The Iliad

[Mary Pat]

This thread is to discuss Homer‘s book, The Iliad.


***Please remember to mark spoilers.***

Participants: Cendaquenta, Susy, Scott, Chinook, Franci

[Mary Pat]

Suggested break down of reading so that you can check in and let us know how you're doing. The following breakdown is purely a suggestion and is therefore not set in stone.

Rather than putting dates for each section I've done it so that it takes into account that not everybody will necessarily have the book at the same time.

Week 1: 171
Week 2: 171
Week 3: 171
Week 4: 171

[Scott]

What translation ??? I have an old one that I have tried reading before. I might try that one again or a modern one.

[Mary Pat]

Scott, I went through the posts and did not see any references to a specific translation so it would be up to the group.

Cendaquenta, Susy, Chinook, Franci - thoughts?

[Susy]

I'll be reading a Dutch translation: Ilias & Odyssee (cause we might be reading Odyssey in august right?) but I see it's 674 pages while the above mentioned edition of Iliad alone is 683 pages....???

[Scott]

I read a sample from the faGLE translation. It was okay but I might stick with my Samuel Butler version

[Susy]

I think this is the English version of the one I plan on reading: Check out The Iliad & The Odyssey by Homer
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/4...

See the page count? How can that be when the Iliad alone is almost 700 pages. Do you think it’s a shortened version? Should I try to get another one, Iliad and Odyssey separately?

[D]

I'm not sure page count is a reliable indicator. My copy of The Illiad is 306 pages of what appears to be an 8 point font (Great Books of the Western World, 2nd Edition, volume 3, Encyclopedia Britannica, translated by Richard Lattimore, 1951, The University of Chicago)

[Susy]

Ah ok, I see, thank you D!

[Susy]

Hi guys, has anyone started this yet?

I'm on chapter 2. I decided to read about 25 pages a day and if I have more time to read, I'll read another book. I like the writing but it's not something I go through quickly, so have to have something else on the side.

So far I like recognising certain elements from The Song of Achilles.
Chapter 2 was really horrible though with all those names, I mean wow (at a certain point I just glanced over them lol). Also impressed with all the descriptive words used to describe all the places they are from (but started to glance over those too at a certain point....).

[Scott]

I'm on the second chapter as well. I'm almost finished with Infinite Jest which is super long I'll have more time for The Iliad then.

[Susy]

Chapter 6 now.
Just too many names, which makes it hard to distinguish which characters are important and should be remembered (with a few exceptions having read The Song of Achilles). So I make no effort to remember them or how they are related...

[jb]

I started The Iliad a while ago, but haven’t finished it. I may dig it out again. I did read The Odyssey. Neither story is what I would consider light reading.

I do get the feel that verbally (at the time the Tale was told) that it probably would have sounded eloquent and flowed much better.

[Scott]

I’m about 60% through an abridged audiobook version which is about half the size of the normal one. The story is okay but so many names makes it hard to follow. Pretty sure I’ll finish this version not sure if I’ll try a full version or not afterwards

[Susy]

So, how is everybody doing?

This is going to be a very slow read.... Tried audio but keep falling asleep hahaha. At chapter 12 right now...

I have a suggestion: how would everybody feel about prolonging this read to September and doing The Odyssey in October/November. I can only read a chapter every other day, have to have some other reads on the go as well...

[Chinook]

I haven’t actually started yet.

I’d be fine with moving The Odyssey, though I’d prefer maybe to not have it be as long. Like Sept 15? Or maybe Oct.

[Cendaquenta]

I admit, I also haven't started - sorry, lot on my plate this month! Would fully support extending this read.

[Scott]

I did finish the abridged audiobook version i was listening 2. I do feel like i missed alot of the main points so I wouldn't mind reading the full version and probably reading a guide as well so I would be happy extending into September.

[Susy]

Cool!

@Chinook: yes, start The Odyssee October 1st but I’m guessing I will need 2 months for that one as well so that’s why I mentioned November.

[Susy]

Man, I'm having a hard time getting through this one. Too many names, too many repetitions. Tried audio but kept falling asleep.

[Susy]

Scott wrote: "I did finish the abridged audiobook version i was listening 2. I do feel like i missed alot of the main points so I wouldn't mind reading the full version and probably reading a guide as well so I ..."

Cool

[Mary Pat]

I have moved this buddy read to September. Will remove The Odyssey from September and move it to October.

[Cendaquenta]

Mary Pat wrote: "I have moved this buddy read to September. Will remove The Odyssey from September and move it to October."

Thank you! 😃

[Susy]

Mary Pat wrote: "I have moved this buddy read to September. Will remove The Odyssey from September and move it to October."

Thank you so much Mary Pat! It has turned out to be a slower read than expected...

[Consuelo]

I'll try to read this book this week. I expect it won't be so bored as some people in the group has said.

[Susy]

OMG, I finished it!!!! lol

Now to write a review. How does one write a review on a book like this?? I mean, it's an important and famous classic with an enormous impact on the literary world. I mean, how many retellings and stories based on The Iliad are there? And don't get me wrong, I'm truly very glad to have read it. I thought it a very special read, so different from everything else I have ever read. The particular writing style feels very solemn/ceremonious and made me feel like I was "watching" a theater performance. At the same time on the battlefield everything was described down to the last detail, including (view spoiler)[intestines sliding out of the soldiers' stomaches, livers falling on the ground, eyes being gouged out with spears stuck in the back of heads, blood drenching the earth etc. (hide spoiler)]
Yet it was a very slow read. For me it was very, and I mean VERY repetitive. Secondly there were waaaay too many characters, mentioned explicitly by name, whose son they were, where they came from etc. But you don't feel any connection to them obviously, there's just too many of them. At the same time (or maybe because of this) the important characters don't get the attention they deserve. As a result you don't feel a real connection to them either. Some of them I knew from The Song of Achilles and the characters I had developed a connection with in that book, meant something to me in this book.
Another aspect that made it hard to read for me is that I was reading a physical copy in Dutch (with the Greek names of the Gods) and a digital one in English (which had the Roman names). For a mythology newbie like myself, that is very confusing. I did learn a lot though (just not sure if I will still remember it in a couple of weeks time lol).

So all in all, I'm glad to have had this experience. I liked the first part of the book where everything, including the writing style, is new and I liked the end where things seemed to pick up a bit and be less repetitive. I would have been happy if it had been a 100-150 pages read though.

So guys, I know we're supposed to read Odyssee in October, but I think I'm going to postpone that till sometime next year. I have quite a few reads I really want to finish before the end of the year. I just can't handle another read like this one this year lol

[Susy]

Consuelo wrote: "I'll try to read this book this week. I expect it won't be so bored as some people in the group has said."

I sure wasn't bored, didn't mean to imply that! But it's definitely not an easy read, there are a lot of names of characters who relatively are of no importance to the story itself and a lot of repetitions! I am very glad I've read it although I will be postponing reading The Odyssey.

How are you liking it so far yourself Consuelo?

[Consuelo]

Susy wrote: "Consuelo wrote: "I'll try to read this book this week. I expect it won't be so bored as some people in the group has said."

I sure wasn't bored, didn't mean to imply that! But it's definitely not ..."

I have postponed it, I don't have enough strength to read it now XD.

[Susy]

Consuelo wrote: "Susy wrote: "Consuelo wrote: "I'll try to read this book this week. I expect it won't be so bored as some people in the group has said."

I sure wasn't bored, didn't mean to imply that! But it's de..."

Lol, too bad! Looking forward to your review when you have the time and strength to read it!