Life The anonymous author of the Contest of Homer and Hesiod (Ἀγὼν Ὁμήρου καὶ Ἡσιόδου) is unknown. The work is a fictional prose narrative from the Roman Imperial period, specifically dated to the 2nd century CE [1][2]. It elaborates on an older tradition, noted by Herodotus, of a poetic competition between Homer and Hesiod. The compiler likely worked within the cultural milieu of the Second Sophistic, a period of revived interest in archaic Greek culture [3].

Works The sole identified work is the Contest of Homer and Hesiod. This prose narrative describes a fictional poetic competition between the two legendary poets, incorporating biographical anecdotes and samples of their verse [1][2].

Significance The Contest is a significant document in the history of literary biography and the reception of early Greek poetry. It preserves an early version of the "lives" of Homer and Hesiod, blending legend and fabricated excerpts [1][2]. Influential in antiquity and later periods, it reflects ancient debates about the poets' chronology and merit while exemplifying the literary tastes of the Roman Imperial era [3].

Sources 1. Perseus Digital Library (Tufts University): http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A2008.01.0645%3Asection%3D1 2. Encyclopædia Britannica: https://www.britannica.com/biography/Homer-Greek-poet 3. Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy: https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/hesiod/