“Sing, O Muse, a new song about Ilium, a funeral dirge accompanied by tears.”The glory of the Iliad is over. The Muses are being summoned to sing a funeral dirge, a new song of mourning for the city of Troy.This tragedy takes place in the immediate aftermath of the Trojan War. The Greeks have gotten past the famous Trojan walls, not by force but by trickery. They’ve entered the city, killed the men and children, and taken the women as slaves.In this period between the fall of Troy and the sailing back by the Greeks, these Trojan Women have become slaves and are being doled out to the Greek Warriors. Each Trojan Woman is paired to a Greek as a slave for the rest of their lives.These women have just witnessed the brutal deaths of their loved ones and have seen the city they loved burned to the ground. Helen is amongst them. She is one of the Trojan captives. Helen of Troy.At this point, everyone wants her dead, including her ex-husband, Menelaus.In this episode of the podcast, I give a brief introduction to this tragedy play, talk about three characters who stuck out to me, and share the one thing I’m still thinking about after having read The Trojan Women by Euripides. Get full access to Books of Titans at www.booksoftitans.com/subscribe

In one of the most tragic stories of Greek Mythology, Agamemnon must sacrifice his daughter Iphigenia in order to secure favorable winds from Artemis so that the Greek Army can sail to Troy and retrieve Helen. That sacrifice sets off a series of events that curse a family line and destroy Agamemnon himself.It’d be fun to imagine an alternate ending. One that doesn’t involve the utterly tragic death of Iphigenia and a father being forced to kill his own daughter.That’s what happens here. Euripides provides some Ancient Greek Fan Fiction, an alternate history. Iphigenia is saved at the last moment in a scenario similar to Abraham and Issac where another sacrifice is provided at the last moment.Iphigenia is then whisked away by Artemis to Tauris where she becomes priestess at the temple of Artemis. One lovely job requirement is to sacrifice any Greeks who arrive in Tauris. Orestes, a Greek, and Iphegenia’s brother, arrives, setting up the remainder of this story.In this episode, I give a brief overview of the play, talk about some major themes, ask some questions I hope you’ll help me answer below, and share the one thing I’m still thinking about after reading Euripides’ Iphigenia in Tauris. Get full access to Books of Titans at www.booksoftitans.com/subscribe

Admetus can escape Hades if he can find someone to die in his place. His wife Alcestis agrees to die for him in the ultimate sacrifice. Is she in the right? Should she have been the person to take his place? Where does that leave him if she dies?These tragic elements are balanced with comedic release in the arrival of Heracles amidst this tremendous household grief. It turns this play about Necessity, marriage, and hospitality into a satyr drama to lessen the blow of the questions raised.In this episode, I give a brief overview of the play, talk about the key themes, and share the one thing I’m still thinking about after reading Alcestis by Euripides. Get full access to Books of Titans at www.booksoftitans.com/subscribe

In this poignant discussion, Queen Hecabe, a tragic figure from the Trojan War, reflects on her profound losses, including nearly all her children and her husband. The haunting appearance of her son Polydorus as a ghost reveals the depths of her grief. Hecabe's plea to spare her daughter Polyxena unfolds against the backdrop of Agamemnon's own tragic past, highlighting the weight of sacrifices made in war. The themes of justice, innocence, and the psychological toll of relentless sorrow resonate powerfully, illustrating the timeless impact of Euripides' work.

Medea kicks off right at the end of Jason and the Golden Fleece by Apollonius of Rhodes. Medea has just assisted Jason in subduing the dragon so that he can take the Golden Fleece. As thanks, Jason promises to marry Medea but then takes a second wife (the King’s daughter) to try to smooth things over in their new home.Unsurprisingly, Medea doesn’t take kindly to being scorned and she plots her revenge. But this isn’t Clytemnestra type revenge of killing the perpetrator. This is much darker. Her revenge will take away all things dear to Jason while leaving him to live in the aftermath. It’s next step cruelty.Medea kills wife #2, the king, and then stabs her two sons (shown above in a chariot pulled by dragons (or snakes depending on the translation). Medea tells Jason “your sons are dead.” He responds:“Dead? No! They live to haunt your life with vengeance”It’s a powerful line. And it begs the question—can you kill someone? Physically, yes. But what about mentally, morally, spiritually? It’s a question Dostoevsky explores in Crime and Punishment. Raskolnikov knows he can physically kill someone and get legally get away with it due to his superior intelligence. But the question is whether or not he can get away with it on another level. Can he look at himself in the mirror at night? Will he have Furies chasing after him? Paranoia? Depression? Mental degradation?Can you truly kill someone? Get full access to Books of Titans at www.booksoftitans.com/subscribe

The conversation dives into the evolution of American bookstores, showcasing their impact on readers since Benjamin Franklin's time. Personal stories intertwine with historical insights, highlighting the significance of these cherished spaces. It also explores how bookstore organization influences readers’ choices and the unique ambiance of independent shops. Listeners are treated to cherished memories that celebrate the vibrant community atmosphere these bookstores offer, standing in stark contrast to larger corporate competitors.

I read an illustrated edition of Aesop’s Fables earlier this year and came away quite disappointed. I knew Aesop lived in the 7th century BC, but the book of fables contained elements from much later during the Roman period. I came away confused and wanting to know more.Someone suggested I pick up the Loeb Classical Library version of Babrius and Phaedrus to dig deeper. I’m so glad I did.We don’t have actual writings or fables from Aesop. We do have collections from 600+ years later from these two, Babrius and Phaedrus, who collected, added, and made innovations to Aesop’s Fables. Babrius wrote in Greek and Phaedrus in Latin. So, technically, this Loeb book should look like this:Here’s my original episode covering the illustrated Aesop’s Fables: Get full access to Books of Titans at www.booksoftitans.com/subscribe

This is my favorite tragedy play by Sophocles. It’s absolutely stunning and shows the brilliance of the playwright in ways his other tragedies don’t. This is a story about means vs ends. Odysseus believes the adage “by any means necessary.” Deception is a legitimate means to reach a desired end. However, deception is not in the nature of Neoptolemus, whom Odysseus needs to fulfill a role. How will this play out? Will Neoptolemus give Odysseus “one day of shamelessness” to achieve a fated end?In this episode, I provide a brief overview of the play, highlight three fascinating themes, and conclude with a question on whether Odysseus or Neoptolemus is wiser. Get full access to Books of Titans at www.booksoftitans.com/subscribe

This tragedy covers themes like justice, freedom, and fate. The play culminates in the question of “whose justice?” Who has the right to exact justice? And who is in the right in exacting justice? Does justice exist beyond one’s individual conception or is there a higher law? Get full access to Books of Titans at www.booksoftitans.com/subscribe

Sophocles may have written 130 plays during his lifetime. Only seven survive. This podcast episode covers a book a fragments of the 100+ other tragedy and satyr plays of Sophocles.Fragments are phrases, sentences, or even paragraphs of content that were mostly referenced by other writers like Aristotle, Athenaeus, and Plutarch. They were aware of these plays that have since been lost to us and so they may have quoted a line within their own works. That’s how we have most of these fragments.And the fragments are within familiar mythological stories, so we have a rough idea of the content of the play and then try to fit these fragments into particular characters, contexts, and situations. It’s thrilling!There is an element of discovery and adventure in these fragments. Is this something Sophocles believed or did he have a character say it to prove another point? How did Sophocles expand on ideas from the seven play that have survived in his other plays?In this episode, I cover fragments I liked, things I learned, and share a partial answer to a question I shared in last week’s episode about Sophocles’ Women of Trachis: Get full access to Books of Titans at www.booksoftitans.com/subscribe