Peter Green's and Ian Johnston's translations of Homer's "Iliad" each bring unique qualities to this ancient epic. Green's version maintains a close adherence to the original text's imagery and structure, often using more direct, visceral language. For example, he describes Achilles' wrath in "Book 1" as "calamitous," emphasizing the destructive nature of his anger. His attention to the rhythm and flow of Homer's verse is evident in how he captures the essence of Greek expressions, like referring to Athena as "grey-eyed," a nod to traditional epithets. In "Book 9," Achilles' choice between glory and a long life is expressed with a rich depth that draws the reader into his personal conflict, such as the phrase "imperishable renown," emphasizing the timeless allure of glory. In contrast, Ian Johnston's translation tends to be more straightforward and concise, aiming for clarity and accessibility while still respecting the narrative's poetic nature. Johnston conveys the essence of Achilles' rage in "Book 1" with simpler language, like "murderous anger," which communicates the core emotion in a manner that's easily understandable. He often uses more modern syntactical structures, helping to make the text approachable for contemporary readers. For instance, when describing Athena's encouragement to Diomedes in "Book 5," Johnston’s version is slightly less dense, with phrases like "bright-eyed goddess Athena" maintaining a connection to the poetic but with fewer embellishments. In "Book 21," his rendition of the inevitability of death is concise, as seen in "my glory will never die," which succinctly captures Achilles' internal struggle over his fate. Both translations provide distinct windows into the "Iliad," each serving to bring out different nuances of Homer's timeless story.
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, Goddess, sing the rage of Achilles, son of Peleus—
that murderous anger which condemned Achaeans
to countless agonies and threw many warrior souls
deep into Hades, leaving their dead bodies
carrion food for dogs and birds—
all in fulfilment of the will of Zeus.