The Poems of Homer and the Remains of the Epic Cycle. Part One: The Iliad

Homer, 750？ BCE-650？ BCEProject Gutenberg · United StatesDec 2019

Rating 4.6

Word count: 865K words
Chapters: 87

Summary

Project Gutenberg was the first provider of free electronic books, or eBooks. Michael Hart, founder of Project Gutenberg, invented eBooks in 1971 and his memory continues to inspire the creation of eBooks and related technologies today.Homeri Carmina et Cycli Epici Reliquiæ. Pars Prima: Ilias by HomerAuthor: Homer, 750? BCE-650? BCE,Language: Latin, Class: PA: Language and Literatures: Classical Languages and Literature, Release Date: Aug 1, 2016

Editor's review

This is a document type of considerable importance in the ancient Roman educational tradition: the Iliad presented in Latin. For those familiar with the classical language tradition, its value lies not in offering the fluent reading experience of a modern translation, but in showing how the Homeric epic existed within the Latin scholarly and pedagogical system. Project Gutenberg has digitized this public-domain text, giving readers low-cost access to a Latin version of the epic; it is suitable as supplementary material for classical language learners, or for comparing how different linguistic traditions handled Homer. Readers should not expect an introduction or notes; it is more like a raw text available for searching and comparison. For readers studying reception history, the history of classical education, or the language of Latin poetry, this book offers a direct entry point to the material; general literary enthusiasts may need to pair it with a modern translation to fully understand it.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Learners with some Latin foundation who wish to engage directly with classical texts
Scholars and students studying the reception history of the Homeric epics or the tradition of Latin teaching
Those who need a public-domain Latin text for comparative reading or corpus analysis
Readers interested in the digitization of classical literature and Project Gutenberg texts

Not a good fit for

General readers without Latin who wish to read the story of the Iliad easily
Beginners expecting modern annotation, introductions, or detailed background information
Readers who need a Chinese or English translation to understand the epic's plot

Reading tips

First read through a modern translation to grasp the plot, then return to the Latin text for paragraph-by-paragraph comparison, lowering the threshold of comprehension.
Prepare a Latin dictionary and a basic grammar reference, proceed book by book, and do not feel obliged to finish it in one sitting.
Read it alongside the ancient Greek original or an English translation to observe differences in wording across linguistic traditions.
Use the text as a corpus, excerpt recurring formulaic expressions, and appreciate the rhythmic features of epic language.

About the publisher

Project Gutenberg United States · Founded in 1971

Project Gutenberg is a digital publishing project focused on public-domain ebooks. Its publishing direction centers on classic literary works whose copyright has expired, covering genres such as poetry, drama, fiction, and epic. Representative books include Lyrical Ballads by Wordsworth and Coleridge, Proust's Du côté de chez Swann, Shakespeare's Macbeth and The Complete Works of William Shakespeare, Homer's The Iliad, Dante's La Divina Comèdia: Purgatòri, Cervantes's The History of Don Quixote, Volume 2, and Grahame's The Wind in the Willows. Its author resources consist mainly of classic Western writers such as Wordsworth, Proust, Shakespeare, Homer, Dante, Cervantes, Grahame, and Tolstoy. Its publishing feature is the provision of freely accessible ebooks in EPUB and Kindle formats; it is not a traditional publisher, and publicly available information is limited.

FAQ

Is this book a Latin translation of the Iliad?

According to the information provided, this book is the Iliad in Latin, a form in which the Homeric epic appears within the Latin tradition. It is not a modern Chinese or English translation; readers need a foundation in Latin. The specific source and base text of the translation are not described in detail in the information provided; the actual content of the book should be taken as authoritative.

Can someone without any Latin read this book?

Not very well suited. The book is in Latin, and Project Gutenberg editions usually do not include detailed notes or introductions. Readers without Latin will find the content hard to understand directly; it is advisable to read a modern translation first, or to use it alongside a Latin textbook and dictionary before attempting the original.

Does this edition have notes or an introduction?

According to the information provided, this is a public-domain electronic text released by Project Gutenberg, and no notes, introduction, or scholarly appendix is mentioned. Readers who need background knowledge should supplement it with a modern translation, an introductory book on classical myth, or relevant scholarly literature.

This site is an index: you start “Search all sources” in your browser, and the entries it lists all point to third-party sites; please judge their availability yourself.

About the author

Homer, 750？ BCE-650？ BCE Author

Homer (fl. c. 750–650 BCE) was an ancient Greek epic poet. His life and birthplace have long been debated, and the available public information is limited; he is usually known only through the works attributed to him. The library holds 33 of his works, with The Iliad as the representative one, alongside various versions of the Odyssey. These epics, chanted in hexameter, tell of the Trojan War and the heroes' homecoming; their concise language and rich similes shaped figures such as Achilles and Odysseus. Long transmitted orally before being compiled in writing, they stand as one of the sources of Western narrative literature and have deeply influenced later literature and art.