(62) Greek mythology is full of terrible tales, and the story of the brothers Atreus and Thyestes includes murder, adultery, incest and cannibalism. These two cursed sons of Pelops were exiled from their homeland. Later, they fought against each other for control of Mycenae. Tragedy and nastiness ensued.…

(61) When the Seven Against Thebes were killed, they left behind children - Epigoni/Epigonoi. Athena assigned these Sons of the Seven the task of destroying Thebes and avenging their fathers. Some, like Thersander, Aegialeus, and Diomedes were enthusiastic in building an army. Alcmaeon, the son of the champion Amphiaraus, was not. Alcmaeon also bla…

The battle between Eteocles and Polynices is over and the sons of Oedipus are dead. The fate of Oedipus’s daughters – Antigone and Ismene – is a less epic more personal tragedy story and is told in a handful of plays by the Greek playwright Sophocles. One of those tells how the willful Antigone felt she was duty-bound to ensure her brother Polynice…

(59) Eteocles and Polynices were the sons of Oedipus and like their father they were cursed. In their case, they were doomed to kill each other. Eteocles and Polynices fought over their father’s throne and Polynices was eventually exiled from Thebes. He gained the support of Adrastus, the king of Argos; and a collection of un-heroic scoundrels, inc…

Oedipus is probably the one Greek hero who has broken free from Greek mythology and become something else entirely. That of course is all thanks to psychologist Sigmund Freud. Many people today are familiar with the hero, who is cursed with killing his father and sleeping with his mother. But the wider tradition of Greek myth about Oedipus is much …

(57) The great hero twins Castor and Polydeukes (Roman Pollux) were known as the Dioscuri / Dioskouroi ‘ which means Sons of Zeus”. Considered by the ancient Greeks to be two of the greatest heroes, there are surprisingly not a whole lot of stories starring them that survive to today, but there are a few important incidents, which are covered in th…

In Greek mythology, centaurs were dangerous. Numerous heroes got into fights with them and there was even a centaur war. In it, the half-horse creatures fought against an equally fierce human tribe called the Lapiths, led by a hero named Pirithous. Pirithous is an interesting character in Greek mythology. He is not well known today, but its clear h…

(55) Theseus was one of the heroic monster-slayers of ancient Greece. This episode covers his most famous deed – the slaying of the Minotaur. As a punishment for the Athenian king’s involvement in the murder of his son, Minos of Crete demanded a tribute of 7 young men and 7 young women every nine years to feed the Minotaur. Theseus was one of these…

(54) Theseus was one of the heroic monster-slayers of ancient Greece. This episode covers his beginnings. The Athenian king Aegeus was childless and worried about his hold on the throne. The fairly unhelpful advice he got from the Oracle of Delphi brought him to the palace of his friend Pittheus. What followed was the pregnancy of Pittheus’ daughte…

(53) Peleus is a Greek hero who is not well known today but was important during ancient times. He was an Argonaut searching for the Golden Fleece, and a hunter for the Calydonian Boar. Peleus enjoyed a special relationship with the centaur Chiron, and the fondness of the Olympian gods. His most important myth was his marriage to the goddess Thetis…

(52) A few special events in Greek mythology have multiple heroes from different parts of Greece all come together to get a certain job done. One of these was the Hunt for the Calydonian Boar. The boar was sent by an angry Artemis, and the hero Meleager organized a party of heroes to stop the beast’s rampage through his homeland. Another central fi…

(51) Orpheus was a hero from the Greek region of Thrace. The the ancient Greeks considered Thrace a wild and barbarous place full of warring tribes. Surprisingly though, Orpheus was not warlike. He was a talented musician and a keeper of strange sacred knowledge. The best-known myth about Orpheus involves his wife Eurydice and his descent to the un…

In the last four episodes, I covered the story of Jason and the Argonauts. In the poem the Argonautika, which was the basis of my retelling, the success of their adventure mostly revolved around the actions of the young woman Medea. In this episode (50), I continue on from last time and tell what happened to Medea after she returned with Jason to G…

(49) With the Golden Fleece secured, Jason and his crew of heroes made the long voyage back home to Greece. Along the way, they were chased by fleets of angry and vindictive enemies, and made their way through a series of dangerous trials. The anger of gods made the voyage dangerous and only the aid of goddesses made their return possible. Some top…

The Golden Fleece was possessed by Aeetes, king of the faraway land of Colchis. This episode (48) will cover Jason and the Argonaut’s arrival in Colchis, what happened there with Aeetes, and their departure. Find out if the actions of goddesses and a love-struck daughter would be enough to ensure Jason’s success.…

(47) Last episode began a retelling of the Greek hero Jason’s quest to retrieve the Golden Fleece. This task was given to him by his cruel half-uncle Pelias who hoped the dangerous quest would kill his nephew. Fortunately for Jason, the gods were fond of him, and he had the support of various Greek heroes. The group set out in a ship for where the …

(46) The next few episodes will cover the myths surrounding not just one hero but a whole crew of them. This group – called the Argonauts – are lead by a man named Jason. They all go on a quest to retrieve a fabulous treasure called the Golden Fleece. This is a very special adventure. It is one of a few events in Greek myth where a large group of h…

Chiron is a hero not like other Greek heroes. First, he isn’t human. He’s a centaur. But unlike, most Greek centaurs who are wild, unpredictable, and dangerous; Chiron is wise and patient. Second, Chiron doesn’t go on his own adventures. Instead, he trains other heroes and makes them ready for their own. Many of Greek mythology’s most famous heroes…

(44) The end of the famous 12 Labours was not the end of Heracles’s heroic career. He went on plenty of other exploits afterwards. The event that triggered the Labours was when Heracles went into an insane rage – sometimes according to the will of the goddess Hera – and killed his newly formed family. The Labours allowed him to gain forgiveness in …

Continuing on with the Labours of Heracles, Eurystheus was determined to ensure the hero failed. Previous Labours occurred in the regions of Greece near Mycenae, but it was time to send Heracles further away and hope he never returned. These next Labours took Heracles to places on the fringes of the ancient Greek civilization, to the ends of the ea…

What do you do when you accidentally murder your entire family? Well, when Heracles went to the Oracle of Delphi to ask that very same question, he was instructed to go to his relative, King Eurystheus of Mycenae, and complete a series of terrible tasks. This episode (42) covers the first 6 Labours of Heracles. - Slaying the Nemean Lion - Killing t…

Amphitryon, Alkmene, Alcaeus & Iphikles This episode (41) begins a multi-parter on the Greek hero Herakles, and this first part deals with the hero's legendary origins. First, I cover the adventures of the less well-known hero Amphitryon, his exile from his homeland, and the series of quests he goes on to marry his love. That ends with Zeus’s seduc…

(40) Minos of Crete was a powerful king in Greek mythology. He was sometimes considered the first king to build a navy, and used this fleet to make himself master of the sea. Minos ruled according to the will of Zeus and listened to him when making laws, meaning he was a favourite of Zeus and a man who honoured the gods. But maybe, perhaps just lik…

(39) Bellerophon or Bellerophontes as he was also known, was one of the most celebrated heroes in Greek myth. He was a son of the god Poseidon and a human woman named Eurynome. He is the famous Greek hero who rides the winged horse Pegasus. On first glance, he is a classic hero – he rides a magic horse and is most famous for slaying a monster. But …

The focus of this episode (38) is the Gorgon Perseus killed two episodes back. In that story, the Gorgon Medusa was presented as a threatening monster. In this episode I drill down a bit more into the mythology of Medusa and how conceptions of the Gorgons changed over time, discussing what’s said in different literary sources and how the they appea…

(37) Last episode the hero Perseus travelled to a faraway land to kill the Gorgon Medusa. With that complete, he wasn’t ready to return to Greece just yet. With Hermes’ winged sandals still in his possession, Perseus was free to go on some more adventures. The most important of these was when he travelled to Aethiopia and rescued the princess Andro…

(36) One mark of a hero is being born under mysterious circumstances. One of the strangest examples is Perseus who is born when a drops of liquid gold fall on his imprisoned mother Danae. Several years later, Perseus was grown up, and a cruel king tricked him into undertaking an impossible task – to bring back the severed head of a terrible monster…

This episode (35) covers the dark and chilling tales of the Greek hero Pelops. First, I cover his father Tantalus, how he dared to challenge the gods and how a father’s embrace turned deadly. Afterwards, I explore an adult Pelops' challenges as a suitor for the beautiful Hippodamia, and the thrilling chariot race that determined her fate. But did t…

What happens when two cunning Greek tricksters cross paths and become entwined in each other's tales? In this episode (34) I cover Sisyphus and Autolycus (and also a third troublemaker named Erysichthon). These two are considered heroes due to their descent from gods. But they sure aren’t “good guys”, often relying on lies and tricks to get what th…

In this episode (33), I continue the discussion on the city-state of Thebes in Greek mythology, focusing on the kings who succeeded Cadmus. The most dramatic story is about the princess Antiope and her twin sons, Amphion and Zethus. These heroes were credited with building the magnificent walls and seven gates of Thebes. But their triumphs were als…

Many Greek heroes are responsible for founding a city or being the ancestral head of some powerful dynasty of later heroes. This episode (32) focuses on Cadmus, who arrives in Greece while searching for his missing sister. He goes on to found the city of Thebes after killing a serpent dragon and marries Harmonia, an immortal daughter of the gods Ar…

Welcome to Season 3 of the Myth Madness Podcast! Most people are familiar with the names of the more important Greek heroes – ones like Achilles, Oedipus, Hercules, and Theseus. But the Greeks had myths telling the adventures of many different heroes, all living in an Age of Heroes. This episode is an introduction to the Age of Heroes as a whole. T…

This is the final episode in the latest series on Hittite myths. Careful listeners of the past seven episodes were perhaps reminded of things I talked about in the previous Greek myth episodes. In this episode (30), I go back and discuss a few of those similarities between the different Mediterranean mythologies.…

This episode (29) covers yet another attempt by Kumarbi to remove Teshub from power. Kumarbi orchestrates the birth of a son named Ullikummi, a monster made of stone who continually grows larger. This myth is considered the last instalment of the Kumarbi Cycle.Av Nathan Rutherford

This episode (28) continues with myths from the Kumarbi Cycle. While the storm god Teshub is now king in heaven, Kumarbi is still around, and instigates fighting between Teshub and several rivals. Some of these include LAMMA, an arrogant god; Kiase, the sea god and close ally of Kumarbi; and Hedammu, a monstrous sea serpent.…

This episode (27) kicks off a three-part retelling of a wacky series of myths called the Kumarbi Cycle. These myths, while important to the Hittites, were originally Hurrian. The stories revolve around two groups of gods fighting for power over the universe. The first part tells how Kumarbi took the throne and fathered a younger generation of gods.…

Like with the storm gods, the Hittites worshipped multiple solar deities too. This episode (26) covers them, two sun goddesses and one sun god. I also explore the Hittite’s ideas on the underworld. The different traditions for solar deities and underworld likely come from the different population layers of the Hittite world.…

The Hittites worshipped multiple storm gods, all with power over weather and living atop mountains, and several of them are arranged in a family relationship. This episode (25) explores this family of storm gods. But, the Hittites also had a main storm god, called Tarhunna, who was considered a protector of the entire kingdom. His most important my…

This episode (24) covers how the Hittites imagined their gods, and how they worshipped them. The Hittites took special care in keeping their gods’ attention, and if they failed, disaster struck! The Hittites had myths about the disappearance of certain gods. The best preserved tells how the god Telipinu left in a rage and how the other gods tried t…

This episode (23) begins an eight-part series on Hittite mythology. The Hittite civilization existed throughout the 2nd millennium BC and was a great power in the ancient Middle East. The Hittites worshipped A LOT of gods. In this episode, I introduce the Hittite civilization, briefly describe its origins and constituent groups, and discuss how the…

Following last episode on the Gigantomachy, this episode (22) discusses another threat to the Olympians: the monster Typhon. This humanoid serpentine enemy of Zeus was lurking in the background of a few of the past episodes. I discuss different versions for his birth, physical description, and his battles with Zeus for control of the universe.…

Even though Zeus ruled over the universe, his position was not entirely secure. Today I’m going to talk about a collection of different threats to the Olympian divine order. Many of them are giants – superhuman beings, of a very large size that fight the gods. This episode mostly focuses on the war between the Olympians and the Gigantes, a group of…

The most important god in Greek mythology is Zeus, who is both “King” and “Father of Gods and Men”. In this episode I cover how Zeus became king of the universe and how he consolidated his power, plus give details on some of his numerous children and his cults.Av Nathan Rutherford

Today’s episode is a little different and will cover a few different goddesses who inhabit Mount Olympos and pop up occasionally in the Greek myths. The most important is probably Hestia, who presided over a Greek home’s sacrificial fireplace, making her receive a portion of every sacrifice. Other goddesses covered are Hebe, Eileithyia, Iris, Nike,…

Dionysus is commonly known as the Greek god of wine and imagined spending time in forest groves, drinking and partying with his worshippers. But there is also a more complicated, and even darker side to Dionysus. He is responsible for madness and frenzy, and apparently also world travel. Many Dionysus myths show an antagonistic relationship with hu…

Aphrodite is the Greek goddess of desire, sex, and love. She causes desire in others, and takes a great joy in using this power, even on the other gods. There are two very different accounts of Aphrodite’s birth and some Greek philosophers attempted to rationalize this. Aphrodite had two important mortal lovers – Anchises and Adonis - and I discuss…

This episode serves as a geography lesson of the ancient Greek underworld, and covers its ruler Hades and its other inhabitants. Hades largely remains within the underworld and there are not a lot of myths involving him. I also tie the discussion together with the previous two episodes dealing with Persephone.…

Demeter is one of the original six Olympians. She is closely associated with agriculture and fertility and is the mother of the goddess Persephone. After Persephone went missing, Demeter unsuccessfully searched for her and then wandered the Earth. This episode covers what she did in Eleusis and also discusses the Greek mystery cults Demeter was a c…

Persephone is a goddess associated with nature and death. She was worshipped throughout Greece and had distinct local cults on the mainland, Greek islands, and what is now Turkey and Italy. Persephone or Kore "Maiden" as she is also called, was the daughter of Demeter and Zeus. The myth of her abduction by Hades explains how she became Queen of the…

Ares was responsible for the chaotic elements of war and a lust for battle. He did not have many temples but was naturally very important to Greek soldiers when they were on military campaigns. Ares does not feature in many surviving Greek myths – his affair with Aphrodite is the most well-known. I also discuss what is strange about his Homeric Hym…