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”
Category Archives: The Greeks
Greek Tragedy XXIX: Euripides’s Helen, or Dr Livingston, I Presume?
Helen is alive and well and living and Egypt when everyone thought she was in Troy. Surprise! Discussion Prompts Euripides was from Athens; Menelaos is from Sparta. What does this play have to say about how Athenians feel about Spartans? Why? What does this play have to say about war? Explain. Which Helen do youContinue reading “Greek Tragedy XXIX: Euripides’s Helen, or Dr Livingston, I Presume?”
Greek Myth XXI: Hymn to Zeus, or He’s Considerably Better Than All the Rest
Whether the poet thinks he’s the best or is just making sure to flatter the god’s ego, Zeus is deemed the greatest in Homeric Hymn 23. I know that this subtitle is a little obscure. Here’s where my brain went when I read the first line of Hymn 23. Discussion Prompts Do you think theContinue reading “Greek Myth XXI: Hymn to Zeus, or He’s Considerably Better Than All the Rest”
Greek Epics XLIV: Odyssey Book 19, or Scar Face, I Mean, Leg
Memories are triggered by the scar on Odysseus’s leg in Book 19 of The Odyssey. Discussion Prompts Do you think Penelope knows who she’s talking to? Why or why not? How long do you think the shroud has been finished? Why? What do you think of the interaction between Eurykleia and Odysseus? AP Credit: TheContinue reading “Greek Epics XLIV: Odyssey Book 19, or Scar Face, I Mean, Leg”
Greek Epics XLIII: Odyssey Book 18, or WWE Presents The Odyssey
Odysseus almost drops his disguise in Book 18 of The Odyssey. Discussion Prompts AP Credit: Liminality. Discuss. Athena does a lot in this book. What does that tell us about free will? What does it say about the suitors that they still have homes to go back to each night? What do you think ofContinue reading “Greek Epics XLIII: Odyssey Book 18, or WWE Presents The Odyssey”
Greek Tragedy XXVIII: Euripides’s Ion, or Is that Another Happy Ending?
To keep us on our toes, today we have another tragedy from Euripides that isn’t completely tragic. Discussion Prompts Ion is about 20 years old. If you were directing this today, how old would you make Creusa? Why? What does this play have to say about religion, fate, the power of the gods, free will,Continue reading “Greek Tragedy XXVIII: Euripides’s Ion, or Is that Another Happy Ending?”
Greek Myth XX: Hymn to Poseidon, or The Hymnist Lost His Map
The poet gets a little lost in the Homeric Hymn to Poseidon. Discussion Prompts Helikon or Helike? Why? Poseidon is the god of the sea, horses, and earthquakes. What three random things would you want to be the god of? AP Credit: Explain the relationship between the things that Poseidon is the god of. WhatContinue reading “Greek Myth XX: Hymn to Poseidon, or The Hymnist Lost His Map”
Greek Epics XLII: Odyssey Book 17, or Odysseus Finally Goes Home
Odysseus finally reaches the palace in Book 17 of The Odyssey. Discussion Prompts Who is your favorite suitor? Why? Penelope is compared to both Artemis and Aphrodite. Which is it? Why? How is Argos still alive? WTF is wrong with the suitors? Why is Eumaios addressed in the second person throughout this book? Who isContinue reading “Greek Epics XLII: Odyssey Book 17, or Odysseus Finally Goes Home”
Greek Tragedy XXVII: Euripides’s Iphigenia in Tauris, or She’s Only Mostly Dead
I told you that Euripides just keeps getting darker and darker the farther we get into his career. Well, I lied. Iphigenia in Tauris is a surprisingly light play, at least compared to the rest of the tragedies of Euripides. Discussion Prompts: Is Iphigenia really alive? Why or why not? Why does Athena appear at the end? WhyContinue reading “Greek Tragedy XXVII: Euripides’s Iphigenia in Tauris, or She’s Only Mostly Dead”
Greek Myth XIX: Hymn to Hephaistos, or Don’t Blow Your Top
We get a glimpse of Hephaistos in this Homeric Hymn #20. Discussion Prompts AP Credit: Compare/contrast Hephaistos and Athena. The gifts of Hephaistos and Athena allow mankind to live in houses year-round. Do you think there was a time mankind only lived in houses part of the year? If so, why were they living inContinue reading “Greek Myth XIX: Hymn to Hephaistos, or Don’t Blow Your Top”
Triumvir Clio's School of Classical Civilization 