I've heard that the ancient Greeks had no word for "blue" and make no mention of the color anywhere in their literature. Is this true?

by CunningAllusionment
Celebreth

Not particularly. A quick example off the top of my head (I just finished translating the Iliad a few months ago, when someone asked this same question) is the word "κύανος" (pronounced "kuanos," the o is short, as in "toss," and which is the root of "cyan.") It's used not only in Homer (Iliad and Odyssey), but also in Lucian, Plato, Aelian, Philostratus, Hesiod, etc. If you'd like more words, such as "βένετος" (pronounced "benetos," the o is again short, as in "toss," and it literally means "blue"), feel free to check out this handy word list of blue words.