KMC Forums - Richard Lattimore's Iliad

Richard Lattimore's (translation of Homer's) Iliad.

The Iliad is aparently required for many in high school.

Wasn't the case for me. Not sure if that is unfortunate or not.
Wasn't exposed to the work until later as a result. However, because it was not required reading, rather voluntary, I imagine I enjoyed it a great deal more than I would have otherwise.

I was fortunate enough to stumble upon a book that not only included Richard Lattimore's version of this famous work, but his introduction to the book as well.
Once I had the ability to understand the context of the book, why it was so long, why no one's shields save Ajax's seemed to actually work, what the people imagined themselves fighting for, etcetera, it became a rather fascinating work.

I read the "standard" version later one, though, the translation of Robert Fagle if I remember right? Think that Lattimore wins out. Wonder why, really, the mainstream adopted the other.

Perhaps someone has insight on this and related subtopics.

At any rate, to start off, a link to Lattimore's stellar introduction to the work:

http://press.uchicago.edu/Misc/Chic...imore_intro.pdf