Homer, Ancient Greek Epic Poet

Homer, Ancient Greek Epic Poet

In the Western classical tradition, Homer is the author of the Iliad and the Odyssey, and is revered as the greatest of ancient Greek epic poets. The Iliad deals with the Trojan war between the Greeks and the inhabitants of Troy. The Odyssey tells of the travels of the Greek hero Odysseus as he returns home after the Trojan war. These epics lie at the beginning of the Western canon of literature, and have had an enormous influence on the history of literature. When he lived is unknown but, modern researchers place him in the 7th or 8th centuries BC. He is most frequently said to be born in the Ionian region of Asia Minor, at Smyrna, or on the island of Chios. Aristotle remarks in his Poetics that Homer was unique among the poets of his time, focusing on a single unified theme or action in the epic cycle. His name has been interpreted as meaning "he who accompanies; he who is forced to follow", or, in some dialects, "blind". This led to many tales that he was a hostage or a blind man who was led around by a young shepherd or goat herder.

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25.4 x 33.3 cm | 10.0 x 13.1 in (300 dpi)