The Iliad (Globe S.) (Narrativa74) (BCP Paperback S.)

by Homer

Peter Jones (Editor), E.V. Rieu (Translator), and D.C.H. Rieu

E.V. Rieu’s beloved translation of the great war epic of Western literature, revised and updated by D. C. H. Rieu

One of the foremost achievements in Western literature, Homer's Iliad tells the story of the darkest episode of the Trojan War. At its center is Achilles, the greatest warrior-champion of the Greeks, and his conflict with his leader Agamemnon. Interwoven in the tragic sequence of events are powerfully moving descriptions of the ebb and flow of battle, the besieged city of Ilium, the feud between the gods, and the fate of mortals.

For this Penguin Classics edition, classicist D. C. H. Rieu has revised the work of his father, E. V. Rieu, celebrated translator and founding editor of the Penguin Classics imprint. The book also includes an introduction and notes by Peter V. Jones.

For more than seventy years, Penguin has been the leading publisher of classic literature in the English-speaking world. With more than 1,700 titles, Penguin Classics represents a global bookshelf of the best works throughout history and across genres and disciplines. Readers trust the series to provide authoritative texts enhanced by introductions and notes by distinguished scholars and contemporary authors, as well as up-to-date translations by award-winning translators.

• ISBN10: 0140447946
• ISBN13: 9780140447941
• Publish Date: 29 April 2003 (first published December 1906)
• Publish Status: Active
• Publish Country: US
• Publisher: Penguin Books Ltd
• Imprint: Penguin Classics
• Format: Paperback (US Trade)
• Pages: 560
• Language: English
• URL: https://penguinrandomhouse.com/books/isbn/9780140447941

Reviews

[viking2917]

What a great translation this is....

[jamiereadthis]

Well, I learned that, of course, Homer is all in the translation. I have a beautiful little copy of this and The Odyssey I bought for a quarter at a yard sale, and I was determined those were the copies I would read in all their beauty. (Circa 1950; the edition or translator isn’t even listed on Goodreads.) But, halfway through, I had to surrender mid-battle (of the unending battles) and defect to Robert Fagles.

It’s lyrical. It’s epic. I’m sure it comes even more alive with a better grasp of the context, but it was enough for now just to visit what I remembered from high school. (Well, high school age. I was homeschooled, so I can thank myself for not grueling through it back then and risking hating it forever. I still feel like I’m going to miss half these answers on Jeopardy, though.)

[Amber (The Literary Phoenix)]

Okay listen.

I know the story at the heart of this is a fascinating story. It’s a crossover tale with so many iconic moments and immortal characters. At its heart, I’m not dismissing the *story* behind The Iliad. I read this three time’s for school - once in high school and twice for college classes - and frankly, I guess I’ve had enough? I was excited when this popped out of my TBR Jar because it’s a classic and so different from what I’ve been reading. But it is SO TEDIOUS and SO SEXIST.

I’m impressed by the people who managed to carry such a story down through centuries in the oral tradition - the memorisation, especially of the banal details like who-was-in-which-ship, is impressive. But as a recreational read, I’m just not into it. The only time I can see myself revisiting this one again is if I wanted to write a retelling. And I think a Trojan War retelling would be AWESOME. But otherwise, I’m all set.

It’s not the story, it’s the writing.