Can Homer's Iliad speak across the centuries?

Three millennia after its composition, there are many obstacles to understanding this pillar of western literature – but the effort is worth it

When I first read Homer, I did not experience the same sublime ecstasy as Keats. No wild surmise for me! Instead, I experienced mild disappointment, considerable confusion and strong annoyance.

That all changed - but for now, let’s focus on the negative. The poem is challenging. I understand why people are so keen to evangelise this incredible artistic achievement, but I also worry that the praise we are all so keen to heap on the poem does few favours to people tackling the Iliad for the first time. People who have been told to expect the ultimate poetic experience – and discover instead a world of hurt.

Related: New translation of the Iliad by Caroline Alexander – extract

"There’s delicious irony in the fact that men so wrapped up in their own reputations can be so silly"

Related: Embarking on an epic: Homer's Iliad for February's Reading group

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