The siege of Troy is in its ninth year. The Greeks, with Achilles at their head, have inflicted numerous defeats on the Trojans, but Troy itself still stands. When Agamemnon is threatened with mutiny by a disillusioned army wanting to return home he changes his tactics by ordering a series of attacks on the allies of Troy, thus depriving the city of reinforcements, trade and supplies. But even this cannot draw the Trojans out from behind their walls. Odysseus, Eperitus and their men have become hardened soldiers. Tired and bitter about the war, Odysseus just wants to return home to his island Kingdom of Ithaca. But while Agammenon is still determined to revenge himself upon Troy for the theft of Helen by Paris, then Odysseus is held by the oath that he himself created. Eperitus is tormented by his own oath: sworn to protect the very man who murdered his daughter. As the war continues, Odysseus realises that sheer numbers will never overwhelm Tory, if he is ever to return home, then he must use cunning and guile to bring about its downfall . . .

Back in print for the first time in decades, Auden’s National Book Award–winning poetry collection, in a critical edition that introduces it to a new generation of readers The Shield of Achilles, which won the National Book Award in 1956, may well be W. H. Auden’s most important, intricately designed, and unified book of poetry. In addition to its famous title poem, which reimagines Achilles’s shield for the modern age, when war and heroism have changed beyond recognition, the book also includes two sequences—“Bucolics” and “Horae Canonicae”—that Auden believed to be among his most significant work. Featuring an authoritative text and an introduction and notes by Alan Jacobs, this volume brings Auden’s collection back into print for the first time in decades and offers the only critical edition of the work. As Jacobs writes in the introduction, Auden’s collection “is the boldest and most intellectually assured work of his career, an achievement that has not been sufficiently acknowledged.” Describing the book’s formal qualities and careful structure, Jacobs shows why The Shield of Achilles should be seen as one of Auden’s most central poetic statements—a richly imaginative, beautifully envisioned account of what it means to live, as human beings do, simultaneously in nature and in history.

Achilles is a legendary hero and commander of the Myrmidon army, but a leader is defined by those who follow him. What manner of men fought beside Achilles in the crucible of war? Stelios, lifelong friend of Achilles, is summoned upon his death to Mount Olympus to share with the gods what fire guides the hearts of mortals. Stelios recounts his past—his liberation as a boy at the hands of the Myrmidons, his induction into their ranks, and the life-changing lessons they instilled within him. He trains and grows alongside Achilles, and watches as the meek boy he knew in his youth transforms into a relentless warrior. They become brothers, these men in black armor, defined by their decision to carry the most brutal burdens. In time, as violence scars their shields and bodies, they learn that the morals and creeds they were raised upon have begun to fracture. As Stelios grapples with the futility of a life lived only for war, he seeks solace in his wife and a young boy he rescues and takes in as his own—a boy who will one day face his own mysterious destiny. As the darkness in the Myrmidons deepens, Stelios battles to protect those he loves, even if they stand against him. In the pursuit of peace, Stelios must sacrifice everything.

Historical fantasy full of “suspense, treachery, and bone-crunching action . . . will leave fans of the genre eagerly awaiting the rest of the series” (The Times Literary Supplement). It was a time of myth and mystery. A time when Gods walked among men. It was a time of heroes. Greece is a country in turmoil, divided by feuding kingdoms desiring wealth, power and revenge. When Eperitus, a young exiled soldier, comes to the aid of a group of warriors in battle, little does he know that it will be the start of an incredible adventure. For he is about to join the charismatic Odysseus, Prince of Ithaca, on a vital quest to save his homeland. Odysseus travels to Sparta to join the most famous heroes of the time in paying suit to the sensuous Helen. Armed with nothing but his wits and intelligence, he must enter a treacherous world of warfare and politics to compete for the greatest prize in Greece. But few care for the problems of an impoverished prince when war with Troy is beckoning. An epic saga set in one of the most dramatic periods of history, King of Ithaca is a voyage of discovery of one man’s journey to become a King—and a legend. “A must read for those who enjoy good old epic battles, chilling death scenes and the extravagance of ancient Greece.” —Lifestyle Magazine “The reader does not need to be classicist to enjoy this epic and stirring tale. It makes a great novel.” —Historical Novels Review

Book 18 of the Iliad is an outstanding example of the range and power of Homeric epic. It describes the reaction of the hero Achilles to the death of his closest friend, and his decision to re-enter the conflict even though it means he will lose his own life. The book also includes the forging of the marvellous shield for the hero by the smith-god Hephaestus: the images on the shield are described by the poet in detail, and this description forms the archetypal ecphrasis, influential on many later writers. In an extensive introduction, R. B. Rutherford discusses the themes, style and legacy of the book. The commentary provides line-by-line guidance for readers at all levels, addressing linguistic detail and larger questions of interpretation. A substantial appendix considers the relation between Iliad 18 and the Babylonian Epic of Gilgamesh, which has been prominent in much recent discussion.