Was Homer blind?

In the texts from Roman Period of 1st century BC (around 600 years later after Homeros), which tell the life of Homer, almost all characters are taken from the Iliad and the Odyssey. This shows us that even hundreds years later, for a biography of Homer the old biographies of ancient time are taken as a basis. In one biography from the 1st century B.C., the childhood of our poet in Smyrna (İzmir), his education and his rising career as a master poet are told. Since he was born on the side of Melenes River, he is called Melesigenes, and after his fame becomes wide, one seaman took Homer to his boat to sail all the Aegean Sea. This part of his biography is most probably taken from Odyssey. After he returns to Smyrna, he became both blind and a great poet. After that he went away from Smyrna back to Kyme, where he tried to survive as a poet. He took his name also there, because all blind people in this city called "Homeros". On the other hand, the etymological explanation "ho me horon", meaning "who doesn't see", is a false explanation.

The blindness of the poet is also described in the portraits since 460 B.C. Although we can't say anything certain about his blindness, it can be said that blind people, especially the folk poets, have a very deep and broad memory. Some Homer researchers claim that he got blind in the second part of his life.