The Iliad

Homer · -800 · Philosophical Text

Explore this on the mapTrace its ancestors and descendants live in the tree.

The heroic quest and archetypal struggle

It established the archetype of the epic poem, featuring a grand narrative, heroic figures engaged in monumental struggles, and the exploration of fate and human agency against overwhelming forces.

What it is

An ancient Greek epic poem recounting the siege of the city of Troy, focusing on the wrath of Achilles and its consequences. It depicts heroic battles, divine intervention, and the human cost of war.

↑Inherited from

This work originated its idea. No known prior influences in the dataset.

↓Passed on to(1)

Paradise Lost· 1667↓ open

Milton, a classical scholar, was deeply familiar with Homeric epics, and "Paradise Lost" consciously emulates the grand scale, epic conventions, and the portrayal of larger-than-life figures engaged in archetypal conflict found in "The Iliad".