The Iliad
The Iliad, by Homer 
Blurb: The story of the Iliad centres on the critical events in the last year of the Trojan War, which lead to Achilleus' 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.Okay, so I originally read this book when I studied Classics in college and I immediately fell in love with it. Classics quickly became my favourite class - funny, since I hadn't intended on taking it in the first place but my best friend convinced me it would be fun to have a class together - and I've read this book many times since then. Despite that, it never ceases to surprise me! So much happens in this book, that after a while you forget things and then when you re-read it, it's like reading it for the first time all over again! One of my favourite things about this book is that all though the characters are gods and great heroes, which they are regally called, they all have such human emotions. The Iliad basically starts with Achilles and Agamemnon fighting over a girl, then Achilles runs complaining to his mummy and refuses to play anymore. Even the gods are very human; Zeus, King of the Gods, is a henpecked husband with rebellious children who just wants an easy life... he's also partial to a little spousal abuse, but to be fair I wanted to throttle Hera for most of the book too... I also like that Homer gives many of the characters back stories, even if it's just a line or two about their homeland before they are slain by the enemy, so it feels like every death is personal in a way. Also, he doesn't pick sides, the story is told from both the Trojan and Greek prospective - for me, although I think the Greeks have more of the moral high ground, since Paris did steal Menelaos' wife, Helen, (though slaying a whole city seems very extreme in this day and age!), I'm more on the side of the Trojans, despite knowing the eventual outcome (not in this book though!). The reason for this is that they are defending their home and the people within; women, children and the elderly, all of whom are innocent of any crimes against the Greeks. Paris is the guilty one, but then if he'd been held accountable in this fight with Menelaos at the beginning of the book The Iliad wouldn't be much of an epic! Also, I think the scene with Hektor and his wife and son, makes the Trojans seem softer, friendlier, whereas, later Achilles slaughters 'children' at Patroklos' burial.Honestly, I could ramble all day about why I love this book, but I won't! All I can say is that if you're a fan of history and classics, if you like action and blood and gore, if you like beautifully poetic war scenes, please read this book. I think everyone should read it at least once in their lifetime! My only disappointment would be that it doesn't carry on further to tell of the sacking of Troy.
My favourite quotes from 'The Iliad':'... but the life-giving earth already held them under...' '... like the late summer star, which rises from its bath in the Ocean to shine brightest of all.' 'But may I be dead and the heaped earth cover me, before I hear your screams and the sound of you being dragged away.' 'This night will prove the shattering of our army or its saving.' 'There is power in a friend's persuasion.' '... huge and hugely fallen...' 'I shall not forget him, as long as I am in the company of the living and there is lift in my knees - and if the dead forget their dead in the house of Hades, yet even there I shall remember my dear companion.' 'I have endured to do what no other mortal man on earth has done - I have brought to my lips the hands of the man who killed my child.' 'But it is I who will be left the greatest pain and misery - because when you died it was not in your bed, you did not hold out your arms to me or tell me some weighty last word, which I could remember for ever, all the nights and days when I weep for you.'
Blurb: The story of the Iliad centres on the critical events in the last year of the Trojan War, which lead to Achilleus' 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.Okay, so I originally read this book when I studied Classics in college and I immediately fell in love with it. Classics quickly became my favourite class - funny, since I hadn't intended on taking it in the first place but my best friend convinced me it would be fun to have a class together - and I've read this book many times since then. Despite that, it never ceases to surprise me! So much happens in this book, that after a while you forget things and then when you re-read it, it's like reading it for the first time all over again! One of my favourite things about this book is that all though the characters are gods and great heroes, which they are regally called, they all have such human emotions. The Iliad basically starts with Achilles and Agamemnon fighting over a girl, then Achilles runs complaining to his mummy and refuses to play anymore. Even the gods are very human; Zeus, King of the Gods, is a henpecked husband with rebellious children who just wants an easy life... he's also partial to a little spousal abuse, but to be fair I wanted to throttle Hera for most of the book too... I also like that Homer gives many of the characters back stories, even if it's just a line or two about their homeland before they are slain by the enemy, so it feels like every death is personal in a way. Also, he doesn't pick sides, the story is told from both the Trojan and Greek prospective - for me, although I think the Greeks have more of the moral high ground, since Paris did steal Menelaos' wife, Helen, (though slaying a whole city seems very extreme in this day and age!), I'm more on the side of the Trojans, despite knowing the eventual outcome (not in this book though!). The reason for this is that they are defending their home and the people within; women, children and the elderly, all of whom are innocent of any crimes against the Greeks. Paris is the guilty one, but then if he'd been held accountable in this fight with Menelaos at the beginning of the book The Iliad wouldn't be much of an epic! Also, I think the scene with Hektor and his wife and son, makes the Trojans seem softer, friendlier, whereas, later Achilles slaughters 'children' at Patroklos' burial.Honestly, I could ramble all day about why I love this book, but I won't! All I can say is that if you're a fan of history and classics, if you like action and blood and gore, if you like beautifully poetic war scenes, please read this book. I think everyone should read it at least once in their lifetime! My only disappointment would be that it doesn't carry on further to tell of the sacking of Troy.My favourite quotes from 'The Iliad':'... but the life-giving earth already held them under...' '... like the late summer star, which rises from its bath in the Ocean to shine brightest of all.' 'But may I be dead and the heaped earth cover me, before I hear your screams and the sound of you being dragged away.' 'This night will prove the shattering of our army or its saving.' 'There is power in a friend's persuasion.' '... huge and hugely fallen...' 'I shall not forget him, as long as I am in the company of the living and there is lift in my knees - and if the dead forget their dead in the house of Hades, yet even there I shall remember my dear companion.' 'I have endured to do what no other mortal man on earth has done - I have brought to my lips the hands of the man who killed my child.' 'But it is I who will be left the greatest pain and misery - because when you died it was not in your bed, you did not hold out your arms to me or tell me some weighty last word, which I could remember for ever, all the nights and days when I weep for you.'
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