120,000+ Books, Games & Puzzles in-stock 🇳🇿

Enjoy overnight delivery from our 100% NZ-owned independent bookstore 🚀

The Iliad

By Homer
0.0 (0 reviews)
3.93 goodreads logo

Ratings/reviews counts are updated frequently.

Check link for latest rating. ( 498,984 ratings, 15,684 reviews)
Brief Description
The Iliad is the culmination of a long-standing oral tradition. The oral technique enabled a master bard like Homer to develop what may historically have been an event of minor importance into a fully fledged epic. So, out of a single episode in the legendary Trojan... Read More
$2100
Elsewhere:
$2300
OVERNIGHT NZ-WIDE DELIVERY

Found a better price? Request a price match

Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

The Iliad is the culmination of a long-standing oral tradition. The oral technique enabled a master bard like Homer to develop what may historically have been an event of minor importance into a fully fledged epic.

So, out of a single episode in the legendary Trojan War—Achilles' withdrawal from the fighting and his return to kill the Trojan hero, Hector—Homer generated the 24 books of The Iliad.

What the oral technique does not automatically provide, however, is the genius of the poem which is rendered here in E.V. Rieu's translation, revised for this edition by his son, D.C.H. Rieu, and Peter Jones.

Homer has created a timeless, dramatic tragedy. His characters are heroic, but their passions and problems are human and universal. He presents them with compassion, understanding, and humour against the harsh background of the war and the quarrels of the gods.

Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN:

Publisher: Penguin Books Ltd

DIMENSIONS

Weight: 381g

Collections

Arts & Culture Best Sellers at Book Hero Best Selling Books Classic Poetry Homer In Stock Arts & Culture Books In Stock Books New Zealand's Best Selling Books Non-Fiction Penguin Black Classics Penguin Books Top 100 Penguin Classics

Also by Homer

View all
  • The Iliad
    The story centres on the critical events in four days of the 10th and final year of the war between the Greeks and Trojans. It describes how the quarrel of Agamemnon and Achilleus sets in motion a tragic sequence of events, which leads to Achilleus' killing of Hektor and determines the ultimate fate of Troy. But Homer's theme is not...
    By Homer
    Paperback
    $2100
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • The Iliad
    A work of tremendous influence that has inspired writers from his ancient Greek contemporaries to modernist writers such as T.S. Eliot, Homer's epic poem The Iliad is translated by Robert Fagles with an introduction and notes by Bernard Knox in Penguin Classics. One of the foremost achievements in Western literature, Homer's The Iliad tells the story of the darkest episode...
    By Homer
    Paperback
    $3200
    Elsewhere:
    $3700
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • The Iliad
    One of the greatest epics in Western literature, The Iliad recounts the story of the Trojan wars. This timeless poem still vividly conveys the horror and heroism of men and gods battling amidst devastation and destruction, as it moves to its tragic conclusion. In his introduction, Bernard Knox observes that although the violence of The Iliad is grim and relentless,...
    By Homer
    Paperback
    $3600
    Elsewhere:
    $4000
    Available
    Ships in 4-6 weeks
  • The Odyssey
    The great epic of Western literature, translated by the acclaimed classicist Robert Fagles. A Penguin Classic Robert Fagles, winner of the PEN/Ralph Manheim Medal for Translation and a 1996 Academy Award in Literature from the American Academy of Arts and Letters, presents us with Homer's best-loved and most accessible poem in a stunning modern-verse translation. "Sing to me of the...
    By Homer
    Paperback
    $3500
    Elsewhere:
    $3800
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • The Homeric Hymns
    Composed for recitation at festivals, these 33 songs were written in honour of the gods and goddesses of the ancient Greek pantheon. They recount the key episodes in the lives of the gods and dramatise the moments when they first appear before mortals. Together, they offer a vivid picture of the Greek view of the relationship between the divine and...
    By Homer
    Paperback
    $2400
    Elsewhere:
    $2600
    Backorder
    Ships mid October
  • The Odyssey
    The best poetic version of The Odyssey to have appeared this century - Hugh Lloyd-Jones Penelope has been waiting for her husband Odysseus to return from Troy for many years. Little does she know that his path back to her has been blocked by astonishing and terrifying trials. Will he overcome the hideous monsters, beautiful witches and treacherous seas that...
    By Homer
    Paperback
    $2200
    Elsewhere:
    $2400
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • The Iliad
    When Emily Wilson's translation of The Odyssey appeared in 2017—revealing the ancient poem in a contemporary idiom that was "fresh, unpretentious and lean" (Madeline Miller, Washington Post)—critics lauded it as "a revelation" (Susan Chira, New York Times) and "a cultural landmark" (Charlotte Higgins, Guardian) that would forever change how Homer is read in English. Now, Wilson has returned with an...
    By Homer
    Hardback
    $9000
    Available
    Ships in 2-3 weeks
  • The Iliad
    Read the story behind the new BBC/Netflix epic series, Troy: Fall of a City. A stunning new translation of Homer's great war epic, the legendary tale of honour, love, loss, and revenge during the fall of the city of Troy. High on Olympus, Zeus and the assembled deities look down on the world of men, to the city of Troy...
    By Homer
    Paperback
    $2400
    Elsewhere:
    $2600
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • The Iliad & The Odyssey (Barnes & Noble Collectible Editions)
    Homer's two epics of the ancient world, The Iliad and The Odyssey, tell stories as riveting today as when they were written between the eighth and ninth century B.C. This edition employs Samuel Butler's classic translations of both texts. The Iliad, which tells of the siege of Troy by the Greeks, is an unforgettable tale of nations at war and...
    By Homer
    Hardback
    $6000
    Elsewhere:
    $9999
    Backorder
    Ships mid October
  • The Wrath of Achilles
    90 classic titles celebrating 90 years of Penguin Books On the fields of Troy, war is raging. At its centre is Achilles—godlike, swift-footed, the greatest champion of the Greeks. But when his pride is wounded and he refuses to fight, the thread of fate begins to spin... From frenzied rampages to intimate moments of grief, this selection from Homer's Iliad...
    By Homer
    Paperback
    $1799
    Backorder
    Ships mid October
  • The Odyssey
    Composed at the rosy-fingered dawn of world literature almost three millennia ago, The Odyssey is a poem about violence and the aftermath of war; about wealth, poverty and power; about marriage and family; about travellers, hospitality, and the yearning for home. This fresh, authoritative translation captures the beauty of this ancient poem as well as the drama of its narrative....
    By Homer
    Paperback
    $2999
    Elsewhere:
    $3599
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • The Odyssey
    The Odyssey by Homer is one of the supreme masterpieces of Western literature. Of this much-acclaimed translation by Robert Fitzgerald, George Steiner has written, "Fitzgerald is taking his place beside Chapman and Pope in the unbroken lineage of English Homeric translations...it has an economy and soar of a poet." Introduced by Seamus Heaney.
    By Homer
    Hardback
    $3400
    Elsewhere:
    $3695
    Available
    Ships in 4-6 weeks

More from Arts & Culture

View all
  • Dylan's Pick
    Bold Types
    A tribute to 32 truly independent bookshops throughout Aotearoa New Zealand, from north of Auckland down to Dunedin, and coast to coast. Jane Ussher's photographs show every bookstore in its unique nature - including behind the counter, smoko rooms, the mess which tells the hardworking story behind the joy of matching books with customers. Jemma Moreira's careful editing has crafted...
    By Jane Ussher
    Hardback
    $5999
    Elsewhere:
    $7000
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • New Release
    Shirl's Pick Shirl's Pick
    Home Again
    Join rock-legend, former Shihad frontman and lead singer of The Adults, Jon Toogood in this unflinching and no-holds-barred memoir Home Again.This is more than a rock story. Toogood looks back on a 37-year career that helped define New Zealand rock music, and the personal cost that came with it. From a music-obsessed childhood in Wellington to the deafening roar of international stages, this...
    By Jon Toogood
    Paperback
    $3199
    Elsewhere:
    $3999
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • The Odyssey
    Composed at the rosy-fingered dawn of world literature almost three millennia ago, The Odyssey is a poem about violence and the aftermath of war; about wealth, poverty and power; about marriage and family; about travellers, hospitality, and the yearning for home. This fresh, authoritative translation captures the beauty of this ancient poem as well as the drama of its narrative....
    By Homer
    Paperback
    $2999
    Elsewhere:
    $3599
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • The Iliad
    When Emily Wilson's translation of The Odyssey appeared in 2017—revealing the ancient poem in a contemporary idiom that was "fresh, unpretentious and lean" (Madeline Miller, Washington Post)—critics lauded it as "a revelation" (Susan Chira, New York Times) and "a cultural landmark" (Charlotte Higgins, Guardian) that would forever change how Homer is read in English. Now Wilson has returned with an...
    By Homer
    Paperback
    $3299
    Elsewhere:
    $3799
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • Disney Moana: The Official Cookbook
    New Release
    Disney Moana: The Official Cookbook
    Embark on a culinary adventure with Moana of Motunui with Pacific recipes inspired by Moana and Moana 2! After a long day of sailing to see how far you’ll go or keeping the demigod Maui out of trouble with Te Fiti, catch a break with the delicious dishes in Moana: The Official Cookbook! Featuring more than 50 recipes spanning the...
    By Monique Fiso
    Hardback
    $4499
    Elsewhere:
    $5299
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • This Angry Pen of Mine
    This Angry Pen of Mine by Layne Staley invites you to dive into the untold creative world of Layne Staley, the legendary voice behind Alice in Chains. This extraordinary collection showcases his handwritten lyrics, deeply personal poetry, stunning original artwork, rare photos, fan tributes, and so much more. Step into the world of Layne Staley like never before. For the...
    By Layne Staley
    Hardback
    $7299
    Elsewhere:
    $8999
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • Did I Ever Tell You This?
    In this unexpected memoir, written in a creative burst of just a few months in 2022, Sam Neill tells the story of how he became one of the world’s most celebrated actors, who has worked with everyone from Meryl Streep to Isabel Adjani, from Jeff Goldblum to Sean Connery, from Steven Spielberg to Jane Campion. By his own account, his...
    By Sam Neill
    Paperback
    $3799
    Elsewhere:
    $4500
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • They Bloom Because of You
    Bestselling author and Instagram sensation Jessica Urlichs returns with a new collection of beautifully observed poems about the ever-evolving journey of motherhood - the hard, the magic and the fleeting. ‘A raw and honest read that makes you feel seen and understood in a way that will bring you to tears.’ - Hilary Swank ‘A book to keep close and...
    By Jessica Urlichs
    Paperback
    $3000
    Elsewhere:
    $3600
    (1)
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • The Odyssey
    The Odyssey by Homer is a monumental epic that has enthralled readers for centuries with its rich tapestry of adventure and human struggle. It chronicles the perilous journey of Odysseus, the cunning King of Ithaca, as he strives to return home after the fall of Troy. During this ten-year odyssey, Odysseus confronts myriad dangers, both natural and supernatural, that test...
    By Homer
    Paperback
    $2499
    Elsewhere:
    $2800
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • Leaves of Grass
    A collectible new Penguin Classics series offers beautiful, slim, clothbound editions of ten favourite poets. In 1855, Walt Whitman published his first collection of poetry, Leaves of Grass. The volume received great praise from leading Transcendentalist poet Ralph Waldo Emerson. This encouragement led to what would become a lifelong project, as Whitman expanded and rewrote the volume until his death...
    By Walt Whitman
    Hardback
    $2200
    Elsewhere:
    $2400
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • Great Writers and the Cats who Owned Them
    Throughout history, cats and writers have bonded together in a magical combination of comfort, companionship and inspiration. The famous authors featured here range from Samuel Johnson, whose cat Hodge dined on oysters, and Edward Lear, whose charismatic cat Foss was missing half his tail, to Margaret Mitchell, L. M. Montgomery and Dorothy L. Sayers, who rescued her kitten Blitz from...
    By Susannah Fullerton
    Hardback
    $3999
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • Vagabond
    The outrageous, riotous memoir from the cult actor and star of The Rocky Horror Picture Show, Clue, and IT. Actor, rock 'n' roll singer, the prince of Halloween, confusing sex symbol. Many labels have been given to the inimitable Tim Curry over the years. All are true, and yet none are quite right. Here, for the first time, Curry reveals...
    By Tim Curry
    Hardback
    $4499
    Elsewhere:
    $6000
    In Stock
    Ships today

Why buy from us?

Book Hero is not a chain store or big box retailer. We're an independent 100% NZ-owned business on a mission to help more Kiwis rediscover a love of books and reading!

Service & Delivery

Service & Delivery

Our warehouse in Auckland holds over 100,000 books, toys, board games and puzzles in-stock so you're not waiting for your order to arrive from overseas.

Auckland Bookstore

Auckland Bookstore

We're primarily an online store, but for your convenience you can pick up your order for free from our bookstore, which is right next door to our warehouse in Hobsonville.

Our Gifting Service

Our Gifting Service

Books make wonderful thoughtful gifts and we're here to help with gift-wrapping and cards. We can even send your gift directly to your loved one.

Arts & Culture lists from the team

Explore our curated lists from our heroes to find your next read!

The Latest at Book Hero

View all