The Epic: A New Epic Retelling of Homer’s Iliad

THE EPIC is an all-original retelling of Homer’s Iliad, reverently composed in prose that may be called poetry but is actually intended to reflect the syntax of the classical era of Greece, partly inspired by the Gospels via the ESV Bible and Filipino English, which is derived from the ESV.

The poet Homerus went to Troad with Agamemnon’s Imperial Atrian army, and in the ten years of watching the siege he chose to compose his epic of Ilion based on the last three days of Ektor.

The three days began with a renewed threat of plague in the Atrian camp, known jokingly as the Plague of Olixes. Some members of the Atrian empire were tasked to relocate the followers’ camp where it was thought the plague made its comeback. Meanwhile, Akireu had a spat with Agamemnon over an enslaved noblewoman thought to be possessed by the Dark Goddess, making her an oracle and through her the Dark Goddess can speak and make love to Akireu.

When the Trojans attacked the vulnerable relocating force, Akireu did not offer relief, contributing to the lopsided outcome of the battle, the first major win of the Trojans. Ektor proved an eager and decisive commander, building on the initial victory by leading more attacks against the Atrians, including a swashbuckling raid into the Atrian camp itself, burning ships, killing men and taking hostages.

The next day is more of the same with the battle extending to nearby Thymbra where Patroklus almost killed Priam’s favorite son. Ektor came to the rescue just in time to save his brother and in his anger killed Patroklus in a humiliating way. To capitalize on the victories of the last two days, Ektor pushed the envelope of provocation, penetrating the Atrian camp a second time, burning more ships and killing even more men, including many of the famed murmidones, and then leaving a cruel surprise on the mast of Agamemnon’s ship.

On the third day, Akireu presented the captured Troilus in front of Ilion’ Skaian gate as a surprise. He killed the captive after Ektor refused to come out, forcing the Trojan general to duel the Atrian warrior to save Ilion from absolute humiliation. In the end, as Homerus would tell Priam when they discussed the composition of the poem later that night: a good warrior, father, brother, son and prince of his people may have the qualities to top bill an epic, but Ektor remains a mere mortal against a force of nature.