identity
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disputed
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name
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gre: capital letters: OMHPOΣ
gre.scr.mono: Όμηρoς.
gre.scr.poly: Ὅμηρoς.
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name pronunc.
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mod.gre: [ˈomiros]
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images
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All the portraits are imaginary, of later times.
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occupation
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poet
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language
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ancient GREEK, with ionic, aeolic and poetic elements. It was not a spoken language.
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nationality
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greek GREECE
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dates‑places
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- 8th century a.e.v.
- existence uncertain. See HOMERIC QUESTION.
- birthplace: around the coast of Asia Minor. See LEGENDS.
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cultural context
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- Homer's poems depict
- 1. the greek world of 8th century (his own time)
- 2. with the addition of many elements of previous centuries, mainly the mycenaean world, its heroes and legends.
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related words
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Ion, Ionia.
Mycenae (maps, city, civilisation).
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attributed works
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Iliad
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- gre.anc: IΛIAΣ. gre.mod: IΛIAΔA
- introduction
- notes
- editions, translations
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Odyssey
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- gre: OΔYΣΣEIA
- introduction
- notes
- editions, translations
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in two words
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Homer. Greek epic poet 'rhapsodos' (of rhapsodies) of the 8th a.e.v. century. Iliad and Odyssey are attributed to him. Both epic poems are associated to the mythical cycle of the Trojan War (which took place during the 12th century a.e.v.). His characters are recognized as human archetypes regardless of the reader's culture. We, greeks, refer to him as 'the Poet'. But nothing is known about him with any certainty: not even if he ever existed, or that he was blind (as legends has it), or his birthplace.
Homeric texts have been a main educational text for every greek child since antiquity. Today we read them at high school (translated in modern greek) and later the original text, but only tiny parts, since their language is infinitely more difficult than classic attic ancient greek.
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concise info
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NOTES: LEGENDS |
HOMERIC QUESTION |
HOMERIC QUARREL |
TROJAN HORSE |
APPENDIX |
WORDS |
LINKS |
METRICS
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Homer