Homer definition world history

It is one of the oldest extant works of literature still widely read by modern audiences. As with the Odyssey , the poem is divided into 24 books and was written in dactylic hexameter. It contains 15, lines in its most widely accepted version. The Iliad is often regarded as the first substantial piece of European literature and is a central part of the Epic Cycle.

Set towards the end of the Trojan War , a ten-year siege of the city of Troy by a coalition of Mycenaean Greek states, the poem depicts significant events in the war's final weeks.

The iliad and the odyssey pdf

Homer's authorship was infrequently questioned in antiquity , [ 5 ] although the poem's composition has been extensively debated in contemporary scholarship , involving debates such as whether the Iliad and the Odyssey were composed independently, and whether they survived via an oral or also written tradition. Critical themes in the poem include kleos glory , pride, fate, and wrath.

It contains detailed descriptions of ancient warfare , including battle tactics and equipment. However, it also explores the social and domestic side of ancient culture in scenes behind the walls of Troy and in the Greek camp. Additionally, the Olympian gods play a major role in the poem, aiding their favoured warriors on the battlefield and intervening in personal disputes.

In terms of formal style, the poem's formulae, use of similes, and epithets are often explored by scholars. The story begins with an invocation to the Muse.

Iliad and odyssey summary pdf

The events begin in medias res towards the end of the Trojan War, fought between the Trojans and the besieging Achaeans. The Achaean forces consist of armies from many different Greek kingdoms, led by their respective kings or princes. Agamemnon , king of Mycenae , acts as commander for these united armies. Chryses , a priest of Apollo , offers Agamemnon and the Achaeans wealth for the return of his daughter Chryseis , held captive by Agamemnon.