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Homer, Hómēros;
Homeros possibly born c. the 8th century BC) was an ancient Greek poet who is widely credited as the author of the Iliad and the Odyssey, two epic poems that are foundational works of ancient Greek literature. Although his life and authorship remain obscure, Homer was revered in ancient Greek society and is considered one of the most influential authors in history.
THE ILLIAD
Homer’s epic, whose Greek title is Ilias, tells the story of the city known as Ilion or Troy. Although its subject is the Trojan War, it covers only a short period of the conflict. Consisting of 24 books and more than 16,000 lines, the epic describes a period of exactly 51 days during the ninth year of the Trojan War.
SUMMARY of THE ILLIAD
Paris, the son of Priam, King of Troy, abducts Helen, the wife of Menelaus, who is the brother of the Achaean king Agamemnon, and takes her to Troy. In response, the Achaeans assemble a vast army and arrive before the city of Troy.
During an earlier campaign, Agamemnon had taken Chryseis, the daughter of Chryses, a priest of Apollo. Despite her father’s repeated pleas, Agamemnon refuses to return her. Chryses therefore prays to the god Apollo to punish the Achaeans. Apollo sends a plague upon the Achaean army, causing many deaths.
Following the advice of Achilles, the greatest Achaean warrior, the seer Calchas is consulted. He declares that the only solution is for Agamemnon to return Chryseis to her father. Agamemnon becomes furious. He agrees to return Chryseis but demands Briseis, the woman who had been awarded to Achilles as a prize.
Achilles is deeply angered by this demand. Following the intervention of the gods, he allows Briseis to be taken by Agamemnon but withdraws from the fighting and watches the war from his ships.
The war then turns in favour of the Trojans. Hector, the greatest Trojan warrior, kills Patroclus, Achilles’ closest companion. Overcome with grief, Achilles returns to battle and drives the Trojans back. He kills Hector and drags his body around the walls of Troy.
After Priam, Hector’s father, begs Achilles to return his son’s body, Achilles relents and gives it back to him. The people of Troy mourn Hector for twelve days and hold his funeral.
THE ODYSSEY
The Odyssey is one of Homer’s famous epics. It tells the story of Odysseus’ adventures during the ten years between the fall of Troy and his return to Ithaca. While The Iliad centres on the ten-year Trojan War, The Odyssey focuses on the experiences and challenges Odysseus faces throughout the following ten years.
SUMMARY OF THE ODYSSEY
Odysseus is the king of the island of Ithaca. Like the other kings, he participates in the Trojan War, leaving his wife Penelope behind in his palace. After the ten-year war, Odysseus decides to return to his island.
During his absence, kings and princes from neighbouring islands attempt to win Penelope’s hand. However, because of her clever plan, they are unable to achieve their ambitions. Penelope remains loyal to her husband and patiently waits for Odysseus to return.
Meanwhile, the suitors force their way into the palace and pressure Penelope to choose one of them. Penelope tells them that she must first finish weaving a burial shroud for her father-in-law, Laertes, and that she will make her decision as soon as it is completed. To gain time, she secretly unravels at night what she has woven during the day. She continues this deception for a long time, but eventually one of her servants reveals the truth, placing Penelope in a difficult position.
Meanwhile, the ship carrying Odysseus and his companions home is caught in a storm. They first land on the coast of Thrace, where they fight the fierce Cicones. A second storm carries them to the land of the Lotus-Eaters. This land is filled with lotus flowers that cause those who eat them to forget their homeland. Although three of Odysseus’ companions eat the flowers, he manages to take them back to the ship, and they sail away.
This time, however, they arrive in the land of the Cyclopes, the one-eyed giants. Without realising the danger, they enter the cave of Polyphemus, a Cyclops and son of Poseidon, god of the sea. Polyphemus seals the entrance to the cave and eats six of the men trapped inside. Odysseus and his companions make the giant drunk and then blind his single eye with a stake they have heated in the fire. In this way, they manage to escape from the cave.
Sometime later, they fall into the hands of the Laestrygonians, a race of cannibalistic giants. Odysseus escapes from them with his only remaining ship and reaches the island of Aeaea. There, he stays with the sorceress Circe and experiences further adventures.
Odysseus eventually sets sail for his homeland once again, but his ship is destroyed. Clinging to a piece of timber, he is carried to the island of Ogygia, where Calypso, the daughter of Atlas—the Titan who bears the heavens upon his shoulders—lives.
Calypso falls in love with Odysseus and keeps him on the island for seven years. She promises to grant him immortality if he agrees to remain with her. However, Odysseus longs deeply for his homeland. With the help of the gods, he finally manages to leave Calypso. He builds a raft and sets sail once more.
After enduring many hardships at sea, Odysseus reaches the island of Scheria, the land of the Phaeacians. He is warmly welcomed there, and with their assistance, he finally returns to Ithaca.
Meanwhile, Penelope continues to delay her suitors through various clever strategies. When their pressure becomes unbearable, she devises one final plan to gain more time. She announces that she will marry the man who can string Odysseus’ bow and shoot an arrow through twelve axe heads.
At this point, Odysseus arrives on the island and learns what has happened during his absence. To avoid being recognised, he disguises himself as a beggar and enters the contest. He takes up the bow, strings it and successfully shoots an arrow through the twelve axe heads. He then kills Penelope’s suitors.
Finally, Odysseus reveals his true identity and is reunited with his wife Penelope, his son Telemachus and the kingdom that has awaited his return with patience and loyalty for twenty years.
NAMES APPEARING IN THE ILIAD PLAY
Agamemnon: The son of Atreus and King of Argos and Mycenae.
Ajax: The son of Telamon and leader of the Salaminians. After Achilles, he is the greatest warrior among the Achaeans.
Achilles: The son of Thetis and Peleus and ruler of Phthia. He is the greatest of the Achaean warriors and kills Hector.
Apollo: The god of the sun, the son of Zeus and Leto. He supports the Trojans during the war.
Briseis: A woman captured by Achilles during a battle. Agamemnon forcibly takes her from him.
Hades: The ruler of the Underworld, the brother of Zeus and king of the dead.
Hector: The son of Priam, King of Troy, and the greatest Trojan warrior. He kills Patroclus and is later killed by Achilles.
Helen: The wife of Menelaus, abducted by Paris.
Hera: The sister and wife of Zeus. She supports the Achaeans during the war.
Calchas: The son of Thestor and the seer of the Achaeans.
Chryse: A city.
Chryses: A priest of Apollo.
Chryseis: The daughter of Chryses.
Cilla: A city in the region of Troy.
Clytemnestra: The wife of Agamemnon.
Leto: A consort of Zeus and the mother of Apollo and Artemis.
Menelaus: The brother of Agamemnon and husband of Helen, who is abducted by Paris.
Odysseus: King of Ithaca and a powerful and intelligent Achaean warrior.
Paris: The son of Priam, King of Troy. He abducts Helen and is Hector’s brother.
Patroclus: Achilles’ closest companion. He is killed by Hector.
Phthia: A region of Greece ruled by Achilles.
Priam: King of Troy and father of Hector and Paris.
Tenedos: An island located opposite the region of Troy, known today as Bozcaada.
Zeus: The supreme god, son of Cronus, and brother and husband of Hera. He is the father and king of the gods.
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