Rating: 
Summary: Ugh, Gag me.
Review: Look, the plot is beautiful and wonderfully constructed, it's just the way it's written. An sentence or pharse is morphed into a long, neverending simile about how artistic something is up to the point where it becomes completely irrelevant! Stay away from this if you want the action packed story you saw in Troy, but if you have about a week of free time, consider it.
Rating: 
Summary: A readable Iliad in modern idiom
Review: Robert Fagles's translation of Homer's Iliad is spiritually if not literally true to the original. Both versions repeat set speeches and descriptions in precisely the same words, and the translation exhibits a fairly regular rhythmic beat. But Homer's Greek was chanted, and the set passages were like refrains in which listeners could, if they chose, join in as a chorus. In English, the repetitions sometimes become tedious, especially when the same speech is given three times in two pages, as in the relay of Zeus's orders in Book II. Especially noteworthy is Bernard Knox's long and fascinating Introduction, a masterpiece of literary criticism and scholarship which conveys Homer's grim attitude toward war, the interplay of divine and human will, and the ancient concepts of honor, courage, and virility in the face of the stark finality of death. Knox also includes a succinct explanation of the quantitative, rather than accentual, basis of Greek (and Latin) verse. For easy readability, Fagles's translation is without rival. For elegance and poetry, however, I recommend Richmond Lattimore's older but still gripping and fluent translation.
Rating:
Summary: Sing to Me, Muse
Review: Simply, and by far, the best book I have ever read. I am just very grateful that my body, eyes and brain have held out long enough for me to have read (and re-read) this, and that my moral and intellectual development were deep enough to allow me to appreciate so much of what it has to offer.
Rating:
Summary: Does justice to the beginning of Western literature
Review: The Iliad can easily be said to be the origin of the Western literary tradition. Although it was not any kind of scripture for the ancient Greeks, they cherished the Iliad almost as if it were. The ancient Greeks are gone now, but to this day, Homer's voice still rings true. However, is it possible to bring this voice to a modern English-speaking audience, without sacrificing the epic's beauty? Apparently, this is just what Robert Fagles has done.Fagles's translation carries the same lofty, powerful, and grandiose style that may have impressed the Greeks. Not only is the narrative full of poetic strength, but it spares none of the tragedy one would expect to emote from this moving story. It brings about the very cosmic sense that one would expect from a true epic, and thus, it does for modern global people what it did for the Greeks, despite the difference in cultures. Aside from this, not a whole lot can be said about this Iliad or any Iliad. You must read it to believe it. Rage, Goddess, Rage!
Rating:
Summary: One of the Wonders of Literature
Review: The Iliad is a great cautionary tale for people of every era. Homer anticipates the Deadly Sins of the Christian age and warns of their destructive power for both individuals and society. Achilles' selfish black anger leads to the death of countless Achaeans, including his best comrade, Patroclus. The lust of Helen and Paris brings two empires to endless war. Agamemnon's pride is the spark that sets off Achilles' anger. Even the gods are portrayed as petty, meddling, partisans who can't use their power and wisdom to bring peace to the warring factions. The Iliad is a brilliant depiction of the personal destructiveness of war. When a man is killed in battle we learn exactly how he is slain; the depictions of death are not pretty. We learn his name and that of his father. Homer wants us to understand that these are not faceless extras who are the random casualties of war. These are real men with unique identities who are killed in very specific ways. The Iliad is a timeless epic that laments the frailties of our natures that lead to our undoing.
Rating:
Summary: A Heroic and Human Tragedy
Review: The Iliad is a story of passion. In its sweep lies war and death, honor and pettiness, mortality, domesticity, gods and men. In his excellent introduction to this edition, Bernard Knox tells us that the Iliad probably was written down between 725 and 675 B.C. It tells a story that was archaic even for its time that is set around 1200 B.C. The story of the Iliad covers a matter of days in the tenth and final year of the Trojan War. It is allusive to the entire mythology of that ancient struggle. The tale is deliberately mythical, with characters and emotions that, Homer tells us many times, are larger than those of men today. For too many, the Iliad comes encrusted as a "classic". People read it, or portions of it, in high school or college and inevitably miss much of the grandeur and wisdom of the work. When I came back to the Iliad recently (after not having read the work in many years) in Fagles' translation, I was swept away. I accompanied my reading of the Iliad with an excellent series of lecture tapes on the poem and its background. I thought the translation, written in a modern colloquial free verse helped me to understand and read the poem. The translation, for me, gives the reader a sense of the repetitions, formulas and phraseology of the original. It has a sweep to it, and the style and translation does not get in the way of understanding the work. This is important in a modern translation of an ancient work. The translation was easy to follow and got me involved in the tale. I am sure the poem works differently in the ancient Greek than in this translation. But this is largely irrelevant to the virtue of Fagles's work which makes the Iliad come alive and roar in a manner which encourages the nonclassicist modern reader to approach it. There are a mulitude of themes in the Iliad. At the beginning of the work, Homer invokes his muse and announces that the work will deal with the "rage of Achilles." The work is about human anger and rage on a grand scale and about the waste, but strange grandeur of war. In his introduction, Bernard Knox quotes approvingly from Simone Weil, writing in France during World War II, who described the Iliad as the West's leading work on the use and nature of Force. The Iliad speaks deeply about the human condition, about the tragedy and heroism that human mortality makes possible, and about how people may learn to change and to understand others. I found Bernard Knox' introduction and notes helpful in understanding the controversies surrounding the writing of the Iliad and in giving the reader some of the basic tools to think about the work. Whether the reader is approaching the Iliad for the first time or after many times, there is much to be gained from reading this basic text of the West. Fagles translation will help bring the reader to the Iliad.
Rating:
Summary: Great
Review: The Iliad is not only one of the earliest works of literature, it is also one of the greatest. This is a powerful translation of this great poem. While only individuals competent in Classical Greek can really judge the quality of translation, this translation has been praised by many knowledgeable scholars. I have read all three of the popular translations of the Iliad (Lattimore's, Fitzgerald's, and Fagles') and this may be the best. The Iliad is supposedly written in a specific, formal, and somewhat artificial form of Greek and in this sense, the Lattimore translation, which is written in somewhat more "poetic" English, may be a bit more like the original. This translation, however, contains very direct language without sacrificing the intensity of the poetry. Fagles does particularly well in showing how Homer gradually elevates the power of his language as the poem reaches its climax and the piteous scenes that follow the death of Hector.
The Iliad is probably the greatest epic ever written. Many modern readers prefer the Odyssey because of its more varied plot but the Iliad is considerably longer. Maintaining the intensity of language and emotion throughout the poem and in the repetitive battle scenes is a remarkable achievement. A nice aspect of this book is the excellent introduction by Bernard Knox covering the nature of the Iliad, its themes, and the Homeric world.
Rating:
Summary: Belongs on your bookshelf
Review: The Robert Fagles translation of the Greatest War Story of All-Time is a masterful achievement. To comment on the Iliad itself is superfluous: it is a classic of world literature, one of the oldest stories extant, and the true beginning of Western literature itself. It is it not only a must-read for everyone as part of their basic cultural education, but it also a very exciting and entertaining tale that reveals a lot about human nature to us. The question, then, is not whether or not you should read it: you should. The task is to decide which of the many translations to pick up. I nominate this one. This truly epic poem, which, as the Introduction speculates, may have been composed in its final form with the aid of writing, was, originally, a long, poetic story spoken aloud. Fagles has done the seemingly impossible: given us an Iliad which we can read aloud, full of all the grandeur and epic, majestic sweep that the original must have contained -- and also a version that reads very well on the page, its sweeping prose and forward-pushing narrative helping to keep one forever reading on and making the poem exciting and invigorating to read. For those who have never read The Iliad before, this is, without a doubt, the translation to get: its form, in modern verse, is extremely easy to read and it is very enjoyable and endearing. You'll get the story loud and clear, without missing out on the grandeur and majestic poetry inherent in the original piece. For the scholar, or those who have read previous translations of the masterpiece, it is worthwhile reading as well: it shows, very clearly, the pure colossal power of the STORY, while being less poetically cluttered than the Pope and Lattimore translations, and easier reading than the Fitzgerald version. The edition is great as well, generously lavishing us with extras galore. Included is an extremely nice, 60+ page introduction by Bernard Knox which provides all of the necessary background of the story, rounds up the facts and succinctly summarizes the speculations regarding Homer and the composition of The Iliad, and offers great analyses of the various different aspects of the story. Also included are very helpful materials such as maps, a very thorough pronouncing dictionary for all of the characters in the story, complete with definitions of the characters. It is all topped off with a very-well-done book that feels good in your hands. An absolute must-read for anyone and everyone.
Rating: 
Summary: worthless
Review: this book leads to two things: a waste of time a waste of money
Rating:
Summary: A great treatment of a very old work
Review: This was the popular entertainment of the day 2500 years ago. People gathered `round to hear the bards sing of gods and heroes, and perhaps forget the daily grind for a while. In some ways, popular entertainment has not changed much. There are still over inflated personalities. They scheme against each other. They trade insults. They sleep with each other. They speak sometimes in truly awful dialogue, and are frequent creatures of incredulous plot lines.
From that standpoint, why should anyone study the classics seriously, or take them over a modern soap opera? Because, quite simply, anyone owing allegiance to Western Civilization has to see this as the dawn of their heritage - whether they fully appreciate it or not. These are the tales of the personalities that have colored our literature and language for a vast span of generations. Whether or not you care one whit for the finer nuances of classical civilization, you should still be able to appreciate The Iliad as a rousing good venture story. Being epic poetry, it does drag at times - but such parts are easily skimmed. All in all, what we have here is the central moment that unites of all the incredible expanse of Greek mythology. If you can't find something in all of that to take away and treasure, then I pity you.
The important thing for the common person to understand is that Greek mythology is not synonymous with Greek religion. Homer has turned Hera into a shrew, despite the goddess being a stately and well-respected deity in religious cult. Again, this is popular entertainment, and thus sensational. The tabloid impulse was as strong in Bronze Age Greece as it is now, and not even Olympian Gods can escape having their reputations dragged through the mud.
Fagles' translation is the best to which I've ever been privy. I don't speak one word of Homeric Greek, mind you. I only know what is enjoyable to read and what isn't. Fagles follows the flow of epic poetry without sounding too formal or boorish, something I felt Lattimore failed to achieve in the now "standard" translation I read at college. I'm told other translations like Lattimore follow the original more closely. I'm not terribly interested in the fact, and I suspect anyone outside a graduate Classics class will not care either. The measure of success is what is most easily digestible to an audience without completely sacrificing the original form or feeling. On that account, Fagles succeeds marvelously. The paragraphs are also spaced nicely, which makes reading easy on a pair of bad eyes. I even like the spiffy cover.
You can't go wrong with this translation. As a note to educators, I can't imagine subjecting high school or college students to any other version.
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