Richmond Lattimore's and Samuel Butler's translations of the Iliad both strive to convey the epic's grandeur, though they do so with distinct approaches. Lattimore's translation is known for its close adherence to the original Greek text, aiming to preserve the nuances and rhythm of Homer's poetry. This is evident in his use of compound phrases and elevated language, as seen in the opening lines of Book 1, where he refers to Achilleus' anger and its catastrophic consequences in a manner that retains the repetitive and formal structure of the original Greek. Lattimore also employs vivid imagery, like in Book 5 where Athene's encouragement to Diomedes is characterized by strong adjectives such as "violent Ares" and "double-faced liar," emphasizing the complexity of divine interactions. In contrast, Samuel Butler's translation aims for readability and clarity, adapting the text into a prose format that is more accessible to a modern audience. Butler focuses on straightforward narrative and dialogue, capturing the essence of the story without the dense poetic structure found in Lattimore’s version. His translation of the same opening scene in Book 1 simplifies the language while maintaining the story's core themes of conflict and destiny. Similarly, in Book 6, Butler's rendering of the metaphor comparing humans to leaves uses more common expressions to relate the cyclical nature of life. Both translations capture the epic's major themes, such as the tension between glory and mortality, shown in Achilles' deliberation in Book 9, yet their stylistic choices offer readers varying experiences of the ancient tale.
Sing, goddess, the anger of Peleus' son Achilleus
and its devastation, which puts pains thousandfold upon the Achaians,
hurled in their multitudes to the house of Hades strong souls
of heroes, but gave their bodies to be the delicate feasting
of dogs, of all birds, and the will of Zeus was accomplished
since that time when first there stood in division of conflict
Atreus' son the lord of men and brilliant Achilleus.
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.