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Homer

Lenny Gordon
Salt Lake Community College
Stephen R. Tilson
December 1, 2014

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Homer is believed to be the greatest poet of ancient times. It is not known when Homer
was actually born but his birth is estimated sometime between the 12th and 8th century B.C.E.
Some historians believe he was born on the coast of Asia Minor but the exact location of his birth
and where he lived remains a mystery. Homer is famous for the epic poems The Iliad and The
Odyssey, which have had an enormous effect on Western culture but very little is known about
the alleged author and little is really known about Homer as a person. It is believed that the word
Homer was used to address blind men roaming the streets reciting classical poetry. Other than
being a poet, historians believe that Homer was also a story teller and a court singer.
Many scholars believe that The Iliad and The Odyssey were originally composed in
an oral tradition by a rhapsode (professional performer) and was more likely intended to be heard
than read. The poems were written in dactylic hexameter and have been translated into numerous
modern languages of the world and continues to be read widely. The Iliad and The Odyssey are
the oldest extant work of Western literature.
The Iliad is a narration of the happenings in the city of Ilion during the Trojan War. Ilion
was a city within the state of Troy. The Iliad is a poetic description of the war, its main
characters, fighters, incidents and scenes from the war. It explains how the Greek and Trojan
warriors gain strength from their Gods and make sacrifices in their name. Although The Iliad
focuses only on the last year of the war, it is an exceptionally lengthy account.
The Odyssey is in part a sequel to The Iliad based on a Greek character Odysseus. This
epic poem focuses on the ten year long journey Odysseus made from Troy to Ithaca after the end
of the Trojan War. The events leading to the start and conclusion of the war are explained in
detail. The poetic story illustrates the dangerous adventures of Odysseus on his journey back

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home and also the ordeals his family goes through in Ithaca in his absence. Homer is thought to
be blind due to the description presented of the blind bard in this poem.
Homers real life may remain a mystery but his impact had a profound influence on the
populace of ancient Greece educationally, philosophically, politically, socially, and literary to
such a degree that Homer was recognized as an important ethical teacher. Many believed that
Homer was the educator of all Greece. Since then, Homers influence has spread far beyond the
frontiers of Hellas. It is unlikely that Plato and Aristotle could have constructed their theories of
art education as they did. Homer lived before cultures began recording history and there is no
authentic record of who he was, when and where he was born, how long he lived, or even if he
was actually responsible for the two epic poems for which he is known, but the very real impact
of his works continues to illuminate our world today.