Homer's The Odyssey, translated by Emily Wilson discussion

This thread is for discussion of Book 7 of The Iliad.

Wonderful passage --

(1) Fagles:
"And Apollo lord of the silver bow and Queen Athena,
for all the world like carrion birds, like vultures,
slowly settled atop the broad towering oak
sacred to Zeus whose battle-shield is thunder,
relishing those men. Wave on wave of them settling,
close ranks shuddering into a dense, bristling glitter
of shields and spears and helmets—quick as a ripple
the West Wind suddenly risen shudders down the sea
and the deep sea swell goes dark beneath its force—
so settling waves of Trojan ranks and Achaeans
rippled down the plain . . ."

(2) Alexander:
"And Agamemnon seated the strong-greaved Achaeans,
and Athena and Apollo of the silver bow
crouched down, like birds, like vultures,
on the towering oak tree of their father Zeus, who wields the aegis,
delighting in the spectacle of men. Ranks of them, pressed close, were seated,
bristling with shields and helmets and spears.
As the ruffling of the West Wind spreads across the open sea
when the wind is first roused, and the sea grows dark beneath it,
so rank on rank of Achaeans and Trojans were settled
on the plain."

I love Alexander's use of the word "crouched" here. It more accurately captures Athena's and Apollo's posture as birds of prey, ready to pounce.

I agree. I've been very impressed with Alexander's translation!