I just completed a continuing studies course on the odyssey at stanford university conducted by the venerable dr. Combining the skills of a poet and scholar, robert fagles brings the energy of contemporary language to this enduring heroic epic. Arnold schwarzenegger this speech broke the internet and most inspiring speech it changed my life. This is the best version i have found so far of the iliad. Achilles has quarreled with agamemnon and sulks in his tent, while.
Praise robert fitzgeralds translation is a masterpiece. The huge themes godlike, yet utterly human of savagery and calculation, of destiny defied, of triumph and grief compel our own. At its center is achilles, the greatest warriorchampion of the. Many a brave soul did it send hurrying down to hades, and many a. The result, the winner of the 1991 academy of american poets landon translation award, is a wonderfully accessible iliad that preserves every nuance of homers genius. Thankfully, prior to his current death, fagles also translated. Now, with this stunning modern verse translation, fagles has reintroduced virgils aeneid to a whole new generation, and completed the classical triptych at the heart of western. Historians cannot agree where homer was born, whether he was blind, whether he wrote both the iliad and the odyssey, or even if. The identity of the composer of the odyssey and the iliad is a matter of some speculation. The 1990 appearance of robert fagless iliad offered a new. The great war epic of western literature, in a stunning translation by acclaimed classicist robert fagles a penguin classic dating to the ninth century. Please wash your hands and practise social distancing. The iliad audiobook homer, robert fagles translator. The 1990 appearance of robert fagles s iliad offered a new experience of homer, one that finally made the excitement of the poem accessible to readers of english.
Robert fitzgeralds translation of the iliad into normal english is beautiful and poetic. Robert fagless vigorous, celebrated translation of the iliad receives a lively and engaging reading from renowned actor derek jacobi in this abridged. Whitehaired, tall and spare, he moves with the air of preparedness, flexibility and covert attentiveness of someone who, i correctly guess, has played a lot of tennis. He maintains the drive and metric music of homers poetry, and evokes the impact and nuance of the iliad. The iliad audiobook homer, robert fagles translator audible. Jun 03, 2016 homers iliad is the first great work of western literature. The centuries old epic about the wrath of achilles is rendered into modern english verse by a renowned translator and accompanied by an introduction that reassesses the identity of homer. Dan stevens, the narrator, does an equally amazing job. The huge themes godlike, yet utterly human of savagery and calculation, of destiny defied, of triumph and grief compel our own humanity. In an interview with playwright gideon lester, fagles described the job of a translator. Librivox recording of homers iliad translated by samuel butler, read by librivox volunteers. The 4 star rating in this case is only for the 2005 penguin audio audiobook edition of robert fagles 1996 translation of homers the odyssey.
Perhaps the greatest poem of the western world, homers the iliad unfolds the story of fifty critical days near the end of the trojan war. Robert fagles, the renowned translator of latin and greek whose versions of homer and virgil were unlikely best sellers and became fixtures on classroom reading lists, died on wednesday at. The iliad audiobook by homer, robert fagles translator. The poem is commonly dated to the 8th or 7th century bc, and many scholars believe it is the oldest extant work of literature in the greek language, making it the first work of european literature. Buy the iliad by robert fagles, homer from amazons fiction books store.
The odyssey is literatures grandest evocation of every mans journey through life. The great war epic of western literature, translated by acclaimed classicist robert fagles, and. It would be a disaster, monet and cost no justification the kindle cost is a giveaway. Fagles believed in the performancedriven aspects of the iliad, and he did his very best to emphasize this element with his translation. The odyssey audiobook homer, robert fagles translator. Mar 29, 2008 robert fagles, the renowned translator of latin and greek whose versions of homer and virgil were unlikely best sellers and became fixtures on classroom reading lists, died on wednesday at his. Crowded with characters, both human and nonhuman, and bursting with action, the epic tales detail the fabled trojan war and the adventures of odysseus as he struggles to return home. He maintains the drive and metric music of homers poetry, and evokes the impact and nuance of the iliads mesmerizing repeated phrases in what peter levi calls an astonishing performance. A work of tremendous influence that has inspired writers from his ancient greek contemporaries to modernist writers such as t.
In this brilliant translation, robert fagles brings the vigor of contemporary language to homers 2,700yearold tale. The result, the winner of the 1991 academy of american poets landon translation award, is a wonderfully accessible iliad. The story begins when paris, son of priam, king of troy, carries off the beautiful helen, thereby. Achilles has quarreled with agamemnon and sulks in his tent, while hector brings his trojans to the brink of victory. Now, with this stunning modern verse translation, fagles. Perhaps the greatest poem of the western world, the iliad tells the story of fifty critical days towards the end of the trojan. Composed in twentyfour books of greek hexameter poetry, it portrays the events of the last year of the trojan war.
Anger be now your song, immortal one,akhilleus anger, doomed and ruinous, that caused the akhaians loss on bitter lossand crowded brave souls into the undergloom, leaving so many dead mencarrionfor dogs and birds. The iliad homer translated by samuel butler homer 800 bc an ionian poet. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. Written by homer, robert fagles translator, narrated by ian mckellen. This is not a reflection on fagles translation or ian mckellens. One of the foremost achievements in western literature, homers iliad tells the story of the darkest episode in the trojan war. Robert fagles, whose acclaimed translations of homers iliad and odyssey were welcomed as major publishing events, brings the aeneid to a new generation of readers, retaining all of. Combining the skills of a poet and scholar, robert fagles brings the energy of. Many a brave soul did it send hurrying down to hades, and many a heroes did it yield a prey to dogs and vultures for so were the counsels of zeus fulfilled from the day on which the son of atreus, king of men. He also discusses the translation and his piece in this weeks out loud. Marks 19 professor of comparative literature, to discuss our forthcoming interview at the unterberg poetry center of the 92nd street y.
Robert fagles national endowment for the humanities neh. The result, the winner of the 1991 academy of american poets landon translation award, is a wonderfully accessible iliad that preserves. Robert fagles translation of the iliad is undoubtedly one of the very best. The odyssey translated by robert fagles introduction and notes by bernard knox isbn. Although notable translations of the iliad by robert fitzgerald and richmond lattimore had appeared in 1961 and 1965, fagles momentously chose to translate the poem for what he called the channelsurfing age because every decade if not every age needs its own translation, and, as he said, the trojan war ends but it never stops. Lines 16since it was first published more than twentyfive years ago, robert fitzgeralds prizewinning translation. In robert fagles beautifully rendered text, the iliad.
In the myths and legends that are retold here, the energy and poetry of homers original is captured in a bold, contemporary idiom, giving us an edition of the odyssey that is a joy to listen to, worth savoring and treasuring for its sheer lyrical mastery this audiobook. Johnstons translation is more than servicable and follows the greek pretty closely, which for me is a good thing. Learn about the wrath of achilles, the greek hero of the trojan war, along with a whole cast of greeks, trojans, and gods that battle throughout the final year of the siege of troy. He maintains the drive and metric music of homers poetry, and evokes the impact and nuance of the iliad s mesmerizing repeated phrases in what peter levi calls an astonishing performance. The iliad, by homer full audiobook homers iliad is the first great work of western literature. Each has a distinctive badge, each comes with its own vocal dna, he says. Eliot, homers epic poem the iliad is translated by robert fagles with an introduction and notes by bernard knox in penguin classics one of the foremost achievements in western literature, homers iliad. In other words, it exemplifies as no other translation. The translation of the iliad by robert fagles was the first one that i read covertocover, and it really was a lifealtering experience, and the beginning of my loveaffair with homer and allthings iliadic. The iliad, together with the odyssey, is one of two ancient greek epic poems traditionally attributed to homer.
I had done my dissertation on popes translation, and i wanted to make it new. The great war epic of western literature, in a stunning translation by acclaimed classicist robert fagles a penguin classic dating to the ninth century b. Every translation is different, says classicist robert fagles. The ancient greek poet homer established the gold standard for heroic quests and sweeping journeys with his pair of classic epic poems, the iliad and the odyssey. In robert fagles beautifully rendered text, the iliad overwhelms us afresh. Historians cannot agree where homer was born, whether he was blind, whether he wrote both the iliad and the. In the myths and legends that are retold here, the energy and poetry of homers original is captured in a bold, contemporary idiom, giving us an edition of the odyssey that is a joy to listen to, worth savoring and treasuring for its sheer lyrical mastery. Everyday low prices on a huge range of new releases and classic fiction. The iliad in this widely acclaimed verse translation of homers great epic, robert fagles combines the skills of poet and scholar. Learn about the wrath of achilles, the greek hero of the trojan war, along with a whole cast of.
Although notable translations of the iliad by robert fitzgerald and richmond lattimore had appeared in 1961 and 1965, fagles momentously chose to translate the poem for what he called the channelsurfing age because every decade if not every age needs its own translation. Download and keep this book for free with a 30 day trial. Listening to derek jacobi deliver the iliad in robert fagles translation. Buy the iliad penguin classics new ed by homer, knox, bernard, knox, bernard, fagles, robert isbn. Help us create the kind of literary community youve always dreamed of. It has to do with the tone of voice of the translator.
The iliad by homer, translated by robert fagles, is undoubtedly wonderful poetry that makes you marvel at word choice and rhetorical construction. The iliad is an epic poem in dactylic hexameters, traditionally attributed to homer. It was commonly thought that he lived on chios, an isl. The iliad, the opening of book i, translated by robert fagles. He brings the energy of contemporary language to this enduring heroic work, but maintains the drive and metric music of homers poetry and evokes the impact and nuance of homers mesmerizing repeated phrases. Composed in twentyfour books of greek hexameter poetry, it portrays the events of the last year.
Like so many readers of this greatest of the classics, there is much labor in taking on this great work. The iliad translated by robert fagles audio book on. Marks 19 professor of comparative literature, emeritus, at princeton university. Classics in audio series homer author john lescault narrator 2003 the iliad. His translations of both the iliad and odyssey have sold hundreds of thousands of copies and have become the standard translations of our era. He was the recipient of the 1997 penralph manheim medal for translation. He attended amherst college, graduating in 1955 with a bachelor of arts degree. Apr 03, 2004 robert fitzgeralds versions of the iliad, the odyssey, the aeneid, and the oedipus plays of sophocles with dudley fitts are prized by scholars and general readers alike. Translated by robert fagles, 1990 sing, o goddess, the anger of achilles, son of peleus, that brought countless ills upon the achaeans.
Fagles was born in philadelphia, pennsylvania, the son of charles fagles, a lawyer, and vera voynow fagles, an architect. The iliad by homer derek jacobi reads the opening, translated by. Fagles translated the iliad in 1990 and the odyssey in 1996. Sep 27, 2017 the iliad translated by robert fagles audio book on bookdepository stay safe and healthy. The iliad by homer robert fagles trans read by derek jacobi. September 11, 1933 march 26, 2008 was an american professor, poet, and academic, best known for his many translations of ancient greek and roman classics, especially his acclaimed translations of the epic poems of homer. Homers illiad translated by robert fagles order description. An admired poet and teacher of writing, he died in 1988. During the class, we read from two of the most modern translations, this one from lattmore as well as robert fagles more recent translation. The ancients believed it was a bard called homer, although they disagreed about biographical details. The nation fitzgeralds odyssey and iliad open up once more the unique greatness of homers art at the. The words used are in normal english so you dont have to struggle to decipher them. Robert fagles and i met several times in his office at princeton, where he is arthur w.
Combining the skills of a poet and scholar, robert fagles brings the energy of contemporary language to this enduring. The publication of a new translation by fagles is a literary event. Set in the trojan war, the tenyear siege of ilium, by a coalition of greek states, it tells of the battles and events during the. Librivox, audio books, poetry, ancient greece, greece, homer, iliad, mythology librivox recording of homers iliad translated by samuel butler, read by librivox volunteers. Aug 17, 2006 combining the skills of a poet and scholar, robert fagles brings the energy of contemporary language to this enduring heroic epic. The iliad livre audio homer, robert fagles translator. He brings the energy of contemporary language to this enduring heroic work. Review listen to homers ancient greek epic poem the iliad, translated by samuel butler. Marsh mccall who actually made it a fun and fascinating class. Seeing that his translation of the aeneid is also available, it got me.
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