Homer (Greek Homeros, "hostage" or "one who is obliged to follow" is deemed to be a bard (poet) in the late eighth century BC. It was simply called "the Poet" by the Ancients. The first two works of Western literature are the Iliad and the Odyssey are attributed to him. It is still difficult today to establish with certainty whether Homer was a historical person or a constructed identity, and if it is the author of two famous epics that are at the foundation of Western literature. However several Ionian cities (Chios, Smyrna, Colophon or Cumae) disputed the origin of the bard and tradition individualisait repeating that Homer was blind. Place of Homer in Greek literature is quite major as alone represents the epic genre in this period: the Iliad and the Odyssey are attributed him from the sixth century BC. BC, as well as two comic poems, the Batrachomyomachia (literally "battle of frogs and rats") and the Margites, and the poems of the Homeric Hymns. Homeric language is an archaic language already in the eighth century BC. BC and even more when setting the text in the sixth century BC. BC: it is associated with the use of dactylic hexameter. L'Iliade (en grec ancien Ilias, en grec moderne Iliada) est une epopee de la Grece antique attribuee a l'aede Homere. Ce nom provient de la periphrase le poeme d'Ilion he Ilias poiesis), Ilion Ilion) etant l'autre nom de la ville de Troie. L'Iliade est composee de quinze mille trois cent trente-sept hexametres dactyliques et, depuis l'epoque hellenistique, divisee en vingt-quatre chants. Le texte a probablement ete compose entre 850 et 750 av.J.-C. (dates deja mentionnees par Herodote), soit quatre siecles apres la periode a laquelle les historiens font correspondre la guerre mythique qu'il relate. Il n'a ete fixe par ecrit que sous Pisistrate, au VIesiecle av.J.-C. Le theme de l'epopee est la guerre de Troie dans laquelle s'affrontent les Acheens venus de toute la Grece et les Troyens et leurs allies, chaque camp etant soutenu par diverses divinites comme Athena, Poseidon ou Apollon. Apres un siege de dix ans, le sort des armes hesite encore dans de multiples combats collectifs ou individuels ou s'illustrent des figures comme Ajax, Hector ou Patrocle. Finalement les Acheens l'emportent grace a la victoire d'Achille qui tue le chef troyen en combat singulier."