Robert Fitzgerald and Robert Graves offer distinct translations of Homer's *Iliad*, each bringing a unique style to this ancient epic. Fitzgerald's version embraces a more straightforward and fluid narrative, capturing the raw intensity and emotion of the original text. His introduction in Book 1 sets a powerful tone, portraying Akhilleus’ wrath as "ruinous" and "bitter," emphasizing the devastation it wreaks on the Akhaians. In Book 5, Fitzgerald’s Athena is candid and direct with Diomedes, urging him not to fear Ares, reflecting the gods' capricious nature. Throughout, Fitzgerald maintains a consistent focus on clarity and directness, such as in Book 9, where he conveys the tension between Achilles' desire for "unfading glory" and the promise of a "long life." Robert Graves, on the other hand, infuses his translation with a lyrical and rhythmic quality, approaching the text with a poetic cadence. His introduction in Book 1 invokes the "Mountain Goddess" to sing of Achilles' anger, setting a ceremonial and grand stage for the narrative. Graves often opts for more vivid imagery and a musical quality, as seen in his translation of the "leaves" passage in Book 6, where he employs a structured, almost hymn-like form that contrasts life’s fleeting nature with rhythmic elegance. In Book 21, his rendering of the inevitability of death carries a reflective tone, emphasizing the unpredictability of fate, highlighting the existential acceptance even among the mightiest heroes. Graves' translation often underscores a sense of poetic permanence and depth, bringing the epic's grandeur to life with his distinctive style.
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.
Sing, Mountain Goddess, sing through me
That anger which most ruinously
Inflamed Achilles, Peleus' son,
And which, before the tale was done,
Had glutted Hell with champions—bold,
Stern spirits by the thousandfold;
Ravens and dogs their corpses ate
For thus did Zeus, who watched their fate,
See his resolve, first taken when
Proud Agamemnon, King of men,
An insult on Achilles cast,
Achieve accomplishment at last.