Listen to a sample
The Iliad
- Author
- Homer
- Narrator
- James Taylor, Helen Pyle
- Publisher
- Parolita Libro
- Publish Date
- 1 June 2026
- Run Time
- 14 hours 16 minutes
- Format
- Audiobook
What to expect
The Iliad is one of the oldest works of Western literature, dating back to classical antiquity. Homer's epic poem belongs in a collection called the Epic Cycle, which includes The Odyssey. Written in an early literary dialect of ancient Greek, both poems were originally composed in dactylic hexameters. This meter is beautiful in the original but can sound awkward in modern English; Eric McMillan humorously described it as resembling "pumpkins rolling on a barn floor."
This epic poem begins with the Achaean army sacking the city of Chryse and capturing two maidens as prizes of war. One of the maidens, Chryseis, is given to Agamemnon, the leader of the Achaeans, and the other maiden, Briseis, was given to the army's best warrior, Achilles. Chryseis' father, the city's priest, prays to the god Apollo and asks for a plague on the Achaean army. To stop this plague, Agamemnon returns Chryseis to her father, but then orders Achilles to give him Briseis as compensation. Achilles refuses.
User Reviews
No reviews yet.
Details
- Author
- Homer
- Narrator
- James Taylor, Helen Pyle
- Duration
- 14 hours 16 minutes
- Release Date
- 1 June 2026
- ISBN
- 4071498403341
- Format
- Audiobook
- Publisher
- Parolita Libro
- Genre
- Classic fiction: literary and general
Synopsis
The Iliad is one of the oldest works of Western literature, dating back to classical antiquity. Homer's epic poem belongs in a collection called the Epic Cycle, which includes The Odyssey. Written in an early literary dialect of ancient Greek, both poems were originally composed in dactylic hexameters. This meter is beautiful in the original but can sound awkward in modern English; Eric McMillan humorously described it as resembling "pumpkins rolling on a barn floor." This epic poem begins with the Achaean army sacking the city of Chryse and capturing two maidens as prizes of war. One of the maidens, Chryseis, is given to Agamemnon, the leader of the Achaeans, and the other maiden, Briseis, was given to the army's best warrior, Achilles. Chryseis' father, the city's priest, prays to the god Apollo and asks for a plague on the Achaean army. To stop this plague, Agamemnon returns Chryseis to her father, but then orders Achilles to give him Briseis as compensation. Achilles refuses.
About xigxag
xigxag is an independent, UK-based audiobook platform and the UK's only B Corp certified audiobook company. We offer nearly 150,000 audiobooks, all with professional human narration. No AI-generated voices. xigxag is rated an Ethical Consumer Best Buy for audiobooks and a top-rated ethical bookshop.
There is no subscription. You buy the audiobooks you want, you own them permanently, and prices start at $13.95. The more you listen over the year, the less you pay per book, and there is always a selection in Listen for Less from $7.95. You can also send audiobooks as gifts using our audiobook gift cards or in-app gifting.
Every audiobook on xigxag has honest reviews covering both the book and the narration, and our community features make it easy to share what you are listening to, discover what others recommend, and find your next listen.
Download or stream on iOS, Android, or in your browser. Browse the full catalogue at xigxag.co.uk.