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A poetic translation nearly novelistic in its ability to speed the reader along in this drama of war and personalities. Its an Iliad not only as a page turner; it is an eye opener.
Hector and Achilles, despite their near-unbelievable prowess on the battlefield, are so very human. I was expecting gory battles and elaborate similes, and this delivered on both counts. Yet there are also some fascinating characters here. Hector's final goodbye to his family at the end of Book VI and the confrontation between Priam (Hector's father) and Achilles at the end are the two best scenes in the whole poem, IMHO, because they show the human vulnerability that still exists in both characters. A must-read classic from the Ancient World.
There was also the theme of Akhilleus' battle between acting like an immortal when he was only a demi-god vs. Though I have read and I teach The Odyssey, it was good to read The Iliad in order to get more background about the Trojan War. Menelaos' humanity. This book is definitely not for the faint-of-heart and Homer's war details are very graphic and grotesque. However, the theme of honor is timeless and I really got caught up in Akhilleus' anger and revenge. Also, good lessons in "hubris." This is indeed a classic, and a "must-read" for all (even though I am hoping I only have to endure it once).
Scholars and commentators tend to describe this marvelous and fantastical epic as loose, primitive and unrefined. No, the ancient Greeks and Trojans depicted here are not savages in search of bloodlust and treasure; they are us, albeit stripped of façade and breeding, and as poetry, Homer suggests a Shakespearean understanding of character, fate, challenge and predicament. I think that's what made Robert Fagles's raw, inspired and effective translation so satisfying for me, because the text shattered many of the myths--our myths--about who these ancients were, what they wanted and how they placed themselves in the greater cosmos.
All of these comments have merit, but as a exploration of the human condition, it's hard to beat this poem. I didn't miss Homer's rhyme and meter in this translation because the story itself is so artful; in fact, an attempt to rhyme this fluid story would pose the serious risk of detracting from its immediacy and impact. Their reasons range from a sense of Homer lacking purpose, to a worldview where gods and humans are more or less the same, to the nonjudgmental way in which Homer depicts violence, and to the more colloquial, "huddled around the bonfire" style of Homer's art.
In the heat of battle, a bird sign might be as much scoffed at and ignored as obeyed; the motives of its interpreter might be questioned; men fighting for honor and kingdom might sooner flee than face a superior opponent unless a comrade rallies his spirit; and everything in this sordid epic is viewed as if under a microscope of pathos, skepticism and shared experience. Everything's here: chest-pounding conquest, trembling cowardice, the angst of contrition, the sting of revenge, the importance of human relations, and all of Greek civilization on a rampage in search of beloved Helen, gold and pride. It's a masterpiece of raw and unapologetic scope, yet the detailing is subtle and the message sublime: when Athena whispers in a character's ear, we sense she's a psychological projection and, we fear, nothing more.
Later Greeks presented The Iliad as a national epic that valued honor, courage and glory above all things, but in Homer's language I find something far more textured and real. My TitlesShadow FieldsSnooker GlenDasha
They are people of an earlier tradition. Nevertheless, Hector, perhaps unintentially, is the most sympathetic person in the story. It is a story presaging Greek victory told by Greeks and must be viewed in that light. It tells us of the accuracy of the oral tradition. Perhaps the thing I most love about this tale is that, despite the fact that it describes events 3,200 years ago, it instructs us that human nature has not changed 5 minutes in all that time.
We are the same--no change--and, like the Achaena Greeks and the Trojans, we too will go down to utter oblivion.It is truly amazing that Homer, and all the poets who necessarily preceeded him, describe a Bronze Age world hundreds of years in their past. Paris actually kills and/or disables more Greek heroes than does Hector. I'll give it another shot.This translation is a must read for all those who love Homer's classic tale and for all its magnificent horror is wonderfully readable. Their weapons are bronze and iron is a semi-precious metal.
Greek heroes are, perhaps, more heroic than Trojan heroes. A careful reading of the story, however, shows something rather different. Homer's Greeks and Trojans are not people of Homer's times. This level of reliability should cause us to suspect that Homer was reliable in other areas. Modern archaeology has found tablets in the Hittite capital that mention Wilosa [Ilium, Troy] and Alexandros [Alexander, Paris].
I've tried one review of this superb translation but it zapped off into the ether. Even though Achilles is out of the fighting during much of the story, Ajax the Greater usually manages to fend off even the greatest Trojan, Hector. Here, I suspect, we see the effects of pro-Greek editing. We weep for his family as this bulwark of the Trojan resistance dies under the brutal spear of Achilles.At the same time, Paris, abductor of Helen, is treated as a coward. The city was indeed wealthy, large and well-fortified. Is it possible that Alexander/Paris was the most important Trojan and was even a high prince or even king. We are still just as proud, jealous, resentful, vengeful, courageous and cowardly as any of Homer's characters.
Might this account for his refusal to give up Helen despite his countrymen's anger. Troy, as we now know, did exist and present archaeological findings indicate that Homer's account was very close to accurate. The chariot trap ditch has even been found.The characters may have been real characters although their significance may have been somewhat different. In action following the Iliad he even kills the near-immortal demigod, Achilles. As king he may have simply been calling the shots.Ron Braithwaite author of novels--"Skull Rack" and "Hummingbird God"--on the Spanish Conquest of Mexico
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