Homerathon: A display of manuscripts and early printed editions of Homer's Iliad and Odyssey

View a selection of papyri and early printed books containing Homer’s great epic poems, the Iliad and the Odyssey, presented in both the original Greek and in translation. This event is part of the semester-long Homerathon, a celebration of Homer’s Odyssey that benefits the Shelter Association of Washtenaw County and the members of our community it serves.

In the words of Brittany Prendergraft, PhD candidate in Classical Studies and organizer of the Homerathon:

 "Why have the homeless wanderings and struggles of Odysseus in Homer’s Odyssey captivated us for millennia yet we typically ignore those same experiences of members of our own communities? Everyday we walk past human beings also in need of a nostos, or a return home, who are fighting battles against their own oppressive forces, but these are not stories we stop to hear. We want to use our love for the Odyssey to do good for our local community, so we are creating a Homerathon for the Winter 2026 semester. It is our hope that we can take advantage of the hype surrounding the upcoming Christopher Nolan Odyssey film to do good for the community and for our field."

Join us (on the 6th floor of Hatcher) for Third Thursdays at the Library, a themed monthly open house where we share materials from our collections. While you’re here, pick up a passport and collect a stamp from each of the four Third Thursday Open Houses — Asia Library, Clark Library, International Studies, and Special Collections Research Center — to win a prize!