Homer the South African

Abstract

When reviewing a much-translated canonical text such as Homer'sIliad, it has become something of atoposto question the need for yet another translation of it. In the twenty-first century alone, Homer'sIliadhas benefited from at least six published English translations already: Rodney Merrill (2007), Herbert Jordan (2008), Anthony Verity (2011), Stephen Mitchell (2011), Edward McCrorie (2012) and James Muirden (2012). Richard Whitaker adds his translation to the list with a slight variation on the standard Anglo-American English translations already available, presenting his readers instead with a ‘Southern African English’ version. With such a variety of Standard English prose and poetic translations already on offer, is there really a need for yet anotherIliad? Will the novelty of its subtitle, as a ‘Southern African English’Iliad, justify its publication, and what will prevent it from being judged merely as a postcolonial curiosity?