Selected rhapsodies of Homer's 'Iliad' will be read out in modern Greek at the courtyard of the Acropolis Museum on Friday, at a free event for World Poetry Day held by national broadcaster ERT's Third Program.

The event, from 09:00 to 21:00, will be broadcast live by the Third Program.

A total of 12 of the 24 rhapsodies will be read in a modern Greek translation by National & Kapodistrian University of Athens students of the Classical Philology Department. Alternate professor of ancient Greek philology Vassilis Vertoudakis has overseen the language editing, while the students have received speech coaching.

Part of the first rhapsody will be read by Acropolis Museum director and professor Nikolaos Stampolidis, while Rhapsody 16 wlil be accompanied by music on an ancient lyre, played by Nikos Xanthoulis.

Homer's epic story of the siege of Troy, the oldest of European literature's epics, is dated to around 750 BC and records the myths, values, and ideals of pre-classical antiquity. It was part of the oral poetry tradition and was meant to be recited at major Athenian festivals and elsewhere in the Hellenic world.

Live streaming: https://www.ertecho.gr/radio/trito/.