Caroline Alexander’s and W.H.D. Rouse’s translations of Homer’s Iliad capture the epic’s essence in distinct yet accessible styles. Alexander's version maintains a solemn and elevated tone, echoing the weight of Homeric tradition. In her opening lines, she invokes the "ruinous wrath of Peleus' son Achilles," employing a formal style that highlights the epic's grand themes and tragic elements. This approach extends to her depiction of pivotal moments, such as Athena encouraging Diomedes, where the language is rich and vivid, with Athena described as "gleaming-eyed." Her translation often emphasizes the poetic nature of the original text, as seen in her metaphor of human generations compared to leaves, conveying the transient nature of life with lyrical beauty. Moreover, she faithfully presents Achilles' existential choice between glory and longevity, reflecting the epic's deep philosophical undercurrents. In contrast, W.H.D. Rouse's translation adopts a more straightforward and colloquial style, making the narrative approachable for a broader audience. His rendition begins with the phrase "An angry man—There is my story," directly engaging readers with a conversational tone. This approach is consistent throughout; for instance, Rouse simplifies Athena's encouragement to Diomedes, calling Ares a "mad furious creature" and "Mr. Facing-all-ways," thus emphasizing character dynamics through plain and lively language. His portrayal of life’s fleeting nature as "leaves of the forest" captures the same themes as Alexander's, yet in simpler terms. When Achilles reflects on his fate, Rouse translates the passage into terms that are easy to grasp, maintaining the narrative’s accessibility while preserving its core themes of glory and mortality. Through these styles, both translations offer unique experiences of the Iliad, catering to different reader preferences while staying true to the epic's timeless story.
Wrath—sing, goddess, of the ruinous wrath of Peleus' son Achilles,
that inflicted woes without number upon the Achaeans,
hurled forth to Hades many strong souls of warriors
and rendered their bodies prey for the dogs,
for all birds, and the will of Zeus was accomplished;
sing from when they two first stood in conflict—
Atreus' son, lord of men, and godlike Achilles.
An angry man—There is my story: The bitter rancour of Achillês, prince of the house of Peleus, which brought a thousand troubles upon the Achaian host. Many a strong soul it sent down to Hadês, and left the heroes themselves a prey to dogs and carrion birds, while the will of God moved on to fulfilment.
It began first of all with a quarrel between my lord King Agamemnon of Atreus' line and the Prince Achillês.