Rieu's 1950 version is straight prose, with no line breaks and no attempt at meter. The diction is modern and conversational, sometimes startlingly so: Athena calls Ares a "mad, double-dealing delinquent," and Achilles asks Lycaon "Why make such a song about it?" Rieu often expands compressed Greek into plain explanation, as when "διχθαδίας κῆρας" becomes "destiny has left two courses open to me on my journey to the grave." Formulaic epithets and patronymics survive ("silver-footed Thetis," "Diomedes son of Tydeus"), but the texture is that of a readable English novel. Rieu edited the Penguin Classics series and produced this translation as its first volume. It suits a reader who wants the story moving quickly and has no interest in hearing Homer sound like poetry.
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.