Alexander Pope's and Robert Graves's translations of Homer's "Iliad" offer distinct interpretations, each with its unique style and tone. Pope's translation is characterized by its elevated and formal language, which reflects the style of the early 18th century when it was composed. For example, he begins the epic with an invocation asking the goddess to sing of Achilles' wrath, using ornate language and phrases like "direful spring" and "unburied on the naked shore." This choice of words gives his translation a heroic and grandiose quality. Pope employs a rhythmic couplet form that adds a lyrical dimension to the text, evident in passages such as Athena's encouragement to Diomedes, where the phrasing is structured and poetic. Pope captures the essence of heroism and fate through a lens that emphasizes the larger-than-life nature of the characters and the tragic grandeur of the events. On the other hand, Robert Graves's translation tends to be more straightforward and modern, using clear and direct language. His version of the opening lines presents Achilles' anger in a less ornate manner, highlighting the narrative's tragic elements with lines like "Sing, Mountain Goddess, sing through me." Graves focuses on clarity and understanding, evident in his presentation of complex themes, such as the dual fate of Achilles, which he explains with precision: "Either to stand fast on the Trojan shore... Or to retreat and from your Phthian town." Graves's translation aims to be accessible to a contemporary audience, capturing the emotional core of the story without the embellishments found in Pope's version. This approach allows the epic's dramatic and human aspects to come to the fore, making it relatable while retaining the power of Homer's original 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!
Sing, Mountain Goddess, sing through me
That anger which most ruinously
Inflamed Achilles, Peleus' son,
And which, before the tale was done,
Had glutted Hell with champions—bold,
Stern spirits by the thousandfold;
Ravens and dogs their corpses ate
For thus did Zeus, who watched their fate,
See his resolve, first taken when
Proud Agamemnon, King of men,
An insult on Achilles cast,
Achieve accomplishment at last.