Samuel Butler's translation of the Iliad is notable for its straightforward, prose-based approach, making it accessible to a broad audience. Unlike more poetic renditions that try to capture the rhythmic and melodic essence of the original Greek verse, Butler focuses on narrative clarity and readability. His translation conveys the epic's complex themes—such as honor, wrath, and mortality—in clear and direct language, as seen in passages like the stark reflections on life and death ("Men come and go as leaves year by year upon the trees"). While some may find it lacks the lyrical beauty found in other translations, Butler's version appeals to those who prioritize understanding the story and its characters without the potential barriers of archaic language and complex poetic structures.
Sing, O goddess, the anger of Achilles son of Peleus, that brought countless ills upon the Achaeans. Many a brave soul did it send hurrying down to Hades, and many a hero did it yield a prey to dogs and vultures, for so were the counsels of Jove fulfilled from the day on which the son of Atreus, king of men, and great Achilles, first fell out with one another.