An ancient Greek epic which underpins the whole of western literature Homers The Iliad" is a timeless evocation of the struggle to retain a sense of honour & virtue amidst the horrors of war. This " Penguin Classics" edition is translated with an introduction by Martin Hammond. " The Iliad" is the greatest literary achievement of Greek civilization. The story centres on the critical events in four days of the tenth & final year of the war between the Greeks & the Trojans. It describes how the quarrel of Agamemnon & Achilleus sets in motion a tragic sequence of events which leads to Achilleus killing of Hektor & determines the ultimate fate of Troy. But Homers theme is not simply war or heroism. With compassion & humanity he presents a universal & tragic view of the world of human life lived under the shadow of suffering & death set against a vast & largely unpitying divine background. " The Iliad" is the first of the worlds great tragedies. Martin Hammonds acclaimed translation is accompanied by a full introduction & a comprehensive index. Seven Greek cities claim the honour of being the birthplace of Homer (c. 8th-7th century BC) the poet to whom the composition of the Iliad & Odyssey are attributed. " The Iliad" is the oldest surviving work of Western literature but the identity
- or even the existence
- of Homer himself is a complete mystery with no reliable biographical information having survived. If you enjoyed the " Iliad" you might like Homers " Odyssey" also available in " Penguin Classics". " Martin Hammonds modern prose version is the best & most accurate there has ever been". (Peter Levi " Independent"). "A fine Iliad for our times". (Philip Howard " The Times")."

...

One of the greatest epics in Western literature The Iliad" recounts the story of the Trojan wars. This timeless poem still vividly conveys the horror & heroism of men & gods battling amidst devastation & destruction as it moves to its tragic conclusion. In his introduction Bernard Knox observes that although the violence of the Iliad is grim & relentless it co-exists with both images of civilized life & a poignant yearning for peace." ...

The Iliad is one of the finest of all the great works that have been handed down to us from Classical Antiquity. Paris a Trojan prince having won Helen as his prize for judging a beauty contest between the goddesses Hera Athena & Aphrodite abducted her from her Greek husband Menelaus & transported her to Troy. The Greeks enraged by this audacity & devastated by the loss of the most beautiful woman in the world set sail to Troy & began the long siege of the city. The Iliad narrates the events ten years into the war describing the anger of Achilles which results in the death of Patroclus & Achilless mourning of him & avenging of his murder. It has had a far-reaching impact on Western literature & culture inspiring writers artists & classical composers across the ages. Even though it was written more than two thousand years ago The Iliad remains both powerful & enthralling. ...

The product of more than a decade's continuous work (1598-1611) Chapman's translation of Homer's great poem of war is a magnificent testimony to the power of The Iliad. In muscular onward-rolling verse Chapman retells the story of Achilles the great warrior & his terrible wrath before the walls of besieged Troy & the destruction it wreaks on both Greeks & Trojans. Chapman regarded the translation of this epic & of Homer's Odyssey (also available in Wordsworth Editions) as his life's work & dedicated himself to capturing the 'soul' of the poem. ...

Man seduces anothers wife then kidnaps her. The husband & his brother get a gang together to steal her back & take revenge. The woman regrets being seduced & wants to escape whilst the mans entourage resent the position they have been placed in. Yet the battle lines have been drawn & there is no going back... Not the plot of the latest Hollywood thriller but the basis of The Iliad
- the Greek classic that details the war between the Greeks & the Trojans after the kidnapping of Helen of Sparta. Based on the recent superb M.L. West edition of the Greek this Iliad is more readable & moving than any previous version. Thanks to the scholarship & poetic power of the highly acclaimed Stephen Mitchell this new translation recreates the energy & simplicity the speed grace & continual thrust & pull of the original while the Iliads ancient story bursts vividly into life.
...

Homers two epics of the ancient world The Iliad & The Odyssey" tell stories as riveting today as when they were written between the eighth & ninth century B.C. " The Iliad" which tells of the siege of Troy by the Greeks is an unforgettable tale of nations at war & of the courage & compassion heroic soldiers show upon the field of battle. " The Odyssey" is the story of the Greek hero Odysseus & the many marvels & challenges he encounters during his ten-year voyage home to Ithaca after the end of the Trojan War. This edition employs Samuel Butlers classic translations of both texts. " The Iliad & The Odyssey" is part of " Barnes & Noble"s series of quality leatherbound volumes. Each title in the series presents a classic work in an attractively designed edition bound in durable bonded leather. These books make elegant additions to any home library." ...

The Iliad" tells the story of the war between Greeks & Trojans; the love between Helena & Paris; Achilles & Hector's deadly combat; & the Trojan Horse. " 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. These classic Greek stories have been retold with lively text & a dramatic cartoon style making them accessible & fun for young children." ...

Sing goddess the anger of Peleus son Achilleus / & its devastation." For sixty years thats how Homer has begun the " Iliad" in English in Richmond Lattimores faithful translation--the gold standard for generations of students & general readers. This long-awaited new edition of Lattimores " Iliad" is designed to bring the book into the twenty-first century--while leaving the "poem" as firmly rooted in ancient Greece as ever. Lattimores elegant fluent verses--with their memorably phrased heroic epithets & remarkable fidelity to the Greek--remain unchanged but classicist Richard Martin has added a wealth of supplementary materials designed to aid new generations of readers. A new introduction sets the poem in the wider context of Greek life warfare society & poetry while line-by-line notes at the back of the volume offer explanations of unfamiliar terms information about the Greek gods & heroes & literary appreciation. A glossary & maps round out the book. The result is a volume that actively invites readers into Homers poem helping them to understand fully the worlds in which he & his heroes lived--and thus enabling them to marvel as so many have for centuries at Hektor & Ajax Paris & Helen & the devastating rage of Achilleus." ...

Taking the events & characters of the Iliad as his jumping- off point Dan Simmons has created an epic of time travel & savage warfare. Travellers from 40 000 years in the future return to Homers Greece & rewrite history forever their technology impacting on the population in a godlike fashion. This is broad scope space opera rich in classical & literary allusion from one of the key figures in 1990s world SF. Ilium marks a return to the genre for one of its greats. ...

This is a classic account by one of the officers who took part in one of the great escapades of WWII. In 1943 W. Stanley Moss & Patrick Leigh-Fermor both serving with Special Forces in the Middle East decided on a plan to kidnap General Kreipe Commander of the Sevastopol Division in Crete & bring him back to Allied occupied Cairo. This is the story of their adventures working with a fearsome band of partisans as they daringly capture the General in an ambush & struggle to evade pursuing German troops in the mountainous Cretan landscape to reach their rendezvous for evacuation to safety. ...