Best Translation of Homer's epics

[Mr.lucifer]

What are the best translations of Homer's Epics?

[Pierre Menard]

It's hard to go past Robert Fagles and Robert Fitzgerald.

Both slighty different in tone. Fagles is a little more vigorous, strong and brash, whereas I find Fitzgerald a little more poetic and understated. Both work excellently.

The upside of Fagles' translation though, is that it usually comes with an intro from Bernard Knox. His intro for 'The Iliad' is one of the most illuminating and enjoyable intros I've ever read to a book.

[Venerable Bede]

I second Robert Fagles, though I have only read excerpts from other translations.

[dfloyd]

the best thing to do is to read several from different periods. Keats thought Chapman's was the best. Many liked Pope's rhyming one the best. Fagles blank verse is liked by many moderns. I have never liked prose translations such as the one by Laurence of Arabia. Try several before trying to determine the best. But it will be only the best for you.

[prendrelemick]

Of the three I've read, I like EV Rieu's the best. It is simple and straight forward. I am going to read Fagle's next