The Iliad has been in my currently reading list for not quite as long as the actual Trojan War, but it sort of felt like that. And I’ve been thinking about this review for so long, and the mixed experiences I have had reading it, but after this long, long journey with it I’m left with nothing but amazement.

Parts of it (the parts I like to refer to as the ‘stabby-stabby-murder-death parts’) were definitely rough for this sensitive soul. But the magnificence of the whole, the overarching massive and epic scope was just so powerful and moving.

I spent the last few days reading Stephen Fry’s Troy, and I’m really glad I did. It gave me context for The Iliad that I hadn’t realized I’d been missing, and rounded out the final experience for me as I came to the close of the story.

He reflects on the depth of humanity shown in this epic poem, both the beauty and the horror that reside in the soul. And I really resonate with that. There are some truly touching moments - many of which feature Hector, who is my absolute favorite player, and whose death hit me harder than Patroclus’, if I’m honest, even though I knew it was coming.

But Patroclus, too, had a gentleness and kindness that was unusual amongst the warriors.

And the horror? Oh there was so much, and it is so tragic that this violent way of solving problems doesn’t seem to have evolved into anything better, instead it’s only gotten more efficient. But Homer shows the brutality up close and vividly, and doesn’t shy away from showing us humanity’s darkest side.

The imagery contained in the poem is so beautiful, though, so lush, so rich, and so full of connections to everyday life, farming, weaving, nature…. These images help ground the poem and uplift the reader from the gore and blood running below.

The idea of these men seeking their kleos, their glory, is utterly alien to me, but in their world it was a really big deal, and they have survived down the ages in song and story. The devastation of Troy isn’t something I would want to be remembered for, but there we go. Achilles’ rage burned bright, his violence caused so much suffering, and he is not my kind of a hero. (Maybe a good dose of therapy may have helped him out, who knows?) But, again, Homer doesn’t shy away from showing us the worst of what it means to be human.

Emily Wilson’s translation was superb, and made this so much more accessible for me.

This review is brought to you in collaboration with my cat, Smudge, who listened to me read all 24 books out loud. When I finished the last page, I put the book down, and she got up from my lap to sit on top of the book, refusing to surrender it for well over an hour.

And as I came to the end of it, I realized that I want to read it again, and again, and again. If anyone had asked me that at the beginning, or in the middle, I would have said this was a one-time deal.

But like my cat, I am not ready to let this book go.