Analyzing the social networks of Homer's Iliad and Odyssey

In recent years complex networks have been used to model a plethora of systems, many of which lie outside the traditional realm of science. One such example is using social networks to analyze and compare epic and medieval literature. In this chapter, the social networks of Homer’s Iliad and Odyssey will be constructed, compared, and merged to assess the relations between them. Their social networks will then be compared to Virgil’s Aeneid which was heavily inspired by Homer’s work. From the structure of the social networks, we identify differences between the Iliad and Odyssey, in part due to the static location of the Iliad compared to other epics. When merging the two epics, we find that they are not easily separated by their network properties. Instead, we find it easier to separate the Trojan characters from Greek ones in the amalgamated network telling us how much separation there is between those two communities in Homer’s work. Finally, we then find that the social network of the Aeneid has a highly similar network structure to the Odyssey in particular demonstrating the influence Homer had on Virgil.