How Not To Translate Homer

A list of the ways that John Dolan's The War Nerd Iliad attempts to "modernize" the epic poem and why they detract from its original beauty.

Translation is a difficult task. We have already established why any experienced classicist will inevitably run into problems in a previous article, and why so much creative freedom must be permissible. Unfortunately, every so often an upstart poet will make the mistake of attempting to “modernize” the epic cycle. These are wolves in sheep’s clothing; t…