Alexander Pope's translation of the Iliad is known for its grand and elaborate style, using heroic couplets and a highly formalized language. For instance, Pope's rendition of the introductory lines in Book 1 begins with "Achilles' wrath, to Greece the direful spring of woes unnumbered, heavenly goddess, sing!" This style is consistent throughout, with lines like "Die then, my friend! what boots it to deplore?" in Book 21, which emphasize a classical and elevated tone. Pope's translation often aims at maintaining a rhythmic and melodious quality that resonates with the grandeur of epic poetry. His approach reflects the 18th-century literary tastes, focusing on decorum, order, and the majesty of the subject. In contrast, Peter Green's translation takes a more direct and contemporary approach, prioritizing clarity and accessibility while remaining true to the original Greek text. For example, in Book 1, Green's version begins with "Wrath, goddess, sing of Achilles Pēleus's son's calamitous wrath," which is straightforward and conveys the essence of the narrative without the ornamentation typical of Pope. This simplicity is evident throughout his translation, such as in Book 21's "So, friend, you too must die: why then lament thus?" Green's translation tends to be more concise and informal, shedding some of the poetic grandeur for greater immediacy and emotional impact. By doing so, Green strives to present Homer’s epic in a manner that is both authentic to the ancient text and engaging for modern readers.
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, goddess, sing of Achilles Pēleus's son's
calamitous wrath, which hit the Achaians with countless ills—
many the valiant souls it saw off down to Hādēs,
souls of heroes, their selves1 left as carrion for dogs
and all birds of prey, and the plan of Zeus was fulfilled
from the first moment those two men parted in fury,
Atreus's son, king of men, and the godlike Achilles.