Grammar doubt

[Uva@90]

Hi All,

Could you please help me with this.

What is the difference between these two,
1) Alexander Pope began his translation of the Iliad.
2) Alexander Pope began translating the Iliad.

I found this in the below question.

In 1713, Alexander Pope began his translation of the
Iliad, a work that, taking him seven years until
completion, and that literary critic Samuel Johnson,
Pope's contemporary, pronounced the greatest
translation in any language.
(A) his translation of the Iliad, a work that, taking
him seven years until completion, and that
literary critic Samuel Johnson, Pope's
contemporary, pronounced
(B) his translation of the Iliad, a work that took him
seven years to complete and that literary critic
Samuel Johnson, Pope's contemporary,
pronounced
(C) his translation of the Iliad, a work that had taken
seven years to complete and that literary critic
Samuel Johnson, Pope's contemporary,
pronounced it as
(D) translating the Iliad, a work that took seven
years until completion and that literary critic
Samuel Johnson, Pope's contemporary,
pronounced it as
(E) translating the Iliad, a work that had taken seven
years to complete and literary critic Samuel
Johnson, Pope's contemporary, pronounced it

[GMATGuruNY]

Hi All,

Could you please help me with this.

What is the difference between these two,
1) Alexander Pope began his translation of the Iliad.
2) Alexander Pope began translating the Iliad.

I found this in the below question.

In 1713, Alexander Pope began his translation of the
Iliad, a work that, taking him seven years until
completion, and that literary critic Samuel Johnson,
Pope's contemporary, pronounced the greatest
translation in any language.
(A) his translation of the Iliad, a work that, taking
him seven years until completion, and that
literary critic Samuel Johnson, Pope's
contemporary, pronounced
(B) his translation of the Iliad, a work that took him
seven years to complete and that literary critic
Samuel Johnson, Pope's contemporary,
pronounced
(C) his translation of the Iliad, a work that had taken
seven years to complete and that literary critic
Samuel Johnson, Pope's contemporary,
pronounced it as
(D) translating the Iliad, a work that took seven
years until completion and that literary critic
Samuel Johnson, Pope's contemporary,
pronounced it as
(E) translating the Iliad, a work that had taken seven
years to complete and literary critic Samuel
Johnson, Pope's contemporary, pronounced it

began his translation = began HIS BOOK.
began translating = began the ACT OF TRANSLATING.

D and E: Pope began translating the Iliad, a work...that literary critic Samuel Johnson...pronounced...the greatest translation in any language.
Here, the only eligible referent for a work is the Iliad, implying that the ILIAD was A WORK that Samuel Johnson pronounced the greatest translation in any language.
Not the intended meaning.
The Iliad is not a translation; it is an ancient Greek poem.
Eliminate D and E.