Here's why:
* Focus on Heroes: Epic poetry is renowned for celebrating the extraordinary feats and journeys of legendary heroes. Examples like Homer's *The Iliad* and *The Odyssey* showcase the bravery, cunning, and trials of heroes like Achilles and Odysseus.
* Grand Scale: Epic poems typically cover vast periods of time, explore grand themes like war, fate, and the human condition, and feature a wide cast of characters and mythical elements.
* Oral Tradition: Many epics were originally composed and passed down orally, making them ideal for storytelling and celebrating heroic deeds.
* Dramatic Narrative: Epic poems often feature vivid descriptions of battles, voyages, and trials, using dramatic language and imagery to capture the epic nature of the hero's deeds.
While other genres like tragedies (e.g., Sophocles' *Oedipus Rex*) might also portray heroic figures, their focus is often on the consequences of fate, human flaws, and the tragic downfall of their heroes.
Therefore, epic poetry stands out as the most fitting genre for celebrating the deeds of a great hero in ancient Greek literature.