Category Archives: Greek Epics

Today we wrap up the Greek Epics course. We covered a lot of themes over the course of the Iliad, the Odyssey, and the Argonautica. They include, but aren’t limited to, honor and glory, life and death, family, coming of age, war and peace, fate, and the gods. I have one question for you today.Continue reading “Greek Epics LIV: Humanism in Greek Epics”

Medea rocks, and I finally let loose on the Homer comparisons. Discussion Prompts Medea or Jason? Why? Which translation did you read? Pros? Cons? Would you recommend it? What role does divine intervention play in this epic? Does it help or hurt the story? What do you think of where the Argonautica ends? Is anyoneContinue reading “Greek Epics LIII: Argonautica Book 4, or Who is the Real Hero?”

Long before the events she’s most famous for, Medea was just a girl, looking at a boy, telling him she loved him. Discussion Prompts Do you think the story would turn out differently if Medea hadn’t been shot by Eros? Why/how or why not/how not? What is the importance of Chalciope’s relationship to Telamon andContinue reading “Greek Epics LII: Argonautica Book 3, or How Medea Met Jason”

The Argonauts continue their journey in Book 2 of the Argonautica. Discussion Prompts AP Credit: Compare/Contrast Herodotus and Book 2 of the Argonautica. What does the character of Phineas tell us about age versus youth? In Book 1, the Argo lost three crew members. In Book 2, it gains seven new ones. Is that enoughContinue reading “Greek Epics LI: Argonautica Book 2, or I Don’t Think We’re in Greece Anymore”

In today’s episode, we join Jason and a bunch of his friends as they set off in their boat, the Argo, in Apollonius of Rhodes’s The Argonautica. Discussion Prompts AP Credit: Discuss the women presented in Book 1 of the Argonautica. AP Credit: Compare/Contrast Pelias and Oedipus. What do you think the history is behind theContinue reading “Greek Epics L: Apollonius of Rhodes & Argonautica Book 1, or Meet the Crew”

In today’s episode, we reach the end of Odysseus’s journey. I first learned about Martin Guerre from the musical and was amazed to learn that it was based on a real case. The musical is by the same duo that wrote Les Misérables and Miss Saigon. You can listen to the entire cast album onContinue reading “Greek Epics XLIX: Odyssey Book 24, or The Return of Martin Guerre”

Penelope tests the stranger in Book 23 of The Odyssey. Discussion Prompts Is Book 23 really the end? Why or why not? Should Odysseus have gotten help from the rest of Ithaka to oust the suitors? Why or why not? Is the scar really a good sign that the stranger is Odysseus? Why or whyContinue reading “Greek Epics XLVIII: Odyssey Book 23, or Reunited and It Feels So Good”

The suitors get their comeuppance in the bloodiest book of The Odyssey. Discussion Prompts Athena helps, but not really. Discuss. Why isn’t Zeus mad? Do the maids deserve to be executed? Why or why not? Does Melanthios deserve his punishment? Why or why not? AP Credit: Justice or vengeance? Discuss.

If Odysseus is this good with a bow, Teukros must be amazing…  But then, Teukros isn’t in The Odyssey… Discussion Prompts AP Credit: Why is Herakles suddenly a contemporary of Odysseus? What do you think about Telemakhos is this book? Explain. AP Credit: Odysseus the bard. And… Go! Does Penelope know that the beggar is Odysseus? WhyContinue reading “Greek Epics XLVI: Odyssey Book 21, or Robin Hood”

Just when you think the suitors are about to get their just desserts, Homer manages to stretch things out. Fun anecdote: When my prof shared this episode in class, he commented that none of us were old enough to have seen this before. I mean, we weren’t even born in the ’70s. And there wasContinue reading “Greek Epics XLV: Odyssey Book 20, or More Rising Action”