Alexander Pope's translation of the Iliad presents Homer's epic in a highly stylized and formal poetic form characteristic of the 18th century. Pope employs heroic couplets, a format that provides a rhythmic and elevated tone to the narrative. His language is rich and ornate, capturing the grandeur and majesty of the epic tales. For instance, in Book 1, Pope uses elaborate expressions like "Achilles' wrath, to Greece the direful spring of woes unnumbered" to emphasize the destructive force of Achilles' anger, framed as both a personal and cosmic event. Similarly, Book 9 highlights the choice between glory and life with a poetic balance and symmetry, underscoring the weight of Achilles' deliberation. In contrast, Caroline Alexander offers a more straightforward and accessible prose translation, closer to the original Greek's directness and clarity. Her version is less ornate and focuses on delivering the essence of the story in a more contemporary language, making it relatable for modern readers. The translation of Book 1, for instance, begins simply with "Wrath—sing, goddess," immediately placing emphasis on Achilles' intense emotion and its repercussions. In Book 21, Alexander presents Achilles' realization of mortality in a direct and poignant manner: "Come friend, you die too; why bewail this so?" This style captures the human aspects of the characters, providing readers with a clearer insight into the underlying themes. Both translators maintain the epic's core elements, but their distinct approaches offer contrasting experiences of Homer's narrative.
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!
Wrath—sing, goddess, of the ruinous wrath of Peleus' son Achilles,
that inflicted woes without number upon the Achaeans,
hurled forth to Hades many strong souls of warriors
and rendered their bodies prey for the dogs,
for all birds, and the will of Zeus was accomplished;
sing from when they two first stood in conflict—
Atreus' son, lord of men, and godlike Achilles.