2.   Very little is known about Homer.  It is believed that he was born in Asia Minor in the 8 th Century BC and that he was blind.  Scholars have disputed his authorship of the Iliad.  Theories suggest that the Iliad is written by several poets whilst others suggest that he was a woman. Homer and authorship

4.   The ancient epic of the Trojan War was based on an oral tradition in which a number of stories are woven together to form a long narrative – the epic cycle.  The story is derived from historical and legendary materials from Homer’s time.  The original epics were not written down, but were composed and sung to musical accompaniment. Homer and the Epic Cycle

7.   The Epics are structured in a way so that different episodes can be recited and enjoyed as separate poems or stories.  The heroic ideal in the ancient oral epic is expressed through heroes who strive for personal self fulfilment.  National and patriotic sentiments are less important. Epics

8.   As a poet, Homer gives written form to the oral tradition of the epic poets and minstrels who told these stores as entertainment.  The poems that were passed down over the centuries were learned by heart.  The language was formulaic, using repetitious phrases and descriptions of places, people and events as an aid to memory and oral recitation. Homer