Rieu writes in prose, which means the page has no visible line structure, and the reader moves through the text at whatever pace the sentences set. Verity writes in verse, with line breaks that slow the eye and create small pauses whether or not punctuation demands them. In the opening lines, Rieu gives "that accursed anger, which brought the Greeks endless sufferings," a phrase that reads quickly and sits comfortably in ordinary English. Verity gives "the accursed anger which brought the Achaeans countless / agonies," where "countless" stretches across a line break and "agonies" lands at the start of the next, giving it weight. Rieu uses "Greeks" throughout; Verity uses "Achaeans" and "Argives," names that keep the text at a slight formal distance from casual speech without tipping into archaic elevation. Rieu moves fast and prefers clarity over texture. In Book 21, Achilles tells his victim "Even Patroclus died, who was a better man than you by far," then adds "And look at me. Don't you see how big and handsome I am?" The speech is blunt and readable, but the taunt has a casual, almost conversational edge. Verity stays closer to the Greek syntax: "Can you not see what kind of a man I am, how handsome and great?" The rhetorical question preserves the formal shape of the original address. Rieu also cuts more freely, as in Book 5, where he drops the opening exchange entirely and jumps to Athena's direct speech. Verity keeps the frame: "Then in answer the goddess grey-eyed Athena addressed him." That line has no drama on its own, but it keeps the formal machinery of Homeric dialogue visible.
Anger — sing, goddess, the anger of Achilles son of Peleus, that accursed anger, which brought the Greeks endless sufferings and sent the mighty souls of many warriors to Hades, leaving their bodies as carrion for the dogs and a feast for the birds; and Zeus' purpose was fulfilled. It all began when Agamemnon lord of men and godlike Achilles quarrelled and parted.
SING, goddess, the anger of Achilles, Peleus' son,
the accursed anger which brought the Achaeans countless
agonies and hurled many mighty shades of heroes into Hades,
causing them to become the prey of dogs and
all kinds of birds; and the plan of Zeus was fulfilled.
Sing from the time the two men were first divided in strife—
Atreus' son, lord of men, and glorious Achilles.