Musings in Greek Literature

May 30 2024 43 ep. 3

Musings in Greek Literature Podcast artwork

Musings on Homer’s Iliad, Sophocles Antigone, and Apollo's Argonautica

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S4, Episode 8: Odysseuses

May 30 2024 26 mins

Professor Deborah Beck and Professor Lesley Dean Jones look back on the Odysseuses we’ve encountered in Homer Odyssey and Sophocles Ajax and Philoctetes. We muse on some other Odysseuses, and tricksters ,as well. Works and authors mentioned in this episode: Cratinus Odysseis (exists only in fragments), Euripides Cyclops

S4, Episode 7: The Arguments of Sophocles’ Philoctetes

May 29 2024 14 mins

Caroline Young is joined by Kristen Allen to discuss Philoctetes. We’ll examine the arguments presented by Philoctetes and Neoptolemus. Which character is more convincing, and why?

S4, Episode 6: Reversal and Recognition in Sophocles’ Philoctetes

May 16 2024 17 mins

Zach Springer is joined by Caroline Young to discuss the analysis of tragedy in Aristotle’s Poetics in relation to Sophocles’ Philoctetes. We also get into the difficulties of Odysseus’ moral character in Sophocles’ play, Neoptolemus’ nature, and other complexities. Recommended reading: Aristotle Poetics

S4, Episode 5: Choral Deception in Sophocles’ Philoctetes

May 09 2024 26 mins

Join Nicolas and Zach to examine the choral stasimon from Sophocles’ Philoctetes, lines 676-729.By exploring the empathy exhibited by the chorus as well as the deceit of the chorus. Nicolas and Zach discuss the different representations of Odysseus’ clever and tricky character in the Ajax and the Philoctetes. Notes: Schein, S., ed. 2013. Sophocles Philoctetes. […]

S4, Episode 4: Odysseus of the Ajax versus Odysseus of the Odyssey

May 02 2024 25 mins

Megan Hunter and co-host Nicolas Larimer discuss the difference in portrayals of Odysseus in Sophocles’ Ajax and Homer’s Odyssey. How do we define the moral code that Odysseus follows?

S4, Episode 3: The Heroic Age Maxim Two Ways

Apr 25 2024 17 mins

Kayla and Megan discuss the similarities and differences of Agamemnon and Teucer’s speeches in Sophocles’ Ajax (lines 1226-1298), relating them to the heroic age maxim and the historical context of democracy in 5th century Athens. Further Readings: Hansen, Mogens Herman. 1991. The Athenian Democracy in the Age of Demosthenes: Structure, Principles, and Ideology. Blackwe

S4, Episode 2: The Allies of Ajax

Apr 19 2024 18 mins

Presented by Kristen Allen with co-host Kayla Hays, this episode explores the complicated relationship between Ajax and his wife Tecmessa. We’ll also talk about how Ajax’s status as a legendary warrior might play into his expression of masculinity.

S4, Episode 1: Odysseus in Homer’s Odyssey

Apr 19 2024 35 mins

Prof. Deborah Beck, the creator of “Musings in Greek Literature”, is joined by Prof. Sean Burd, Chair of the UT Department of Classics. We’re talking about Odysseus and his tricky nature, in the Odyssey and beyond. Show notes:Natalie Zemon Davis, The Return of Martin Guerre (1983)“The Return of Martin Guerre” starring Gerard Depardieu (1982, in […

Season 4 trailer, “Introducing Odysseus”

Apr 19 2024 1 mins

This season, join us as we talk about the different ways that Odysseus is depicted in several ancient Greek authors and poems.

S3, Episode 8: Argonautica Book 4: The End of Our Voyage

Along with Professor Beck, Bill and Becca return for a conversation about the last book of the Argonautica that’s as wide-ranging as the travels of the Argonauts on their return from Colchis to Greece. Book notes: Carspecken, J. F. 1952. “Apollonius Rhodius and the Homeric Epic.” Yale Classical Studies 13: 35-143. Race, W. H., ed. […]