Why understanding Greek is essential in interpreting the Iliad and Odyssey 5 Articles

by Harry Dale Huffman

The Iliad and Odyssey are examples of ancient myth, expressed in the words and living conditions of 7th century B.C. Greece, but originating untold centuries earlier; for example, the Iliad is about the Trojan War, which i...read more

by Mark Hopkins

The Illiad and the Odyssey were first written down in the western form of pre-Classical Greek. It follows that to fully understand them as originally conceived by Homer a person would need to be fluent in that language and...read more

by Lin Edwards

Just because the Iliad and Odyssey were written in Greek does not mean it's essential to understand Greek to interpret the stories. Helpful, possibly, but essential? No. No more than it's essential to understand Aramaic, H...read more

by Allen Teal

Beyond the fact that the original language of the works of Homer were in Greek, the stories can be best understood with at least a rudimentary knowledge of Greek language and as an offshoot their primitive culture. They a...read more

by Katie Lamberto

An understanding of ancient Greek is not essential for interpreting the Iliad or Odyssey, unless you plan to contribute to the scholarly discourse on these poems. Greek is a beautiful language, though, and I do encourage ...read more