author
active 4th century Smyrnaeus Quintus
Best known for carrying the story of Troy beyond the Iliad, this late antique Greek poet wrote a vivid sequel that helped preserve a whole stretch of mythic history. Though little is known for certain about his life, his surviving epic has kept his name alive for centuries.
1 Audiobook
The Fall of Troy
by active 4th century Smyrnaeus Quintus
About the author
Probably active in late antiquity and traditionally placed in the 4th century, Quintus Smyrnaeus was a Greek epic poet associated with Smyrna. He is known above all for the Posthomerica, a poem in 14 books that continues the Trojan War narrative from the funeral of Hector to the Greeks' departure after the sack of Troy.
Ancient biography is thin, so much of what can be said about him comes from the poem itself and from later scholarly tradition. He wrote in Homeric style and seems to have aimed at bridging the gap between the Iliad and the later parts of the Trojan legend, retelling stories such as those of Penthesileia, Memnon, Achilles' death, and the Wooden Horse.
For modern readers, his appeal lies in that unusual position: not the original Homer, but a gifted later poet preserving and reshaping the epic tradition. If you enjoy classical myth, lost corners of the Trojan cycle, or the afterlife of Greek epic, he is a fascinating guide.