The Iliad

Homer

Translated by William Cullen Bryant

24 chapters · about 11 h

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The opening

Book I The Contention of Achilles and Agamemnon

The Contention of Achilles and Agamemnon

O Goddess! Sing the wrath of Peleus’ son, Achilles; sing the deadly wrath that brought Woes numberless upon the Greeks, and swept To Hades many a valiant soul, and gave Their limbs a prey to dogs and birds of air⁠— For so had Jove appointed⁠—from the time When the two chiefs, Atrides, king of men, And great Achilles, parted first as foes.

Which of the gods put strife between the chiefs, That they should thus contend? Latona’s son And Jove’s. Incensed against the king, he bade A deadly pestilence appear among The army, and the men were perishing. For Atreus’ son with insult had received Chryses the priest, who to the Grecian fleet Came to redeem his daughter, offering Uncounted ransom. In his hand he bore The fillets of Apollo, archer-god, Upon the golden sceptre, and he sued To all the Greeks, but chiefly to the sons Of Atreus, the two leaders of the host:⁠—

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About this edition

The words
William Cullen Bryant's English translation, copied word for word.
Left out
  • The title page and opening pages before chapter 1, in 2 places
  • Standard Ebooks' imprint page (5 blocks)
  • A preface, foreword or afterword
  • Notes and pages added by translators, editors or publishers
  • Standard Ebooks' colophon page (7 blocks)
  • Standard Ebooks' uncopyright page (5 blocks)

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