The Iliad (Mentor) [Paperback]

Homer (Author), W. H. D. Rouse (Translator)

Book Description

Series: Mentor | Publication Date: January 1, 1950

Book

Product Details

• Paperback: 312 pages
• Publisher: Signet (January 1, 1950)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0451627237
• ISBN-13: 978-0451627230
• Product Dimensions: 6.7 x 3.9 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,617,196 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The pride of Agamemnon and Achilles., May 23, 1999

By 

R. D. Allison ([e-mail]) (Gainesville, Florida, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Iliad (Mentor) (Paperback)

The version of the "Iliad" that I read was the prose translation by W. H. D. Rouse (those of you interested in the verse translation should see the edition provided by Robert Fagles). Agamemnon holds a Trojan captive as his concubine, Chryseis. He refuses to release the girl to her father Chryses, a priest of Apollo, for ransom. Apollo sends a plague as punishment and Agamemnon finally relents. But, he replaces her with Briseis, the concubine of Achilles, the leading Greek warrior. Achilles now refuses to fight. His closest friend, Patroclus, dons Achilles' armor and goes to battle, hoping to rally the Greeks against the Trojans. He is killed in combat by Hector, son of the ruler of Troy. Achilles is furious. He obtains new armor, is reconciled to Agamemnon, and goes to meet Hector in battle. Hector is killed and the epic ends with Hector's funeral. This is one of the great classics of literature and should be required reading for every College student. Unfortunately, it isn't.