Homer lived between the end of the 9th to the 8th century BC, thats over 2700 years! Wow! Legend has it that he lived in Ionia, in Asia Minor (thats modern day Turkey).
Like many other great writers through history, he was blind. Just like Milton and Borges!
At least, we think he is. In fact no one knows whether Homer actually existed or wrote any of the poems attributed to him. Common consensus nowadays is that Homer collated the various oral traditions and put them in a coherent form.
He has two major works attributed to him:
The Iliad
The name 'Iliad' relates to the city of Ilium, also known as the city of Troy. Literally it means 'the story of Ilium'.
The Iliad is an epic poem set in the last year of the Trojan War. It is the first true war story ever written, and is still the best example.
Everyone knows the legend of the Trojan war, Melelaus the Spartan losing his wife Helen to Paris, the Trojan Horse (Though thats in the Aenid by Virgil, not the Iliad)
It has an incredibly tightly crafted narrative, taking place over a mere few days. Its main theme is the wrath of Achilles, snubbed by the leader of the Greeks, Agamemnon, Achilles retires to his tent and refuses to fight. The Greeks fight the Trojans, with many heroic deeds. At some point during the ebb and flow of battle, Achilles friend/lover Patroclus gets killed. Achilles, fulfilling a prophecy of having a short life full of glory flies into a murderous rage and butchers Hector before the gates of the city. The poem ends with Priam (King of Troy and Hectors father) returning Patroclus' body in return for Hectors.
The Iliad has a huge array of characters. From beautiful and mournful Helen, to Great Ajax, son of Telamon (essentially a linebacker with a shield the size of a car). The main characters seem to leap from the page, truly larger than life characters.
Many have said the true strength in the Iliad lies in its battles, conjured up with stunning imagery.
There are some incredibly brutal scenes in it as well, (for example, Penelaos stabs a Trojan in the eye, making the blade shoot out the back of his skull with the eye still attatched), making whatever dreck Palanuik (sp?) writes in Haunted pale in comparison.
Has anyone else read the Iliad? Do they have as much of an obsession over it as I do?
I'll write a summary for the Odyssey later, its better in some ways, but has less of an emotional reaction than the sheer humanity on display in the Iliad.
Like many other great writers through history, he was blind. Just like Milton and Borges!
At least, we think he is. In fact no one knows whether Homer actually existed or wrote any of the poems attributed to him. Common consensus nowadays is that Homer collated the various oral traditions and put them in a coherent form.
He has two major works attributed to him:
The Iliad
The name 'Iliad' relates to the city of Ilium, also known as the city of Troy. Literally it means 'the story of Ilium'.
The Iliad is an epic poem set in the last year of the Trojan War. It is the first true war story ever written, and is still the best example.
Everyone knows the legend of the Trojan war, Melelaus the Spartan losing his wife Helen to Paris, the Trojan Horse (Though thats in the Aenid by Virgil, not the Iliad)
It has an incredibly tightly crafted narrative, taking place over a mere few days. Its main theme is the wrath of Achilles, snubbed by the leader of the Greeks, Agamemnon, Achilles retires to his tent and refuses to fight. The Greeks fight the Trojans, with many heroic deeds. At some point during the ebb and flow of battle, Achilles friend/lover Patroclus gets killed. Achilles, fulfilling a prophecy of having a short life full of glory flies into a murderous rage and butchers Hector before the gates of the city. The poem ends with Priam (King of Troy and Hectors father) returning Patroclus' body in return for Hectors.
The Iliad has a huge array of characters. From beautiful and mournful Helen, to Great Ajax, son of Telamon (essentially a linebacker with a shield the size of a car). The main characters seem to leap from the page, truly larger than life characters.
Many have said the true strength in the Iliad lies in its battles, conjured up with stunning imagery.
Teucer and Ajax takin names said:Ninth came Teucer, stretching his curved bow.
He stood beneath the shield of Ajax, son of Telamon.
As Ajax cautiously pulled his shield aside,
Teucer would peer out quickly, shoot off an arrow,
hit someone in the crowd, dropping that soldier
right where he stood, ending his life—then he'd duck back,
crouching down by Ajax, like a child beside its mother.
Ajax would then conceal him with his shining shield.
There are some incredibly brutal scenes in it as well, (for example, Penelaos stabs a Trojan in the eye, making the blade shoot out the back of his skull with the eye still attatched), making whatever dreck Palanuik (sp?) writes in Haunted pale in comparison.
Has anyone else read the Iliad? Do they have as much of an obsession over it as I do?
I'll write a summary for the Odyssey later, its better in some ways, but has less of an emotional reaction than the sheer humanity on display in the Iliad.