[Pete from Shawnee Mission]

Here it is in Greek.

( Brave search comments: "The full opening line is typically translated as "Sing, goddess, the wrath of Achilles..." However, the Greek word order places "μῆνιν" (wrath/anger) at the very beginning to immediately establish the poem's central theme.)

If you want to see the first 16 lines in Greek click on the link. There is also a link to a soundcloud clip with someone reading it in Greek.

Publication information: “Homer, Iliad 1.1–16 , Read in Greek by Gregory Nagy”. 1997. Cambridge, MA: Department of the Classics, Harvard University.

Illiad chapter 1 verses 1-16

μῆνιν ἄειδε θεὰ Πηληϊάδεω Ἀχιλῆος

οὐλομένην, ἣ μυρί’ Ἀχαιοῖς ἄλγε’ ἔθηκε,

πολλὰς δ’ ἰφθίμους ψυχὰς Ἄϊδι προΐαψεν

ἡρώων, αὐτοὺς δὲ ἑλώρια τεῦχε κύνεσσιν

οἰωνοῖσί τε πᾶσι, Διὸς δ’ ἐτελείετο βουλή

[MikelTackNailer]

I tried to read that but...

(couldn't resist)

[SunkenCiv]

Thx!

[PUGACHEV]

Sadly, I cannot read Ancient Greek, but I know a nun who does and she has tutored me a bit. Whenever I want to judge a translation of the Iliad, I go to Book XXI and read of the death of Lycaon. It is simply the most terrifying, but poetically lyrical passage in all of literature, IMHO. Even a poor translation is certain to give you a chill; a good one you will remember for the rest of your life: “…And the silver-sided fish will dart from beneath the shadow of a dark ripple to nip at the white fat of Lycaon”.