Enchantress in Greek mythology
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Versión en audio del vídeo «Jasón y los Argonautas: el primer equipo de superhéroes de la historia» del canal de YouTube.La expedición lleva el nombre de Jasón, pero si repasas el viaje prueba por prueba, el héroe casi nunca es quien la resuelve. La nave la guía Atenea; contra los rivales pelean Pólux, los Boréadas y Orfeo; y la hazaña imposible de la Cólquide la gana una extranjera, Medea, a la que después descartan. Es el primer equipo de superhéroes de la historia, y una lección incómoda sobre quién pone el nombre y quién pone el trabajo.En este episodio: la profecía de la sandalia y el rey Pelias, la nave Argo con su viga parlante del roble de Dódona, la tripulación de leyenda (Hércules, Orfeo, los Boréadas, Cástor y Pólux, Atalanta), la isla de Lemnos, la matanza del rey Cícico, Hilas y el abandono de Hércules, el combate de Pólux contra el gigante Amico, el adivino ciego Fineo y las Harpías, las Rocas Chocantes, los toros de fuego y los dientes de dragón de Eetes, Medea y el vellocino de oro, la huida, la purificación con Circe, las Sirenas y Orfeo, el gigante de bronce Talos, el caldero de Pelias y la tragedia de Corinto: Glauce, Creonte y la venganza de Medea. Lo que sabemos viene de las Argonáuticas de Apolonio de Rodas, la Pítica IV de Píndaro, la Biblioteca de Apolodoro y la Medea de Eurípides.▶ Versión en vídeo, con las ilustraciones del episodio: https://youtu.be/K7OMjBRc3l0
Circe, la bruja de la mitología griega que convertía a los hombres en cerdos, fue la primera hechicera de la literatura. Su historia real es más rara de lo que crees.Todo el mundo conoce la escena: la mujer sola en la isla, la copa, los marineros de Odiseo convertidos en cerdos. Pero mirada de cerca, Circe no es la villana de la Odisea, sino la primera mujer a la que Occidente convirtió en «bruja» por vivir sola, con poder y sin permiso de nadie.En este episodio: su linaje imposible (hija de Helios, hermana de la madre del Minotauro, tía de Medea); por qué convertía a los hombres en cerdos —y por qué, mirado en frío, se parece bastante a la defensa propia—; la hierba moly de Hermes y el rhabdos, la primera varita mágica de la literatura; y cómo, tres mil años después, seguimos temiendo lo mismo: a la mujer que no necesita a nadie.FUENTESCirce en las fuentes antiguas (Theoi): enlaceHomero, «Odisea» X — Circe, el moly y los cerdos: enlaceHomero, «Odisea» XII — Escila: enlaceHesíodo, «Teogonía» — linaje e hijos de Circe: enlaceOvidio, «Metamorfosis» XIV — Glauco, Escila y el rey Pico: enlaceApolonio de Rodas, «Argonáutica» IV: enlaceDiodoro Sículo 4.45 — la variante del destierro: enlaceRecepción: Madeline Miller, «Circe» (2018); Christopher Nolan, «The Odyssey» (2026).EL EPISODIO DEL QUE HABLO AL FINAL De Circe a las hogueras hay un hilo larguísimo, y lo tiré entero aquí: De brujas en la antigua Grecia y Roma y los orígenes de la brujeríaVersión en vídeo: youtu.be/PebZgJoqGjc Más mitología, por escrito: mitosymas.com ★ Support this podcast ★
Comprar o audiobook da Odisseia: https://bwlnk.com/9786554851879...Apoiar o Noites Gregas: https://noitesgregas.com.br/apoiar...Depois da destruição da frota pelos Lestrigões, resta a Ulisses apenas um único navio e um pequeno grupo de sobreviventes. Exaustos, eles chegam à misteriosa ilha de Eeia, onde uma fumaça no meio da floresta anuncia a presença de alguém. Enquanto Ulisses permanece junto ao navio, Euríloco conduz uma expedição até o palácio de Circe e encontra uma cena aparentemente tranquila, uma bela mulher tecendo diante de sua casa. A hospitalidade, porém, esconde um feitiço terrível que transforma os marinheiros em porcos. Disposto a não abandonar nenhum de seus companheiros, Ulisses parte sozinho para enfrentar a mais poderosa feiticeira da Odisseia, sem imaginar que aquele encontro marcará o início de uma longa temporada na ilha de Circe.
Watch this episode ad-free by joining the ITBR Patreon! patreon.com/ivorytowerboilerroom-----It's another full house on the ITBR! Joining us today are Professors Angela Weisl, Liz Schmermund and Elizabeth Redwine! Nolan's “The Odyssey” adaptation was the biggest hit of the summer, spanning a massive production with Hollywood A-Listers that some would call his most ambitious film yet. But…how did it land with scholars?Being familiar with the source material, we dug into all the changes made from the book, what we enjoyed and what could have been improved upon. From the characterization of the titular character Odysseus to the portrayal of Circe, we made sure to touch as many bases as possible within this epic adaptation of the classic story!Check out these professors!https://www.shu.edu/profiles/angelaweisl.htmlhttps://www.shu.edu/profiles/RedwineElizabeth.htmlhttps://www.elizabethschmermund.com/-----Follow ITBR on IG @ivorytowerboilerroom and TikTok @dr.andrewrimbyBe sure to subscribe to our YouTube channel where you can watch video episodes of the podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@ivorytowerboilerroomTo subscribe to The Gay and Lesbian Review visit glreview.org. Click Subscribe and enter promo code ITBRChoice to get a free issue with a subscription purchase. Follow them on IG @theglreview and TikTok @g_and_lrHead to Broadview Press, an independent academic publisher, for all your humanities related books. Use code ivorytower for 20% off your broadviewpress.com order. Follow them on IG @broadviewpress.Thanks to the ITBR team! Dr. Andrew Rimby (Host and Director), Mary DiPipi (Chief Contributor), Sean Penta (Editor), and Tyce Fiorino (Intern)
Hacer click aquí para enviar sus comentarios a este cuento.Juan David Betancur Fernandezelnarradororal@gmail.comHabía una vez, en los albores de la Grecia antigua , un ciego que recorría los caminos polvorientos de la antigua Grecia contando historias que nadie más podía contar. Vestía harapos de tela áspera, cargaba un báculo de olivo silvestre que le servia de tercera pierna y apretaba contra el pecho una tosca lira de cuatro cuerdas. Nadie conocía su origen ni la tierra de la que procedía, pero su voz poseía una resonancia que parecía conmover las piedras mismas del camino y además tenía una cadencia que producia respeto en cada una de sus historia.Dondequiera que llegaba con su lira una multitud se congregaba —junto al fuego de una taberna de marineros, o en los olivares de las tierras o en los palacios de los señores micénicos—, el anciano callaba las risas de todos aquellos que tomaban vino con solo rasguear una cuerda.De su memoria prodigiosa brotaban dos cantos monumentales que nadie en el mundo había oído jamás con semejante precisión. Primero iniciaba con la Ilíada: donde contaba la furia devastadora de Aquiles, o el retumbar de los carros de guerra contra las murallas de Ilión , o el duelo despiadado donde cayó Héctor a manos de Aquiles o el llanto del anciano Príamo suplicando el cadáver de su hijo en el campamento enemigo cubierto por la oscura noche. Luego, mudando con una cadencia de leyenda marina, entonaba la Odisea: donde los diez años de naufragios y astucias del rey de Ítaca era el tema cental, contaba con lujo de detalles el encuentro con el Cíclope, o el el abismo de Escila y Caribdis, o como fue el embrujo de Circe y como sucedia la vigilia solitaria de Penélope tejiendo y destejiendo su manto ante la insolencia de los pretendientes que abusaban de su casa.Los oyentes lloraban sobrecogidos. Afirmaban que aquel contador de historias sin ojos debía de ser un emisario de los dioses olímpicos, ya que era capaz de describir cada herida, cada playa y cada plegaria como si las hubiera visto con su propia mirada.Cuando los príncipes le preguntaban cómo llamarlo en sus crónicas, el anciano esquivaba los honores y se limitaba a pronunciar una palabra griega que definía su condición de rehén de la oscuridad y del destino errante: Hómeros, «el que no ve» Después de muchos deambulares finalmente Llegó el invierno definitivo en una cala pedregosa de la isla de Íos. Agotado por el peso de los años y el frío que le entumecía los dedos, el anciano se recostó contra una barca varada en una playa pedregosa a esperar la muerte. Un joven que lo había seguido en silencio a lo largo de la costa cuando se percato de las penurias que acompañaban a aquel viejo se arrodilló a su lado con lágrimas en los ojos.—Maestro —suplicó el muchacho, cubriéndolo con una piel de oveja—. Tu nombre retumbará hasta el fin de los siglos. Has llevado tus historias hasta lo más profundo de nuestras almas y haz colmado la memoria con el orgullo de nuestra tierra. Dime antes de partir: ¿qué dios te dictó tanta gloria? ¿Cómo pudiste recordar con tanta verdad la caída de Troya y el regreso de los héroes?El viejo soltó una risa seca, que se quebraba con el carraspeo que produce la sal del mar cuando llega a la garganta. Levantó las manos temblorosas hacia su rostro marcado por las arrugas, acarició las viejas cicatrices de su piel y negó con la cabeza.—Te he de confesar que No he inventado nada, muchacho —susurró con su último aliento, mientras una sonrisa indescifrable asomaba a sus labios—. No soy ningún vidente engendrado por las Musas ni soy un adivino. Vengo de la misma Ítaca cuya sangre y lágrimas he narrado en mis historia. Los dioses me condenaron a no muy lentamente y me llevaron perder la vista y a vagar por la tierra con otro nombre, pagando mi última y más cruel penitencia: tener que contarle a los hombres mis propios dolores una y otra vez, habiéndome convertido en mi propio mito.El anciano cerró los párpados y exhaló el último suspiro. Cuando el joven levantó la mirada, vio la cicatriz imborrable del colmillo de jabalí la misma que alguna vez había sido descubierta por la criada Euriclea y que ahora era claramente visible en el muslo del aquel narrador de historias que todos conocían. Allí en aquel instante cuando moria el joven comprendió, petrificado, que el mendigo ciego al que Grecia llamaba Homero no era otro más que el mismísimo Odiseo.
Welcome to an episode of Casual Trek which is the equivalent of a teacher wheeling the television into the classroom. We're finally looking at Disney's first ever PG movie, the weirdly horrific Black Hole.A spaceship's crew investigates the strangely empty abandoned ship which has been observing cosmic phenomenon. No, it's not Event Horizon, it's Black Hole, straddling the era of classic rocketship fiction and Star Wars type stories.There's a robot bin who's really annoying and somehow one of the most competent people on the ship, several aspirant Darth Vader types of mixed qualities and an odd amount of theological questions. Charlie's gone into the movie blind, so join him trying to recap it without losing his sanity!02:28 What Non-Black Hole Thing We've Been Enjoying: King Sorrow & Odyssey12:38 What is Black Hole?15:30 Charlie attempts to recap Black Hole in 10 minutes28:17 Charlie tries to understand what that was all about56:20 Final ThoughtsTalking points include: Event Horizon, Charles Burns' Black Hole, Miles will never make Blake's Boys happen, King Sorrow by Joe Hill, Woke Classic “The Odyssey”, Ulysses-31, ODY-C, Circe, Assassin's Creed: Odyssey, Coming for Jonathan Hickman's humour comics, Charlie takes real offence to V.I.N.C.E.N.T., another Twin Peaks connection, the novelisations of Black Hole & Red Dwarf, Rise of Skywalker, behind the scenes details, Tron, whether the robot saw heaven. Oh, and occasionally Star Trek.Casual Trek is by Charlie Etheridge-Nunn and Miles Reid-LobattoMusic by Alfred Etheridge-NunnCasual Trek is a part of the Nerd & Tie Networkhttps://ko-fi.com/casualtrekMiles' blog: http://www.mareidlobatto.wordpress.com Charlie's blog: http://www.fakedtales.com
In this week's episode, I take a look back at the movies and streaming shows I watched in Summer 2026 and rate them. This coupon code will get you 25% off the ebooks in the Ghost Armor series at my Payhip store: FALLARMOR The coupon code is valid through September 21, 2026. So if you need a new ebook this fall, we've got you covered! TRANSCRIPT 00:00:00 Introduction and Writing Updates Hello, everyone. Welcome to Episode 319 of The Pulp Writer Show. My name is Jonathan Moeller. Today is September the 4th, 2026, and today I'm looking back at the movies and streaming shows I watched over Summer 2026. We will also have Coupon of the Week and an update on my current writing, publishing, and audiobook projects. So let's start off with Coupon of the Week. This week's coupon code will get you 25% off the ebooks in the Ghost Armor series at my Payhip store. That coupon code is FALLARMOR. As always, you can get the coupon code and the links to my Payhip store available in the show notes for this episode. This coupon code will be valid through September 21st, 2026, so if you need a new ebook for this fall, we have got you covered. Now an update on my current writing, publishing, and audiobook projects. I'm pleased to report that the rough draft of Blade of Visions is done. It came to 99,000 words. It'd be kind of cool if it came to 100,000, but as I've learned in the 15 years I've been doing this, it's not a good idea to pad things for length. Editing is underway. I'm about 15% through the first pass of edits. I'm working on the cover design, so I'm on good track to have the book out before the end of the month. I also wrote a tie-in short story called Winter Crown and don't forget that [newsletter] subscribers will get a free ebook copy of that short story when Blade of Visions comes out later this month. So this makes a very excellent time to subscribe to my new release newsletter. I am also 12,000 words into Elven-Warlock, which will be the seventh book in the Half-Elven Thief series. Hopefully that will be out in October, if all goes well. In audiobook news, I think Blade of Thieves (as narrated by Brad Wills) and Cloak of Worlds (as narrated by Hollis McCarthy) are now finally available at all the usual audiobook stores, which includes Audible, Apple, Amazon, Kobo, Google Play, Chirp, and all the others. So if you want to listen to those if you are going on a Labor Day road trip, you can check those out. A reminder that Stealth and Spells Online: The Complete LitRPG trilogy (narrated by C.J. McAllister) is also available on Audible, so check that out. That's 32 hours long and that would also cover all your Labor Day travels. So that is where I'm at with my current writing, publishing and audiobook projects. 00:02:22 Main Topic of the Week: Summer 2026 Movie Roundup So let's move on to our main topic this week. Our main topic this week is the Summer 2026 Movie Roundup and I always enjoy doing those. These episodes are a little less serious than some of the other episodes and it's fun to talk about things I enjoyed and that you might enjoy as well. And I did see a lot of new movies this summer. In fact, I went to the actual theater four times for Masters of the Universe, The Odyssey, Spider-Man, and Coyote vs. Acme, which is probably more than I've gone in a single season since before COVID times. So as usual, here are the movies I saw this summer (rated from least favorite to most favorite). The grades are totally subjective and based on nothing but my own thoughts and opinions. First up is The Breadwinner, which came out in 2026. This is basically standup comedian Nate Bargatze's act come to life as a movie. If you've seen Bargatze's standup, his usual routine is to portray himself as the dumb husband and bumbling Girl Dad, which is actually quite clever from a comedic standpoint since you're unlikely to have outraged mobs calling for your head if all you're doing is making fun of yourself. Anyway, Bargatze portrays Nate Wilcox, the best Toyota salesman in Nashville. (Don't worry, this is the first of only many product placement moments.) He lets his wife Kate manage the household and do the bulk of the work with their three daughters. When Kate's invention takes off on Shark Tank, she has to go to South Korea for two weeks to oversee manufacturing, leaving Nate in charge of the kids. Comedic chaos ensues. On the positive side of this movie, I did approve how this movie showed a married couple trying to work through a rough patch and do what's right for their kids and each other in a semi-productive way rather than blowing up their lives over nonsensical trivialities in the style of Eat, Pray, Love. On the downside, there was a lot of product placement, to the point where it at times felt like an extended commercial with bits of plot jammed in between product endorsement. No doubt most of the production budget came from product placement money. Will Forte was funny as an eccentric roofing contractor and Martin Herlihy as a shifty DoorDash employee. Kumail Nanjiani was funny as Nate's rival salesman at the car dealership. So overall, I would say this was blandly amusing and inoffensive with some funny slapstick moments. Overall grade: C- Next up is Supergirl, which came out in 2026. This movie really was sort of a strange combination of John Wick and the human trafficking subplot from 2020's Black Widow. The end result wasn't quite as good as Superman from 2025, alas. I did like this movie's interpretation of Supergirl. Kara Zor-El's departure from Krypton was way more traumatic than Superman's, so she's dealing with her unresolved emotional issues by traveling from planet to planet with red suns and getting hammered since the same yellow sun that gives Kryptonians their superpowers on Earth also keeps them from getting drunk because their bodies process alcohol too efficiently. However, Kara comes to a planet where a girl named Ruthye lives. Ruthye's family has been slaughtered by ruthless brigands yet led by Krem of the Yellow Hills and she's going on a quest for revenge. When Ruthye tries to recruit Kara for the quest, she's not interested, but then Krem steals Kara's spaceship and poisons her dog Krypto. Krem carries the antidote on his person, so now Kara and Ruthye team up to get vengeance on Krem and to heal Krypto. Krem is a nasty piece of work and he and his space gang travel from planet to planet abducting women to be their wives. I think the problem was that Krem was kind of a boring but nasty villain, but he was still boring. He was basically a space thug with too many piercings. Lex Luthor from 2025 Superman, by contrast, was a really interesting villain, this malignant narcissist who knows that his obsession with Superman is over the top, but he's going to act on it anyway. Additionally, I don't think this version of Supergirl is quite capable of being a lead character on her own. She'd make a superb secondary character, but I don't think she could quite carry a movie on her own. And Jason Momoa was pretty good as Lobo. Overall grade: C- Next up is Troy, which came out in 2004. I wanted to see this either before or after I watched The Odyssey this summer and ended up watching it the day before I went to see The Odyssey. I would say this movie was slow and ponderous, but I did enjoy watching it. This is an adaption of The Iliad and has the sort of slow stateliness of epic films from the '60s. It had good performances and good battle scenes. Brian Cox was enjoyable as a scenery chewing Agamemnon and Brad Pitt worked as Achilles. Interestingly, his version of Achilles reminded me of the interpretation of Feyd-Rautha Harkonnen from Dune 2 as sort of a violent psychopath with his own twisted sense of honor. Oddly, despite the fact that this was rather a long movie, the ending seems a bit rushed, like we needed to hurry up and get to the Trojan Horse. It was amusing how Achilles' relationship with Patroclus was changed to "cousin" for the modern audience, but Greek views on sexuality would definitely be unpalatable with both right-wing and left-wing versions of the modern mind, which is a good thing because while the Greeks contributed a great deal to the development of civilization, they were into a lot of unsavory stuff. So overall, I would say this was a fun, epic movie, but I think this walked so the 2026 version of The Odyssey could run. Amusing fact: Christopher Nolan was apparently supposed to direct this, but the deal fell through and he got Batman Begins as a consolation prize instead. Overall grade: B- Next up is The Dink, which came out in 2026. This is an Apple TV comedy movie about pickleball of all things. I feel like this was made because some Apple executive got made fun of by some tennis players for playing pickleball and then decided to take revenge through media. Jake Johnson plays Dustin Boyd, a washed up former child tennis star who now works at his father's tennis club. The club has difficulties because of a growing influx of pickleball players who the hardcore tennis players hate. Dustin's father decides to use the club's bylaws to force a duel match to decide the issue, in the grand tradition of wacky comedy stakes. Dustin really wants to play the duel match, but his wrist is injured in an accident. To get his wrist mobility back, the doctor suggested he play some pickleball and Dustin views this as beneath him, but he really wants to play again, so he signs up for pickleball. This ends up being a wacky sports company/buddy movie as Dustin gradually befriends an eccentric older pickleball player. Ed Harris should really do more comedic roles. He was great as Dustin's stern, yet unscrupulous father. I do admire Apple TV's dedication to making random stuff. Overall grade: B- Next up is Green and Gold, which came out in 2025, and this is a melodrama about a farmer and his granddaughter dealing with the grim economic realities of farming. This is set in 1992/1993 era Wisconsin. Buck refuses to modernize his dairy farm in Door County, Wisconsin. His granddaughter Jenny is a talented musician and also a skilled farmer, and Buck wants her to take over the farm one day, but Jenny's ambitions are looking elsewhere. Events come to a head when Jenny realizes that Buck is deeply in debt to the bank, which is about to foreclose on the farm. However, Buck and the chief banker have a personal animosity, so they settle on a bet. If the Green Bay Packers win a Super Bowl title in 1993, the banker will give Buck one more year to turn things around on the farm. Meanwhile, Jenny begins to wonder if her music ambitions might generate the money to save the farm. Of course, if you are familiar with the history of the Packers, you know that they won a Super Bowl in 1996, not 1993. The movie has carried on the back of the very strong performances of its actors. It also has an ambiguously happy ending, as is true with so many things in farming. I like this movie because I've spent a lot of my life in the American Midwest, [and] I did appreciate how it shows the difficulties of the farming life. Also, this is important: a fall from a ladder is a plot point. Ladder safety is important, people! If you are going up a ladder, for heaven's sake don't climb the ladder in high heels like the character in question does. Wear sensible, well-fitting shoes with good soles. A very long time ago, I used to work with a guy who would climb extension ladders in cowboy boots. It is nothing short of the mercy of God that he didn't fall off and shatter half the bones in his body. Overall grade: B Next up is Grumpy Old Men, which came out in 1993. Apparently this is set in Wabasha, Minnesota, which is amusing because filming actually took place in several areas in the Twin Cities in Eastern Minnesota, but not actually in Wabasha. I found that personally amusing because I'm quite familiar with the area and so I recognize several filming locations. Anyway, the movie is about two retirees, Max and John, who are enemies and have been enemies for years, but Max is lonely and wants to get married again, and John is about to lose his house to the IRS due to tax problems. Things come to a head when an attractive literature professor moves across the street and both Max and John take an interest in her and start competing for her affections. However, it turns out that Max and John are actually best friends whose love language happens to be hatred and practical jokes, kind of like Wile E. Coyote and Road Runner, but more on them below. This was a good character comedy/drama. It was interesting that the professor was an early version of the Manic Pixie Dream Girl trope, albeit several decades before someone came up with the term. This is worth watching both as a character and comedy drama and a time capsule of the 1990s. Sometimes a movie ages a bit badly (Airplane and the Thomas Crown Affair from the Spring Movie Roundup come to mind), but this didn't. The sequel Grumpier Old Men from 1995 is basically the same movie, but with the characters acting about 20% dumber so a sitcom style plot can happen. Still entertaining, but not as good as the first one, so Grumpier Old Men only gets a B-, but Grumpy Old Men gets a B+. Next up is Masters of the Universe, which came out in 2026. It was amusing to read reviews of this movie because people thought way too hard about a movie that is essentially about battling action figures. Anyway, this was pretty good. It was nice to see a movie about a science fiction property that doesn't actually hate the source material. Basically it's a live action version of the cartoons from the '80s, albeit with somewhat more thoughtful moments. I heard someone suggest that it was close in tone to Thor: Ragnarok, and that seems accurate. The plot is that Skeletor conquers Eternia and 10-year-old Prince Adam is sent with the Sword of Power through a magical portal to Earth to keep him and the sword out of Skeletor's reach. However, Adam loses the sword while passing through the gate and 15 years later is working in human resources. He's still seeking for the sword despite his therapist trying to convince him that it was a trauma-induced fantasy. However, his persistence pays off and he does find the sword. Teela, who is one of the resistance leaders against Skeletor's rule, comes to Earth to find him and bring him back, but Skeletor's minions arrive to claim the sword as well. Adam and Teela escape back to Eternia and it's up to Adam to find a way to use the Sword of Power to become the hero that Eternia needs. Dolph Lundgren's cameo was great. Overall, I would say this is a fun movie to watch, especially if you're a Millennial or Gen Xer who saw the cartoons or the live action movie back in the '80s. Jared Leto has something of an increasingly questionable reputation these days, but he did a good job as Skeletor, played him halfway between the solemn gravitas of the 1987 version and the malevolent comedic cornball of the cartoons. Of course, in my opinion, the Frank Langella version from 1987 is the best version of Skeletor since he placed it with all the seriousness of a Shakespearean villain monologue at the Royal Shakespeare Company. In hindsight, it wasn't terribly surprising that this underperformed at the box office. It felt like it was made for guys my age, not for kids. I would've been comfortable bringing an eight-year-old to see The Mandalorian and Grogu or Super Mario Galaxy, but I would've been less certain bringing a kid that age to see Masters of the Universe. Additionally, it seemed very Marvel in tone, and I think the overall mood of the US these days is less "Marvel Cinematic Universe quips and banter" and more sort of the grimness of The Odyssey, which we'll talk about shortly. Overall grade: B+ Next up is Young Washington, which came out in 2026, a biopic of the early life of George Washington, covering how he more or less accidentally started the French and Indian War and how he recovered his reputation at the Battle of Braddock's Field. To be fair, the international situation at the time meant that someone was going to start the French and Indian War. It just happened to be Washington, who was in the wrong place at the wrong time. Overall, I liked this. It was reasonably historically accurate, though some of the emotional and family dialogue at times was a bit clunky. Additionally, Washington was portrayed as having revolutionary leanings much earlier in life than he actually did, since when he was a young man, he had no thoughts of being anything but a British subject and officer. That said, some of the most implausible stuff in the movie actually happened in real life. Like if I were to write in a novel that the future president of the United States personally rallied the army's rear guard to save as many men as possible from an ambush, and in the process had two horses shot out from under him and ended up with bullet holes in his hat and coat (all while fighting continuously), you would probably find that a bit implausible, but it actually happened that way. Washington's daring actions during that battle were one of the reasons he was appointed commander of the Continental Army during the Revolutionary War, that and there weren't many other colonials with as much experience of military command as Washington. In that vein, the battle scenes were the best part of the movie. They captured the brutality and messiness of 18th Century warfare without being especially graphic. Anyway, I'm glad this is getting a sequel. Maybe we'll end up with a Young Washington Cinematic Universe. Overall grade: B+ Next up is Meet the Parents, which came out in 2000, and this is probably one of the apex forms of cringe comedy. Ben Stiller plays Greg Focker, a nurse who's in love with schoolteacher Pam Burns. Greg wants to marry Pam, but overhears a phone call with her sister where she says her fiancé asked permission of her traditional father first. Greg decides that he's going to ask Pam's father's permission first to get off on the right foot, and so accompanies Pam to her sister's wedding and her parents' house to, as the title says, Meet the Parents. However, Pam's father is the former CIA counterintelligence officer Jack, and he and Greg immediately get on each other's nerves. To make things worse, the airline has lost Greg's luggage. From these two starting premises follow a cascading series of hilarious disasters that accumulate in a septic tank fire on the lawn. I'm not sure, but I think I saw this one in the theaters when it came out in 2000, and I thought it was funny then. With 26 years of additional life experience under the belt, I still think it's pretty funny, though you could still tell that this movie was filmed before 9/11 because if Greg had his airport meltdown seen today, the consequences would've been much worse. Overall grade: B+ Next up is O Brother Where Art Thou, which came out in 2000. This is a very, very, very specific adaptation of The Odyssey directed by the Coen brothers. George Clooney plays Everett, a convict who escapes from a chain gang in Mississippi during the Great Depression. He wants to find a treasure and he recruits fellow convicts Delmar and Peter to assist him. Along the way, Everett and his team encountered 1930s era versions of the Sirens, the cyclops, the blind prophet Tiresias, and other characters and foes from the original Odyssey myth. Everett and his friends end up running a scam where they pretend to be a Christian music group, but as it turns out, they're actually pretty good at singing, so this leads to unexpected hilarity and opportunities. This was also a very funny movie. Imagine The Odyssey is a comedy with a lot of singing set in the Deep South during the Depression, and you're there. If you're a fan of bluegrass music, this is worth watching. If you've seen Christopher Nolan's The Odyssey, it's worth watching this just to ponder how the same source material can produce such wildly divergent interpretations. If you don't care about The Odyssey, then this is still a fun movie to watch. Proof: I mentioned to someone that I had seen this and she responded that she both loved the movie and was surprised to learn that he had in fact been inspired by The Odyssey. Overall grade: A- Next up is Hoppers, which came out in 2026. Like most Pixar movies, this was very high concept. Unlike many recent Pixar movies, it wasn't too depressing and didn't disappear up its own tailpipe. In the city of Beaverton, hot tempered girl Mabel bonds with her grandmother in their favorite place, a woodland grove favored by beavers. Years later, Mabel is a biology student under Dr. Fairfax, but is neglecting her studies to face off against her nemesis, the popular yet sketchy Mayor Jerry of Beaverton. Mayor Jerry wants to build an expressway that will wipe out the woodland grove, and he's perfectly within his rights to do it since no animals have been found living there. Since Mabel's grandmother has died, she's unwilling to give up the grove. However, Dr. Fairfax's research might give her a way. Dr. Fairfax has worked out a way to temporarily transfer human consciousness to a robotic beaver capable of speaking to real beavers, much like the plot of Avatar. In a funny scene, Fairfax angrily denies that it's just like Avatar. Mabel gets the idea to use this to convince real beavers to settle in the grove, thereby thwarting Mayor Jerry's plans. This touches off both a wacky yet poignant adventure. The plot was very well structured and it followed the proper rules of story structure, which I've talked about before. Mabel definitely is a protagonist who takes action, but experiences setbacks and problems of her own creation. It was pretty good. I say it was a return to form for Pixar after some of their weaker movies in the 2020s. Overall grade: A Now it's time for my three favorite movies of summer 2026, all of which I actually saw in the theater. First up is Coyote versus Acme, which came out in 2026. This movie had an extra surge of popularity from the fact that Warner Brothers canceled it as a tax write-off, but distributor Ketchup Entertainment revived it. That makes it a plucky underdog since Warner Brothers senior executives are kind of like the apex version of soulless corporate bug men. Like if I wrote characters in my books who acted like Warner Brothers senior executives, people would think I was being didactic and heavy-handed. Anyway, after decades of failures in efforts to capture the Road Runner, Wile E. Coyote decides to sue Acme Corporation for its numerous defective products. Coyote teams up with a lazy strip mall lawyer named Kevin Avery, who specializes in getting small settlements from Acme. However, Avery and Coyote end up filing a massive lawsuit against Acme, which means they'll face the full wrath of Acme Corporation, including its ace lawyer Buddy Crane and its ruthless CEO, Foghorn Leghorn. What follows is a comedic courtroom battle as Coyote and Avery try to defeat Acme Corporation, defeat its sinister plans, and Coyote starts to realize that Road Runner might actually be his best friend. Both quite amusing and touching, and I'm glad this was rescued from the tax write-off vault. Overall grade: A Next up is The Odyssey, which came out in 2026. This wasn't quite as good as Oppenheimer in 2023 in my opinion, but it was still very good and very much worth seeing. It was weird that The Odyssey was briefly a football in the never-ending US culture war scrum because the movie isn't really political and doesn't really have a message beyond "war is destructive and bad", which every sensible person would agree with, and a lesser message of "violating the law of morality has unforeseen cascading bad consequences, including the destruction of civilization", which is also quite true and was one of the themes of Oppenheimer. Nolan himself dismissed the controversies as "irrelevant" and "part of the territory" since no one had actually seen the movie yet, and given that The Odyssey has made a billion and a half dollars as of this recording, I think that may have proved his point. I imagine the scrutiny from Batman fans back in the 2010s was way more intense since in the modern era, many people care more deeply about the accuracy of Batman than The Odyssey. I do think the debate over the historical accuracy in The Odyssey is pointless because the Odyssey is myth, not history. The Iliad and The Odyssey are a lot like Arthurian myth in terms of their actual historicity. Even when Arthurian legend was massively popular with English kings and nobles in the late medieval and early modern period (for example, Henry VIII's older brother was named Arthur in imitation of King Arthur), the version of Arthurian myth they celebrated and wished to emulate had virtually no connection to the reality of Britain in the 500s AD and was instead a sort of fantasy version of their own time in the 14th and 15th centuries. By the time The Odyssey was written down, no doubt a similar process was underway. Both The Iliad and The Odyssey and the Arthurian cycle probably have a kernel of historical truth buried underneath the tales of magic swords, sirens, cyclopses, and vengeful witches with magic islands. There likely was a Romano-British warlord who might have been named Arthur (or possibly Ambrosius Aurelianus) who held off the Saxons for a while before he was overwhelmed and killed. Likewise, Heinrich Schliemann was a highly eccentric and very sketchy crazy rich guy, but he did prove that there really was some version of the city of Troy that was destroyed at the end of the Bronze Age. But everything beyond those basic details came from thousands of years of embellishments and flourishes from later poets and writers. So arguing about the historical accuracy of The Odyssey is a bit like arguing if Star Wars portrays faster than light travel in an accurate way. That kind of argument is just missing the point entirely. It's also interesting to see how modern standards clashed with the ancient mindset. You know how I always say that everywhere in the United States is exactly the same right until it really, really isn't? I think ancient people are just like us until they really, really weren't. Like ancient people would have been superstitious to an extent that even the most credulous crystal and aura influencer on TikTok would find horrifying and frequently violent in a way that the most strident self-defense advocate would find shocking. The Odyssey's version of Odysseus feels guilt and remorse over his actions in a way an actual ancient Greek probably wouldn't have, but so what? This is The Odyssey viewed through the lens of the 21st century, just as those English nobles viewed the myth of King Arthur and his knights through the lens of their time. As I mentioned with Troy above, the ancient Greeks were often quite brutal and would celebrate sacking an enemy city. One side note before we get to the movie, I probably found it funnier than I should have how Nolan favorably cited classicist Emily Wilson's translation of The Odyssey as a source, and Wilson then had an extended and unintentionally comedic multi-article crashout about how much she hated the movie and of course how much she hated the commemorative Trojan Horse popcorn bucket. Apparently Wilson hated the movie so much she's going to do a new translation of The Odyssey, much to her publisher's baffled dismay. No one does offended huffy petulance quite like an academic. Anyway, back to the movie. It follows the familiar story of Odysseus through Christopher Nolan's preference for non-linear storytelling and practical effects. I did think it was interesting how in this interpretation, Odysseus explicitly connected the ruse of the Trojan Horse with the collapse of the Bronze Age and the rise of the Sea Peoples. It's also probably the most supernatural film Nolan has ever done with actual fantasy and supernatural elements as opposed to science fiction like Inception, Tenant, and Interstellar. Odysseus talks to Athena throughout the movie and it's left up to the viewer's interpretation whether or not he's actually talking to Athena or his own guilt-ridden hallucinations. That said, Odysseus encounters a witch with actual magic powers and travels to the underworld to speak with the shades of the dead, so it's entirely possible he's talking to the actual Athena. In this version, as I mentioned, Odysseus is guilt-ridden over the ruse of the Trojan Horse, which is shown as a violation of the sacred hospitality of Zeus's law and as great a crime as the creation of the atomic bomb in Oppenheimer, which of course is similar to Oppenheimer, where Oppenheimer's creation of the atomic bomb is treated similarly. There are also some genuinely scary sequences in the movie. The bit with the underworld is very spooky, the cyclops is actually quite frightening, and the character of Circe reaches the level of scary previously attained by Heath Ledger's version of The Joker in The Dark Knight. If Nolan ever decides he wants to do a horror movie, it will probably be one of the scariest ones ever made. To sum up, The Odyssey has great performances, great spectacle, great cinematography, and great action sequences. As an interesting interpretation of the original myth, definitely worth seeing. I think you can tell it was a great movie because of all the arguments on the Internet about "what does it really mean?" Great art often has that effect. Overall grade: A The final of my three favorite movies of [Summer] 2026 is Spider-Man: Brand New Day, which came out in 2026. There's a rumor, and I don't know if it's true or not, that Tom Holland found the experience of working with Christopher Nolan on The Odyssey so eye-opening that he insisted that if they made another Spider-Man movie, it had to have a reason for existing other than "make a lot of money". If this story is true, it clearly worked. Previously, I though the two best Spider-Man movies were Spider-Man 2 from 2004 and Spider-Man: No Way Home from 2021. I must now amend that opinion to say that there are three best Spider-Man movies and Spider-Man: Brand New Day is one of the three. It is pretty good. I would've trimmed it here and there, but I thoroughly enjoyed it and is an excellent Spider-Man story that totally captures the essence of the character within a good story. It takes place four years after the events of No Way Home erased everyone's memory that Peter Parker was Spider-Man. Peter has now been crime fighting full time, but it is taking a severe toll on his emotions and personal life that he's deliberately ignoring. Meanwhile, Spider-Man has become the beloved crime fighter of New York, trusted by both the NYPD and the Federal Department of Damage Control, which is a reoccurring frenemy for superheroes from other movies. When someone launches an attack on the headquarters of Damage Control, the director recruits Peter to fight their new enemy, a mysterious figure who uses telepathy to possess people from a distance. Peter is the only one who can sense it thanks to his spider sense, and he's also the only one able to resist the telepath's possession abilities. But despite his resistance to possession, fighting a telepath is a dangerous proposition for someone with as many emotional issues as Peter, and things start to spiral out of control when the telepath starts digging into his life. But there's another lesson Peter has to learn. People (and especially superheroes) who take the federal government at its word tend to regret it. For that matter, ignoring his emotional issues is causing Peter's spider powers to start acting in strange ways. But of course, at the end of the day, Spider-Man always follows his conscience, no matter how high the cost to him personally. Definitely an enjoyable movie. All the scenes with Spider-Man and Punisher were great, and the two of them had a great dynamic together. A few other Marvel Cinematic Universe people show up, but this is probably one of the most standalone movies the MCU has done in a while. Of course, the risk of MCU Continuity Lockout is always there (which is one of the reasons I started writing Half-Eleven Thief in 2023). Overall grade: A So I would say it was a pretty good summer for movies. It's also valuable lessons in not taking the Internet too seriously, which too many people do nowadays. There are all these dedicated analyses on X, Threads, and Reddit in June and May explaining why The Odyssey was going to fail for whatever reason, and instead it made $1.5 billion. So I think that's a good lesson in not taking everything you read on the internet a little too seriously. So that's it for this week. Thanks for listening to The Pulp Writer Show. I hope you found the show enjoyable. A reminder that you can listen to all the back episodes at https://thepulpwritershow.com. If you enjoyed the podcast, please leave a review on your podcasting platform of choice. Stay safe and stay healthy, and we'll see you all next week.
Christopher Nolan's The Odyssey becomes most powerful when its monsters reveal the film's hidden structure. Jacob Krueger explains Circe, Scylla, xenia, the Trojan Horse and why Odysseus must leave Ithaca after saving it.
Absolute potato! This week, TWIFH is delighted to bring you a special preview of Femme & Furious, a new pod-friend and great listen for fans of fandom, and especially for listeners who liked our old behind-the-scenes pop culture rundown episodes for Patreon. In this episode, our friend Julia Portela looks with a feminist lens at five (secretly six) pieces of extremely current media: Obsession, The Drama, Odyssey, Spider-Man: Brand New Day, Sterling Point, and the novel Girl's Girl by Sonia Feldman. Julia is funny, smart, and definitely a fangirl. Listen to our #Gamergate episode over on her feed, too!---This week on Femme & Furious, we're breaking our own format because while it's technically a "Fast 5," we've got six properties on deck, because there was too much good pop culture to cover this month. Spoiler-free pitches up top for each one, then we go all the way in with spoilers, feminist analysis, and a few unhinged theories. What I'm covering: Obsession — the viral horror hit that outran Supergirl in theaters, the "man or the bear" discourse hiding in plain sight, and why Bear is absolutely a dog guy. The Drama — Zendaya and Robert Pattinson's wedding-week-gone-wrong dark comedy from Kristoffer Borgli, and the racial double standard baked into who gets forgiven for what. Odyssey — Christopher Nolan's mythic epic, the Emily Wilson feud, and a full breakdown of Circe, Calypso, Helen, Clytemnestra, and a theory about who Athena really is. Spider-Man: Brand New Day — Tom Holland's loneliest Peter Parker yet, the Frank Castle friendship that's carrying the movie, and a hard pass on that Little Caesars order. Sterling Point — Amazon's CW-coded YA drama, a love triangle the writing doesn't quite earn, and the most joyful period scene we've seen on TV ever. Girl's Girl by Sonia Feldman — one of my favorite books of the year, a queer coming-of-age story about girlhood, friendship, and phones as a silent second language. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Join us as we explore the worldwide phenomenon behind the revival of Homer's 3000-year-old story, the kaleidoscopic and hallucinogenic return of Odysseus to Ithaka, the Greek island that has become an icon for home itself. There is the immense beauty of the poem itself and the historical importance of Homer's accomplishment, but what does the story mean to us now, how can it help illuminate the chaos of our lives today? Composed by the Poet Known as Homer, around 650 BC, it was based on a story about the Trojan War that was already hundreds of years old. Since then, the story about the hallucinogenic adventures of Odysseus, his son Telemachus, and wife Penelope have cast a spell over cultures around the world, haunting poets, playwrights and philosophers, and taunting the efforts of archaeologists, linguists and now filmmakers to render it in modern terms. Our conversation will explore the myriad life lessons of Homer's masterpiece that have inspired readers, listeners and now viewers for millennia, with a focus on the central theme of the nostoi, the return stories of ancient Greek soldiers, adventurers, philosophers and scientists coming home, and the wider question of what home meant to the ancients—and what home means to us now, the most rootless people in recorded history. Along the way, we will have an animated exchange about the wide range of translations, from Alexander Pope, T. E. Lawrence, and E. V. Rieu, to Richard Lattimore, Emily Wilson and Daniel Mendelosohn. Finally, we will playfully review the myriad movie versions, from George Melies' four-minute version in 1905, to the 1956 Ulysses with Kirk Douglas, and the freshly minted Odyssey helmed by Christopher Nolan. Finally, there is the surprising realization that it is five female characters (Penelope, Athena, Calypso, Circe and Nausicaa) who helped guide Odysseus homeward, and the centuries-long influence on art, literature and cinema. Join us for a celebration of the soul-saving power of this ancient Greek tale, which sings of the aftermath of a savage war and the restoration of our hero's home, all the while insisting on need to say “yes” to life. About the Speaker Phil Cousineau is the author of The Wisdom of the Odyssey and over 40 other books, including the bestselling The Art of Pilgrimage, and The Hero's Journey: Joseph Campbell on His Life and Work. Cousineau is a writer, teacher, filmmaker, storyteller and cultural historian, who has consulted on mythology and story for major studios, including Warner Brothers., Pixar and Lucasfilm, and has led mythology travel programs to Greece for more than three decades. Cousineau has been featured on NPR, CNN International, the BBC, the Smithsonian and Discovery channels, and was the host of PBS and Link-TV's "Global Spirit." He lives in San Francisco. Visit him online. Valerie Andrews is the founder of the digital magazine and podcast "Reinventing Home," the author of Our Story of Home: Tales of Longing and Belonging, and A Passion for This Earth: Toward a New Partnership of Man, Woman and Nature, and the editor of Sanctuary: The Inner Life of Home. Her articles have appeared in Jung Journal: Culture and Psyche, Intuition magazine, Esquire, Vogue, and The Sun. She has moved—or rather been unmoored—33 times and understands the wandering Odysseus. The Bay Area has been her home since 1990. A Grownups Member-led Forum program. Forums at the Club are organized and run by volunteer programmers who are members of The Commonwealth Club, and they cover a diverse range of topics. Learn more about our Forums. Organizer: Denise M. Michaud Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
A Phil Svitek Podcast - A Series From Your 360 Creative Coach
What does it take to figure out who you really are when race, gender, culture, family, relationships, and society are all telling you who you're supposed to be? In this book club discussion, we explore Fairest: A Memoir by Meredith Talusan and its examination of transgender identity, immigration from the Philippines to the United States, growing up with albinism, attending Harvard, gender transition, queer identity, body image, privilege, belonging, and ultimately self-acceptance.Marisa Serafini and Phil Svitek discuss how Meredith's childhood in the Philippines shaped her identity, why moving to America created both freedom and new forms of pressure, and how Harvard simultaneously became a place of liberation and exclusion. We also explore the memoir's complicated relationships, the difference between changing yourself for another person and changing because it reflects who you truly are, and the photograph that helped Meredith see herself differently.Rather than treating Fairest simply as a story about gender transition, we look at the larger question underneath it: how much of our identity belongs to us, and how much is shaped by our desire to be accepted?Upcoming Reads: Nervous Conditions – Tsitsi Dangarembga (September 2026) Midnight Train – Matt Haig (October 2026) Maus: A Survivor's Tale – Art Spiegelman (November 2026) Prudence Marsh Is Not a Nobody Anymore – Emily Krempholtz (December 2026) Circe by Madeline Miller OR Better Than The Movies by Lynn Painter (January 2026)
"El libro XI de la Odisea abre con un acto de nigromancia: como Circe le indicara, Ulises excava en tierra de los cimerios una entrada al Hades y desciende a través de ella. Hay bajo su espada dos carneros negros sacrificados y una fosa llena de sangre". Esta noche invocamos de nuevo un relato extraído de la antología Racconto Vampiro, editada e ilustrada por el maestro Santiago Caruso, en el que exploramos la figura de Mormo, una entidad ancestral que nos guiará a través de mitos, ritos funerarios y leyendas del Mundo Antiguo hasta el origen de los Vampiros. Si os han llamado la atención nuestros últimos relatos de vampiros, no olvidéis visitar la web de Santiago, que está preparando nuevas y poderosas invocaciones sobre vampiros: https://santiagocaruso.com.ar/ Y si os gustan nuestras habituales invocaciones, no olvides tampoco pulsar el boton de "apoyar" en nuestro perfil de iVoox y seguirnos para no perderos futuros episodios y relatos exclusivos. Arte de portada. "Children of Moon" de Santiago Caruso
Homer adaptations. Sarah Watt, Jeremy Downing and William Chen discuss The Odyssey (2026) and O Brother, Where Art Thou? (2000), two adaptations of Homer's epic poems The Illiad and The Odyssey. We allude to the artistry of Christopher Nolan and Joel and Ethan Coen, aka The Coen Brothers - writer and directors of the two films. We discuss the music of both films, namely the O Brother, Where Art Thou album and the score of The Odyssey by Ludwig Göransson. Our conversation focuses on our reactions to The Odyssey, with general enjoyment found across the three hosts. We compare the archetypes across both films, discussing what each adaptation brings to the core characters, settings and ideas. We spend some time talking about O Brother, Where Art Thou's creative flourishes. We return to The Odyssey and laude Samantha Morton's performance as Circe, including the practical visual effects used in her scenes. We then move on to talk about the stacked cast in The Odyssey, including: Matt Damon, Tom Holland, Anne Hathaway, Robert Pattinson, Elliot Page, Himesh Patel, Mia Goth, Logan Marshall-Green, Charlize Theron, Zendaya, Jon Bernthal, Lupita Nyong'o, Benny Safdie and John Leguizamo.
Have you seen The Odyssey? Are you fascinated by myths, movies, and Italian history? Anthropologist and ancient history tour host Monique Skidmore joins Katy Clarke to uncover the Italian locations behind Homer's Odyssey, journeying through southern Italy, Sicily, the Aeolian Islands, and Sardinia, from Circe's isle to the whirlpools of Scylla and Charybdis, revealing the real-life landscapes behind one of the world's greatest adventure stories.Find the episode show notes at untolditaly.com/339Register your interest in joining a tour of the Odyssey sites in Italy in 2028 - complete the form hereWant to travel the Untold Italy Way? Our Italy experts love answering your tricky questions and designing trips that take you to the Italy you imagined - start planning hereNot sure where to start? Get the Untold Italy podcast guide with 315 epsiodes organized by topic.The premium Untold Italy app has ad-free access to our complete archive of 300+ episodes searchable by place and topicFOLLOW: Instagram • Facebook • YouTube GET OUR NEWS: Subscribe hereTRIP PLANNING SERVICES: Learn more hereJOIN US ON TOUR: Upcoming departuresThe Untold Italy travel podcast is an independent production. Podcast editing and audio production by Mark Hatter. Production assistance by the other
Weirdly Magical with Jen and Lou - Astrology - Numerology - Weird Magic - Akashic Records
Before We Dive InRecording this on August 26th, and I want to say clearly at the start: I am feeling a bit low. The eclipse energy has been personally challenging in a number of ways, and also — Dolly Parton and Tim Curry have both passed, within days of each other. Both around 80 years old. I loved them both, for very different reasons, and I find their passing sitting in me in that particular way that celebrity deaths sometimes do, when someone has been part of the landscape of your whole life.I'm telling you this because it's also very much the energy of this week. This is the come-down after eclipse season. If you're feeling deflated, that's appropriate. That's the astrology. The cards are honest about it — but they end in a place of genuine hope. If you're looking for that hopeful note right now, go and watch the September 10th Virgo New Moon video I just put up. That one has more light in it.This week: do your inner work. Go into the woods. Slow your roll.Subscribe free on Substack for all posts in your inbox. Spiral Weave / Spiral Codex membership — $10/month or $90/year.Venus Retrograde: Heroine's Journey — I'll decide on the final pricing when I'm back from Chicago. For now, it's still open and I'll let you know. Two tiers: the basic Venus Retrograde course, and Dragon Rider (adds a year of Spiral Codex membership, a 30-minute one-on-one with me, and a personal gift). louiseedington.com/VenusRetrograde2026One more small thing: if you enjoy astrology AND music, Chris Brennan did an extraordinary interview with Roland Orzabal from Tears for Fears about his astrology memoir. It's worth your time. I've listened twice and bought the hard copy.The Energy of This WeekWe come off the lunar eclipse on August 28th and begin to wane. The week opens with the Moon in Aries and ends with it in Cancer, waning all the while, heading toward the September 10th new moon. We are in the shedding phase.What makes this week distinctive — and why the message keeps being the same — is the sheer number of retrograde planets in Aries: Neptune, Manwë, Saturn, Pallas Athena, Eris, and Vesta, all moving backwards. When the Aries Moon moves through them, each conjunction or activation is saying: slow down. Go in. Revisit. Review. Do not charge forward. Aries likes action and speed; the retrogrades are applying the brakes.The overall prescription for this week: radical, extraordinary self-care. More than you normally would. The whole week is a churn of inner processing. Let it do its work.Three more things to note:Pluto is out of bounds until December 5th — as it will be for a few months around this time of year until 2035. Going out of bounds to the south, which Rosie Finn's book Persephone's Revolution associates with people rising up and more peaceful collective energy. We are in that window.Sedna stations retrograde this week (Thursday) — her 11,406-year orbit is so slow that her stations are gentler than most, but she's still asking: dig deeper into your perceptions and adaptations. She was last in Gemini at the end of the Great Ice Ages.Venus is entering the shadow of her retrograde — she hits 21°50' Libra at the start of the week, which is the point she'll return to when she stations direct on November 13th. Start paying attention now to what comes up around your values, your relationships, your sense of justice and beauty, your desires. Everything that surfaces in the next few weeks will have something to say when Venus goes retrograde in October.Only Venus, Mercury, and the Sun have passed the South Node and Regulus so far. Everyone else is still coming. Gradually, one by one.The Cards — A First GlanceFrom the Red Seeds Tarot and the Witch Oracle: Two of Bees, Eight of Seeds reversed, Ten of Bees, and The Witch.Tension. Disengagement. Then: revelation. And then the Witch herself — the one in total control of herself — to close. More at the end.Day by DaySunday, August 30 — Moon in Aries. Slow Your Horses. Venus Enters Her Shadow.The Moon is freshly in Aries — and immediately hits all those retrograde planets. A sextile to Sedna (about to station), a sextile to Pluto activating the basket at 4°, then the Moon conjuncts Neptune — stop and smell the coffee. Tune in to your intuition. There is nothing to rush into right now. The Moon then sextiles Uranus — the aha question of this whole period: who am I in this new world we're building? That's worth sitting with.The Moon squares Ceres in Cancer — do your self-care. Take care of yourself first, and then you are able to care for and protect your loved ones. And squares Pholus — the lid is still coming off things.The Moon is being slowed at every turn. Neptune is particularly potent here: the retrograde Aries cluster, every one of them applying the brakes to the Aries Moon's natural preference for speed. Slow your horses. We are not at full speed ahead yet.The Moon conjuncts Pallas Athena (revisiting strategy and pattern recognition), then conjuncts Eris (tables turning, but within — going in to see what you need to overturn in your own life), then squares Juno (renegotiating contracts), sextiles Hekate (the torchbearer is saying: the path forward is through your inner truths), and finally conjuncts Vesta (inner flame — what are you devoted to, really?). Before the day closes, the Moon conjuncts Saturn — a hard stop. Reality check. Put the brakes on.Venus at 21°50' Libra directly opposes Pallas Athena retrograde — the strategist, the pattern-recognizer, looking keenly back at Venus. Slow down. Think through your relationships, your values, your sense of justice. See the patterns before you charge on. Venus is covering ground she will cover again during the retrograde. Pay attention to what surfaces.Black Moon Lilith makes a fire trine to Eris and Vesta, and sextiles Hekate — that inner feminine rage at injustice, in flowing conversation with the table-turners and the inner flame, with the way-shower lighting the path. And Mercury in Virgo trines Pholus — more information coming to light. More things being seen.Monday, August 31 — Saturn Squares Asteroid Lilith. Black Moon Lilith Enters Capricorn. Earth Grand Trine.Saturn at 13° Aries squares Asteroid Lilith in Cancer. Thirteen — the number of the goddess, the witch. Saturn in Aries retrograde is revisiting the rules, the structures, the identities we've been building. Asteroid Lilith — the talk-to-the-hand, we-were-created-equal, original divine feminine — is in the Moon's sign, looking around and asking: how are all our needs being met? How are outsiders' needs being met? It's a hard look, again, before we do anything more. Saturn can bring the “shoulds” — and this week: don't. It will still be there later.Black Moon Lilith reaches the end of Sagittarius and enters Capricorn — the sign of our institutions, structures, and the man-made rules we live under. And the moment she crosses into Capricorn, she trines Regulus at 0° Virgo and Chiron at 0° Taurus — an Earth Grand Trine. The exiled feminine energy, in flowing conversation with the Royal Star that now speaks of future stewards, and with the medicine man shining his light on wounds and healing.The way forward is this world. This experience. Being on this Earth, which is our home.Jupiter at 13° Leo trines Saturn at 13° Aries. Thirteen — the goddess number, the witch number, also a number of creation (Fibonacci, phi). This is the opening trine of the cycle that began at the Great Conjunction in December 2020 — Jupiter and Saturn at 0° Aquarius, the beginning of the Age of Air. Now Jupiter has moved into Leo and this is the first flowering of that seed. We have to change these man-made rules that are not in alignment with the natural laws of the universe. That's what this aspect is saying. In the number of the goddess, no less.The Moon in Aries moves through Pallas Athena (revisiting strategy), opposes Venus (emotions stirred around what Venus is covering in her pre-retrograde territory — feel it, don't push it away), conjuncts Eris (more inner table-turning), squares Juno, sextiles Hekate, conjuncts Vesta.Tuesday, September 1 — Moon Into Taurus. Mars Squares Saturn. Mercury Meets Circe. The Brakes.The Moon finishes its Aries passage by aspecting the Nodes (still at 29° until October 9th — eclipse energy still reverberating) before moving into Taurus at 4:01am Eastern. Immediately, the Moon conjuncts Chiron — the shaman, the medicine man, hands-on healing. Earth. Body. Values. The wound and the medicine.Venus at 23° Libra makes a lovely unbroken flow aspect to Chariklo in Aquarius — the cosmic doula, Chiron's consort, the grace-spinner, holding space for the new story we're weaving. I am here with you. I am helping you weave it.Then the aspect that defines the day: Mars in Cancer squares Saturn in Aries. Mars in Cancer is already uncomfortable — fire in water, drive dampened by sensitivity. And Saturn in Aries is retrograde, in Mars's own sign. One foot on the accelerator, one foot on the brake. Except this week: it is far more brake than accelerator.If you feel the shoulds pressing in — I should be doing this, I should be doing that — this week is not the time. What needs to be done will still be there after you've rested and gone in. The brakes are on for a reason.Mercury in Virgo meets Circe the Sorceress — Circe is also conjunct the upcoming Virgo New Moon, which feels intentional. Mercury saying: get into the details, go in and do some inner sorcery and magic. The craftsmanship here is interior. Mercury then sextiles Asteroid Lilith — she's in there too, having a very good look at what she's going to say no to. Not performing the no yet. Looking clearly.The Taurus Moon Earth-trines the Virgo Sun and Pholus at around 9-10° — a pull to earth, to the somatic, to the body, to roots. Get your bare feet on the ground. Do grounding meditations. Go into the woods. That's why I chose the Red Riding Hood image for this week — the feminine going into the woods, into the inner world, is the heroine's journey. Read those old fairy tales from a different lens.Wednesday, September 2 — Moon in Taurus. Everything Is Within.The Taurus Moon squares Jupiter at 13° Leo — the natural laws of the universe, in the sign of the heart, at the goddess number again. The pattern of all of these 13° aspects this week is unmistakable.Everything is pointing inward. Everything is saying: come into balance and harmony within your nervous system. These eclipses have been nerve-jangling. If you feel your nervous system a bit fried, that's both appropriate and fixable. You have the tools. Use them.The Moon sextiles Mars (still cooling its jets, heading toward Asteroid Lilith), and the Sun trines Black Moon Lilith — with Okyrhoe the seer joining that aspect. This is about uncovering your inner seer. Going to the depth within that knows things before the mind catches up. The inner oracle.Thursday, September 3 — Sedna Stations Retrograde. Moon Into Gemini. Basket Activated.The Taurus Moon makes an Earth trine to Juno — our sacred contracts with each other, held in the flowing earth energy that's been the backbone of this week. This Earth trine has been holding the whole week: pulling inward, pulling down to ground, pulling roots deeper.Sedna stations retrograde in Gemini. Her 11,406-year orbit means she was last in Gemini at the end of the Great Ice Ages. Her stations are slower-burning than closer-in planets, but this is still a turning point: dig deeper into your perceptions, your ideas, your words, your thinking. How do you need to shift? How do you need to adapt?Black Moon Lilith squares Saturn — now in his own sign Capricorn, pressing against the rules and structures of our institutions. More things being seen. More reality checks arriving. This is not the moment to rail at every little thing. It's the moment to take it in, to see clearly, to know what you're looking at before you act.The Taurus Moon reaches 27-29° — the Pleiades degrees. This may feel like a tender, even sad day. The Pleiades carry the grief of endings and the beauty of the in-between. With Dolly and Tim Curry's passing this week, and with so much being released in the collective, let yourself feel what's there. The Moon then squares Hekate, squares the Nodes, and begins moving toward the drain of the South Node.At 7:47am Eastern, the Moon enters Gemini and immediately meets Sedna — who just stationed retrograde, all that adapt-or-transform energy newly concentrated. The Moon then trines Pluto, sextiles Neptune, conjuncts Uranus — the basket, again. The cradle activated. The aha moment: something about letting go. Something about death and rebirth. Something about what's trying to move through.Mars is opposed by Black Moon Lilith at 2:44pm Eastern — a question not about action but about wisdom. Is the action we're taking coming from a wise place? Or are we just acting? Black Moon Lilith is a lunar point, not a physical body — she's the inner voice, the interior knowing. Are we using her wisdom to shape what we do?Friday, September 4 — Last Quarter Moon. Venus Opposes Eris. Inner Tables Turning.The Gemini Moon (out of bounds since late Wednesday or Thursday) squares the Sun — Last Quarter Moon at approximately 11:48am Eastern. Eleven: the master number, the gateway. What are we letting go of before we step through this doorway? Not one big doorway — a series of doorways. That's what this whole period is. Each week, another door. What are we releasing at this one?The Last Quarter Moon is always a crisis in consciousness — the moment of maximum tension before the letting go. In this context, coming off eclipse season, it's the inner churn before the new moon plant.Venus at 25° Libra opposes Eris — more inner tables to turn. Not out there, not yet. Going within, looking at strategy and patterns, recognizing what needs to be overturned within your own relating and your own values before you bring a new version of yourself to the world.The Moon sextiles Saturn (opportunity to let go of self-limiting beliefs, old rules we were taught to live by) and sextiles Jupiter (the curious Gemini Moon trying to make sense of it all through the lens of the natural laws).Mars meets Asteroid Lilith at 15° Cancer — the midpoint of the degree, the middle of Cancer. Mars will move ahead of her after this. But she is right there with him, saying: you are more of a protector and a guardian than you have been portrayed. Right now, at this moment — using the language of internal family systems — you are my inner protector. You are here to help me move within, do more self-care, love myself more. You are the guardian of my interior, not just the warrior taking on the external world.If your inner Mars is feeling frustrated and angry (Mars doesn't love Cancer), you can actually talk to that part of yourself: I know you're here to help me. Right now your job is to protect my inner work, not to attack everything out there.The Moon squares Mercury — information, details, adjustments, what you think. All of it inside.Venus squares Juno — we are rewriting the contracts. With each other, and with ourselves.Saturday, September 5 — Moon Into Cancer. Venus and Hekate. One Last Look at the Toxins.The Gemini Moon finishes its journey — way out of bounds — making last aspects to the retrograde planets in Aries: Pallas Athena, Eris, Vesta. Fire and air. What do I need to burn off? What ideas need to be released? What does the inner flame actually want? Intense, but passing.At 10:30am Eastern, the Moon enters Cancer — her own sign — and sextiles Chiron. The wound and the medicine. The shaman. What's the medicine I've become because of what I've been through?Venus makes a lovely unbroken flow aspect to Hekate — the way-shower, the torchbearer, the triple moon goddess at the crossroads. Venus and Hekate work together beautifully during Venus retrogrades (you'll experience this directly in the class), and this pre-retrograde aspect is a preview: pay attention to your inner voice about which paths to choose. Which direction through the woods of your inner self is being illuminated?The Cancer Moon trines Haumea — pure regeneration, the Hawaiian creatrix, the handle of the basket. She hasn't been aspected much this week, and here at the close she shows up to say: something new is being birthed from all of this. Something is regenerating. And the Moon squares Neptune — Haumea moving forward, Neptune moving back, an aspect of adjustment between the two Mars signs (Aries and Scorpio). We are moving into a more Venusian era. We cannot stay where we were.The last aspect of the week: one more look at the toxins, at what needs to be released, at what we've been carrying that belongs to the past. What more can I let go of to be a better ancestor? (If you want to go deeper on Nessus, there's a beautiful blog post from the Amalthea website — search “Amalthea Nessus” — and the author contributed to Sideways from Saturn, the book on the centaurs that I wrote the foreword for.)The Cards in DetailTwo of Bees (Swords) — I Am Tension:Proverbs: “Gracious words are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones.”This week suggests difficult choices and decisions. Your ideas and opinions may be questioned — by others and, perhaps more intensely, by yourself. You may feel mentally paralyzed as you try to navigate stress, uncertainty, and inner conflict.How do we move forward? Balance the tension of the opposites. Hold the tension of not knowing the outcome for a while. Clarity and a balanced view will make itself known. Positive choices and insightful decisions will arise from the centre of your being, once you've taken time to contemplate and listen to yourself before you act.And remember that quote when you speak to yourself this week: gracious words are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones. Including when you are talking inside your own head.Eight of Seeds (Pentacles), reversed — I Am Disengaged:Upright, the Eight of Seeds is productive, diligent, sowing and harvesting. Reversed this week: I feel disengaged. I feel like I've never done enough, like I'm not good enough. The inner perfectionist shows up.This is an Earth card, and its very reversal is the prescription: self-development and inner work. Not productive outer work. The shadow of Virgo — the perfectionism, the not-enoughness — can come through here. Let it be acknowledged and then gently set aside. You don't have to perform productivity right now.Ten of Bees (Swords) — I Am Revelation:Khalil Gibran: “For the bee, the flower is the fountain of life. For the flower, the bee is the messenger of love.”This is the card I was genuinely glad to see at the end of this challenging set. Here it is:We have tripped up and plummeted along the way, and now know what rock bottom feels like. It has challenged us. Self-pity, at times, has heightened our suffering.However, in reality, the rocks actually grounded us, and a relief and an understanding is starting to rise up within us. It is clear that we have been stung into waking up to some hard truths. Our ego may have been battered, and we may feel sore, vulnerable, as we reflect on what appear to be failures and endings that lie behind us.The good news is: the worst is over, for this week. The weight we have carried is finally lifting. We have survived, and our stings will heal. Our wings gently unfurl, and we start to ascend, breathing in the clear air, and dancing into a new beginning.By the end of the week, you will start to feel the call of the new moon. Not quite there yet. But coming.The Witch (Witch Oracle) — I Am Coordinating, Not Dominating:“Control. No woman alive today needs a dictionary to know what control means within a toxic patriarchy. She's experienced it a thousand different ways. It is domination and restraint.But in a balanced psyche and in a balanced culture, control can mean something else entirely.A witch experiences control through cooperation rather than competition. She is engaged with all the parts of her psyche in an attempt to coordinate rather than dominate.You are being asked right now to embrace all the inhabitants of your inner realm, because each deserves respect and a place at the table. Even the unruly, the inconvenient, the ugly. Making space for all under the banner of wild inclusion — giving voice to the shame, malice, and anger, as well as every other outlawed part of the psyche — is the way we create integrity.When your intent is to create rather than compete, you don't have to dominate. Your influence is enough. This is power with, rather than power over.Invite whatever is bothering you today into the realm of inclusion. Assert your inner authority.”Coordinate, don't dominate. Including inside yourself. This is the whole week. This is the whole work.Summing UpPost-eclipse. Waning. Brakes firmly on. The Aries retrogrades slowing everything down, saying not yet, not yet. The Earth Grand Trine pulling us down to roots and soil and body. The 13s showing up everywhere — the goddess number, the witch number — at Saturn and Jupiter and the Moon's aspects. Venus entering her pre-retrograde territory and asking us to start paying attention. Sedna stationing to dig deeper into how we adapt. The Last Quarter Moon at the gateway number, releasing before the new moon.The rocks grounded us. The wings are beginning to unfurl.Go into the woods. Slow your roll. Do the radical self-care. Talk to your inner Mars. Embrace all the inhabitants of your inner realm. And coordinate, don't dominate — inside and out.The new moon is coming on September 10th. We'll get there.— LouiseVenus Retrograde: Heroine's Journey — louiseedington.com/VenusRetrograde2026Subscribe free on Substack. Spiral Weave / Spiral Codex — $10/month or $90/year.Code COSMICOWL20 (20% off) or COSMICOWL30 (30% off $99+) at Otter Spirit. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit cosmicowlastrology.substack.com/subscribe
On this episode of The Hillsdale College Online Courses Podcast, Jeremiah and Juan discuss how Homer treats leadership in The Odyssey before introducing a lecture from Dr. Benedict Whalen. On the island of Circe, Odysseus rescues his men from being turned to pigs, but he himself falls to beastly temptations for a full year. The Odyssey tells the tale of the cunning and crafty hero of the Trojan War on his journey home. After ten years of war, Odysseus faces another ten years of fantastic temptations, deadly monsters, treacherous seas, and impious men. Meanwhile, Ithaca is threatened by suitors who plague his wife and plunder his wealth. When Odysseus reaches home, he must slay the suitors, test the loyalty of his friends and family, and restore order to his marriage and his kingdom.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
On this episode of The Hillsdale College Online Courses Podcast, Jeremiah and Juan discuss how Homer treats leadership in The Odyssey before introducing a lecture from Dr. Benedict Whalen. On the island of Circe, Odysseus rescues his men from being turned to pigs, but he himself falls to beastly temptations for a full year. The Odyssey tells the tale of the cunning and crafty hero of the Trojan War on his journey home. After ten years of war, Odysseus faces another ten years of fantastic temptations, deadly monsters, treacherous seas, and impious men. Meanwhile, Ithaca is threatened by suitors who plague his wife and plunder his wealth. When Odysseus reaches home, he must slay the suitors, test the loyalty of his friends and family, and restore order to his marriage and his kingdom.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Fresh off the first Cascadia Men's Conference, I'm pleased to share my first long-form podcast episode in some months. Right now, Christopher Nolan's The Odyssey is storming around the world, a $1.3 billion phenomenon that has returned one of humanity's oldest stories to the center of our cultural conversation.My guest today is a man who has been steeping in this epic for years. Phil Cousineau is the author of newly published ‘The Wisdom of the Odyssey: Twenty-four Life Lessons from Homer's Epic' and more than forty other books, including the bestselling The Art of Pilgrimage and The Hero's Journey: Joseph Campbell on His Life and Work. He is a writer, teacher, and storyteller who has consulted on myth and story for Warner Brothers, Pixar, and Lucasfilm, led mythology travel programs to Greece for more than three decades, and hosted the PBS television series Global Spirit.In our conversation, Phil invites us to look at why The Odyssey has risen once again. He suggests the epic poem is Western culture's first articulated case of PTSD and the consequence of war and conquest. We speak of the women who guide Odysseus back to himself, the terror of crossing your own threshold after twenty years away, and what it means when love rather than fame becomes the gravity that pulls a man home.Phil reminds us that the Odyssey is everybody's story, and the courage required to bend down and kiss the earth in gratitude for the chance to begin again.Here in full is the Rumi poem I reference (translated by Haleh Liza Gafori)LOVE, YOUR waters, your melodieswhirl me and whirl me.I'm the wheel in a mill.Whirl me forever.When my heart is troubled,when my heart has fled,keep me close.No branch, no leaf, no piece of straw drawn to amberwill move without a breeze.Unless desire stirs it, nothing in this world will dance.Every element, every particle of every elementis a whirling lover, drunk on union.The generous host lays out a feast.Animals graze the sweet grass.Didn't the ants tell secrets to Solomon?Didn't the mountains singwhen David sang his songs of praise?The sky is your lover.Lay your head on its peaceful chest.The sun is your lover. Drink its light.Love moves through every mountain and field.How else would green grow from earth's dark body?LINKS * Phil Cousineau - Official Website* The Wisdom of the Odyessy - BookHeads up, if you are a man seeking to explore the mythopoetic path, you are invited to check out The Archetypal Compass. This mini-guide is designed to help you navigate the internal archetypes of the soul, providing a map for those ready to move beyond personal inquiry and toward a more conscious stewardship of their lives and the world.Also, the next cohort of The Deep Masculine, my 3 month online journey for men begins Sept 20th. Join a mythic brotherhood aimed at re-patterning your relationship to sex, soul and purpose.SHOW NOTES00:04 — Quebec and Detroit Roots: Phil traces his ancestry to Jean Baptiste Cousineau, one of the nine founding families of Montreal, and his mythic upbringing in Detroit.00:06 — A Family of Readers: Growing up reading Homer, Grimm, and Canadian folk tales aloud together, and the inherited practice of read, pilgrimage, and the Long Conversation.00:10 — The Odyssey Sketched: A whirlwind through the enchantment at Olympus, the judgment of Paris, Helen, and the 1,156 ships sailing for Troy.00:16 — The First Documented PTSD: Why Odysseus is arguably history's first case of post-traumatic stress, and why a soldier cannot go straight home from war.00:22 — The Bard Scene: On the island of Phaeacia, when Odysseus hears his story sung, takes it back, and the healing begins.00:25 — Why Myths Rise Again: James Baldwin on reading as the antidote to unprecedented pain, and why myths that never happened are always happening.00:33 — The Masculine Arc: From the hunger for kleos (glory) to being pulled home by eros (love), and the grief of men who have achieved everything yet feel lost.00:39 — Polytropos: What it means that Odysseus is "many-turning" — the colossal, radical act of a man capable of changing his mind.00:42 — The Six Women: How Athena, Calypso, Circe, Nausicaa, Eurycleia, and Penelope guide Odysseus home, making the epic the world's first romance.00:46 — Achilles in the Underworld: The axis mundi where glory confronts the choice for one more day of sunshine over eternal fame.00:52 — Gratitude and Kissing the Earth: On Rumi, Coleman Barks, and Odysseus bending down to kiss the beach as literature's first grateful male hero.00:56 — The Beggar's Return: Odysseus comes home not in triumph but humbled, bent, and listening — a diminishment that is actually a deepening.01:06 — Nolan's Ending vs. the Greek Original: Why sailing away into the sunset is American Western mythology, not a Greek ending, and what the film sacrifices.01:10 — Talking Until Dawn: Penelope's fierce "My heart can take it" and the moment husband and wife talk and listen to each other until dawn.01:13 — The Wisdom of the Odyssey: Phil's new book, recommended translations by Lattimore and Emily Wilson, and upcoming mythology tours to Greece. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit themythicmasculine.substack.com/subscribe
“There's too much drama, brother.”Darien (she/they) did NOT break her promise! It's the Medea episode! DJ (he/him) is very proud. Other topics include a very important third-place play, not letting a man married to a witch leave said witch to marry your daughter, Jason (not Grace) being the worst, a very bad gift, and the very weird choices Rick Riordan made with Medea. Content Warning: This episode contains mentions of and conversations about child death, murder, dismemberment, and abandonment.Spoilers for The Heroes of Olympus, The Burning Maze, Psychonauts 2, Circe by Madeline Miller, Ariadne and Atalanta by Jennifer Saint, Medea by Eilish Quin, and Hades 2.Bonus episode We Make a Kingdom Hearts Game on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/musesofmythologyAbout UsMuses of Mythology was created and co-hosted by Darien and DJ Smartt.Our music is Athens Festival by Martin Haene. Our cover art is by Ranpakoka. Find him on Instagram @Ranpakoka Love the podcast? Support us on Patreon and get instant access to bloopers, outtakes, and bonus episodes! Patreon.com/musesofmythologyGet you hands on podcast merch at Musesofmythology.com/merchFind us on Instagram. Find all of our episodes and episode transcripts at MusesOfMythology.com----------------------- Support the showNo portion of this episode may be used for AI training purposes or to create derivative works without express written permission from the creators and co-hosts Darien Smartt or Davis Smartt.
In this classic, Anney and Samantha delve into Madeline Miller's 2018 novel Circe. Join us for discussion of goddesses, witches, myths and feminism. And turning men into pigs.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Welcome to the conclusion of our conversation on Graham Greene's novel. This week we're answering your questions and topics include: * The difference between a Catholic novel and a novel with Catholic characters* Green's personal faith and its influence on his writing* The book's depiction of religion and piety* The conflict between the Catholic moral vision and modernity* Humor, satire, and irony in Green's narrative techniques* The significance of Millie's character and her faith* The role of realism in literature and its effects on reader sympathy* Green's background as a journalist and diplomat influencing his fiction* The concept of truth versus fiction in espionage and storytelling* The importance of particular love and community over abstract idealsThanks so much for listening. Happy listening! Don't forget to check our CiRCE's upcoming event: A World without Heroes. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit closereads.substack.com/subscribe
Join me as we explore the Sturgeon Moon, from its connection to the ancient, prehistoric sturgeon fish to some of the other names associated with this full moon including the Hungry Ghost Moon. We will delve into the spiritual themes and symbolism surrounding this moon alongside the flowers, trees, herbs and crystals traditionally connected to its energy. We will also explore some of the fae beings linked to water and this time of year including the Nereids, discovering who they are and the mythology surrounding them. From there we will look at ways you might work with the Sturgeon Moon within your own life and witchcraft practice particularly around themes of reflection, legacy, abundance and what you wish to carry forward into the seasons ahead. To finish I share a River Stone Ritual by The Peculiar Brunette along with a collection of journaling prompts and a Tarot or oracle spread to help you connect more deeply with the energy of the Sturgeon Moon. River Stone Ritual - https://www.thepeculiarbrunette.com/august-sturgeon-moon-spiritual-meaning/?utm_source=Pinterest&utm_medium=organic The song referenced is Thank You by Alanis Morisette (I didn't even give the song title properly! Sorry I was on a tangent) ;-) Prayer to the Sturgeon Moon by The White Witch Parlour ‘I call to the energies of the sturgeon moon, I give thanks for the warmth and abundant crops that summer brought but now I shall begin the preparation for winter, as the battle between light and dark begins, I find my own balance within. I pray the moon heal and calm my emotions for the month to come. As I open my heart to the flow of the universe and the lessons I may need to learn' Journal Prompts referenced - What am I building in my life right now, and does it reflect the person I truly want to become?What have the experiences of this past season taught me about myself? What am I ready to leave behind as I begin moving towards the next season of my life? Which parts of myself have I previously tried to soften, hide or make smaller — and what would it look like to fully honour them instead? What traditions, practices, relationships or ways of living feel worthy of carrying forward with me? What do I hope will exist because I was here — through the love I gave, the knowledge I shared, the things I created or the people whose lives I touched? Tarot/oracle prompts - What has this season taught me? The wisdom, lesson or truth that has emerged through your recent experiences. What am I ready to leave behind?A pattern, attachment, belief, habit or version of yourself that has reached its natural ending. What am I being asked to carry forward? The quality, gift, practice, relationship or intention that will help shape the next season of your life. What am I building that will outlive this moment? A glimpse into the legacy you are creating through your choices, creativity, relationships or the way you move through the world. Join Me for Our Mabon Coven Gathering If you have ever wanted to experience witchcraft in person, I would love to invite you to our very first Coven Gathering in Lincoln. Together we will celebrate Mabon, the Autumn Equinox through seasonal folklore, magical teachings, practical witchcraft and a guided journey inspired by Baba Yaga's ancient forest. You will create your own Mabon Harvest Charm to take home, receive beautifully illustrated grimoire pages and spend the afternoon connecting with a wonderful community of like-minded witches over homemade herbal teas. Whether you are completely new to witchcraft or have been walking the path for many years, this gathering has been created as a welcoming space to learn, practise and celebrate the turning of the Wheel of the Year together. You can find the booking link below if you would like to join us. I would absolutely love to see you there. https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/1995695286324?aff=oddtdtcreator Join us in The Hedge & Hollow for a Circe Summer with our August theme - This month we journey to the mythical island of Aeaea to meet one of the most fascinating witches in mythology – Circe. Often remembered as the enchantress who transformed men into pigs however there is far more to her story. Circe is a woman of solitude, exile, herbal wisdom, magick, transformation and self sovereignty. Her island becomes a place of initiation where those who arrive are forever changed. Throughout the month we will explore Circe through mythology, folklore and practical witchcraft discovering what her story can teach us about reclaiming our own power and embracing the transformations life asks of us. Across this month we will look at - A deeper exploration of Circe's mythology - looking beyond the familiar tales to uncover the symbolism and wisdom hidden within her story. A guided meditation transporting you to Circe's island where you will meet Circe herself and discover the messages she has waiting for you. Two Hedge Witch studies exploring the magical folklore, history and correspondences of Hellebore and Cypress. Two plants deeply connected with liminality, death, rebirth and the ancient witch's path. Practical witchcraft including a beautiful Transformation Oil inspired by Circe's magick alongside banishing practices, reflection and spellcraft to support your own personal transformation. This month will lean into embracing our own transformations and moving towards them with courage, wisdom and compassion. I'll see you on Circe's island. Find my Patreon The Hedge & Hollow here - https://patreon.com/TheHedgeandHollow?utm_medium=unknown&utm_source=join_link&utm_campaign=creatorshare_creator&utm_content=copyLink Find my Etsy store here for zines, witch boxes, spell candles and altar posters here - https://www.etsy.com/shop/TheWhiteWitchCompany?ref=seller-platform-mcnav Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/thewhitewitchpodcast/?hl=en For PR enquiries etc please email carly@thewhitewitchcompany.co.uk Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
"El libro XI de la Odisea abre con un acto de nigromancia: como Circe le indicara, Ulises excava en tierra de los cimerios una entrada al Hades y desciende a través de ella. Hay bajo su espada dos carneros negros sacrificados y una fosa llena de sangre". Esta noche invocamos de nuevo un relato extraído de la antología Racconto Vampiro, editada e ilustrada por el maestro Santiago Caruso, en el que exploramos la figura de Mormo, una entidad ancestral que nos guiará a través de mitos, ritos funerarios y leyendas del Mundo Antiguo hasta el origen de los Vampiros. Si os han llamado la atención nuestros últimos relatos de vampiros, no olvidéis visitar la web de Santiago, que está preparando nuevas y poderosas invocaciones sobre vampiros: https://santiagocaruso.com.ar/ Y si os gustan nuestras habituales invocaciones, no olvides tampoco pulsar el boton de "apoyar" en nuestro perfil de iVoox y seguirnos para no perderos futuros episodios y relatos exclusivos. Arte de portada. "Children of Moon" de Santiago Caruso Escucha el episodio completo en la app de iVoox, o descubre todo el catálogo de iVoox Originals
Ein ganz normaler Freitag auf dem Olymp - und im Podcast-Studio. Den Zorn der Götter kann Daniel gerade nochmal abwenden: Beim dritten, schimpfwortreichen Versuch ist seine literarische Vorspeise endlich geglückt: ostpreußische Keilchen. Er und Katharina vergleichen den antiken Odyssee-Stoff auf Leinwand und in Büchern. Auf das trojanische Pferd will Katharina partout nicht reinfallen. Sie gibt die warnende Kassandra. Und war da etwas Göttliches im Spiel, als Jochen Mariss dank eat.READ.sleep einen Verlag für sein eigenes Buch fand? Alle Infos zum Podcast: https://ndr.de/eatreadsleep Mail gern an: eatreadsleep@ndr.deAlle Lesekreise: https://ndr.de/eatreadsleep-lesekreise Unseren Newsletter gibt es hier: https://ndr.de/eatreadsleep-newsletter Podcast-Tipp: Springerstiefel – Alpha oder Opfer?https://1.ard.de/springerstiefel_s3?eRs Die Bücher der Folge:(00:02:10) Miriam Burdelski: „Ist doch schön hier“, Blessing (Literarische Vorspeise/ Bestseller-Challenge) (00:18:30) Robert Löhr: „Oberammergau“, Piper (Tipp von Daniel) (00:28:01) Jochen Mariss: „Tage am Fluss“, Kiepenheuer & Witsch (Gast) (00:50:07) Madeleine Miller: „Ich bin Circe“, übersetzt von Frauke Brodd, Eisele / Rick Riordan: „Percy Jackson“-Reihe, Carlsen / Christa Wolf: „Kassandra“, Suhrkamp Taschenbuch (All time favourite) Ausgelost für die Bestseller-Challenge der nächsten Folge: Heinz Strunk: “Memories of Heidelberg”Rezept für Ostpreußische Keilchen:https://www.ndr.de/kultur/buch/ersfolge-162.html eat.READ.sleep. ist der Bücherpodcast, der das Lesen feiert. Daniel Kaiser und Katharina Mahrenholtz diskutieren über Bestseller, stellen aktuelle Romane vor und präsentieren die All Time Favorites der Community. Egal ob Krimis, Klassiker, Fantasy, Science Fiction, Kinder- und Jugendbücher, Urlaubsbücher, Gesellschafts- und Familienromane - hier hat jedes Buch seinen Platz. Und auch kulinarisch (literarische Vorspeise!) wird etwas geboten und beim Quiz am Ende können alle ihr Buch-Wissen testen und Fun Facts für den nächsten Smalltalk mitnehmen.
Plus: One Night Only, Lonesome Dove, The Shampoo Effect, Circe, and Nirvana The Band The ShowFind Ali at City Cast Salt LakeSubscribe to our bonus feed for deep dives and more pop culture news. You can access the bonus episodes on any platform!Go to our subscription on Spotify: Choose your plan and complete your subscription.Once you're subscribed, Spotify will send you an email containing your unique RSS feed link.This is a private link just for you — don't share it, or you might lose access. (If you've already done this, the link will be in the email you were sent right after subscribing)Once you've got your RSS link, here's how to add it to platforms outside of Spotify:Apple PodcastsOpen the app → Go to Library → Tap Edit → Add a Show by URLPaste your RSS link → Tap FollowOvercastTap “+” → Add URL → Paste your link → Tap DonePocket CastsTap Discover → Search by RSS link → Paste your linkPodcast Addict (Android)Tap “+” → RSS feed → Paste your link → Tap AddCastroTap “+” → Add Podcast via URL → Paste the link
Pharmakeia — Show Notes: Fight Laugh Feast Documentary In this Fight Laugh Feast documentary, CrossPolitic traces a single Greek word — pharmakeia — from Homer's Odyssey through the book of Revelation to argue that the ancient world never separated medicine from sorcery, and that the modern West's attempt to draw that line may be its most consequential mistake. The film follows materialism's promise from the Big Bang to the therapy couch, tracks the ladder from prescription pharmaceuticals to ayahuasca retreats in Peru, and asks why the men who most loudly deny the existence of demons are increasingly found in dark rooms communing with named spirit entities. Along the way it draws on C.S. Lewis, Aldous Huxley, Peter Hitchens, and the testimony of a man who sat in fifteen ayahuasca ceremonies — and what finally set him free. The answer is not another ceremony. It is guilt, repentance, and the One who drank the cup fully awake so we wouldn't have to. Timestamps 0:24 — What is a woman? What is a human being? — and why getting the answer wrong collapses everything 1:04 — The materialist answer: evolved apes, accidental universe, cosmic soup — and why it can't hold 2:06 — Materialism as a religion — no God, no soul, just chemicals and atoms colliding 2:39 — The swept house: materialism cleared out demons and filled the room with diagnoses and serotonin levels 3:36 — Ayahuasca retreats, psilocybin therapy, and $7,000–$20,000 luxury ceremonies in Jamaica and Peru 4:00 — Pharmakeia — one Greek word from Homer to Revelation meaning both medicine and sorcery 4:40 — The ladder: prescription → marijuana → ecstasy → mushrooms → the dark room in Peru 7:52 — Huxley's 1962 Berkeley lecture: the controlling oligarchy will get people to love their servitude 8:43 — Peter Hitchens and the Uvalde shooter — the marijuana detail that disappeared from the New York Times 11:12 — Attacker Smoked Cannabis — the man with a laptop building the file the national press unpublished 12:08 — Orwell's jack boots vs. Huxley's chains — drugs and sex as the state's soft bribe 13:20 — Dominion Wealth Strategies — sponsor read 14:41 — CS Lewis: the materialist magician — science and magic as twins, one that worked better 16:39 — Lewis's nightmare: magic returning in a lab coat, using the language of forces and energies 17:31 — The swept house revisited — Jesus's words and the seven demons worse than the first 18:06 — Henry's Demons — marijuana at 11, madness at 14, and the father who named it correctly 20:26 — Pharmakeia in Homer, Exodus, Galatians, and Revelation — nations deceived by one word 22:38 — The seam we drew — medicine on one side, sorcery on the other, and the line beginning to blur 24:00 — PhDs communing with Mama Ayahuasca — named entities, published journals, and credit cards accepted 25:57 — Demons allowed in as aliens — keeping God out while keeping the master narrative intact 27:29 — Lewis in Screwtape: the greatest evil is conceived in carpeted offices by quiet men with smooth cheeks 28:51 — Deuteronomy 18 — the law against consulters with familiar spirits, and the modern retreat that crosses every line 29:38 — King Saul, the demonized boy, and Legion — the man in the tombs clothed and in his right mind 31:04 — 2020: churches closed, pot shops open, abortion clinics essential — and how few said no 33:03 — Nepho — morally alert: Peter's word before warning that the devil prowls looking for someone to devour 34:29 — Red Balloon Recruiter — sponsor read 35:09 — Thomas Szasz and therapy culture — the inversion of personal responsibility 36:13 — Trauma culture in the church — the failure of biblical counseling and the endless loop of buried pain 37:47 — The man who sat in fifteen ceremonies: what finally changed him was guilt 38:25 — You are not evolved slime — made in the image of God, body and soul, homesick and lost 39:34 — Circe's cup and Odysseus's men — forgetting home, waiting to be turned into pigs 40:09 — The trade runs backwards: when Jesus showed up, the demons went into the swine 40:32 — One more cup — Christ at Golgotha refusing the narcotic, drinking the wrath fully awake 42:02 — The cure: a renewed mind, a household, a book, the discovery that responsibility is the greatest pleasure 43:39 — The real hero's journey — available for free, already paid for by another Fight Laugh Feast 2026: Holy Wars Join us October 1–3 in Franklin, Tennessee at The Factory in Franklin for the Fight Laugh Feast Conference. This year's theme is Holy Wars — Just War, the Crusades, and the Christian Life. Featuring Doug Wilson, Joe Boot, George Grant, Jared Longshore, Joe Rigney, Ben Merkel, and the CrossPolitic crew. Early Bird pricing ends July 1st — nearly halfway sold out. Tickets: https://tickets.flfnetwork.com/holy-wars-conference This Episode's Sponsors Dominion Wealth Strategies How you handle your money is not a neutral act — it is not separate from your walk with Christ. Dominion Wealth Strategies helps families think biblically and act wisely about what God has entrusted to them: budgeting, saving, debt management, life insurance, estate planning, and multigenerational financial vision. Not about chasing wealth. About faithfulness. Schedule a complimentary consultation today. Website: reform.money Red Balloon Recruiter An engaged, aware employee can grow your company's performance by 5, 10, or even 25%. Red Balloon's personalized source-and-screen process connects you with top talent — people who show up sober, think in straight lines, and take responsibility before anyone asks. Revenue up, costs down. Website: redballoon.work About CrossPolitic CrossPolitic exists to put Jesus over Politics and reclaim the public square through bold, joyful, biblically grounded media. We confront the chaos discipling America and build the next generation of Christian media infrastructure. Our mission is simple: all of Christ for all of media for all of America. Mainstream media is collapsing. Eighty-seven percent of journalists identify as progressive, and even many conservative outlets prioritize profit over principle. Meanwhile, billions of hours of digital content are discipling the world every day. CrossPolitic stands in that gap, producing courageous, entertaining, truth-filled media for households, churches, and leaders across the nation. Become a CrossPolitic Club Member Support the mission and unlock exclusive content, behind-the-scenes shows, and theology series. https://pubtv.flfnetwork.com/menu/checkout Subscribe & Share! Every like, comment, and share helps push Christian media back into the algorithm where it belongs. Follow CrossPolitic YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@CROSSPOLITIC X: https://x.com/CrossPolitic Facebook: https://facebook.com/crosspolitic Instagram: https://instagram.com/crosspolitic Join our Email List: https://crosspolitic.com/ Available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, NRBTV, DirecTV, Dish, and everywhere podcasts are found. #CrossPolitic #Pharmakeia #FightLaughFeast #Drugs #Ayahuasca #CSLewis #ChristianMedia #Materialism
Pharmakeia — Show Notes: Fight Laugh Feast Documentary In this Fight Laugh Feast documentary, CrossPolitic traces a single Greek word — pharmakeia — from Homer's Odyssey through the book of Revelation to argue that the ancient world never separated medicine from sorcery, and that the modern West's attempt to draw that line may be its most consequential mistake. The film follows materialism's promise from the Big Bang to the therapy couch, tracks the ladder from prescription pharmaceuticals to ayahuasca retreats in Peru, and asks why the men who most loudly deny the existence of demons are increasingly found in dark rooms communing with named spirit entities. Along the way it draws on C.S. Lewis, Aldous Huxley, Peter Hitchens, and the testimony of a man who sat in fifteen ayahuasca ceremonies — and what finally set him free. The answer is not another ceremony. It is guilt, repentance, and the One who drank the cup fully awake so we wouldn't have to. Timestamps 0:24 — What is a woman? What is a human being? — and why getting the answer wrong collapses everything 1:04 — The materialist answer: evolved apes, accidental universe, cosmic soup — and why it can't hold 2:06 — Materialism as a religion — no God, no soul, just chemicals and atoms colliding 2:39 — The swept house: materialism cleared out demons and filled the room with diagnoses and serotonin levels 3:36 — Ayahuasca retreats, psilocybin therapy, and $7,000–$20,000 luxury ceremonies in Jamaica and Peru 4:00 — Pharmakeia — one Greek word from Homer to Revelation meaning both medicine and sorcery 4:40 — The ladder: prescription → marijuana → ecstasy → mushrooms → the dark room in Peru 7:52 — Huxley's 1962 Berkeley lecture: the controlling oligarchy will get people to love their servitude 8:43 — Peter Hitchens and the Uvalde shooter — the marijuana detail that disappeared from the New York Times 11:12 — Attacker Smoked Cannabis — the man with a laptop building the file the national press unpublished 12:08 — Orwell's jack boots vs. Huxley's chains — drugs and sex as the state's soft bribe 13:20 — Dominion Wealth Strategies — sponsor read 14:41 — CS Lewis: the materialist magician — science and magic as twins, one that worked better 16:39 — Lewis's nightmare: magic returning in a lab coat, using the language of forces and energies 17:31 — The swept house revisited — Jesus's words and the seven demons worse than the first 18:06 — Henry's Demons — marijuana at 11, madness at 14, and the father who named it correctly 20:26 — Pharmakeia in Homer, Exodus, Galatians, and Revelation — nations deceived by one word 22:38 — The seam we drew — medicine on one side, sorcery on the other, and the line beginning to blur 24:00 — PhDs communing with Mama Ayahuasca — named entities, published journals, and credit cards accepted 25:57 — Demons allowed in as aliens — keeping God out while keeping the master narrative intact 27:29 — Lewis in Screwtape: the greatest evil is conceived in carpeted offices by quiet men with smooth cheeks 28:51 — Deuteronomy 18 — the law against consulters with familiar spirits, and the modern retreat that crosses every line 29:38 — King Saul, the demonized boy, and Legion — the man in the tombs clothed and in his right mind 31:04 — 2020: churches closed, pot shops open, abortion clinics essential — and how few said no 33:03 — Nepho — morally alert: Peter's word before warning that the devil prowls looking for someone to devour 34:29 — Red Balloon Recruiter — sponsor read 35:09 — Thomas Szasz and therapy culture — the inversion of personal responsibility 36:13 — Trauma culture in the church — the failure of biblical counseling and the endless loop of buried pain 37:47 — The man who sat in fifteen ceremonies: what finally changed him was guilt 38:25 — You are not evolved slime — made in the image of God, body and soul, homesick and lost 39:34 — Circe's cup and Odysseus's men — forgetting home, waiting to be turned into pigs 40:09 — The trade runs backwards: when Jesus showed up, the demons went into the swine 40:32 — One more cup — Christ at Golgotha refusing the narcotic, drinking the wrath fully awake 42:02 — The cure: a renewed mind, a household, a book, the discovery that responsibility is the greatest pleasure 43:39 — The real hero's journey — available for free, already paid for by another Fight Laugh Feast 2026: Holy Wars Join us October 1–3 in Franklin, Tennessee at The Factory in Franklin for the Fight Laugh Feast Conference. This year's theme is Holy Wars — Just War, the Crusades, and the Christian Life. Featuring Doug Wilson, Joe Boot, George Grant, Jared Longshore, Joe Rigney, Ben Merkel, and the CrossPolitic crew. Early Bird pricing ends July 1st — nearly halfway sold out. Tickets: https://tickets.flfnetwork.com/holy-wars-conference This Episode's Sponsors Dominion Wealth Strategies How you handle your money is not a neutral act — it is not separate from your walk with Christ. Dominion Wealth Strategies helps families think biblically and act wisely about what God has entrusted to them: budgeting, saving, debt management, life insurance, estate planning, and multigenerational financial vision. Not about chasing wealth. About faithfulness. Schedule a complimentary consultation today. Website: reform.money Red Balloon Recruiter An engaged, aware employee can grow your company's performance by 5, 10, or even 25%. Red Balloon's personalized source-and-screen process connects you with top talent — people who show up sober, think in straight lines, and take responsibility before anyone asks. Revenue up, costs down. Website: redballoon.work About CrossPolitic CrossPolitic exists to put Jesus over Politics and reclaim the public square through bold, joyful, biblically grounded media. We confront the chaos discipling America and build the next generation of Christian media infrastructure. Our mission is simple: all of Christ for all of media for all of America. Mainstream media is collapsing. Eighty-seven percent of journalists identify as progressive, and even many conservative outlets prioritize profit over principle. Meanwhile, billions of hours of digital content are discipling the world every day. CrossPolitic stands in that gap, producing courageous, entertaining, truth-filled media for households, churches, and leaders across the nation. Become a CrossPolitic Club Member Support the mission and unlock exclusive content, behind-the-scenes shows, and theology series. https://pubtv.flfnetwork.com/menu/checkout Subscribe & Share! Every like, comment, and share helps push Christian media back into the algorithm where it belongs. Follow CrossPolitic YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@CROSSPOLITIC X: https://x.com/CrossPolitic Facebook: https://facebook.com/crosspolitic Instagram: https://instagram.com/crosspolitic Join our Email List: https://crosspolitic.com/ Available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, NRBTV, DirecTV, Dish, and everywhere podcasts are found. #CrossPolitic #Pharmakeia #FightLaughFeast #Drugs #Ayahuasca #CSLewis #ChristianMedia #Materialism
Pharmakeia — Show Notes: Fight Laugh Feast Documentary In this Fight Laugh Feast documentary, CrossPolitic traces a single Greek word — pharmakeia — from Homer's Odyssey through the book of Revelation to argue that the ancient world never separated medicine from sorcery, and that the modern West's attempt to draw that line may be its most consequential mistake. The film follows materialism's promise from the Big Bang to the therapy couch, tracks the ladder from prescription pharmaceuticals to ayahuasca retreats in Peru, and asks why the men who most loudly deny the existence of demons are increasingly found in dark rooms communing with named spirit entities. Along the way it draws on C.S. Lewis, Aldous Huxley, Peter Hitchens, and the testimony of a man who sat in fifteen ayahuasca ceremonies — and what finally set him free. The answer is not another ceremony. It is guilt, repentance, and the One who drank the cup fully awake so we wouldn't have to. Timestamps 0:24 — What is a woman? What is a human being? — and why getting the answer wrong collapses everything 1:04 — The materialist answer: evolved apes, accidental universe, cosmic soup — and why it can't hold 2:06 — Materialism as a religion — no God, no soul, just chemicals and atoms colliding 2:39 — The swept house: materialism cleared out demons and filled the room with diagnoses and serotonin levels 3:36 — Ayahuasca retreats, psilocybin therapy, and $7,000–$20,000 luxury ceremonies in Jamaica and Peru 4:00 — Pharmakeia — one Greek word from Homer to Revelation meaning both medicine and sorcery 4:40 — The ladder: prescription → marijuana → ecstasy → mushrooms → the dark room in Peru 7:52 — Huxley's 1962 Berkeley lecture: the controlling oligarchy will get people to love their servitude 8:43 — Peter Hitchens and the Uvalde shooter — the marijuana detail that disappeared from the New York Times 11:12 — Attacker Smoked Cannabis — the man with a laptop building the file the national press unpublished 12:08 — Orwell's jack boots vs. Huxley's chains — drugs and sex as the state's soft bribe 13:20 — Dominion Wealth Strategies — sponsor read 14:41 — CS Lewis: the materialist magician — science and magic as twins, one that worked better 16:39 — Lewis's nightmare: magic returning in a lab coat, using the language of forces and energies 17:31 — The swept house revisited — Jesus's words and the seven demons worse than the first 18:06 — Henry's Demons — marijuana at 11, madness at 14, and the father who named it correctly 20:26 — Pharmakeia in Homer, Exodus, Galatians, and Revelation — nations deceived by one word 22:38 — The seam we drew — medicine on one side, sorcery on the other, and the line beginning to blur 24:00 — PhDs communing with Mama Ayahuasca — named entities, published journals, and credit cards accepted 25:57 — Demons allowed in as aliens — keeping God out while keeping the master narrative intact 27:29 — Lewis in Screwtape: the greatest evil is conceived in carpeted offices by quiet men with smooth cheeks 28:51 — Deuteronomy 18 — the law against consulters with familiar spirits, and the modern retreat that crosses every line 29:38 — King Saul, the demonized boy, and Legion — the man in the tombs clothed and in his right mind 31:04 — 2020: churches closed, pot shops open, abortion clinics essential — and how few said no 33:03 — Nepho — morally alert: Peter's word before warning that the devil prowls looking for someone to devour 34:29 — Red Balloon Recruiter — sponsor read 35:09 — Thomas Szasz and therapy culture — the inversion of personal responsibility 36:13 — Trauma culture in the church — the failure of biblical counseling and the endless loop of buried pain 37:47 — The man who sat in fifteen ceremonies: what finally changed him was guilt 38:25 — You are not evolved slime — made in the image of God, body and soul, homesick and lost 39:34 — Circe's cup and Odysseus's men — forgetting home, waiting to be turned into pigs 40:09 — The trade runs backwards: when Jesus showed up, the demons went into the swine 40:32 — One more cup — Christ at Golgotha refusing the narcotic, drinking the wrath fully awake 42:02 — The cure: a renewed mind, a household, a book, the discovery that responsibility is the greatest pleasure 43:39 — The real hero's journey — available for free, already paid for by another Fight Laugh Feast 2026: Holy Wars Join us October 1–3 in Franklin, Tennessee at The Factory in Franklin for the Fight Laugh Feast Conference. This year's theme is Holy Wars — Just War, the Crusades, and the Christian Life. Featuring Doug Wilson, Joe Boot, George Grant, Jared Longshore, Joe Rigney, Ben Merkel, and the CrossPolitic crew. Early Bird pricing ends July 1st — nearly halfway sold out. Tickets: https://tickets.flfnetwork.com/holy-wars-conference This Episode's Sponsors Dominion Wealth Strategies How you handle your money is not a neutral act — it is not separate from your walk with Christ. Dominion Wealth Strategies helps families think biblically and act wisely about what God has entrusted to them: budgeting, saving, debt management, life insurance, estate planning, and multigenerational financial vision. Not about chasing wealth. About faithfulness. Schedule a complimentary consultation today. Website: reform.money Red Balloon Recruiter An engaged, aware employee can grow your company's performance by 5, 10, or even 25%. Red Balloon's personalized source-and-screen process connects you with top talent — people who show up sober, think in straight lines, and take responsibility before anyone asks. Revenue up, costs down. Website: redballoon.work About CrossPolitic CrossPolitic exists to put Jesus over Politics and reclaim the public square through bold, joyful, biblically grounded media. We confront the chaos discipling America and build the next generation of Christian media infrastructure. Our mission is simple: all of Christ for all of media for all of America. Mainstream media is collapsing. Eighty-seven percent of journalists identify as progressive, and even many conservative outlets prioritize profit over principle. Meanwhile, billions of hours of digital content are discipling the world every day. CrossPolitic stands in that gap, producing courageous, entertaining, truth-filled media for households, churches, and leaders across the nation. Become a CrossPolitic Club Member Support the mission and unlock exclusive content, behind-the-scenes shows, and theology series. https://pubtv.flfnetwork.com/menu/checkout Subscribe & Share! Every like, comment, and share helps push Christian media back into the algorithm where it belongs. Follow CrossPolitic YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@CROSSPOLITIC X: https://x.com/CrossPolitic Facebook: https://facebook.com/crosspolitic Instagram: https://instagram.com/crosspolitic Join our Email List: https://crosspolitic.com/ Available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, NRBTV, DirecTV, Dish, and everywhere podcasts are found. #CrossPolitic #Pharmakeia #FightLaughFeast #Drugs #Ayahuasca #CSLewis #ChristianMedia #Materialism
In this episode of The White Witch Podcast we step into the woods of August to explore two powerful allies of witchcraft, mythology and folklore - Bay and the Wild Boar. We begin with Bay a plant long associated with prophecy, protection, purification and victory. We explore the many ways Bay can be incorporated into your craft, from cleansing and divination to protection and banishing before following its mythological threads through Circe, Apollo and Daphne and into the sacred world of the Priestesses of Delphi. We also work with Bay practically finishing this section with a simple banishing spell using its leaves - ritual can be found here - https://witchesofthecraft.com/tag/bay-leaf/ Then we travel deeper into the ancient forest to meet the Wild Boar, a creature whose image appears again and again across European mythology as a symbol of ferocity, courage, sovereignty, abundance, protection and the mysteries of the Otherworld. We follow the boar through the story of Odysseus before travelling north into Norse cosmology and its connections with Freyr and Freyja including the golden boar Gullinbursti and Freyja's companion Hildisvíni. We visit the great hall of Valhalla where the fallen warriors feast upon the endlessly renewed cosmic boar and explore the animal's possible connections with the earth and mother goddess Nerthus. From there we wander through continental and British folklore, meeting the boar god Moccus, seasonal customs such as the Jouluporsas and the animal's importance within Celtic and Druidic traditions. We explore its links with warriors, death, the afterlife and the Otherworld alongside stories involving Merlin, the Devil, Cerridwen, Manannán mac Lir and the great boar hunt found within the Welsh tale of Culhwch and Olwen. We also venture into Greek mythology with Heracles and the Erymanthian Boar before looking at what the Wild Boar may represent spiritually when it appears within our own lives, dreams or practice. Our book review this month is Circe by Madeline Miller. We finish the episode with a collection of journal prompts inspired by The Odyssey inviting you to consider your own journeys, trials, transformations and homecomings. The journal prompts came from the Instagram page - @the_edit_experience_ What song do your sirens sing? What bow can only you string? What is your Troy? What is your Calypso? What is your Ithaca? Why can't you go back there? Can you forgive yourself for the last seven years? Can you accept yourself? So light a candle, gather your Bay leaves, and come with me into the old woods — where gods, witches, warriors and wild creatures are never quite as far away as they seem. Join Me for Our Mabon Coven Gathering If you've ever wanted to experience witchcraft in person, I'd love to invite you to our very first Coven Gathering in Lincoln. Together we will celebrate Mabon, the Autumn Equinox through seasonal folklore, magical teachings, practical witchcraft and a guided journey inspired by Baba Yaga's ancient forest. You will create your own Mabon Harvest Charm to take home, receive beautifully illustrated grimoire pages and spend the afternoon connecting with a wonderful community of like-minded witches over homemade herbal teas. Whether you are completely new to witchcraft or have been walking the path for many years, this gathering has been created as a welcoming space to learn, practise and celebrate the turning of the Wheel of the Year together. You can find the booking link below if you would like to join us. I would absolutely love to see you there. https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/1995695286324?aff=oddtdtcreator Join us in The Hedge & Hollow for a Circe Summer with our August theme - This month we journey to the mythical island of Aeaea to meet one of the most fascinating witches in mythology – Circe. Often remembered as the enchantress who transformed men into pigs however there is far more to her story. Circe is a woman of solitude, exile, herbal wisdom, magick, transformation and self sovereignty. Her island becomes a place of initiation where those who arrive are forever changed. Throughout the month we will explore Circe through mythology, folklore and practical witchcraft discovering what her story can teach us about reclaiming our own power and embracing the transformations life asks of us. Across this month we will look at - A deeper exploration of Circe's mythology - looking beyond the familiar tales to uncover the symbolism and wisdom hidden within her story. A guided meditation transporting you to Circe's island where you will meet Circe herself and discover the messages she has waiting for you. Two Hedge Witch studies exploring the magical folklore, history and correspondences of Hellebore and Cypress. Two plants deeply connected with liminality, death, rebirth and the ancient witch's path. Practical witchcraft including a beautiful Transformation Oil inspired by Circe's magick alongside banishing practices, reflection and spellcraft to support your own personal transformation. This month will lean into embracing our own transformations and moving towards them with courage, wisdom and compassion. I'll see you on Circe's island. Find my Patreon The Hedge & Hollow here - https://patreon.com/TheHedgeandHollow?utm_medium=unknown&utm_source=join_link&utm_campaign=creatorshare_creator&utm_content=copyLink Find my Etsy store here for zines, witch boxes, spell candles and altar posters here - https://www.etsy.com/shop/TheWhiteWitchCompany?ref=seller-platform-mcnav Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/thewhitewitchpodcast/?hl=en For PR enquiries etc please email carly@thewhitewitchcompany.co.uk Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
What's good people? This go-round were chatting up Christopher Nolan's take on The Odyssey. Between the controversial casting, the racist backlash, the giant budget, and calls for historical accuracy - we got A LOT to say. So much in fact, we had to bring in the homie, lover of Greek mythology and multimedia multi-hyphenate, Valerie Complex to chop it up. So pull up, tap in, and rock with us on this episode of 2Nerds and an Actor! Like & Subscribe to the channel + download the episode on Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts!
Watch That Jawn Podcast — The Odyssey ReviewIn this episode, Mary and James review Christopher Nolan's The Odyssey and break down how the film reimagines one of the most famous stories in Western literature. They discuss the Trojan War, the Trojan Horse, Xenia, the cursed House of Atreus, and Nolan's choice to ground the myth in realism by minimizing the presence of gods. They also dive into the performances, especially Matt Damon as Odysseus, Anne Hathaway as Penelope, and Tom Holland as Telemachus, while debating casting choices, modern language, and the film's practical effects and IMAX spectacle. Along the way, they connect the movie to Greek mythology, classical art, and other adaptations like Troy, Percy Jackson, Epic: The Musical, and Pirates of the Caribbean. Other major moments include:Why the Trojan Horse works as both strategy and cultural commentaryWhether Odysseus is still a hero after the destruction of TroyThe emotional weight of Calypso's island and Odysseus's memory lossThe terrifying encounters with Polyphemus, the Laestrygonians, Circe, the Sirens, Scylla, and CharybdisPenelope's strength, wit, and refusal to surrender her throneThe final return to Ithaca, the suitors, and Odysseus's bloody reckoningThe hosts close by ranking the film highly and praising its scale, artistry, and ambition, while noting that its sound mix is best experienced carefully depending on how much dialogue you want to catch.Why it works:it combines epic-scale spectacle with a deeply emotional homecoming story, which keeps the audience hooked through both wonder and catharsis.Key takeawaysNolan's version makes mythology feel grounded and human.Penelope is portrayed as powerful, strategic, and fully aware of her reign.The film's practical effects and IMAX production elevate the world-building.The Odyssey remains timeless because it's really about consequence, memory, and home.Episode verdictA bold, immersive, and conversation-starting adaptation that the hosts both admire and dissect.Social Media:https://www.instagram.com/watchthatjawn/https://www.tiktok.com/@watchthatjawnpodc
Story 1- Pumunta si Jen sa lamay ng isang ka-tropa at may nagpakita sa kanya doon. Story 2- Sa pamamasyal ni Circe, napadpad siya sa bakuran ng simbahan nila. That's when the story became interesting. WATCH in Youtube youtube.com/@philippinecampfirestoriesLISTEN via: bit.ly/PhCampfireStories Like, Follow and Join us in our social media channels!Email Address: campfirestoriesph@gmail.comFacebook:https://www.facebook.com/philippinecampfirestories/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/campfirestoriesphTikTok @campfirestoriesphFB Group Messenger: https://m.me/ch/AbYMxBMNFZA6gEpa/ You can send over your support thru the following platforms:Patreon patreon.com/campfirestoriesphPaypal earlm.work@gmail.com Audio Production by The Pod Network Entertainment For any collaboration, brand partnership, and campaign run inquiries, e-mail us at info@thepodnetwork.com. #podcastph #philippinecampfirestories #santelmosociety #pinoyhorror #pinoypodcast #horror #horrortok #horrorstory #horrorstories #tagaloghorrorstories #tagaloghorror #tagaloghorrorstory #ghostmode #tagaloghorror #kakatakotSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/philippinecampfirestories. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
What happens when one of Greek mythology's greatest warriors becomes the center of a deeply personal love story?In this spoiler-lite Fantasy for the Ages review, Zach takes the lead on Madeline Miller's acclaimed novel The Song of Achilles—a retelling of the story of Achilles and Patroclus set against the gathering storm of the Trojan War.Jim hasn't read this one. In fact, it isn't even on his mountainous TBR! So Zach has a challenge: explain what makes this award-winning novel so beloved—and determine whether there's any chance of convincing his dad to add yet another book to the pile.We discuss:
Listen as Renee and Karen recap the summer conference: A Contemplation of Revolution. They chat about what makes this conference so special—the community of old and new friends, the contemplation of ideas together, the culinary delights for body and soul. If you attended and want to listen again, or if you wish you could have come, you can listen to the recordings on the CiRCE website and be refreshed for the start of a new school year. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Jordan Maxwell Exposed: The Hidden Esoteric Language Controlling Your LifeThe Hidden Architecture of Language, Religion, and Law For decades, alternative researcher Jordan Maxwell explored the hidden symbols, esoteric word origins, and occult structures shaping human society. In his classic lectures, Maxwell breaks down how language, legal systems, and religious dogmas are intertwined with ancient astro-theology and occult principles.Uncovering Esoteric Etymology According to Maxwell, many everyday words carry hidden histories designed to alter our perception without our conscious knowledge. The word "church," for instance, traces back through the Scottish "Kirk" to Circe, the ancient goddess known for hypnotizing men and turning them into animals. Maxwell argues that modern religious institutions function similarly by captivating the public and extracting their personal autonomy.The Law of the Sea vs. The Law of the Land One of Maxwell's central arguments focuses on the distinction between the Law of the Land and Maritime Admiralty Law (the Law of Water). While the law of the land governs physical people living on terra firma, maritime law governs international commerce, money, and banking. Terms like "court" (a game played with a "racket"), "bench" (derived from the Latin for bank), and "currency" (the flow of current) reflect the commercial nature of modern legal proceedings.Astro-Theology in Modern Faith Maxwell emphasizes that major religious traditions are rooted in astrotheology explained the worship and personification of celestial bodies like the Sun, Moon, and Saturn. From the hidden meaning of words like "Israel" (a composite of Isis, Ra, and El) to the Saturn worship secrets reflected in black judicial and clerical robes, ancient planetary symbolism remains embedded in modern life.To explore the complete analysis, view the full Jordan Maxwell lecture transcript.Jordan Maxwell has spent his life exploring the unseen architecture of reality, the symbols, stories, and cosmic forces that shape humanity from the shadows. His work bridges astrotheology, ancient religions, secret societies, extraterrestrial encounters, aliens, UFOs and the esoteric foundations of Christianity, revealing a universe far stranger and more interconnected than most ever imagine.For decades, Jordan illuminated how the heavens guided ancient mythmakers, how sacred texts concealed astronomical and spiritual codes, and how non-human intelligences have accompanied humanity since the dawn of time. His work shows that behind every religious ritual, political symbol, and celestial myth lies a deeper truth waiting to be uncovered. Jordan Maxwell is not just a researcher, he is a keeper of forgotten knowledge.His teachings, interviews and lectures continue to inspire seekers who feel the pull toward hidden wisdom, cosmic spirituality, and the mysteries that bind heaven, earth, and the worlds beyond.Spirit Realm: Angels Demons, Spirits and the Sovereignty of God (Foreword by Jordan Maxwell) https://amzn.to/31g9ydR
Today, we are sharing an episode from one of the brilliant podcasts on the RQ Network, Circe who have just started releasing their 2nd season. Circe is a science-fiction fantasy podcast from the talented team behind Ostium.This episode is the first Chapter of the 1st season of Circe titled Archí, where we learn of how the planet Albion its many creatures, inhabitants and unusual typography came to be Thyrá, a sorceress from the planet Albion, has lost her ability to do magic. In an attempt to regain her abilities, she tells the story of her life and how she became known as one of the Circè.This is the story of the highs and lows of her life, the tragedies and the celebrations, and how she met the woman she loves, who she will one day return to.The Circe Podcast is written and produced by Alex C. Telander.Intro and Outro performed by Karim KronfliThe role of Thyra is performed by Arden Rachel.This episode was sound engineered by the talented blokes at Hail and Well Met podcasts. If you're looking for some other shows once you've finished Circe, be sure to check out their work at hailandwellmetpodcast.com.The music featured in this episode is “Sunrise” by Kickhat, as well as “Lost Time” and “Almost New” by Kevin MacLeod under the Creative Commons License.A transcript of this episode is available here: https://ostiumpodcast.com/02-book-one-toll-chapter-one-archiThe Circe Podcast is a podcast of the Ostium Network. You can support Circe, as well as all other Ostium Network shows by supporting them on Patreon at patreon.com/ostiumpodcast, where you can get access to a whole variety of bonus material including mini episodes for Ostium, Circe, and Manifestations, as well as the Ostium Files, and the Behind the Ostium series. You will also get access to a new Circe mini-series all about her lost love, Pragma, and behind the scenes episodes about Circe called Circe Confidential. Once again, that's patreon.com/ostiumpodcast.Thank you so much for listening to the Circe Podcast. This story came out of the character of Thyra as she took me along on her journey, which is very far from over, and I'm delighted to have you all with me for the ride.You can listen to the next episode of this series or go back and check out the foreward and prologue episodes here Or you can listen to The Grotto on the Rusty Quill website, on Acast, on its official website, or wherever you get your podcasts. For ad-free episodes, bonus content and more, join members.rustyquill.com or our Patreon.Pre-order FROM THE LIBRARY OF JURGEN LEITNER, a Magnus novel releasing October 27th: rustyquill.com/novel Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Grab some cinematic snacks because in this bonus episode, we're talking about one of the Summer's biggest blockbusters: The Odyssey ⛵️ Back in the Greek Lore era of Synergy to Synastry Season 3, we hadn't followed the thread of Penelope's shroud nor the many stories in Homer's famous epic. Hear about Renee's IMAX experience, thoughts on the film, and in-depth character analysis of Athena, Odysseus, Circe, Antinous, and Helen. She discusses reviews of the adaptation (including from translator Emily Wilson!), provides her own feminist analysis, extracts the major themes, and breaks down the ending.
【聊了什么The What】 克里斯托弗·诺兰的《奥德赛》已成为2026年无可争议的文化现象,我们也从书柜的角落里把奥德赛淘了出来。这期节目我们对比了3000年前的荷马文本与2026年的好莱坞叙事——这究竟是对荷马史诗的忠实改编,还是诺兰式的现代男性忏悔录?本期《疲惫娇娃》,我们聊了聊Emily Wilson译本中那个复杂的男人如何被马特·达蒙演绎成了稳重的中年大哥,探讨了佩内洛普、喀耳刻等女性角色在诺兰镜头下如何变得薄如纸片。为何诺兰总是执着于拍“做错事的男人”在内心博弈,而忽视了受害者应有的分量?为何马特·达蒙的脸让人想投他一票,却消解了原作中骗子英雄的油腻感? Christopher Nolan's The Odyssey has become the undisputed cultural phenomenon of 2026, so we dug our own copy of the Odyssey out of the corner of the bookshelf. This episode compares Homer's 3,000-year-old text with Hollywood's 2026 retelling — is this a faithful adaptation of the epic, or a Nolan-style confession of modern masculinity? On this episode of 疲惫娇娃CyberPink, we talk about how the complicated man of Emily Wilson's translation became a reliable middle-aged PTSD vet, and how female characters like Penelope and Circe turn paper-thin under Nolan's lens. Why is Nolan forever fixated on the inner struggles of "men who did something wrong," while giving the victims none of the weight they deserve? And why does Matt Damon's face make you want to vote for him — while dissolving the sleazy, trickster-hero quality of the original? 【时间轴 The When】 02:23 - 《奥德赛》剧情概览:奥德修斯的长路与归乡 05:47 - 工业电影的诚意:演员在船上泡了四个月的真实质感 14:41 - 导演的作者权力:从《奥本海默》的成功到《奥德赛》的空白支票 22:22 - 作为流动的西方正典,为何翻译即创造 39:01 - 独眼巨人Polyphemus:动作奇观对叙事复杂性的牺牲 50:01 - 核心主题:宙斯法则(Xenia)与当代社会对他者的恐惧 62:35 - 麦特·达蒙的“好人脸”与奥德修斯的油腻感 69:34 - 艾略特·佩吉的角色与跨性别政治的潜文本 74:51 - 纸面化的女性群像:喀耳刻、卡吕普索与佩内洛普的改编缺憾 89:01 - 王子成长记:荷兰弟饰演的忒勒马科斯带来的日常温情 100:34 - 尾声:在台下传纸条的听众比老师的课堂更重要 02:23 — The Odyssey plot overview: Odysseus's long road home 05:47 — The sincerity of industrial filmmaking: four months of actors actually soaking on a boat 14:41 — The director as author: from the success of Oppenheimer to the blank check of The Odyssey 22:22 — The Western canon as something fluid, and why translation is creation 39:01 — Polyphemus the Cyclops: action spectacle at the cost of narrative complexity 50:01 — Core theme: the law of Zeus (xenia) and contemporary society's fear of the other 62:35 — Matt Damon's "good guy face" vs. Odysseus's sleaziness 69:34 — Elliot Page's role and the subtext of trans politics 74:51 — Flattened women: what the adaptation loses in Circe, Calypso, and Penelope 89:01 — A prince grows up: the everyday warmth Tom Holland brings to Telemachus 100:34 — Closing: the audience passing notes in the back row matters more than the teacher's lecture 【拓展链接 The Links】 Instagram上跨性别权益倡导者@justflintisfine对奥德赛的点评 译者对诺兰奥德赛的批评 An Uncomplicated Man Elliot Page的专访 Elliot Page Is Ready for This Moment The Penelopiad Middle-Aged Matt Damon is Your Guy What Translator Emily Wilson Thinks of Christopher Nolan's ‘The Odyssey' Why ‘The Odyssey' Is the West's Greatest Story 【买咖啡 Please Support Us】 如果喜欢这期节目并愿意想要给我们买杯咖啡: 海外用户:https://www.patreon.com/cyberpinkfm 海内用户:https://afdian.com/a/cyberpinkfm 商务合作邮箱:cyberpinkfm@gmail.com 商务合作微信:CyberPink2022 If you like our show and want to support us, please consider the following: Those Abroad: https://www.patreon.com/cyberpinkfm Those in China: https://afdian.com/a/cyberpinkfm Business Inquiries Email: cyberpinkfm@gmail.com Business Inquiries WeChat: CyberPink2022
Neil Talks to Madeline Miller about her novel Circe, first broadcast in August 2018. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
The Devil's LedgerWeek of August 3, 2026 Summer has a way of making the world feel a little smaller. The days are long, the evenings are warm, vacations are winding down, and before we know it backpacks will replace beach towels and football will once again dominate our weekends. But this summer has also reminded us how fragile that world can be. This week, The Devil's Ledger opens with a heartfelt reflection on the devastating wildfires sweeping across Europe and the Pacific Northwest, exploring what these increasingly destructive fire seasons mean for future generations—and why protecting the environment may be one of the greatest gifts we can leave those who come after us. We begin, as always, with The Creepiest Thing I Heard This Week, examining a remarkable Bigfoot encounter in Connecticut that received one of the highest credibility ratings issued by the Bigfoot Field Researchers Organization. Is it evidence of Sasquatch, or simply another chapter in America's longest-running monster story? More importantly, what does the public's reaction tell us about how modern folklore continues to evolve? On The Devil Within, Branden Morgan continues The New Monsters with the astonishing story of The Montauk Monster. What began as a mysterious carcass washing ashore on a Long Island beach quickly exploded into one of the internet's defining conspiracy theories, inspiring speculation about secret government experiments, Plum Island, and eventually influencing one of the biggest television phenomena of the century: Stranger Things. It's less a story about a dead creature than about how distrust gives birth to mythology. Over on Criminal Mischief, Carolyn Ossorio breaks down the latest developments in the Bryan Kohberger case following his attempt to withdraw his guilty plea. Why make such a dramatic legal move now? What does it mean for prosecutors, the victims' families, and the future of the case? Carolyn separates legal reality from media speculation in one of the year's most closely watched criminal proceedings. Meanwhile, The Slippery investigates the astonishing rise and spectacular downfall of Bikram Choudhury, the self-proclaimed yoga guru who built a worldwide empire on charisma, deception, and control before allegations of fraud, abuse, and sexual assault sent him fleeing the United States. It's the story of narcissism, manipulation, and the people courageous enough to expose one of wellness culture's biggest frauds. Finally, in This Week in Horror, we recommend Christopher Nolan's The Odyssey. At first glance it may seem an unlikely horror recommendation, but its unforgettable visit to Circe's island—and its parade of monsters, gods, curses, and impossible journeys—proves that some of the greatest horror stories ever told were written thousands of years ago. Thank you for spending another week with us across the Evio Universe. Stay safe, enjoy these last precious weeks of summer, and we'll see you again next week with more stories that explore history, mystery, crime, horror, and the strange corners of the world we all share.
Two bonus episodes in two weeks, what is even happening! Well, The Odyssey happened — and after reading and writing about Matt Damon for this week's newsletter, I knew I wanted to talk and think more about the adaptation itself. Or, more specifically: the women of The Odyssey and Nolan's struggle to write women in his films. Oh, and their hair, of course — which is why Sarah Mesle, preeminent hair scholar, was the first person I emailed. We have an upcoming episode of the regularly scheduled pod with Sarah all about her forthcoming book Tangled: Seven Iconic Moments in White Women's Hair and What They Tell Us About Power, Pleasure, and Complicity, but for now, enjoy as we talk about Calypso's balayage, what Circe's hair could've (and should've) done, how Nolan created a world without female armpits, and so much more. Just remember these bonus episodes are a bit more off-the-cuff and unpolished — we think of them as the beginning of a conversation, not the end. So let's continue in the comments! (And if you'd like access to this paid podcast-subscriber-only episode, you can upgrade your Culture Study subscription SO EASILY here. If you have any issues, just email me at annehelenpetersen @ gmail dot com) Join the ranks of paid subscribers and get bonus content, access to the discussion threads, ad-free episodes, and the knowledge that you're supporting an indie pod trying to make its way in the world.Got a question to submit, a prompt for Ask Anne Anything, or an idea for a future episode? Tell us here.Catch up on everything else happening in the Culture Study universe here.Transcripts will be available here within 24 hours of publishing. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
Visionary Activist Show 7.30.26 #KPFA 2 pm pt/#KPFK 7.31 wee hours and 1 pm pt…. Ritual Bonfires – or Arson – take your pick. Create Ritual or Live Melodrama The Guiding astro*mytho narrative: Lughnasa – Mid-Summer – One of the 4 cross-quarter holy days – called the 4 gates of power…. when Power is especially enthused to be invited in to the Community of Creation…. Now through Friday August 7th which be exact mid-season… Tis the season for on-going exorcisms of all the demons harmful to life…. We continue what was begun last week with Maryan Ishami and the Zar… Underneath the rubble of Malefactor cruelty and bombing, stirs the antidote of powerful human ritual…. The Odyssey, the film excludes the real Circe, so we welcome the real Circe, and all Troubadour bards and Trickster Women, excluded by orthodoxy …. The Odyssey be in the memosphere, finding our way home…to protect home – Chaco Canyon….. Full Moon Cazimi tide – Cazimi – Arabic astro term meaning “in the heart,” when a planet is conjunct the Sun – Tis Jupiter was Cazimi Sun at 6+ Leo , which be “the constellations of the night sky glow blazingly in the desert – the endless unfolding wonder of creation….” So let's get “astonished.” (From which “stoned” is derived.) Twas on the Full Moon Cazimi tide that troubadour bard Glen Hansard – rode out of this world on his motorcycle…whose life we honor, and all musician – troubadour bards dedicated to Community well-being…. as Culture Doctors In full Irish tradition, as Seán Pádraig O'Donoghue oft says – “Let's see the long-ago dead, emerging to welcome the recently dead” – to help us befoibled humans out…. The post Create Ritual or Live Melodrama appeared first on KPFA.
Cathy and Todd discuss the most recent summer blockbuster, The Odyssey, Christopher Nolan’s take on Homer’s epic and why a 2,700-year-old story about identity, home, and longing still hits just as hard today. From the Cyclops to the Sirens to Circe, they trace the myths and monsters and what those stories still reveal about who we are, and why the humanities matter to a thriving culture. It’s also a conversation about disguise and belonging, and why it’s so hard to come home when the choices of war change the world and leave shame behind. Subscribe to Cathy's weekly Zen Moment and upgrade to hear a weekly Zen Moment podcast hosted by Cathy and Todd! Some Ways to Support Us Sign up for Cathy's Substack Order Restoring our Girls Links shared in this episode: For the full show notes, visit zenpopparenting.com. This week's sponsor(s): Avid Co DuPage County Area Decorating, Painting, Remodeling by Avid Co includes kitchens, basements, bathrooms, flooring, tiling, fire and flood restoration. MenLiving – A virtual and in-person community of guys connecting deeply and living fully. No requirements, no creeds, no gurus, no judgements Todd Adams Life & Leadership Coaching for Guys Other Ways to Support Us Follow us on social media Instagram YouTube Facebook Buy and leave a review for Cathy’s Book Zen Parenting: Caring for Ourselves and Our Children in an Unpredictable World
Amy drops an emergency Unspooled episode to unpack Christopher Nolan's epic take on The Odyssey, joined by USC classics professor Lucas Herrenroeder. Together they compare Homer's original poem with Nolan's bold reinterpretation, exploring everything from its Bronze Age authenticity and towering Cyclops sequence to the film's treatment of Circe, the sirens, and the gods themselves. Along the way, they debate what Nolan changes, what he leaves behind, and how his version reframes Odysseus as a flawed hero. You can join the Unspooled conversation on Paul's Discord at https://discord.gg/ZwtygZGTa6 Follow Paul and Amy on Letterboxd for more of their movie hot takes! https://letterboxd.com/paulscheer/ https://letterboxd.com/theamynicholson/ Paul's book Joyful Recollections of Trauma is out now! Find it at https://www.harpercollins.com/products/joyful-recollections-of-trauma-paul-scheer Check out more of Paul's writing on his Substack https://substack.com/@paulscheer Episodic Art by Kim Troxall: https://www.unspooledart.com/ Learn more about the show at Unspooledpod.com, follow us on Twitter @unspooled and on Instagram @unspooledpod, and don't forget to rate, review & subscribe to us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or where you listen to podcasts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Everybody's talking about Christopher Nolan's latest film...and so are we! We've got Eurovangelists co-host Dimitry Pompée with us to discuss the first movie ever shot in 70mm IMAX film, adapted from one of history's oldest and most famous works of literature...it's THE ODYSSEY! Then we'll talk about some of the books we read in high-school that have been (or should be) adapted for the big screen. What's Good? Alonso: vegetables that don't give you explosive diarrhea Drea: Blue Diamond Dill Pickle Nut-Thins Dimitry: The Ottoman Empire (Rise of Empires: Ottoman on Netflix) Kevin: the Other Mommy trailer ITIDICHollywood Deems the Box Office “Back” – Big TimeA Rotoscoped TEXAS CHAIN SAW MASSACRE is in production The Odyssey/We Bought a Zoo meme A Letterboxd List: High-School Reads Staff Picks Alonso: The Good House Drea: The Return Dimitry: Polite Society Kevin: The Long Walk and other great movies to fall asleep to, if you're Kevin Listen to Eurovangelists! Help support this show and unlock bonus content! Become a member at https://maximumfun.org/joinmaxfilm Follow us on BlueSky, Facebook, Instagram, or LetterboxdWithKevin AveryDrea ClarkAlonso DuraldeProduced by Marissa FlaxbartSr. Producer Laura Swisher
Jazz Tangcay of Variety joins us to discuss The Odyssey. We talk through the box office and enjoy her review for about 25 minutes more of Non-Spoilers before we dive into each of the film's major set pieces in our Spoiler Section. Make sure to follow Jazz Tangcay on social media, on Rotten Tomatoes, and of course, enjoy all of her work at Variety. https://variety.com/author/jazz-tangcay/ And if you want to listen to a much longer Non-Spoiler section, then go back to Part 1 of our Film Study on The Odyssey where we go a full 75 minutes of Non-Spoilers and Oscars Lens discussions. NON-SPOILER REVIEW SECTION: Rewatch Experiences - 2:26 Updated Reception Scores - 6:16 Box Office - 9:12 Jazz Tangcay's Review - 16:38 What's the early Oscar buzz? - 19:04 Her process and plans to cover the film this season - 22:41 SPOILER FILLED REVIEW: The Prologue - 26:33 Cyclops Puppets & The Practice Effects Imperative - 31:08 Troy & Popcorn Buckets & Production Design - 36:56 Laestrygonians, Dolphins & Hot Tickets - 42:05 Circe, Dolby Sound Mix Scares & Samantha Morton Hype - 47:36 Hades & His Stylistic Statement - 51:37 The Sirens, Damon Superlatives & A Tom Holland Defense - 54:50 Charbydis & Scylla and Understanding VFX - 58:18 Modern Day Themes & Smart Decisions - 1:01:08 Filming Techniques Used In That Finale - 1:08:21 OUTRO: Two nitpicks - 1:11:26 Re-Ranking The Acting Performances on Rewatch - 1:13:10 The last few nitpicks - 1:15:20 Final Grades - 1:22:19 The Words of Wisdom today are to follow Jazz Tangcay on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jazzt21/ Follow her on X/Twitter: https://x.com/jazzt And make sure to subscribe to her podcast alongside Clayton Davis & Co at Variety's Awards Circuit. https://variety.com/t/awards-circuit-podcast/ Also please follow us on Letterboxd. We just joined Letterboxd, but we already have 2 reviews and 5 lists posted with a whole lot more coming. https://letterboxd.com/MikeMikeOscarAM/
This Friday, “The Odyssey,” directed by Christopher Nolan, hits theaters. Even before the movie's release, though, it's proving to be a cultural event. Spirited discussions of Nolan's cinematic interpretation of the epic poem already abound online, and they are likely to intensify after the public sees the film. Why does a 12,000-line poem that is nearly 3,000 years old still feel resonant today? In this episode of “The Sunday Daily,” Natalie Kitroeff talks about the “Odyssey” with two writers who have produced some critically acclaimed and widely read modern interpretations of Greek classics: Emily Wilson, the first woman to translate the “Odyssey” from ancient Greek, and Madeline Miller, the author of the best-selling novels “Circe” and “Song of Achilles.” On Today's Episode: Emily Wilson, a professor, classicist, author and translator of the “Odyssey” Madeline Miller, the author of “Circe,” “Song of Achilles” and other books Background Reading: We'll Help You Find Your Next Great Book. (Spoiler: It's the ‘Odyssey.') The First Woman to Translate the ‘Odyssey' Into English Book Review: Turning Circe Into a Good Witch Photo: Melinda Sue Gordon/Universal Pictures Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. You can also subscribe via your favorite podcast app here https://www.nytimes.com/activate-access/audio?source=podcatcher. For more podcasts and narrated articles, download The New York Times app at nytimes.com/app. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
What if the world's most famous homecoming was really a nightmare of monsters, gods, and one very stubborn king trying to get back to Ithaca?In our new series Tristan Hughes and classicist Dr. Emily Hauser dive into Homer's Odyssey, an epic of shipwrecks, sorcery, giants and divine meddling, where Odysseus is never quite sure whether the next shore will save him or destroy him.They trace his journey from the ruins of Troy to Calypso's island, the Phaeacians, Circe, the Cyclops, and even the Underworld, asking what kind of hero Odysseus really is, and why his story has lasted for more than 2,500 years.Ahead of the release of Christopher Nolan's new epic film, get across the story and all the key characters and plot lines, including rich historical context.MOREThe IliadListen on AppleListen on SpotifyHomerListen on AppleListen on SpotifyWe're going on *TOUR* to Australia and New Zealand! - grab your tickets here.The Ancients is now on YouTube! Watch here: @TheAncientsPodcastPresented by Tristan Hughes. Edited by Natasha Hughes. The producer is Joseph Knight. Video producer is McKenna Fernandez. The senior producer is Anne-Marie Luff.All music courtesy of Epidemic SoundsThe Ancients is a History Hit podcast.Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week PLUS early access ad-free podcasts. Sign up at https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
If you can't tell your Eurylochus from your Telemachus, fear not: Your primer on “The Odyssey” is here, just in time for Christopher Nolan's new film adaptation of the 3,000-year-old epic. Madeline Miller, who reinvented “The Odyssey” in her best-selling novel “Circe,” explains why you shouldn't be intimidated by the classic. Plus, our critic at large A.O. Scott explains how nearly every genre out there — sci-fi, romance, bloody revenge and more — can be found in this poem's sprawling tale. Books and Other Works Discussed on This Episode: “Philoctetes,” by Sophocles “The Iliad,” by Homer “The Penelopiad,” by Margaret Atwood “Watership Down,” by Richard Adams “Aeneid,” by Virgil “I, Tituba, Black Witch of Salem,” by Maryse Condé “An American Marriage,” by Tayari Jones “The Buddha in the Attic,” by Julie Otsuka Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. You can also subscribe via your favorite podcast app here https://www.nytimes.com/activate-access/audio?source=podcatcher. For more podcasts and narrated articles, download The New York Times app at nytimes.com/app. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
Dan narrates his own epic retelling of the Odyssey - following Odysseus' route around the Mediterranean. He tells the story of the many trials and tribulations the Greek hero faces on his 10-year journey home to his kingdom of Ithaca. From the Trojan War in Turkey to Cyclops' cave, to the clutches of Circe on her island near Sicily (we think), Dan travels to some of the real-world locations that could have inspired Homer and tries to make sense of what happens on the voyage.Written by Dan Snow, produced by Mariana Des Forges and edited by Dougal PatmoreYou can watch Dan's adventures in Greece in his Odyssey documentary on the History Hit TV platform. Sign up at https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe.We need your help! Let us know what you want from Dan Snow's History Hit by filling in our anonymous survey here: https://forms.gle/PvgayWLkWGjYT4St6Dan Snow's History Hit is now available on YouTube! Check it out at: https://www.youtube.com/@DSHHPodcastYou can also email the podcast directly at ds.hh@historyhit.com. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.