如果对作者进行追本溯源，荷马毫无疑问是西方文学早期最有影响力的作者。我们对他的认识却极其有限。他看似无可言说，却又必须言说。从作者角色论看荷马，不是为了论证“谁是荷马”，而是要回答“荷马是什么”，要说明荷马的作者角色及其启发和意义。荷马奠定了神启者、漂泊者和辩护者的作者角色。他为文学如何应对时间树立了典范，也成就了作者的不朽。文学作者能够享受到的荣耀和可能的遭遇，在荷马身上，都能看到预兆。荷马的作者角色具有多重意义。

If we trace to the origin of the author,Homer is undoubtedly the most influential author in the early stage of the western literatureHowever,we know so little of the poetIt seems that there is nothing to prove his existence but there is a necessity to illustrate his existenceA perspective from the role of the author is not to prove “Who Is Homer”,but to answer the question “What Is Homer”,and to interpret the roles of Homer as an author and the relevant inspiration and enlightenmentHomer set up the basic roles of the author as a diviner,wanderer and defenderHe defined time in literature and coined the sense of eternity of the authorHomer predicted the glories and misfortunes that a literary author could possibly encounterHomer's definition of the author is of multiple significance