HOMER

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The most famous and oldest epic Greek poet, known to all mankind. According to one tradition he was born in Smyrna, according to another in Chios. Many cities claim its birth. About his life only mythical traditions are known. He lived in the ninth century BC and roamed the Greek cities like a rhapsode. He is said to have been blind. He died on the Cycladic island of Ios.

Aristotle attributes to him, in addition to the "Iliad" and the "Odyssey", the comic epic "Margaritis". The epics were recorded and received their final form in the 6th century BC. However, they present differences between them which made researchers question the authorship of both works by Homer. This is how the so-called "Homeric issue" was created, which preoccupied and continues to preoccupy philologists all over the world. This does not diminish the value of the poems nor the poet. The general perception that prevails today is that the epics, in their current composition, are the fruit of a long evolution, and Homer is considered the greatest poet of the ages and the patriarch of ancient Greek poetry.

Works

• Odyssey
• Iliad

Quotes

1. NOTHING LOWER THAN MAN DOES THE EARTH NOURISH FROM ALL THAT BREATHE AND MOVE ON IT. BECAUSE HE NEVER THINKS HE WILL GET ILL, WHEN THE GODS GIVE HIM HEALTH
2. WHEN PEOPLE SUFFER, THEY BLAME THE GODS, WHILE OFTEN THEMSELVES WITH THEIR SINFUL DEEDS FALL INTO TROUBLE BEYOND WHAT IS NECESSARY
3. ALL MEN NEED THE GODS
4. WHEN GOD WANTS HE CAN EASILY SAVE MAN EVEN FROM A FAR
5. THERE IS NOTHING PRETTIER AND MORE DESIRABLE THAN A HOUSEHOLD RULED BY LIKE-MINDED SPOUSES
6. OLYMPIAN ZEUS ALONE DISTRIBUTES HAPPINESS TO PEOPLE BOTH THE GOOD AND THE BAD, TO EACH AS HE WILLS
7. YOU HAVE TO ENDURE MISFORTUNES
8. THE STRANGERS AND THE POOR ARE ALL ZEUS' PEOPLE AND ARE CONTENT WITH THE LITTLE YOU WILL PROVIDE
9. ZEUS THE PATRON OF LIGHTNING ACCOMPANIES AND PROTECTS THE RESPECTED SUPPLICANTS
10. YOU WILL SUFFER WHATEVER THE FATES ORDAIN, THE PREDESTINATION THAT CIRCUMSCRIBES THE COURSE OF YOUR LIFE WHEN YOUR MOTHER BRINGED YOU INTO THE WORLD
11. THERE IS NOTHING MORE ANNOYING THAN THE DAMN BELLY THAT TYRANNICALLY COMMANDS US TO FILL IT, EVEN WHEN WE ARE TORTURED AND IN GRIEF
12. YOUTH ALWAYS LACK PRUDENCE
13. WHATEVER LUCK BRINGS IS ALWAYS WELCOME
14. THERE IS NOTHING WORSE THAN THE SEA TO BREAK A MAN, NO MATTER HOW STRONG HE IS
15. NO GREATER GLORY MAN HAS WHILE ALIVE, THAN WHAT HE ACHIEVED WITH HIS HANDS AND FEET
16. HE IS AN INGRATE AND WORTHLESS MAN, HE WHO CHALLENGES TO A FIGHT HIM WHO OPENS HIS HOME TO HIM IN A FOREIGN COUNTRY
17. EVERYONE PAYS WHAT IS RIGHT BEFORE THE ETERNAL GODS
18. HE IS NO LESS THAN BROTHER HE WHO IS FAITHFUL AND CAREFUL AS A COMPANION
19. ZEUS IS THE PROTECTOR OF SUPPLICANTS AND STRANGERS, THE GOD OF HOSPITALITY, WHO AT THE SAME TIME ACCOMPANIES PIOUS STRANGERS
20. SLEEP TAMES EVERYONE
21. WITH THE HELP OF THE GODS MANY THINGS EXIST
22. THERE IS NOTHING MORE HORRIFIC AND SHAMEFUL THAN THE WOMAN WHO PLANS IN HER MIND INAPPROPRIATE DEEDS SUCH AS PREPARING THE MURDER OF HER LEGAL HUSBAND
23. NEVER BE SOFT TO YOUR WIFE, NEVER CONFESSING TO HER ALL YOUR THOUGHTS, WHICH YOU KNOW WELL, BUT TELL HER ONE PART AND KEEP THE OTHER PART SECRET
24. IT IS BAD FOR ONE TO SAY THINGS ONE DOESN'T KNOW
25. BETTER TO BE WORKER OF THE LAND THAN KING IN HADES
26. THE BLESSED GODS DON'T LOVE POINTLESS WORKS, BUT RESPECT THE JUSTICE AND VIRTUOUS DEEDS OF MEN
27. HATEFUL IS HE AS THE GATES OF HELL, WHO FORCED BY POVERTY TELLS FAKE NEWS
28. GOD WILL GIVE US SOMETHING, AND TAKE AWAY SOMETHING ELSE, WHATEVER HE WISHES. BECAUSE HE HAS POWER OVER EVERYTHING
29. WINE CONFUSES THE MIND. IT FORCES EVEN THE VERY WISE ONE TO SING AND LAUGH SOFTLY AND MAKES HIM DANCE AND EXTRACTS FROM HIM SOME WORD WHICH SHOULD BETTER BE KEPT SECRET
30. EVERYTHING IS BETTER TO BE DONE ACCORDING TO MEASURE
31. WE MUST TAKE CARE OF THE STRANGER WHILE HE STAYS AND WHEN HE WANTS TO GO LET HIM GO
32. FOOD HAS A DOUBLE VALUE, THAT IS, IT IS HONOR AND PLEASURE AND ON THE OTHER HAND IT IS BENEFICIAL
33. AMONG MORTALS THERE IS NOTHING WORSE THAN BEGGING. BUT FOR THE DAMN BELLY MEN SUFFER, AS ANYONE WHO IS FORCED TO WANDER
34. HERMES MESSENGER OF THE GODS BRINGS JOY AND HAPPINESS TO MEN'S WORKS
35. ONE CAN BE HAPPY EVEN WITH HIS SUFFERING, WHO HAS SUFFERED MUCH AND HAS BEEN MUCH TORTURED
36. IT IS EASY FOR THE GODS TO BOTH GLORIFY MORTALS AND PUT THEM INTO A BAD SITUATION
37. IT IS MORE USEFUL FOR THE POOR TO BEG FOR HIS FOOD IN THE CITY THAN IN THE COUNTRY
38. THE HUNGER OF THE DAMN BELLY BRINGES MANY HARDSHIPS TO PEOPLE
39. THE SOUL IS BRAVE WHEN IT HAS SUFFERED MANY HARDSHIPS
40. GODS TRANSFORM INTO EVERY KIND OF HUMAN WANDERING AROUND THE CITIES TO OBSERVE THE ARROGANCE OF PEOPLE
41. LET NO MAN EVER BE UNJUST, BUT SILENTLY ENJOY THE GIFTS THE GODS GIVE HIM
42. HAVE THE PRUDENCE TO TAKE CARE OF YOUR HOME AND GUARD YOUR PROPERTY
43. BE SILENT AND HOLD YOUR THOUGHT AND DON'T ASK
44. DREAMS ARE UNEXPLAINABLE AND INACCESSIBLE, NOR DO ALL COME TRUE
45. FOR EVERY THING THE IMMORTAL GODS PUT LIMITS TO MORTALS, UPON THE LAND THE WHEAT-GIVER
46. MISFORTUNE IS ENDURED WHEN SOMEONE CRIES DURING THE DAY WITH SADNESS AND FALLS ASLEEP AT NIGHT
47. BENEFICENCE IS SUPERIOR TO WICKEDNESS
48. ONE SHOULD NOT REJOICE OVER KILLED ENEMIES, THEY WERE DEFEATED BY THE FATE OF THE GODS AND THEIR BAD DEEDS
49. IF THE GODS MAKE YOUR OLD AGE BETTER, THERE WILL BE HOPE IN THE FUTURE THAT YOU WILL BE FREE FROM TROUBLE
50. FATE IS PERNICIOUS, WHICH NO ONE THAT IS BORN ESCAPES
51. DON'T KEEP THE SADNESS IN, JUST TELL ME SO WE BOTH KNOW
52. A RENOWNED ARTIST IS THE LAME HEPHAESTUS WITH HIS SKILLFUL HANDS AND HIS WISE MIND
53. AVOID RIDICULE AND DON'T BECOME AN OBJECT OF DISGRACE
54. THE BEAUTIFUL GIFTS OF THE GOLDEN VENUS ARE PRICELESS GIFTS THAT THE GODS BESTOW IN GREAT AMOUNT UPON A MORTAL, NOT TO BE SCORNED, EVEN IF HE MAY CHOOSE
55. IN THE UNDERWORLD THE SOULS OF THE DEAD ARE PUNISHED
56. LET THE TRAVELLER SHUDDER AT THE THOUGHT OF HARMING THE ONE WHO WILL HOST THEM
57. THE BLONDE DEMETER SEPARATES THE FRUIT AND THE CHAFF WITH THE STRONG SPIRITS OF THE WINDS
58. THE GODS LIVE WITHOUT EFFORT
59. WINE INCREASES STRENGTH IN A TIRED MAN
60. ADVISE WHAT IS APPROPRIATE
61. NO MAN CAN RESIST THE WILL OF ZEUS, NOT EVEN THE BRAVEST, BECAUSE HE IS MUCH SUPERIOR
62. WINE SOOTHES THE HEART
63. TOLERANCE IS BETTER
64. LET GO OF THE ANGER THAT IS EATING YOUR HEART
65. THE UNEMPLOYED AND THE ONE WHO DOES MANY THINGS BOTH DIE THE SAME DEATH
66. HE IS AN ENEMY AS THE GATES OF HELL HE WHO THINKS ONE THING AND SAYS ANOTHER
67. THE SOUL OF MAN CANNOT BE CAPTURED
68. CONTROL YOUR PROUD HEART FOR IT DOESN'T BEFIT YOU AT ALL TO HAVE A RELENTLESS SOUL, EVEN GODS ARE MOVED, WHO HAVE MOST GREATNESS AND POWER OF ALL
69. IGNORE ANGER
70. QUARREL BRINGS ABOUT MANY MOANS
71. COWARDS ESCAPE WAR
72. IT IS AN EXCELLENT SIGN FOR ONE TO DEFEND ONE'S COUNTRY
73. YOU HAVE NO FEAR OF GETTING LOST IF YOUR HEART IS BRAVE
74. BATTLE GLORIFIES MEN
75. THINK OF DEFENSE AND NOT OF COWARDLY FLIGHT
76. UNITY RESULTS IN POWER
77. FOR EVERYTHING THERE IS SATIATION EVEN OF SLEEP OF LOVE AND OF SWEET SONG AND FLAWLESS DANCE
78. GOD GAVE FIGHTING ABILITY TO ONE MAN, DANCE TO ANOTHER, TO ANOTHER THE GUITAR AND SONG
79. ONE CANNOT FIGHT BEYOND ONE'S CAPACITY EVEN IF HE WANTS TO
80. IT IS NOT POSSIBLE FOR SOMEONE TO FIGHT WOUNDED
81. VENUS GIVES THE LOVE AND LUST WITH WHICH SUBJECTS ALL IMMORTALS AND MORTALS
82. WHEN ANGER ENTERS THE SOUL, LOVE EXITS
83. SLEEP IS THE BROTHER OF DEATH, KING OF ALL GODS AND ALL MEN
84. THE FIRST ORIGIN OF EVERYTHING IS THE OCEAN
85. NIGHT TAMES GODS AND MEN
86. LOVE ENCLOSES THE PRUDENT MIND
87. PAINS TORTURE THE SOUL
88. IT'S NOT AT ALL INAPPROPRIATE FOR ONE TO DIE DEFENDING HIS COUNTRY
89. SALVATION DEPENDS ON US
90. THE WILL OF ZEUS IS STRONGER AND NOT OF MEN
91. NOTHING IS MORE PATHETIC THAN MAN, AMONG ALL THAT BREATHES AND MOVES ON EARTH
92. IN DEATH THE SOUL DEPARTS, LIFE DISAPPEARS AND THE WHOLE BODY ROTS
93. ERYNIES PUNISH PEOPLE, IF SOMEONE VIOLATES HIS OATH
94. ZEUS INCREASES THE COURAGE OF MEN AND DECREASES IT, AS HE WILLS
95. BE CAREFUL, WITH PRUDENCE
96. PRUDENCE IS RARE IN YOUTH
97. BLESSED ARE THE GODS WHO LIVE ETERNALLY
98. WHEN YOU ARE BORN POWERFUL FATE SPINS THE THREAD OF YOUR LIFE
99. LET YOUR SORROWS SETTLE IN YOUR SOUL, EVEN IF YOU ARE BITTER
100. THE GODS ORDAINED FOR UNHAPPY MORTALS TO LIVE BITTERLY