This edition provides the commentary and student aids lacking
in larger volumes on Homer's work. It contains a full Introduction
designed to highlight the most important features of the text. There are
sections on the Iliad and its qualities, the Homeric question, dating,
oriental influences, style, gods, men, the transmission of the text, the
scholia, the epic dialect, and metre. The Commentary, as well as
containing material addressed to advanced readers, is also designed to
be accessible to those who are new to Homer. To this end, Greek
quotations in the Introduction and Commentary are translated, and
technical discussions are marked off in square brackets (beginners may
pass over them if they wish).

The Greek text of Iliad I is
printed with a facing English translation of a literal kind, primarily
intended to help beginners to construe the Greek and there is also a
full vocabulary list.