Homer Iliad: 3 Cd's

'In Robert Fagles' beautifully rendered text, the Iliad overwhelms us afresh. The huge themes--godlike, yet utterly human--of savagery and calculation, of destiny defied, of triumph and grief compel our own humanity. Time after time, one pauses and re-reads before continuing. Fagles' voice is always that of a poet and scholar of our own age as he conveys the power of Homer. Robert Fagles and Bernard Knox are to be congratulated and praised on this admirable work.

Homer is the author of The Iliad and The Odyssey, the two greatest Greek epic poems. Nothing is known about Homer personally; it is not even known for certain whether there is only one true author of these two works. Homer is thought to have been an Ionian from the 9th or 8th century B.C. While historians argue over the man, his impact on literature, history, and philosophy is so significant as to be almost immeasurable. The Iliad relates the tale of the Trojan War, about the war between Greece and Troy, brought about by the kidnapping of the beautiful Greek princess, Helen, by Paris. It tells of the exploits of such legendary figures as Achilles, Ajax, and Odysseus. The Odyssey recounts the subsequent return of the Greek hero Odysseus after the defeat of the Trojans. On his return trip, Odysseus braves such terrors as the Cyclops, a one-eyed monster; the Sirens, beautiful temptresses; and Scylla and Charybdis, a deadly rock and whirlpool. Waiting for him at home is his wife who has remained faithful during his years in the war. Both the Iliad and the Odyssey have had numerous adaptations, including several film versions of each.

William Cowper is an English poet whose work heavily influenced the Romantic poets. He was born in Hertfordshire, England, November 15, 1731. His father was a clergyman. His mother claimed descent from the poet John Donne. After she died when he was only six, Cowper entered a boarding school and later attended Westminster School in London. Cowper later studied with a lawyer to satisfy his father. Cowper suffered from mental illness at various times throughout his life and spent time in an asylum. His first attack came after he was nominated for a clerkship in the House of Lords. The offer was withdrawn after Cowper attempted suicide. Cowper was convinced that his madness was retribution from an angry God against whom he had unforgivably sinned. Cowper experienced at least two more major attacks of madness, one of which frustrated his only plans to marry, leading Cowper to the conviction that he was eternally damned. He sought escape from such a depressing prospect in all kinds of innocent activities, including writing poetry. With John Newton, a curate who helped Cowper recover from his first attack, Cowper composed Olney Hymns. These included God Moves in a Mysterious Way and O For a Closer Walk With God. In 1782, The Poems of William Cowper were published. His greatest contribution is The Task. Cowper died April 25, 1800.

3 CDs Abridged