Homer

Homer's mythological tales of war and homecoming, the and the , are considered to be two of the most influential works in the history of Western literature. Yet their author, 'the greatest poet that ever lived' is something of a mystery. By the 6th century BCE, Homer had already become a mythical figure, and even today the debate continues as to whether he ever existed.In this accessible and concise introduction, Barbara Graziosi considers Homer's famous works and their impact on readers throughout the centuries. She shows how the and the benefit from a tradition of reading that spans well over two millennia, from the impressive scholars at the library of Alexandria, in the third and second centuries BCE, who wrote some of the first commentaries on the Homeric epics. Summaries of these scholars' notes made their way into the margins of Byzantine manuscripts; from Byzantium the annotated manuscripts travelled to Italy; and the ancient notes finally appeared in the first printed editions of Homer, eventually influencing our interpretation of Homer's work today. Along the way, Homer's works have inspired artists, writers, philosophers, musicians, playwrights, and film-makers. Exploring the main literary, historical, cultural, and archaeological issues at the heart of Homer's works, Graziosi analyses the enduring appeal of Homer and his iconic works. "Homer's mythological tales of war and homecoming, the Iliad and the Odyssey, are considered to be two of the most influential works in the history of Western literature. Yet their author, "the greatest poet that ever lived" is something of a mystery. By the 6th century BCE, Homer had already become a mythical figure, and even today the debate continues as to whether he ever existed. Barbara Graziosi considers Homer's famous works, and their impact on readers throughout the centuries. She shows how the Iliad and the Odyssey benefit from a tradition of reading that spans well over two millennia, from the impressive scholars at the library of Alexandria, in the third and second centuries BCE, who wrote some of the first commentaries on the Homeric epics. Summaries of these scholars' notes made their way into the margins of Byzantine manuscripts ; from Byzantium the annotated manuscripts travelled to Italy; and the ancient notes finally appeared in the first printed editions of Homer, eventually influencing our interpretation of Homer's work today. Along the way, Homer's works have inspired artists, writers, philosophers, musicians, playwrights, and film-makers. Exploring the main literary, historical, cultural, and archaeological issues at the heart of Homer's works, Graziosi analyses the enduring appeal of Homer and his iconic works."--Résumé du site web de l'éditeur The Illiad And The Odyssey Stand As The Cornerstones Of Western Literature, Benefitting From A Tradition Of Reading That Spans Well Over Two Millennia. Already In The Sixth Century Bce They Were The Object Of Criticism. Later, The Great Scholars Working In The Library Of Alexandria Edited The Poems And Wrote Important Commentaries On Them. Summaries Of These Scholars' Notes Made Their Way In To The Margins Of Byzantine Manuscripts; From Byzantium The Annotated Manuscripts Travelled To Italy, And There The Homeric Poems First Appeared In Print. The Ancient Notes On Them Still Influence Our Interpretation Of Homer's Work Today. Part I: The Poet -- 1. Looking For Homer -- 2. Textual Clues -- 3. Material Clues -- 4. The Poet In The Poems -- Part Ii: The Iliad -- 5. The Wrath Of Achilles -- 6. A Poem About Troy -- 7. The Tragedy Of Hector -- Part Iii. The Odyssey -- 8. The Man Of Many Turns -- 9. Women And Monsters -- 10. An Infernal Journey. Barbara Graziosi. Includes Bibliographical References And Index. In this accessible and concise introduction, Barbara Graziosi considers Homer's famous works and their impact on readers throughout the centuries. She shows how the Iliad and the Odyssey benefit from a tradition of reading that spans well over two millennia, from the impressive scholars at the library of Alexandria, in the third and second centuries BCE, who wrote some of the first commentaries on the Homeric epics. Summaries of these scholars' notes made their way into the margins of Byzantine manuscripts; from Byzantium the annotated manuscripts travelled to Italy; and the ancient notes finally appeared in the first printed editions of Homer, eventually influencing our interpretation of Homer's work today. Along the way, Homer's works have inspired artists, writers, philosophers, musicians, playwrights, and film-makers. Exploring the main literary, historical, cultural, and archaeological issues at the heart of Homer's works, Graziosi analyses the enduring appeal of Homer and his iconic works The Iliad and the Odyssey are the cornerstones of Western literature. Over the years they have inspired artists, writers, philosophers, musicians, playwrights, and film-makers. Barbara Graziosi introduces Homer's key works and discusses the main literary, historical, and archaeological issues at the heart of Homeric studies. This book contains the complete epic poems of Homer in the chronological order of their original publication. - The Iliad - The Odyssey