From ancient theories to artistic depictions, little is known about the supposed chronicler of the legendary Trojan War. Was he blind, what did he look like—and did he even exist?
Who was Homer?
Homer is credited with writing The Iliad and The Odyssey, two foundational epics of Ancient Greek literature. The Iliad recounts the climactic battles of the Trojan War, while The Odyssey follows the perilous journey of Odysseus as he strives to return home. Both were written at some point between 750 and 650 B.C.
Their influence on literature is monumental, so much so that renowned literary critic Harold Bloom once declared in The New Criterion, “Everyone who now reads and writes in the West, of whatever racial background, sex or ideological camp, is still a son or daughter of Homer.”
Why is Homer often depicted as a blind poet?
Speculation that Homer is blind begins with his name. In Ancient Greek, “Homeros” could be translated to mean “blind,” as well as “hostage.”
Further fueling the theory is the character of Demodocus in The Odyssey. Demodocus, believed to be a proxy for Homer, appears in the epic as a blind poet who performs before the royal court.
Who first said Homer was blind?
Over the centuries, prominent members of Ancient Greek society spread the word Homer was unable to see.
Philosopher Aristotle described Homer as blind, according to Alberto Manguel, author of Homer's The Iliad and The Odyssey: A Biography. Greek literature scholar Alexander Beecroft notes that Homer’s blindness was “from the personal testimony of Cynaethus, to whom some attribute the Homeric Hymn to Apollo," in the 2011 article, "Blindness and Literacy in the Lives of Homer."
In his essay, “Representations of Homer in modern times,” Eric Moormann references an ancient piece of writing that suggests Homer’s blindness was “punishment for his seeing Helen (Of Troy) or the shield of Achilles in its full splendour.”
Did Homer even exist?
Whether Homer was blind—or even existed at all—remains a mystery.
Scholars still debate whether the poems were created entirely by one person, explains author and classicist Daisy Dunn. Homer's works could have been the culmination of numerous bards who developed the stories over generations. Dunn also speculates that Homer’s blindness was a “myth invented to account for the fact that the Homeric poems originally evolved orally, before the development of writing in Greece.”
When Greeks started to make portraits of their notable historical figures in the second quarter of the fifth century B.C., Homer was depicted with “a very long, well-groomed beard, long hair and large closed eyes in a soft-idealized face,” according to Moormann.
As the influence of The Iliad and The Odyssey grew, the image of Homer became firmly established. The mystery surrounding his sight not only added to the questions surrounding his identity but also underscored the enduring significance of his work.
