"English Translators of Homer": A Review

Logue's War Music is easily the finest poetic work of the late 20th century, but it's not a full translation -- it only covers a few books, a fraction of the total Iliad -- and I think that it's better understood as a supplement to Homer. It works as a thing in itself, but it works 100x better if you're already familiar with the Iliad and are ready for a fresh perspective on a few select scenes.

Finishing the job would be a tremendous undertaking, on par with Ezra Pound's Cantos. It should eventually be attempted by somebody, though.

Totally agree. I re-read it yesterday. The latest edition has Books 1-9 and 16-19, plus some notes and scraps from the remainder. Albeit his versions of those books are mostly shorter than the original, it's more complete than I remember.

I think the thing I love most about Logue's retelling is that when reading it I hear the voices so clearly. I often think it's a shame that nobody (as far as I know) has put on a play of War Music.

> but it's not a full translation

If it's a translation at all, then we need a new word for when you change a text from one language into another language. I think 'retelling' is a perfectly good word to use here!

Apparently it has been done. There were BBC readings and I found this:

https://variety.com/2009/legit/reviews/war-music-1200507311/

Yes. Logue's are (brilliant) retellings, not translations. His source material were other English translations, since he was not literate in ancient Greek (as the article's author notes).

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See an East African lion Nose tip to tail tuft ten, eleven feet Slouching towards you Swaying its head from side to side Doubling its pace, its gold-black mane That stretches down its belly to its groin Catching the sunlight as it hits Twice its own length a beat, then leaps Great forepaws high great claws disclosed The scarlet insides of its mouth Parting a roar as loud as sail-sized flames And lands, slam-scattering the herd.

“This is how Hector came on us.”

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If only he were able to complete his retelling.