Stanley Lombardo and Anthony Verity offer distinct translations of Homer's *Iliad*, each with its own distinct style and interpretation. Lombardo's translation is marked by a modern, accessible approach, using colloquial language to capture the raw emotion and gripping drama of the epic. His rendition of Achilles' rage in Book 1, for instance, emphasizes the dark and visceral impact of the hero’s wrath, using straightforward language such as "black and murderous" to convey the depth of the tragedy that unfolds. Similarly, Lombardo's characterization of Athena encouraging Diomedes in Book 5 involves direct, relatable dialogue, depicting Ares as a "shifty lout," which brings the gods' complex personalities into a more direct light. In contrast, Anthony Verity’s translation adheres more closely to traditional poetic diction and structure, providing a more formal and measured portrayal. His rendition often mirrors the syntax and pacing of the original Greek, offering readers a sense of its ancient cadence. In Book 1, Verity opens with a more formal address, capturing the epic’s grandiosity with phrases like "accursed anger" and "mighty shades of heroes." His treatment of Athena’s encouragement in Book 5 maintains the gravity of the divine, describing Ares as a "two-faced scoundrel" with an elevated, archaic tone. Both translations capture the timeless themes of mortality and honor, as seen in the shared themes of fleeting human generations in Book 6 and Achilles' reflections on glory in Book 9, but they do so with differing linguistic choices that reflect their unique narrative priorities.
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, the anger of Achilles, Peleus' son,
the accursed anger which brought the Achaeans countless
agonies and hurled many mighty shades of heroes into Hades,
causing them to become the prey of dogs and
all kinds of birds; and the plan of Zeus was fulfilled.
Sing from the time the two men were first divided in strife—
Atreus' son, lord of men, and glorious Achilles.