Peter Green's translation of the *Iliad* is known for its clarity and attention to the original Greek text, capturing the intensity and starkness of the epic's themes. For example, in Book 1, he describes Achilles' wrath as a "calamitous wrath" bringing countless ills to the Achaians, emphasizing the destruction and scale of events set into motion by the hero's anger. Green's translation tends to maintain a straightforward, cohesive narrative style, making the epic more accessible to modern readers while preserving the harsh realities of war and heroism. For instance, the passage in Book 5 where Athena speaks to Diomedes is direct and conveys a no-nonsense approach to divinity and battle, underlining the betrayal and complexities among the gods and heroes. In contrast, Robert Graves' version often infuses a lyrical, slightly archaic tone, capturing a more poetic rendition of the same events. In Book 1, he invites the "Mountain Goddess" to sing through him, lending an older, almost theatrical style to the introduction of Achilles' anger. Graves' style can be seen as striving for a poetic elegance, often using rhymed verse or a musical rhythm that provides a different texture to the narrative. This is evident in Book 6's metaphor of leaves and mankind, where the cycles of life are presented with a rhyming scheme that underscores the transient nature of existence. Graves' focus on the lyrical quality can make the epic feel more like a timeless legend, intertwining solemnity with the storytelling tradition.
Wrath, goddess, sing of Achilles Pēleus's son's
calamitous wrath, which hit the Achaians with countless ills—
many the valiant souls it saw off down to Hādēs,
souls of heroes, their selves1 left as carrion for dogs
and all birds of prey, and the plan of Zeus was fulfilled
from the first moment those two men parted in fury,
Atreus's son, king of men, and the godlike Achilles.
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.