Homer, Iliad
translated by Frederick Light
[2009]

[Sample provided by the translator]

No deconstruction comes to epic force,
Which bodies forth the archetypal source.  F L L 

1. Quarreling.

Menin Aeide Thea, from line 1 

O Goddess, chant it out, the choler grown   
In Peleus' son, aggrieved Achilleus, 
Simply deathful, sheerly doleful for 
Achaians; wholly numerous warrior souls 

It sent to Hades but to dog-throngs down 
By Troy and divers birds the corporal dead 
In piles it highly proffered, all for prey, 
And Zeus’s will thus came to pass outright, 

As this began when first Atreyedes, 
Monarch of chiliad-lancers, and Achilleus, bright 
With God, in breaching¹ closed like enemies. 
Which of the Gods to rupture in a fight 

Provoked them? Leto's son, whom Zeus begot, 
For he a fulsome plague on Argives brought. 

Chryses With Ransom, from line 10 

The camp commenced to die, for Chryses, priest 
Of Apollonian prayer, incensed indignities 
Incurred. Amid the hulls, among Achaians,  
With suppliant means he met Atreyedes,  

To whom in ceaseless loads the ransom for 
His child he brought. Wound over a wand of gold, 
The sacred fillets, held by him, Hekebolos¹ 
Denoted. In his plea therewith he told 

The tribes' full throng of ransom. But the sons 
Of Atreus in beseechment he addressed 
At greater length. "You brethren kingly born, 
Atreyedai, and you Achaians, blessed 

I’d see you by the Gods, by their great boon 
Granted an avid sack in Ilium soon.” 
 

REVIEW COMMENT

Light has translated the Iliad in a sequence of 1823 sonnets (the passages above come from the opening pages).  The first book is slated for publication in Sonnetto Poesia. His preface explains his artistic purpose:

Homer’s rapid words of music afforded more astounding pleasure to the Greek and Roman world than any other book. His idiom should be translated astoundingly by a stylist of Homeric character and care. 

My resolve is to write a greater Iliad in English than Homer composed in Greek. Being faithful to the greatest text of ancient poetry, more so than Alexander Pope, I cannot choose but honor the divine.  

My translation impersonates Homeric Greek. It runs like Achilleus and like man-shattering Hector in the shock of arms is resolutely sharp. As unrelenting as sublimity, not yielding lyrically, unprosaically vindicating Homer’s vision, the brightest labor I have attempted and believe it is a consummate attempt. 

Homeric Greek is simply salubrious, soulfully celeritous, resuscitantly poetic, never prosaic. As Mozart sounds like Mozart in all his compositions, so Homer has a tone of voice specific to the vehemence of life. My translation, I believe, has this Homeric music quite unlike the unspritely softness of tenured professors. This book has the passion and devoutness of a striver in the open market. The professors have credentials. I must prove myself. 

For a free audio preview of Light's translation of the Iliad please use the following link: Light Iliad.

List of Published English Translations of Homer's Iliad and Odyssey