Difference between revisions of "Iliad"
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'''The Iliad''' is an epic poem widely believed to have been written by [[Homer]], the legendary blind [[Greece|Greek]] poet, in the 8th century B.C. The poem is about the [[Trojan War]] (''Ilium'' being the Latin name of [[Troy]]). The siege of Troy is believed to have taken place in 1184 B.C.<ref>The Encyclopedia of Military History, Dupuy & Dupuy, 1979</ref> | '''The Iliad''' is an epic poem widely believed to have been written by [[Homer]], the legendary blind [[Greece|Greek]] poet, in the 8th century B.C. The poem is about the [[Trojan War]] (''Ilium'' being the Latin name of [[Troy]]). The siege of Troy is believed to have taken place in 1184 B.C.<ref>The Encyclopedia of Military History, Dupuy & Dupuy, 1979</ref> | ||
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Modern readers seeking an account of the Trojan War may be surprised to find that the most famous episode - the Trojan Horse - does not feature in the Iliad at all. Instead the poem concentrates on the in-fighting between the rival Greek kings Achilles and Agammemnon. | Modern readers seeking an account of the Trojan War may be surprised to find that the most famous episode - the Trojan Horse - does not feature in the Iliad at all. Instead the poem concentrates on the in-fighting between the rival Greek kings Achilles and Agammemnon. | ||
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== Historicity == | == Historicity == | ||
Revision as of 13:45, February 24, 2009
The Iliad is an epic poem widely believed to have been written by Homer, the legendary blind Greek poet, in the 8th century B.C. The poem is about the Trojan War (Ilium being the Latin name of Troy). The siege of Troy is believed to have taken place in 1184 B.C.[1]
The Iliad was revered by Greeks and all who followed in the Greek legacy, attempting to emulate it. It received something on the order of Biblical significance by later Greeks, seeking to define the prime values of their culture - honor, and valor. Alexander the Great is said to have slept with a copy of The Iliad under his bed, and claimed to be a descendant of the Greek warrior Achilles.
The Iliad is, together with the Odyssey, which accounts events that took place after the Trojan War, one of the two main ancient Greek epic poems.
- Sing, O goddess, the anger of Achilles son of Peleus, that brought countless ills upon the Achaeans. Many a brave soul did it send hurrying down to Hades, and many a hero did it yield a prey to dogs and vultures, for so were the counsels of Jove fulfilled from the day on which the son of Atreus, king of men, and great Achilles, first fell out with one another.
Modern readers seeking an account of the Trojan War may be surprised to find that the most famous episode - the Trojan Horse - does not feature in the Iliad at all. Instead the poem concentrates on the in-fighting between the rival Greek kings Achilles and Agammemnon.
Historicity
There is widespread debate over the historicity of the Iliad. Important questions in this debate include:
- Was the Iliad written by one man (the alleged Homer), or by many people over generations?
- Was the Iliad constructed orally before being written down?
- Are the events in the Iliad at least loosely based on history, or is it entirely mythological?
- Were some portions of the Iliad written before others?
- Were the characters in the Iliad based on real people?
At one time it was supposed that the story had little or no historical basis, but the discovery of what appear to be the ruins of Troy by Charles McLaren in 1822 suggests that the events are at least partially factual.[2]
See also
External Links
- A Modern Translation
- The Iliad By Homer, written 800 B.C.
References
- ↑ The Encyclopedia of Military History, Dupuy & Dupuy, 1979
- ↑ Troy - All About Turkey
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