Chapman's Iliad
 

Arguably the second most famous Iliad in English (I'd say Pope's ranks above in terms of fame) but personally, I would place Chapman's Iliad as the greatest in the English language. Obviously, I can't post the entire thing, but here are a few standout passages for me. You can find the whole poem online, it's been in the public domain for centuries.

Opening Lines
Achilles’ baneful wrath resound, O Goddess, that impos’d
Infinite sorrows on the Greeks, and many brave souls los’d.
From breasts heroic; sent them far to that invisible cave
That no light comforts; and their limbs to dogs and vultures gave;
To all which Jove’s will gave effect; from whom first strife begun
Betwixt Atrides, king of men, and Thetis’ godlike son.

This one is worth comparing the Greek and English of Chapman
Homeric Simile
ἠύτε ἔθνεα εἶσι μελισσάων ἁδινάων,
πέτρης ἐκ γλαφυρῆς αἰεὶ νέον ἐρχομενάων·
βοτρυδὸν δὲ πέτονται ἐπ᾿ ἄνθεσιν εἰαρινοῖσιν·
αἱ μέν τ᾿ ἔνθα ἅλις πεποτήαται, αἱ δέ τε ἔνθα· (2.87–90)
(Even as tribes of gathering bees go forth from some hollow rock, ever coming on afresh, and in
clusters over spring flowers fly in a throng, some here, some there.)
Trs. credit to Robert S. Miola

Chapman's
As when of frequent bees
Swarms rise out of a hollow rock, repairing the degrees
Of their egression endlessly with ever rising new,
From forth their sweet nest as their store, still as it faded, grew,
And never would cease sending forth her clusters to the spring,
They still crowd out so, this flock here, that there, belabouring
The loaded flow’rs

Wow, I feel like an astronomer when a new planet has swum into my ken!

But seriously, I much prefer a modern translation. There's no reason for a 21st century reader to be forced to contend with 17th century English to experience a text written in the 9th century BCE.

I studied the first lines of the Iliad in Greek many years ago, and Chapman’s translation is lovely and accurate, except for the “invisible cave,” which is “Hades” in the original. What is “los’d,” btw? Loosed? Lost? I’ve read Lattimore’s and Fitzgerald’s translations, both of which are very beautiful even without rhyme and strict meter. Both are less archaic, though not exactly contemporary either. I doubt I’d have the patience to get through Chapman or Pope, but I really should have a look at them. Thanks for the recommendation!

I think the go-to translation these days is the new Wilson, written in fluent and contemporary iambic pentameter.

I once read both the Pope translations and lay down into a migraine: dividing Homer into couplets to me felt like attempting to express the sea as gold bars. There is so much praise for Wilson: but though she has pentameter, I miss Fitzgerald's furious music. I am not sure that pentameter ever "fitted" Homer anyway: he is too wavelike. Lattimore can be quite compulsive with his surf. And rhyme makes the poems snap-shut where they are capacious. Still, we thank Chapman for what he made the Londoner feel.

Does anyone know a good translation which does not prioritise "poetic English"?

Fagles, most likely.

Thanks Cameron.

What to you does "poetic language" mean? Fagles still, but without exactitude it is partly guesswork.

Yes, the one I mentioned. Emily Wilson.