Homer's Iliad and Odyssey
by CTCWeb Editors
Discounting Homer
Even though Homer’s stories shaped many ancient Greek myths and historical traditions, not everyone subscribed to the Homeric writings as the truth or a legitimate interpretation the gods, nature or ancient Greek history. Herodotus discounts Homer’s description of the geographic make-up of the world and offers his own opinion based on his travels.
Herodotus History . 2.116.1
Herodotus purports that his is the real story of Helen and her own wanderings to return to Menelaus. Somehow Herodotus has concluded that Homer knew the real story but that he chose not to include it since it was no the stuff of which epics were made.
Herodotus History 2.23.1
Read Herodotus’ opinion of Homer’s geographic knowledge. Herodotus basically says that he knows better than Homer and all others the world’s geography. For Homer’s description of the ocean as the source of all rivers and seas and as flowing in a circle around the world see the Iliad, Book 18, line 489, and Book 21, line 195.
Herodotus History 4.29.1
Herodotus does agree with Homer on an issue of animal husbandry. In his account of Libyan lambs who, it is agreed, were born with horns on their heads Herodotus gives Homer some credit. Lamb’s horns are not a point of great contention for ancient Greek authors but at least Herodotus agrees with Homer on something.
