Greek poet Homer’s (c. 850-? B.C.) Iliad and Odyssey (both works credited to him) are considered to be among the greatest works of literature and have had a profound influence on western poetry, serving as the primary models for subsequent works, including the Aeneid (Virgil) and the Divine Comedy (Dante).

The Iliad in particular can be seen as both the beginning of western literature as we know it and the culmination of a long tradition of oral epic poetry that may date as far back as the thirteenth century B.C. The Iliad has been a part of western education for nearly 3,000 years. The epic poem, telling the story of a 10-year Trojan War, reveals the author’s keen understanding of human nature.