I suppose that begs the question, who was ancient Greece's Homer Simpson?

Simpson, eh? I'll remember that name!

Ergo, Matt Groening.

I always found it relevant that in Spanish-dubs they translate the name of Homer to "Homero" which would be basically how you would refer to the classic author rather than to some american layman. (as if e.g. in France I translated Homer as Homère instead of plainly Homer).