greek literature
The Age of Homer
From 1100 BCE to 800 BCE, Greek civilization seemed to step backward. People forgot many skills, including the art of writing. We get hints about life during this period from two great epic poems, The Iliad and The Odyssey. These epics may have been the work of many people, but they are credited to the poet Homer, who probably lived about 750 BCE. Like the great Indian epics, Homer's tales were passed orally for generations before they were finally written down.
The Iliad is our chief source of information about the Trojan War, although the story involves gods, goddesses, and even a talking horse. At the start of the poem, Achilles, the mightiest Greek warrior, is sulking in his tent because of a dispute with his commander. Although the war soon turns against the Greeks, Achilles stubbornly refuses to listen to pleas that he rejoin the fighting. Only after his best friend is killed does Achilles return to battle.
The Odyssey tells of the struggles of the Greek hero Odysseus to return home to his faithful wife, Penelope, after the fall of Troy. On his long voyage, Odysseus encounters a sea monster, a race of one-eyed giants, and s beautiful sorceress who turns men into swine.
The Iliad and Odyssey reveal much about the values of the ancient Greeks. The heroes display honor, courage, and eloquence. For almost 3,000 years, the epics of Homer have inspired European writers and artists.
Writing of History
The Greeks applied observation, reason, and logic to the study of history. Herodotus is often called the “Father of History” in the western world because he went beyond listing names of rulers or retelling ancient legends. Before writing The Persian Wars, Herodotus visited many lands, collecting information from people who remembered the events he recorded. Herodotus cast a critical eye on his sources, noting bias and conflicting points of view. Yet, his writings reflected his own view that the war was a clear moral victory of Greek love of freedom over Persian tyranny.
Thucydides wrote about the Peloponnesian War (a war between Athens and Sparta), a much less happy subject for the Greeks. He had lived through the war and vividly described its savagery and its corrupting influence on all those involved. Although he was an Athenian, he tried to be fair to both sides.
Both writers set standards for future historians. Herodotus stressed the importance of research and Thucydides showed the need to avoid bias.
From 1100 BCE to 800 BCE, Greek civilization seemed to step backward. People forgot many skills, including the art of writing. We get hints about life during this period from two great epic poems, The Iliad and The Odyssey. These epics may have been the work of many people, but they are credited to the poet Homer, who probably lived about 750 BCE. Like the great Indian epics, Homer's tales were passed orally for generations before they were finally written down.
The Iliad is our chief source of information about the Trojan War, although the story involves gods, goddesses, and even a talking horse. At the start of the poem, Achilles, the mightiest Greek warrior, is sulking in his tent because of a dispute with his commander. Although the war soon turns against the Greeks, Achilles stubbornly refuses to listen to pleas that he rejoin the fighting. Only after his best friend is killed does Achilles return to battle.
The Odyssey tells of the struggles of the Greek hero Odysseus to return home to his faithful wife, Penelope, after the fall of Troy. On his long voyage, Odysseus encounters a sea monster, a race of one-eyed giants, and s beautiful sorceress who turns men into swine.
The Iliad and Odyssey reveal much about the values of the ancient Greeks. The heroes display honor, courage, and eloquence. For almost 3,000 years, the epics of Homer have inspired European writers and artists.
Writing of History
The Greeks applied observation, reason, and logic to the study of history. Herodotus is often called the “Father of History” in the western world because he went beyond listing names of rulers or retelling ancient legends. Before writing The Persian Wars, Herodotus visited many lands, collecting information from people who remembered the events he recorded. Herodotus cast a critical eye on his sources, noting bias and conflicting points of view. Yet, his writings reflected his own view that the war was a clear moral victory of Greek love of freedom over Persian tyranny.
Thucydides wrote about the Peloponnesian War (a war between Athens and Sparta), a much less happy subject for the Greeks. He had lived through the war and vividly described its savagery and its corrupting influence on all those involved. Although he was an Athenian, he tried to be fair to both sides.
Both writers set standards for future historians. Herodotus stressed the importance of research and Thucydides showed the need to avoid bias.