The Iliad

By: Homer, Richmond Lattimore - translator

Narrated by: Charlton Griffin

Length: 22 hrs and 6 mins

Publisher's summary

The Iliad is one of the most enduring creations of Western Civilization and was originally written to be recited or chanted to the accompaniment of various instruments. Properly performed, this work today is just as meaningful, just as powerful, and just as entertaining as it was in the ninth century BC, and it casts its spell upon modern listeners with the same raw intensity as it did upon the people of ancient times.

As you listen to this great work, you feel yourself to be in the presence of a grandeur that suffuses the very air. There is no question that the poet, whether his name was Homer or not, was one of the supreme artists of all time and all civilizations. But this wonderful piece of poetry is not merely a catalog of events of the Trojan War. Specifically, the poem deals with the bitter dispute between Achilles and Agamemnon, and how the Greeks were almost destroyed by their hubris. Hovering about, the Olympian gods watch the unfolding events with keen interest, sometimes lending help and encouragement on one hand, or spreading fear and hatred on the other.

The Iliad is ultimately about the free will of man and his ability or failure to make rational choices in the face of conflict and chaos. Unlike the gods, men must face death, which gives their decisions a spiritual meaning which is absent on Olympus. The great legacy of The Iliad is its shattering revelation of what it means to be human in the face of life's uncertainty and fleeting mortality.

Public Domain (P)2008 Audio Connoisseur

Another great production by Charlton Griffin

Charlton Griffin is my "go to" man for the classics. He can deliver the haughtiness of Zeus and the self-loathing of Helen.
This is another great title in the Audio Connoisseur catalog.

Advertise that this is the Lattimore translation

What made the experience of listening to The Iliad the most enjoyable?

The translation was the version I was hoping would be available.

What did you like best about this story?

I like everything about The Iliad, in any translation; the fact that the audible.com version is my favorite (Lattimore) makes it the best thing about this selection.

Have you listened to any of Charlton Griffin’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

Just a sample of two tales from Metamorphoses by Ovid. This compares well, to a very high standard of performance.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

I imagine this question is more for unfamiliar titles--when the text is encountered for the first time as an Audible.com reading performance. Homer's text in its many different translations never fails to evoke the emotional spectrum no matter how many times it's been experienced before; Charlton Griffin's reading of Homer/Lattimore was excellent.

Engaging story and excellent recording!

Excellent narration with engaging inflected voices. The recording is indeed unabridged and verbatim with Lattimore's translation, despite what some have said. This book is foundational to classical literature and well worth the time invested in listening to it.

Unreadable without this audio book

I would not have gotten through this book for college without Charlton Griffin’s voice to make sense of who was speaking and what it was about . 5 stars for my A.

An Excellent Iliad

Listening to Charlton Griffin's reading of Richmond Lattimore's translation of The Iliad was a wonderful experience.

Griffin is good at modifying the pitch and tone of his voice to evoke the different genders and ages and moods and agendas of the various characters. He brings the epic to life. He even makes fascinating the 90-minute introduction by scholar Herbert J. Muller. And the sound effects (ravens cawing over a battlefield) and Greek mood music introducing and concluding the 24 books of the epic immersed me in its world.

As for Homer's story, an epic focused on a short slice of a long war, a tragedy with plenty of humor, it is rewardingly rich, depicting the appalling heroism and horror of war, the full range of human nature (from bravery to cowardice, brutality to mercy, destruction to creation, and hatred to love), the richness of ancient Greek culture, the pettiness and power of the gods, and the mortality and wonder of life. Among the most impressive moments are Hector's meeting with his wife and baby before going out to fight, Hephaestus' crafting of a shield with the heavens and earth and all of human endeavor animated upon it, and Achilles' inability to embrace the ghost of Patroclus in a dream. I hope the following quotation will give an idea of the excellence of Lattimore's translation and the depth of Homer's vision:

As is the generation of leaves, so is that of humanity,
The wind scatters the leaves on the ground, but the live timber
burgeons with leaves again in the season of spring returning.
So one generation of men will grow while another dies.

In conclusion, I thoroughly savored this audio version of The Iliad, often smiling with appreciation for Homer's story, Lattimore's translation, and Griffin's reading. I highly recommend it.

Epic Story — Amazing Reader!!!!

My daughter and I were reading this together for her homeschool class. Before starting this audio version, we were completely lost. We lost track of who was speaking and missed many important story points. After we started Mr. Griffin’s reading, we were brought into the story! His voice helped us understand the characters and appreciate Homer’s language use and style. If you need to read Homer (and now I believe that you do) listen to THIS version!!! You’re welcome! ;)

AUDIBLE 20 REVIEW SWEEPSTAKES ENTRY

Understandable

This audio recording is very easy to follow and understand I recommend it to 9th grade and up. It can stand alone as a audiobook or you can follow along in your actual book.

Classic Epic, Wonderful Translation

There are many translations of this epic poem; I would have to say this one was the more convienent translation to read. Not only does it references the character names and the name of the places properly, it doesn't lack in awe-inspring scenes. Who knew the war scenes are so graphic?!
Though it may be a struggle to read or listen to, Charlton Griffin's performance keeps the audience's attention, which this work deserves.

Excellent read except some women voices

Very well read. Can be followed clearly without reading the text version. The voice impersonations were very good, but I felt that the voices of some females were not good. They were good in the case of goddesses. But not of the mortal women in Troy when they were in grief.

Like listening to a bard

Excellent narrator. Clear enunciation, good inflection, flawless pronunciation of difficult Greek names, deep voice that makes you feel like you're listening to a bard reciting the old epics. I wanted the Lattimore translation specifically, and this was a fantastic audio version of it. I wish I could find one of Charlton Griffin reading Lattimore's translation of The Odyssey.