Can we say that the epics of Homer are political in nature?
When Plato banished Homer from his republic, he posited a split between epic and philosophic knowledge that would remain a part of a Western philosophical tradition. By this I mean both that the epics are engaged in critical reflection and that this reflection is political in nature.
What was Homer’s impact on Greece and the world?
Homer’s most important contribution to Greek culture was to provide a common set of values that enshrined the Greeks’ own ideas about themselves. His poems provided a fixed model of heroism, nobility and the good life to which all Greeks, especially aristocrats, subscribed.
What was happening in Greece when Homer wrote the Iliad?
Set during the Trojan War, the ten-year siege of the city of Troy (Ilium) by a coalition of Mycenaean Greek states (Achaeans), it tells of the battles and events during the weeks of a quarrel between King Agamemnon and the warrior Achilles.
What does the Iliad tell us about Greek society?
Additionally, the Iliad reveals much about the religious life of the early Greeks: how sacrifices were carried out, for example, or beliefs about the power of fate. Indeed, destiny is a critical theme within the Iliad and a power before which even Zeus must bow.
Is Homer a philosopher?
Homer’s wisdom became so widely praised that he began to acquire the image of almost a prototypical philosopher. Byzantine scholars such as Eustathius of Thessalonica and John Tzetzes produced commentaries, extensions and scholia to Homer, especially in the twelfth century.
Did Homer write down the Iliad?
Homer is the presumed author of the Iliad and the Odyssey, two hugely influential epic poems of ancient Greece. If Homer did in fact compose the works, he is one of the greatest literary artists in the world, and, through these poems, he affected Western standards and ideas.
Why is Homer significant?
Why is Homer significant? Homer is the presumed author of the Iliad and the Odyssey, two hugely influential epic poems of ancient Greece. If Homer did in fact compose the works, he is one of the greatest literary artists in the world, and, through these poems, he affected Western standards and ideas.
What did Homer do?
The Greek poet Homer is credited with being the first to write down the epic stories of ‘The Iliad’ and ‘The Odyssey,’ and the impact of his tales continues to reverberate through Western culture.
Did Homer really write the Odyssey?
Is the Iliad a myth?
While it is clear that gods and goddesses play a large role in the Iliad, it is perhaps not so well known that the whole story of the Iliad completely relies on mythology. From the Judgement of Paris to the Walls of Troy, the foundations of Homer’s story rest on the actions of the gods.
What kind of person is Homer?
poet
Was Homer a real person? Scholars are uncertain whether he existed. If real, he is believed to have lived about the 9th or 8th century BCE and was a native of Ionia. A poet in the oral tradition, his works were likely transcribed by others.