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The Iliad  By  cover art

The Iliad

By: Homer, Richmond Lattimore - translator
Narrated by: Charlton Griffin
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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
  • Unabridged Audiobook
  • Categories: History
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What listeners say about The Iliad

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Loved the actor reading this.

Loved it! Charlton Griffen' s performance superbly narrates the story making the characters come to life.

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Liked translation; performance inconsistent

I like Richmond Lattimore’s translation of The Iliad. However, I found the narrator’s performance inconsistent: his performance of the female voice is altogether hideous and irritating.

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  • Overall
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  • Pj
  • 08-15-19

Classic

I was initially confused at the mispronunciation of certain words but upon reading the actual book noticed that it’s the text itself that was translated strangely, and not a misreading of the text. Wonderful performance all around and a classic that should be read or listened to by all.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Wonderful

I've wanted to read the Iliad for years. Now in my old age I get to listen to it. It was worth the wait. I'm so glad I listened to it, it was great.

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    2 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

The narrator extremely talented.

I wish that they had a female narrator for the female roles. It would of been incredible to have two narrators.

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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

I would not be able to read The Iliad without this …

The Iliad is very musical and this audible version simply deliver and the only issue I have is the sound performance around female characters especailly when you play above 1.2x speed, they sounds too artificial. I ususally have no problem with male narrator doing female roles but somehow I feel this one is a bit off. Since this is a very mascline dominace poem so this issue is not that serious, however, I wish they find other female narranation.

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars

This is a wow

Minus 1 star for the goofy "music" intros.

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8 people found this helpful

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Amazing.

Amazing! I'm going out of my way to listen to Griffin from now on.

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1 person found this helpful

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    5 out of 5 stars
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Charlton Griffin of the Great War Cry

If you could sum up The Iliad in three words, what would they be?

Intellectual, historic, classic

What other book might you compare The Iliad to and why?

The Odyssey is the obvious choice here, but for those who have not read Homer, it has traces of a Shakespearean sound with powerful descriptive vocabulary, but a more adventurous feel. Great for getting a feel for Greek mythology.

What about Charlton Griffin’s performance did you like?

He was incredible. This is not an easy book to read, and he was very articulate, even with difficult Grecian names. Very dynamic and clear, and even did a good job with the female voices.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

24 hours? No chance. I listened to this on the way to and from work though, and I really enjoyed it.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars
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Homer Is My Homie

The Strong Grieved Achians were the only reason to buy this book at all

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