Today on Ascend: The Great Books Podcast, Dcn. Harrison Garlick is joined by Dr. Pavlos Papadopoulos of Wyoming Catholic College and Dr. Frank Grabowski of Holy Family Classical School to discuss BOOK ONE of the Odyssey--one of the greatest texts in the Western canon.

Check out our NEW 12-WEEK STUDY OF THE ODYSSEY.

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Be sure to use our WRITTEN GUIDE to the Odyssey!

They explore why the epic opens with “man” (not rage, not a god), the meaning of polytropos (“man of twists and turns”), Telemachus’s urgent coming-of-age amid an absent father and predatory suitors, Athena’s masterful mentoring, and Zeus’ striking defense of human responsibility.

Along the way they illuminate Homer’s sophisticated anthropology, the poetic dialectic of Homer the philosopher, the haunting parallels with the House of Atreus, and why this ancient poem still speaks so powerfully to questions of masculinity, homecoming, virtue, and human greatness today.

Witty, learned, and full of “blood on the floor” interpretive energy, this conversation will leave you hungry for the next eleven weeks—and convinced that Homer is one of the greatest teachers you’ll ever encounter.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to the Great Books Podcast

03:39 The NEW Odyssey: A 12-Week Study

09:29 The Importance of Reading Homer

17:01 Exploring the Opening Lines of the Odyssey

30:14 The Man of Twists and Turns: Understanding Odysseus

35:28 Exploring Odysseus: The Complexity of a Hero

39:26 Justice and Fate: The Role of Aegisthus

42:28 Divine Intervention: Zeus and Human Responsibility

55:30 The Journey Home: Odysseus and Telemachus

01:03:12 Coming of Age: Telemachus's Transformation

01:05:37 Exploring Penelope's Role

01:11:44 Telemachus' Journey to Manhood

01:24:56 Reflections on the Odyssey

More Resources

Intro to the Odyssey with Dr. Patrick Deneen (2024)

The Odyssey Book 1 with Dr. Frank Grabowski and Thomas Lackey (2024)

Do Christians Owe a Debt to Homer? The Ascent.

Understanding Homer as a Philosopher & Theologian. The Ascent.

Keywords

Odyssey, Homer, Greek Literature, Great Books, Philosophy, Mythology, Education, Homer's Teachings, Classical Studies, Odyssey Analysis Odyssey, Homer, fate, divine justice, Odysseus, Telemachus, Greek mythology, divine intervention, hero's journey, philosophy