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Welcome to Episode 39. In this episode we enter the city of Thebes with the god Dionysus, who returns to his mother’s home seeking revenge. There he converts the city’s women and girls to Bacchae, or followers of Bacchus, another name for Dionysus.

He is arrested by the young King Pentheus and events goes downhill from there …

Narrated by mythologist and best-selling author, Patrick Garner, Garner's Greek Mythology is unlike any other Greek history series.  Here these divine beings are viewed as if they were anything but mythical...

If you love this podcast, you'll also enjoy Garner's audible novel about the gods, Homo Divinitas, now available on Amazon.com and Audible.com.

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Welcome to Episode 38. In this episode we follow six cursed generations known as the House of Atreus. A classic Greek tragedy, the story involves gods and men, wives and daughters, and spans 800 miles of geography from Troy to Athens.

Like so many of these tales, it begins with Zeus, who has a son who has a son. What follows? Murder, deceit, incest, matricide and suicide …

Narrated by mythologist and best-selling author, Patrick Garner, Garner's Greek Mythology is unlike any other Greek history series.  Here these divine beings are viewed as if they were anything but mythical...

If you love this podcast, you'll also enjoy Garner's novel Homo Divinitas, now available as an audio book on Amazon.com and Audible.com.

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Welcome to Episode 37. Imagine beasts that are half-horse and half-man. They’re crude. Their weapons are broken branches and rocks. The ancient Greeks called them Centaurs.

But among them was a unique and sophisticated being. A centaur named Kheiron (pronounced Sheer-roan) was so wise and wily that gods and men asked him to teach their children. He raised Asklepios, Peleus, Jason and Achilles. He was friends with the hero Heracles.

Although immortal, after a long life he was wounded by a poisoned arrow. The pain was so severe that he chose to embrace death to escape the agony ...

Narrated by mythologist and best-selling author, Patrick Garner, Garner's Greek Mythology is unlike any other Greek history series.  Here these divine beings are viewed as if they were anything but mythical...

If you love this podcast, you'll also enjoy Garner's novel Homo Divinitas, now available as an audio book on Amazon.com and Audible.com.

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Welcome to Episode 36. Today we examine the difficult topic of sacrifice. The discussion of killing animals upsets many people. If you’re one of them, this may be an episode to avoid.

Sacrifice was so common in the ancient world that no one thought twice about the practice. On the contrary, sacrifice was an essential means of communication between mortals and divinities.

Every ceremony, every celebration, every festival and every battle included the practice. In fact, not sacrificing was unthinkable ...

Narrated by mythologist and best-selling author, Patrick Garner, Garner's Greek Mythology is unlike any other Greek history series.  Here these divine beings are viewed as if they were anything but mythical...

If you love this podcast, you'll also enjoy new stories about the gods in Garner's novel Homo Divinitas, now available as an audio book on Amazon.com and Audible.com.

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Welcome to Episode 35. In this show we identify the most exalted and powerful mortal women in Greece. Who were they? ... Priestesses, serving goddesses, and in some cases, gods.

These women were the equivalent of today’s superstars. Their names were known by everyone, they conducted sacrifices, and they led festivals and celebrations throughout the year.

But their most important function was to act as intermediaries, connecting ancient Greek women to the divine ...

Narrated by mythologist and best-selling author, Patrick Garner, Garner's Greek Mythology is unlike any other Greek history series.  Here these divine beings are viewed as if they were anything but mythical...

If you love this podcast, you'll also enjoy new stories about the gods in Garner's novel Homo Divinitas, now available as an audio book on Amazon.com and Audible.com.

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Welcome to Episode 34! Here we take our inspiration from the Muses, nine goddesses and daughters of the mighty Zeus.

3,000 years ago they lit the fire behind every masterpiece. Many of us say they play the identical role today, inspiring songwriters, poets, playwrights and writers.

They inspired artists and scientists alike. Pythagoras, the father of mathematics, was also a mystic and credited the Muses with many of his innovations. 

Narrated by mythologist and best-selling author, Patrick Garner, Garner's Greek Mythology is unlike any other Greek history series.  Here these divine beings are viewed as if they were anything but mythical...

If you love this podcast, you'll also enjoy new stories about the gods in Garner's novel Homo Divinitas, now available as an audio book on Amazon.com and Audible.com.

(Musical score includes selections from Fesliyan Studios and Saraz Handpans.)

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Welcome to Episode 33 where we meet Pythagoras, a 6th century B.C. genius. Was he man or god? Not even his contemporaries were sure. Pythagoras himself once said, “There are gods … and there are men … and there is Pythagoras.”

Avowedly the son of Apollo, he is known today as the father of mathematics. All modern science and logic sprung from his original insights.

Yet he was also a mystic and the founder of a revolutionary society. Men and women were equals, and all followed Pythagoras’ strange rules of behavior and diet.

Narrated by mythologist and best-selling author, Patrick Garner, Garner's Greek Mythology is unlike any other Greek history series.  Here these divine beings are viewed as if they were anything but mythical...

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Welcome to Episode 32. In this episode we hang with the mighty Spartans.

Where did they come from? How did they grow to dominate the Greek world in all things relating to war? 

Their society was founded by a man named Lycurgus. Or was it…? Some say it was Apollo — others claimed their bloodline ran directly from the sons of Heracles.

They rose and fell like all great heroes, their glory lasting a mere 300 years. But what a glorious roll for a city-state whose name became synonymous with bravery!

Narrated by mythologist and best-selling author, Patrick Garner, Garner's Greek Mythology is unlike any other Greek history series.  Here these divine beings are viewed as if they were anything but mythical... 

(Musical score includes selections from Fesliyan Studios.)

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Welcome to Episode 31. In this episode we drill down into the world of ancient Greek healing.

Was Hippocrates the father of medicine? Hardly. He was preceded by a demi-god, a son of Apollo named Asklepios. 

Asklepios, who flourished 800 years before Hippocrates, specialized in cures that reset a patient’s age. They were akin to today’s breakthroughs in anti-aging, which are typified by researchers such as Harvard’s David Sinclair ...

Narrated by mythologist and best-selling author, Patrick Garner, Garner's Greek Mythology is unlike any other Greek history series.  Here these divine beings are viewed as if they were anything but mythical... 

(Musical score includes selections from Fesliyan Studios.)

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Welcome to Episode 30 where we survey ancient war and how it formed the Greek notion of the ideal hero.

Thousands of years ago heroes were, without exception, brave young men. They expected to die young, valiantly and with the bodies of those they’d slain lying at their feet.

In this episode we contrast ancient war involving the gods to modern, secular war. Millennium ago, more frequently than not, Greek generals led the charge. Because they were first to leap toward the enemy, they inspired their troops. We look briefly at how that  has changed in modern warfare.

War molded ancient concepts of bravery and courage. Heroes were celebrated. Potters, farmers and philosophers were all expected to fight at a moment’s notice.

Narrated by mythologist and best-selling author, Patrick Garner, Garner's Greek Mythology is unlike any other Greek history series ...

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Email any suggestions to [email protected]