The Homeric simile is a longer version of a normal simile used in literature to compare two things, often likening human actions to natural elements. It was first used by Homer in poems such as the Iliad and the Odyssey and has been used by poets such as Virgil and Dante Alighieri. The simile adds ornamentation and deeper meaning to the text and is not to be confused with a metaphor. Homer used more subtle similes than Virgil to enhance profound moments and highlight special characters.
A Homeric simile is a longer version of a normal simile. It is a direct comparison of two things including characters, actions and nature. Being longer, the Homeric simile may compare a person or action to more than one thing, or it may lengthen the comparison. It was first used by Homer in poems such as the Iliad and the Odyssey. It is also called the epic simile and has been used ever since by poets such as Virgil and Dante Alighieri.
Similarities are comparisons of two things. It is a rhetorical figure often used in literature to add ornamentation to the more direct sentences of everyday speech. The similarity connects the target with what is compared to the use of words such as “like”, “like” and “that”. Examples include “He sang like the screeching brakes of a bicycle” or “His leg snapped like a match.”
Every Homeric simile begins with an initial comparison. This is then extracted into secondary comparisons, which add deeper meanings. The overall Homeric simile tends to last from four to six lines. These similes tend to liken a human character or action to something natural. This natural element can be an animal like a lion or an eagle, or it can be a phenomenon like a storm or waterfall, or it can be something more divine.
The Homeric simile should not be confused with a metaphor. A metaphor is a direct substitution of one thing for another. Epic similes directly compare two things side by side. They are used as an ornament in poetry and to draw attention to the person or action being described. Virgil, in his “Aeneid”, gives a good example of Homeric simile:
“So often when a riot has arisen in a large crowd
and the common crowd rages in their souls;
and now torches and stones fly, and frenzy supplies the weapons;
then, if by chance they saw any man
important in loyalty and services, they are silent and stand with their ears raised;
that man governs their minds with words and calms their hearts”.
Homer and Dante used more subtle similes than Virgil. Virgil’s, like this comparison of Neptune with an orator, is direct and devoid of subtlety. Homer used his similes to enhance profound moments and to add depth. An example in the Iliad is where he compares Menelaus to a wild beast. The analogy provokes specific imaginations in the mind of the reader/listener, so he or she literally imagines Menelaus as a wild beast on the hunt for Paris.
The function of the Homeric simile is to inject lyrical artifice into the poem when the poet is describing something prosaic. The effect is also to use symbolism to add a deeper meaning to that person or action. He also used it to highlight special characters. For example, Homer used epic similes to introduce and reintroduce Agamemnon whenever he entered the fray.
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