The True Story of the Iliad
by Caroline Alexander
Faber and Faber, 2009
Comments: Having recently read an account of Homer's Odyssey where the author reframed the tale within a realistic historical context, I was keen to find an account of the Iliad examined from a similar perspective. This book largely does that. Although most people think of the Iliad as a story about the face that launched a thousand ships, the Trojan horse, and the sack of Troy, it's actually a much narrower story, covering merely a two-week period late in the war and ending before its finale. Much of what we know about the Trojan war is actually derived from the remnants other epic poems, not from the Iliad, which is certainly notable among them for being complete. The Iliad itself is mainly the story of Achilles' ordeal of conscience, his ultimate duel-to-the-death with Hector, and the influence of the gods on his destiny. Moreover, this author makes a plausible case for the story not as a celebration of the glory of war, but rather an indictment of its futility.
This is a very well done study that brings a fresh modern perspective to perhaps the most classic tale of human warfare. Although the narrative mostly relies on other established translations, the author includes her own new translation for the entirety of the section dealing with the showdown between Achilles and Hector. And she does so brilliantly, bringing a meter to the translation that evokes some of the lyrical beauty that must be present in the original language. This section will certainly bear repeated reading. If you've ever wanted to better understand and appreciate this complex work, but found an unguided reading of the extensive poem too daunting, then this book is an exceptional alternative.
Copy Notes: Hardback, first edition (UK), with notes
