Alexander Pope's translation of the Iliad is known for its heroic couplets and grandiose style, representing the epic in a manner consistent with 18th-century poetic traditions. Pope's language is formal and elevated, employing a complex structure that captures the grandeur and drama of Homer’s narrative. For instance, in his rendition of the conflict between Achilles and Agamemnon, he uses phrases like "wrath, to Greece the direful spring / Of woes unnumbered" to convey the gravity and scale of the events. His translation often adds a layer of moral reflection, evident in his treatment of key themes like heroism and fate, as when Achilles contemplates his choice between a short life with eternal fame or a longer, less glorious existence amidst the Trojan War. In contrast, Stephen Mitchell offers a translation of the Iliad that is more straightforward and accessible, aiming to bring out the human emotions and themes directly. Mitchell's language is clear and modern, making the text more relatable to contemporary audiences. For example, his translation presents Achilles' rage and internal conflicts in a more direct manner, describing the hero's options between a "long and peaceful" life and immortal glory in simple, tangible terms. Mitchell maintains fidelity to the essence of the original text while emphasizing the personal and psychological aspects of the characters, such as in his depiction of Athena's encouragement to Diomedes, which highlights the immediacy and urgency of divine intervention in human affairs. Overall, Mitchell’s approach is less about preserving the epic’s archaic grandeur and more focused on capturing its timeless human story.
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!
The rage of Achilles—sing it now, goddess, sing through me
the deadly rage that caused the Achaeans such grief
and hurled down to Hades the souls of so many fighters,
leaving their naked flesh to be eaten by dogs
and carrion birds, as the will of Zeus was accomplished.
Begin at the time when bitter words first divided
that king of men, Agamemnon, and godlike Achilles.