We’re two-thirds of the way through The Iliad, and instead of marching book by book through the action, this week I’m following the characters.

Where have Achilles, Agamemnon, Menelaus, Paris, and Hector actually been—and what have they been doing—through Book 16? Some are fighting, some are leading, and some are doing remarkably little. Along the way, we’ll look at Hector as the story’s moral center, the very different stakes facing mortals and immortal gods, and the moment that finally changes everything for Achilles.

I also compare three translations of Book 16: Robert Fagles, Emily Wilson, and the wonderfully readable 1938 prose translation by W.H.D. Rouse. Wilson surprised me, Rouse continues to charm me, and Fagles remains my standard.

Make sure to stick around for Patroclus' amazing last words.

BOOKS IN THIS EPISODE

The Iliad: Fagles, Wilson, and Rouse.

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