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Title: War Music: An Account of Books 1-4 and 16-19 of Homer's Iliad by Christopher Logue, Homer Iliad ISBN: 0-226-49190-0 Publisher: National Journal Group Pub. Date: October, 2003 Format: Paperback Volumes: 1 List Price(USD): $16.00 |
Average Customer Rating: 4 (10 reviews)
Rating: 5
Summary: Astounding
Comment: Christopher Logue has a lot of guts. He's gotten into the ring with the likes of Fagles, Lattimore, Fitzgerald, Pope, and most courageously, Homer himself - and acquitted himself well. Mr. Logue has pulled "The Iliad," into the 21st Century with less a translation than a re-write. It appears there are numerous volumes containing sections of Mr. Logue's work, and it's a little hard to keep track, but two editions offered on Amazon.com's website, "War Music," and the wondrously titled, "All Day Permanent Red," seem to contain it all.
Mr. Logue writes in a robust verse form that retains the epic language while exploring possibilities for a cinematic look on scenes and situations, as well as opening the field to modern metaphor. Unlike Barry Unsworth's interpolations in "The Songs of the Kings," Mr. Logue's don't jar, but rather deepen. A sample line, "Ajax, grim underneath his tan as Rommel after 'Alamein..." lifts the story from some mythical past to something that is played out continually. A great device considering "The Iliad" is arguably the blue-print for every war story ever written.
When "War Music," opens outside the actual text of "The Iliad," and introduces us to Achilles - angry, petulant, bent on revenge, summoning his mother and laying grief for Agamemnon - Mr. Logue provides character depth missing from the original, and immediately lays out his plan to re-write and enrich rather than re-tell. His plan unfolds magnificently through both books.
I think "War Music" would work for readers with no pre-knowledge of the source, and I know it worked beautifully for me, and I've been through at least three previous translations.
Five Stars!
Rating: 3
Summary: Inspired by the Iliad
Comment: Some of the language in War Music is exceptional--Her breasts so lovely that they envy one another-- And he quit being-- His soul crawled off his tongue and vanished into sunlight-- And from its silver, sea-dark wine had crossed your lips (such a nice turn on Homer's wine-dark sea)-- Dawn stepped bare-footed from her lover's bed (Homer's rosy-fingered Dawn has become rosy-toed).
However it must be said further that this work seemed exhausting and extremely difficult to follow, except in the broadest outlines. Who is doing what to whom, and when and with whom, were questions constantly in mind while reading. Obviously this work does not purport to be a translation of Homer in the usual sense, but it is indeed a powerful and arresting poem in its own right, an inspired and original adaptation, which is of course what Logue intends. The introduction of modern words and non-Homeric references (Bikini, Iwo Jima, Napoleon, binoculars, etc.) is bothersome not because they are there per se, but because they seem so unnecessary to the context and tone of the poem. The seem like jolting anachronisms. Other images and words found within the Homeric world would have done just as well. And where on earth does he get some of the proper names--Bombax, Famagusta, Opknocktophon, etc.? If these are intended to provide a background of humorously named lesser characters, as in Shakespeare, perhaps reading the classics leaves one unprepared for them in this context and precludes appreciating them as such.
Logue's insight into the major themes comes across well. We see the wrath of Achilles wreaking its consequences. We know that when Patroclus goes out to die, Achilles will follow him. And we see foreshadowed that when Hector falls at the hands of Achilles and the doom of Troy is sealed, so too is Achilles own fate assured. Through all these themes the immortals are weaving their way, full of apparent fallibilities and indecisivenness themselves, playing their favorites, and never hesitating to interfere in the affairs of men, in which they take a great interest.
Logue's inspired poem is good and perhaps will lead some to Homer himself, especially if this version is heard aloud (as the mention of the BBC suggests), where the power and rhythm of the language can be demonstrated and felt to its fullness.
Rating: 5
Summary: Better than Homer?
Comment: I've only recently become aware of Christopher Logue's retelling of Homer's Iliad. Logue's been working on his translation for decades, though. This volume collects all of his Iliad material from 1962 to 1995, which is a measly three books. Chronologically, these books are "The Kings," which is the first book in this collection. Published in 1991, it covers the first two books of the Iliad. Next up is "The Husbands," from 1994, which covers books three and four. Finally there is "War Music" itself, originally published in 1980, and comprised of books 16 through 19. This includes "Patroclea," written in 1962, "GBH" (a British legal term meaning "Grievous Bodily Harm"), apparently written in 1980, and "Pax," written in 1967.
As you can see, Logue takes his time releasing books. This collection came out in 1997, and since then he has published only one further volume, "All Day Permanent Red," which came out in February 2003 and covers books 5 and 6; the first battle scenes in the Iliad. Being that Logue was born in 1926, I'm really hoping he'll live to re-write the remaining books of the story. But judging from his past rate of output, I'm afraid it's not very likely.
The problem with Logue's Homer is that there's no turning back. After reading this, even in its unfinished state, all other translations of the Iliad pale in comparison. I even read the Penguin book "Homer in English," which features samples from the majority of English translations of Homer, and Logue's struck me as better than any of them. The reason he excels over others is that Logue jettisons all parts of the Iliad that are not cinematic, that are not moving, and that are repetitious. We're left with a fast-moving narrative in unrhyming, free-style verse that features some of the best writing and most memorable dialog I've ever come across. This is a book that demands to be read and re-read, due to the quality of writing. And I'm a guy who usually avoids poetry.
I wouldn't recommend this to the first-time reader of the Iliad, however. Logue refers to some characters and gods in off-hand, casual ways that might confuse those new to Homer's world. For example, Apollo is several times referred to as "the Mouse God" before he is actually referred to as Apollo. Likewise, Logue flat-out makes up names for several characters, even re-naming some of the lesser characters. This is more of a book to be enjoyed by someone who's already read a standard translation of the Iliad; that way the changes and deletions Logue has made to the story become more apparent, and more appreciated.
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Title: All Day Permanent Red: An Account of the First Battle Scenes of Homer's Iliad by Christopher Logue ISBN: 0374102953 Publisher: Farrar Straus & Giroux Pub. Date: 15 April, 2003 List Price(USD): $18.00 |
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Title: The Husbands: An Account of Books 3 and 4 of Homer's Iliad by Christopher Logue, Homer Iliad, Homer ISBN: 0374173915 Publisher: Farrar Straus & Giroux Pub. Date: September, 1995 List Price(USD): $19.00 |
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Title: Achilles: A Novel by Elizabeth Cook ISBN: 0312311109 Publisher: Picador USA Pub. Date: 01 February, 2003 List Price(USD): $11.00 |
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Title: Kings: An Account of Books One and Two of Homer's Iliad by Christopher Logue, Homer Iliad ISBN: 0374181519 Publisher: Farrar Straus & Giroux Pub. Date: November, 1991 List Price(USD): $16.95 |
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Title: The Songs of the Kings by Barry Unsworth ISBN: 0385501145 Publisher: Nan A. Talese Pub. Date: 18 March, 2003 List Price(USD): $26.00 |
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