Stanley Lombardo and Alexander Pope offer distinct translations of Homer's *Iliad*, each with a unique style and approach to conveying the epic's themes. Lombardo's version is known for its straightforward and modern language, making it accessible to contemporary readers. This is evident in his opening lines of Book 1, where he directly presents Achilles' rage as a source of incalculable pain for the Greeks, emphasizing the brutal cost of war. Similarly, Lombardo’s translation of Athena’s encouragement to Diomedes in Book 5 highlights the intimacy and directness of their relationship, casting Ares as a "shifty lout" who has betrayed them, which underscores the human-like flaws of the gods in a conversational tone. Lombardo maintains this approachable style throughout, as seen in his reflection on the transient nature of life in Book 6 and the existential reflection on glory versus a long life in Book 9. In contrast, Alexander Pope’s translation captures the grandeur and formality of the original Greek epic through a poetic and ornate style typical of the 18th century. Pope’s rendition of Book 1 begins with a structured and rhythmic invocation of Achilles’ wrath, emphasizing the divine elements with references to "the sovereign doom" and "the will of Jove," aligning with the classical grandeur of the era. His depiction of Athena's speech in Book 5 maintains this elevated style, with formal language that underscores the divine authority guiding mortal actions, describing the god of war, Mars, in a more traditional sense. Pope's translation of passages that reflect on human existence and mortality, such as in Book 6 and Book 21, use elaborate and structured verse to explore the cyclical nature of life and the inevitability of fate. By employing a heightened and classical diction, Pope preserves the epic's majestic tone, offering readers a more ceremonial experience of the *Iliad's* timeless themes.
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.
Achilles' wrath, to Greece the direful spring
Of woes unnumbered, heavenly goddess, sing!
That wrath which hurled to Pluto's gloomy reign
The souls of mighty chiefs untimely slain;
Whose limbs, unburied on the naked shore,
Devouring dogs and hungry vultures tore.
Since great Achilles and Atrides strove,
Such was the sovereign doom, and such the will of Jove!