The reputed author of both the Odyssey and its prequel, the Iliad, is the enigmatic Greek poet Homer . Although no biographical details have been discovered, he is believed to have been an historical figure whose poems were transmitted in song, following the Ancient Greek oral tradition. T. E. Lawrence (1888-1935) was a British scholar and military officer, also known by the names T.E. Shaw and Lawrence of Arabia. He is best known for his legendary war activities in the Middle East during World War I and for his book on the conflict The Seven Pillars of Wisdom .

He is also celebrated as one of the major letter writers of his generation and for his prose translation of the Odyssey.