British 'Iliad' expert Logue dead at 85

LONDON, Dec. 11 (UPI) -- British poet Christopher Logue, who rewrote the classic "Iliad" into modern English, died at his home in London at the age of 85, his publisher announced.

Logue wrote more than two-dozen books of poetry in his long career before his death Dec. 2, publisher Faber-and-Faber said in a written statement.

The New York Times said despite his prolific skill in Modernist poetry, Logue was best known for tackling Homer's sprawling "Iliad" despite not knowing how to speak Greek.

The result was a free-wheeling work that included decidedly modern references to Shakespeare, Venetian blinds and World War II commander Erwin Rommel. The Times said Logue insisted his work was not meant to be a literal translation of Homer but was instead an "adaptation."

The "Iliad" reflected Logue's long and colorful career, which was hardly that of a stodgy literary scholar. The Times said his life included acting roles in a handful of movies and a stint in a British army brig in Palestine during World War II.

The Times said Logue worked in methodical fashion with constant referrals to previous translations and consultations with experts on Homer's epic. He did not come close to completing his work on all 24 "Iliad" volumes.