Episodes
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Dcn. Harrison Garlick is joined by Dr. Jared Zimmerer to discuss Book 17 of the Odyssey: The Stranger at the Gates.
Dr. Jared Zimmerer is the Content Marketing Director and Great Books adjunct professor for Benedictine College in Atchison, Kansas. The former Senior Director of the Word on Fire Institute and the Dean of Pastoral Fellows. He holds a PhD in Humanities from Faulkner University and a masterâs degree in Theology from Holy Apostles College. He and his wife Jessica live in Atchison, Kansas, with their six children.
Check out more resources at thegreatbookspodcast.com.
From the guide:
86. What happens in book seventeen?
Telemachus returns home and presents himself to his mother (17.36). He tells of his journey to Pylos and Sparta, and how Menelaus told him that Odysseus was being held captive on the island of Calypso (17.45). The prophet, Theoclymenus, declares that Odysseus is already on Ithaca (17.168). Meanwhile, the Swineherd and Odysseusâin the guise of a beggarâstart to make their way to the palace and are mocked by the goatherd, Melanthius (17.231). As they approached the palace, Odyssey sees the dog he trained as a puppy, Argo, âinvested with ticks, half dead from neglectâ laying on a pile of dung (17.319). Argo recognizes his master and Odysseus hides his tears (17.330). As Odysseus enters his home, âthe dark shadow of death closed down on Argoâs eyesâ (17.359).
Odysseus, as the beggar, tests the suitors by asking each one for a scrap to eat (17.398). The suitor Antinous mocks him and throws a stool at Odysseus (17.492). Odysseus is âunstaggeredâ by the blow, silent, âhis mind churning with thoughts of bloody workâ (17.513). The book ends with Penelope inviting Odysseus the beggar to come and tell her his story face to face (17.588).
87. How does the theme of guest-friendship (xenia) inform book seventeen?
The predominant theme in book seventeen is that Odysseus returns home and does so as a guest in his own house. Homer is arguably drawing a parallel between Odysseusâ return home and cyclops narrative. As Odysseus raided the cyclopsâ cave and intended to pervert guest-friendship to receive gifts, so too does he now find guests in his own home devouring his goods. Moreover, as the cyclops consumed his ill-intentioned guests, so too will Odysseus consume his. The two narratives are linked explicitly by the curse the cyclops asks of Poseidon after Odysseus escapes and reveals his name.
Other aspects of xenia to observe include the prophet, Theoclymenus, making an oath according to the table of hospitality (17.169). Moreover, we see that xenia is not only something upon which an oath may be made but also a standard of judgmentâas it is for the suitors and their treatment of Odysseus the beggar (17.397). We also see guest-friendship expose the irony that the suitorsâwho are devouring the house of their hostâmock Odysseus the beggar as bleeding the house dry (17.425, 492). Notably, the suitors are aware, in part, of Antinousâ violation of guest-friendship, as they condemn him hitting Odysseus the beggar with the stool (17.531).
Much more in our written guide!
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Dcn. Harrison Garlick is joined by independent scholar and friend of the podcast Mr. Thomas Lackey to discuss book 16 of the Odyssey: Father and Son.
Check out thegreatbookspodcast.com for our written guide!
From the guide:
83. What happens in book sixteen?
Telemachus arrives at the home of the Swineherd and, the Swineherd greets him like a father welcoming âhome his darling only sonâ (16.19). Telemachus meets Odysseus disguised as a beggar, and the three men discuss the problem of the suitors (16.100). Telemachus tells the Swineherd to tell Queen Penelope he is back in Ithaca (16.148), and to have one of her servants tell Laertes the same (16.172). After the departure of the swineherd, Odysseus sees Athena outside the house under the guise of a woman âbeautiful, tall and skilled at weaving thingsâ (16.179). Odysseus goes to meet her, and she says now is the time to reveal himself to his son, Telemachus (16.189). She transforms him back into Odysseus the hero, and Telemachus is âwonderstruckâ and believes some god has entered the house of the Swineherd (16.194). Odysseus tells Telemachus he is his father (16.212) and, after some disbelief, the father and son embrace and weep together (16.243). The two then discuss the slaughter of the suitors and form a plan in which Odysseus, disguised again as a beggar, will go into his own home with the suitors until Athena tells him the time is right (16.298). Meanwhile, the suitors are told that Telemachus escaped their ambush and is back in Ithaca (16.382). Antinous, one of the suitors, calls for the murder of Telemachus (16.401), and Penelope overhears the plot and chastises Antinous (16.453). The book ends with the Swineherd returning home and feasting with Telemachus and Odysseusâwho is once again disguised as a beggar by Athena (16.505).
84. What do we see in the reunion of Odysseus and Telemachus?
It seems fitting that Odysseus, who has been testing everyone, would in turn be tested by his son upon his grand reveal (16.220). Notably, the concern that a spirit or god would attempt to trick Telemachus with an imposter Odysseus (16.220) is a concern that Penelope shares and will later voiceâbut it is only the latter who has devised a test to avoid that fate. Telemachus seems to eventually simply trust Odysseusâ testimony (16.243). Telemachus still appears unexperienced with the gods, as he confuses his father for one (16.202) and doubts Athenaâs plan (16.273). It is hard not to read Odysseusâ response about whether Athena and Zeus will be adequate as sarcasm (16.291). Telemachus, however, has grown into his own wit as shown by his retort: âoff in the clouds they sitâ (16.299). He has also grown in confidence of his own strategic thinking (16.342).
Odysseus shares with Telemachus heâll return to his home in disguise and bear whatever he must until Athena says it is time (16.303). The strategy behind Odysseusâ return seems patterned off the Agamemnon narrative, but the problem itself seems patterned off his episode with the cyclops. He will come home to find guests of malintent within his home and then consume them.
The YEAR WITH HOMER continues!
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Episodes manquant?
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Dcn. Harrison Garlick and Adam Minihan continue the YEAR WITH HOMER by discussing Book 15 of the Odyssey: The Prince Sets Sail for Home.
Check out our guide at thegreatbookspodcast.com.
80. What happens in book fifteen?
Athena goes to Sparta and inspires the young Telemachus to return home quickly (15.10) and advises him on how to avoid the ambush set by the suitors (15.31). Menelaus gives Telemachus kingly gifts and sends him and Nestorâs son back to Pylos (15.112). Telemachus asks Nestorâs son to leave him at his ship and not take him back to Nestorâs houseâas to be able to return home quickly and not be hosted again by the old king (15.222). As Telemachus is praying to Athena before launching his ship (15.246), a stranger approaches and asks to sail with him (15.286). Telemachus agrees, and the prophet Theoclymenus joins him on his journey back to Ithaca (15.312).
Meanwhile, Odysseus the beggar tells the Swineherd he plans to go beg from the suitors (15.351). The Swineherd tells Odysseus the beggar his own storyâand we discover that the Swineherd comes from a royal line (15.463). He was a toddler kidnapped, sold into slavery, purchased by Laertes, Odysseusâ father, and raised by Odysseusâ mother (15.540). The book ends with Telemachus returning to Ithaca and heading to the home of the Swineherd (15.618).
81. What is notable about the story of the Swineherd?
The story of the Swineherd reveals him to be royalty (15.437). To wit, he was kidnapped by a female servant who was subsequently killed by Artemis (15.534), and he ended up being purchased by Laertes, Odysseusâ father (15.540). The noble soul of the Swineherd now has a fitting backstory. Note also the contrast between the unworthy servant who kidnapped him and the noble servant he has become. The piety or gratitude the Swineherd shows Odysseusâ family is remarkable given the opportunities he has for bitterness. One may argue that the Swineherd shows the arete or excellence of a simple lifeâthe excellence of a servant, as Penelope shows the excellence of a wife. One should return to the Swineherdâs epithet, the âforeman of men,â and discern whether Homer has placed here a second meaning: a man who is the best of men.[1]
[1] We are thankful to Alec Bianco for raising many of these questions and exploring the richness of the Swineherd. Be sure to check out the podcast on Book 15 for further discussions.
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Dcn. Harrison Garlick and Adam Minihan are joined by Alec Bianco of the Circe Institute to discuss Book Fourteen of the Odyssey: The Loyal Swineherd.
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From our guide:
77. What happens in book fourteen?
Odysseus, disguised as an old beggar, makes his way to the home of his loyal swineherd, Eumaeus (14.32). Odysseus is welcomed warmly, as the swineherd reiterates that âevery stranger and beggar comes from Zeusâ (14.66). The swineherd shows great affection for his king that sailed away for Troy, but believes he is now most likely dead (14.155). Odysseus the beggar swears by the âtable of hospitalityâ of the swineherd that âOdysseus will returnâ (14.189). Odysseus then fabricates a long backstory about how he was a soldier at Troy (14.270), and how he came to hear news of Odysseusâ return (14.363). The swineherd tells Odysseus the beggar to not try and âcharmâ him with lies (14.438). Odysseus pushes back and says the swineherd can toss him off a cliff if Odysseus does not return, but the swineherd remains skeptical (14.451). The book ends with Odysseus testing the hospitality of the swineherd, but the swineherd remains a gracious host and makes a warm bed for Odysseus by the fire (14.585).
78. What should be observed about the Swineherd?
Eumaeus is a slave and swineherd whose name means âseek after the good.â He demonstrates a remarkable fondness and loyalty toward his king, Odysseus (14.44). Notably, Homer again shifts into second person when speaking of Eumaeus, as he did for Patroclus in the Iliad (14.63). He is an exemplar of guest-friendship (14.66) and displays an intimate knowledge of his masterâs goods (14.115). His epithet âforemen of menâ refers to his role overseeing the swineherds, but it may also be a reflection on the quality of his character.
The Swineherd gives us an insight into how Odysseus the King treated his subjects, which raises an arguably contrast to how Odysseus treated his men on the journey home (14.159). Quite notably, the Swineherd seems to be somewhat resistant to Odysseusâ rhetoric (lies) or at least suspect of it (14.411, 438 His reply to Odysseusâ rhetoric is arguably one of the first examples of sarcasm in ancient literature (14.453). The Swineherd also displays a notable piety, as he makes three distinct pious gestures before the feast (14.479). There is always much speculation about whether the Swineherd recognizes or at least suspects Odysseus the beggarâs true identity (14.502).
Our Year with Homer continues!
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In this episode, Deacon Harrison Garlick, along with guests Alan Cornett and Dr. Richard Meloche, delve into the french Dominican A.G. Sertillanges' influential book "The Intellectual Life."
They explore the significance of cultivating an intellectual life, the role of courage and discipline, and the importance of community in intellectual pursuits. The conversation emphasizes that everyone, regardless of their background or age, is called to engage in the life of the mind and that it can lead to profound personal and spiritual growth.
Main Takeways:
The intellectual life is a vocation for everyone.Courage and discipline are essential for intellectual growth.It's never too late to start cultivating your mind.Reading great books can transform your life.Community plays a vital role in the intellectual journey.You can surprise yourself with your intellectual capabilities.The pursuit of truth is a service to others.Daily habits can significantly impact your intellectual life.Intellectual growth requires intentionality and effort.The life of the mind enriches both personal and communal life.Join us as we explore the classic: "The Intellectual Life."
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Dcn. Garlick and Adam Minihan are joined by Dr. Pavlos Papadopoulos of Wyoming Catholic College to discuss BOOK THIRTEEN of the Odyssey.
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From our guide:
73. What happens in book thirteen?
King Alcinous makes good on his promise and sends Odysseus back to Ithaca (13.108). Odysseus sleeps the whole way home (13.91), and the Phaeacians lay a sleeping Odysseus on the beach and leave (13.133). Poseidon, meanwhile, convinces Zeus to punish the Phaeacians for their hospitality and aid of Odysseus (13.142). Back in Ithaca, Odysseus awakes and fears heâs been hoodwinked by the Phaeacians and must now suffer yet another unknown island (13.227). Athena, under the guise of a shepherd boy, tells Odysseys heâs on Ithaca (13.252), and he spins for her some grand tale regarding his background (13.290). Athena reveals herself, and she and Odysseus enjoy a warm conversation about her role in bringing him back to his home (13.329). She helps him hide his treasure in a cave (13.412), and then they sit to plot the death of the suitors (13.429). The book ends with Athena telling Odysseus to go to his loyal servant, the swineherd, and she leaves for Sparta to call Telemachus home (13.449).
74. Why are the Phaeacians punished?
Poseidon tells Zeus that the Phaeacians helping Odysseus is a sign of disrespect, and that the Phaeacians should be punished (13.142). Zeus says they are in Poseidonâs power, and Poseidon plans to destroy the ship that brought Odysseus home and âpile a huge mountainâ around the Phaeacian port (13.166). Zeus suggests that Poseidon wait to destroy the ship in front of the Phaeacian people (13.174), and Poseidon does just this (13.181). The Phaeacians, in turn, recall the prophecy that one day Poseidon would be angry with them for escorting men home across the sea (13.194). Homer leaves the narrative untold with King Alcinous leading his people in sacrifices to Poseidon to hopefully avoid the mountain being placed on their port (13.207).
Why does Zeus, who oversees guest-friendship, allow the Phaeacians to be punished for helping Odysseus? It should be recalled the Phaeacians are close to Poseidon, as both King Alcinous and Queen Arete are his descendants. Moreover, it should be noted that King Alcinous and the Phaeacians continued to abide by guest-friendship and assist strangers who landed on their island even when they knew about the prophecyâwhich may inform why King Alcinous was originally hesitant to assist Odysseus when he first fell at the knees of Queen Arete. Zeusâ suggestion that the ship be destroyed in view of the Phaeacians may be seen as an opportunity for pity and reconciliation, as it allows the Phaeacians to understand what is happening and make sacrifices to Poseidon.
Check out more: thegreatbookspodcast.com
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Dcn. Harrison Garlick and Adam Minihan discuss Book Twelve of the Odyssey: The Cattle of the Sun.
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From our guide:
68. What happens in book twelve?
Odysseus and his men return the island of Circe and bury their comrade, Elpenor, who had spoken to Odysseus from the underworld (12.10). Circe tells Odysseyâand Odysseus aloneâwhat trials await him on his journey (12.36). First, he and his men will sail by the Sirens and their irresistible song of temptation (12.44). Next, Odysseus will have to choose between sailing through the path of unavoidable âClashing Rocksâ (12.66) or sail through a strait with two monsters. On one side, there is the six-headed horror named Scylla that will pluck men off the ship (12.94) and on the other side the whirlpool monster named Charybdis that will swallow the entire ship (12.115). Lastly, they will come to the island of the where the sun godâs cattle graze (12.137) and must not under any circumstances harm the cattle (12.148). If they can do this, they will return home, but if not, then the best that could happen is Odysseus returns home alone âall shipmates lost⊠a broken manâ (12.153).
Odysseus tells his men about the Sirens (12.172) and Charybdis (12.239) but not Scylla (12.242). After escaping the Sirens, his men are navigating past Charybdis when Scylla snatches six of Odysseus men off his ship (12.269). Odysseus and his men land on the island of the sun godâs cattle, and Odysseus has his men swear an oath they will not harm the animals (12.328). The men, however, become stranded on the island due to unfavorable wind and begin to starve (12.350). Odysseusâ men elect to eat the sacred cattle (12.386), and, as they finally leave the island, Zeus strikes the ship with a lightning bolt (12.447). All perish save Odysseus who, clinging to debris, is swept back to Charybdis and must hang onto a fig tree to avoid being swallowed (12.466). The book ends with Odysseus drifting until he lands on the island of Calypso (12.485).
69. Who are the Sirens?
The sirens are âfemale creatures who had the power of drawing men to destruction by their song.â[1] Though Homer does not describe them, they were generally ârepresented as half-woman and half-birdââbut âin time they came increasingly to be shown as beautiful women.â[2] Odysseus follows Circeâs advice (12.53) by stuffing beeswax in the ears of his men (12.189). It is notable that Circe intuits that Odysseus will want to experience the song of the Sirens (12.55). He follows her advice and has his men tie him to the mast in order that he may hear the Sirens but not jump overboard (12.194). The episode speaks to what Odysseusâ spirit (thumos) is willing to endure for the sake of knowledge. Note the Sirenâs song itself sings of being able to grant Odysseus wisdom and make him a âwiser manâ (12.200).
One may also question whether Odysseus enduring the song of the Sirens prepared him at all to decline Calypsoâs offer of immortality or the marriage to Nausicaa. Moreover, the episode shows a level of trust between Odysseus and his menâa trust that is arguably fracturing after the Cyclops incident and one that will be largely broken following Scylla and Charybdis. Later myths have the Sirens drowning themselves due to Odysseusâ escape.[3] The Sirens will later come to represent music, including the...
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Dr. Frank Grabowski and Thomas Lackey return to discuss Book Eleven of the Odyssey with Dcn. Garlick.
Check out thegreatbookspodcast.com for more resources.
From the guide:
60. What happens in book eleven?
Odysseus and his men sail to the edge of the world into the endless darkness and the house of death (11.21). Following the ritual Circe prescribed, Odysseus fills a trench with blood, and the shades of the dead came out to meet him (11.40). Odysseus first speaks to Elpenor, his comrade who fell off the roof of Circeâs house and lays unburied back on Circeâs island (11.57). Odysseus then sees his mother, who he did not know was dead, but first speaks to Tiresias, âthe famous Theban prophetâ (11.100). Tiresias warns Odysseus he will come upon the cattle of the sun god, Helios, and he is not to harm them (11.123). Moreover, if Odysseus does make it home to Ithaca, he will have to leave his home again and go on a penitential journey to appease Poseidon (11.139).
Odysseus then speaks to his mother about what is happening in Ithaca (11.173). He then sees âa grand array of women,â famous women from antiquity, sent by Persephone, the queen of the underworld, to drink the blood and speak with him (11.258). Odysseus then speaks to Agamemnon (11.457); and then to Achilles (11.530); and then he tries to speak with Ajax, but Ajax refuses, âblazing with angerâ at Odysseus (11.620). Odysseus then sees several figures from mythology and speaks to the hero Heracles (or Hercules) who compares his exploits to that of Odysseus (11.690). The book ends with the shades of the dead overwhelming Odysseus, and he and is men running back to the ship in terror (11.723).
61. What is notable about Odysseusâ discussion with Elpenor?
After Odysseus fills his trench with blood, the shades of the dead come out of Erebusâthe âdarknessâ (11.41).[1] The first to speak to Odysseus is Elpenor, his comrade who died on Circeâs island (11.57). Notably, Elpenor does not have to drink the blood to speak to Odysseus (11.66). Though some interpret this scene as Odysseus not knowing that Elpenor had died, it seems clear that Odysseus and his men intentionally left Elpenor unburied (11.60); thus, Homer offers the juxtaposition of Odysseus hurrying to the house of the dead for his own sake while neglecting the rites of a dead comrade. Elpenorâs plight is reminiscent of Patroclusâ in the Iliad, where it seems he needs the rituals to find rest in the afterlife; moreover, it may be that Elpenorâs state of having a body unburied and his capacity to speak without drinking the blood are connected. Lastly, it should be noted he asks for his oar to be planted atop his tomb (11.86).
[1] Erebus (darkness) was one of the four original primordial deities to come forth from Chaos. The others were Gaia (Earth), Eros (Love), and Nyx (Night). See Companion, 139.
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Dcn. Garlick flies solo to explore the depths of BOOK TEN of the Odyssey: The Bewitching Queen of Aeaea.
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From the guide:
53. What happens in book ten?
Odysseus and his men come to the floating island of King Aeolus[1] who Zeus had made the âmaster of all the windsâ (10.24). After hosting them for a month, King Aeolus stuffed all the winds into a bag, except a favorable west wind, and gave it to Odysseus (10.29). Leaving the island, they sailed for nine days until they came so close to Ithaca they could see men âtending firesâ on the shore (10.34). Odysseusâ men, however, open the bag of winds, causing a maelstrom, blowing them all the way back to King Aeolusâ island (10.66). The king rejects them as cursed by the gods (10.79), and Odysseus and his fleet sail to the island of the Laestrygonians (10.89). There, Odysseusâ entire fleet, save his own ship, is lost in a surprise attack by the man-eating inhabitants of the island (10.132).
Odysseusâ lone ship comes upon a new island, and Odysseusâ men find a hall and hear a woman singing inside (10.242). The woman is Circe, a goddess, who welcomes all the men to a feast and then changes them into pigs (10.253). Eurylochus, the only one to not go into the hall, runs back and tells Odysseus (10.269). Odysseus sets off to the hall, but along the way runs into Hermes, the messenger god, who tells him how to overcome Circeâs spells (10.305). Odysseus obeys, and Circe is made to swear an oath she will not harm Odysseus (10.380). Odysseusâ men are restored, younger and more handsome (10.436). They remain guests of Circeâs house for a year until Odysseusâ men remind him of his journey home (10.520). The book ends with Circe telling Odysseus he must travel to the house of death and speak to the prophet Tiresias (10.540).
54. What is the relationship between Odysseus and his men after the Cyclops affair?
The narrative of King Aeolus and the bag of winds reveals the lack of trust festering between Odysseus and his men. Note that Odysseus will not trust the ship to any of his crew (10.37), and the crew assumes Odysseus is withholding treasure from them (10.40). Moreover, after the loss of the fleet in the Laestrygonian cove, the spiritedness of the crew, their thumos, is broken. When Odysseus orders his men to scout the hall on what we know to be Circeâs island (10.170), the âmessage broke their spiritsâ and they weep (10.217). We see this particularly with Eurylochus, who, when reporting back to Odysseus that Circe has turned the men to pigs, pleads with Odysseus to abandon the men and leave the island (10.289). It worth noting that Odysseus himself was tempted to allow his spirit to break, as after the incident with the winds he had to overcome the temptation of suicide (10.55).
Later, when Odysseus has made a truce with Circe, Eurylochus has a âmutinous outburstâ in which he states that Odysseus is to blame for the men eaten by the Cyclops (10.480). It makes explicit the tension throughout book ten. Odysseus is inclined to kill the man but is tempered by his men (10.483). The antagonisms between Odysseus and his remaining crew will continue as a predominant theme throughout the end of Odysseusâ recounting of his story in book twelve.
[1] King Aeolus was âa mortal, king of the floating island of Aeolia and friend of the gods, to whom Zeus gave the custodianship of the winds.â In later mythology, âhe was thought of as the god of the winds.â...
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Dcn. Garlick and Adam Minihan discuss BOOK NINE of the Odyssey: Odysseus and the Cyclops. Odysseus finally gives his name and starts to tell his story.
Book Nine is one of the most important books in the Odyssey.
Check out thegreatbookspodcast.com for more information.
From the guide:
48. What happens in book nine?
The guest of good King Alcinous finally declares, âI am Odysseusâ (9.21), and he begins to tell his story (9.33). After Troy, Odysseus and the ships under his command raided a city on the island of Ismarus (9.44) where, the next morning, he lost men to a counterattack by the islanders (8.69). Next, Zeus hit Odysseusâ fleet with a storm, a âdemonic galeâ (9.76), and then, when free of the storm, his fleet was again taken off course by a rip-tide (9.89) that brought them to the land of the âLotus-eatersâ (9.94). Having saved his crew, Odysseus and his men come to a lush, uninhabited island (9.129), and across the strait see an island with signs of habitation (9.185). Odysseus and his men go to the island only to end up trapped in a cave with a cyclops (9.271). Though they plead for protection as guests under Zeus, Homer tells us: the cyclops grabbed two men, beat them against the ground âtheir brains gushed out all over, soaked the floorâand ripp[ed] them limb from limb to fix his mealâ (9.324). He washes down the human flesh with raw milk (9.334).
Odysseus and his men cannot escape the cave due to the enormous stone blocking the entrance, and they cannot kill the cyclops in his sleep for the same reasonâthey would be trapped in the cave. In the morning, the cyclops bolts down two more men (9.348) and leaves to tend his herds. Odysseus concocts a plan to escape (9.370). Upon his return, the cyclops devours two more of Odysseusâ men, and Odysseus offers the cyclops a strong wine to wash down the âbanquet of human fleshâ (9.389). The cyclops asks Odysseusâ his name, and Odysseus tells him his name is âNobodyâ (9.410). With the cyclops drunk, Odysseus and his men ram a stake into the cyclopsâ eye blinding him (9.428). Odysseus and his men escape the cave, but Odysseus tells the cyclops his name (9.560). The book ends with the cyclops asking his father, Poseidon, to curse Odysseusâ journey home and to âlet him find a world of pain at homeâ (9.595).
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This week Dcn. Harrison Garlick and Mr. Eli Stone, formerly of the TU Great Books Honors College and now teaching at a classical school, discuss Book VIII of the Odyssey: A Day for Songs and Contests.
We have a 50+ page guide to the Odyssey.
Visit thegreatbookspodcast.com for more resources.
From the guide:
42. What happens in book eight?
King Alcinous and Odysseus go to the meeting grounds, as Athena whips up the curiosity of the islanders to come and see the stranger who âlooks like a deathless godâ (8.16). King Alcinous, still not knowing the identity of his guest, calls for the Phaeacians to prepare a ship to take the stranger home (8.39), and he calls for a feast, a âheroâs welcomeâ (8.49). As they feast, the bard sings the ballad of âThe Strife between Odysseus and Achilles,â a tale from Troy, and Odysseus quietly weepsâunnoticed by all save King Alcinous (8.111). King Alcinous then calls for games, and the young men gather to race, wrestle, box, and throw a discus (8.140). A man named âBroadseaâ goads Odysseus into competing, and Odysseus, in his anger, throws a heavy discus farther than any of them (8.116). As a good host, King Alcinous deescalates the situation (8.267), and calls for the Phaeacians to dance (8.284).
The bard returns and sings of the story of Aphroditeâs adultery against Hephaestus (8.301). King Alcinous calls for parting gifts for Odysseus, and Broadsea gives the King of Ithaca a bronze sword in amends for his disrespect (8.441). Another feast is held, and Odysseus asks the bard to sing of the wooden horse at Troy (8.552). Odysseus again weeps quietly (8.586), and King Alcinous again notices (8.599). The book ends with the King finally asking Odysseus to reveal his name and his homeland (8.618).[1]
43. Why does Homer include the myth of Aphroditeâs adultery?
Homer dedicates over one hundred lines of poetry to tell the story of âThe Love of Ares and Aphrodite Crowned with Flowersâ (8.301). First, one may note a shift in the mythology, as Hephaestus was married to a Grace in the Iliad and is now married to Aphrodite in the Odyssey. A myth about adultery in the Odyssey recalls several narratives: the story of Clytemnestra, (Agamemnonâs wife), the narrative of Odysseus with Calypso, and the suitors pursuing Penelope.
In a subtle manner, Homer is likely presenting Hephaestus as Odysseus. Notice that that Odysseus mentions his legs are in poor shape, and he cannot race against the Phaeacians (8.260). Odysseusâ poor legs are analogous to the crippled legs of Hephaestus; moreover, Hephaestus is compared to Ares who has âracerâs legs,â like the Phaeacians (8.352). Homer describes Hephaestus overcoming Ares as the âslow outstrips the swiftâ (8.372) and âthe cripple wins by craftâ (8.375). If one takes Aphrodite to be Penelope, the myth is a warning to Odysseus that he will overcome the suitors not by swiftness but by craft. Similarly, one could read Aphrodite as Nausicaa and Ares as the Phaeacians; thus, we return to a narrative of Nausicaa being a temptation for Odysseusâbut a temptation he could indulge if done by wit and craft. The myth presents certain analogues to Odysseusâ present situation but seems to fall short of presenting a full allegory.
[1] Thank you to Mr. Eli Stone who joined us on the podcast to discuss Book 8.
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This week Dcn. Garlick and Mr. Eli Stone discuss Book Seven of the Odyssey: Phaeaciaâs Halls and Gardens.
Check out thegreatbookspodcast.com for more resources.
FROM THE GUIDE:
36. What happens in book seven?
Athena hides Odysseus in a mist and leads him, in the guise of a child, toward the palace (7.17). She reiterates the advice of Nausicaa by telling Odysseus to go to Queen Arete (7.61). Odysseus enters the magnificent palace and throws his arms around the queenâs knees, as Athena withdraws her mist (7.168). Odysseus pleads for mercy and then falls into the ashes underneath the hearth (7.182). All are silent until the old man Echeneus cries out for his king to welcome the stranger (7.185), and King Alcinous, spurred by his subject, welcomes Odysseus with food and drink (7.199). Without asking Odysseusâ name or where he is from, the king convenes the evening and calls for an assembly in the morning to help the stranger return home (7.221).
Queen Arete takes Odysseus to his lodgings and is the first to question him about his name and homelandâand where he received his clothes (7.272). Odysseus gives a long answer that finally lands at stating that his clothes are from Nausicaa (7.340). King Alcinous reassures Odysseus that heâll provide a passage homeâbut also states he could stay and marry Nausicaa (7.353). Odysseus reiterates his desire to return home (7.379), and the book ends with Odysseus finally finding rest in the house of King Alcinous (7.394).
37. What is to be made of King Alcinousâ offer to Odysseus to marry Nausicaa?
Most notable in book seven is King Alcinous offering Nausicaa in marriage to Odysseus (7.358). The temptation of Nausicaa becomes explicit (Question 33). Note that both King Alcinous and Queen Arete are descendants of Poseidon (7.65), and that the gods come to the island openly due to the people being their âclose kinâ (7.241).[1] In addition to its divine favor, the island enjoys advanced technology, as the dogs outside King Alcinousâ palace are automatons made by Hephaestus (7.106). The island is, in many ways, a utopia. Odysseus is being asked to restart his life amongst almost perfect mortal happiness. He would be grafted into a family of Poseidonâs mortal descendants (which bears a certain irony given Poseidonâs current wrath) and be married to a beautiful, clever princess, a young Penelope. The offer of King Alcinous is the more natural temptation than that of Calypso, because it is an offer that aligns with the nature of man and his desire for happiness.
Notably, Odysseus never seems to acknowledge the offer, but simply expresses his gratitude again for the kingâs willingness to take him home (7.379). To what degree the kingâs offer has affected Odysseus is a question to keep in mind throughout the rest of the Odyssey.
[1] Odyssey, 498, 508.
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Dcn. Harrison Garlick and Adam Minihan are joined by Eli Stone, formerly of the TU Great Books Honors College and now with Holy Family Classical School in Tulsa, Oklahoma, to discuss BOOK SIX of the Odyssey: The Princess and the Stranger.
Check us out at thegreatbookspodcast.com.
From the guide:
32. What happens in book six?
Athena inspires Nausicaa, the daughter of King Alcinous, to go with her handmaids to the river and wash clothes (6.20). Her father grants her permission, and she takes a wagon of clothes to be washed (6.75). As she waits for the clothes to dry, she and her handmaids have a picnic out by the river (6.107). With a little influence from Athena, Odysseus awakes to the sound of the girls playing with a ball (6.130). Odysseus emerges naked, covering himself with a âleafy branchâ (6.140)ââa terrible sight, all crusted, caked with brineâ (6.151). All the women scatter save Nausicaa in whom Athena has planted courage (6.153). Odysseus tells the princess of his plight (6.163), and she welcomes him as a stranger sent from Zeus (6.227). To avoid scandal, Nausicaa instructs Odysseus on how to enter the city alone, find the queen, and grasp her knees (6.313). The books ends with Nausicaa leaving Odysseus in a sacred grove, and Odysseus praying to Athena (6.352).[1]
33. Is Nausicaa another temptation for Odysseus, like Calypso?
The desire of Nausicaa to be married is a predominate theme in book six and seven. We see Athena state her marriage is ânot far offâ (6.30); we see Nausicaa be too shy to express her desire for marriage to her father (6.74), but her father sees through his daughterâs coyness and confirms his supports her, i.e., âI wonât deny you anythingâ (6.77); and we see Nausicaa, after seeing Odysseus glorified by Athena, say: âif only a man like that were called my husbandâ (6.270). Moreover, the princess is âstill a virgin, unwedâ (6.121) and compared to the virgin-goddess Artemis (6.113, 165). Her intuition and political savvy are displayed in the narrative of avoiding scandal and how to seek mercy from the queen (6.313). She is arguably presented as a young Penelope: beautiful and clever. The concern is that whereas Calypso represented an unnatural temptation (Question 29), Nausicaa will represent a very natural one for Odysseus.
One may note that naked Odysseus emerging to speak to the young girls is presented in predatory language, e.g., âas a mountain lion exultant in his powerâŠâ hungry and stalking sheep (6.143). The opening predatory metaphor seemingly stands in contrast with Odysseusâ restraint to not run and hug the knees of Nausicaa (6.161). The main principle of his opening speech to Nausicaa is presented in his earlier internal dialogue of whether the island inhabitants are savages or civilized persons (6.132). Guest-friendship is the sign and standard for civilization (6.133). Odysseus arguably mentions Artemis (6.165), Apolloâs altar in Delos (6.178), the custom of grasping by the knees (6.185), and the need for he, as a stranger, to be welcomed (6.193) to see if she is civilized. Moreover, it also reveals that Odysseusâthe strange man emerging from the bushesâis civilized himself.[2] If guest-friendship is the standard for civilization (6.133), then it is one Nausicaa responds to well in both speech and practice (6.227).
Those who see Nausicaa as a temptation, point to Odysseusâ flattery of her: âI have never laid eyes on anyone like...
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Dcn. Harrison Garlick and Adam Minihan are joined by Evan Amato of Rewire the West to discuss Book Five of Odyssey: Odysseus escapes Calypso's Island.
Check out thegreatbookspodcast.com for a written guide to the Odyssey.
A couple questions from the guide:
28. What happens in book five?
King Odysseus is trapped on Calypsoâs island. Zeus, at Athenaâs pleading, agrees to two proposals: first, Odysseus may leave the captivity of Calypso; and second, Athena may help Telemachus escape the trap set by the suitors (5.24). Hermes, the messenger god, goes and tells Calypso that it is Zeusâ will that Odysseus be set free upon a make-shift raft, and Calypso, though upset, acquiesces to the will of Zeus (5.125, 176).[1] She tells Odysseus he may leave, and he has her promise she is not plotting some new harm against him (5.202). After four days of working on the raft, Odysseus sets sail on the fifth with gifts and provisions from Calypso (5.288).
Poseidon, who is returning from Ethiopia, sees Odysseus has left the island and, âit made his fury boil even moreâ (5.313). Poseidon sends a storm to sink Odysseus (5.321). As heâs being battered by the waves, a goddess of the sea, Ino, pities Odysseus, and tells him to strip off his clothes, tie her scarf around his waist, and swim for land (5.377). Poseidon smashes the raft to pieces (5.403), and Odysseus, with the help of Athena, makes it to the shore (5.471). The book ends with Odysseus falling asleep beneath two olive trees (5.544).[2]
29. Why does Odysseus refuse Calypsoâs offer of immortality?
Calypso tells Hermes that she has offered immortality to Odysseus (5.151), and again makes the offer after Odysseus knows heâs free to leave the island (5.230). How can Odysseus refuse immortality? How can a mortal man refuse an immortal life with a beautiful goddess? A subtle clue is found in the opening of book five. It does not repeat the typical line of Dawn and her rosy fingers but instead invokes Dawnâs lover, Tithonus (5.01).[3] It is said that Dawn (Eos) asked Zeus to make her mortal lover, Tithonus, immortal, and Zeus agreedâbut Zeus did not grant Tithonus immortal youth. Thus, Tithonus, immortal, continued to age until he âbecame an old shriveled creature little more than a voice.â[4] Tithonus attempts to graft onto human nature something that is unnatural to it: immortality. As Dr. Patrick Deneen observes: âTithonus accepts what is unacceptable for mortals to attain, but which is nevertheless clearly tempting to normal mortal desires.â[5]
One aspect of the unnaturalness of immortality in man is the necessity for the possibility of death to achieve glory (kleos). It is in facing death that man achieves renown. Without death, what is man? Furthermore, observe how those who are without death, the immortal gods, are presented: imploded personalities, obsessive, petty, and narcissistic. The sinews between man, death, and glory are one to observe, as the story of Odysseus continues to develop.
Similarly to Tithonus, we should observe Homer references the goddess Ino who was âa mortal woman onceâ (5.367). Ino, the sister of Semele, was driven mad by Hera, and she jumped into the sea with her son in her arms. She...
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This week Adam Minihan returns to discuss Book Four of the Odyssey with Father Bonaventure, OP - a Dominican Friar of the Province of St. Joseph.
The out our website for a 50+ page guide to the Odyssey.
23. What happens in book four?
Telemachus arrives in Sparta to find King Menelaus hosting a âdouble-wedding feast;â as Menelausâ daughter is marrying the son of Achilles, and Menelausâ son is marrying a girl from Sparta (4.04). Telemachus and Nestorâs son, Pisistratus, are received warmly (4.68). Though a gracious host, Menelaus still mourns for his brother, Agamemnon (4.103), and for all the men lost in the Trojan war, especially Odysseus (4.120). Menelaus and Helen recognize Telemachus by his likeness to his father (4.131, 158).
The next day, Menelaus tells Telemachus of his journey home from Troy (4.391). He and his men were stuck on the island of Pharos (4.396). After wrestling Proteus, the Old Man of the Sea, he is told he failed to offer sacrifices to the deathless gods before leaving Troy (4.530); and now for penance, he must return to Egypt and make a âsplendid sacrificeâ (4.535). Menelaus asks about the fate of his comrades, and Proteus tells him the stories of little Ajax, Agamemnon, and Odysseusâthe last of which is held captive by the sea nymph Calypso (4.627). Menelaus did as the Old Man of the Sea said, and he then returned home to Sparta (4.657).
The narrative shifts to Queen Penelope in Ithaca (4.703). The suitors, led by Antinous, discover Telemachus has taken a ship to Pylos (4.711), and they elect to send out their own ship to ambush him (4.753). Penelope is told Telemachus is gone and that the suitors plan to murder him (4.784). Eurycleia, the old nurse, tells Penelope she helped Telemachus prepare for his departure, and advises the queen to pray to Athena (4.836). Penelope prays to Athena, and Athena sends a phantom of Penelopeâs sister to reassure the queen Telemachus is safe (4.930). The book ends with the suitors setting sail to ambush Telemachus (4.947).
24. What do we observe about the character of Menelaus?
Notice that Menelaus agrees to welcome Telemachus and Pisistratus by first recalling all the hospitality he received on his journey home (4.38). He displays a certain gratitude and dare we say humility in passing on what he has received. A similar disposition is found in his piety of not wanting to be compared to Zeus (4.87). The pious but somber Menelaus declares: âSo I rule all this wealth with no great joy,â as he recalls the death of his brother, Agamemnon (4.103). Moreover, he seems to lament the entire Trojan war, stating he would have rather stayed home with the wealth he had and the friends he lost at Troyânote, however, the implications of this statement regarding his wife, Helen (4.108).
Check out the rest of the guide at thegreatbookspodcast.com.
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Dcn. Harrison Garlick, Dr. Frank Grabowski, and Mr. Thomas Lackey discuss Book Three of the Odyssey: KING NESTOR REMEMBERS.
The lovable old man from the Iliad returns to help set Telemachus on his way.
More on Telemachus' coming of age storyWhat power comes to rest on Telemachus?How did Great Ajax die?! (ignobly...)What caused the Achaeans to suffer the wrath of Athena?Check out Dcn. Garlick's 50+ page guide to the Odyssey.
What happens in book three?
Telemachus arrives in Pylos to find King Nestor sacrificing eighty-one bulls to Poseidon and hosting a feast for forty-five hundred people (3.06). Athena, under the guise of Mentor, encourages Telemachus to speak to Nestor (3.16). Telemachus and Athena are welcomed warmly by Nestorâs son (3.40), and, after their meal, Nestor asks them who they are (3.77). Telemachus asks Nestor for news of his father, Odysseus (3.91), and Nestor recalls the âliving hellâ of Troy (3.113). Nestor tells Telemachus of the disaster that was the Achaean army returning home from Troy (3.147). Telemachus tells Nestor of the plight of the suitors (3.228), and Nestor tells Telemachus of Athenaâs favor for his father, Odysseusâas Athena sits there in the guise of Mentor (3.247). Telemachus asks Nestor to tell the story of how Agamemnon died (3.282), and Nestor tells of how Agamemnon was betrayed by his wife and murdered (3.345).
As the conversation turned to returning to Nestorâs halls, Athena, disguised as Mentor, transformed into an eagle and flew away (3.415). Nestor explains to Telemachus what favor he must have with the goddess (3.420) and prepares a splendid sacrifice to Athena in her honor (3.429). He has the heiferâs horns sheathed in gold (3.488), and Athena returns pleased with this sacrifice (3.485). The book ends with them obeying Athenaâs orders by preparing a chariot to take Telemachus to Menelaus in Sparta (3.335).
Join us as we read the Odyssey in this YEAR OF HOMER.
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Dcn. Garlick, Dr. Frank Grabowski, and Mr. Thomas Lackey come together to discuss Book Two of the Odyssey: Telemachus sets sail.
Summary of the bookDiscussion on key themesAristotle's MetaphysicsJohn Wayne referencesAnd more!Check out our website for 60+ page reader's guide to the Odyssey.
What happens in book two?
Inspired by Athena, Telemachus addresses the assembly of Ithaca (2.25) and condemns the suitors and invokes the gods against them (2.70). In response, Antinous, a suitor, blames Telemachusâ mother, Penelope, the âmatchless queen of cunningâ (2.95) for refusing to return to her fatherâs house and letting him choose for her a new husband (2.125). Thus, the suitors will âdevourâ Telemachusâ house until a new husband for Penelope is chosen (2.136). Telemachus refuses to tell his mother to return to her fatherâs house (5.154) and announces he is leaving for Sparta and Pylos to seek news of his father (2.238). Athena, takes on the guise of Mentorâthe man Odysseus left in charge of his affairs (2.250)âand reassures him in his mission (2.302). Telemachus has his nurse prepare provisions for his journey and swears her to secrecy (2.384). The book ends with Telemachus setting sail with his crew and pouring out libations to Athena, the goddess with the âflashing sea-gray eyesâ (2.472).
Click HERE for more resources.
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Dcn. Harrison Garlick and Adam Minihan are joined by Jason Craig of Sword and Spade magazine to discuss the theme of fatherhood in the Odyssey.
The fatherhood of OdysseusThe problem of fatherlessness in IthacaThe coming of age story of TelemachusAnd more!Check out Sword and Spade magazine.
Check out our 60+ page guide to the Odyssey.
Join us as we read the Odyssey as part of our Year of Homer!
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WE ARE STARTING THE ODYSSEY! Dcn. Harrison Garlick is joined by Dr. Frank Grabowski and Mr. Thomas Lackey to discuss Book One of the Odyssey.
Check out our website - thegreatbookspodcast.com - for a written guide to the Odyssey and other resources.
Questions discussed:
What happens in book one?What should be observed about the invocation to the Muses?What should be made of Zeusâ comment on fate?What happened to Agamemnon?What should be made of Telemachus?What major themes and narratives help unfold the story of the Odyssey?Join us as we continue in our YEAR OF HOMER.
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Dcn. Harrison Garlick welcomes Dr. Patrick Deneen, Dr. Chad Pecknold, and Dr. Richard Meloche to introduce Homer's Odyssey.
Dr. Patrick Deneen is a Professor of Political Science at Notre Dame. He is the author of many books and articles including Why Liberalism Failed (2018). His teaching and writing interests focus on the history of political thought, American political thought, liberalism, conservatism, and constitutionalism.
Dr. Chad Pecknold, Associate Professor of Systematic Theology at the Catholic University of America. âIn political theology, Pecknold is principally concerned with close readings of Augustineâs masterwork, The City of God, as a fundamental and transcendent vision that inspires, and has the power to critique and correct, the dynamics of Western civilization.â
Dr. Richard Meloche, President of the Alcuin Institute for Catholic Culture, a ministry of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Tulsa and a colleague of Dcn. Garlick's at the Chancery.
INTRODUCTION TO THE ODYSSEY
The group discusses the canon of the great books, why we should read Homer and his Odyssey, the role of the great books in theological formation, and key introductory themes in Homer's Odyssey.
Against Great Books by Deneen: https://www.firstthings.com/article/2013/01/against-great-books
The Odyssey of Political Theory by Deneen: https://www.amazon.com/Odyssey-Political-Theory-Politics-Departure/dp/0847696235?ccs_id=073621fb-e234-4289-9205-bc6fab3f444a
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