OSHER 987 - Homer's Iliad

One of the oldest works of Western literature, the Iliad (traditionally attributed to Homer) consists of some 16,000 lines of poetry that have gripped listeners and readers for almost three millennia. Set during a few weeks in the tenth and final year of the siege of Troy, the story ranges across a huge cast of characters, both human and divine, and includes elements of Greek mythology. The poem deals not only with grim war but also with the deep yearning for peace. The recommended text for the course is the award-winning translation by Robert Fagles, available in Penguin paperback.