I read Fagel's translation about 15 years ago. Jim. It is an epic poem, with 24 chapters, based on the attack on Troy by the Mycenaeans. The Iliad is really incomplete without The Odyssey, so I will be reading and reviewing that book as well. • The main character of Iliad is … But then I had a "Keats conversion experience." Last one. Now we know what people are talking about when they mention Homer and the Iliad and the Odyssey. Refresh and try again. The text can be difficult to read, and following the who's who of the gods and goddesses can be quite a feat. ), I really enjoy reading Homer's epic poem. In the Western classical tradition, Homer (Greek: “Rage - Goddess, sing the rage of Peleus' son Achilles. Keats famously wrote a poem in tribute to a translation of Homer by Chapman who, Keats wrote, opened to him "realms of gold." The stories are very unique and captivating. The Odyssey though works very well rendered here as prose and more fully fulfills the classic expectation of what a Greek adventure story should be. • The Iliad is set during the time of the ten year old Trojan War. do i have to read the Iliad first or the odyssey? The great epic poems of the Iliad and the Odyssey were known to all Greeks, these epic poems would be read for several days at the annual religious festivals. I’m not into books like this one but I LOVED this book. It looks a bit menacing but it's easy enough to get into once you suss out the writing style. Homer's the Iliad and the Odyssey : A … The Great Courses – Iliad and Odyssey of Homer The Great Courses – Iliad and Odyssey of Homer. He was certainly an accomplished Greek bard, and he probably lived in the late eighth and early seventh centuries b.c.e. After reading “The Song of Achilles” I found a new interest in Ancient Greece, as well as the myths and stories that go along with it. “The Iliad and the Odyssey” is as much about history and collective humanity as it is about the actual story of the Trojan War and Odysseus’s voyage home. Where else are we given such insight into stubborn Agamemnon, noble Hector, intelligent and well-spoken Odysseus, lazy and spineless Paris, guilt-ridden Helen, the wrath of the warrior Achille's and how vain he can be? I love the chapter breakdowns which are almost parallel to the poems. in the Greek coastal region of Anatolia in an oral tradition more likely intended to be performed than read. Founded in 1996 by the Academy of American Poets,... Gripping listeners and readers for more than 2,700 years, 'The Iliad' is the story of the Trojan War and the rage of Achilles. Another problem was I had trouble liking any of the characters. The Iliad reads very differently from the Odyssey, the latter is a much easier time and is considerably more accessible for less able readers. Is this a new edition of Fagel? The Odysseytells of the Greek warrior Odysseus’s adventurous journey home after … I am reading this to two sets of students and it never gets old. The Iliad, a story about the bitter war between the Greeks and Trojans over the capture of the Spartan queen Helen by Trojan prince Paris, is a prequel toThe Odyssey and The Aeneid. In the modern vulgate (the standard accepted version), the Iliad contains 15,693 lines, divided into 24 books; it is written in Homeric Greek, a literary a… Together these two works attributed to Homer are considered among the oldest surviving works of Western literature, dating to probably the eighth century BCE, and are certainly among the most influential. It didn't take me long to figure out that I'm not a Homer girl. It’s about Odysseus’s ten-year voyage home to Ithaca after the Trojan War. The hero of the poem is Odysseus (or Ulysses, in Latin). But the ideas were not equally good. In my defense, I was a callow teen, and having a book assigned in school often tends to perversely make you hate it. The Iliad is an Ancient Greek epic poem by Homer that was first published in 762 BC. The Iliad is an ancient Greek epic poem in dactylic hexameter, traditionally attributed to Homer. Logan already knew some of these adventures from the excellent recorded reading by Benedict Flynn. Attributed to the singular ancient Greek poet Homer, the Iliad and the Odyssey are considered to be, not only, the most important works of ancient Greek literature but the oldest extant works of Western literature. To be Greek is to read Homer. The home of free learning from The Open University. Such seems to be the style, in which testimony upon testimony, statement I reread it almost 50 years later and remembered the shock of Hector being dragged from the chariot of Achilles or the thrill of Odysseus returning home after all those years to drive the greedy suiters from his home and to reclaim his wife. At the core of Western culture, there is ancient Rome and Greece, and at the core of the ancient Roman and Greek culture, there is Homer. Where else are we given such insight into stubborn Agamemnon, noble Hector, intelligent and well-spoken Odysseus, lazy and spineless Paris, guilt-ridden Helen, the wrath of the warrior Achille's and how vain he can be? Along with the Odyssey, the Iliad is among the oldest extant works of Western literature, and its written version is usually dated to around the 8th century BC. What few authorities exist on the subject, are summarily dismissed, although the arguments appear to run in a circle. In Troy, king Priam and Queen Hecuba also have a child, by the name of Paris. The Iliad reads very differently from the Odyssey, the latter is a much easier time and is considerably more accessible for less able readers. Ancient Greece was a very different time and place than our modern world, and the Homeric Epics are very different from the movies and books that we watch and read today. We can identify with Trojan and Greek alike, agonizing with both sides over the destructiveness of war. Just finished The Iliad and The Odyssey by Homer. The 'legend/epic' style is different from what I normally read, but I enjoyed it. Hector? $29.46 previous price $29.46. Authorship is traditionally ascribed to a blind poet named Homer, and it is under this name that the works are still published. "The Odyssey" depicts the perilous voyage home of the Greek warrior Odysseus; his struggles against the one-eyed Cyclops; the terrible Sirens; the dreadful, six-headed Scylla. Can a space rock from Costa Rica reveal the origin of water on Earth? These epics are the oldest surviving works of Greek literature. The Iliad starts with the marriage of king Peleus and the goddess Thetis, which later have a child by the name Achilles. The Iliad and the Odyssey are epic poems composed by the Greek poet Homer. This is part of the Great Books of the western world Collection that I have set out to read. Once in a war, Odysseus proved to be an invaluable asset for the Greeks. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of, Published Just a moment while we sign you in to your Goodreads account. Odysseus has survived the Trojan War and the perilous journey back to I. Nearly three thousand years after they were composed, the Iliad and the Odyssey remain two of the most celebrated and widely read stories ever told, yet next to nothing is known about their author. We get the inside story on all the G. Other than the gruesome, violent images often presented in magnificent detail (hey, it is a war! Iliad Essay 1253 Words | 6 Pages. I have read both The Iliad and The Odyssey several times in different translations, and this was my chance to read the Alexander Pope translations. Start by marking “The Iliad/The Odyssey” as Want to Read: Error rating book. Whiney, deceitful, and not very likeable! The odyssey takes place ten years after the Trojan War. He, however, finds life difficult after the voyage. You should subscribe to our newsletter for more free courses, articles, games and videos. It was written by Homer in Mycenaean Greece, around the 8th century BC. I read the translation of the Odyssey first since it appeared first. by Penguin Classics. The great epic poems of the Iliad and the Odyssey were known to all Greeks, these epic poems would be read for several days at the annual religious festivals. The Iliad and The Odyssey are two of the key works of Western civilization. Episode 15: On warriors, poets, and what eternal glory really comes down to"The Iliad" and "The Odyssey" by HomerBig news, folks! The second modern version of the Trojan war tales that I read. And best of all, we get a behind-the-scenes, humorous look at the Greek gods; their strengths, weaknesses and all the squabbles and fuss that take place between them. THE ILIAD AND THE ODYSSEY Date. Historians estimate that he lived sometime between the years 1100 and 800 BCE. The epic poems were likely composed near the end of the 8th century B.C.E. We get the inside story on all the Greek and Trojan heroes and what makes them tick. He used the Greek so that we can read of Odysseus and not Ulysses, Zeus and not Jove, Athene and not Minerva making it extremely readable. These Homeric epics had a far greater influence on the ancient Greek tongue than even the Bible and Shakespeare influence on the English language. He restored order and morale to the Greek camp. We can identify with Trojan and Greek alike, agonizing with both sides over the destructiveness of war. You May Also Like I do believe it is the best children's Homer I have read. The Odyssey is a major Ancient Greek epic poem. While the contrast of the two, one after the other, is very interesting I can't say I'd be likely to ever read The Iliad again. In my defense, I was a callow teen, and having a book assigned in school often tends to perversely make you hate it. But then I had a "Keats conversion experience." Stories from the illiad and the odyssey that captured my imagination. The Conclusion contrasts the Odyssey ’s treatment of performance dynamics, which has been well studied, with that of the Iliad, the focus of the book. I have always wanted to give it a shot but found it a little intimidating. You can tell The Iliad is … Odysseus is my all-time favorite hero, and although he is a brave hero, he has his faults and it's this combination that makes him so lovable and what makes this story one of the greatest of all time. This reminds me of Joseph Campbell’s “The Hero with a Thousand Faces”, where he argues that the mythological hero doesn’t just have to just survive whatever trial he/she went through, but also has to return home and share what has been learned. After being force-fed this epic poem in school I was stunned by how much I loved it! Virgil used several characteristics associated with epic poetry, more specifically Homer's epics, including the use of hexameter verse, book division, lists of genealogies and underlying themes to draw parallels between the Romans and their cultural predecessors, the Greeks. Free shipping. The Iliad is the oldest surviving work of Greek literature, written by Homer in the 8th century BC. Iliad, Odyssey, and Aeneid Box Set: (penguin Classics Deluxe Edition) by Virgil. I think the problem was partly that after years of taking in entertaining, probably dumbed down versions of the stories, the reality ended up a bit of a let down. I was very bored with the who-killed-whom parts in the Iliad. Odysseus has survived the Trojan War and the perilous journey back to Ithaca. My eleven and twelve year old are reading this edition and it is easy for them to understand. “The Iliad and the Odyssey” is as much about history and collective humanity as it is about the actual story of the Trojan War and Odysseus’s voyage home. I actually read this book of my own volition and not because I had to for school. You can tell The Iliad is … Combining the skills of a poet and scholar, Robert Fagles brings the energy of contemporary language to this enduring heroic epic. I like Samuel Butler's prose translation of these epic stories. The Iliad The Iliad is the oldest surviving work of Greek literature, written by Homer in the 8th century BC. The text can be difficult to read, and following the who's who of the gods and goddesses can be quite a feat. My only complaint is that the Provensons left out Argos. The illustrations of Alice and Martin Provensen bring this children's book to life. For example, Achilles and Odysseus were arguing about what to do next, and each could make a case that sounded convincing. Although at times difficult to read and tiring, it is a timeless piece of literature that has inspired countless other great works of art. They mostly view a limited geographical area, from the city to the ships. These Homeric epics had a far greater influence on the ancient Greek tongue than even the Bible and Shakespeare influence on the English language. It is obviously well written and a classic. But almost nothing is known about their author and the date and manner of their creation. Even Odysseus? (750 for the Iliad, 720 for the Odyssey). The Iliad and the Odyssey, by Marcia Williams, is the retelling of the two most famous epics, by the same names. I've read it several times, I never get tired of it. Difficult to keep all the characters in order at this age but it was an ok book. I've read it several times, I never get. I don't even know who's translation I first read, but I've read The Iliad twice since, and Fagles' translation is the best yet. explaining the loyalties of The Gods and their favorites on Earth. I can't believe I once found Homer boring. The culture, the language, and the creative genius of the Greeks were advanced enough by then to artistically contribute to architecture, sculpture, painting, t… $50.98. ), I really enjoy reading Homer's epic poem. This was a golden book, actually a giant golden book, given to me one Christmas while in grade school, 1960 or thereabouts. The two oldest surviving examples of Greek literature are the Iliad and the Odyssey, epic poems that describe the Trojan War, a conflict between the Greeks and the city of Troy that the epics say was fought almost 1200 years before the Common Era. The best story ever-it has everything-love, romance, war, brave, handsome men, exotic places, monsters, beautiful women-its all in these two stories. I tried a second reading and decided to give another opportunity to this masterpiece and I really really enjoyed it even more than the first time. Odysseus is my all-time favorite hero, and although he is a brave hero, he has his faults and it's this combination that makes him so lovable and what makes this story one of the greatest of all time. The translation was pretty readable. 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