The Iliad is an epic poem in 24 books that is traditionally attributed to the ancient Greek poet Homer. The epic is about the wrath of the Greek hero Achilles. The subject of this poem is the Trojan War. In the following video, we will provide a summary of the Iliad in English. Enjoy!
The "Iliad," attributed to the ancient Greek poet Homer, is one of the oldest and most significant works in Western literature. It is an epic poem that details a few weeks in the final year of the decade-long Trojan War, focusing on the wrath of the Greek hero Achilles. Its themes of heroism, the horrors of war, and the capriciousness of gods have resonated through the ages. The "Iliad" was originally composed in the ancient Greek dialect of Ionic and written in dactylic hexameter, a form of poetic meter. For centuries, it was transmitted orally by bards before it was finally written down in the 8th century BCE.
The translation and dissemination of the "Iliad" throughout the Western world began in antiquity and has continued into the present day, reflecting its enduring appeal. The first known translation of Homer's work was into Latin by Livius Andronicus in the 3rd century BCE, serving as a conduit through which the "Iliad" entered the Roman cultural sphere. During the Renaissance, the rediscovery of classical texts, including Homer's epics, spurred a new wave of translations into various European languages, which was accelerated by the invention of the printing press. These translations, alongside critical interpretations, helped to cement the "Iliad's" status as a foundational text of Western culture. The poem not only influenced literature but also inspired art, philosophy, and even the self-understanding of modern societies, contributing significantly to the shaping of Western narrative traditions and ideals of heroism.
