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<p>[QUOTE="Curtisimo, post: 5374125, member: 83845"]Homer being blind is only one of the traditions and I included it in my write up because it is the most popularly known, though not necessarily the oldest or most definitive in all locations. Pseudo-Plutarch says Homer got his name because he chose to follow (homerein) a group of settlers when they abandoned the colony of Smyrna. I’ve also read that his name was associated with “homeros” meaning hostage or pledge because he was either captured or made a slave at some point in his life.</p><p><br /></p><p>As to a possible meaning for the scroll, Pseudo-Herodotus says that Homer’s mother Kritheis married a teacher from Smyrna named Phemius, who adopted and taught Homer. In Smyrna, Homer became a famous teacher before he decided to take up a career as a poet according to this story. Maybe this shows him composing his poetry before he became blind? Or a way to represent the fact that his poems were written down?</p><p><br /></p><p>In my research there seemed to be as many ancient legends about Homer as their were Greek cities that wanted to associate themselves with him. It was a fun coin to study. So much so that I started reading the Odyssey again.</p><p><br /></p><p>I can’t say for sure what all the reasons for the reverse being identified as Homer are but I would think that with the testimony of Strabo that Smyrna had bronze coins of this time showing Homer we are on firmer footing saying these coins are of Homer than we are of many of the attributions for other subjects that are commonly accepted. I would be interested if anyone knows any other details on the identification of these with Homer?[/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>
[QUOTE="Curtisimo, post: 5374125, member: 83845"]Homer being blind is only one of the traditions and I included it in my write up because it is the most popularly known, though not necessarily the oldest or most definitive in all locations. Pseudo-Plutarch says Homer got his name because he chose to follow (homerein) a group of settlers when they abandoned the colony of Smyrna. I’ve also read that his name was associated with “homeros” meaning hostage or pledge because he was either captured or made a slave at some point in his life. As to a possible meaning for the scroll, Pseudo-Herodotus says that Homer’s mother Kritheis married a teacher from Smyrna named Phemius, who adopted and taught Homer. In Smyrna, Homer became a famous teacher before he decided to take up a career as a poet according to this story. Maybe this shows him composing his poetry before he became blind? Or a way to represent the fact that his poems were written down? In my research there seemed to be as many ancient legends about Homer as their were Greek cities that wanted to associate themselves with him. It was a fun coin to study. So much so that I started reading the Odyssey again. I can’t say for sure what all the reasons for the reverse being identified as Homer are but I would think that with the testimony of Strabo that Smyrna had bronze coins of this time showing Homer we are on firmer footing saying these coins are of Homer than we are of many of the attributions for other subjects that are commonly accepted. I would be interested if anyone knows any other details on the identification of these with Homer?[/QUOTE]
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