The Ancient Greeks knew how to throw a funeral! Before we get to the discussion prompts, I did promise to share the song from whence I derived the subtitle of this episode. For those of you to whom this is new, enjoy! And for those of you who already know the song, enjoy singing along!Continue reading “Greek Epics XXIV: Iliad Book 23, or That’s Your Funeral (If Your Name is Patroklos)”
Category Archives: The Greeks
Greek Epics XXIII: Iliad Book 22, or Chariots of Fire
It may not be a marathon, but there’s a lot of running in Book 22 of the Iliad. Discussion Prompts Why do you think Hektor runs? What does the conversation among the gods say about fate? What about omnipotence? Why does Zeus need to weigh the fates of Achilles and Hektor? What should we thinkContinue reading “Greek Epics XXIII: Iliad Book 22, or Chariots of Fire”
Greek Tragedy XVIII: Euripides’s Medea, or Kramer vs Kramer
Welcome to the messiest divorce in Greek mythology. Discussion Prompts Why do you think the first character we meet is the nurse? How would you describe her relationship with Medea? Why do you think Jason is engaged to the princess? Does Medea’s revenge plot stem from Jason’s actions or from Creon’s? Why? Is Medea aContinue reading “Greek Tragedy XVIII: Euripides’s Medea, or Kramer vs Kramer”
Greek Myth X: Hymn to Ares, or He’s a God AND a Planet!
Today we have one weird little poem about Ares… or is it Mars? Discussion Prompts What is your favorite epithet for Ares? Why? Ares or Mars? Why? Where did Athena go? What do you think about the poet’s final prayer?
Greek Epics XXII: Iliad Book 21, or Achilles is Fighting Who Now?
It’s Achilles against the world in Book 21 of the Iliad. Discussion Prompts Where do we see the conflict between man and nature? What is the significance of the fight amongst the gods? What would you do if you were Priam, watching from the walls? Xanthos or Skamandros? Which name is better and why? We’veContinue reading “Greek Epics XXII: Iliad Book 21, or Achilles is Fighting Who Now?”
Greek Comedy XV: Humanism in Greek Comedy
In a final wrap up to the Greek Comedy course, I have one question for you: What do the Greek comedies tell us about what it means to be human?
Greek Epics XXI: Iliad Book 20, or It Only Took 20 Books To Get Here
Achilles has finally entered the battlefield, and he turns out to be just as brutal of a fighter as promised. Discussion Prompts Who is your favorite character? Why? Why do you think so much time is spent on the gods? Why do you think so much time is devoted to Aeneas talking?
Greek Tragedy XVII: Euripides’s Aclestis, or The Good Wife
Meet Euripides, the cheeriest of the Greek tragedians. Discussion Prompts What does Alcestis tell us about the expectations for women, particularly wives, in Ancient Greece? Who would you cast as Death? Why? Who would you cast as Heracles? Why? Is Admetus as nice of a person as Apollo and Heracles seem to think? Who benefits fromContinue reading “Greek Tragedy XVII: Euripides’s Aclestis, or The Good Wife”
Greek Myth IX: Hymns to Aphrodite, or When Peleus Met Aphrodite
This episode covers the three Homeric Hymns dedicated to Aphrodite, numbers 5, 6, and 10. In the episode, I mentioned a few things that I would share, and I’m pleased to say I was able to find versions of all of them that I could share. Discussion Prompts In Hymn 5, Anchises is hanging outContinue reading “Greek Myth IX: Hymns to Aphrodite, or When Peleus Met Aphrodite”
Greek Epics XX: Iliad Book 19, or Agamemnon Apologizes… Sort Of
We still aren’t quite ready for battle, but at least Achilles and Agamemnon are friends again… Discussion Prompts Why is Achilles the only Myrmidon brave enough to look at the armor from Hephaistos? If you were a speech writer for Agamemnon, how would you rewrite his apology speech? What do you think about Briseis inContinue reading “Greek Epics XX: Iliad Book 19, or Agamemnon Apologizes… Sort Of”
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