His book shows how for centuries, the Greeks, Romans, and later the Europeans were affected by the works of Homer. His poems were taught to the Greeks as part of their heritage. Herodotus gives a history about Homer. Socrates quotes him. Plato and Aristotle mention him.
Homer permeates every part of the Greek civilization.
After conquering Greece, Romans translated Homer's works into Latin, and eventually these became just as important in Rome as they had been in Greece. Many Latin writers copied his style. One Latin writer, Virgil wrote the Aeneid , which is based on The Iliad and The Odyssey . It tells what happens to the Trojans after the war, which is something Homer does not do. Although Homer declined when Rome did, his writings were rediscovered in the fourteenth century AD and became influential once more.