In this episode of The Athenaeum Book Club, host Jeremy Ryan Slate is joined by Dr. Sean E. Lake for an in-depth exploration of Homer’s Iliad—the timeless epic of honor, wrath, and fate.

Together, they unpack the poem’s enduring power: the heroism of Achilles, the tragedy of Hector, and the moral vision that shaped Western thought.

Dr. Lake brings fresh insight into Homer’s language, cultural context, and the human questions that still resonate today.

This conversation dives deep into the heart of ancient Greece, where poetry, war, and the pursuit of glory converge.