Samuel Butler's translation of the Iliad utilizes a straightforward, prose style, providing a clear and detailed narrative of the epic's events. In his introduction to Book 1, Butler emphasizes the vast consequences of Achilles' wrath, highlighting the numerous Achaean souls lost to Hades and the divine machinations of Zeus. This translation maintains an accessible approach, making the complex interactions between gods and mortals understandable to general readers. For instance, his portrayal of Athena's encouragement to Diomedes in Book 5 offers a direct depiction of divine intervention in battle, portraying Athena as a straightforward ally amidst chaotic warfare. Butler’s choice of language is distinctly unembellished, such as in his depiction of the transient nature of human life in Book 6, using the metaphor of generations as leaves. Robert Fitzgerald's translation, in contrast, adopts a more poetic and lyrical style. His version of Book 1 begins with an evocation of Achilles' "ruinous" anger in more fluid verse, invoking a sense of the epic's grand, tragic scale. Fitzgerald's emphasis on rhythm and sound provides a vivid, almost musical quality to the text. In Book 5, Athena's dialogue with Diomedes is rendered with a rhythmic cadence, enhancing the tension and drama of the scene, while also emphasizing the inconsistency of gods like Ares. Fitzgerald continues his poetic approach in Book 6, employing the image of leaves to describe human mortality, but with a structured verse that emphasizes the cyclical nature of life. Overall, Fitzgerald's translation offers a more traditional poetic experience, aligning closely with the metrical patterns of ancient oral poetry, which may appeal to readers looking for a more evocative and interpretive version of the Iliad.
Sing, O goddess, the anger of Achilles son of Peleus, that brought countless ills upon the Achaeans. Many a brave soul did it send hurrying down to Hades, and many a hero did it yield a prey to dogs and vultures, for so were the counsels of Jove fulfilled from the day on which the son of Atreus, king of men, and great Achilles, first fell out with one another.
Anger be now your song, immortal one,
Akhilleus' anger, doomed and ruinous,
that caused the Akhaians loss on bitter loss
and crowded brave souls into the undergloom,
leaving so many dead men—carrion
for dogs and birds; and the will of Zeus was done.