Dcn. Harrison Garlick and Adam Minihan continue the YEAR WITH HOMER by discussing Book 15 of the Odyssey: The Prince Sets Sail for Home. Check out our guide at thegreatbookspodcast.com . 80. What happens in book fifteen? Athena goes to Sparta and inspires the young Telemachus to return home quickly (15.10) and advises him on how to avoid the ambush set by the suitors (15.31). Menelaus gives Telemachus kingly gifts and sends him and Nestor’s son back to Pylos (1...
Oct 15, 2024•57 min
Dcn. Harrison Garlick and Adam Minihan are joined by Alec Bianco of the Circe Institute to discuss Book Fourteen of the Odyssey: The Loyal Swineherd. Check out thegreatbookspodcast.com for more! From our guide: 77. What happens in book fourteen? Odysseus, disguised as an old beggar, makes his way to the home of his loyal swineherd, Eumaeus (14.32). Odysseus is welcomed warmly, as the swineherd reiterates that “every stranger and beggar comes from Zeus” (14.66)....
Oct 08, 2024•1 hr 9 min
In this episode, Deacon Harrison Garlick, along with guests Alan Cornett and Dr. Richard Meloche, delve into the french Dominican A.G. Sertillanges' influential book "The Intellectual Life." They explore the significance of cultivating an intellectual life, the role of courage and discipline, and the importance of community in intellectual pursuits. The conversation emphasizes that everyone, regardless of their background or age, is called to engage in the life of the mind and that it can lead t...
Oct 03, 2024•1 hr 22 min
Dcn. Garlick and Adam Minihan are joined by Dr. Pavlos Papadopoulos of Wyoming Catholic College to discuss BOOK THIRTEEN of the Odyssey. Check out thegreatbookspodcast.com for more. From our guide: 73. What happens in book thirteen? King Alcinous makes good on his promise and sends Odysseus back to Ithaca (13.108). Odysseus sleeps the whole way home (13.91), and the Phaeacians lay a sleeping Odysseus on the beach and leave (13.133). Poseidon, meanwhile, convinc...
Oct 01, 2024•1 hr 26 min
Dcn. Harrison Garlick and Adam Minihan discuss Book Twelve of the Odyssey: The Cattle of the Sun. Check out more at thegreatbookspodcast.com . From our guide: 68. What happens in book twelve? Odysseus and his men return the island of Circe and bury their comrade, Elpenor, who had spoken to Odysseus from the underworld (12.10). Circe tells Odyssey—and Odysseus alone—what trials await him on his journey (12.36). First, he and his men will sail by the Sirens and t...
Sep 24, 2024•1 hr 9 min
Dr. Frank Grabowski and Thomas Lackey return to discuss Book Eleven of the Odyssey with Dcn. Garlick. Check out thegreatbookspodcast.com for more resources. From the guide: 60. What happens in book eleven? Odysseus and his men sail to the edge of the world into the endless darkness and the house of death (11.21). Following the ritual Circe prescribed, Odysseus fills a trench with blood, and the shades of the dead came out to meet him (11.40). Odysseus first spe...
Sep 17, 2024•2 hr 5 min
Dcn. Garlick flies solo to explore the depths of BOOK TEN of the Odyssey: The Bewitching Queen of Aeaea. Check out thegreatbookspodcast.com for more resources. From the guide: 53. What happens in book ten? Odysseus and his men come to the floating island of King Aeolus [1] who Zeus had made the “master of all the winds” (10.24). After hosting them for a month, King Aeolus stuffed all the winds into a bag, except a favorable west wind, and gave it to Odyss...
Sep 10, 2024•1 hr 2 min
Dcn. Garlick and Adam Minihan discuss BOOK NINE of the Odyssey: Odysseus and the Cyclops. Odysseus finally gives his name and starts to tell his story. Book Nine is one of the most important books in the Odyssey. Check out thegreatbookspodcast.com for more information. From the guide: 48. What happens in book nine? The guest of good King Alcinous finally declares, “I am Odysseus” (9.21), and he begins to tell his story (9.33). After Troy, Odysseus and the ships...
Sep 03, 2024•1 hr 20 min
This week Dcn. Harrison Garlick and Mr. Eli Stone, formerly of the TU Great Books Honors College and now teaching at a classical school, discuss Book VIII of the Odyssey: A Day for Songs and Contests. We have a 50+ page guide to the Odyssey. Visit thegreatbookspodcast.com for more resources. From the guide: 42. What happens in book eight? King Alcinous and Odysseus go to the meeting grounds, as Athena whips up the curiosity of the islanders to come and see the ...
Aug 27, 2024•1 hr 34 min
This week Dcn. Garlick and Mr. Eli Stone discuss Book Seven of the Odyssey: Phaeacia’s Halls and Gardens. Check out thegreatbookspodcast.com for more resources. FROM THE GUIDE: 36. What happens in book seven? Athena hides Odysseus in a mist and leads him, in the guise of a child, toward the palace (7.17). She reiterates the advice of Nausicaa by telling Odysseus to go to Queen Arete (7.61). Odysseus enters the magnificent palace and throws his arms around the q...
Aug 20, 2024•1 hr 21 min
Dcn. Harrison Garlick and Adam Minihan are joined by Eli Stone, formerly of the TU Great Books Honors College and now with Holy Family Classical School in Tulsa, Oklahoma, to discuss BOOK SIX of the Odyssey: The Princess and the Stranger. Check us out at thegreatbookspodcast.com . From the guide: 32. What happens in book six? Athena inspires Nausicaa, the daughter of King Alcinous, to go with her handmaids to the river and wash clothes (6.20). Her father grants...
Aug 13, 2024•1 hr 25 min
Dcn. Harrison Garlick and Adam Minihan are joined by Evan Amato of Rewire the West to discuss Book Five of Odyssey: Odysseus escapes Calypso's Island. Check out thegreatbookspodcast.com for a written guide to the Odyssey. A couple questions from the guide: 28. What happens in book five? King Odysseus is trapped on Calypso’s island. Zeus, at Athena’s pleading, agrees to two proposals: first, Odysseus may leave the captivity of Calypso; and second, Athena may hel...
Aug 06, 2024•1 hr 45 min
This week Adam Minihan returns to discuss Book Four of the Odyssey with Father Bonaventure, OP - a Dominican Friar of the Province of St. Joseph. The out our website for a 50+ page guide to the Odyssey. 23. What happens in book four? Telemachus arrives in Sparta to find King Menelaus hosting a “double-wedding feast;” as Menelaus’ daughter is marrying the son of Achilles, and Menelaus’ son is marrying a girl from Sparta (4.04). Telemachus and Nestor’s son, Pisis...
Jul 30, 2024•52 min
Dcn. Harrison Garlick, Dr. Frank Grabowski, and Mr. Thomas Lackey discuss Book Three of the Odyssey: KING NESTOR REMEMBERS. The lovable old man from the Iliad returns to help set Telemachus on his way. More on Telemachus' coming of age story What power comes to rest on Telemachus? How did Great Ajax die?! (ignobly...) What caused the Achaeans to suffer the wrath of Athena? Check out Dcn. Garlick's 50+ page guide to the Odyssey. What happens in book three? Telemachus arrives in Pylos to find King...
Jul 23, 2024•1 hr 7 min
Dcn. Garlick, Dr. Frank Grabowski, and Mr. Thomas Lackey come together to discuss Book Two of the Odyssey: Telemachus sets sail. Summary of the book Discussion on key themes Aristotle's Metaphysics John Wayne references And more! Check out our website for 60+ page reader's guide to the Odyssey . What happens in book two? Inspired by Athena, Telemachus addresses the assembly of Ithaca (2.25) and condemns the suitors and invokes the gods against them (2.70). In response, Antinous, a suitor, blames...
Jul 16, 2024•55 min
Dcn. Harrison Garlick and Adam Minihan are joined by Jason Craig of Sword and Spade magazine to discuss the theme of fatherhood in the Odyssey. The fatherhood of Odysseus The problem of fatherlessness in Ithaca The coming of age story of Telemachus And more! Check out Sword and Spade magazine. Check out our 60+ page guide to the Odyssey. Join us as we read the Odyssey as part of our Year of Homer!...
Jul 09, 2024•44 min
WE ARE STARTING THE ODYSSEY! Dcn. Harrison Garlick is joined by Dr. Frank Grabowski and Mr. Thomas Lackey to discuss Book One of the Odyssey. Check out our website - thegreatbookspodcast.com - for a written guide to the Odyssey and other resources. Questions discussed: What happens in book one? What should be observed about the invocation to the Muses? What should be made of Zeus’ comment on fate? What happened to Agamemnon? What should be made of Telemachus? What major themes and narratives hel...
Jul 02, 2024•1 hr 38 min
Dcn. Harrison Garlick welcomes Dr. Patrick Deneen, Dr. Chad Pecknold, and Dr. Richard Meloche to introduce Homer's Odyssey. Dr. Patrick Deneen is a Professor of Political Science at Notre Dame. He is the author of many books and articles including Why Liberalism Failed (2018). His teaching and writing interests focus on the history of political thought, American political thought, liberalism, conservatism, and constitutionalism. Dr. Chad Pecknold , Associate Professor of Syste...
Jun 25, 2024•1 hr 6 min
Dcn. Harrison Garlick and Adam Minihan discuss the events BETWEEN the Iliad and the Odyssey. There is a notable gap between the Iliad and the Odyssey . As the Odyssey picks up after the fall of Troy, tradition turns to authors such as the Greek poet Sophocles, the Greek poet Euripides, and the Roman poet Virgil to tell the story of how Troy fell. The following questions, while tracking the fates of specific individuals, tell the narrative that occurs between the Iliad and the Odyssey . One may m...
Jun 18, 2024•42 min
Dcn. Harrison Garlick and Adam Minihan discuss the FINAL book of the Iliad: Book 24 - Achilles and Priam. Check out our 65-page guide to the Iliad ! I have put to my lips the hands of the man who killed my son. Priam to Achilles (24.591) 103. What happens in book twenty-four? The funeral games have ended, and Achilles, who still mourns for Patroclus, drags Hector’s body behind his chariot around Patroclus’ tomb (24.19). Twelve days after the death of Hector, ...
Jun 11, 2024•1 hr 48 min
Dcn. Harrison Garlick and Adam Minihan discuss Book 23 of the Iliad: The Funeral Games. Check out this section of our guide to the Iliad ! Sleeping, Achilles? You’ve forgotten me, my friend. You never neglected me in life, only now in death. Bury me, quickly—let me pass the Gates of Hades . Patroclus (23.81) 100. What happened in book twenty-three? Now back at the Achaean camp, Achilles leads his Myrmidons in mourning around the body of Patroclus (23.13). That...
Jun 04, 2024•49 min
Dcn. Harrison Garlick and Adam Minihan discuss Book 22 on the Death of Hector. “There are no binding oaths between men and lions—wolves and lambs can enjoy no meeting of the minds—they are all bent on hating each other to death.” Achilles (22.310). 97. What happens in book twenty-two? The Trojans scurry back into the city like “panicked fawns,” while Hector remains outside the walls (22.05). Apollo, who had taken the form of a Trojan soldier ...
May 28, 2024•54 min
Dcn. Harrison Garlick and Adam Minihan discussed BOOK 21 of the Iliad: Achilles Fights the River. “Come friend, you too must die. Why moan about it so? […] Even for me, I tell you, death and strong force of fate are waiting.” Achilles (21.119). CHECK OUT OUR GUIDE TO THE ILIAD . 93. What happens in book twenty-one? The Trojans are in full retreat. Achilles drives half the Trojan army back toward Troy over the plains, but the other half is driven into the Xanthus riv...
May 21, 2024•1 hr 1 min
Dcn. Harrison Garlick interviews George of the Chivalry Guild on topics such as CS Lewis, virtue, magnanimity, meekness, and the importance of strength and prowess. Deacon and George will also discuss his new book - "Chivalry: An Ideal Whose Time Has Come Again" - and explore the concept of noblesse oblige. Thank you for checking out Ascend! We exist to help people study the great books and explore timeless truths. Check out our website and account on X for more information.
May 16, 2024•1 hr 29 min
Dcn. Harrison Garlick and Adam Minihan discuss Book 20 of the Iliad: The Olympian Gods in Arms Summary of the narrative What is Aeneas special? Some details others often overlook Check out our GUIDE TO THE ILIAD . “Aeneas will rule the men of Troy in power—his son’s sons and the sons born in future years.” Poseidon (20.355). 90. What happens in book twenty? Zeus calls the gods to council and tells them that they may now aide whatever side they wish—the...
May 14, 2024•52 min
Dcn. Harrison Garlick and Adam Minihan discuss Book 19 of the Iliad: The Champion Arms for Battle! Achilles prepares to enter the war! Summary of Book 19 How does Odysseus try to broker peace? What should we make of Briseis weeping over Patroclus? Who is Ate, the goddess of ruin? “You talk of food? I have no taste for food—what I really crave is slaughter and blood and the choking groans of men!” Achilles (19.254). 85. What happens in book nineteen? Thet...
May 07, 2024•43 min
Dcn. Harrison Garlick and Adam Minihan discuss Book 18 of the Iliad: The Shield of Achilles. Arguably the MOST philosophically dense book in the entire Iliad. Summary of the Narrative What lesson does the "heart" of Achilles teach? How do we interpret the shield of Achilles? Check out our 115 QUESTION GUIDE to the Iliad. How should we interpret the shield of Achilles? The shield of Achilles presents a commentary on the cosmos. It is a testament to the Greek belief that the world is ordered and i...
Apr 30, 2024•1 hr 26 min
Dcn. Harrison Garlick and Adam Minihan discuss Book 17 of the Iliad: Menelaus' Finest Hour. Summary of Book 17 What is the "dark heart" of Hector? Can human agency affect fate? What about the horses of Achilles? Check out our 115 Question & Answer Guide on the Iliad. But grief bore down on Hector, packing his dark heart . Homer (17.92) 75. What happens in books seventeen? The body of Patroclus still lays on the plains outside of Troy. Menelaus, the S...
Apr 23, 2024•1 hr 9 min
Dcn. Harrison Garlick and Adam Minihan discuss Book 16 of the Iliad: Patroclus Fights and Dies. Summary of Book 16 What is the difference between Zeus and Fate? What is the relation of Fate to the free will of men? Did Patroclus deserve his fate? Check our GUIDE ON THE ILIAD . 70. What happens in books sixteen? Patroclus returns to Achilles and begs Achilles to send him out to fight in Achilles’ armor (16.43). Homer writes: “So [Patroclus] pleaded, lost ...
Apr 16, 2024•1 hr 16 min
Today we welcome Joshua Charles in the studio to talk about his new project Eternal Christendom, a preservation and revival of the Great Tradition for future generations. In this episode we will discuss: Wisdom from the Early Church Fathers Who is Joshua Charles and hear his conversion story His political journey and how that has shaped his new project What is Eternal Christendom and what is the vision St. Augustine and true religion Want our whole guide to The Iliad? Download it for free. You c...
Apr 12, 2024•1 hr 44 min
