Which book is better by Homer, Iliad or Odyssey?

[Worldwide Greeks Editor]

Growing up, I had to read both the Odyssey and Iliad by Homer in high school. A few years ago I read both again and was entertained again (it has been so many years that I forgot the whole story). I am torn but tend to lean more to liking the Odyssey a bit more.

Which story do you like more by Homer the Odyssey or Iliad?

 

[k_tsoukalas]

It's hard to pinpoint which is better since the Odyssey is a sequel to the Iliad. I personally like the Odyssey best because I find Odysseus's long journey home to be interesting and fascinating. Not only that (Spoiler alert!), but he was finally reunited with his family. The Iliad, however, is a great tale to read if you love learning about some of the heroes of Greek Mythology , and you are interested in learning about the Trojan War.

 

[tomipark]

The Iliad is better because of the actual history in it and I love learning about Greek history and culture

 

[Bryn]

I prefer the Odyssey as I live in Britain and it provides valuable information about Greek knowledge of Britain in the time of Homer [see Greek tin trade with Cornwall]. Although Homer transposes Scylla [ Skyllaros/'Hermit-Crab/Cancer/Amphitrite] to near Reggio in Calabria, this is because Leo's head looks like a sickle [ Greek Zancle/Messina ]. The Greek myth of
Odysseus being between Scylla and Charybdis relates to the Scilly Isles and the whirlpool Corryvrechan in the Hebrides between which lay Manannan,
the eponym of the Isle of Man. The Scilly Isles [Roman Scillonia; Sceolan in Irish myth] were famous in history for the practice of wrecking, whereby wreckers sought to wreck ships, killing the seamen/passengers and looting the cargo. This evidently goes back longer than currently appreciated. The Isle of Man also lay between the shrine of Kildare [ of Saint Brigid/goddess Brigid/Brigantia/Minerva Victoria/Athena Nike/Arne/Procris/Irish Uirne] and the Brigantes in Yorkshire. Penelope [Pelopia] is Brigantia [Frigg/Zemelo/Semele]
and Circe is Aphrodite [Freyja/Ino]
Telegonus is Hermaphroditus [Aphroditus]. Daire [Dryas/oak] is a name for Telipinu
[constellation Hercules] and the constellation Lyra is Ninlil/Belit/Athene/
Uaithne.
Kildare [Church of the Oak] lay in Leinster [Laigin; Welsh Lleyn].
Linus is Cycnus [Cygnus Constellation]. Bran [St Brendan] is the constellation Aquila [Danaus/Mercury]. St Finbarr/Fionnbharr [Manannan] links Cork
to Circe's Island. Arthur Pendragon [constellations Draco and Bootes/Arcturus] is Maeglocunos/Maelgwn GWYNEDD [St Gildas' 'Island Dragon']. Ursa Major/
Arktos [Halia/Leucothea] is Chester [Castra Deva/Dee].
Arcturus is the Latin form of Arktophylax,
meaning Bear-guard.Virgo is Demetia/
Dyfed and Morgannwg [Demeter/Morrigan].Coma Berenice is Brycheiniog [Brecknock/Brecon].
Canes Venatici was linked to Cuneglas
[constellation goes back to Ptolemy's Almagest].Gemini is Deira [Castor/Dryas/
Daire/Drust/Trystan] and Bernicia [Pollux].
Cepheus is Dumbarton.Cassiopeia is Stirling.Taurus is Manaw Gododdin.
Perseus and Algol are Fortriu/Fortrenn
[Peretur/Peredur/Percival] and Gwrginn/
Circinn [Gwrgi/Gorgon,later Angus].
Leo is Mercia [Mark/March].Isolde/Iseult/
Esyllt are the salt mines of Cheshire.
Gille da/Gildas is an epithet of Manannan.
Cape Belerion/Belerium is Land's End.
Bellerus is Balor [Sun-god/Sol/Etruscan Isul/Chimaereus/Chimaera/Caeneus/
Caenis/Bata/Khnum/Ganymede/Ganesha]. The Chimaera is Erichthonius'
serpent tail [Aquarius],a reflection of Leo in Perseus' reflective round shield [Kadmos/Catamitus] and Capricorn's head.
Bata [Ariestaeus],meaning ram god, castrated himself in the Egyptian tale of the two brothers [Anpu/Anubis and Bata] and then declares himself a woman.
Celtic Cernunnos is the eponym of the Cornovii and is Greek Actaeon [Iobates].
Bellerophon(tes) [Bellerus' killer] is Balor's killer Lug [Apollo/Ares/Cerne Abbas figure/Abas/Abzu/Geb/Lynceus].
Tory Island [Ynys Tor/Insula Taurus] is Taurus and Eithne [Athene] is the Hyades.
The Hyacinthides are the daughters of Hyacinthus [Mercury], the son of Hyas,
whilst the Hyades are the daughters of Hyas [Helios].
Dagda is probably Apollo, but is identified with Helios in the myth where he is the father of Brigid. Barry in Morgannwg is linked to Manannan Fionnbharr [Anu/Sin].
Morgan le Fay is Celtic Morrigan [Sea
Queen/Great Queen] and has the alternative names Badb [Coronis],
Macha [Andromache] and Nemain [ Nemetona/Grove goddess/Astarte/Demeter/Ceres/Libera/
Aditi/Inanna/Nemesis]. Morrigan was the wife of Mars Neit.
St David's [Thoth] and possibly Ynys Mon/Anglesey are also linked to the Moon god. St Gildas refers to Dumnonia [Damnonia/Dyfnaint/Devon] as a lioness
[Sekhmet/Aphrodite/Lyonesse,wife of Apollo/Abas/Ares].
Hippolyte [Hippolyta/Hera] was the daughter of Hippolytus [Saturn/Phaethon/Auriga].
It was standard in Greek myth for the daughter to be named after her father. Pelias [Cycnus/Lug/Lynceus] was the father of the Peleiades/Pleiades/
Nephthys . The errors in Greek myth stem from the one occasion I know of where a mother hands on her name to her son;
namely where Nyx [Sterope/raven] is the mother of Corax [Oenomaus/Odin/Moon-god], and this is unstated in the extant writings that survive.
I know this is a forum for Greek mythology, but to prove my thesis I should point out Norse Rerir is Re [Atum],
Waels [Volsung] is Aeolus/Aeetes [Aetius], Hljod is Hildr/Hilda [Athene/Brigid], Sigmund
[Sigemund/Lyncus/Cycnus/Schwan/Skane/Hreidmarr/Red Mars] is Lug Lamfada [Lleu Llaw Gyffes],Signy is Aphrodite,Siggeir [Geat/
Goat/Aegeus/Iskander/Alexander/
Triptolemus] is Hephaestus [Saturn],
Hunding is Orion [Arawn in Welsh myth/
Rudra/Vala in India/Norse Vali/Fafnir/Apophis],leader of the Wild Hunt
from the rear of his pack of foxhounds
[Hundings/Anubis/Gwyn ap Nudd/Odin];
Fitela [Fidelis]/Sinfjotli [product of incest,so in Christian times the Sin was added],Sigurd/Siegfried and Helgi Hundingsbane are all names for Hercules
[Loki/Lucifer].
The Hundings feuded with the Wulfings
[Lycus/Cronus/Beowulf/Bear/Ursa Minor/
Goths/Geats].
Beowulf [Siggeir] was the father of Thor.
Hel is Helle/Helice/Hera/Nephele [Gas cloud/methane that emanates from marsh]. Nephelim are will of the wisps.
Niflheim is Hell [Tartarus]. Valhalla is Vali's Hall. Niflheim is for cowards/deserters in battle.
Mercury [Enlil] was called El or El-Lel in ancient Syria-Palestine. Variations of Lel in Semitic languages today mean Night [Nycteus]. El presided over a council of the gods on Mount Lel. Yahweh [Yahu] is linked to Mount Zion on which his temple was built.
Odin [Odysseus/Manigarm/Hermanubis]
should be the son of Vili [Vali/Vala],the son of Bor [Boar/Ares] the son of Buri [Buriyas/Boreas/Adam],the son of the Sun god. Norse Ymir may be Greek Himeros/Himerus [Desire/Amour], and may correspond to Set [Ea-Nudimmud/Endymion/Ass/Homer].
In the volva's prophecy it is Fenrir [Cronus] that slays Odin [not Garm].
Sose or Sosis is an alternative name for Penelope [the mother of Pan/
Emathia/Emathion/Macedon].
Iasus was the brother of Pierus.
Persephone [Io], daughter of Minyas, is Phaedra, daughter of Minos [Iasus/Aegeus/Pan]. Amphion is Theseus.
Alcinoe [Nausicaa,only daughter of Alcinous] is Ino [Inanna]. Telemachus is Tammuz/Pan.
Iasion appears to be Eetion [Aeetes], so Jason must be different to Iasion.