My understanding is that Homer was very popular, among Greeks, long before Aristotle came on the scene. There is a long line of celebrated authors down the centuries who claim that they owe everything to Homer.

They say that there are no new plots. They have all been done. They only get reinterpreted. Homer was the first to write them down, or dictate them. He got them from the storytellers who came before him.

I must confess that have never really read Homer, yet I am familiar with the stories. When and where I ever first heard them, I no longer remember. It is probably best to read them aloud. There is something about epic poetry that demands the spoken word. It is like music. We love to hear it, but not many enjoy reading scores. The magic is in the sound, and the rhythm, and the meaning.

To me, the Greek language has an extremely beautiful sound; even the modern Greek_ and even though, I do not know it, and can not read or speak it, I feel when I hear it spoken, that I understand what is being said. Most likely I do not at all, I only think I do.