A researcher has found a 1,700-year-old fragment of Homer’s Odyssey tucked inside a Dutch library’s collection of ancient manuscripts. Mark de Kreij, a Greek literature expert and professor at Radboud University in the Netherlands, spotted the torn piece of parchment while studying early Christian manuscripts that Utrecht University purchased in the mid-20th century.
The fragment is from Book 12 of the epic, the section where Zeus curses Odysseus’ men for killing and eating Helios’ sacred cattle. De Kreij recognized the text as a passage from Homer’s work while looking through a collection of Egyptian and Greek texts.
The Fragment’s Size
The parchment is small — only about 2.6 by 3 inches (6.6 by 7.7 centimeters). It contains verses that describe the moment Helios discovers his cattle have been killed and eaten by Odysseus’ crew.
The fragment likely came from a parchment codex dating to the third or fourth century A.D. from the Fayum (also spelled Faiyum or Fayoum) oasis in Egypt. Only about 30 similar fragments have ever been discovered.
What the Passage Describes
The scene in Book 12 follows Odysseus and his men arriving at Thrinacia, the island of Helios. They have survived Scylla, the six-headed monster, and Charybdis, the monstrous whirlpool. Odysseus had been warned by the goddess Circe to avoid the island.
Eurylochus, Odysseus’ right-hand man, begs the captain to let the crew land and find food. Odysseus agrees, but only on the condition that no cattle are harmed. After a month of storms and dwindling food supplies, Eurylochus and the men break that promise.
They kill and eat Helios’ immortal cattle. Helios, the sun god, asks the gods to take vengeance on the crew. Zeus responds by destroying their ship, killing everyone except Odysseus.
A Second Year of Finds
This discovery marks the second time this year that a fragment from a Homeric epic has been found unexpectedly. In the spring, archaeologists in Egypt discovered papyrus fragments of the Iliad inside a Roman-era mummy.
Both epics were composed in the late eighth or early seventh century B.C. The Iliad details the legendary Trojan War, while the Odyssey describes Odysseus’ 10-year journey from Troy back to Ithaca.
How the Fragment Survived
De Kreij said the fragment may have survived because it came from the middle of the pocket-size Odyssey and was protected by other pages. He told RTV Utrecht that there are so many boring parts in the epic.
“This happens to be a really fun passage.”
The fragment ended up in the larger collection of old Egyptian texts, though it is unknown how it got there.
A Long Study Process
De Kreij first discovered the fragment in 2024. His full study of the university library’s collection of Greco-Roman texts from Egypt will be published soon as a book titled “Hieratic, Demotic, Greek, and Coptic Texts in the Utrecht University Collection.”
Related Homeric Finds
The discovery comes alongside other recent Homeric-related news. A gold death mask once thought to be evidence of the Trojan War was identified as the Mask of Agamemnon. A stunningly preserved Roman-era mosaic in the UK depicts Trojan War stories, though not the ones told by Homer. A 2,400-year-old sculpture shows Sleep and Death carrying away Zeus’ son during the Trojan War.
The Scholar Behind the Find
De Kreij is a Greek literature expert and professor at Radboud University. He found the fragment while studying a collection of texts that the Utrecht University library purchased in the mid-20th century. The university issued a Sept. 14 statement announcing the discovery.
The Passage’s Place in the Epic
Book 12 of the Odyssey is a turning point. Odysseus has survived the worst of his journey, but this episode shows that his troubles are far from over. The destruction of his ship is a reminder that the gods are watching, and that defiance comes at a price.
The fragment captures the moment of reckoning. Helios demands vengeance, and Zeus delivers it. Everyone dies except Odysseus, who survives to continue his long journey home.
The Fragment’s Journey
The fragment traveled a long road to get to Utrecht. It was produced in Egypt, then somehow made its way into a collection of texts purchased by the university. It remained unnoticed for decades until de Kreij’s trained eye recognized it.
The fragment is a small piece with big significance. It connects a Dutch university library to the ancient world, to the poets and scribes who copied Homer’s work across generations.
The fact that it was found by chance, in a collection assembled decades ago, speaks to the unpredictable nature of scholarship. Researchers often spend years searching for specific texts only to find them accidentally.
A Delightful Surprise
The discovery is a delight. It is a small piece of parchment, but it carries a big story. The Odyssey is one of the greatest works of Western literature, and finding a fragment from it is a rare privilege.
The fragment shows that the epic was circulating in Egypt in the third or fourth century A.D. It was part of a pocket edition, a format designed for portable reading. That suggests the epic was widely read and valued across the Mediterranean.
The fragment is a reminder of the enduring power of Homer’s work. It has survived for 1,700 years, and it continues to capture the imagination of readers today.
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