Customer Reviews

War Music: An Account of Books 1-4 and 16-19 of Homer's Iliad

5 star:		(13)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

This is a flat-out triumph. Logue fills his take on Homer with dazzling imagery and stunning word-music. The Iliad falls right into our laps because Logue has given it a mighty shove. Only Professor Fagles' recent translation of the poem betters it and that is because Dr. Fagles has actually rendered the WHOLE poem in crisp, biting English that for the first time actually walks Homer up to our faces. In Fagles we can smell the breath of the blind poet, Logue brings us to the sweaty armpits.

As a styling, however, "War Music" has no peer and if Dr. Fagles has a slight edge it is because he has, after all, wrestled with the Greek text and got us into Homer's world all the way. Logue brings into the world but chooses to give us a whirlwind tour while Fagles allows us to slum awhile.

Still as much as I adore Dr. Fagles now celebrated translation, I am haunted. Logue's great re-imagining has left me shaken. The worship scenes are boffo and the Pax chapter that ends this fine "War Music" contains some of the sharpest, most moving, most eloquent, most rugged, and most manly, epic English verse since Marlowe's majestic "Tamburlaine" made kings into footstools.

And finally, there is this: As a work of English poetry, leaving Homer on the rocks for just a moment, "War Music" stands as one of the great collections of modern verse in the 20th Century.

"War Music" turns staid old men like me into groupies.

Bravo!

Christopher Logue has a lot of guts. He's gotten into the ring with the likes of Fagles, Lattimore, Fitzgerald, Pope, and most courageously, Homer himself - and acquitted himself well. Mr. Logue has pulled "The Iliad," into the 21st Century with less a translation than a re-write. It appears there are numerous volumes containing sections of Mr. Logue's work, and it's a little hard to keep track, but two editions offered on Amazon.com's website, "War Music," and the wondrously titled, "All Day Permanent Red," seem to contain it all.

Mr. Logue writes in a robust verse form that retains the epic language while exploring possibilities for a cinematic look on scenes and situations, as well as opening the field to modern metaphor. Unlike Barry Unsworth's interpolations in "The Songs of the Kings," Mr. Logue's don't jar, but rather deepen. A sample line, "Ajax, grim underneath his tan as Rommel after `Alamein..." lifts the story from some mythical past to something that is played out continually. A great device considering "The Iliad" is arguably the blue-print for every war story ever written.

When "War Music," opens outside the actual text of "The Iliad," and introduces us to Achilles - angry, petulant, bent on revenge, summoning his mother and laying grief for Agamemnon - Mr. Logue provides character depth missing from the original, and immediately lays out his plan to re-write and enrich rather than re-tell. His plan unfolds magnificently through both books.

I think "War Music" would work for readers with no pre-knowledge of the source, and I know it worked beautifully for me, and I've been through at least three previous translations.

Five Stars!

What stands out is the utter beauty of Mr. Logue's language. He creates images that resonate within the reader long after the book has been put down. Far from being an empty exercise in post-modern hipness, "War Music" is a new classic that manages to bring Homer to life again for the contemporary reader. It can proudly take its place on the bookshelf right next to the Fitzgerald or Fagles translation of Homer's "Iliad." Indeed, my only regret is that Mr. Logue has not seen fit to reinterpret the remainder of the "Iliad" for those of us who fell in love with his fierce, but lovely "War Music." Hint-hint.

Some of the language in War Music is exceptional--Her breasts so lovely that they envy one another-- And he quit being-- His soul crawled off his tongue and vanished into sunlight-- And from its silver, sea-dark wine had crossed your lips (such a nice turn on Homer's wine-dark sea)-- Dawn stepped bare-footed from her lover's bed (Homer's rosy-fingered Dawn has become rosy-toed).

However it must be said further that this work seemed exhausting and extremely difficult to follow, except in the broadest outlines. Who is doing what to whom, and when and with whom, were questions constantly in mind while reading. Obviously this work does not purport to be a translation of Homer in the usual sense, but it is indeed a powerful and arresting poem in its own right, an inspired and original adaptation, which is of course what Logue intends. The introduction of modern words and non-Homeric references (Bikini, Iwo Jima, Napoleon, binoculars, etc.) is bothersome not because they are there per se, but because they seem so unnecessary to the context and tone of the poem. The seem like jolting anachronisms. Other images and words found within the Homeric world would have done just as well. And where on earth does he get some of the proper names--Bombax, Famagusta, Opknocktophon, etc.? If these are intended to provide a background of humorously named lesser characters, as in Shakespeare, perhaps reading the classics leaves one unprepared for them in this context and precludes appreciating them as such.

Logue's insight into the major themes comes across well. We see the wrath of Achilles wreaking its consequences. We know that when Patroclus goes out to die, Achilles will follow him. And we see foreshadowed that when Hector falls at the hands of Achilles and the doom of Troy is sealed, so too is Achilles own fate assured. Through all these themes the immortals are weaving their way, full of apparent fallibilities and indecisivenness themselves, playing their favorites, and never hesitating to interfere in the affairs of men, in which they take a great interest.

Logue's inspired poem is good and perhaps will lead some to Homer himself, especially if this version is heard aloud (as the mention of the BBC suggests), where the power and rhythm of the language can be demonstrated and felt to its fullness.

I've only recently become aware of Christopher Logue's retelling of Homer's Iliad. Logue's been working on his translation for decades, though. This volume collects all of his Iliad material from 1962 to 1995, which is a measly three books. Chronologically, these books are "The Kings," which is the first book in this collection. Published in 1991, it covers the first two books of the Iliad. Next up is "The Husbands," from 1994, which covers books three and four. Finally there is "War Music" itself, originally published in 1980, and comprised of books 16 through 19. This includes "Patroclea," written in 1962, "GBH" (a British legal term meaning "Grievous Bodily Harm"), apparently written in 1980, and "Pax," written in 1967.

As you can see, Logue takes his time releasing books. This collection came out in 1997, and since then he has published only one further volume, "All Day Permanent Red," which came out in February 2003 and covers books 5 and 6; the first battle scenes in the Iliad. Being that Logue was born in 1926, I'm really hoping he'll live to re-write the remaining books of the story. But judging from his past rate of output, I'm afraid it's not very likely.

The problem with Logue's Homer is that there's no turning back. After reading this, even in its unfinished state, all other translations of the Iliad pale in comparison. I even read the Penguin book "Homer in English," which features samples from the majority of English translations of Homer, and Logue's struck me as better than any of them. The reason he excels over others is that Logue jettisons all parts of the Iliad that are not cinematic, that are not moving, and that are repetitious. We're left with a fast-moving narrative in unrhyming, free-style verse that features some of the best writing and most memorable dialog I've ever come across. This is a book that demands to be read and re-read, due to the quality of writing. And I'm a guy who usually avoids poetry.

I wouldn't recommend this to the first-time reader of the Iliad, however. Logue refers to some characters and gods in off-hand, casual ways that might confuse those new to Homer's world. For example, Apollo is several times referred to as "the Mouse God" before he is actually referred to as Apollo. Likewise, Logue flat-out makes up names for several characters, even re-naming some of the lesser characters. This is more of a book to be enjoyed by someone who's already read a standard translation of the Iliad; that way the changes and deletions Logue has made to the story become more apparent, and more appreciated.

This is how poems should be. I think when you read it, you can get a feeling of how an audience, hearing the Iliad in the oral tradition must have felt. It's about action and blood and snot and heroism. In a word this poem is STIRRING. But take care, this is not a literal translation. I prefer to think of it as a 'feeling translation'.

I've asked a friend who can read ancient Greek whether the original is as good as Christopher Logue's translation. He thought it was a close-run contest. War Music -- originally published in three separate fragments -- is gripping, chilling reading. I enjoyed Robert Fagles's Homer translations, but nothing prepares you for the visceral excitement conveyed by Logue. He doesn't pretend to translating accuracy, but these are powerful, memorable poems.

In creating his own account of Homer's Iliad, Logue has in fact succeeded in creating very much his own poem. His War Music moves at a swift pace, at times enhanced by film script language, at times by witty similes to modern day phenomena, and always with a great sense of humour that leaves the gods and goddesses unrevered, while leaving the bitter earnest of war and all it entails intact. Superb effort, I sincerely hope the poet will manage to complete the series.

This is just about the best, most beautiful, most powerful poetry I've ever read. I'd also suggest this book for reading and discussion groups, as it has so much to talk about in it, while being a pretty quick read. I've been told more than once that it is very difficult for non-native English speakers, however.

We gathered some friends together, some experienced actors, some not, and read Kings and War Music aloud. Voices create moments of transcendent beauty and horror.

I've been told a group of actors in England have read Kings in the dark, with a sound track of horses, chariots and the sounds of arrows hitting the sides of the ships. I don't know if I could bear hearing it that way, it might be too much.

Mike O'Brien