Homer and HistoryHomer and History

The Odyssey and Ancient The Odyssey and Ancient Greek CultureGreek Culture

The Homer Question!The Homer Question!

Who Was Homer?Who Was Homer?

The Greeks and Romans have The Greeks and Romans have always thought that the always thought that the legendary poet legendary poet Homer was the was the greatest author ever.greatest author ever.

Yet, we know so very little about Yet, we know so very little about the man (or men?) who the man (or men?) who composed the composed the IliadIliad or the or the OdysseyOdyssey..

From the IliadFrom the Iliad

What We Do Know!What We Do Know!

On an average night in the late Greek On an average night in the late Greek Dark Ages, a community, probably the Dark Ages, a community, probably the wealthiest people, would settle in for an wealthiest people, would settle in for an evening's entertainment. The professional evening's entertainment. The professional story-teller, or story-teller, or “Bard”“Bard” would sing the would sing the stories of the stories of the Trojan WarTrojan War and its heroes. and its heroes.

These songs would be the Greek These songs would be the Greek equivalent of a mini-series, for the stories equivalent of a mini-series, for the stories were so long that they would take days to were so long that they would take days to complete. complete.

Conquest of TroyConquest of Troy

The Importance of the BardThe Importance of the Bard

These stories probably began as short These stories probably began as short tales of isolated events and heroes; tales of isolated events and heroes; eventually a profession of story-telling was eventually a profession of story-telling was established—classical scholars call this established—classical scholars call this new professional a new professional a "bard.""bard." This new This new professional began combining the stories professional began combining the stories into larger narratives. into larger narratives.

By the end of the Greek Dark Ages, these By the end of the Greek Dark Ages, these bards or story-tellers were probably the bards or story-tellers were probably the cultural center of Greek society. cultural center of Greek society.

The Bard – Priest of CultureThe Bard – Priest of Culture

The Greatest Bard?The Greatest Bard?

The Greeks believed that the The Greeks believed that the greatest of these story-tellers greatest of these story-tellers was a blind man named was a blind man named HomerHomer, , and that he sung ten epic poems and that he sung ten epic poems about the Trojan War; of which about the Trojan War; of which only two have survived.only two have survived.

These two are called the These two are called the IliadIliad and the and the Odyssey.Odyssey.

HomerHomer

The Greatest Bard?The Greatest Bard?

Many classicists believe that the Many classicists believe that the two surviving Homeric epics two surviving Homeric epics were in fact composed by were in fact composed by several individuals; in the several individuals; in the absence of any evidence to the absence of any evidence to the contrary however, most contrary however, most classicists accept the overall classicists accept the overall Greek idea of a single author.Greek idea of a single author.

The Importance of the Homeric The Importance of the Homeric PoemsPoems

The Greeks in general regard Homer's two The Greeks in general regard Homer's two epics as the highest cultural achievement epics as the highest cultural achievement of their people, the defining moment in of their people, the defining moment in Greek culture which set the basic Greek Greek culture which set the basic Greek character in stone. character in stone.

Throughout antiquity, both in Greece and Throughout antiquity, both in Greece and Rome, everything tended to be compared Rome, everything tended to be compared to these two works; events in history made to these two works; events in history made sense when put in the light of the events sense when put in the light of the events narrated in these two works. narrated in these two works.

The AcropolisThe Acropolis

The Importance of the Homeric The Importance of the Homeric Poems (Con’t)Poems (Con’t)

As a result, then, these two epics are the focal As a result, then, these two epics are the focal point of Greek values and the Greek world point of Greek values and the Greek world view despite all its evolution and view despite all its evolution and permutations through the centuries following permutations through the centuries following their composition.their composition.

It would not be hasty to regard the Homeric It would not be hasty to regard the Homeric poems as the single most important texts in poems as the single most important texts in Greek culture, or indeed (along with a very Greek culture, or indeed (along with a very few texts) that of Western civilization, which few texts) that of Western civilization, which stands upon the achievements and ideas of stands upon the achievements and ideas of ancient Greece. ancient Greece.

ParthenonParthenon

Why study the Odyssey? Why study the Odyssey?

Homer's Iliad and Odyssey are a Homer's Iliad and Odyssey are a major part of ancient history, major part of ancient history, especially that ofespecially that of Ancient Greece.Ancient Greece.

Ancient Greek history provides a Ancient Greek history provides a cornerstone for all Western political, cornerstone for all Western political, cultural, artistic, and social reality. cultural, artistic, and social reality.

Further, the Further, the Iliad Iliad and the and the Odyssey Odyssey are are believed to have been a major part of believed to have been a major part of a young Greek's education. They a young Greek's education. They remain a part the education of tens of remain a part the education of tens of millions of adolescents every year.millions of adolescents every year.

Homer’s Homer’s Odyssey’sOdyssey’s Influences Influences are many:are many:

Stories, Poetry, and Stories, Poetry, and Writing Writing are the biggest beneficiaries are the biggest beneficiaries

and descendants of Homer (monomyth and descendants of Homer (monomyth anyone?)anyone?)Get out your “Glossary of Literary Get out your “Glossary of Literary

Terms” and write in these poetic Terms” and write in these poetic elements that are traceable back to elements that are traceable back to Homer:Homer:Epic SimilesEpic SimilesHomeric EpithetHomeric EpithetPoetic meterPoetic meterPoetic rhythmPoetic rhythm

Art: Art: Most of what the greatest renaissance Most of what the greatest renaissance

artists did to revive and save our civilization was artists did to revive and save our civilization was simply to re-create and re-imagine the ancient simply to re-create and re-imagine the ancient

Greeks. We’re still doing that…Greeks. We’re still doing that…

EthicsEthics ( these stories teach the ( these stories teach the greeks, and, as a consequence, us how greeks, and, as a consequence, us how

to live).to live).

GenderGender even gets rolled up in this. even gets rolled up in this. The story asks: What makes a man a The story asks: What makes a man a

man? A woman a woman?man? A woman a woman?

Minivans!Minivans!

Television & MoviesTelevision & Movies