Other uses for astronomy.

www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/06/080623175435.htm

JMP

Interesting. These guys think they have nailed the date of the fall of Troy by astronomical events. Thanks for posting JMP.

Homer flourished around 850 BC.

Troy fell around 1200 BC.

350 years is a long time....and a lot of eclipses...and a lot of embellished stories.

Virtually all ancient "big" stories are accompanied by astronomical events,real or imagined. (Including the birth and death of Christ.)

I 've checked my greek text of Odyssey.
The lines given at Jared's link are clearly describing a total eclipse of the Sun
in a very strong and beautifull poetic language:



It is for the historians to decide if this is a real event that happened to real people,
or it is an artistic conception to add to a thrilling story, in order to make a stunning effect.

Thanks Vagelis,

All the way from Greece itself, from "The Horse's Mouth".

(But not from a "Wooden Horse" of course!)