Homerus

Homerus is the Latin form of the name commonly rendered as Homer, the ancient Greek poet traditionally credited with composing the Iliad and the Odyssey. These two epic poems are central to classical literature and have influenced Western narrative, poetry, and the concept of epic. The exact details of Homer’s life are uncertain, and modern scholarship treats him as possibly a single author, a collective tradition of bards, or a literary persona representing a long-standing oral practice.

In antiquity, the distinction between a single author and a broader tradition is fluid. The name Homer is used in Greek sources, while Latin writers refer to him as Homerus. The generally accepted date for the emergence of the Homeric epics ranges from the late 8th to the early 7th century BCE, but some scholars argue for a later or more complex development involving multiple contributors over time.

The Iliad and the Odyssey constitute the core of what is attributed to Homer. The Homeric Hymns, a collection of short poems dedicated to various gods, are sometimes linked to the Homeric corpus, though their authorship and dating are debated. Other works in the mythic tradition are sometimes attributed to Homer, but such attributions are uncertain and contested.

The so-called Homeric Question concerns the degree of single authorship versus a transgenerational oral tradition, as well as questions about dating and compilation. Manuscripts and editorial choices from antiquity through the Renaissance shaped the text, with major adjustments by later scholars.

Homer’s influence on literature is profound. The epics established conventions of epic meter, formulaic language, and a narrative framework centered on heroism and divine intervention, shaping subsequent Greek and Western epic poetry and literary theory.