The Iliad (Penguin Classics)

Great Quality. Great Book

What can one say about Robert Fagles scholarly translation of one of the world’s most famous poems? The story of Achilles heated dispute with Agamemnon together with its tragic consequences all set against the background of the Trojan War is a story known, at least in outline, to most of us. The particular arrangement of words in in early Greek epic poetry, the dactylic hexameter, determined by the kind and number of metrical units in a line cannot however be retained in translation, even though it is necessary to obtain a complete understanding of Homer’s work. Fagles has attempted to retain some flavour of it, while still giving an accurate translation of the text. Those of us unprepared to learn the language in which this poem was written, should read, I think, several eminent translations, among which Fagles’ would feature, in order to get the best impression of the original work.

Robert Fagles is by far the best translator. He makes this such a readable edition In my opinion he is by far the best translator of the Iliad. Highly recommended

Liked the book but would not buy one again from this author

The wrong voice for an audio book can be a killer. Years ago I had the Penguin recording on tape, which eventually got chewed up and I've been looking to replace it even since. In the meantime I bought a dreadful American recording that made me cringe and only lasted for 5 mins listening!! Now I'm the proud owner of the Jacobi recording and loving every minute of it. Fully recommended even at a higher price.

This great translation made the Iliad very readable and enjoyable, despite the gory battle details. I would recommend this version of the Iliad; the description of the funeral games in Book 23 is particularly entertaining.

As good as it gets. If you want to read Homer, this is definitely the version to go for. What an achievement by mr. Fagles! Pick up his translation of the Oddyssey as well.

Read this as a penguin paperback, the original epic tale of love, war and revenge. Everyone in the western world knows of this but relatively few have actually bothered to read it. I recommend you do.

The book was delivered 11 days after the order. The book was received in good condition.The book is worth reading.

Tanto el paquete como el libro está dañado. La primera página del libro está rota y la portada está rota. No podemos devolver el libro ya que tiene que hacer la lectura para la universidad.

just a beautiful book, beautifully written

The Iliad is certainly a piece of literature that has stood the test of time - and with good reason. War has constantly been a feature of human society and the Iliad tells of all its horrors like few other pieces of literature. But the epic is more than just a war story - it's a story of human limits and mankind's (especially in the West) constant struggle to deal with the realities they create. I suppose one could respond that this epic is more involved with human potential but it is very hard to read either the character of Hector or Achilles as anything but a tragic character - as someone who paid dearly for his role as "hero" of Troy or Greece. This is not a great piece of literature because it projects heroic ideals that should inspire us, though this aspect of the epic has played its own important role, rather, it is a great piece of literature because just as the epic appears to throw those ideals up for lauding, it problematizes them - it illustrates their tragic consequences. The heroic individual who can single-handedly make a difference and the ethic of competition the epic oozes have played important roles in shaping Western history, but the Iliad is great because it draws out the ugly consequences these ideals can produce and the price one pays for holding them too close. Fagles' translation - for all I can tell - is an excellent one. I know no Greek (Sanskrit was my "classical" language) but the power of Fagles' rendering is palpable throughout (especially in the masterful first book). I have read many other translations since the review was originally posted, including Pope, Lattimore, Fitzgerald, Lombardo, Rees and Rieu. After reading them all, Fagles' style still holds up, but I also very much enjoyed Lombardo's more modern colloquial style. Rees was a bit of a pleasant surprise to me as well and I would certainly recommend it. As for Lattimore, it is a helpful tool if you're trying to translate the Greek on your own (which I am) as it is hyper accurate in style, but a price is paid in such an approach as I find his translation too awkward to read for pleasure (again, this is just my subjective opinion). Pope's version is clearly the most accomplished in terms of poetry, but is not always easy to follow given the demands of rhyming verse. As for Fitzgerald, it's clear he has a sense for the poetry of the epic and there is much power in his translation - I liked it very much. That said - if I had to choose all over again, I would probably choose either Fagles or Lombardo. In terms of materials to add to one's understanding of this great and complex epic - try Simone Weil's essay, "The Iliad, or the Poem of Force", Shay's book, "Achilles in Vietnam" and, more basic, Griffin's, "Homer".

For a reader coming to Homer for the first time the introduction is not only insightful but an essential guide. It reveals the innermost beauty of this magnificent work. Highly recommended.