Customer Reviews

The Iliad (OP)

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I recall asking a bookseller years ago if he had this Jacobi audio narration of The Iliad in his store. His response, "We don't do audio. Bookstores are for books." Fine and dandy. But The Iliad was an oral poem to begin with, and for those who want to hear it, regardless of having read it or not, there is no better place to start. Yes, it is abridged, but the choice of abridgement seems sensible, though I would have preferred the poem in its entirety. Another reviewer refers to Jacobi, a mentor of Kenneth Branaugh, as the greatest living Shakespearean actor. Though there are many fine Shakespearean actors currently performing around the world in dozens of fascinating roles, it is easy to imagine that Jacobi is one of the finest. His reading of Homer's ILIAD is intense and riveting and a must for fans of the poem in English. PS: Check out Jacobi in his most brilliant performance as the lead in I, Claudius (available on DVD and VHS).

N.B. : this Robert Fagles translation/Derek Jacobi narrated audio version is also available on AUDIO CASSETTE (here at amazon)

Sir Ian McKellen's very fine narration of Fagles' translation of The Odyssey in an unabridged audio cassette recording is available for purchase here at amazon.com.

Sir Derek Jacobi's narration of Allen Mandelbaum's translation of The Odyssey is available in abridged CD or audio cassette versions, also here at [...]. As I am a big fan of Jacobi, it is odd that I've not yet listened to his Odyssey reading.

Reading's wonderful. There's nothing like curling up with one and leaving reality for an hour or two. But it's even nicer to lay back, close one's eyes and listen to this wonderful classic tale told by the greatest living Shakespearian actor on the planet. And this translation of the Iliad is perfect for such storytelling.

A friend, criticizing Brad Pitt's Achilles in the recent movie TROY, complained that Pitt's portrayal of the world's greatest warrior was one who was too much of a philosopher and cynic. "Just like Homer's Achilles," I reminded him. And there's no shortage of Achilles' righteous indignation at the pompous Agamemnon, son of Atreus, who sacrificed his only daughter, Iphigenia, to Artimis for favorable winds to ill-fated Troy. Given this, it should be no trouble choosing sides: Agamemnon, the great king of kings or Achilles, of whom Agamemnon called "the most dangerous man I've ever met."

Jacobi first came to the attention of many Americans for his portrayal of the Roman Emperor Claudius Drusus Nero Germanicus, the wily old republican who became the adoptive father of Nero, the mad emperor. Since the death of Lawrence Olivier, Jacobi has generally been regarded as the greatest living Shakespearian actor. Olivier, in his last days, apparently disagreed, saying Jacobi was greater than he. In the midst of all this modesty and tribute, the viewer/listener will have to come to his or her own conclusion.

This is a wonderful CD.