WINNOW: A Couple’s Close Reading of the Iliad and Odyssey

Telemachus journeys onward to Sparta where he finds Menelaus and Helen in Book 4 of the Odyssey. Menelaus and Helen are not exactly living in domestic bliss. Helen slips something into the wine to ease everyone's nerves. And Menelaus tells the story of how he returned home. A strange tale indeed! What does Telemachus learn from Menelaus that he didn't learn from Nestor? How does war effect even the best of warriors?

Listen to Book 5 of the Odyssey to be prepared for next week's episode on YouTube.

Watch this episode on YouTube.

Check out our bonus podcast on Patreon, CHONKERS a mini podcast about thick books

Thank you to Nat Copeland for our theme song.

Edited by Isabella Gemmer

Enjoy Book 4 of Homer's Odyssey. These audiobooks are also available on YouTube with text on-screen.

Thank you to Project Gutenberg for the full text of the Samuel Butler (1900) translation. 

Narrated by Owen Gemmer.

Time for Nestor to pass his old man wisdom to Telemachus. In this episode we talk about what Telemachus actually learns from meeting Nestor in Book 3 of the Odyssey. Does he know where Odysseus is? Or if he's even alive? And we drop some Nolan News. Travis Scott being cast in the Odyssey movie was not on our 2026 bingo card.

Listen to Book 4 of the Odyssey to be prepared for next week's episode on YouTube.

Watch this episode on YouTube.

Check out our bonus podcast on Patreon, CHONKERS a mini podcast about thick books.

Thank you to Nat Copeland for our theme song.

Edited by Isabella Gemmer

Enjoy Book 3 of Homer's Odyssey. These audiobooks are also available on YouTube with text on-screen.

Thank you to Project Gutenberg for the full text of the Samuel Butler (1900) translation. 

Narrated by Owen Gemmer.

We might've gotten a little ahead of ourselves last episode. Let's take a closer look at the power struggle in Ithaca in Book 2 of the Odyssey. Telemachus calls the elders and suitors to gather in the square. Penelope's scheme is revealed to the public! And why is Athena helping Telemachus succeed so much?

Watch this episode on YouTube. 

Listen to Book 3 of the Odyssey to be prepared for next week's episode on YouTube.

Check out our bonus podcast on Patreon, CHONKERS a mini podcast about thick books.

Thank you to Nat Copeland for our theme song.

Edited by Isabella Gemmer

We have decided to post Owen's Odyssey audiobooks of the Butler translation here to our podcast feed. These audiobooks are also available on YouTube with text on-screen. We hope that this makes the Odyssey journey easier to follow for our audio-only listeners. Enjoy!

Thank you to Project Gutenberg for the full text of the Samuel Butler (1900) translation. 

Narrated by Owen Gemmer.

Join us on our journey through Homer's Odyssey! This is the first official Odyssey episode covering Book 1 of the epic poem. We've been so excited to talk about Odysseus, but he's not even in this one! The Odyssey starts by showing us what's going on in Ithaca with Telemachus, Penelope and the many suitors. Why start the story here? Let's get into it!

Watch this episode on YouTube.

Listen to Book 2 of the Odyssey to be prepared for next week's episode on YouTube.

Check out our bonus podcast on Patreon, CHONKERS a mini podcast about thick books.

Thank you to Nat Copeland for our theme song.

Edited by Isabella Gemmer

We have decided to post Owen's Odyssey audiobooks of the Butler translation here to our podcast feed. These audiobooks are also available on YouTube with text on-screen. We hope that this makes the Odyssey journey easier to follow for our audio-only listeners. Enjoy!

Thank you to Project Gutenberg for the full text of the Samuel Butler (1900) translation. 

Narrated by Owen Gemmer.

Our journey into the Odyssey begins! Join us as we discuss the opening lines of the Odyssey with our special guest Kyle Prue. We talk about the meaning of "polytropos", concerns about Nolan's adaptation, and give advice to first time readers of the Odyssey.

Listen to Book 1 of the Odyssey to be prepared for next week's episode on YouTube.

Watch this episode on YouTube.

Check out Kyle's show RABBIT on YouTube.

Check out our bonus podcast on Patreon, CHONKERS a mini podcast about thick books.

Thank you to Nat Copeland for our theme song.

Edited by Isabella Gemmer

If you're planning on joining us for our slow read of the Odyssey, you might be wondering what translation you should choose. No fear! We are here to give you some solid options and strong guidance.

If you're wondering what we read when we're not reading the Iliad or the Odyssey, check out our bonus podcast on Patreon.

Stay tuned for the Odyssey Book 1 audiobook coming soon!

Thank you to Nat Copeland for our theme song.

Edited by Isabella Gemmer