Homer Biography

Homer is the author of the classic literary works of the Iliad and the Odyssey, and is considered to be the greatest epic poet in history. Homer's poems have had a huge influence on the history of literature. As Homer's poems were passed from generation to generation by means of oral communication, it is difficult for historians to date the works, but it is generally accepted that the Iliad and the Odyssey were written by Homer around the 8th century BC. The Iliad tells the legendary story of the First Trojan War, and the Odyssey tells the story of the hero Odysseus' journey home to Ithaca after the war was over. The stories were first written down in Greek, but have now been translated into almost every modern language, and are still the basis of many studies on Western literature. There is a great deal of debate between historians and scholars as to when and where Homer lived, and even whether he actually existed at all, as almost nothing is known about the life of the historical Homer, although his works are some of the most studied in history. Despite this, the influence of the works on Western literature is unparalleled, and the poems are still studied to this day.