# What is the first sentence from the book you are currently reading?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-first-sentence-from-the-book-you-are-currently-reading/784858>\
**Category:** Cafe Society\
**Tags:** books-writing-myths\
**Created:** [April 20, 2017, 4:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-first-sentence-from-the-book-you-are-currently-reading/784858 "2017-04-20T16:51:33Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 1\
**Showing post:** 2828

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**Author:** ![JohnGalt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johngalt/32/184_2.png) [@JohnGalt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnGalt)\
**Post date:** [December 27, 2023, 12:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-first-sentence-from-the-book-you-are-currently-reading/784858/2828 "2023-12-27T00:01:01Z")

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_Goddess, sing of the cataclysmic wrath  
of great Achilles, son of Peleus,  
which caused the Greeks immeasurable pain  
and sent so many noble souls of heroes  
to Hades, and made men the spoils of dogs,  
a banquet for the birds, and so the plan  
of Zeus unfolded-- starting with the conflict  
between great Agamemnom, lord of men,  
and glorious Achilles._

This is from the new translation of **The Iliad** by Emily Watson. At over 700 pages, it’s pretty hefty, but something I’ve never read all the way through. I even had it in my Christmas-wish list. I know the basic story, but not all of the smaller parts. I’ll be reading summaries of the 24 books as I go along just so I don’t get totally lost. Wish me luck.

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