Saturday 27 May 2023

HOMER'S ANIMAL EPIC? DID HE WRITE A THIRD WORK?

I should start by pointing out that the ancient Greek poet Homer (?9th Century BC) may never have existed.  His two supposed epics, the Iliad and the Odyssey may in fact have been written by different persons or by groups of persons.  Homer was a nickname - his real name, if he existed, was said to be Melisignes.


However, there was another epic, anonymous, that some thought Homer had written.  It was called the Batrachomyomachia, which was about a war between the Frogs and the Mice.





Hostilities broke out between the two groups when the King of the Frogs offered to carry a Mouse across a river on his back.  Alas, a snake approached them in the river and the Frog, forgetful of his burden, plunged into the depths to escape and the hapless Mouse was drowned.





War followed.  The whole epic is online if you wish to read it in English translation,  Just follow the link.


now read on..... 

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