It's a kind of modernist retelling of the Iliad -- Logue didn't know Greek, but he worked with classicists who gave him literal translations and discussed the text with him. Richmond Lattimore asked in the foreword to his own great translation of the Iliad first published in 1951. Share to Facebook. I've only read the Fagles and Fitzgerald translations, but the Fitzgerald one made it seem so much better. Share via email. For prose, I’d avoid EV Rieu it’s fairly early and not as natural as some of the others. . The imagery of the Iliad … All depends on one's mood. I wholeheartedly agree that the Fagles translation is the best one out there. Share to Twitter. Such seems to be the style, in which testimony upon testimony, statement The Iliad forces us to reflect on these questions. The original version was praised for its “great rhetorical power,” as it left room for Homer’s figures of speech as well as new ones, while offering explanations in parenthesis throughout the work. From the explosive confrontation between Achilles, the greatest … If you really want to go crazy, Christopher Logue’s rereading (rather than a translation) is incredibly beautiful, but perhaps a work for later on. Below you will find a synopsis of some of the main events to which the Iliad refers. I’m just interested in reading through the story again and want to find the best book to do so from. THE ODYSSEY By Homer Translated by Emily Wilson 582 pp. The Fitzgerald translation is my favorite version of The Iliad, and one of the reasons is his use of the Greek name forms. A little over a year ago I read the Fagles translation and am feeling pulled back to reading it again, and like many people I don't really have the time to learn and read in ancient Greek, but I would like to read another quality translation Spent a huge chunk of my freshman year with the Illiad. If you've already read Fagles, I'd go for Lattimore. Personally I found the Fagles to be much more lyrical and accessible. If you really like Elizabethan poetry, Chapman's translations are still quite readable. Lattimore does my favorite translation of it. I loved Fagles translation. How to Choose the Best Translatio n of the Ilia d Revealing the Quality and Fidelity Compared to Homer’s Greek. My current favourite is Mitchell. His Odyssey isn't as good as Fitzgerald's, and his Iliad isn't as good as Lattimore's, but if you were going to read two by the same translator, they're probably the best pair you'll find. I … Homer. Need an idea what to read next? And for the same reason you stated. ... help Reddit App Reddit coins Reddit premium Reddit gifts. I HAVE to give Caroline Alexander's translation 5 stars. To paraphrase Hamlet, we can’t easily pluck out the heart of its mystery. My school required the Lattimore translation which I found to be rather clinical, or say... precise. A Faithful Translation of the Iliad A Word-for-Word Literal Rendition of Homer’s Epic. Cambridge, MA., Harvard University Press; London, William Heinemann, Ltd. 1924. With her virtuoso translation, classicist and bestselling author Caroline Alexander brings to life Homer’s timeless epic of the Trojan War. Personally, when reading the Iliad specifically, I think a poetic translation is superior to prose considering the length of the work and more importantly the repetition within the narrative. I. J. F. de Jong, Narrators and Focalizers: The Presentation of the Story in the Iliad , Amsterdam 1987. The first translation of the Iliad into Japanese was attempted by Tatsusaburo Uchimura in 1910 who translated Books I-IV. Caroline Alexander’s book is not a new translation of “The Iliad” but an attempt at a fresh reading of it, one that focuses on what it has to say about the conduct and meaning of war. It's mostly prose, but every so often he switches to poetry. The written version of the Iliad presupposes a basic fa-miliarity with the characters and mythological causes and effects of the Trojan War. You can read a prose version but it can become dense and boring in spaces because it was never meant to be read as prose, but rather heard as poetics with music accompanying. Hi Emily, I truth, I like your translation of these lines best:. 9 Comments Emily Tuck. Composed around 730 B.C., Homer’s Iliad recounts the events of a few momentous weeks in the protracted ten-year war between the invading Achaeans, or Greeks, and the Trojans in their besieged city of Ilion. I can't really say why. Perhaps it’s more faithful to the rhythms and grammar of ancient Greek. Good for academic reading and study. I prefer prose translations. Both incredibly powerful, but not strictly Homeric, translations. Good translation. They hurt my heart a bit. Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts, The Accidental Taxonomist | Heather Hedden. I personally think reading the prose first, and then reading the poetry is the best way for, first, clarity, and then, experience. The Iliad with an English Translation by A.T. Murray, Ph.D. in two volumes. So you could check that out. Comment below or send me a tweet at @ehauserwrites – I’d love to hear from you! The use of Greek names instead of Roman ones is kinda hard to get past, but it's not that bad. xiv The Iliad of Homer or authors of the Iliad and Odyssey. In terms of poetics, I don’t know anyone who has surpassed George Chapman (17th century) or Alexander Pope (18th century). I’m just interested in reading through the story again and want to find the best book to do so from. Really beautiful prose. Robert Fagles's is the only one that I've read but I enjoyed it, and by most accounts it seems to be regarded as one of the better poetic translations. Prose or poetic is fine. The Pope translation is also great, if you don’t mind the older style of language. With her virtuoso translation, classicist and bestselling author Caroline Alexander brings to life Homer’s timeless epic of the Trojan War. Best English translations of The Iliad? Press J to jump to the feed. Translators and scholars have translated the main works attributed to Homer, the Iliad and Odyssey, from the Homeric Greek into English since the 16th and 17th centuries. by John Prendergast. Familiarity with these events is essential to under-standing the complicated situations and relationships in the Iliad. save. But the best adaptation of the Iliad in English is Rosemary Sutcliff's Black Ships Before Troy. Item Preview > remove-circle Share or Embed This Item. More posts from the suggestmeabook community. 5.0 out of 5 stars The Best translation of The Iliad. "This cannot be true, because it is not true; and, that is not true, because it cannot be true." And it’s also so beautifully written–evident even in translation. 17 Garp83. Instead of Achilles and Ajax, he has Akhilleus and Aias. Caroline Alexander was the one I read first and I didn’t like it all that much, but I don’t know why. I don't read Greek, and I am NOT an expert. W. W. Norton & Company. I say this because the literal translation of Πάν μέτρον Άριστον is “all measure the best.” But Fagles’ translation feels more dynamic and vibrant. Reviewed in the United States on December 10, 2015. I usually gravitate to Lattimore simply because I know so much other poetry from the period he made that translation in, and I find it comes across perfectly clear. . R. P. Martin, The Language of Heroes: Speech and Performance in the Iliad , Ithaca 1989. New comments cannot be posted and votes cannot be cast. I know some people hate it but I really enjoyed Stanley Lombardo's translation. I'm not sure reading a pair by the same translator is of any particular importance at all, but if you really wanted to do that, Fagles is your best … I love it and its great for someone new, like me, as it has an in depth introduction which tells you more about Homer and how he wrote it. The first complete Iliad was published in 1940.