Cite the epic in-text by writing the author's last name in parentheses. After the author's name, write the number of the book or canto from which you drew the information, a period and the line number you are citing. If the epic does not use books or cantos, simply write the line number. Use Arabic numerals even if the book uses Roman numerals; for instance, even though your translation of "The Inferno" might say "Canto XXVII," you would write "27." If you name the author in the body of the paragraph, do not name him again in the parentheses. For instance:
Astyanax does not recognize Hector when he wears his helmet (Homer 6.556-562).
Homer describes Astyanax's fear when the boy sees Hector wearing his helmet (6.556-562).
Write the title of the epic in place of the author's name if the epic is anonymous, but follow the same rules otherwise. For instance:
As a descendant of Cain, Grendel is related to "monsters and elves and the walking dead,/ And also those giants who fought against God" ("Beowulf" 112-113).
"Beowulf" states that Grendel is related to "monsters and elves and the walking dead,/ And also those giants who fought against God" (112-113).
Cite the epic in your bibliography by writing the author's last name, a comma and his first name. If he has only one name, such as Homer or Virgil, write only that name. If the epic is anonymous, do not write anything for the author. Write the italicized title of the epic followed by a period. Write "Ed." followed by the name of the editor and a period, then write "Trans." and the name of the translator, if any. Write the location of publication, a colon, the publisher, a comma, the year of publication and a period, then "Print." For instance:
Beowulf. Ed. and trans. Howell D. Chickering, Jr. New York, New York: Doubleday, 1977. Print.
Homer. The Iliad. Ed. Bernard Knox. Trans. Robert Fagles. New York, New York: Penguin Classics, 1990. Print.
Milton, John. Paradise Lost. Ed. William G. Madsen. New York, New York: Random House, 1969. Print.
Cite the epic in-text by writing the author's name, a comma, the year of your edition's publication, and the page you are citing in parentheses. If you mention the author's name in-text, write the year in parentheses after his name, but keep the page number at the end of the sentence. For instance:
Astyanax does not recognize Hector when he wears his helmet (Homer, 1990, p. 211).
Homer (1990) describes Astyanax's fear when the boy sees Hector wearing his helmet (p. 211).
Write the title of the epic in place of the author's name if the epic is anonymous, but follow the same rules otherwise. For instance:
As a descendant of Cain, Grendel is related to "monsters and elves and the walking dead,/ And also those giants who fought against God" ("Beowulf," 1977, p. 55).
"Beowulf" (1977) states that Grendel is related to "monsters and elves and the walking dead,/ And also those giants who fought against God" (p. 55).
Cite the epic in your bibliography by writing the author's last name, a comma and the author's first initial. If the author has only one name, such as Virgil or Homer, simply write the author's name. Write the year of publication in parentheses, then write the italicized title of the epic. In parentheses, write the editor's initial and last name followed by "Ed.", then the translator's initial and last name followed by "Trans." Write the location of publication, a colon and the publisher. For instance:
Homer. (1990). The Iliad. (B. Knox, Ed. R. Fagles, Trans.) New York, NY: Penguin Classics.
Milton, J. (1969). Paradise Lost. (W. G. Madsen, Ed.) New York, NY: Random House.
Cite an anonymous epic following the same rules, but put the epic's italicized title before the year of publication in place of the author. For instance:
Beowulf. (1977). (H.D. Chickering, Ed. and Trans.) New York, NY: Doubleday.