Which work is by Homer and is one of the earliest Greek epics?

• A. Iliad
• B. Aeneid
• C. Metamorphoses
• D. Oresteia

Answer: (A)

Understanding Greek epic poetry and its earliest surviving works helps explain this choice. The work by Homer that stands as one of the earliest Greek epics is the Iliad. Dated to the early centuries of Greek literature, it unfolds a dramatic episode from the Trojan War and uses the grand, expansive style, gods, and heroic feats characteristic of early epic poetry. Its form—long narrative, elevated language, and formulas typical of oral storytelling—helps anchor it as a foundational example of Greek epic.

The other works come from different literary traditions: the Aeneid is a Latin epic by Virgil about Rome’s founding, not Greek; the Metamorphoses is a Roman poem by Ovid weaving myths; and the Oresteia is a tragedy trilogy by Aeschylus about the house of Atreus, not an epic poem. So, the Iliad best fits the description.