| A | B |
|---|
| Homer | Author of the Illiad and The Odyssey who lived around 800 B.C. |
| Trojan Horse | Allowed the Greeks to finally win their war against Troy. |
| Epic | A long, narrative poem that tells about the adventures of a hero and that reflects the ideals of a nation or race. It contains truth, but is imaginary. |
| Heroic Tradition | Sets standards on the value of man's honor. |
| Epic Hero | A larger-than-life figure, usually male, who embodies teh ideals of a nation or race. He has long, dangerous adventures and accomplishes great deeds with superhuman strength. He also has flaws. |
| Epic (Homeric) Simile | an elaborate, more involved version of a regular simile. It is used in literature for emphasis. |
| Epic (Homeric) Epithets | Brief, descriptive phrases that help characterize a particular person or thing. Often the epithet has the correct meter, or number of syllables, to fill out a line |
| Odyssey | An epic poem describing the ten years wandering of Odysseus in returning to Ithaca after the trojan war. Today, this term also describes any long series of wanderings. |
| Archetype | A device or plot structure that is repeated in many stories. |
| Hero Cycle | A process where the hero undergoes separation, transformation, and return. Each stage must be completed successfully if one is to become heroic. |
