Brandon answers “Which translation(s) would you recommend?”

Abdulla asked this question about The Iliad:

Which translation(s) would you recommend?

Brandon Fitzgerald's is, far and away, the best recent(ish) translation. It captures much of the original Greek sound effects, retains the classic epithets, a…moreFitzgerald's is, far and away, the best recent(ish) translation. It captures much of the original Greek sound effects, retains the classic epithets, and masterfully renders these into dynamic, cascading English. You lose a lot of the Greek character, including the word play (though not all) and epithets (which he echews) in Fagles's sometimes too-loose but eminently readable translation. Lattimore is often the gold standard for comparing with the Greek, but I doubt it will move most modern readers outside the academy.(less)

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