Garner's Greek Mythology

In this latest episode, we listen to a portion of the greatest speeches of all time, Pericles' famous funeral oration. Inspired by the goddess Athene, it was given by this Athenian statesman at the end of the first year of the war between Athens and Sparta. As citizens assemble to bury their sons and fathers — warriors lost in defense of the city — Pericles recites all that is great and good about their immortal achievements.If you love this podcast, you'll also enjoy Garner's audible novels about the gods, The Winnowing and Homo Divinitas, available on Amazon.com and Audible.com.Support the Show.Tweet me comments at @Garner_images, or email any episode suggestions to patrickgarner@me.com

For almost 60 episodes, I've talked about the glory of the Greeks during the golden years of ancient Greece. I've also talked about when worship of the gods ended. In this new episode we go back to the beginning, to the so-called Dark Ages of Greece, to the time when the gods first revealed themselves to humans. If you love this podcast, you'll also enjoy Garner's audible novel about the gods, Homo Divinitas, available on Amazon.com and Audible.com.Support the showTweet me comments at @Garner_images, or email any episode suggestions to patrickgarner@me.com

EP 56:  Do this to live a good lifeThe Greek world centered around Delphi for two reasons. One — the world's most famous oracle resided there. Two — the secrets to a good life were carved into the marble sides of Apollo's temple. One had only to walk the temple grounds to gain the priceless insights.In this episode we look at some the 147 maxims, including Know Thyself and Everything in Moderation.If you love this podcast, you'll also enjoy Garner's audible novel about the gods, Homo Divinitas, now available on Amazon.com and Audible.com.Support the showTweet me comments at @Garner_images, or email any episode suggestions to patrickgarner@me.com

In the politics of Athens' new democracy, one goddess reined supreme: Peitho. She was the unheralded goddess of persuasion. Her influence brought down the philosopher Socrates. She could make any man silver-tongued, and all of her favorites became powerful orators. Join us as we meet this powerful — and divine — female.If you love this podcast, you'll also enjoy Garner's audible novel about the gods, Homo Divinitas, now available on Amazon.com and Audible.com.Support the showTweet me comments at @Garner_images, or email any episode suggestions to patrickgarner@me.com

There's nothing like divine intervention to ensure success. Of course, things can go badly when it ends. Follow Alexander's 10-year military career that earned him the moniker “Alexander the Great.”If you love this podcast, you'll also enjoy Garner's audible novel about the gods, Homo Divinitas, now available on Amazon.com and Audible.com.Support the showTweet me comments at @Garner_images, or email any episode suggestions to patrickgarner@me.com

Orpheus, Apollo's son, became famous for his extraordinary music and poetry. As talented as he was, he was unable to find love. But one golden afternoon he saw Eurydice, a beautiful nymph. The two fell in love.But their love was fated to be short. When Eurydice died, Orpheus descended to Hades' underworld to bring her back. There he succeeded — and failed.If you love this podcast, you'll also enjoy Garner's audible novel about the gods, Homo Divinitas, now available on Amazon.com and Audible.com.Support the showTweet me comments at @Garner_images, or email any episode suggestions to patrickgarner@me.com

The goddess Persephone was queen of the Underworld. To the amazement of the other divinities, she became the wisest of them all. On rare occasions she would invite humans to visit her in that dark place.In this episode we recount her visit with Parmenides, the pre-Socratic philosopher who influenced modern thought.If you love this podcast, you'll also enjoy Garner's audible novel about the gods, Homo Divinitas, now available on Amazon.com and Audible.com.Support the showTweet me comments at @Garner_images, or email any episode suggestions to patrickgarner@me.com

One goddess alone ruled in the ancient underworld. She was Persephone, although the Greeks dared call her only The Goddess.She had been dragged unwillingly into that gloom by Hades, but she quickly adapted to her circumstances. Mysteriously, she, among all the gods, became the treasury of dark knowledge, the sole portal into universal truths. Today's Wiccans, neopagans and witches look to her as a touchstone into all mysteries.If you love this podcast, you'll also enjoy Garner's audible novel about the gods, Homo Divinitas, now available on Amazon.com and Audible.com. Find out more at patrickgarnerbooks.com.Support the showTweet me comments at @Garner_images, or email any episode suggestions to patrickgarner@me.com

2,500 years ago Delos was the most sacred island in Greece. As the birthplace of Apollo and Artemis, it was destined to become both the holiest of sanctuaries and a wealthy trading center.  Its downside was that it was also the region's largest slave market. Amidst all the temples and sanctimony, traders became immensely rich by selling slaves captured by roving pirates. That wealth became, in the end, the island's ruin.If you love this podcast, you'll also enjoy Garner's audible novel about the gods, Homo Divinitas, now available on Amazon.com and Audible.com. And find us at patrickgarnerbooks.com and on Youtube!Support the showTweet me comments at @Garner_images, or email any episode suggestions to patrickgarner@me.com

How many of us know about the Goddess Tyche? Today this powerful divinity is largely forgotten. But 2,500 years ago, she was believed to determine the day-to-day fortunes of every Greek.If your ship was tossed against rocks as you steered through a storm, it wasn't your fate as much as your fortune. Tyche was at play. If you stumbled across a hidden treasure, you could thank the goddess. She alone dished out fortune, chance and luck.It's time to become reacquainted with the divinity who determined the fortune of both gods and man!  If you love this podcast, you'll also enjoy Garner's audible novel about the gods, Homo Divinitas, now available on Amazon.com and Audible.com. And find us on Youtube as well!Support the show

In this episode Garner takes the listener on a pleasant hike in the countryside. But the city dweller stumbles upon a strange scene that may involve Athene, Artemis or Aphrodite. Upon returning to the city our hiker encounters the same woman in a coffee shop. Yet within minutes she vanishes. Intrigued and stunned by the encounters, our hiker returns to the countryside and once again witnesses a scene that seems to be a re-creation of worship and sacrifice from thousands of years ago.If you love this podcast, you'll also enjoy Garner's audible novel about the gods, Homo Divinitas, now available on Amazon.com and Audible.com. And find us on Youtube as well!Support the show

Novel 4 of The Naxos Quartet sums up the most important things in life — love and belonging. In this episode Garner reads a brief selection from the book, focusing on a dramatic moment in the return of Inanna, Gaia, Timessa and Dionysos.The Naxos Quartet includes The Winnowing, Cycladic Girls, Homo Divinitas and All That Lasts. All the novels are available on Amazon.       If you love this podcast, you'll also enjoy Garner's audible novel about the gods, Homo Divinitas, now available on Amazon.com and Audible.com. And find us on Youtube as well!Support the show

In 1976 an obscure psychologist from Princeton University published a book titled, “The Origin of Consciousness in the Breakdown of the Bicameral Mind.” It was a sensation, not in small part because Jaynes postulated that before modern consciousness occurred, the voices humans heard in their head were considered those of the gods. He pinpointed the date of this shift to around 1200 B.C.  After this date, humans became self-aware, yet the Delphic Oracle remained relevant because she continued to  flawlessly channel Apollo.In this episode Garner reads from Jaynes' famous book, focusing on the section about prophets and oracles.If you love this podcast, you'll also enjoy Garner's audible novel about the gods, Homo Divinitas, now available on Amazon.com and Audible.com. And find us on Youtube as well!Support the show

EP 45:  Interview with Greek AF RadioIn this episode we join hosts Ari and Foti of Greek AF Radio as they interview Patrick Garner on a wide-ranging array of mythology topics.Garner discusses his creative background, his novels and the inspiration for the podcast itself. Greek AF Radio is the world's largest platform for all thing Greek. Check them out at www.greekafradio.com ...If you love this podcast, you'll also enjoy Garner's audible novel about the gods, Homo Divinitas, now available on Amazon.com and Audible.com. And find us on Youtube as well!Support the show

When Greece became part of the Roman empire in 146 B.C., the Olympic gods were still dominant. But the gods had begun to drift away even then. This episode tracks their willful retreat from the lives of mankind.Narrated by mythologist and best-selling author, Patrick Garner, Garner's Greek Mythology is unlike any other Greek history series.  Here these divine beings are viewed as if they were anything but mythical ...If you love this podcast, you'll also enjoy Garner's audible novel about the gods, Homo Divinitas, now available on Amazon.com and Audible.com. And find these episodes on Youtube as well!Support the show

In Episode 43 we analyze the impact of violence on the ancient Greeks. It was everywhere — the product of men constantly warring with each other and the result of gods randomly exerting their power.Far too often the gods precipitated war solely for their own enjoyment … Men waged war to replenish slaves. The Olympic gods fought with each other. Mortals who thought too highly of themselves were punished.Narrated by mythologist and best-selling author, Patrick Garner, Garner's Greek Mythology is unlike any other Greek history series.  Here these divine beings are viewed as if they were anything but mythical...If you love this podcast, you'll also enjoy Garner's audible novel about the gods, Homo Divinitas, now available on Amazon.com and Audible.com. And find us on YouTube as well!Support the show

Episode 42: The Divine VoiceWelcome to Episode 42 where we hear a divine voice — or rather, we hear about how Socrates was guided throughout his life by a spiritual voice called a daimon. This daimon accompanied him from his cradle to his death.Socrates was hardly alone in hearing a divine voice. The pre-Socratic philosopher Heraclitus makes reference to his own daimon. And centuries later, the Roman emperor Marcus Aurelius writes extensively about being guided throughout his life by a personal daimon …Narrated by mythologist and best-selling author, Patrick Garner, Garner's Greek Mythology is unlike any other Greek history series.  Here these divine beings are viewed as if they were anything but mythical...If you love this podcast, you'll also enjoy Garner's audible novel about the gods, Homo Divinitas, now available on Amazon.com and Audible.com.Support the show

Welcome to Episode 41 where we meet the ancient King of Cyprus, Pygmalion. The sculpture he creates of a beautiful woman changes his life — and provides inspiration for artists for another 3,000 years.King Pygmalion falls madly in love with the statue. Praying to Aphrodite to find him a woman as beautiful, the king is shocked to find that instead, the goddess breathes life into the statue itself. As Pygmalion gently kisses the carving, she steps off the base and into his arms. The king and his bride are united in marriage …As we see in the episode, the theme of man trying to transform woman into his own ideal captured the imagination of later writers, artists and numerous sculptors.Narrated by mythologist and best-selling author, Patrick Garner, Garner's Greek Mythology is unlike any other Greek history series.  Here these divine beings are viewed as if they were anything but mythical...If you love this podcast, you'll also enjoy Garner's audible novel about the gods, Homo Divinitas, now available on Amazon.com and Audible.com.Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/garnersgreekmythology)

Welcome to Episode 40. Now we leave ancient Greece and shift to contemporary America. The old gods have come to the suburbs of Pennsylvania to play — and to save the world.The three Fates, plus Artemis, Athene, Aphrodite and the ancient goddess Nyx — all appear in order to thwart scientists who are on the verge of discovering immortality.This startling tale weaves morality, sensuality and seduction with a fast-paced narrative that ends in conflagration, and finally, rebirth …Narrated by mythologist and best-selling author, Patrick Garner, Garner's Greek Mythology is unlike any other Greek history series.  Here these divine beings are viewed as if they were anything but mythical...If you love this podcast, you'll also enjoy Garner's audible novel about the gods, Homo Divinitas, now available on Amazon.com and Audible.com.Support the show

Welcome to Episode 39. In this episode we enter the city of Thebes with the god Dionysus, who returns to his mother's home seeking revenge. There he converts the city's women and girls to Bacchae, or followers of Bacchus, another name for Dionysus.He is arrested by the young King Pentheus and events goes downhill from there …Narrated by mythologist and best-selling author, Patrick Garner, Garner's Greek Mythology is unlike any other Greek history series.  Here these divine beings are viewed as if they were anything but mythical...If you love this podcast, you'll also enjoy Garner's audible novel about the gods, Homo Divinitas, now available on Amazon.com and Audible.com.Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/garnersgreekmythology)

Welcome to Episode 38. In this episode we follow six cursed generations known as the House of Atreus. A classic Greek tragedy, the story involves gods and men, wives and daughters, and spans 800 miles of geography from Troy to Athens.Like so many of these tales, it begins with Zeus, who has a son who has a son. What follows? Murder, deceit, incest, matricide and suicide …Narrated by mythologist and best-selling author, Patrick Garner, Garner's Greek Mythology is unlike any other Greek history series.  Here these divine beings are viewed as if they were anything but mythical...If you love this podcast, you'll also enjoy Garner's novel Homo Divinitas, now available as an audio book on Amazon.com and Audible.com.Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/garnersgreekmythology)

Welcome to Episode 37. Imagine beasts that are half-horse and half-man. They're crude. Their weapons are broken branches and rocks. The ancient Greeks called them Centaurs.But among them was a unique and sophisticated being. A centaur named Kheiron (pronounced Sheer-roan) was so wise and wily that gods and men asked him to teach their children. He raised Asklepios, Peleus, Jason and Achilles. He was friends with the hero Heracles.Although immortal, after a long life he was wounded by a poisoned arrow. The pain was so severe that he chose to embrace death to escape the agony ...Narrated by mythologist and best-selling author, Patrick Garner, Garner's Greek Mythology is unlike any other Greek history series.  Here these divine beings are viewed as if they were anything but mythical...If you love this podcast, you'll also enjoy Garner's novel Homo Divinitas, now available as an audio book on Amazon.com and Audible.com.Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/garnersgreekmythology)

Welcome to Episode 36. Today we examine the difficult topic of sacrifice. The discussion of killing animals upsets many people. If you're one of them, this may be an episode to avoid.Sacrifice was so common in the ancient world that no one thought twice about the practice. On the contrary, sacrifice was an essential means of communication between mortals and divinities.Every ceremony, every celebration, every festival and every battle included the practice. In fact, not sacrificing was unthinkable ...Narrated by mythologist and best-selling author, Patrick Garner, Garner's Greek Mythology is unlike any other Greek history series.  Here these divine beings are viewed as if they were anything but mythical...If you love this podcast, you'll also enjoy new stories about the gods in Garner's novel Homo Divinitas, now available as an audio book on Amazon.com and Audible.com.Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/garnersgreekmythology)

Welcome to Episode 35. In this show we identify the most exalted and powerful mortal women in Greece. Who were they? ... Priestesses, serving goddesses, and in some cases, gods.These women were the equivalent of today's superstars. Their names were known by everyone, they conducted sacrifices, and they led festivals and celebrations throughout the year.But their most important function was to act as intermediaries, connecting ancient Greek women to the divine ...Narrated by mythologist and best-selling author, Patrick Garner, Garner's Greek Mythology is unlike any other Greek history series.  Here these divine beings are viewed as if they were anything but mythical...If you love this podcast, you'll also enjoy new stories about the gods in Garner's novel Homo Divinitas, now available as an audio book on Amazon.com and Audible.com.Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/garnersgreekmythology)

Welcome to Episode 34! Here we take our inspiration from the Muses, nine goddesses and daughters of the mighty Zeus.3,000 years ago they lit the fire behind every masterpiece. Many of us say they play the identical role today, inspiring songwriters, poets, playwrights and writers.They inspired artists and scientists alike. Pythagoras, the father of mathematics, was also a mystic and credited the Muses with many of his innovations. Narrated by mythologist and best-selling author, Patrick Garner, Garner's Greek Mythology is unlike any other Greek history series.  Here these divine beings are viewed as if they were anything but mythical...If you love this podcast, you'll also enjoy new stories about the gods in Garner's novel Homo Divinitas, now available as an audio book on Amazon.com and Audible.com.(Musical score includes selections from Fesliyan Studios and Saraz Handpans.)Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/garnersgreekmythology)

Welcome to Episode 33 where we meet Pythagoras, a 6th century B.C. genius. Was he man or god? Not even his contemporaries were sure. Pythagoras himself once said, “There are gods … and there are men … and there is Pythagoras.”Avowedly the son of Apollo, he is known today as the father of mathematics. All modern science and logic sprung from his original insights.Yet he was also a mystic and the founder of a revolutionary society. Men and women were equals, and all followed Pythagoras' strange rules of behavior and diet.Narrated by mythologist and best-selling author, Patrick Garner, Garner's Greek Mythology is unlike any other Greek history series.  Here these divine beings are viewed as if they were anything but mythical...Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/garnersgreekmythology)

Welcome to Episode 32. In this episode we hang with the mighty Spartans.Where did they come from? How did they grow to dominate the Greek world in all things relating to war? Their society was founded by a man named Lycurgus. Or was it…? Some say it was Apollo — others claimed their bloodline ran directly from the sons of Heracles.They rose and fell like all great heroes, their glory lasting a mere 300 years. But what a glorious roll for a city-state whose name became synonymous with bravery!Narrated by mythologist and best-selling author, Patrick Garner, Garner's Greek Mythology is unlike any other Greek history series.  Here these divine beings are viewed as if they were anything but mythical... (Musical score includes selections from Fesliyan Studios.)Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/garnersgreekmythology)

Welcome to Episode 31. In this episode we drill down into the world of ancient Greek healing.Was Hippocrates the father of medicine? Hardly. He was preceded by a demi-god, a son of Apollo named Asklepios. Asklepios, who flourished 800 years before Hippocrates, specialized in cures that reset a patient's age. They were akin to today's breakthroughs in anti-aging, which are typified by researchers such as Harvard's David Sinclair ...Narrated by mythologist and best-selling author, Patrick Garner, Garner's Greek Mythology is unlike any other Greek history series.  Here these divine beings are viewed as if they were anything but mythical... (Musical score includes selections from Fesliyan Studios.)Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/garnersgreekmythology)

Welcome to Episode 30 where we survey ancient war and how it formed the Greek notion of the ideal hero.Thousands of years ago heroes were, without exception, brave young men. They expected to die young, valiantly and with the bodies of those they'd slain lying at their feet.In this episode we contrast ancient war involving the gods to modern, secular war. Millennium ago, more frequently than not, Greek generals led the charge. Because they were first to leap toward the enemy, they inspired their troops. We look briefly at how that  has changed in modern warfare.War molded ancient concepts of bravery and courage. Heroes were celebrated. Potters, farmers and philosophers were all expected to fight at a moment's notice.Narrated by mythologist and best-selling author, Patrick Garner, Garner's Greek Mythology is unlike any other Greek history series ... Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/garnersgreekmythology)

Welcome to Episode 29 … Listen as we learn about the real Heracles, Greece's indisputable superhero.A semi-divine being and the son of Zeus, Heracles experienced tragedies and triumphs. He never refused a challenge. In this episode we look at his 12 labors, his loves and his transformation from mortal to immortal god  …Narrated by mythologist and best-selling author, Patrick Garner, Garner's Greek Mythology is unlike any other Greek history series.  Here these divine beings are viewed as if they were anything but mythical... Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/garnersgreekmythology)

Welcome to EPISODE 28 -- The Proud, Audacious AmazonsThe Amazons were sired by the war god, Ares. They reflected their parentage well.  As fighting machines they were almost unstoppable. That is, until they confronted Greece's greatest heroes.In this episode we look at their life style -- and their grandest conflicts. Over the course of almost a thousand years they opposed Heracles, Theseus, Achilles and even partied with Alexander the Great.Narrated by mythologist and best-selling author, Patrick Garner, Garner's Greek Mythology is unlike any other Greek history series.  Here these divine beings are viewed as if they were anything but mythical…Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/garnersgreekmythology)

Welcome to EPISODE 27 -- The Dishonored Sky GodsZeus did not have the sky to himself, and shared it with the sun god Helios, the moon goddess Selene, and others. This arrangement worked well until an even greater force than Zeus came on the scene.This episode tells the story of the sky gods who were bested by science. That was a new way to explain the workings of the world—one without the flourishes of divine powers and personalities—and it continues to this day.Narrated by mythologist and best-selling author, Patrick Garner, Garner's Greek Mythology is unlike any other Greek history series.  Here these divine beings are viewed as if they were anything but mythical…A shoutout to Saraz Handpans and Mark Garner for background handpan music.Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/garnersgreekmythology)

Welcome to Episode 26, THE THREE HELENSThis episode features the story of Helen of Troy, also known as the woman whose "face  launched a thousand ships.”  She was beautiful, but ended up being a pawn of the gods in the Trojan War. The effort to rescue her actually changed Greek history by being the impetus to unite the Greek city-states.   As often happens in these tales, nothing is as it seems. In this case, we learn there were at least three versions of the story, but none of them work out well for Helen.Narrated by mythologist and best-selling author, Patrick Garner, Garner's Greek Mythology is unlike any other Greek history series.  Here these divine beings are viewed as if they were anything but mythical…New stories about the gods!  Homo Divinitas, by podcaster Patrick Garner, is now available on Amazon as an audible book! For a free copy, see patrickgarnerbooks.comSupport the show (https://www.patreon.com/garnersgreekmythology)

EP 25: You Tell Apollo He's A Myth… Welcome to Episode 25. This episode explores whether the gods are real or -- as scholars state -- myths.In this unique podcast we take a different approach, daring to examine whether we've all been misled.What if the Greek gods simply walked? What if they tired of the affairs and the squabbling that was a constant background on beautiful Mt. Olympus?After all, they're immortal. They can go anywhere and be anything ... Listen in as we examine the possibilities that today they are here, among us.This episode is narrated by mythologist and best-selling author, Patrick Garner. His Garner's Greek Mythology is unlike any other Greek history series. Here the gods are viewed as if they were anything but mythical...New stories about the gods!  Homo Divinitas, by podcaster Patrick Garner, is now available on Amazon as an audible book! Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/garnersgreekmythology)

… Welcome to Podcast 24. This episode excavates the story of Medusa. I say ‘excavate' because today we think of Medusa as a monster whose glance could turn men to stone. But there's much more to her story. It's been buried. So first we shovel aside the stones and debris. What do we find?Before she was a monster, she was a beautiful girl. While a temple attendant, she was seduced by one of the gods. She was punished for the indiscretion, while the god who seduced her got away scot-free.Medusa was an innocent. We've seen this before. Zeus was the worst at taking young girls, then turning his back on their fate. Here he fathers the Greek hero, Perseus. Perseus eventually kills the innocent girl-become-monster Medusa.However horrendous all this is, then Perseus becomes one of Greece's most famous heroes. Of course there are back stories, prophesies, kings and princesses ...This episode is narrated by mythologist and best-selling author, Patrick Garner. His Garner's Greek Mythology is unlike any other Greek history series. Here the Greek gods are viewed as if they were anything but mythical...If you love these podcasts, you'll also enjoy Garner's novel Homo Divinitas, now available as an audio book on Amazon.com and Audible.com. Hear new stories about the gods.Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/garnersgreekmythology)

... Welcome to Episode 23, DEMETER -  BEST GIFT EVERThe Greek gods do everything humans can do, but on a grander scale. When Demeter, the goddess of agriculture, gives bountiful harvests, all rejoice.How do you top that? When her kidnapped daughter is returned, the grateful goddess gives Greeks the promise of a happy afterlife. Talk about the BEST GIFT EVER...This episode is narrated by mythologist and best-selling author, Patrick Garner. His Garner's Greek Mythology is unlike any other Greek history series. Here the Greek gods are viewed as if they were anything but mythical.If you love these podcasts, you'll also enjoy new stories about the gods in Garner's novel Homo Divinitas, now available as an audio book on Amazon.com and Audible.com.Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/garnersgreekmythology)

... Welcome to Episode 22, SATYRS & A CYCLOPES You've probably heard of satyrs, but not thought beyond their strange appearance. They are the combination of 4 or 5 animals, including humans. The big difference between satyrs and humans, though, is in their approach toward life.  In this episode, satyrs collide with a one-eyed giant called a cyclopes--as well as encountering Greece's wily warrior, Odysseus. “Drink, dance & be merry” was the satyrs' motto. No wonder moralists like the ancient writer Hesiod considered them worthless. This episode is narrated by mythologist and best-selling author, Patrick Garner. His Garner's Greek Mythology is unlike any other Greek history series. Here the Greek gods are viewed as if they were anything but mythical...If you love these podcasts, you'll also enjoy new stories about the gods in Garner's novel Homo Divinitas, now available as an audio book on Amazon.com and Audible.com.Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/garnersgreekmythology)

 ... Welcome to Episode 21, Oedipus & the Sphinx.. This episode features the story of Oedipus, an extraordinarily tragic figure in Greek mythology who tries to do his best, but is bested by the Fates. He meets the Sphinx—not the Egyptian version but the divine sphinx that terrified the Greeks in the city of Thebes. She killed man after man by posing impossible riddles. All who failed to answer correctly were promptly eaten alive. Although Oedipus prevails, he cannot escape his dismal destiny ...Narrated by mythologist and best-selling author, Patrick Garner, Garner's Greek Mythology is unlike any other Greek history series.  Here these divine beings are viewed as if they were anything but mythical...If you love these podcasts, you'll also enjoy new stories about the gods in Garner's novel Homo Divinitas, now available as an audio book on Amazon.com and Audible.com.Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/garnersgreekmythology)

New stories about the gods!  Homo Divinitas, by podcaster Patrick Garner, is now available on Amazon as an audible book! ... Welcome to Episode 20. We're taking a short break from our usual episodes to hear Chapter 1 of the audible book, Homo Divinitas.  It has the same Greek gods you love, but they show up in the modern world where they meddle and maneuver as they always have. Homo Divinitas is the third book of The Winnowing trilogy. All three novels are about the Greek gods and goddesses. In Chapter 1 you'll meet Timessa, a nymph who has been transformed by Gaia into the original Great Goddess from 40,000 years ago. The Great Goddess was and is more powerful than any of the Greek gods. Increasing the intrigue, the original Greek deities have also reappeared in our world, and they don't know what to make of Timessa.We meet her after she has become the most famous fashion model in the world. Timessa—now the Great Goddess as well—has just given up her career to live on Naxos, an island in Greece. This is lucky for us because she was having a harder and harder time balancing both roles. She had become a danger to all. Note that the trilogy, which include The Winnowing, Cycladic Girls and Homo Divinitas, is adult reading. This reading of Chapter 1 has been slightly modified for listeners of all ages. Our next episode returns to ancient Greek gods. Expect to hear about the Sphinx—not the Egyptian version but the divine sphinx that terrified the Greeks by posing impossible riddles. Those who failed to answer correctly were promptly eaten alive ...Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/garnersgreekmythology)

 ... Welcome to Episode 19. This episode focuses on a woman who was, perhaps, the most powerful in all of Greece.The daughter of the sun god, Helios, Medea was a sorceress and the infamous wife of Jason, the hero and leader of the Argonauts …Medea was really the mastermind of all of Jason's heroic acts. Without her he would have been nothing. With her he became one of Greece's most famous warriors. But he made a terrible mistake. He betrayed her for another woman and the cunning Medea sought revenge ...Narrated by mythologist and best-selling author, Patrick Garner, Garner's Greek Mythology is unlike any other Greek history series.  Here these divine beings are viewed as if they were anything but mythical...If you love these podcasts, you'll also enjoy new stories about the gods in Garner's novel Homo Divinitas, now available as an audio book on Amazon.com and Audible.com. (Thanks to Sohana Manzoor, professor at the  University of Liberal Arts Bangladesh, for insights into Medea's character. Musical score includes selections from Free Sounds Library. )Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/garnersgreekmythology)

... Welcome to Episode 18. Here we open Pandora's Box, and inside, to our horror, we find ... the Fates and the Furies.All divine, the Three Fates and the Three Furies were daughters of the ancient being Nyx, who was herself the daughter of Chaos …The Fates presided at every birth, determining a mortal's lifespan and occupation. The Furies were enforcers of natural laws and enacted vengeance on anyone who committed an unforgivable crime. Some say that the Furies were the original vampires, as they drank their victims blood ...Narrated by mythologist and best-selling author, Patrick Garner, Garner's Greek Mythology is unlike any other Greek history series.  Here these divine beings are viewed as if they were anything but mythical...If you love these podcasts, you'll also enjoy new stories about the gods in Garner's novel Homo Divinitas, now available as an audio book on Amazon.com and Audible.com.(Musical score includes selections from Fesliyan Studios and Free Sounds Library. Many thanks to both.)Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/garnersgreekmythology)

 ... Welcome to Episode 17.  In this podcast we enter the extraordinary world of nymphs.These semi-divine beings were young girls who populated and protected every waterway, spring and sacred grove. They were not deathless, but could live for centuries, and were found throughout Greece, Sicily, Crete and on all the Cycladic islands of the Aegean sea …Because they appeared as young girls, eternally beautiful, many of the stories surrounding them were erotic in nature. Many remained virgins, but others became lovers to the Olympic gods, including Zeus. Yet other nymphs, particularly those populating springs and rivers, were known to seduce those who wandered too close ...Narrated by mythologist and best-selling author, Patrick Garner, Garner's Greek Mythology is unlike any other Greek history series.  Here these divine beings are viewed as if they were anything but mythical...If you love these podcasts, you'll also enjoy new stories about the gods in Garner's novel Homo Divinitas, now available as an audio book on Amazon.com and Audible.com.(Musical score includes selections from Fesliyan Studios and Free Sounds Library. Many thanks to both.)Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/garnersgreekmythology)

 ... Welcome to Episode 16, where we linger on the mysterious island of Aeaea with the goddess Circe.She trafficked in herbs and magical spells, and became infamous for turning sailors who stumbled onto her beaches into wolves, and wolves into swine, and swine into snakes …Circe's lasting fame arose during the year the wily Odysseus spent in her company. He had hoped to swiftly return home as the Trojan war ended, but was constantly delayed — and when he encountered Circe, he hardly expected to become her lover ...Narrated by mythologist and best-selling author, Patrick Garner, Garner's Greek Mythology is unlike any other Greek history series.  Here these divine beings are viewed as if they were anything but mythical...If you love these podcasts, you'll also enjoy new stories about the gods in Garner's novel Homo Divinitas, now available as an audio book on Amazon.com and Audible.com.(Musical score includes selections from Fesliyan Studios and Free Sounds Library. Many thanks to both.)Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/garnersgreekmythology)

 ... Welcome to Episode 15, where we travel back to Athens in our mythology time machine for one grand purpose: We seek to experience the famous Eleusinian Mysteries. The Mysteries were a must-attend, life-or-death ritual. Those who successfully participated were assured a pleasant afterlife. And those who did not attend were herded by Hades into a dismal place equivalent to Hell …A gift to mortals by the goddess Demeter, the Eleusinian Mysteries were held in the town of Eleusis for more than a thousand years. They were so sacred that all who attended took vows of secrecy — and faced death sentences if they revealed what they saw.Narrated by mythologist and best-selling author, Patrick Garner, Garner's Greek Mythology is unlike any other Greek history series.  Here these divine beings are viewed as if they were anything but mythical... If you love these podcasts, you'll also enjoy new stories about the gods in Garner's novel Homo Divinitas, now available as an audio book on Amazon.com and Audible.com.(Musical score includes selections from Fesliyan Studios and Free Sounds Library.  "Ambience, Large Crowd, A.wav" by InspectorJ (www.jshaw.co.uk) of Freesound.org, and "Booing and heckling", by Processaurus of Freesound.org)Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/garnersgreekmythology)

... Welcome to Episode 14 where we look at the adventures — and the strangely modern travails — of the wine-god, Dionysos, whom the Romans called Bacchus.An ancient being, he was the exotic god of ecstasy and dance. The inventor of theater and wine, he was alternately celebrated and feared. Whereas many of the Olympic gods exploited women, he was their liberator. And his marriage to the princess Ariadne was as celebrated in Greece as that of Romeo and Juliet in Italy 3,000 years later ...Narrated by mythologist and best-selling author, Patrick Garner, Garner's Greek Mythology is unlike any other Greek history series.  Here these divine beings are viewed as if they were anything but mythical...If you love these podcasts, you'll also enjoy new stories about the gods in Garner's novel Homo Divinitas, now available as an audio book on Amazon.com and Audible.com.(Musical score includes selections from Fesliyan Studios , Free Sounds Library and klankbeeld. Many thanks to all.)Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/garnersgreekmythology)

... Welcome to Episode 13. How many of us know the god Hephaistos? You may think of him as Vulcan… but that's the Roman rebranding of the god who was known by the ancient Greeks as the fire-god.He was the god who turned his disability into a genius that wowed the gods and men alike. His seemingly endless creations were almost unimaginable. Robots called automatons roamed his workshops & Zeus constantly called on him to craft thunderbolts ...Narrated by mythologist and best-selling author, Patrick Garner,  Garner's Greek Mythology is unlike any other Greek history series.  Here these divine beings are viewed as if they were anything but mythical...If you love these podcasts, you'll also enjoy new stories about the gods in Garner's novel Homo Divinitas, now available as an audio book on Amazon.com and Audible.com. Join us as our adventures continue! (Musical score includes selections from Fesliyan Studios and Free Sounds Library. Many thanks to both.)Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/garnersgreekmythology)

... Welcome to Episode 12. We start with everybody's friend, the winged-foot god Hermes... He's the god of fertility and guide to the underworld… the patron god of thieves and dreams.Then we shift to the queen of the heavens, Hera, who was married to Zeus and takes the crown as the most vindictive wife in history...  and to her counterpart, Hestia, the goddess of home and hearth who chose to be nobody's wife.Narrated by mythologist and best-selling author, Patrick Garner,  Garner's Greek Mythology is unlike any other Greek history series.  Here these divine beings are viewed as if they were anything but mythical...If you love these podcasts, you'll also enjoy new stories about the gods in Garner's novel Homo Divinitas, now available as an audio book on Amazon.com and Audible.com. Join us as our adventures continue! (Musical score includes selections from Fesliyan Studios and Free Sounds Library. Many thanks to both.)Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/garnersgreekmythology)

... Welcome to Episode11. Listen as we wander in the shadows of ancient crossroads with the goddess Hekate, the patron of today's witches. She was as close a friend to Hades as she was to the divine huntress, Artemis. We finish the second half of the episode in the company of the god of war, the remorseless Ares. Hekate easily slipped between the world of the living and the dead. And whereas Hekate moved through the shifting dark of mysteries, Ares drove men into the darkness of death. Narrated by mythologist and best-selling author, Patrick Garner,  Garner's Greek Mythology is unlike any other Greek history series.  Here these divine beings are viewed as if they were anything but mythical...If you love these podcasts, you'll also enjoy new stories about the gods in Garner's novel Homo Divinitas, now available as an audio book on Amazon.com and Audible.com. Join us as our adventures continue! (Musical score includes selections from Fesliyan Studios and Free Sounds Library. Many thanks to both.)Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/garnersgreekmythology)

... In our 10th episode we meet  The Pythia, perhaps Greece's most astonishing figure.  She served as Apollo's voice of prophesy.  And unsurprisingly, she was never wrong.You may have heard her referred to as the Delphic Oracle, because she lived in Delphi, which the Greeks considered the center of the worldThe Pythia was considered infallible, and indeed, for a period exceeding 1,000 years, she is never recorded as making a wrong prediction. Generals, politicians, tyrants and common men all relied on her counsel.Narrated by mythologist and best-selling author, Patrick Garner,  Garner's Greek Mythology is unlike any other Greek history series.  Here these divine beings are viewed as if they were anything but mythical...If you love these podcasts, you'll also enjoy new stories about the gods in Garner's novel Homo Divinitas, now available as an audio book on Amazon.com and Audible.com.(Musical score includes selections from Fesliyan Studios and Free Sounds Library. Many thanks to both. In addition, thanks to "klankbeeld", freesound.org, Capella Ducis, Organ Axel Wenstedt, Cello Angela Heetvelt, and members of Scordatura.)Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/garnersgreekmythology)

... In our best  installment yet (and our 9th episode) , we meet  Aphrodite. You might think of her as Venus, but the Greeks knew her as Aphrodite, the eternal Goddess of Love.Her origins are amazing, and her decision to devote herself to the arts of love are an amazing decision, as you will see. What happened to this seductress? Reassuringly, nothing. Of all the gods and goddesses, Aphrodite remains the most engaged in the modern world.Narrated by mythologist and best-selling author, Patrick Garner,  Garner's Greek Mythology is unlike any other Greek history series.  Here these divine beings are viewed as if they were anything but mythical...If you love these podcasts, you'll also enjoy new stories about the gods in Garner's novel Homo Divinitas, now available as an audio book on Amazon.com and Audible.com.(Musical score includes selections from Fesliyan Studios and Free Sounds Library. Many thanks to both. In addition, thanks to "klankbeeld" and freesound.org for the choir music at 10:54; thanks also to Capella Ducis, Organ Axel Wenstedt, Cello Angela Heetvelt, and members of Scordatura.)Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/garnersgreekmythology)

... In the 8th episode of Garner's Greek Mythology , we meet  Zeus' two brothers, Poseidon and Hades. The first was the Lord of the Sea, and the second? The dark Lord of the Underworld.Poseidon, known to the Romans as Neptune, ruled all waters. When crossed he could create earthquakes and rake shorelines with mighty tsunamis. Sailors sacrificed to him to ensure calm seas and safe passage. Urged on by his sister, Demeter, to create the world's most beautiful animal, he imagined the horse and brought it to life on the plains of Greece. Poseidon himself, a magnificent example of man, was tall and muscled--and always carried an immense trident which he used to strike the earth and seas.On the other hand, his brother Hades was a stern and dreaded god. Once anyone had entered his underworld, Hades was loathe to release them. The dead crossed the river Styx where Hades judged them by their accomplishments. Were they heroes or laborers? Had they built magnificent temples for the gods, or spent their lives complaining? Too, Hades had a wife named Persephone, who ventured between the earth and the underworld. Caught up in the machinations of Zeus and her mother, Demeter, Persephone's story is also unveiled in this episode.Narrated by mythologist and best-selling author, Patrick Garner,  Garner's Greek Mythology is unlike any other Greek history series.  Here these divine beings are viewed as if they were anything but mythical...If you love these podcasts, you'll also enjoy new stories about the gods in Garner's novel Homo Divinitas, now available as an audio book on Amazon.com and Audible.com.Join us as our adventures continue! (Musical score includes selections from Fesliyan Studios and Free Sounds Library. Many thanks to both.)Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/garnersgreekmythology)