After reading The Illiad I faced a quandary- how do you review one of the most important and enduring works of creativity in human history? What can you say that hundreds of thousands of others haven't?

My answer to this question is that I must join the chorus of those who have come before me and sing the praises of what is one of the best stories I have ever read, as fascinating and gripping now as it no doubt was when it was penned nearly three millennia ago.

There are many reasons why this book has endured. It is a story of love, hate, vengeance, fate, pettiness, grief and war, bloody and prolonged war - a microcosm of human life and the furies that drive us to excess.

You know the story. Paris steals Helen away to Troy. Agamemnon and the Greeks raise and army and lay seige to that great city. Achilles, the greatest warrior history has ever seen, fights and dies, a poison arrow embedded in his ankle. The Greeks roll a massive wooden horse up to Troy's gates, and the war ends in trickery and massacre.

You know all this, but trust me, you don't know it the way The Illiad tells it. This is a glorious read, the brutal blows and shrieks of war leap from the page, and the human passions that drive the protaganists are vivid and compelling. You will read this book and wonder at how something from another time, translated from it's original tongue, can so totally enthrall a modern reader.

It's powerful, heady stuff.

So many images from this story are carved into my synapses. Hector and Achilles stalking the battlefield like avatars of death, scything down opponents in their tens. Priam begging Achilles for the return of his son's mangled body. Heroes cut down mid-fight, their souls headed for the underworld, their deaths mourned even by the gods on Olympus, who watch and guide the battle from above.

There are a handful of books that every reader must experience - books that are milestones in human culture. The Illiad is one of these books. I don't know how I lived more than three decades before I read it, and it makes me nostalgic for a time I never lived through, when a high school education in the classics was something that everyone received.

It took me more than a month to read The Iliad. Rather than being annoyed, I'm actually thankful for that. It gave me much more appreciation for the whole poem.

Homer's descriptions are majestic. A painter through words. Vivid. Beautiful.

I really loved the character arcs, especially Achilles and Hector. Homer managed to touch the complex personalities of humans, and with it their respective individualities. More than the war, the book talks about nobility and honor.

A definite 5/5 for me. Looking forward to The Odyssey!

خواندن ایلیاد ورود من به دنیایی بود که هیچ‌چیز ازش نمی‌دونستم و راستش همیشه فکر می‌کردم که علاقه‌ای هم بهش ندارم. اما تصمیم برای سرک‌ کشیدن به این دنیا تبدیل به یک سفر طولانی شد. من نمی‌تونم برای کتابی مثل ایلیاد نقد بنویسم، پس اول میگم که ارزش خوندن این کتاب قدیمی به نظر من چیه. بعد تمام منابعی که خوندم رو با هم مقایسه می‌کنم و یک مسیر برای ورود راحت‌تر به این دنیای بی‌ سر و ته پیشنهاد میدم

ارزش خواندن کتاب سه هزار ساله‌‌ای که بیشترش توصیف جنگ و خشونته چیه؟
یک. اجازه میده به گذشته نگاه کنی
با وجود اینکه اسطوره کتاب تاریخ نیست، همچنان منعکس‌کننده‌ی باورها، سنت‌ها، آرزوها و شیوه‌ی زندگی در زمانیه که بهش تعلق داره

دو. متواضع میشی
ما انسان‌های قرن بیست و یکمی با تکنولوژی و اعتقادات مدرنمون اصولاً فکر می‌کنیم که تافته‌‌ی جدا بافته‌ای هستیم و انسان‌های گذشته‌ رو عقب‌مانده و متفاوت از خودمون تصور می‌کنیم. اما وقتی ایلیاد می‌خونی، می‌بینی که مردها سه هزار سال پیش هم سر زن‌ها با هم دعوا می‌کردند و آدم‌ها درست مثل ما خشم، غم، درماندگی، هوس و شعف رو به دلایلی بسیار مشابه ما تجربه می‌کردند. اینجا متوجه میشی که تو اونقدرها هم متفاوت نیستی‌. از طرفی این به این معنیه که عقاید تو هم روزی ممکنه همینقدر مسخره به نظر بیاد که اعتقاد یونانیان به خدایان انتقام‌جو و هوس‌بازشون عجیب به نظر میاد

سه. تغییر رو حس می‌کنی
پینکر، از دانشمندان زمان ما، معتقده که خشونت عموماً کاهش پیدا کرده و دنیا نسبت به گذشته جای بهتری برای زندگیه. این البته چیزیه اخبار و شبکه‌های اجتماعی برعکسش‌ رو برای ما تداعی می‌کنند. ایلیاد از دنیایی می‌گه که غرق در جنگ‌های طولانیه و همه چیز با جنگ معنی پیدا می‌کنه. حتی انسانیت و شرف. چیزی که با تفکرات (اکثر) ما در مورد خشونت دیگه جور در نمیاد. در مورد تغییر تفکرات در مورد برده‌داری و حقوق زنان هم که لازم نیست توضیحی بدم. این نشون میده که بشریت چه راه طولانی‌ای اومده و این می‌تونه بارقه‌ی نوری در دنیایی باشه که خیلی تاریک به نظر میاد

چهار. بهت خوش می‌گذره
جدای صحنه‌های طولانی جنگ و کشت و کشتار که مغزت رو سِر می‌کنه، داستان واقعاً جالبه و بالا و پایین‌ زیاد داره. رابطه‌ی بین خدایان و انسان‌ها و دراماهای بینشون واقعاً خواندنیه

پنج. رفرنس‌ها رو متوجه میشی
این کتاب از قدیمی‌ترین کتاب‌هاییه که برای ما مونده و توسط افراد زیادی هم خونده شده. پس طبیعتاً ارجاعات زیادی بهش در ادبیات و حتی کتاب‌های ناداستان داده میشه. دونستن داستان مثل باز کردن قفل این تشبیه‌هاست

چطوری بخونیمش؟
من حدود ۸ کتاب مرتبط باهاش رو در این مدت خوندم و اینجا می‌خوام کتاب‌ها رو مقایسه کنم

بهترین ترجمه چیه؟
این خیلی سلیقه‌ایه که بین ترجمه‌های انگلیسی کدوم رو انتخاب کنید. من امیلی ویلسون رو انتخاب کردم چون جدیدترین و به طبع ساده‌ترین برای خوندن بود‌ و اجرای صوتی عالی‌ای هم داشت. اما خب در مقایسه با ترجمه‌های دیگه معلوم بود که بعضی‌هاشون (مثل ترجمه‌ی پُپ) نثر موزون‌تر، زیباتر و البته سخت‌خوان‌تری داشتند

از کجا شروع کنم؟
Greek Myths
ایلیاد پر از اسامی خدایان و قهرمانانه و شناختنشون و پیدا کردن روابط بینشون به فهمیدن داستان خیلی کمک می‌کنه. این کتاب زیبا همه این‌ها رو به ساده‌ترین شکل ممکن با تصویرگری‌‌های عالی توضیح میده و تازه خلاصه‌ی داستان ایلیاد رو هم داره

خلاصه‌ی سرودها و تحلیل‌هاشون رو از کجا بخونم؟
بین این چهار کتاب تحلیلی‌ای که خوندم به نظر من کیلیفس نوتس از همه بهتر بود. اما مزایا و معایب هر کتاب رو لیست می‌کنم

Cliffsnotes
داشتن لیست کاراکتر و نقشه‌ی روابطشون
توضیحات در مورد تاریخ کتاب و شاعرش
خلاصه‌های کامل‌تر و جداگانه
تحلیل‌های طولانی‌تر، دقیق‌تر و جداگانه
بخش آنالیز کاراکتر
سه مقاله در انتها که در حد متوسط بودند

SparkNotes Literature Guides
لیست کاراکتر دقیق‌تر و با جزئیات بیشتر
توضیحات تِم، موتیف و سمبل‌ها که به این شکل جای دیگه‌ای نبود
خلاصه‌های مختصر و مفید ( معمولاً چند سرود با هم یکی شده)
تحلیل‌های کوتاه، گاهی با نکات متفاوت (معمولاً چند سرود با هم یکی شده)

‌Bloom's Guide
توضیح درباره‌ی تاریخ کتاب
خلاصه و تحلیل کنار هم در یک متن طولانی که سرود رو ذکر می‌کنه اما جزئیاتی نداره
کوتاه‌ترین خلاصه و تحلیل
پانزده مقاله‌ی تحلیلی به نسبت کوتاه که بعضی‌هاشون واقعا جالبن و جوانب خاصی از داستان رو بررسی می‌کنند

‌Bloom's Modern Critical interpretations
مجموعه‌ای از ده مقاله‌ی طولانی که بینشون هم عالی هست، هم فوق‌العاده‌ بی‌معنی و حوصله سربر

اگر بخوام همه‌ی این تحلیل‌ها رو‌ نخونم و بشینم یکی برام مهم‌ترین‌هاش رو توضیح بده چی؟
‌The Iliad of Homer
صد در صد دوره‌ی ایلیاد گریت کورسز. با خیال راحت سر کلاس یک استاد وارد می‌شینی و به گلچین تحلیل‌ها گوش می‌کنی

اگر بخوام کل داستان جنگ‌ تروی رو‌ بدونم چی؟
‌Troy: The Greek Myths Reimagined
ایلیاد داستان بخش کوتاهی از جنگه و نه دلیل شروع جنگ رو توضیح میده، نه میگه در آخر چی‌ میشه. برای این باید تکه‌های پازل رو از آثار دیگه جمع کرد که استفن فرای در کتاب تروی زحمتش رو کشیده. فرای از اولِ اول، از تولد پدران قهرمانان کتاب، داستان رو با نهایت جذابیت تعریف می‌کنه و با پایان جنگ تمومش می‌کنه. این کتاب رو میشه قبل از ایلیاد هم خوند که همه‌ی داستان رو بدونی و بعد به سراغ ایلیاد بیای

تصویری چی؟
‌Marvel Illustrated: The Iliad
مجموعه‌ی‌ کمیک مارول به نسبت خوبه‌. تصویرگری معمولی‌ای داره ولی به داستان وفاداره. میشه قبل کتاب خوندش و با داستان آشنا شد. میشه همراهش خوند که مروری بشه و بیشتر از شخصیت‌ها سر درآورد

صوتی چی؟
من نسخه‌ی جدیدتر آدیبل رو گوش دادم که از روی ترجمه‌ی امیلی ویلسون اجرا شده. باید بگم که یکی از دلایل لذت بردن از کتاب همین بود. جملات تو ذهن خودم خیلی بی‌احساس و رباتی بودند. اما وقتی کتاب رو همزمان خوندم و گوش دادم، اجرای حماسی این نسخه خیلی کیفیت مطالعه‌م رو بالا برد

Pro tip:
خودتون رو وارد گروهی از کتاب خون‌های حسابی بکنید که خیلی بیشتر ازتون می‌دونن، حوصله‌ی صحبت کردن دارند و بی‌دریغ به اشتراک می‌گذارند. به خاطر اونا من این کتاب رو شروع کردم و کنارشون کلی یاد گرفتم‌. ازشون ممنونم

همه‌ی این منابع به انگلیسی هستند و به جز خود ایلیاد از اینکه ترجمه شدن یا نه اطلاعی ندارم. در آینده اگر منابع بهتری پیدا کنم حتماً به این لیست اضافه می‌کنم. در ضمن مثل همیشه همشون رو می‌تونید از اینجا دانلود کنید
Maede's Books

۱۴۰۳/۱/۲۱

Read as part of my degree and as part of my love of classics, however it didn't compare to The Odyssey which I adored - possibly due to the lack of mythological creatures and rather more battles and lists of ships and names, which made it that much harder to struggle through. Still a great read as one of the original classics but I would choose The Odyssey over the Iliad anytime.

Rating:⭐⭐⭐⭐



I have only a few things to say.



It's definitely worth reading (duh) but you need to brace yourself for a slow-paced, overly detailed writing. (Like all the classics.) There's so much description and I found the dialogue pretty complex and long. (Again like all the classics.)

Agamemnon is unlikable and the only reason I hate Hector is because he killed Patroclus and he was my favourite. Achilles and Patroclus were meant as a couple, I've never been more convinced. The Song of Achilles had it right.

The whole thing reminded my of an Ancient Greek version of The Desperate Housewives or literally any other reality Tv show. Also, on a side note the gods reminded me of myself whenever I play The Sims.

Soy totalmente parcial con este libro, porque me encantan los dioses griegos metidos en todos los líos que pueden encontrar o crear, así que disfruté un montón con la historia, llena de lealtadas y traiciones, de valor y cobardía, emociones tan antiguas como la historia humana.

“Hector! Dearest to me of all my husband’s brothers—
my husband, Paris, magnificent as a god ...
he was the one who brought me here to Troy—
Oh how I wish I’d died before that day!
But this, now, is the twentieth year for me
since I sailed here and forsook my own native land,
yet never once did I hear from you a taunt, an insult.
But if someone else in the royal halls would curse me,
one of your brothers or sisters or brothers’ wives
trailing their long robes, even your own mother—
not your father, always kind as my own father—
why, you’d restrain them with words, Hector,
you’d win them to my side ...
you with your gentle temper, all your gentle words.
And so in the same breath I moum for you and me,
my doom-struck, harrowed heart! Now there is no one left
in the wide realm of Troy, no friend to treat me kindly—
all the countrymen cringe from me in loathing!”

My Prince


P.S. Hollywood, how could you fail the movie?? This is basically one violent gruesome bloody fight scene after the other. Just get rid of Brad Pitt & Briseis love story subplot and you are half there! Jeez...
p.p.s. so much better than odyssey
p.p.p.s. I hate you, Athena. Don't you have anything to do other than getting in everyone's business??

Κανονικά θα πρέπει να αφαιρέσω ένα αστεράκι από όλα τα βιβλία που έπεσαν στα χέρια μου μέχρι σήμερα.

Και εξηγούμαι.

Πριν πολλά πολλά χρόνια, όταν πρωτοδιάβασα το Όνομα του Ρόδου, υπήρχε στην αρχή του βιβλίου μία σκηνή όπου ο Έκο περιγράφει με τη σημείωση "η ζωγραφική είναι η λογοτεχνία των φτωχών" ένα βιτρό που κοσμεί τους τοίχους του μοναστηριού. Μέσα σε κοντά δέκα σελίδες ξεπετιούνται σύμπαντα ολόκληρα, ζωές και άνθρωποι και έρωτες και πίκρες και εικόνες πολύχρωμες, μία αλληλουχία διαδοχικών αλληλεπιδρούμενων κοσμων που αφορούσαν μία μοναχά ταπεινή τοιχογραφία.

Ομολογώ πως την Ιλιάδα δεν την είχα διαβάσει ΠΟΤΕ ολόκληρη. Πάντα πίστευα πως "ξερω την υπόθεση άσε που έχω δει και την ταινία με τον Μπραντπίτ", πάντα πίστευα πως τελειώνει με τον Δούρειο Ίππο, δυστυχώς για μένα η ραψωδία Ω κλείνει με το "και έτσι ετάφη ο Έκτορας" (wtf!!!!). Και αυτό γιατί οπως όλοι μας, έτσι και εγώ την ειχα διδαχτεί στο σχολείο με τον λάθος τρόπο αλλά πάντα είχα στην καρδιά μου τη ραψωδία Σ, στην οποία ο ποιητής περιγράφει μέσα σε τέσσερις σελίδες την Ασπίδα του Αχιλλέα, που ο ίδιος ο Ήφαιστος έφτιαξε μετά το θάνατο του Πάτροκλου παραγγελία της Θέτιδας ώστε ο ηρωας να εκδικηθεί το θάνατο του αδερφικού φίλου του με τις τιμές που άρμοζαν σε θεό. Και δεν είχα κάνει ποτέ το συσχετισμό με τον θείο Ουμπέρτο και τον τρόπο που είχε διαλέξει να αποδώσει τιμές στο Απόλυτο Λογοτεχνικό Αριστούργημα όλων των εποχών, στο ομορφότερο παραμύθι του κόσμου.

Η πολυπλοκότητα του σύμπαντος των χαρακτήρων και η εξέλιξη αυτών, οι μάχες και πάνω από όλα ο σεβασμός με τον οποίον στέκοντας διαρκώς όλοι τόσο απέναντι στους Θεούς όσο και απέναντι στους εχθρούς τους, είναι από μόνα τους αρκετά για να βάλουν το έργο που από όλους χαρακτηρίζεται ως "ο ορισμός του έπους" στη θέση του σημαντικότερ��υ βιβλίου που έπεσε ποτέ στα χέρια μου. Και κάθε άλλο παρά τυχαίο είναι το γεγονός πως η Ιλιαδα διδάσκεται στα σχολεία όλης της γης όπως επίσης και το γεγονός πως ο Καζαντζάκης αφιέρωσε σημαντικό μέρος της ζωή του στη μετάφραση του έργου (ο Κακριδής στην εισαγωγή της Οδύσσειας αναφέρει πως εκδόθηκε το 1955 μετά από δουλειά που κράτησε συνολικά 14 χρόνια!).

Γιατί η Ιλιάδα δεν είναι μόνο οι απίθανα ιστορούμενες στιγμές της μάχης, δεν είναι η πίκρα για τα δεινά του πολέμου, δεν είναι οι αναρίθμητοι υπερήρωες που διαρκώς γλιτώνουν το θάνατο με τις παρεμβάσεις των θεών, δεν είναι ο δειλός Αγαμέμνωνας, δεν είναι ο πολυμήχανος Οδυσσέας, δεν είναι ο θηριώδης Αίαντας, δεν είναι ο Παρης που δε δίνει με τίποτα πίσω την Ελένη του, δεν είναι ο χαροκαμένος Πρίαμος, είναι ο τρόπος με τον οποίο οι πάντες έχουν μάθει και αντιμετωπίζουν τη ροή της ζωής και την υστεροφημία τους. Οι μάχες ολοκληρώνονται με τιμές και δώρα προς τους αντιπάλους και σπονδές στους θεούς, οι εκεχειρίες δε σπάνε ποτέ, όσοι σκυλεύουν τους νεκρούς έχουν κακό τέλος, φίλοι και εχθροί τρώνε στο ιδιο τραπέζι, και ο θάνατος παραμονεύει διαρκώς θνητούς και αθανάτους χωρίς όμως κανείς ποτέ να τον φοβάται και να τρέχει σαν δειλός μακριά του.

Με λίγα λόγια.

Έπος.

What can I possibly say? Truly one of the greatest works of art our species has produced, remaining profoundly moving, thrilling, philosophically rich and emotionally complex well over 2000 year later.

I have read other translations in the past but this new version from Caroline Alexander knocked my damn socks off. Pope’s version is poetry of the highest order, and was probably my favourite up till now, but the distance between it and the “original” is pretty immense. What this version lacked in poetry it made up for in immediacy, clarity and (from what I can tell from research) fidelity. Nothing felt forced, nothing too modernised and nothing too artificially antique. I would unhesitatingly recommend this translation as the new gold standard. If you have read the Iliad long ago, or only know it by reputation, or mistakenly believe it just to be lots of macho killing, or do not expect to find subtle, believable female characters inside...well...all I can say is you should give this new version (yes, the first by a woman. And, yes, that does matter) a go.

The Iliad is an ancient Greek epic poem by Homer, which presents his interpretation of the events that took place during a few weeks of the tenth and final year of the Trojan War. Homer's tale of the Trojan War runs from the time of Achilles's falling out with the Greek King, Lord Agamemnon, and shunning from the war to the time when he re-enters it and kills the Trojan hero, Hector, to avenge the death of his friend and companion, Patroclus.

After my reading of The Odyssey, I felt I need to revisit The Iliad. The thought that I might not have fully appreciated it kept on nagging me. I first read a prose version, but this time I resorted to the poetic translation done by Alexander Pope. And I have to confess that the result was surprising. Not only I understood it well, but I also came to fully appreciate the extent of Homer's artistry. In this new light, I'm obliged to amend my former review to express my truest thoughts on this amazing classic.

In my first read, I've misunderstood the role of Gods. I thought that they dictated and interfered unjustly in the men's war and hindered their valor. But after my reread, I now understand it was fate that governed it all, and that the Gods' role was to facilitate the course of fate. Of course, the Gods supported their chosen camp, some siding with the Greeks, who they believed to have been injured by the treachery of Paris of Troy, and others siding with the Trojans, for their faithful reverence of mighty Olympian Gods. But not any of them, not even the all-powerful Zeus could alter what the fate decreed on the mortal men. When I understood fully the role of God, men, and fate, I was able to view the whole thing through new eyes and appreciate and enjoy the tale for its true worth.

The Iliad is a tragedy. The main themes of this tragic tale are honour, loyalty, glory, and revenge. It was not the pleasantest read. Too much importance is given to the descriptions of gruesome details of war. The dramatic quality with which Homer has knitted his poem made so vivid a portrayal of battle scenes and horrific deaths that I found many passages hard to stomach. At the same time, I couldn't help admiring the ability of Homer to draw such realistic pictures through his finesse writing. And even more, I could sense the fury of men of both camps as they lunged at each other with their weapons drawn; I could hear their war cries. I could also hear the sound of the wheels of the chariots taking the warriors to the battle, the clanging of the weapons, and the groans and moans of the dead. It was truly more than a reading experience.

The narrator of the tale, while taking us through the present events, also fills in the gaps of the past and makes predictions for the future. This method of recounting the story gives a complete picture of the tale, although in the strictest sense the poem only describes a few weeks of the final year of the Trojan War. The writing is quite descriptive. Whether it is a battle scene, weapons, the general setting, or characters (both men and God), nothing has escaped Homer's minutest scrutiny. Even the pedigree of each of the characters is described! Although these details are quite overwhelming at times, they nevertheless are helpful to understand the story better.

It is amazing that how this epic poem, which is said to have written in the 7th or 8th centuries BC (or BCE), has fascinated and keeps on fascinating generations of readers. That in itself is proof of the true mastery of its author. When all things are considered, it is a little wonder that Homer is regarded as the pioneer of the Western Classic.

A word must be said about the translation. Personally, I think it is one of the best. As the translator himself has said, the essence of a translation is to capture the true spirit of the work which he translates without being too much burdened with the strict accuracy of the meaning. When compared with the first translation I've read and my respective response with my present perception, I quite see the wisdom of Pope. It is the spirit that matters.

Przeczytałam tylko dlatego, że jest to ulubiona książka Donny Tartt.

101st book of 2021. Artist for this review is French painter Jacques-Louis David (1748-1825).

About time I finally read the whole thing. I studied The Odyssey alone during college because I messed up my third year exam on Hannibal Barca. I didn't fail, but I didn't get the grade I wanted. In my second year I'd dropped Psychology anyway (who knew there was so much science?) and took up their brand new course in Creative Writing. So I was staying an extra year anyway to finish that. I hit a hurdle though: they were dropping Hannibal Barca and instead studying Homer's The Odyssey; this meant I would have to attend first-year lectures as a third-year student. I declined and asked to do the preparing alone with the lecture notes. They advised me not to so I did that. I can't remember what I got but I remember feeling pretty arrogant about it, it wasn't bad. Anyway, through studying The Odyssey we (I) looked at Homer (the idea of Homer?) and fragments of The Iliad. I preferred The Odyssey in every way and never bothered to read the other, and had enough work to do anyway. So now I have.


"The Anger of Achilles"—1819

I'm going to go ahead and presume everyone knows the story and more importantly who dies in it. If you don't then don't read on, I'll be talking about the plot points of the text. I think our general culture has done a disservice to The Iliad and its plotting. The Iliad is centred around a particular, as the blurb identifies it, "episode" of the Trojan War. The arc is really about Achilles and not about Achilles—as most know, he sulks for most of the story. But the beginning of the "episode" triggers Achilles' sulk, which triggers the bloodshed that takes most of the story's time and energy, which becomes so bloody (and personal) that Achilles decides to stop sulking and finishes it all off at last. But not quite. The ending of The Iliad for me is more poignant than a fuller idea of the story as we see in Miller's version, The Song of Achilles, and the famous Brad Pitt film, Troy. After 300 pages of war between men and Gods, The Iliad ends on the idea that Achilles ultimately finds peace through virtue. Revenge does nothing; further revenge via attempting to mutilate the body does nothing; it is only by allowing Priam to take his son's body and give him a funeral that Achilles finds "peace". The Iliad ends. In a sense we have a rather "modern" character arc, selfishness to selflessness. We know Achilles later dies, we know about the big wooden horse, but none of this actually matters as Priam is kissing the hands of the man who killed his son and simply begging him to have time to grieve. Achilles' death is to do with the war and the end of The Iliad almost forgets the war. In some ways it makes me wonder if it the first anti-war piece of literature, that after all of that, Achilles' sulking for all those men to die, for Patroclus to die, for him to kill Hector even, all for nothing. Or, as Homer has it, all of that for Achilles to learn and exercise humanity.


"Male Nude known as Hector"—1778

The Iliad is inferior to The Odyssey but like I said in one of my updates, I have a soft spot for Odysseus and he is one of my favourite fictional ancient Greek/Roman heroes. Not all of the The Iliad is completely compelling. At times the constant descriptions of death begin to wear one down. Every person who dies in the poem is named, which gives them all a certain gravity but also makes it seem denser. As far as The Odyssey goes, with Odysseus as the character (and a better one than Achilles), the story being more varied and the concept of a man returning home perhaps being the most fundamental and almost the most important story there is, the idea of home, the self, family, etc., I can't accept it being lesser to this. But, to this day, The Iliad reverberates with the desire to be listened to, that mindless, incessant bloodshed leads to nothing and in the end all that is left are the grieving. So 4-stars for the ending alone with Achilles and Priam, though the rest deserves it too. Achilles is nothing compared to Odysseus. I'm hoping soon to compare them both with Aeneas. I can't decide that if a text as old as this still makes us think, does that make it a brilliant text or should it make us feel sad that there are still lessons (about war no less) that have not yet been learnt?


"The Funeral Games of Patroclus"—1778