It’s such a deep well of literary significance dealing with themes of fate, pride, hubris, honor, love, etc. It’s immensely important to any understanding of the development of Western culture, and both it and the Odyssey are two of the most well-constructed poems ever written. Homer weaves a beautiful story of honor, heroism, and glory over a backdrop of the horrors of war and the viciousness of men and gods. It’s a beautiful and moving work.

I love it, and people should try not to discount it on the basis of its “classicness” because parts of it honestly read like a Hollywood action movie.

Here’s a scene from Alexander Pope’s translation (my favorite) of Book V, wherein Diomedes caves a dude’s face in with his spear.

He spoke, and rising hurl’d his forceful dart,

Which, driven by Pallas, pierced a vital part;

Full in his face it enter’d, and betwixt

The nose and eye-ball the proud Lycian fix’d;

Crash’d all his jaws, and cleft the tongue within,

Till the bright point look’d out beneath the chin.

What’s not to love about armies of half-naked dudes waging war on a beach for the honor of loving the most beautiful woman in existence?