did it yield a prey to dogs and vultures for so were the counsels of Zeus fulfilled from the day on which the son of Atreus, king of men, and great Achilles first fell out with one another."
-Translated by Samuel Butler, 1898
Greek Latin
----- -----
Zeus. Jupiter.
Hera. Juno.
(Pallas) Athene. Minerva.
Aphrodite. Venus.
Poseidon. Neptune.
Ares. Mars.
Hephaestus. Vulcan.
"Rage:
Sing, Goddess, Achilles' rage,
Black and murderous, that cost the Greeks
Incalculable pain pitched countless souls
Of heroes into Hades' dark,
And let their bodies rot as feasts
For dogs and birds, as Zeus' will was done.
Begin with the clash between Agamemnon--
The Greek Warlord--and godlike Achilles."
-Translated by Stanley Lombardo, 1997
"Anger be now your song, immortal one,
Akhilleus' anger, doomed and ruinous,
that caused the Akhaians loss on bitter loss
and crowded brave souls into the undergloom,
leaving so many dead men--carrion
for dogs and birds; and the will of Zeus was done.
Begin it when the two men first contending
broke with one another--
the Lord Marshal Agamémnon, Atreus' son, and Prince Akhilleus."
-Translated by Robert Fitzgerald, 1974
"Sing, goddess, the anger of Peleus' son of Achilleus and its devastation, which puts pains thousandfold upon the Achains,
hurled in the multitudes to the house of Hade's strong souls of heroes, but gave their bodies to be the delicate feasting of dogs, of all birds, and the will of Zeus was accomplished since that time when first there stood the division of conflict Atrecus' son the lord of men and brilliant Achilleus."
-Translated by Richmond Lattimore, 1951
"Sing, goddess, of Peleus' son Achilles' anger, ruinous, that caused the Greeks untold ordeals, consigned to Hades countless valiant souls, heroes, and left their bodies prey for dogs or feast for vultures. Zeus's will was done from when those two first quarreled and split apart, the king, Agamemnon, and matchless Achilles."
-Translated by Herbert Jordan, 2008
"An angry man-there is my story: the bitter rancor of Achillês, prince of the house of Peleus, which brought a thousand troubles upon the Achaian host. Many a strong soul it sent down to Hadês, and left the heroes themselves a prey to the dogs and carrion birds, while the will of God moved on to fulfillment."
-Translated and transliterated by W.H.D. Rouse, 1938
"Achilles' wrath, to Greece the direful spring
Of woes unnumber'd, heavenly goddess, sing!
That wrath which hurl'd to Pluto's gloomy reign
The souls of mighty chiefs untimely slain;
Whose limbs unburied on the naked shore,
Devouring dogs and hungry vultures tore.
Since great Achilles and Atrides strove,
Such was the sovereign doom,
and such the will of Jove!"
-Translated by Alexander Pope, 1715-1720
"Achilles sing, O Goddess! Peleus' son;
His wrath pernicious, who ten thousand woes
Caused to Achaia's host, sent many a soul
Illustrious into Ades premature,
And Heroes gave (so stood the will of Jove)
To dogs and to all ravening fowls a prey,
When fierce dispute had separated once
The noble Chief Achilles from the son
Of Atreus, Agamemnon, King of men."
-Translated by William Cowper, London 1791
"Achilles' baneful wrath - resound, O Goddess - that impos'd
Infinite sorrow on the Greeks, and the brave souls loos'd
From beasts heroic; sent them far, to that invisible cave*
That no light comforts; and their limbs to dogs and vultures gave:
To all which Jove's will give effect; from whom the first strife begun
Betwixt Atrides, king of men, and Thetis' godlike son*"
-Translated by George Chapman, 1616 the first translator of Homer.
"The Rage of Achilles--sing it now, goddess, sing through me
the deadly rage that caused the Achaeans such grief
and hurled down to Hades the souls of so many fighters,
leaving their naked flesh to be eaten by dogs
and carrion birds, as the will of Zeus was accomplished.
Begin at the time when bitter words first divided
that king of men, Agamemnon, and godlike Achilles."
-Translated by Stephen Mitchell, 2011
"Sing now, goddess, the wrath of Achilles the scion of Peleus,
ruinous rage which brought the Achaians uncounted afflictions;
many of the powerful souls it sent to the dwelling of Hades,
those of the heroes, and spoil for the dogs it made it their bodies,
plunder for the birds, and the purpose of Zeus was accomplished__"
-Translated by Rodney Merrill
"Sing, goddess, the anger of Achilles, Peleus' son,
the accused anger which brought the Achaeans countless
agonies and hurled many mighty shades of heroes into Hades,
causing them to become the prey of dogs
and all kinds of birds; and the plan of Zeus was fulfilled."
-Translated by Anthony Verity
"Of Peleus' son, Achilles, sing, O Muse,
The vengeance, deep and deadly; whence to Greece
Unnumbered ills arose; which many a soul
Of mighty warriors to the viewless shades
Ultimately sent; they on the battle plain
Unburied lay, to rav'ning dogs,
And carrion birds; but had Jove decreed,"
-Translated by Edward George Geoffrey Smith-Stanley, 1862
Also known as, Edward Earl of Derby/Lord Stanley
"Sing, goddess, of the anger of Achileus, son of Peleus, the accrued anger which brought uncounted anguish on the Achaians and hurled down to Hades many mighty souls of heroes, making their bodies the prey to dogs and the birds' feasting: and this was the working of Zeus' will"
-Translated by Martin Hammond
"Sing, Goddess of the rage of Achilles, son of Peleus-
that murderous anger which condemned Achaeans
to countless agonies and threw many warrior souls
deep into Hades, leaving their dead bodies
carrion food for dogs and birds-
all in the fulfillment of the will of Zeus"
- Translated by Professor Ian Johnston, British Columbia, 2006
"The rage, sing O goddess, of Achilles, son of Peleus,
The destructive anger that brought ten-thousand pains to the
Achaeans and sent many brave souls of fighting men to the house
of Hades and made their bodies a feast for dogs
and all kinds of birds. For such was the will of Zeus."
- Translated by Barry B. Powell, 2013
“Sing of rage, Goddess, that bane of Akhilleus,
Peleus' son, which caused untold pain for Akhaians,
sent down throngs of powerful spirits to Aides,
war-chiefs rendered the prize of dogs and every
sort of bird.”
- Translated by Edward McCrorie Born: Nov 19, 1936
“Sing O goddess, the destructive wrath of Achilles, son of Peleus, which brought countless woes upon the Greeks and hurled many valiant souls of heroes down to hades, and themselves a prey to dogs and all birds [but the will of Jove was being accomplished], from the time when Atrides, king of men, and noble Achilles, first contending, were disunited.”
- Translated by Theodore Alois Buckley 1873
"Sing, goddess, the wrath of Achilles Peleus' son, the ruinous wrath that brought on the Achaians woes innumerable, and hurled down into Hades many strong souls of heroes, and gave their bodies to be a prey to dogs and all winged fowls; and so the counsel of Zeus wrought out its accomplishment from the day when first strife parted Atreides king of men and noble Achilles."
- Translated by Andrew Lang, M.A., Walter Leaf, Litt.D., And Ernest Myers, M.A.
Books I. - IX. . . . . W. Leaf.
" X. - XVI. . . . . A. Lang.
" XVII. - XXIV. . . . . E. Myers.
- Translated 1883
A translation is by Ennis Samuel Rees, Jr. (March 17, 1925 - March 24, 2009) more in the line of poetry.
A translation is by Thomas Starling Norgate 1864. Dramatic blank verse.
A translation is by Arthur Sanders Way 1882.
A translation is by W.C. Bryant 1870
Wrath–sing, goddess, of the ruinous wrath of Peleus’ son Achilles,
that inflicted woes without number upon the Achaeans,
hurled forth to Hades many strong souls of warriors
and rendered their bodies prey for the dogs,
for all birds, and the will of Zeus was accomplished;
sing from when they too first stood in conflict-
Atreus’ son, lord of men, and godlike Achilles.
- Translated by Caroline Alexander, 2015
“Wrath, goddess, sing of Achilles Pēleus’s son’s
calamitous wrath, which hit the Achaians with countless ills-
many the valiant souls it saw off down to Hādēs,
souls of heroes, their selves left as carrion for dogs
and all the birds of prey, and the plan of Zeus was fulfilled-
from the first moment those two men parted in fury,
Atreus’s son, king of men, and the godlike Achilles.”
- Translated by Peter Green, 2015
Brutal wrath of Akhilléüs,
Péleüs’s sone, o goddess sing-
Which put unnumbered woes on Akhaioi,
And which hurled to Hades many valiant souls of heroes,
And which made them prey for dogs and all the birds-
And Zeus’s will was being brought to pass-
From when the son of Átreüs, men’s king,
And brilliant Akhilléüs first conceived offense and quarreled.
Who of the gods then brought those two
In strive together fighting?
Ths son of Léto and Zeus.
- Translated by William Guy 2015
Sing of wrath, goddess – the deadly wrath of Peleus' son Achilles,
that brought sufferings by the thousands down on the Achaeans and
hurled so many sturdy souls to the realm of Hades, souls of splendid
warriors, while they themselves were left for dogs and all manner of
carrion birds to feast on, as the will of Zeus went driving toward its
goal; start your song from the moment when the two first stood face
to face in open strife – Agamemnon, lord of men, and godlike Achilles.
- Translated by Joe Sachs 2018
Goddess, sing the rage of Achilles, son of Peleus, which brought countless woes to the Achaeans and sent the souls of many brave heroes to Hades, their bodies made into a feast for dogs and crows all to carry out the unfathomable will of Zeus. Begin from the first time when they first quarreled: the warrior king, son of Atreus, and godlike Achilles.
- Translated by Michael Heumann 2021
===============================
There are so many lesser-known translations that they cannot fit in this review. However, they are worth searching for. Most nowadays are just OCR reprints.
You will find that some translations are easier to read but others are easier to listen to on recordings, lectures, Kindle, and the like. If you do not see information on specific translators, it is still worth the speculation and purchase. Right after the translation readability and understanding, do not overlook the introduction which gives an insight into what you are about to read.
The Stephen Mitchell translation goes through each of the major characters so well that you think you know them before you start reading. Other introductions explain the struggle between different types of power. Rodney Merrill's 28-page introduction focuses on singing.
The Peter Green translation is easy to read. It is a transliteration. However, it is all the scholarly supplemental information that gives worth to his contribution.
The Oxford University Press Barry B. Powell has an extensive introduction with real "MAPS". Also, there is the information of the finder Schliemann. We even get annotations on the meaning being conveyed.
The Caroline Alexander Translation is most excellent for a first translation reading. While other translations rely so much on being scholarly, her translation with plenty of white space makes you feel that you are partaking in listening in awe. The only thing missing is the background music.
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 the 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.
August 3, 2025
Two and a half stars. The main character was really annoying and lots of parts were super boring. They spoiled a lot of good, entertaining scenes by going on and on about the lineage of every character as soon as they where introduced which really weighed down and spread out important scenes making it harder to be invested. Also if you are reading for the first time don’t read the translators introduction before the story. I did that my first time and got major spoilers which really pmo. Like why did you put it at the beginning of the book if you were gonna spoil the whole ending in it? I also read any other translation that ALSO spoiled the ending in the translator’s preamble though I didn’t care as much the second time because I already knew. I don’t know if the ending was supposed to be common knowledge or something but I didn’t know it and was excited to go in blind and thought the translator preamble was just going to talk about the syllable count they chose or something. So if your like me and want to going in blind, be safe and save the preamble for the end.
December 23, 2025
Narration was epic with Derek Jacobi and Maria Tucci. Felt like I was at an exceptional stage play. The information is so dense and the characters so many that I should probably listen to it a few more times to get the story right and the characters’ (mortals and Gods) machinations straight in my head. I think I need a family tree just to keep straight who screwed who (especially the God/God and God/mortal couplings), literally and figuratively, and who begat who. Those Greek Gods were some randy bastards!
Something important I should mention. This was translated to English in the 1990s and written into modern prose so it is easier to digest than earlier versions/translations. The Greek Gods names are used so there is no confusion like in earlier translations where Roman Gods names were used “to make it easier because Latin is more familiar to English speakers”. What a rubbish explanation for using Roman Gods names in Homer’s Iliad! So have no fear, this is a modern translation that should be digestible for all.
Something important I should mention. This was translated to English in the 1990s and written into modern prose so it is easier to digest than earlier versions/translations. The Greek Gods names are used so there is no confusion like in earlier translations where Roman Gods names were used “to make it easier because Latin is more familiar to English speakers”. What a rubbish explanation for using Roman Gods names in Homer’s Iliad! So have no fear, this is a modern translation that should be digestible for all.
December 19, 2025
I love this book. Being one of the first ever written, The Illiad throws absolutely any and all knowledge of what "good writing" looks like out the window-- it had nothing before it to go off of. And even if it had, I'm not convinced it would care. This book puts no stock into what you think about it, it's GOING to give you a full list of every single person who was at the battle, and who their father was and one major accomplishment for each person. Yes, this WILL take well over three size 11 font pages. Deal with it, dear reader.
And that is actually where the Illiad is so interesting- Not for its story, which certainly has its occasional shining moments but often is lukewarm and slow-moving, but because of the way it is written. Reading through it to see how literature from so long ago vastly differentiates from any contemporary novels was in itself its own reward that made this quite long book worthwhile.
And that is actually where the Illiad is so interesting- Not for its story, which certainly has its occasional shining moments but often is lukewarm and slow-moving, but because of the way it is written. Reading through it to see how literature from so long ago vastly differentiates from any contemporary novels was in itself its own reward that made this quite long book worthwhile.
June 12, 2024
I personally read Samuel Butlers translation (greek Latin) and surprisingly, a rather nice book (poem). As a huge greek mythology nerd, this certainly quenched my thirst (even when I had no clue what was happening for the first half of it and it took me months to get through). Started annotating it because it genuinely made me laugh if you don't take it too seriously.
Something else of note is that because the translation, many of the gods (among other things) have changed names, so that definitely contributed to the confusion. Athena is (Pallas) Minerva, Zeus is Jove, Hera is Juno... There are also just a bunch of names overall (googling it shows there's over a thousand mentioned soo).
I recommend it I suppose? It is definitely a journey so good luck.
Oh and Achilles definitely loves Patroclus (ahem dearest comrade AHEM).
Something else of note is that because the translation, many of the gods (among other things) have changed names, so that definitely contributed to the confusion. Athena is (Pallas) Minerva, Zeus is Jove, Hera is Juno... There are also just a bunch of names overall (googling it shows there's over a thousand mentioned soo).
I recommend it I suppose? It is definitely a journey so good luck.
Oh and Achilles definitely loves Patroclus (ahem dearest comrade AHEM).
February 2, 2025
More like 3.5/5 stars.
Pretty good book, but hard to read at some points whenever Homer just starts glazing the shit out of people for 60 lines or listing names that no one is going to remember. I get that all of the 1000 people who got name dropped were probably significant back in the day but I bet it would’ve been a bit annoying even back in the day. It’s like at the end of Oppenheimer when the staffer name drops JFK just to name drop JFK and everyone in the audience rolled their eyes. Similar to Marvel movies lazily referencing characters from other marvel movies.
Achilles is a total dick though. This guy totally fucked over the Greeks and only relented because his little boytoy twink got rekt le epic style.
This story would function well as a critique of the ideas of honor in war and heroes, but I didn’t really get that tone from it.
Pretty good book, but hard to read at some points whenever Homer just starts glazing the shit out of people for 60 lines or listing names that no one is going to remember. I get that all of the 1000 people who got name dropped were probably significant back in the day but I bet it would’ve been a bit annoying even back in the day. It’s like at the end of Oppenheimer when the staffer name drops JFK just to name drop JFK and everyone in the audience rolled their eyes. Similar to Marvel movies lazily referencing characters from other marvel movies.
Achilles is a total dick though. This guy totally fucked over the Greeks and only relented because his little boytoy twink got rekt le epic style.
This story would function well as a critique of the ideas of honor in war and heroes, but I didn’t really get that tone from it.
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