The Iliad
The Iliad
Homer
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- Publisher: Atlantic Publishers & Distributors (P) Ltd
- Publisher Imprint: Peacock Books
- Publication Date:
- Pages: 340
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About The Book
Homer's The Iliad, an ancient epic of unparalleled significance, transports readers to the heart of the Trojan War, an epoch-defining conflict between gods and mortals. With eloquence and poetic prowess, Homer weaves a tapestry of heroism, tragedy, and the capricious whims of divine intervention. At its core, The Iliad delves into the essence of humanity, exploring the complexities of honour, love, and the inexorable march of destiny. The immortal characters—Achilles, Hector, and the vengeful gods—confront profound moral dilemmas and existential questions. A timeless narrative, The Iliad resonates across centuries, captivating modern readers with its timeless exploration of the human condition set against the backdrop of a war that echoes through eternity. This enduring classic stands as a testament to the enduring power of storytelling and the eternal truths embedded in the human experience.
About The Author
Homer was probably born around 725BC on the Coast of Asia Minor, now the coast of Turkey, but then really a part of Greece. Homer was the first Greek writer whose work survives.
He was one of a long line of bards, or poets, who worked in the oral tradition. Homer and other bards of the time could recite, or chant, long epic poems. Both works attributed to Homer - The Iliad and The Odyssey - are over ten thousand lines long in the original. Homer must have had an amazing memory but was helped by the formulaic poetry style of the time.
In The Iliad Homer sang of death and glory, of a few days in the struggle between the Greeks and the Trojans. Mortal men played out their fate under the gaze of the gods. The Odyssey is the original collection of tall traveller's tales. Odysseus, on his way home from the Trojan War, encounters all kinds of marvels from one-eyed giants to witches and beautiful temptresses. His adventures are many and memorable before he gets back to Ithaca and his faithful wife Penelope.
We can never be certain that both these stories belonged to Homer. In fact 'Homer' may not be a real name but a kind of nickname meaning perhaps 'the hostage' or 'the blind one'. Whatever the truth of their origin, the two stories, developed around three thousand years ago, may well still be read in three thousand years' time.