Iliad and the Odyssey

The Iliad is an epic poem set during the Trojan War, focusing on the wrath of Achilles and the final weeks of the siege of Troy.

The Odyssey follows Odysseus as he travels home from the war, facing various challenges and encounters along the way.

Both poems are central to Greek mythology and have been influential in Western literature, composed in Homeric Greek around the late 8th or early 7th century BC. They were likely part of a long oral tradition before being written down and are known for their use of dactylic hexameter and the literary device of starting in the middle of the story (in medias res).