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Epic Readings

During the Fun Year that was 2020, Liv began releasing extra episodes of the podcast that were, simply, readings of the epic poems The Iliad and the Odyssey. This series eventually grew to straight readings of other ancient works like the Homeric Hymns and Apollonios’ Argonautika, Ovid’s Metamorphoses, and so much more. For regular narrative episodes retelling the stories rather than reading public domain (and thus, sometimes old and stuffy) translations, click here.

 
 

 The Iliad

The episodes where Liv reads aloud from the Iliad are straight readings of Samuel Butler’s 19th Century translation. Back then translators had a habit of using the more common (at the time) Roman names for gods and heroes. For a list of those Roman names and their Greek counterparts, click here.

 
 

The Odyssey 

The episodes where Liv reads aloud from the Iliad are straight readings of Samuel Butler’s 19th Century translation. Back then translators had a habit of using the more common (at the time) Roman names for gods and heroes. For a list of those Roman names and their Greek counterparts, click here.

  • Book I - It's been 20 years and Odysseus is *still* not back from the war. Telemachus complains about Penelope's suitors.

  • Book II - Telemachus gathers together a counsel.

  • Book III - Telemachus travels to Pylos to hear what news Nestor has about Odysseus.

  • Book IV - Telemachus visits Sparta for news from Menelaus.

  • Book V - Finally, Odysseus! On orders from Zeus, Calypso allows him to leave Ogygia.

  • Book VI - Odysseus arrives on the island of Scheria where he encounters Nausicaa, princess of the Phaeacians.

  • Book VII - Odysseus meets with Alcinous and Arete, king and queen of the Phaeacians.

  • Book VIII - Having arrived before King Antinous, Odysseus is welcomed by the Phaeacians who hold athletic games and a feast in the stranger's honour.

  • Book IX - Odysseus tells the story of he and his men arriving on the island of the Cyclopes.

  • Book X - Winds! Laestrygonians! And a witch, Circe.

  • Book XI - Odysseus travels to the Underworld and visits with the dead.

  • Book XII - Odysseus and his crew encounter all the biggest baddies: the Sirens, Scylla, Charybdis, and Helios's cattle...

  • Book XIII - Finally, Odysseus reaches the shores of Ithaca.

  • Book XIV - In disguise, Odysseus weaves an intricate story to his own swineherd, Eumaeus.

  • Book XV - Telemachus leaves Sparta for Ithaca, and Odysseus chats some more with Eumaeus, the swineherd (who's got QUITE the life story).

  • Book XVI - Telemachus returns to Ithaca and he and his father are finally reunited. Meanwhile, the suitors plot...

  • Book XVII - Telemachus returns home to Penelope, before Odysseus and Eumaeus also return to the palace and the suitors within.

  • Book XVIII - Odysseus, still in disguise, makes trouble with the suitors of Penelope.

  • Book XIX - Odysseus finally speaks with Penelope and comes up with even more detailed lies about his identity.

  • Book XX - Things heat up between the disguised Odysseus and the suitors of Penelope.

  • Book XXI - Hmm, hmm, hmm... Who can string that bow?

  • Book XXII - It's murderin' time. Odysseus, Telemachus, Eumaeus, and the death of all the suitors.

  • Book XXIII - Penelope and Odysseus: reunited and it feels so good.

  • Book XXIV - In the final (*tear*) episode of the Odyssey, Odysseus reunites with his father and there's a bit of a scuffle with the family of the suitors,

 
 

 The Argonautika

These episodes are, like the Iliad and the Odyssey, a straight reading of a 19th century translation of Apollonios’ Argonautika, translated by RC Seaton. After the first episode Liv began adjusting some very old timey words to the more modern (and listenable) alternatives (think: thy, thou, etc.).

Book 1

  • Part 1 - The heroes of the Argo assemble and plan to set sail in quest of the Golden Fleece.

  • Part 2 - The heroes of the Argo set sail before landing on the island of Lemnos where Jason meets Hypsipyle and the Lemnian women.

  • Part 3 - The heroes of the Argo do a few odd "heroic" things before Herakles and Hylas encounter some trouble...

Book 2

  • Part 1 - Having left Heracles and Hylas behind, the Argo continues on its voyage, encountering the famous boxer Amycus and a very unfortunate prophet.

  • Part 2 - The Argonauts handle the instructions and execution of the very risky venture of passing through the Clashing Rocks...

  • Part 3 - After more adventure and deaths along the way, the Argonauts finally reach the land of Colchis.

Book 3

  • Part 1 - Arriving on Colchis, Jason and the Argonauts meet Aeetes and his daughter Chalciope and Medea.

  • Part 2 - This one's all about Medea.

  • Part 3 - Medea and Jason finally meet when Medea begins helping Jason in completing the quests for Aeetes. First up, some angry bronze bulls.'

Book 4

  • Part 1 - Medea flees Colchis with Jason and the Argonauts and they come up with a plan to get away from the Colchian ships, and Medea's brother Apsyrtus, following them.

  • Part 2 - Fleeing from Colchis, the Argonauts reach Circe's island before making their way to the Phaeacians.

  • Part 3 - In the final part of the Argonautika, the Argonauts leave Phaeacia with Jason and Medea married before getting lost in Libya and then finally, finally, reaching the Greek mainland.

 
 

 Homeric Hymns

The so-called Homeric Hymns are a collections of poems of varying lengths from (maybe? probably?) generally the same time period as the Homeric Epics the Iliad and the Odyssey. Because of this, they’re some of the oldest surviving sources that we have when it comes to stories of particular gods. Every now and again one of these hymns fits particularly well with an episode Liv covers on the show, and she does a reading of those hymns. Below are the hymns Liv has read aloud. All are translated by Hugh Evelyn-White (ie., are in the Public Domain) but Liv highly recommends the Diane Rayor translation for those looking to read the hymns themselves.

The Homeric Hymn to Hermes

This Homeric Hymn tells the story of the birth of Hermes and all the adventures he had as a newborn baby (they were plentiful). It's sometimes attributed to Homer, but comes from a similar time period in any case.

Listen on Spotify, Apple Podcast

The Homeric Hymn to Demeter

This Homeric Hymn tells the story of Hades (Aidoneus) kidnapping Persephone and her mother, Demeter's search for her daughter. It's sometimes attributed to Homer, but comes from a similar time period in any case.

Listen on Spotify, Apple Podcast

The Homeric Hymn to Apollo

Homeric Hymns are beautiful and detailed and so, so ancient... The two Homeric Hymns to Apollo tell the story of his birth and the founding of the Oracle at Delphi.

Listen on Spotify, Apple Podcast

The Homeric Hymn to Aphrodite

Sing of the Cytherean goddess and her encounter with the mortal Anchises, the conception of the Trojan prince Aeneas.

Listen on Spotify, Apple Podcast

Liv Reads the (Remaining) Homeric Hymns

Liv reads the remaining, shorter Homeric Hymns to gods and heroes. Sing of Aphrodite and Dionysus, Pan and Hermes, Hestia, Athena, Artemis, even the mother of all gods.

Listen on Spotify, Apple Podcast