FreeSchool Simplified Classics are the next best thing to the original version! Standardized into modern American English, simplified to a 6th-grade reading level, and illustrated with hand-drawn pen-and-ink images, they maintain nearly all of the length of the original work. Now you can enjoy classic literature in a more accessible way.
“Sing, O goddess, the anger of Achilles, son of Peleus. It brought countless evils upon the Greeks. Many a brave soul did it send hurrying down to Hades, and many a hero did it leave prey for dogs and vultures.”
The Iliad is an epic tale of gods and men, fate and fury. As war rages on the fields of Troy, the Greek warrior Achilles, invincible in battle and unmatched in wrath, withdraws from the fight, nursing a bitter grudge against his own commander.
But when a personal loss cuts deeper than any spear, Achilles is driven back into the fray with vengeance burning in his heart. Around him, heroes rise and fall, the gods meddle and mourn, and the very walls of Troy tremble. In a world ruled by honor and hubris, what does it mean to be a hero—and what must be sacrificed to earn a name that will never die?
This version of The Iliad is based on Samuel Butler’s 1898 translation. It has been standardized into modern American English and adapted to a 6th-grade reading level to provide a more accessible entry into classic literature without removing large passages of the story. Great pains have been taken to retain as much of the original work as possible, while still reducing the reading difficulty.
Examples of changes made include:
- Standardizing names into Greek instead of Roman versions
- Simplification of sentence structure
- Updating or providing context for obsolete words
- Replacing advanced vocabulary with simpler words
Readers who may benefit from this version of the novel include:
- Teenage readers
- Students with learning disabilities
- English as a Second Language (ESL) or English Language Learners (ELL) readers
- Adult literacy learners
- Educators
- Casual readers