Best Euripides Podcasts (2025)

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“Lion of the West" and other plays about Davy Crockett 1:11:58

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4d ago1:11:58

1:11:58

Host Aaron Odom (@TridentTheatre) and his son Ethan discuss the legend of American historical figure Davy Crockett, and several times his persona was portrayed onstage.By Aaron Odom

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The Trojan War and Euripides' Helen (Sample Chapters of WELCOME TO TRAGEDY) 17:39

10d ago17:39

17:39

I wrote a little book, Welcome to Tragedy: A Beginner's Guide to Greek Drama, with brief introductions to all of the surviving scripts by Aeschylus, Sophocles and Euripides (plus three comedies by Aristophanes). I was fascinated by the variety of Greek drama, ranging beyond familiar definitions of "Tragedy." One script that really sticks out is Eur…

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#253 - Anabasis by Xenophon 40:39

1d ago40:39

40:39

The Persian Cyrus the Younger recruits Greek mercenaries (12,900 to be exact, although Ten Thousand has a nicer ring to it) to help him try to claim the throne of Persia. The battle doesn’t go well, Cyrus loses a hand and a head, and the Greeks are forced to retreat to their country of origin. These events, take place between 401 - 399BC. Anabasis …

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Should You Re-Read Books From Your Past or Focus on New Books? 19:53

9d ago19:53

19:53

I love experiencing a book for the first time. There’s the rush of discovering a new story, an intoxicating idea, or a memorable character. By the time I’ve finished the book, I’m ready to get that hit again with a new book. I actually fear the high won’t be as good if I go back and read a book for a second time, even if it’s a book I really enjoye…

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#252 - The Frogs by Aristophanes 29:20

16d ago29:20

29:20

It took me 5 comedy plays by Aristophanes to begin to enjoy them. This was the 5th. It wasn’t as crude or banal as the first four I read (Clouds, Birds, Lysistrata, Women of the Assembly). I really enjoyed this one. Dionysus journeys to Hades to meet Euripides. A verbal contest ensues between the great tragedians Aeschylus and Euripides to determin…

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The Grand Guignol 1:05:24

18d ago1:05:24

1:05:24

Host Aaron Odom (@TridentTheatre) and returning guest playwright Jack Canfora discuss horror in theatre, and a theatre in Paris which gave us a term for anything shocking and horrifying in theatre, The Grand Guignol. "Jericho" by Jack Canfora - Performed by New Normal RepBy Aaron Odom

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Bonfire 20:15

18d ago20:15

20:15

Fire is like this pet we've been trying to adopt and domesticate for half a million years. But at heart, all fire is wildfire. In this episode, we'll be looking at some classic fire stories from Indigenous Americans, Ancient Greeks, and the Lethal Weapon film series.By j. SNODGRASS

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#251 - The Clouds by Aristophanes 33:45

23d ago33:45

33:45

A father seeks to get out of debt, not in the traditional way of paying it off, but in the new way of winning an argument over his creditors. It doesn’t matter whether the argument is true or not, only if it gets him out of debt. This quest drives the father, Strepsiades, into the school of Socrates (likely in attendance at the play in 423BC) to le…

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Theatre Horror Story - Mary Kennedy 23:45

24d ago23:45

23:45

Host Aaron Odom (@TridentTheatre) welcomes back standup comedian and actor Mary Kennedy (Guest from Episode 101, "Amusement Park Musicals," and Episode 71, "Is 'Cats' Any Good?" to tell her tales of theatre horror.By Aaron Odom

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#250 - Reading the Greek Tragedies 52:17

30d ago52:17

52:17

I just finished reading all of the Greek Tragedies that survive from Aeschylus, Sophocles, and Euripides. That was not the plan, I only expected to read 2 or 3 by each playwright, but I got hooked. In this episode, I share about my experience, cover the major themes throughout those plays, and talk about my favorites. These stories will be with me …

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Announcements: Next Tour, Seeking Video Editor, Connect on Social Media, Patreon update 3:52

1M ago3:52

3:52

Some announcements for those of you who care about what's happening at AGD behind the scenes...

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Leviathan 15:23

1M ago15:23

15:23

One of the great mysteries of all Biblical Scripture is God's great battle with a sea-monster called Leviathan. Why did God have to mud-wrestle this beast? Was it killed and left out for the ravens, or is it still at large? And how might the grudge-match live on in modern courtrooms and classrooms?By j. SNODGRASS

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#249 - Bacchae by Euripides 26:17

1M ago26:17

26:17

Homer (Simpson, not the epic poet) once said that alcohol is the “cause of... and solution to... all of life's problems.” I think of that quote when I think of the god Dionysus (also known as Bacchus). Dionysus is the god of joy and celebration, but also madness and violence. The god of inspiration and intoxication. He’s the god the indwells throug…

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61 Who is Lantern Jack? (Doug Interviews Me) 1:04:24

1M ago1:04:24

1:04:24

I chat with friend and fellow podcaster Doug Metzger about how I first became fascinated with the ancient world and share some of the adventures I had on the way to getting a PhD in Classical Philosophy. ------------------ Support AGD on Patreon: patreon.com/greecepodcast ------------------ Timestamps [01:25] Why I started AGD [05:15] Why Stoicism …

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#248 - Helen by Euripides 29:49

1M ago29:49

29:49

What if everything you knew of Helen of Troy wasn’t true? That she didn’t go with Paris to Troy. That instead, she was whisked away to Egypt while the Greeks and Trojans battled it out over her phantom. That’s the storyline of Helen by Euripides. It brings into question perception vs reality. It provides Helen a way to redeem her name. And it makes…

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#247 - Iphigenia at Aulis by Euripides 40:29

2M ago40:29

40:29

Homer doesn’t mention her but she permeates the Iliad. Without her, Aeschylus’ Oresteia doesn’t pack the same punch. Her story is so tragic that Euripides doesn’t let this play end as it should. He has her whisked away so she is not sacrificed. Her name is Iphigenia. She’s the daughter of Agamemnon, the King of the Greeks. This play takes place bef…

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#246 - Orestes by Euripides 19:18

2M ago19:18

19:18

That’s such a brutal painting. Orestes has stabbed his own mother and the furies are immediately there to torment him. The story of Orestes was explored by each of the three main Greek tragedy playwrights, Aeschylus, Sophocles, and Euripides. Aeschylus set the standard with The Oresteia, Sophocles approached it through Electra, and Euripides throug…

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MayDay and the Mysterious Robin GoodFellow Hood 16:47

2M ago16:47

16:47

Was Robin Hood really a Medieval Knight, or was he some kind of Goat-legged trickster? And what did he have to do with Pagan Pole-dancing? [Note: This live recording has some microphone buzz, but it basically came out alright]By j. SNODGRASS

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#245 - Free Speech by Jacob Mchangama 29:29

2M ago29:29

29:29

“In fact, free speech may well be the most powerful engine of equality ever devised by human kind.” Free Speech by Jacob Mchangama presents a thorough and fascinating look at the history of free speech through the ages. What’s amazing is that free speech is a rather recent phenomenon, is quite fragile, and most of the people I consider to be the bu…

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Easter Bunny Special 12:16

3M ago12:16

12:16

In a candid moment, the Easter Bunny shares some personal recollections and ponders the... Well, you'll see. Or, in this case, hear.By j. SNODGRASS

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How Can I Teach Myself to Read Better as an Adult? 25:35

3M ago25:35

25:35

A few years ago, I read a book about a coffee entrepreneur. It was really good. I immediately thought about a new friend of mine who worked at a coffee shop. I bought the book for him and met up a few weeks later to hear what he thought. His comments shocked me. He thanked me for the book and said it was the first full book he had read since colleg…

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60 The Rise of Athens (Themistocles and the Persian Wars, Part 3) 1:06:40

3M ago1:06:40

1:06:40

During the Persian Wars, the city of Athens was completely razed to the ground by the Persian army. And yet, from its ashes, a new Athens was born, more powerful and magnificent than any other city in the Mediterranean. How did the Athenians pull that off? In this finale to our Persian Wars saga, we explore the final battles of the conflict and the…

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The Minotaur 14:48

3M ago14:48

14:48

For some, the word "Labyrinth" conjures ancient visions of David Bowie with tight pants and puppets. The ancient Labyrinth was the lair of the man-eating Minotaur. We'll explore the myth of this monster, and the princess who masterminded its demise.By j. SNODGRASS

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#244 - Phoenician Women by Euripides 24:55

3M ago24:55

24:55

Euripides’ Phoenician Women mimics the Aeschylus tragedy Seven Against Thebes with some key differences. One of those is the composition of the members of the chorus. Aeschylus chose Theban women as the members of his chorus but Euripides selected foreign slave women from Tyre en route to Delphi. They don’t have skin in the game like the Theban wom…

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Raised by Wolves 13:36

3M ago13:36

13:36

Adopting a new dog (a dingo-corgi) raises fascinating questions about the long history of human-canine cooperation. And there's this Gospel story where Jesus calls someone's daughter a dog - what's up with that?By j. SNODGRASS

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#243 - The Authentic Confucius by Annping Chin 31:36

3M ago31:36

31:36

Most of the sayings of Confucius consist of three parts: * The Saying * The Person * The Time/Location If you just read The Analects, you get all of the sayings and if you’re very diligent (or use a commentary), you can get to know the people Confucius addresses in his responses. What’s difficult to gather from The Analects is the historical contex…

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#242 - The Analects by Confucius 43:39

3M ago43:39

43:39

The life of Confucius (551 - 479 BC) overlaps the life of Greek playwright Aeschylus (525 - 455 BC). Confucius makes it clear that he is a transmitter, not an originator. He’s transmitting wisdom from the past, specifically from an ancient era of perfect rulers. The Analects is a set of collected sayings of Confucius compiled by his disciples. I wa…

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Lock, Livestock & Barrel 12:23

3M ago12:23

12:23

Abraham is remembered as a "good shepherd" - but did his sheep feel this way? In this episode, we'll explore how livestock herding has helped to shape human history. Alert: this episode does contain references to Biblical animal cruelty.By j. SNODGRASS

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The Carolina-dog (A Free Sample Chapter of "Chaos Chaos") 13:41

4M ago13:41

13:41

Piling chili and coleslaw onto a hotdog sure is food for thought, inspiring questions like "what is 'food'?" And "if you are what you eat - what am I?" This is a sample chapter of the book "Chaos Chaos," a collection of comical personal recollections, silly bits of history, and some idiotic ponderings about what it means to be human.…

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#241 - God's Secretaries by Adam Nicolson 32:28

4M ago32:28

32:28

I started off 2025 reading straight through the King James Version of the Bible. As I was doing so, I kept wondering how that translation came about. It’s now over 400 years old. What English translation will people be reading 400 years from now? And I had other questions. Did people really speak like this? Is this the first English translation? Wh…

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59 The Ancient Novels w/ Doug Metzger (Apuleius, Lucian, Chariton, Heliodorus, Petronius, Achilles Tatius) 59:03

4M ago59:03

59:03

Unveiling the wild world of ancient Greek and Roman novels with Doug Metzger, host of the "Literature and History Podcast." ------------------ Support Ancient Greece Declassified on Patreon: patreon.com/greecepodcast ------------------ Contents of the episode, with timestamps: 04:22 When did novels first arise? 09:12 The four genres of ancient nove…

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#240 - The Bible | King James Version 56:33

4M ago56:33

56:33

I start each year reading straight through a different version of the Bible during January & February. This year, I selected the King James Version designed & illustrated by Barry Moser. This version contains 232 beautiful illustrations. This was my first time reading the full King James Version. I liked it very much. I divide this podcast episode …

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Naysayers 16:42

4M ago16:42

16:42

How did a donkey become the only animal prophet in the Bible? And how did horses change the lives of Indigenous Americans of the Great Plains?By j. SNODGRASS

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Comparing LBJ & Robert Moses 49:53

4M ago49:53

49:53

In 2021, I dedicated my reading year to series of books. I read through Harry Potter, The Lord of the Rings, all books by Russ Roberts, and the Narnia series. I also read every single book written by Robert Caro. His The Years of Lyndon B. Johnson four-book set are some of the best books I’ve ever read and I think about them often. I also read The …

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Hibernating 18:18

4M ago18:18

18:18

A bear visits our campsite at Allegany State Park. Michael nearly learns a valuable lesson. A Biblical prophet's baldness summons the ursine species into existence. And we learn what happens when a bear refuses to dance like a chicken.By j. SNODGRASS

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The Gulag Archipelago 32:18

4M ago32:18

32:18

I’m digging into the podcast vault and taking us back to December 2019 when I first released this episode. In the past 5 years, I’ve thought about The Gulag Archipelago often. I’ve seen it referenced in other books and think its ideas can heal our current divides. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get…

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The Beginning of Knowledge 45:15

5M ago45:15

45:15

I’m digging into the podcast vault to share this episode from exactly 5 years ago (really, Feb 7, 2020 to today, Feb 7, 2025)! This episode covers The Book of Proverbs attributed to King Solomon. I had an epiphany of sorts about a key idea in this wisdom literature - The Fear of the Lord. I had always been baffled by that statement. Is that a tremb…

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Groundhog Day Special 9:05

5M ago9:05

9:05

What's the Lifespan of your Average Magical Groundhog? Why is his February message so important? And how does Groundhog Day relate to Ancient Systems of Spring Predictions?By j. SNODGRASS

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58 What Did the World's First Pop Star Sound like? | Euripides and Ancient Music w/ Claire Catenaccio 59:54

5M ago59:54

59:54

What did ancient music sound like? In this episode, you will hear three songs that are over 2000 years old! Few people in the world today know more about ancient music than our guest in this episode. Claire Catenaccio is an assistant professor of classics at Georgetown University who specializes in the study of ancient drama and its modern receptio…

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Top Ideas from the World of Books 56:48

5M ago56:48

56:48

I’m digging into the podcast vault to share this episode from two years ago about some of the most important ideas I’ve come across from this reading project. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.booksoftitans.com/subscribe…

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On Direction 5:14

5M ago5:14

5:14

And so he did not resist in the small ways that a man might, and in time the accumulation of such daily choices of acquiescence hardened into a kind of moral muscle memory, such that resistance was no longer even a possible option. For almost nine years the man had been rehearsing his surrender. ~ The Places Beyond the Maps, Douglas McKelvey If I w…

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How Has This Reading Project Changed Me? 28:06

5M ago28:06

28:06

I received this set of questions from Brenda Slomka late in 2024. I couldn’t immediately answer them on Twitter X, so I decided to ponder them a bit and give a thoughtful response in this podcast episode. I’m glad I did it as it gave me a chance to take a step back and look at how the past 8 years of this reading project have impacted me. Here are …

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"Great Snakes!" 16:50

5M ago16:50

16:50

A Comical Glance at the Talking Serpent of Eden, Snake-Handling Churches, and some of the Silliest Snake-stories of the Bible. Plus: Before the Garden of Eden story got so famous (and poisonous) - what did the locals of Israel actually like about Women, Snakes and Trees?By j. SNODGRASS

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Here Be Dragons 16:03

5M ago16:03

16:03

Watching the Hobbit and Lord of the Rings with my Kids I wonder - What's Humanity's great Fascination with Dragons? Where does the word come from, and what kind of Dragon-lore (good, bad, and ugly) might we find in Greek, Mayan and Chinese Mythology? And what might our long Multicultural Love-Hate Relationship with Scary Reptiles have to tell us ab…

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2025: The Reading Year Ahead 33:52

5M ago33:52

33:52

READING YEAR THEME: GREEK TRAGEDIES, COMEDIES, HISTORY, AND PHILOSOPHY 2025 is the year I shift from the Greek playwrights into the philosophers. It’s year 3 of my 15-year Immortal Books reading project, where I read the greatest books ever written in chronological order. In this episode, I share my plan for the year, give a brief history of this r…