the-iliad
The Iliad by Homer, published by Penguin Classics in 1988, is a reprint edition featuring 528 pages in English. This epic poem is a significant literary achievement of Greek civilization and serves as a cornerstone of Western culture. The narrative focuses on the pivotal events during the last year of the Trojan War, culminating in Achilles’s confrontation with Hektor, while exploring themes of war, heroism, and the human condition against a backdrop of suffering and divine indifference.
Readers will find a profound exploration of human life as depicted through the lens of tragedy in The Iliad. The text presents a universal view of existence, emphasizing compassion amidst conflict. This edition includes an introduction and textual commentary by translator Martin Hammond, enhancing the reader’s understanding of the work’s historical and cultural context. The themes of mythology and Greek heritage are woven throughout, making this a significant addition to any literary collection.
Official synopsis Publisher
The greatest literary achievement of Greek civilization—an epic poem without rival in world literature and a cornerstone of Western culture
The story of the Iliad centers on the critical events in the last year of the Trojan War, which lead to Achilles’s killing of Hektor and determine the fate of Troy. But Homer’s theme is not simply war or heroism. With compassion and humanity, he presents a universal and tragic view of the world, of human life lived under the shadow of suffering and death, set against a vast and largely unpitying divine background. The Iliad is the first of the great tragedies. This prose translation features an excellent introduction and textual commentary by the translator, Martin Hammond.
For more than seventy years, Penguin has been the leading publisher of classic literature in the English-speaking world. With more than 1,700 titles, Penguin Classics represents a global bookshelf of the best works throughout history and across genres and disciplines. Readers trust the series to provide authoritative texts enhanced by introductions and notes by distinguished scholars and contemporary authors, as well as up-to-date translations by award-winning translators.
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