Homer

HOMER

BIOGRAPHYHomer supposedly lived between c.800-701 BCE and was a Greek poet who wrote the Western world's oldest piece of literature, The Iliad. Some believe that he was a blind bard who lived and wandered on the Aegean coast of Asia Minor while others argue he was a group of wandering bards. Since his books age so long ago the truth remains a mystery but it is most believed that he was the first person to write down Greek oral folktale about the Trojan War. He has written two epics in his life, The Iliad, and it's sequel, The Odyssey. His works were to be recited as songs and were played around the country by bards with a lyre. They were originally written in Greek during the 8th BCE century and were translated to almost every modern language by the 20th CE century.

HIS LIFEAssuming Homer was a single man, many historians believe that Homer represented himself through the character Demodokos, a blind poet/ministrel from The Odyssey who entertained the audience directly. In many statues of Homer, he is shown with thick curly hair, a beard, and sightless eyes, similar to Demodokos. His legacy lead to Greece becoming more educated with reading, and inspired to create more art, science and literature, and his books still taught as a basis of Western literature.

Sara Burgess

THE LLIAD AND THE ODYSSEYAlthough not much is known about Homer himself, the epic poems he wrote were the most widely read classics ever told. They were a mixture of truth and Greek mythology based around the time period of the Trojan War (c.1240 BCE) when multiple gods played a high value on day-to-day life. His epics were long and broken up into multiple books, similar to chapters. The Iliad begins during the Trojan War. This was fought between the city of Troy and the rest of Greece, known as the Achaeans. Historically the Archaeans invaded Troy to gain the trading access in the Dardanelles strait to the Black Sea. However mythologically it is said that Paris, son of the King of Troy, stole Helen, the most beautiful woman in the world, from Greece and they invaded to retrieve her. Troy is placed across the Aegean Sea in modern-day Turkey, so the Archaeans had to leave their home by ship in order to reach the battle. The battle lasted many years outside of Troy and internal conflicts inside the Archaean army started to brew. The story starts nine years into the war when the leader of the invading army, King Agamemnon, takes the captive woman and "war prize" of his best warrior, Achilles, for himself. Angry, Achilles withdraws from fighting in his war and prays to Zeus, King of Gods, to let the Trojans win for awhile in order for the Greeks to see how much they need Achilles in battle. Zeus answers his prayers and gives the Trojans the upperhand, so much so that Achilles' friend, Patroclus, convinces him to atleast take his place in battle with his armor. However, Patroclus is killed by Hector, Troys greatest warrior, who takes Achilles armor for himself. In a rage, Achilles rejoins the battle with new armor prepared even though he is warned that he is fated to die before or soon after Hector. Regardless, he kills Hector and refuses the body to be buried so it is disgraced. King Priam of Troy offers Achilles a ransom of money to return the body, in which Achilles agrees to. The main theme in The Iliad, is the glory of war. Characters like Achilles and Hector are loved by many for being fierce warriors of honor and integrity, whereas Paris who refuses to fight is scorned by his own family. Even gods like Athena are glorified for partaking in the war while gods who refused to join are demonstated as lazy, cowardly or unpatriotic. The war shows both sides having justifiable reasons for fighting and the warfare is depicted as respectable with no army being good or evil.The Odyssey is a sequel to The Iliad following Odysseus, the hero who ended the Trojan War by tricking the Trojans. He sent a few ships into the Aegean Sea and created a large wooden horse as a gift to the Trojans so that they would believe the Archaeans were retreating back to Greece. However the horse was filled with armed men who waited for the Trojans to fall asleep that night in order to slaughter them from within. With Odysseus' plan succeeding, the war was finally over and the Archaeans could finally return home. Odysseus however upsets the sea god Poseidon before his voyage and makes the retun trip longer then expected. On this long voyage he is faced with many challenges he is forced to brilliantly plan his way around. After 10 difficult years he finally returns home to Ithaka where his wife has refused to remarry any suitors in the slim hope he would return to rule once again. Odysseus disguises himself, kills all of the suitors who have invaded his home and reunites with his wife and son.Almost opposite to The Iliad, The Odyssey's main theme is about cunning over strength. Odysseus is a hero who does not rely on any strength but rather his mind to scheme his way out of any trouble. To compare the two epics, Homer wrote Achilles in the Underworld, after he had died during warfare, to show how breif his life was as opposed to Odysseus who will live a long life ending in peace.

MODERN DAY CONNECTIONSThe Lliad and The Odyssey have been referenced in many popular modern mediums such as: - Odysseus (2013)- The OD (2012)- Penelope (2009)- Odysseus and the Cyclops (2008)- Troy (2004)- Helen of Troy (2003)- O Brother, Where Art Thou? (2000)- The Odyssey (1997)- 2014 Honda Odyssey- "Achilles heel"- The Iliad Project