Homer

Homer (probably 7th century BC), Greek poet.

Homer is the name given to the writer of the Iliad, the story of the siege of Troy, and The Odyssey, the story of the wanderings of Odysseus.

It was once said that Homer was blind and poor but no one can be sure about this or, indeed, very much else about him.

Some of the stories he put together in his poems were already being told before his time.

Scholars in Ancient Greece used to learn the Iliad and the Odyssey off by heart.