Those who are able to read Homer in Greek have ample recourse to
commentaries, but the vast majority who read the Iliad in translation
have not been so well served--the many available translations contain
few, if any, notes. For these readers, Malcolm M. Willcock provides a
line-by-line commentary that explains the many factual details,
mythological allusions, and Homeric conventions that a student or
general reader could not be expected to bring to an initial encounter
with the Iliad.
The notes, which always relate to particular lines in the text, have as
their prime aim the simple, factual explanation of things the
inexperienced reader would be unlikely to have at his or her command
(What is a hecatomb? Who is Atreus' son?). Second, they enhance an
appreciation of the Iliad by illuminating epic style, Homer's methods
of composition, the structure of the work, and the characterization of
the major heroes. The "Homeric Question," concerning the origin and
authorship of the Iliad, is also discussed.
Professor Willcock's commentary is based on Richmond Lattimore's
translation--regarded by many as the outstanding translation of the
present generation--but it may be used profitably with other versions as
well. This clearly written commentary, which includes an excellent
select bibliography, will make one of the touchstones of Western
literature accessible to a wider audience.
