Stanley Lombardo and Ian Johnston offer distinct translations of Homer's *Iliad*, each conveying the epic's themes and characters in unique ways. Lombardo’s translation often emphasizes directness and conversational tone, as seen in his rendering of the opening lines: "Sing, Goddess, Achilles’ rage, / Black and murderous, that cost the Greeks / Incalculable pain..." This modern style makes the text more accessible, with vivid imagery such as "Ares... [is] nothing but / A shifty lout" from Athena’s encouragement to Diomedes. Lombardo favors a more colloquial approach, capturing the raw emotions and direct engagements of the characters with crisp, energetic language. In contrast, Ian Johnston’s translation adheres more closely to a structured and classical tone, which can be observed in his introductory lines: “Sing, Goddess, sing the rage of Achilles, son of Peleus— / that murderous anger which condemned Achaeans / to countless agonies...” Johnston maintains a formal elegance, even in dialogue, such as Athena referring to Ares as a "headstrong Ares, that madman, born evil." His language is evocative and often more elaborative, seen in his translation of the metaphor of generations as leaves: "Generations of men are like the leaves." Johnston maintains a rhythm and cadence reminiscent of traditional epic poetry, providing a sense of continuity with ancient storytelling techniques.
Sing, Goddess, Achilles' rage,
Black and murderous, that cost the Greeks
Incalculable pain, pitched countless souls
Of heroes into Hades' dark,
And left their bodies to rot as feasts
For dogs and birds, as Zeus' will was done.
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.