[oct 12th 2022]

so remember like 6 months ago when i had the sudden urge to try translating the whole iliad without actually knowing homeric greek?

yeah, you get it. so i was bored and scrolling through some old stuff and found it. i dont think its particularly awesome, but its fairly all right. i only did like 13 lines anyway (3 of which are not completely decided). basically, one day i found out about the dactylic hexameter that goes throughout the iliad, and went "fuck no," and never tried doing something like that again 💀 💀

anyway im bored cause its school holidays (i hate holidays) so here's the first seven lines of the iliad translated by me so i can have the self-illusion of productivity:

Sing, goddess, for the son of Peleus's wrath,
dreadful, how many sorrows upon Achaeans it put
and the countless noble lives, to Hades sent forth;
those heroes, their bodies rendered to spoils of dogs,
haul of birds; and thus was fulfilled the plan of Zeus,
from when they first stood apart in discord:
son of Atreus, lord of men, and godlike Achilles.

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since, obviously, most of you guys have a life and wouldn't randomly start reading the iliad, heres the translations by different translators so that you can compare:

{heads up; i put in, like, 8. also, imo, the last two and the fourth are just ridiculous lol. like seriously, altho the 4th one is a famous translation, i'd advise you guys to just skip reading them-)

[edit re. 2024: fitzgerald is NOT ridiculous the fourth isn't objectively bad, but still not my style. last two though... belief sustained]

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Lattimore

Sing, goddess, the anger of Peleus' son Achilles
and its devastation, which put pains thousand-fold upon the Achaians,
hurled in their multitudes to the house of Hades strong souls
of heroes, but gave their bodies to be the delicate feasting
of dogs, of all birds, and the will of Zeus was accomplished
since that time when first there stood in division of conflict
Atreus' son the lord of men and brilliant Achilleus.

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Robert Fagles

Rage— Goddess, sing the rage of Peleus' son Achilles,
murderous, doomed, that cost the Achaeans countless losses,
hurling down to the House of Death so many sturdy souls,
great fighters' souls, but made their bodies carrion,
feats for the dogs and birds,
and the will of Zeus was moving toward its end.
Begin, Muse, when the two first broke and clashed,
Agamemnon lord of men and brilliant Achilles. 

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Verity

Sing, goddess, the anger of Achilles, Peleus' son,
the accursed anger which brought the Achaeans countless
agonies and hurled many mighty shades of heroes into Hades,
causing them to become the prey of dogs and
all kinds of birds; and the plan of Zeus was fulfilled.
Sing from the time the two men were first divided in strife—
Atreus' son, lord of men, and glorious Achilles.

---

Fitzgerald

Anger be now your song, immortal one,
Akhilleus' anger, doomed and ruinous,
that caused the Akhaians loss on bitter loss
and crowded brave souls into the undergloom,
leaving so many dead men—carrion
for dogs and birds; and the will of Zeus was done.
Begin it when the two men first contending
broke with one another— the Lord Marshal
Agamémnon, Atreus' son, and Prince Akhilleus.

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Green

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 selves 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.

---

Alexander

Wrath—sing, goddess, of the ruinous wrath of Peleus' son Achilles,
that inflicted woes without number upon the Achaeans,
hurled forth to Hades many strong souls of warriors
and rendered their bodies prey for the dogs,
for all birds, and the will of Zeus was accomplished;
sing from when they two first stood in conflict—
Atreus' son, lord of men, and godlike Achilles

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McCrorie

Sing of rage, Goddess, that bane of Akhilleus,
Peleus' son, which caused untold pain for Akhaians,
sent down throngs of powerful spirits to Aides,
war-chiefs rendered the prize of dogs and every
sort of bird. So the plan of Zeus was accomplished
right from the start when two men parted in anger—
Atreus' son, ruler of men, and godlike Akhilleus.

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Merril

Sing now, goddess, the wrath of Achilles the scion of Peleus,
ruinous rage which brought the Achaians uncounted afflictions;
many the powerful souls it sent to the dwelling of Hades,
those of the heroes, and spoil for the dogs it made of their bodies,
plunder for all of the birds, and the purpose of Zeus was accomplished—
sing from the time when first stood hostile, starting the conflict,
Atreus' scion, the lord of the people, and noble Achilles.

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soooo, thats it lol. which translation (of 7 lines-) was your favourite? lol

somehow i made a whole ass chapter on seven lines ;-;

anyway, c ya! :P