Greek Ancient Literature (The age of epic Linear B syllabary is not well-suited to Epic poems were particularly common

rticularly common in the

Poetry) recording the sounds of Greek (see ancient world because they were ideal for
phonemic principle). Another theory is that expressing stories orally. Another key
Although epic poetry began well before the literary works, as the preserve of an elite, feature of epic poetry is that it was actually
Ancient Greek civilization came about, it was were written on finer materials such as designed to be performed with music.
an important part of the Greek culture parchment, which have not survived. Traveling bards would perform the poetry
starting in around the 6th century B.C. There orally and the words were sung and often
is evidence that there were epic poems that accompanied with music. As a result of this,
were written as early as the 20th century Epic Poetry many of the stories that we know of today
B.C through civilizations such as the were widely known and recognized by the
Mesopotamians, which is credited for So, what is an Epic poem exactly? All works people of Ancient Greece since hearing
producing the oldest surviving epic poem. of epic poetry begin en media res, which is a these performers was one of their top forms
However, once the Ancient Greeks started term that means, ‘in the middle of things.” of entertainment
producing epic poetry, they were incredibly On other words, each epic poem starts while
prolific and the poets produced works that the action of the story is already underway. At the beginning of Greek literature stand
are still popularly enjoyed today. Here’s a the two monumental works of Homer,
look at the history of epic poetry in Ancient For example, the Iliad begins as the Trojan the Iliad and the Odyssey. The figure of
Greece: War had already been going on for about Homer is shrouded in mystery. Although the
nine years. There was still a year of fighting works as they now stand are credited to him,
left to the war before the story actually it is certain that their roots reach far back
Classical and pre-classical antiquity: began. before his time. The Iliad is the famous story
about the Trojan War. The work examines
The earliest known Greek writings are An epic poem is a long, narrative poem that the war through the person of Achilles, who
Mycenaean, written in the Linear B syllabary is usually about heroic deeds and events embodied the Greek heroic ideal.
on clay tablets. These documents contain that are significant to the culture of the poet. While the Iliad is purely a work of tragedy,
prosaic records largely concerned with trade Many ancient writers used epic poetry to tell the Odyssey is a mixture of tragedy and
(lists, inventories, receipts, and so on); no tales of intense adventures and heroic feats. comedy. It is the story of Odysseus, one of
real literature has been discovered. Several Some of the most famous literary the warriors at Troy. After ten years fighting
theories have been advanced to explain this masterpieces in the world were written in the the war, he spends another ten years sailing
curious absence. One is that Mycenaean form of epic poetry. back home to his wife and family. During his
literature, like the works of Homer and other ten-year voyage, he loses all of his
epic poems, was passed on orally, since the
comrades and ships and makes his way improvised epic song. The epic song was The poem mainly focuses on the Greek
home to Ithaca disguised as a beggar. Both composed of elements from myth and hero Odysseus (known
of these works were based on ancient folklorewelded into place by means of the as Ulysses in Roman myths), king of Ithaca,
legends. The stories are told in language rhapsode's skilled insertion of formulaic and his journey home after the fall of Troy. It
that is simple, direct, and eloquent. Both are elements. takes Odysseus ten years to
as fascinatingly readable today as they were reach Ithaca after the ten-year Trojan War.
in Ancient Greece. The central figure of ancient epic poetry [3] In his absence, it is assumed Odysseus
is the hero. In the 2 major Greek ancient has died, and his wife Penelope and
The other great poet of the preclassical classical epics, the Iliad and the
period was Hesiod. Unlike Homer, Hesiod son Telemachus must deal with a group of
Odyssey, the heroes are Achilles, in the unruly suitors,
speaks of himself in his poetry. Nothing is Iliad, and Odysseus in the Odyssey.
known about him from any source external the Mnesteres (Greek: Μνηστῆρες) or Proci,
Other key characteristics of epic poetry who compete for Penelope's hand in
to his own poetry. He was a native of include:
Boeotia in central Greece, and is thought to marriage.
have lived and worked around  Epic heroes come from the heroic era, Iliad
700 B.C.E. His two works were Works and which precedes the Archaic Age in The first word of the Iliad is μῆνιν (mēnin),
Days and Theogony. The first is a faithful ancient Greece. "rage" or "wrath." This word announces the
depiction of the poverty-stricken country life - major theme of the Iliad: The wrath
he knew so well, and it sets forth principles  The heroes of epic literature are bound of Achilles. When Agamemnon, the
and rules for farmers. Theogony is a by a code of honour. commander of the Greek forces at Troy,
systematic account of creation and of the  The form of the epic is verse - dishonors Achilles by taking Briseis, a slave
gods. It vividly describes the ages of Dactylic Hexameters - marking it woman given to Achilles as a prize of war,
humankind, beginning with a long-past immediately as poetry. Achilles becomes enraged and withdraws
Golden Age. Together the works of Homer  The language of epic poetry is often from the fighting for almost all of the story.
and Hesiod served as a kind of Bible for the formulaic. Without him and his powerful Myrmidon
Greeks. Homer told the story of a heroic  The material of epic poetry is warriors, the Greeks suffer defeat by the
past, and Hesiod dealt with the practical elevated; it does not dwell on the banal Trojans, almost to the point of losing their
realities of daily life. details of life. will to fight. Achilles re-enters the fighting
Speeches might be a throwback to the oral  Speeches are frequent. when his dearest friend, Patroclus, is killed
tradition of epic, where the epic story was  Hesiod and Homer are the most by the Trojan prince, Hector. Achilles
passed down, from master storyteller to famous ancient Greek epic poets. slaughters many Trojans and kills Hector. In
pupil, possibly within a family. The storyteller his rage, he then refuses to return Hector's
or "rhapsode" played a lyre as he sang his Odyssey body and instead defiles it. Priam, the father
of Hector, ransoms his son's body, and is portrayed as a wise and fair ruler Works and Days
the Iliad ends with the funeral of Hector. supported by his subjects. This
characterization of Zeus makes sense
coming from Hesiod, who is writing at a time The poem revolves around two general
Theogony when Zeus is considered to be the ruler of truths: that labour is the universal lot of Man,
the gods, and who, in his other works, but that he who is willing to work will always
portrays Zeus favorably. (In other Greek get by. Hesiod prescribes a life of honest
Theogony literally means the “birth or works, Zeus is sometimes portrayed as labour (which he regards as the source of all
genealogy of the gods.” It is the name of an being more devious, disloyal, and unjust.) good) and attacks idleness, suggesting that
epic poem by Hesiod, a Greek poet who is both the gods and men hate the idle. Within
believed to have lived between 750 and 650 Hesiod begins the Theogony with the epic the poem’s advice and wisdom, Hesiod also
BC. He was thus a contemporary of Homer, convention of invoking the Muses: he, the pursues his own agenda to some extent,
the author of the “Iliad” and the “Odyssey.” poet, is merely the mouthpiece through attacking unjust judges (such as those who
Along with Homer’s works, the “Theogony” is which the Muses, daughters of Memory and decided in favour of Perses, Hesiod's less-
the oldest known literary work from ancient goddesses of song, speak. Great emphasis than-responsible brother, who was granted
Greece.The poem describes the appearance is placed on the power of the Muses to sing an inheritance by the ruling of these unjust
of the first gods and lists their many and inspire poetry. Indeed, the first hundred judges) and the practice of usury.
descendants. It also tells of the conflicts or so lines focus on the Muses, who gave
between different generations of immortals, the shepherd Hesiod a staff and breathed
including the TITANOMACHY, the war into him the ability to sing. The poet
between the Titans and the first Olympian describes the beauty of their song
gods. resounding through the halls of Zeus on
Olympus. The power and charm of the
The Theogony is the story of the succession Muses can be indirectly attributed to Zeus,
of four generations of cosmic rulers who is their father and under whose rule
culminating in the ascendance of the they sing on Olympus. And, of course, it is
Olympian sky-god Zeus. The three transfers his story they are telling in this tale. They
of power—from Gaia (Earth) to Ouranos have other powers: the power to ease pain
(Heaven), then to Kronos, and finally to Zeus by distracting listeners and enabling them to
—involve remarkable acts of brutality and forget grief and evil, and the power to grace
betrayal, which are finally supplanted by the a lord's words so that others admire him.
stability and justice of the reign of Zeus, who