The Historcial Context of Homer's Iliad: A Lecture in Arabic (Kuwait, 1975 or 88?)

The Historcial Context of Homer's Iliad

The You Tube hosts an extensive lecture in Arabic about the historical context of Homer's Iliad. The lecture is delivered by one of the pioneering Egyptian classicists and papyrologists; Prof. Abdellatif Ahmed Ali. It is uploaded by his son Dr. Moones Ali (Thanks, Dr. Moones, for this valuable addition). Prof. Ali took his PhD from University of Michigan in 1949. He came back to teach in Cairo University (department of Classics and History) until 1974. In this year he moved to Kuwait, where he was teaching Greek and Roman History. The lecture seems to be delivered in Kuwait in 1975 or after this year. In the calendar behind the moderator, I can see a date reading Monday 15/4/88 or 85. With a map and extensive knowledge of the Greek history and mythology, he relates the epic as well as the modern history of scholarship about it in a very interesting, sensational and lively (sometimes theatrical) manner as evidenced by the audience' laughter. Enjoy watching and hearing !

Part I

Part II

Part III

Part IV

The Iliad: A Radio Drama in Arabic based on Homer's Iliad

The Iliad: A Radio Drama in Arabic

The Egyptian Radio has produced a Radio drama in Arabic based on Homer's Iliad. It is unknown when this drama was broadcasted, but most probably after 1967. This approximate date is based on the fact that Ali Azzab, one of the two writers of the drama, graduated from the higher institute for theatrical fine arts in Cairo in 1967.  The second writer of the drama is Helal Abouamer. No more information is available about the second writer or this adaptation. Fortunately You Tube hosts the full audio (about two hours) of this piece.

According to Wikipedia, a radio drama is "a dramatized, purely acoustic performance, broadcast on radio. With no visual component, radio drama depends on dialogue, music and sound effects to help the listener imagine the characters and story: "It is auditory in the physical dimension but equally powerful as a visual force in the psychological dimension".

The Algerian Iliad by Cheikh Zakaria (1908-1977)

The Algerian Iliad by Cheikh Zakaria (1908-1977)

The Algerian Iliad is an epic poem of 1001 verse lines composed by Cheikh Zakaria (1908-1977), the poet of the Algerian revolution, to celebrate the long history of the Algerian people's resistance against foreign occupations from "the most ancient times to the present day", as  Mouloud Kacem (1927-1992), the famous  Algerian politician, philosopher, historian, and writer, stated in the preface of the printed poem. Mouloud Kacem was the one who commissioned Cheikh Zakaria to compose this poem. With its 1001 verse lines, it is not only an Iliad, but a clear parody to One Thousand and One Nights of the famous folk tales know as Arabian Nights.

A first short version of this poem of only 610 verse lines was recited by Cheikh Zakaria himself in the inauguration of the sixth conference of the Islamic thought on July 24, 1972 in Club of Pines in Algeria where Houari Boumédiène (1932-1978), Chairman of the Revolutionary Council, was one of the participants. There is a recording on You Tube where one can listen to the very sensational recitation by the author himself. Here it is:

The Arabic translation of Homer's Iliad is the second most sold book in Cairo IBF 2016

The offical page of the NCT in Cairo has announced that Homer's Iliad is the second most soldbook in Cairo International Book Fair From January 27, 2016 17:00 until February 10, 2016 19:00.

On the first place comes Masnavi of Rumi and the third Goethe's Faust.

Homer's Iliad into Arabic Prose by Ahmed Etman et alli

Homer's Iliad is translated into Arabic prose by Ahmed Etman and alii. The translation was published by the NTC in 2008.

Sulaiman Al-Bustani's Translation of Homer's Iliad by Magda El-Nowieemy

An article about Sulaiman Al-Bustani's Translation of Homer's Iliad by Magday El-Nowieemy is published by the Greek Academy of Institutions and Cultures Society in its webpage in Academia.edu. The paper is titled:  "Sulaiman Al-Bustani's Translation of Homer's Iliad: A Study of Creation and Trans-Creation", Proceedings of the 12th International Congress on Graeco-Oriental andAfrican Studies , held in Delphi, May 2009, in: Graeco-Arabica , vol. 11 (Heraklion, Crete 2011)pp. 247- 256.

The paper is in English and in a pdf format and could be downloaded free through this link.