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Homer (Greek Poet) Facts & Worksheets

Homer was an ancient Greek poet credited for writing Europe’s first known literature.

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One of the best poets of ancient times was Homer. The Iliad and the Odyssey, two of the finest masterpieces in human literature, were written by him. Homer is the oldest poet in a Western civilization whose writings have persisted in their entirety. Lessons from his works have impacted ethics and morals in addition to the literature. He is the first place to seek details about Greek religion and mythology.

See the fact file below for more information about Homer, or download the comprehensive worksheet pack, which contains over 11 worksheets and can be used in the classroom or homeschooling environment.

Key Facts & Information

Homer

  • He was a singer and performer, thus known as a bard; others claim he was blind, therefore known as the blind bard.
  • He used the earliest alphabet. It was often thought that Homer’s poetry was written down immediately after the invention of the alphabet.
  • He composed a collection of poems depicting the Trojan War‘s events in a book of poetry titled the Epic Cycle. He also included a collection of 33 Greek songs honoring various gods called the Homeric hymns.
  • One of the earliest academics in history is Homer.
  • Homer’s most significant contribution to Greek civilization was the establishment of a shared set of ideals that reflected their self-concept. All Greeks, especially aristocrats, adhered to the heroic, noble, and honorable life model that his writings gave

Homer’s Life

  • Homer is often regarded as the first and most influential Greek author, as well as the founder of the whole Western literary canon. The entirety of his complete name is unknown.
  • Homer’s birth is supposed to have occurred sometime between the eighth and ninth century BCE, however, there are claims that he was really alive during the Trojan War, which took place in the early 12th century BCE Although Homer was a native of Greece, it is uncertain where exactly he was born and lived.
  • Several cities in the ancient Greek world lay claim to being the birthplace of Homer. Smyrna is among the most well-known, although Chios, Cyme, Ios, Argos, and Athens are all contenders. Asia Minor’s Aeolian cities are the most popular; exceptions include Ithaca and Salamis.
  • Almost all of Homer’s biographical details come directly from his poetry. Based solely on Demodokos, a blind poet and minstrel who appears in The Odyssey, it is believed that Homer was blind. As a result, Homer has been depicted in numerous busts and statues with thick, curly hair, a beard, and blind eyes.
  • According to West, Homer has two daughters (generally, the symbolic ones of the Iliad and Odyssey) and no sons, so the Homeridai, who are referred to as Homer’s followers and rhapsodes themselves, cannot claim to be descendants.
  • Homer chronicled the fight between the Greeks and Trojans, often known as the Trojan War, as well as the return journeys of the Greek leaders; therefore, his name will always be associated with the Trojan War.
  • Homer was from the Greek & Roman Mythology. People look to Homer’s writing for information about the poetic form because he was the first and best author of the Greek literary genre known as the epic.

The Iliad and The Odyssey

  • The Iliad is a poetic account of the war, describing its protagonists, combatants, incidents, and battle scenes. It tells how the Greek and Trojan soldiers sacrificed in the name of their gods and drew power from them. Although the Iliad mainly concentrates on the final year of the battle, it offers a very detailed depiction of the fighting.
  • The building of Troy’s great wall served as the actual starting point for the Iliad’s narrative. Poseidon, the god of the sea, was engaged by the Trojans to assist in the wall-building process. Poseidon requested his rightful recompense when the wall was built, but the Trojans refused. As a result, Troy was left without divine protection, and Poseidon actually turned against Troy.
  • There are several well-known characters and themes, including the siege of Troy, the Trojan War, and Paris’ capture of Helen, the most beautiful woman in the world. Many academics think Homer had firsthand knowledge of the plain of Troy because of the poem’s precise topographical descriptions.
  • Several gods and goddesses also played key roles in Homer’s The Iliad, including Zeus, Hera, Athena, Poseidon, Apollo, Ares, and Aphrodite. The Iliad has 15,693 lines.
  • Odyssey is an adaptation of the Greek hero Odysseus. This epic poem focuses on Odysseus’ ten-year journey from Troy to Ithaca following the conclusion of the Trojan War. The circumstances that caused the conflict to begin and end are thoroughly discussed. The poetic tale describes Odysseus’ perilous trip home as well as the difficulties his family faces in Ithaca while he is away. 12, 110 dactylic hexameter lines make up the poem. It continues to be extensively read and translated into many current languages.
  • The Odyssey is an epic or a long poem that only addresses one subject. Some epics contain poetic devices to help them become more memorable because they were written to be performed from memory. Additionally, many epics, most likely including The Odyssey, were intended to be performed to music.
  • While Odysseus battles supernatural monsters and faces the wrath of the gods, his wife Penelope and son Telemachus repel suitors competing for Penelope’s hand and the reign of Ithaca long enough for Odysseus to return. Odysseus wins a contest to establish his identity, slaughters the suitors, and reclaims the kingdom of Ithaca at the end of the Odyssey.
  • Although there has been significant debate over whether Homer alone penned the two well-known poems, the constant writing style is one of the strongest pieces of evidence that suggests Homer was the author. 
  • Additionally, given the stark differences in style between the two poems, some scholars contend that Homer may have authored one but not the other. On the other hand, the Iliad was written when Homer was a young man, whereas Odyssey was written when he was older, according to other analysts.

Homer’s Legacy

  • The author of the epic poems Odyssey and Iliad is known as Homer. He existed in the year 700 BCE. However, the fact that the Iliad and the Odyssey have been passed down to us in a continuous tradition does not lessen the greatness of either poem, regardless of whether Homer was a “she,” “he,” or “they.” 
  • The Greek text that we have was preserved by Alexandrian scholars like Zenodotus, Aristophanes of Byzantium, and Aristarchus and their annotations on the texts. The poems were first compiled, organized, and edited under the Athenian Peisistratus. Homer was originally printed in Florence in 1488 CE by Chalcondyles of Athens.
  • Homer’s writings had a significant impact on Greek culture, and scenes from them may be seen in Greek sculpture, pottery, tragedy, and comedy. Homer’s writings are still studied today because he was studied as a component of Greek education and because the legends in them influenced Hellenistic culture, Roman culture, and many other cultures.
  • Although the Iliad and Odyssey are among Homer’s best-known poetry, other pieces, such as the Homeric Hymns, have also been discovered. Sadly, many of his other works are thought to have been lost to the passage of time.
  • A long line of writers has been influenced by Homer’s broad use of simile and metaphor to enhance his detailed tale. His structuring technique began in the middle—in medias res—and then used memories to fill in the blanks.
  • The way Homer depicts objects and people, describes circumstances and emotes emotions has significantly impacted all western writing.
  • Scholars believed that Homer’s works were some of the oldest. He was mentioned by classical Greek philosophers like Plato and Aristotle. His The Iliad and The Odyssey became influential to next-generation poets, including Dante, Miguel de Cervantes, Joseph Conrad, James Joyce, and L. Frank Baum.
  • Around 3 BCE, Homer was revered in several areas of Greece. The Great Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum, Inferno by Dante Alighieri, Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad, and Ulysses by James Joyce, among many others, are thought to have been influenced by his writings, which are considered to be the first form of poetry in Europe.

Homer (Greek Poet) Worksheets

This is a fantastic bundle which includes everything you need to know about the Greek poet Homer across 22 in-depth pages. These are ready-to-use Homer worksheets that are perfect for teaching students about Homer, who was an ancient Greek poet credited for writing Europe’s first known literature. His poems, The Iliad and The Odyssey made him the greatest epic poet of classical antiquity.

Complete List Of Included Worksheets

  • Homer Facts
  • Mysterious Homer
  • Ancient Greek Poets
  • Greek Mythology
  • Famous Characters
  • Mapping Ancient Greece
  • The Odyssey
  • Future of Poetry
  • Letters for Homer
  • In Voice Poetry
  • Greece Today!

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Homer known for?

Homer’s most famous work was The Iliad and the Odyssey, two of the finest masterpieces in human literature. 

Was Homer a real man?

The author of the epic poems Odyssey and Iliad is known as Homer. He existed in the year 700 BCE. However, the fact that the Iliad and the Odyssey have been passed down to us in a continuous tradition does not lessen the greatness of either poem, regardless of whether Homer was a “she,” “he,” or “they.”

What are five facts about Homer?

  1. He was a singer and performer, thus known as a bard; others claim he was blind, therefore known as the blind bard.
  2. He used the earliest alphabet. It was often thought that Homer’s poetry was written down immediately after the invention of the alphabet.
  3. He composed a collection of poems that depicts the events of the Trojan War in a book of poetry titled the Epic Cycle. He also included a collection of 33 Greek songs honoring various gods called the Homeric hymns.
  4. One of the earliest academics in history is Homer.
  5. Homer’s most significant contribution to Greek civilization was the establishment of a shared set of ideals that reflected their self-concept. All Greeks, especially aristocrats, adhered to the heroic, noble, and honorable life model that his writings gave.

What mythology is Homer?

Homer was from the Greek & Roman Mythology. People look to Homer’s writing for information about the poetic form because he was the first and best author of the Greek literary genre known as the epic.

What was Homer’s full name?

Homer is often regarded as the first and most influential Greek author, as well as the founder of the whole Western literary canon. The entirety of his complete name is unknown.

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Use With Any Curriculum

These worksheets have been specifically designed for use with any international curriculum. You can use these worksheets as-is, or edit them using Google Slides to make them more specific to your own student ability levels and curriculum standards.

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