The Complete Epics: From the Rage of Achilles to the Return of Odysseus
Homer's Iliad and Odyssey are the foundational epics of Western literature - two monumental poems of war, heroism, suffering, endurance, and homecoming.The Iliad is set during the final year of the Trojan War and centers on the conflict between Achilles, the greatest warrior of the Greeks, and Agamemnon, commander of the Greek forces. Their quarrel brings devastation to both armies and leads toward the fatal encounter between Achilles and Hector. Amid the clash of weapons, the rivalries of kings, and the schemes of the gods, Homer reveals the fragility of human life and the terrible cost of glory.The Odyssey follows Odysseus on his long and perilous journey home from Troy. Confronted by the Cyclops, enchanted by Circe, and opposed by the sea god Poseidon, he survives not by strength alone, but by intelligence, patience, disguise, cunning, and wit.Together, the two epics encompass war and wandering, rage and reconciliation, loss and return. With unmatched grandeur and compassion, they explore courage and pride, love and loyalty, mortality and the enduring human longing for home.William Cullen Bryant's distinguished blank-verse translations preserve the dignity, power, and epic scope of Homer's masterpieces. This is the English-language hardcover edition of the classic book. Homer. The Iliad and The Odyssey. Translated by William Cullen Bryant. First published: The Iliad of Homer. 2 Volumes. Osgood, Boston 1870. The Odyssey of Homer. 2 Volumes. Osgood, Boston 1871-1872. Translated into English Blank Verse by William Cullen Bryant. This edition follows the text of the first edition. Vollständige Neuausgabe, Göttingen 2026.
