Homer (8th Century BC)

        Homer was one of the greatest authors of all time; he was certainly the greatest of the Greek authors.  Nobody is sure exactly when Homer lived.  We are, however, certain that it was sometime in the 8th century BC: almost three thousand years ago, and yet not many authors have been able to come up with better adventures than he did.  During Homer's time, poems were related by traveling poets called bards.  Bards recited their poems to the music of a lyre; an instrument resembling a little harp.  They were like the traveling hippy musicians of the sixties and seventies (except bards actually made a living and were liked...)  Also, scientists, archeologists and historians believe that the idea of writing the Greek poems was just coming into "popularity" and that Homer wrote his own down.  Not much is known about Homer himself, but it is generally accepted that he was blind, although that was often said about the great bards to make them appear even more amazing.

        Then, there are those who say that Homer never existed, or, if he did, he was more than one person.  They say that The Iliad and The Odyssey were written by two different people, or multiple people, and Homer just produced a finished version.  Regardless of who wrote them, however, they are awesome pieces of work.

All material Copyright 2002 by Paul Korte