The Iliad and The Odyssey

The legendary poet of Greek antiquity Homer is surrounded by almost as much myth as the characters of his two epic poems The Iliad and The Odyssey. As two of the oldest extant works of Western literature they formed the foundations for Ancient Greek culture, and have been read, translated, adapted and enjoyed across the globe since the 8th century BC.




The Iliad takes place in the final weeks of the long-fought Trojan War. As the Greeks fight to reclaim the beautiful Helen, King Agamemnon seizes Briseis, the concubine of Achilles. In disgust the legendary warrior abandons the conflict, taking his men with him.




The Odyssey joins the heroic Odysseus on his epic and tumultuous journey home following the fall of Troy. Having angered the sea-god Poseidon he and his men are beset by obstacles including a man-eating Cyclops, deadly storms, and a witch who transforms her enemies into pigs.




The translations presented in this wonderful collection are easily accessible prose editions translated by highly-esteemed authors. The Iliad is translated by the late-Victorian novelist Samuel Butler, and The Odyssey by adventurer Lawrence of Arabia, T.E. Lawrence.