Iliad

Rubens, Greek gods

The Iliad is an epic poem 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.

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, its sequel, 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.

See also

• Atlas
• Greek mythology
• Pisistratus

External Links

• A Modern Translation
• The Iliad By Homer, written 800 B.C.