This week, Somer goes ancient with the classic epic poem, The Iliad. Who wrote it and when? Is that even really important? What is important is, where is the stinking horse we all know so well? Listen and find out!

Show Notes

It’s the Iliad this week!  The Trojan Wars!  Angry Greeks!  Oh, enough of that.  Listen to the episode because I’ve got notes pertaining to it that you might want.

In talking about all of the stuff that you would expect to be in a classic about the Trojan War, there are some things that even a layperson would expect to read about.  When we find out those things are NOT in The Iliad, I talked about another podcast that you should check out to fill in some of the gaps. Check out The Myths and Legends Podcast here, at their website or subscribe wherever you do that.  Episodes 188, 189, and 208 are pertinent to the Iliad.  I’d suggest checking out all of the episodes, though.  It’s really good storytelling.

I also tell you which versions of the Iliad to check out.  I have a version put together by famed English poet, Alexander Pope, but for your money, the most entertaining read is the Penguin Classics version of The Iliad revised and updated by Peter Jones.  Anybody can enjoy that version.

I also read aloud to you the opening of the Iliad from the Penguin Classics version, but promised that I would include the Alexander Pope version here.  So, here you go:

“Achilles’ wrath, to Greece the direful spring

Of woes unnumber’d, heavenly goddess, sing!

That wrath which hurl’d 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!

Declare, O Muse! in what ill-fated hour

Sprung the fierce strife, from what offended power

Latona’s son a dire contagion spread,

And heap’d the camp with mountains of the dead;

The king of men his reverent priest defied,

And for the king’s offence the people died.”

Next week I’ll cover The Odyssey, a personal favorite, so please tune in!