The Iliad

A new, 21st century verse translation of Homer's epic work, translated by Michael Heumann.

There is no greater introduction to world literature than Homer's Iliad. The great epic poem tells the story of the Bronze Age war between the Achaeans (Greeks) and Trojans, the great warriors who did the fighting, the woman they were fighting for (and fighting over), and the gods who egged them on. This is a new, 21st century verse translation by Michael Heumann.  It seeks to retain the spirit and language of Homer's original Greek while making it readable and enjoyable for a modern audience. Michael Heumann is a Professor of English at Imperial Valley College in California. He holds a PhD in English from the University of California, Riverside. This is his first translation.

Traditionally, Homer was identified as a blind poet from the Greek island of Chios off the coast of modern-day Turkey somewhere between 750-700 BCE. His two poems, the Iliad and Odyssey, are some of the earliest works of literature in the world and are the foundation of western literature and western culture.