The Basel Commentary (BK) has grown to a widely renowned standard work. The English revised translation BKE of the BK volumes helps increase the impact and the worldwide awareness of this fundamental work in Homeric studies.

The commentary appeals to Classicists in the broad sense as well as to students and scholars of the humanities in general. It is consciously not intended to be a specialized commentary for Greek scholars or Homer experts, although this is incorporated in the work. A decline of knowledge and familiarity with Homer is lamented not only across a wide range of modern language studies (German, Romance, and English literature etc.), but also in areas such as history, art history, history of music, cultural studies and other humanities disciplines. The BK aims to make Homer accessible again to other disciplines by making two hundred years of specialized modern Homeric scholarship available for the general reader. The commentary was conceived in such a way that it can address a range of audiences from high school students to college professors to Homer specialists.

Instead of commenting the Iliad in the order of the 24 books, we rather chose to focus on the books that are essential for the structure of the monumental epic first. Until today a Prolegomena-volume and the commentaries on Iliad 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 7, 14, 16, 18, 19 and 24 have been published. Book 21 will come out in 2021, Books 22 and 9 are in preparation.

In the period 2021–2024, we plan on preparing the commentary on Book 11, structural pillar of the entire Iliad: After the forced withdrawal (Book 8) in the second day of battle and the failure of the embassy to convince Achilles, the third and very long day battle (Books 11–18) begins with a surprising aristeia of Agamemnon: Preparation and arming (1–66), balance of fight (67–83), aristeia of Agamemnon, then his wounding (84–283), Hector’s counteroffensive (284–309); the counter-attack of Diomedes and Odysseus (310–368); dwindling of the Achaean resistance due to the wounding of Diomedes, Odysseus, Agamemnon, Machaon – Nestor drives him out of the battle zone – and Eurypylos (369–596); Achilles sending Patroclus to Nestor to get information; Nestor’s great example, Patroclus’ wish to return to Achilles, but as he encounters Eurypylos, whom he gives medical care, this plan of action comes to an unexpected halt (597–848).

Book 11 functions as a hinge between Book 8 and the previous books and the following Books 12–15, and opening the arc to the Patrocleia (Book 16) and the Achilleis (Books 17–24). It thus serves as a bridge to the Books 1–7, all commented by us except for Book 5, and closes the gap to Book 14, where our commentary resumes.

All volumes, including the new and revised English translations (BKE) are published with Walter de Gruyter GmbH & Co. KG (Berlin/Boston).