The Iliad, attributed to the ancient Greek poet Homer and composed around the 8th century BCE, is one of the earliest and most influential works of ancient Greek epic poetry. Written in dactylic hexameter, the poem recounts a pivotal episode of the Trojan War, focusing on the wrath of Achilles and exploring themes of honor, fate, heroism, and divine intervention. As a foundational text of Greek literature and Western civilization, The Iliad provides essential insight into Mycenaean-era warfare, ancient Greek values, and mythological tradition, and remains central to the study of classical history and epic narrative.

The Odyssey, attributed to the ancient Greek poet Homer and composed around the 8th century BCE, is a foundational work of ancient Greek literature and epic poetry. Written in dactylic hexameter, the poem follows the long journey of Odysseus as he struggles to return home after the Trojan War, confronting monsters, temptations, and the will of the gods. Exploring themes of cunning intelligence (mētis), perseverance, identity, hospitality (xenia), and divine justice, The Odyssey is a vital source for understanding Greek mythology, heroic values, and early narrative tradition, and it remains a cornerstone of Western literary history.

Theogony, written by the ancient Greek poet Hesiod around 700 BCE, is a foundational epic poem that explains the origins of the gods and the creation of the cosmos in Greek mythology. Composed in dactylic hexameter, Theogony traces the genealogy of the divine beings from Chaos through the rise of the Olympian gods, culminating in the reign of Zeus. As one of the earliest systematic mythological texts, Hesiod’s Theogony is essential for understanding Greek cosmology, divine hierarchy, and early Greek religious thought, and it remains a cornerstone of archaic Greek literature and mythography.

Works and Days, composed by the ancient Greek poet Hesiod around 700 BCE, is a didactic epic poem that combines mythology, moral instruction, and practical guidance for everyday life in archaic Greece. Written in dactylic hexameter, the poem addresses themes such as justice (dikē), hard work, agriculture, and human suffering, while recounting key myths including Pandora and the Ages of Man. Works and Days is a crucial source for understanding early Greek ethics, agrarian society, and religious worldview, making it a cornerstone of archaic Greek literature and ancient Greek moral philosophy.

The Epic Cycle is a collection of now-lost ancient Greek epic poems composed between roughly the 8th and 6th centuries BCE, which together narrated the full mythological history of the Trojan War beyond The Iliad and The Odyssey. Attributed to various poets, the Epic Cycle included works such as the Cypria, Aethiopis, Little Iliad, Sack of Troy, Nostoi, and Telegony, covering events from the origins of the war to the final fates of its heroes. Known today primarily through later summaries and fragments, the Epic Cycle is essential for understanding Greek mythological tradition, early epic poetry, and the broader narrative context of Homeric literature.

The Homeric Hymns are a collection of ancient Greek religious poems composed between the 7th and 5th centuries BCE, traditionally attributed to Homer but now understood to be the work of multiple anonymous poets. Written in dactylic hexameter, the same poetic meter as the Iliad and the Odyssey, these hymns celebrate the Olympian gods—such as Apollo, Demeter, Hermes, Aphrodite, and Zeus—by recounting their origins, divine powers, and mythological deeds. The Homeric Hymns are a foundational source for Greek mythology, early Greek religion, and archaic Greek literature, offering critical insights into ritual practices, cult worship, and the development of epic poetry in ancient Greece.

Poems of Sappho, composed by the lyric poet Sappho of Lesbos in the late 7th to early 6th century BCE, are among the most influential works of ancient Greek literature. Preserved largely in fragments, Sappho’s poetry is renowned for its intimate voice, emotional intensity, and innovative lyric form, exploring themes of love, desire, beauty, devotion, and personal experience. The Poems of Sappho are foundational to the study of Greek lyric poetry, gender and emotion in antiquity, and the development of Western poetic tradition.

Poems of Bacchylides, composed by the Greek lyric poet Bacchylides in the early 5th century BCE, is a significant body of choral lyric poetry closely associated with the tradition of Pindar. The poems include epinician odes celebrating athletic victories as well as mythological narratives that emphasize moderation, divine justice, and human limitation. Valued for their clarity, elegance, and narrative style, the Poems of Bacchylides are essential for understanding classical Greek lyric poetry, athletic culture, and religious thought in the early classical period.

The Odes, composed by the Greek lyric poet Pindar in the early 5th century BCE, is a collection of choral lyric poems celebrating athletic victories, aristocratic virtue, and divine favor. Best known for the Olympian, Pythian, Nemean, and Isthmian odes, the work blends mythology, praise (encomium), and moral reflection, emphasizing ideals such as aretē (excellence), honor, and the limits of human achievement. The Odes are central to understanding Greek lyric poetry, ancient athletics, and religious culture, and remain a cornerstone of classical Greek literature and performance tradition.