Troy And Homer

The blind poet

• The first and greatest poet of the Greeks was Homer. He was blind (“homros” means “blind” in Greek) and travelled around earning his livelihood reciting the epic stories of the good old days. The Greek alphabet was invented about this time and the writing down of his spoken words as the “Iliad” greatly contributed to ensuring the longevity of the legends of “Ilion”, as he called it.
• The Iliad was based on earlier accounts – mostly oral but some written - that were handed down from generation to generation, sung or recited in differing versions over hundreds of years. The alphabet was introduced into Greece c. 800 BC. The “Iliad” and the “Odyssey” were probably composed in the form that we now know them in the period 800-750 BC and written down, say, between 725 and 675 BC.
• It is said that the Greek statesman and tyrant of Athens, Pisistratus / Peisistratus (605?-527 BC) was the first to have an official text of the Iliad and Odyssey written down, however, this is not fully accepted.
• All of this, and the very existence of Homer himself, is a contentious issue, disputed in ancient times and still argued about today. Even the Greeks knew nothing for certain about his life. However, certain things may be underlined.

Homer and the “Heroic Age”

• The events depicted in the “Iliad” occurred towards the end of the “Late Bronze Age”, also known as the “Heroic Age” (1600-1100 BC), which ended with the fall of Mycenaean civilization around 1000 BC.
• The works of Homer were composed as Greece was coming out of the “Dark Ages” and enjoying a revival about 800-750 BC. The events in the Iliad took place several centuries before, ten or more generations earlier. The Homeric stories represent a synthesis of Greek memories of various Bronze Age sieges and expeditions.
• The backdrop (and theme) of the Iliad and Odyssey is the disintegration of heroic cities all across the Greek world. From these two works, we learn how Agamemnon’s death was avenged and how Odysseus resolved a rebellion at his palace (see “Legends of Troy”). After this, the epic tales fall silent.
• Homer had a rival, or perhaps we should say “co-author”. Hesiod was a Greek oral poet, probably a contemporary of Homer, active between 750 and 650 BC. Hesiod and Homer are considered the earliest Greek poets whose work has survived. Nobody knows who lived first, which poet preceded the other.

Hesiod divides the history of mankind into five ages. These give us a good insight into the thinking of the ancients. At the beginning is the “Golden Age” when peace and harmony prevailed, the earth provided food in abundance, and humans lived to a ripe old age but with a youthful appearance. This is succeeded by the “Silver Age” which features Cronus and Zeus, a time of strife. Then came the “Bronze Age” when men were hard and war was their passion. The violent lifestyle of these warriors was their undoing. This is followed by the “Heroic Age” where men lived with noble demi-gods and heroes. (The fifth age is the “Iron Age” – a time of toil, misery, and dishonorable conduct. We’ll pass on that.)

Four great exploits are featured prominently as exemplifying the Heroic Age: the Labors of Hercules, the voyage of Jason and the Argonauts, the War at Thebes, and the Trojan War.

• Oral poets related the events of the Bronze and Heroic ages from that time hence. Whether at the court of kings or in public gatherings, the bards had to be careful to give the story a politically correct slant. The tales had to meet public favor. The poets had to make a living, after all, when the hat was passed around after the show.
• Although Homer was blind, it is quite feasible that he actually visited Troy and its surroundings after it was resettled and renamed “Ilion” in Greek times.
• There were earlier accounts of the Trojan War before Homer, but they have not survived. And, like Shakespeare, it was only natural that he would have refined, polished and improved the original sources.
• The topography in the Iliad fits well with the site of Troy as it is today. We also have to allow for a degree of poetic license in his work. Did Homer take a real war and relocate it to Troy, “updating” the story for the benefit of his audience at that time?
• There is no evidence yet of a historical city called Troy at Hisarlik. Homer called it (W)ilios, which probably corresponds to the Hittite city of Wilusa.
• Therefore, we may call the stories of the Trojan War “legends” or “mythology”, but for the ancients it was akin to a history lesson, Greek-style, with a message they would have understood.

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