Let's Talk About Myths, Baby! | Greek Mythology & the Ancient Mediterranean

You know what I don't talk enough about? The ruins of Pompeii. Author Elodie Harper joins me to talk ancient Pompeii and writing the lives of enslaved people living in ancient Rome. It's a dark topic, but we have fun (I promise). Find Elodie's two novels, The Wolf Den and The House With the Golden Door wherever you get books. Follow Elodie on Twitter and Instagram.CW/TW: far too many Greek myths involve assault. Given it's fiction, and typically involves gods and/or monsters, I'm not as deferential as I would be were I referencing the real thing.Attributions and licensing information for music used in the podcast can be found here: mythsbaby.com/sources-attributions. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Zagreus, Zagreus, Zagreus. What a mess of a story. It's gross, it's weird, it's both an afterthought and supremely important. Welcome to the story of thrice born Dionysus, better known as Zagreus.CW/TW: **this episode includes particularly egregious assault and incest, even for Greek myth** far too many Greek myths involve assault. Given it's fiction, and typically involves gods and/or monsters, I'm not as deferential as I would be were I referencing the real thing.Sources: Early Greek Myths by Timothy Gantz; Nonnus' Dionysiaca, translated by William Henry Denham Rouse. Further reading: Orphic Tradition and the Birth of the Gods by Dwayne A. Meisner; The “Orphic” Gold Tablets and Greek Religion, Radcliffe G. Edmonds III; The Orphic Hymns, translated by Apostolos N. Athanassakis and Benjamin M. Wolkow. See last week's episode for even more Orphic sources.Attributions and licensing information for music used in the podcast can be found here: mythsbaby.com/sources-attributions. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Turns out epiphanies are super fascinating and, basically, everywhere. Gillian Glass joins Liv to talk about epiphanic experiences in antiquity, both Greek mythology and in the Torah. Plus, what do the gods smell like, anyway? Follow Gillian on Twitter.CW/TW: far too many Greek myths involve assault. Given it's fiction, and typically involves gods and/or monsters, I'm not as deferential as I would be were I referencing the real thing.Attributions and licensing information for music used in the podcast can be found here: mythsbaby.com/sources-attributions. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What on Gaia's earth is the Orphic tradition? Liv attempts to break down this mysterious tradition that may or may not have been more of an ancient religion. And it all revolves around that famous Thracian singer, Orpheus.CW/TW: far too many Greek myths involve assault. Given it's fiction, and typically involves gods and/or monsters, I'm not as deferential as I would be were I referencing the real thing.Sources: The Orphic Hymns, translated by Apostolos N. Athanassakis and Benjamin M. Wolkow; Orphic Tradition and the Birth of the Gods by Dwayne A. Meisner; The Orphic Hymns: A New Translation for the Occult Practitioner by Patrick Dunn; Theoi.com; "The Derveni Theogony: Many Questions and Some Answers" by Alberto Bernabé, from Harvard Studies in Classical Philology.Further reading: The “Orphic” Gold Tablets and Greek Religion by Radcliffe G. Edmonds III; Tearing Apart the Zagreus Myth: A Few Disparaging Remarks on Orphism and Original Sin by Radcliffe G. Edmonds IIIAttributions and licensing information for music used in the podcast can be found here: mythsbaby.com/sources-attributions. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Liv reads Ovid's Metamorphoses (!!!), translated by Bookes More. The beginning of everything, according to Ovid's very Roman (and Ovidian!) take on Greek mythological tradition.This is not a standard narrative story episode, it's a reading of an ancient source, audiobook style. For regular episodes look for any that don't have "Liv Reads..." in the title! For a list of Roman/Latin names and who they were in the Greek, visit: mythsbaby.com/names Attributions and licensing information for music used in the podcast can be found here: mythsbaby.com/sources-attributions. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Orpheus and Eurydice are famous for their doomed love story, but it turns out Orpheus is also famous for, well, inventing an entire religion separate from the traditional ancient Greek mythology and practices?!CW/TW: far too many Greek myths involve assault. Given it's fiction, and typically involves gods and/or monsters, I'm not as deferential as I would be were I referencing the real thing.Sources: Ovid's Metamorphoses, translated by Allen Mandelbaum, long quotes/songs translated by Brookes More from Theoi.com; Early Greek Myths by Timothy Gantz; Virgil's Georgics.Attributions and licensing information for music used in the podcast can be found here: mythsbaby.com/sources-attributions. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Liv speaks with CW Marshall, who's literally written the book on Euripides' Helen, about the background, context, and behind the scenes of the play as well as Euripides' fragmentary play Andromeda. Follow Toph on Twitter.CW/TW: far too many Greek myths involve assault. Given it's fiction, and typically involves gods and/or monsters, I'm not as deferential as I would be were I referencing the real thing.Attributions and licensing information for music used in the podcast can be found here: mythsbaby.com/sources-attributions. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Just a quick reading of the first two choral odes from Euripides' Helen, translated by EP Coleridge. They're very good and don't fit in with the full narrative episode.This is not a standard narrative story episode, it's a reading of an ancient source, audiobook style. For regular episodes look for any that don't have "Liv Reads..." in the title!Attributions and licensing information for music used in the podcast can be found here: mythsbaby.com/sources-attributions. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this very Euripidean finale, Helen and Menelaus execute their escape from Egypt, and Theoclymenus is visited by unexpectedly divine guests...CW/TW: far too many Greek myths involve assault. Given it's fiction, and typically involves gods and/or monsters, I'm not as deferential as I would be were I referencing the real thing.Sources: The Greek Plays, edited by Mary Lefkowitz and James Romm: Eurpides; Helen, translated by Emily Wilson. Thanks to Ash Strain for researching the play, as always!Attributions and licensing information for music used in the podcast can be found here: mythsbaby.com/sources-attributions. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Euripides is really here making us all fall for Menelaus and I don't know how to deal with it. Menelaus and Helen are reunited and plan their escape from Egypt.CW/TW: far too many Greek myths involve assault. Given it's fiction, and typically involves gods and/or monsters, I'm not as deferential as I would be were I referencing the real thing.Sources: The Greek Plays edited by Mary Lefkowitz and James Romm, Euripides' Helen translated by Emily Wilson. Thanks to Ash Strain for researching the play, as always! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.