Epic Cycle

The Iliad and The Odyssey are what we consider to be the story of the Trojan War; the Epic Cycle also dealt with this momentous event in the form of poetic epics and lays that filled in certain details on which The Iliad and The Odyssey neglected to elaborate; usually referred to as The Trojan Cycle.

Also included in the Epic Cycle is the Theban Cycle and other fragmented references such as: the War of the Titans, the Story of Oedipus, the Thebais, the Epigoni, the Kypria (Cypria), the Aethiopis (Aithiopis), the Little Iliad, the Sack of Ilion (Troy), the Returns and Theogony.

The Epic Cycle has come down to us in fragments but it still captures the spirit and drama of the interaction of the heroes and the Immortals in shaping the Greek culture.

For the complete translations of the Epic Cycle, I recommend the Loeb Classical Library volume 57, ISBN 0674990633; you can sometimes find this book at the library or you can order it from the Book Shop on this site which is linked to Amazon.com.