Homer - Iliad, The - 8

[StefanY]

Iliad, The



The Grand-Daddy of all epic tales!

I had never read the Iliad before now, and since it was assigned to me in my current college course, I really had no choice but to embrace it. What a great read! I knew most of the storyline of course through general knowledge of mythology and Greek legend and also (though I cringe a little to say it) from the film, Troy.

If you haven't read the Iliad and fancy yourself a fan of legend or fantasy novels, I would highly recommend it. For those out there who aren't purists and want a version that is very easily read and understood, I would stick to the Stanley Lombardo translation over all others. Lombardo has a way of translating the text in such a way that uses more modern language and terms and makes the text much easier to follow than most other translations of older texts that I have attempted to read.

As for the story itself, it is filled with action, adventure, war, love, the meddling and politics of the Gods themselves and a great deal more. Achilles is the star of the show so to speak, but I found myself rooting more for Patroclus, Hector and several others as I read through the text. There are a score of likable and detestable characters that all stand out in their own way. Truly a fun read and one that I wish that I had read earlier as I'm sure that it gets better upon subsequent readings.


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