The Iliad

Author Homer
Introduction by Bernard Knox
Translated by Robert Fagles
Notes by Bernard Knox
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Best Seller
The great war epic of Western literature, in a stunning translation by acclaimed classicist Robert Fagles

A Penguin Classic

Dating to the ninth century B.C., Homer’s timeless poem still vividly conveys the horror and heroism of men and gods wrestling with towering emotions and battling amidst devastation and destruction, as it moves inexorably to the wrenching, tragic conclusion of the Trojan War. Renowned classicist Bernard Knox observes in his superb introduction that although the violence of the Iliad is grim and relentless, it coexists with both images of civilized life and a poignant yearning for peace.
 
Combining the skills of a poet and scholar, Robert Fagles brings the energy of contemporary language to this enduring heroic epic. He maintains the drive and metric music of Homer’s poetry, and evokes the impact and nuance of the Iliad’s mesmerizing repeated phrases in what Peter Levi calls “an astonishing performance.”

For more than seventy years, Penguin has been the leading publisher of classic literature in the English-speaking world. With more than 1,700 titles, Penguin Classics represents a global bookshelf of the best works throughout history and across genres and disciplines. Readers trust the series to provide authoritative texts enhanced by introductions and notes by distinguished scholars and contemporary authors, as well as up-to-date translations by award-winning translators.
Homer was a Greek poet, recognized as the author of the great epics, the Iliad, the story of the siege of Troy, and the Odyssey, the tale of Ulysses’s wanderings. View titles by Homer
The IliadTranslator's Preface

Introduction
Introduction
The Spelling and Pronunciation of Homeric Names
Maps

Homer: The Iliad
Book 1: The Rage of Achilles
Book 2: The Great Gathering of Armies
Book 3: Helen Reviews the Champions
Book 4: The Truce Erupts in War
Book 5: Diomodes Fights the Gods
Book 6: Hector Returns to Troy
Book 7: Ajax Duels in Hector
Book 8: The Tide of Battle Turns
Book 9: The Embassy to Achilles
Book 10: Marauding Through the Night
Book 11: Agamemnon's Day of Glory
Book 12: The Trojans Storm the Rampart
Book 13: Battling for the Ships
Book 14: Hera Outflanks Zeus
Book 15: The Achaean Armies at Bay
Book 16: Patroclus Fights and Dies
Book 17: Menalaus' Finest Hour
Book 18: The Shield of Achilles
Book 19: The Champion Arms for Battle
Book 20: olympian Gods in Arms
Book 21: Achilles Fights the River
Book 22: The Death of Hector
Book 23: Funeral Games for Patroclus
Book 24: Achilles and Priam

Notes
The Genealogy of the Royal House of Troy
Textual Variants from the Oxford Classical Text
Notes on the Translation
Suggestions for Further Reading
Pronouncing Glossary

About

The great war epic of Western literature, in a stunning translation by acclaimed classicist Robert Fagles

A Penguin Classic

Dating to the ninth century B.C., Homer’s timeless poem still vividly conveys the horror and heroism of men and gods wrestling with towering emotions and battling amidst devastation and destruction, as it moves inexorably to the wrenching, tragic conclusion of the Trojan War. Renowned classicist Bernard Knox observes in his superb introduction that although the violence of the Iliad is grim and relentless, it coexists with both images of civilized life and a poignant yearning for peace.
 
Combining the skills of a poet and scholar, Robert Fagles brings the energy of contemporary language to this enduring heroic epic. He maintains the drive and metric music of Homer’s poetry, and evokes the impact and nuance of the Iliad’s mesmerizing repeated phrases in what Peter Levi calls “an astonishing performance.”

For more than seventy years, Penguin has been the leading publisher of classic literature in the English-speaking world. With more than 1,700 titles, Penguin Classics represents a global bookshelf of the best works throughout history and across genres and disciplines. Readers trust the series to provide authoritative texts enhanced by introductions and notes by distinguished scholars and contemporary authors, as well as up-to-date translations by award-winning translators.

Author

Homer was a Greek poet, recognized as the author of the great epics, the Iliad, the story of the siege of Troy, and the Odyssey, the tale of Ulysses’s wanderings. View titles by Homer

Table of Contents

The IliadTranslator's Preface

Introduction
Introduction
The Spelling and Pronunciation of Homeric Names
Maps

Homer: The Iliad
Book 1: The Rage of Achilles
Book 2: The Great Gathering of Armies
Book 3: Helen Reviews the Champions
Book 4: The Truce Erupts in War
Book 5: Diomodes Fights the Gods
Book 6: Hector Returns to Troy
Book 7: Ajax Duels in Hector
Book 8: The Tide of Battle Turns
Book 9: The Embassy to Achilles
Book 10: Marauding Through the Night
Book 11: Agamemnon's Day of Glory
Book 12: The Trojans Storm the Rampart
Book 13: Battling for the Ships
Book 14: Hera Outflanks Zeus
Book 15: The Achaean Armies at Bay
Book 16: Patroclus Fights and Dies
Book 17: Menalaus' Finest Hour
Book 18: The Shield of Achilles
Book 19: The Champion Arms for Battle
Book 20: olympian Gods in Arms
Book 21: Achilles Fights the River
Book 22: The Death of Hector
Book 23: Funeral Games for Patroclus
Book 24: Achilles and Priam

Notes
The Genealogy of the Royal House of Troy
Textual Variants from the Oxford Classical Text
Notes on the Translation
Suggestions for Further Reading
Pronouncing Glossary

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