Homer

Homer (8th century B.C.?), Greek epic poet to whom are ascribed the Iliad and Odyssey, universally regarded as among the greatest works of western literature. Both poems deal with events related to the Trojan War. The Iliad is about a single episode of the war—the anger of the Greek warrior, Achilles, and its tragic results. The Odyssey tells of the adventures and quests of another Greek warrior, Odysseus, after the war. Historically, there has been much debate about whether the poems were really written by one author, but most scholars now believe that they were.

See also: Iliad; Odyssey.