Homer

Poet

Homer is the ancient Greek poet traditionally credited with composing the Iliad and the Odyssey. Although details of his life are uncertain, his epics are foundational works of Greek and world literature.

Books by Homer

Odyssea, grec ancien (avant 1453)
View on Amazon
The Odyssey of Homer
View on Amazon
Homer's Odyssey
View on Amazon

As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.

Quotes by Homer

You, you insolent brazen bitch— you really dare to shake that monstrous spear in Father's face?
Read quote
Hateful to me as the gates of Hades is that man who hides one thing in his heart and speaks another.
Read quote
No finer, greater gift in the world than that: When man and woman possess their home, two minds, two hearts that work as one. Despair to their enemies, a joy to all their friends. Their own best claim to glory.
Read quote
Come then, put away your sword in its sheath, and let us two go up into my bed so that, lying together in the bed of love, we may then have faith and trust in each other.
Read quote
Beauty! Terrible Beauty! A deathless Goddess-- so she strikes our eyes!
Read quote
Dreams surely are difficult, confusing, and not everything in them is brought to pass for mankind. For fleeting dreams have two gates: one is fashioned of horn and one of ivory. Those which pass through the one of sawn ivory are deceptive, bringing tidings which come to nought, but those which issue from the one of polished horn bring true results when a mortal sees them.
Read quote
Iron has powers to draw a man to ruin
Read quote
— so as the great Achilles rampaged on, his sharp-hoofed stallions trampled shields and corpses, axle under his chariot splashed with blood, blood on the handrails sweeping round the car, sprays of blood shooting up from the stallions' hoofs and churning, whirling rims— and the son of Peleus charioteering on to seize his glory, bloody filth splattering both strong arms, Achilles' invincible arms—
Read quote
I would disapprove of another hospitable man who was excessive in friendship, as of one excessive in hate. In all things balance is better.
Read quote
There is nothing more admirable than when two people who see eye to eye keep house as man and wife, confounding their enemies and delighting their friends.
Read quote
But now, as it is, sorrows, unending sorrows must surge within your heart as well— for your own son's death. Never again will you embrace him stiding home. My spirit rebels— I've lost the will to live, to take my stand in the world of men—
Read quote
You, why are you so afraid of war and slaughter? Even if all the rest of us drop and die around you, grappling for the ships, you'd run no risk of death: you lack the heart to last it out in combat— coward!
Read quote
Let him submit to me! Only the god of death is so relentless, Death submits to no one— so mortals hate him most of all the gods. Let him bow down to me! I am the greater king, I am the elder-born, I claim— the greater man.
Read quote
For my part I have no joy in tears after dinnertime. There will always be a new dawn tomorrow. Yet I can have no objection to tears for any mortal who dies and goes to his destiny. And this is the only consolation we wretched mortals can give, to cut our hair and let the tears roll down our faces.
Read quote
Men grow tired of sleep, love, singing and dancing, sooner than war.
Read quote
Take courage, my heart: you have been through worse than this. Be strong, saith my heart; I am a soldier; I have seen worse sights than this.
Read quote
Why so much grief for me? No man will hurl me down to Death, against my fate. And fate? No one alive has ever escaped it, neither brave man nor coward, I tell you - it's born with us the day that we are born.
Read quote
The Lord gives and the Lord takes away, as it pleases him, for he can do all things.
Read quote
Reproach is infinite, and knows no endSo voluble a weapon is the tongue;Wounded, we wound; and neither side can failFor every man has equal strength to rail.
Read quote
Too many kings can ruin an army
Read quote