Books of Titans Podcast

It’s been an incredible year of reading so far. I’ve been utterly shocked at the beauty and relevancy of Greek Literature. In this episode, I share what I’ve read so far for 2024, what I have coming up during my Summer Break, and the most important thing I’ve learned in Greek Literature. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.booksoftitans.com/subscribe

In the introduction to Ajax by Peter Meineck & Paul Woodruff, they highlight the main idea of the tragedy play:Ajax shows the aftermath of an altercation over the honors that warriors feel are due to them after battle.I love that this is a theme that shows up strongly in the Iliad as well. In fact, Ajax has so many connection point to the Iliad that it’s almost required reading before this play.Sophocles highlights so many themes that were perhaps birthed in Homer and have started percolating deeper with the tragedy writers. Some of these include:* Force vs Persuasion (Ares vs the Areopagus)* The will of the gods* Fate* Honor* GloryIn this episode, I talk about some of these themes, how they relate to other Greek literature, and what we learn about them in Sophocles’ Ajax. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.booksoftitans.com/subscribe

Exploring the moral complexities in Sophocles' Antigone, the podcast delves into the clash between Creon's authority and Antigone's defiance. Themes of sacrifice, family loyalty, and challenging established power are highlighted, along with connections to other myths and plays. The episode also discusses the evolution of ethical interpretations in Greek tragedy and announces the host's Substack platform for audience support.

Sophocles was a friend of Herodotus and a contemporary of the other Greek tragedy playwrights Aeschylus and Euripides. He wrote over 120 plays and seven of those survive. The Theban Plays (Oedipus the King, Oedipus at Colonus, and Antigone) cover major events in the life of the mythical king Oedipus of Thebes and of his children.In this podcast episode, I talk about the two Sophoclean plays about Oedipus and share what I learned about Sophocles’ discussion of prophecy, the Greek concept of a curse, and the little tiny light at the end of this disastrous tunnel of tragedy.I read translations by David Grene, Paul Woodruff, and Robert Fagles. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.booksoftitans.com/subscribe

Seven plays survive out of more than 70 written by Aeschylus during his lifetime. Last week, I covered The Oresteia, his famous trilogy, and this week I cover his four other surviving tragedy plays.I highlight the following three contrasts I’ve found throughout Greek Literature and share what we learn within these Aeschylean plays:* Fate vs The Will of Zeus* Ares (force) vs the Areopagus (debate/civilization)* Family Curse vs Human Agency This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.booksoftitans.com/subscribe

In this episode, Erik Rostad discusses book 13 from his 2024 Reading List - The Oresteia by Aeschylus.Show Notes* Aeschylus* Purchase The Oresteia* Support the Podcast - Hire EPR Creations for Online Consulting* The Books of Titans Book Subscription with Landmark Booksellers* The Great Books Reading List* 2024 Reading List* Reading Resources* Books of Titans Website This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.booksoftitans.com/subscribe

In this episode, Erik Rostad discusses book 11 from his 2024 Reading List – Fables by Aesop. Show Notes Aesop Purchase Aesop’s Fables Support the Podcast – Hire EPR Creations for Online Consulting The Books of Titans Book Subscription with Landmark Booksellers The Great Books Reading List 2024 Reading List Reading Resources Books of Titans...The post Aesop’s Fables appeared first on Books of Titans. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.booksoftitans.com/subscribe

In this episode, Erik Rostad discusses book 9 from his 2024 Reading List – The Odes by Pindar. Show Notes Pindar Purchase The Odes by Pindar / Translation by C.M. Bowra Support the Podcast – Hire EPR Creations for Online Consulting The Books of Titans Book Subscription with Landmark Booksellers The Great Books Reading List 2024 Reading...The post The Odes by Pindar appeared first on Books of Titans. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.booksoftitans.com/subscribe

In this episode, Erik Rostad talks about the cataclysmic will of Zeus. The Cypria, a lost work with stories predating the Iliad, provides a clear-cut purpose for the will of Zeus. Is it true? Why did Homer ignore it in the Iliad? How does it change the reading of the “will of Zeus being fulfilled” in...The post The Cataclysmic Will of Zeus appeared first on Books of Titans. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.booksoftitans.com/subscribe

In this episode, Erik Rostad discusses book 5 from his list of 200 Great Books  – The Atrahasis: The Babylonian Flood Myth. Show Notes Purchase Enuma Elish / Translation by Timothy Stephany Purchase Myths from Mesopotamia / Translation by Stephanie Dalley Enuma Elish Podcast Episode Support the Podcast – Hire EPR Creations for Online Consulting...The post The Atrahasis appeared first on Books of Titans. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.booksoftitans.com/subscribe