The Iliad roars with the clamor of arms, the bellowing boasts of victors, the fury and grief of loss, and the anguished cries of dying men.
It sings, too, of the sublime magnitude of the world—the fierce beauty of nature and the gods’ grand schemes beyond the ken of mortals.
The great war epic of Western literature, translated by acclaimed classicist Robert Fagles, and featured in the Netflix series The OA
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, winner of the PEN/Ralph Manheim Medal for Translation and a 1996 Academy Award in Literature from the American Academy of Arts and Letters, 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.”
This Penguin Classics Deluxe edition also features French flaps and deckle-edged paper.
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.
The story of the Iliad centers on the critical events in the last year of the Trojan War, which lead to Achilles's killing of Hektor and determine the fate of Troy. But Homer's theme is not simply war or heroism. With compassion and humanity, he presents a universal and tragic view of the world, of human life lived under the shadow of suffering and death, set against a vast and largely unpitying divine background. The Iliad is the first of the great tragedies. This prose translation features an excellent introduction and textual commentary by the translator, Martin Hammond.
This prose rendering by Wesley Callihan of Homer’s great epic is based on the 1883 translation of Andrew Lang, Walter Leaf, and Ernest Myers. Although accurate, the storytelling of the older translation is obscured, sometimes to the point of incomprehension, by the archaic Elizabethan and Sir Thomas Mallory diction and style. This new rendering attempts to preserve the accuracy but make the story far more readable.
Probably composed in the eighth century B.C. and based on an actual historical event of the thirteenth century B.C., Homer's Iliad is one of the great epics of the Western world. The poem unfolds near the end of the ten-year-long Trojan War, detailing the quarrel between the great warrior-hero Achilles and King Agamemnon, the battle between Paris and Menelaus for Helen of Troy, the Greek assault on the city and the Trojan counterattacks, the intervention of the gods on the part of their favorites, and numerous other incidents and events.
Vast in scope, possessing extraordinary lyricism and poignancy, this time-honored masterpiece brilliantly conveys the inconsistencies of gods and men, the tumultuous intensity of conflict, and the devastation that results from war. This inexpensive edition reproduces the celebrated Samuel Butler prose translation, admired for its simple, unadorned style, clarity, and readability.
Reprint of the Samuel Butler translation.
These instructional videos feature Sean Brooks, one of Highlands Latin School’s master teachers. Mr. Brooks’ compelling lectures on each book of the Iliad will give your students a better understanding of the background and culture of the time period, as well as the themes inherent in this great epic.
The Iliad Student Guide contains Reading Notes, Reading Comprehension Questions, Discussion Questions, and more. The answers are contained in the Teacher Guide.
The Iliad was the principal textbook in the schools of ancient Greece and Rome, and the primary authority in matters of ethics and morals, civic behavior, and military tactics.
Homer’s classic poem describing the horror and heroism of men and gods has been rewritten to be easily understandable by readers of all ages. Read how the war with Troy began, of battles and broken oaths.
"Sing, goddess, the anger of Peleus’ son Achilleus / and its devastation."
For sixty years, that’s how Homer has begun the Iliad in English, in Richmond Lattimore’s faithful translation—the gold standard for generations of students and general readers.
Western civilization begins with the Iliad and Odyssey. This is a perfect place to start your study of the Great Books. Our study guides will help bring Homer’s great works alive for your student.
Our Teacher Guide has inset student pages with answers, teacher notes for each lesson, quizzes, and tests, giving the teacher all the background information needed to teach these books.
“The Imitation of Christ” is a spiritual treasure that has enlightened readers for over five centuries. Written by Thomas à Kempis, this Christian classic delves into the intricacies of faith, humility, and the quest for inner peace.
From the publisher:
“The important thing about The Important Book — is that you let your child tell you what is important about the sun and the moon and the wind and the rain and a bug and a bee and a chair and a table and a pencil and a bear and a rainbow and a cat (if he wants to). For the important thing about The Important Book is that the book goes on long after it is closed. What is most important about many familiar things — like rain and wind, apples and daisies — is suggested in rhythmic words and vivid pictures.”
The second book in the Incorrigible Children of Ashton Place—the acclaimed and hilarious Victorian mystery series by Maryrose Wood has a brand-new look.
The fourth book in the Incorrigible Children of Ashton Place—the acclaimed and hilarious Victorian mystery series by Maryrose Wood has a brand-new look.