One of the New Yorker's Favorite Books from 2011--from the renowned translator of Rilke, Tao Te Ching, and Gilgamesh, a vivid new translation of Western civilization's foundational epic: the Iliad. One of The New Yorker's Favorite Books of 2 011 Tolstoy called the Iliad a miracle; Goethe said that it always thrust him into a state of astonishment. Homer's story is thrilling, and his Greek is perhaps the most beautiful poetry ever sung or written. But until now, even the best English translations haven't been able to re-create the energy and simplicity, the speed, grace, and pulsing rhythm of the original. Now, thanks to the power of Stephen Mitchell's language, the Iliad's ancient story comes to moving, vivid new life, and we are carried along by a poetry that lifts even the most devastating human events into the realm of the beautiful. Mitchell's Iliad is also the first translation based on the work of the preeminent Homeric scholar Martin L. West, whose edition of the original Greek identifies many passages that were added after the Iliad was first written down, to the detriment of the music and the story. Omitting these hundreds of interpolated lines restores a dramatically sharper, leaner text. In addition, Mitchell's illuminating introduction opens the epic still further to our understanding and appreciation.
Industry Reviews
"Mitchell's translation is a brilliant accomplishment. It captures the fierce energy, rhythms, and powerful narrative of Homer's Greek in vivid and compelling English." --Elaine Pagels, author of "The Gnostic Gospels" "A sturdy, muscular, and nuanced translation that will surely bring many new readers to this great work."--John Banville, author of "The Sea" "Stephen Mitchell's magnificent new translation of the "Iliad" reminds us that there is always a new and different way to read and interpret the great classics, and that they need to be reinvigorated from generation to generation, just as we need to be reminded that they are, however venerated, above all "stories" exciting, full of life and great characters, in short great entertainment, not just great monuments of culture or the Western canon. Mr. Mitchell has accomplished this difficult feat wonderfully well, and produced a book which is a joy to read and an "Iliad" for this generation." --Michael Korda, D. Litt., author of "Hero, Ike, "and "Ulysses S. Grant" "Mitchell's wonderful new version of the" Iliad "is a worthy addition to his list of distinguished renditions of the classics." --Peter Matthiessen "A strange, almost forgotten feeling overtook me as I first dipped into this new translation. I felt compelled to recite aloud! The poetry rocks and has a macho cast to it, like rap music. It's overtly virile stuff, propelled from the time when music, language, information, and politics were not yet distinguished." --Jaron Lanier, author of "You Are Not a Gadget" "Mitchell's five-beat line is a startlingly strong alternative to other translators' attempts to capture the inimitably mellifluous flow of Homer's Greek. Mitchell fits a meter to the poem, but also the poem to the meter, paring away words that could not work in English, aiming always to preserve the uncanny aesthetic distance and moral neutrality of the original at its full, thrilling, and horrifying depth. Read three pages, "any "three pages, and you'll realize that, no, you are not yet done with Homer." --Jack Miles, author of "God: A Biography" "A daring new version of the epic poem." --"The Wall Street Journal" "Mitchell's "Iliad" is slimmer and leaner than anything we have seen before.... His strong five-beat rhythm is arguably the best yet in English." --"The New Yorker" A daring new version of the epic poem. "The Wall Street Journal"" Mitchell s "Iliad" is slimmer and leaner than anything we have seen before.... His strong five-beat rhythm is arguably the best yet in English. "The New Yorker"" "Mitchell's Iliad is slimmer and leaner than anything we have seen before.... His strong five-beat rhythm is arguably the best yet in English." --The New Yorker "A daring new version of the epic poem." --The Wall Street Journal "The verse is well-forged and clean-limbed, and achieves a powerful simplicity. Mitchell has re-energised the Iliad for a new generation." --The Sunday Telegraph (London) Mitchell s Iliad is slimmer and leaner than anything we have seen before.... His strong five-beat rhythm is arguably the best yet in English. The New Yorker" A daring new version of the epic poem. The Wall Street Journal" The verse is well-forged and clean-limbed, and achieves a powerful simplicity. Mitchell has re-energised the Iliad for a new generation. The Sunday Telegraph (London)" "Stephen Mitchell has done a marvelous thing here: he has given fresh energy and poetic force to a work that perennially repays our attention. Without the" Iliad" the West would be a vastly poorer place; Homer's achievement speaks to every successive generation with its unflinching understanding of the essential tragic nature of life. Mitchell's translation is a grand accomplishment." -- Jon Meacham, author of "American Lion"
