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Type of bind: Paperback
Dewey Decimal Number: 809
EAN num: 9780147712554
Format: Box set
ISBN number: 0147712556
Label: Penguin Classics
Manufacturer: Penguin Classics
Quantity: 2
Page Count: 1
Printing Date: November 01, 1999
Publishing house: Penguin Classics
Sale Popularity Level: 6647
Studio: Penguin Classics
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Editor's Notes and Comments:
Product Description:
A beautiful gift set of Robert Fagles' award-winning translations of Homer
Gripping listeners and readers for more than 2,700 years, The Iliad is the story of the Trojan War and the rage of Achilles. Combining the skills of a poet and scholar, Robert Fagles brings the energy of contemporary language to this enduring heroic epic.
If The Iliad is the world's greatest war story, then The Odyssey is literature's greatest evocation of every man's journey through life. Here again, Fagles has performed the translator's task magnificently, giving us an Odyssey to read aloud, to savor, and to treasure for its sheer lyrical mastery.
Each volume contains a superb introduction with textual and critical commentary by renowned classicist Bernard Knox.
* Deluxe paperback editions with French flaps and acid-free paper in a handsome slipcase
* Robert Fagles is the recipient of the 1997 PEN/Ralph Manheim Medal for Translation and a 1996 Academy Award in Literature from the American Academy of Arts and Letters
* The Iliad was a New York Times Notable Book and won the 1991 Harold Morton Landon Translation Award by The Academy of American Poets, an award from the Translation Center of Columbia University, and the New Jersey Humanities Book Award
* The Odyssey was chosen by Time as one of the ten Best Books of 1996
Amazon.com Review:
This is a boxed gift edition of Fagles's two widely acclaimed translations of Homer.
The Iliad is typically described as one of the greatest war stories of all time, but to call it a war story does not begin to describe the emotional sweep of its action and characters: Achilles, Helen, Hector, and other heroes of Greek myth and history in the 10th and final year of the Greek siege of Troy. The Odyssey is, quite simply, the story of Odysseus, who wants to go home. But Poseidon, god of oceans, doesn't want him to make it back across the wine-dark sea to his wife, Penelope, son, Telemachus, and their high-roofed home at Ithaca. The story is told in easy-going, beautiful poetry; the characters speak naturally, the action happens briskly. Even the gods come across as real people, despite the divine powers they exercise constantly. Both works have been hailed by scholars and the public for the powerful language that brings clashing, pulsing life to these ancient masterpieces.
User popularity level:
Rated by buyers 
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This book is an excellent translation. Through this set, I have come to trust Robert Fagles and his translations. Although it is written in classical language, and thus may be hard for some readers to understand, I thoroughly enjoyed reading these classic pieces of Greek literature and mythology.
The struggle between the gods and the men they love (and hate) is all a part of the Greek beliefs system, and these books characterize that ideology. In the Iliad, not only are the men fighting against themselves, but the men are fighting the gods, and the gods are even fighting each other. This shows the Greek beliefs that the gods are flawed, just like the men they created, and they make mistakes too. This set gives excellent insight into the way the Greeks viewed their world and their gods.
I highly recommend this set for anyone who is interested in classic literature, or if someone just wants a good mythology story. Except for the fact that it is sometimes a bit wordy with the descriptions, these are amazing books that really give the reader a look into the Greek mindset.
Rated by buyers -
Without knowledge of the Iliad and the Odyssey it is difficult to understand the many allusions and references to them encountered in the ancient sources, as well as many allegories and adaptations of more modern times, such as Oh Brother Where art Thou and Cold Mountain. This set translated by Robert Fagles, with the enlightening introductions by Bernard Knox, allows one to easily become familiar with the stories, mythology and characters that are not only entertaining in their own right, but are essential building blocks to Western history and literature.
Rated by buyers -
Highly readable translation that conveys the poetic beauty of the Illiad and the Odyssey. The typography and physical construction of these volumes is also excellent.
Rated by buyers 
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Although I respect Fagles as a modern translator, I cannot recommend his translations of Homer...I would probably only recommend his translations of Sophocles's 3 Theban Plays.
Homer's Iliad and Odyssey don't sound like Epics anymore under Fagles...they are turned into mild nice sounding children stories! He tones down Homer to the point that I feel that Fagels wants his personality to shine NOT Homer's! I am gravely disappointed by this.
I also find that he not only forces beauty into the text but adds too much of his personal warmth that gets in the way of the texts and creates a vision of Homer's epics that is truly unsound to the original.
Not only that but the font and design of the print is an eye sore, I don't like the choice the publishers and Fagles gave to the works. It doesn't make for easy reading...
Stanley Lombardo's translations are unparalleled in their print layout, design and font...not to say vivid and powerful evocative translation.
I continue to find Richmond Lattimore's facinating translations the most accurate to how the Ancient Greek language sounds to English ears. I would buy Lattimore over Fagles (and Fitzgerald).
And I still think Rieu's famous Prose version from 1946 is hard to beat for it's modernity and readibility.
...Find out for yourself by comparing a few versions but don't be duped into this mysterious "Fagles hype"!
Rated by buyers -
This boxed set was almost a steal it was such a price and quality! The works flowed with what can only be assumed near the original prose and was explained in great detail. Please do buy this item!
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