why was the odyssey and lliad written down?

Question

This is in the book of greeks.

Answer 1

All aspiring writers write down. Others decide if it's NY Times bestseller material or just bird cage liner.

Answer 2

The Iliad and the Odyssey poems were passed down orally for at least 400 years before they were written down (traditionally by Homer... though it wasn't he who invented the stories).

The stories were hugely important to Greek pride and nationalism and were told and re-told. They were written down when the technology became available for them to be written down (sometime between 800 - 700 BC) so that they would never be forgotten and that great story would always inspire.

I personally think it's amazing that a story over 3000 years old has never stopped being in society's conscience and will probably always remain as potent as it's always been.

Answer 3

I'll assume you attend school classes at some level, and have books. If those books didn't exist, or any books didn't exist, we'd have few other ways to communicate than by speech.
It's early yet for me, and you're my first Q of the day, so indulge me please.

Consider that if all research, learning, entertainment, etc. were attempted, and perhaps accomplished in the mind, and by speech, with no record of any thought, discoverery, enjoyable, dramatic, historic, situation,,,,,,might it not be possible, and likely that "things" RELATED to others might be retained for shorter time spans, with no ability to go back and check on any original thought, or process?

Your example happened to be written by one of the greatest writer/philosopher poets in all of history. They are written in a kind of "journal" format, and I can certainly relate to journaling. They tell stories, and were very likely quoted through history after the fact, but having them in print meant they could be referred to, researched, studied, enjoyed, etc. They included drama, pathos, all manner of physical and psychological issues, were poetic, and entertaining. They included heros and villans, Love and pain, fantasy and in some ways, reality.

Consider too the length of each. Had they not been "Written Down" as you put it, they would have eventually been diluted, and possibly dissolved.

I offer and example, and it has been tested often.

Place 10 or 12 people in a line. Think of any topic, or sentence you wish,,,Gossip or fact,,, then whisper it to the first person in line, telling them to pass it on in a whisper.

Assume that you stated something like, "Homer, one of the first poets, was Greek, and wrote the Iliad and the Odyssy."

Then begin. Assume then, that by the time that statement gets to the 12th person, and they are asked to state it aloud, you might hear,,,"Hector, the Greek, rode horses and traveled with someone named Oddy and fought with him in some big war, then wrote about it in his diary."

Thanks for your time, and letting me spend my dime.

Steven Wolf

Answer 4

To keep Greek legends alive for future generations

Answer 5

tryin to save records about great Greek people and their history,bravery,persistence,to save their diverse culture,show best battles and myth heroes!!
just not to go into the debts of time!

Answer 6

Because they were great stories.
If you had a great story, wouldn't you write down?

Answer 7

many people think it's actually true