Triumvir Clio

Greek Tragedy XIV: Sophocles’s Electra, or Not Your Aeschylus’s Electra

I think this is the first time we’ve encountered two different tellings of the same myth. We’re revisiting the story of how Orestes and Electra seek revenge on their mother. We’ve already seen how Aeschylus tells the story. Later we’ll see how Euripides handles it. Today, however, we get Sophocles’s take on it. Discussion PromptsContinue reading “Greek Tragedy XIV: Sophocles’s Electra, or Not Your Aeschylus’s Electra”

Greek Myth VI: Hymns to Demeter, or Why We Have Winter

There are two Hymns to Demeter among the Homeric Hymns (#2 & #13). Hymn #2 is my favorite. Hymn #13 is… short. The myth told in #2 was one of the inspirations for my favorite of Bernini’s sculptures, found in the Museo Borghese in Rome. If you don’t know about Bernini, well, in this wonderfulContinue reading “Greek Myth VI: Hymns to Demeter, or Why We Have Winter”

Greek Epics XIV: Iliad Book 13, Featuring not One But Two Ajaxes!

Little Ajax finally gets a chance to shine! Okay, Big Ajax does, too. This is a grisly book, but you’ll have to read it yourself in order to enjoy all of the descriptions. Discussion Prompts Are the gods ruled by fate? Why or why not? Who is your favorite character at this point? Why? HektorContinue reading “Greek Epics XIV: Iliad Book 13, Featuring not One But Two Ajaxes!”

Greek Comedy XI: Aristophanes’s The Frogs, or Let’s Make Fun of All the Tragedians

I love this play. And even more than I love this play, I love Stephen Sondheim’s version of it. For the record: It was performed in a swimming pool. Which is brilliant. And funny. And I have a hard time reading the original Aristophanes without trying to fit the songs to Sondheim’s melodies. Discussion PromptsContinue reading “Greek Comedy XI: Aristophanes’s The Frogs, or Let’s Make Fun of All the Tragedians”

The Power of Myth II: The Message of the Myth, or I’ll Show You My Story if You Show Me Yours

In the second episode of The Power of Myth, Campbell speaks about creation myths, technology, and bliss. And a lot of other stuff, too. Discussion Prompts Where do you find your bliss? What’s your favorite movie about technology? What’s your favorite “urban legend”/modern myth?

Greek Epics XIII: Iliad Book 12, or Yup, They’re Still Fighting

We’ve finished Book 12! We’re officially half-way through the Iliad, at least if you count by books. Discussion Prompts What’s your favorite bird sign? Why? Who do you think is the “hero” of this book? Why? Why do you think there are so many “snow” similes? Who’s your favorite character in this book? Why?

Greek Tragedy XIII: Sophocles’s Oedipus Rex, Or You May Have Heard About His Odd Complex

You have probably heard about Oedipus before. And I do love this play. And I love how it is infiltrated popular culture. The hilarious Frasier episode parodying it aired when I was in college, and I remember Maria (AKA Triumvir Callirhoe) and I watching it in stitches. I can’t find a free place for youContinue reading “Greek Tragedy XIII: Sophocles’s Oedipus Rex, Or You May Have Heard About His Odd Complex”

Greek Myth V: Hymns to Dionysos, or Not Quite the God You Were Expecting

In this episode, we start working our way through the collection of poems known as the Homeric Hymns. And since Hymn 1 is about Dionysos, we start with the three hymns dedicated to him. And the god we see in these hymns probably isn’t quite what you imagine when you think of the god ofContinue reading “Greek Myth V: Hymns to Dionysos, or Not Quite the God You Were Expecting”

Greek Epics XII: Iliad Book 11, or You Get an Aristeia and You Get an Aristeia and You Get an Aristeia!

All right, so technically there’s only one aristeia in Book 11, but it feels like there are more than that. For a fun explanation of what an aristeia is, check out this post on Greek Myth Comix. Discussion Prompts Who is the nicer guy: Patroklos or Hektor? Defend your choice. I didn’t discuss what Nestor and PatroklosContinue reading “Greek Epics XII: Iliad Book 11, or You Get an Aristeia and You Get an Aristeia and You Get an Aristeia!”

Greek Comedy X: Aristophanes’s Women at the Thesmophoria, or Let’s Make Fun of Euripides

Thesmophoriazusae or Women at the Thesmophoria or The Poet and the Women is not as famous as Lysistrat, but it is another gynocentric comedy by Aristophanes. Discussion Prompts: How progressive/subversive/pick your modifier do you think this play is? Why? If you were directing this play, what time period would you set it in? Why? Who is theContinue reading “Greek Comedy X: Aristophanes’s Women at the Thesmophoria, or Let’s Make Fun of Euripides”