Homer was an ancient Greek poet who is credited with authorship of The Iliad and The Odyssey. The two epic poems are considered among the greatest masterpieces of Ancient Greece and have influenced Western literature for centuries. The Iliad and The Odyssey became the basis for Greek education during the Classical age and formed a standard for later writers including Aristotle, Plato and Socrates.
One Man or Many
There is very little biographical evidence on Homer, leading some scholars to question whether the man existed. Many scholars attest that Homer was not an actual historical figure and the works attributed to him were instead created by many people in the tradition of orally composed poetry. Later poems that depict stories of the Trojan War, Oedipus and other ancient Greek events that together, form the Epic Cycle have also been attributed to Homer, although again, there is dispute as to whether Homer composed any or all of the texts.
Featured Video
The Iliad
- University of Saskatchewan:
- The Literature Page: Homer: The Iliad-Book one
- Sacred-Texts: The Iliad Book One
- The Independent: "Meet Helen of Troy: bald headed, bare breasted and bloodthirsty" (2005)
Homer Books and Research
- Amazon.com: The Iliad | The Odyssey | An Introduction to Homer
- Alibris: Odyssey | Iliad | An Introduction to Homer
- Barnes & Noble: Homer book search
- BestBookBuys: Homer book search
- Google Book Search:
Homer in Popular Culture
Note: The following timeline links to IMDb, which is known to have pop ups.
1905: lle de calypso: Ulysse et le geant Polypheme, L' (Silent Film)
1911: Odissea (Silent Film)
1924: Helena (Silent Film)
1956: Helen of Troy
1982: Ulisses
1987: The Odyssey (TV Series)
1997: The Odyssey (TV Series)
1998: Battles That Changed the World: The Trojan War(Mini)
2000: The Animated Odyssey (Mini Series)
2003: Helen of Troy (TV Series)
2004: Troy
Guardian Unlimited: A New Spin on Homer
Homer Related Merchandise
GreekShops.com: Miniature Homer bust
Talaria Enterprises: Homer's Death Mask Cast Iron
Statues.com: Homer Bust
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