The Iliad (Robert Fitzgerald transl) - Homer

Written by Homer
Read by George Guidall
Format: MP3
Bitrate: 80 Kbps

The Iliad, attributed to Homer, is an epic poem focusing on a pivotal period during the Trojan War, centered around the wrath of the Greek hero Achilles and its devastating consequences, culminating in the death of Hector and the eventual return of his body to Priam.
Here’s a more detailed summary:

The Setting:
The Iliad unfolds during the final stages of the ten-year siege of Troy, a conflict sparked by the abduction of Helen, wife of Menelaus, by Paris, a Trojan prince.

The Conflict:
The poem primarily focuses on the conflict between the Achaean (Greek) leader Agamemnon and the great warrior Achilles, whose pride and anger lead him to refuse to fight after a dispute over a captured woman, Briseis.

The Wrath of Achilles:
Achilles’s absence from battle causes the Achaeans to suffer significant losses, and his rage and pride are central to the narrative.

The Death of Patroclus:
Achilles’s friend and comrade, Patroclus, is killed by Hector, the Trojan prince, which ignites Achilles’s fury and leads him to rejoin the battle.

The Battle with Hector:
Achilles seeks revenge and kills Hector, dragging his body around the city in a display of his rage and grief.

The Return of Hector’s Body:
King Priam, Hector’s father, travels to Achilles’s camp to plead for his son’s body, and Achilles, moved by Priam’s grief, returns the body to him for proper burial.

Themes:
The Iliad explores themes of honor, glory, pride, fate, free will, and the destructive nature of war and human emotions.

Gods and Mortals:
The gods, who intervene in the war and take sides, play a significant role in the events of the Iliad, adding a layer of divine influence to the human conflict.