THE BEECHMONT CREST GUIDE TO ANCIENT GREECE
More about Homer: why the ancient Greeks loved him so much
The previously mentioned epics of Homer (The Iliad and the Odyssey) appeared near the end of the Greek Dark Age. The popularity of these tails didn’t begin with their introduction into high school literature courses in the English-speaking world. Homer’s works were immensely popular in their own day. In fact, a familiarity with Homer was considered to be an essential part of a sound education for a young man in ancient Greece.
The Greeks valued Homer’s epics for more than their entertainment value. The heroes of the Iliad and the Odyssey embodied the character traits that formed the core of male identity in ancient Greece. One of these was the notion of arete: or the spirit of the warrior. To demonstrate arete, a man had to successfully meet a physical challenge and emerge victorious. The Iliad and Odyssey are filled with men of action—which were exactly what young Greek males were encouraged to become.