Both Robert Fagles and Michael Reck offer engaging translations of Homer's Iliad, capturing the epic's intense emotions and grand narrative while employing distinctive styles. Fagles begins the tale with a direct invocation to the Muse, emphasizing Achilles' "rage," which he describes as both "murderous" and "doomed," setting the tone with vivid imagery of death and divine intention. Reck mirrors this with a focus on Achilles' "maniac rage," highlighting the emotional upheaval and divine foresight as well, but with a slightly more dramatic flair by labeling the rage as a "ruinous thing." Both translators effectively underscore the thematic elements of divine will and the catastrophic impact of Achilles' wrath, yet their linguistic choices provide unique textures to the introductory passage. In another comparison, both translators convey Athena's encouragement to Diomedes in Book 5 with vigor and emphasis on divine support against Ares, painting Ares as a duplicitous and unreliable figure. Fagles refers to Ares as a "born for disaster, double-dealing, lying two-face god," whereas Reck calls him a "crook" and a "lunatic," both highlighting the god's treacherous nature. Fagles often employs a denser narrative style, bringing a slightly archaic yet dynamic touch to the translation. On the other hand, Reck uses a more contemporary language style, presenting the drama of the scene with a more modern sensibility. Despite these stylistic differences, both translations successfully convey the epic’s complex interplay of divine influence and heroic action.
Rage—Goddess, sing the rage of Peleus' son Achilles,
murderous, doomed, that cost the Achaeans countless losses,
hurling down to the House of Death so many sturdy souls,
great fighters' souls, but made their bodies carrion,
feasts for the dogs and birds,
and the will of Zeus was moving toward its end.
Sing, Goddess, Achilles' maniac rage:
ruinous thing! it roused a thousand sorrows
and hurled many souls of mighty warriors
to Hades, made their bodies food for dogs
and carrion birds—as Zeus's will foredoomed—
from the time relentless strife came between
Atreus' son, a king, and brave Achilles.