The wrath of the brave Achilles lies at the heart of the Iliad. When Agamemnon, the leader of the Greek army, shows contempt and disrespect towards the great warrior, Achilles decides to withdraw from the war. Meanwhile, Hector, the prince of Troy, leads the Trojans from victory to victory. But when Hector kills Patroclus ‒ Achilles' loyal friend ‒ the great hero returns to the war with vengeance as his fierce and consuming goal.

The conflict between Achilles and Hector, as well as the broader confrontation between Greeks and Trojans that unfolds throughout the epic story, is a portrait of the many forces that drive us to war: honor, pride, love, revenge, and the desire for glory. The Iliad covers a relatively short time span (fifty-one days out of the ten years of bloody conflict), but captures the essence of an entire war and explores the complex human emotions and motivations that fuel it.

The Iliad is an invitation to enter the world of the ancient Greeks and to explore the rich heritage of one of the greatest works of literature ever written. This abridged edition includes the ancient Greek text and the English translation.