Ascend - The Great Books Podcast

Today on Ascend: The Great Books Podcast, Dcn. Harrison Garlick and the Dr. Gregory McBrayer discuss Books 9-10 of the Odyssey--the first half of Odysseus telling his own story and covering such famous narratives as the lotus eaters, the cyclops, and Circe.
Check out our WRITTEN GUIDE to the Odyssey--great for small groups!
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Summary
Books 9 and 10 of the Odyssey feature Odysseus revealing his identity to the Phaeacians and recounting his adventures after Troy. The episodes include the raid on Ismarus, the encounter with the Lotus Eaters (whom Odysseus forcibly removes to prevent them from forgetting home), the harrowing trap in Polyphemus the Cyclops's cave (where Odysseus uses the "Nobody" ruse, wine, and an olive-wood stake to blind the giant before taunting him and invoking Poseidon's curse), the visit to Aeolus (whose bag of winds is opened by the crew, blowing them off course), the cannibalistic Laestrygonians (who destroy the fleet except Odysseus's ship), and the stay with the goddess Circe (who transforms his men into pigs, but is countered by Hermes' moly herb, leading to a year of feasting and Odysseus bedding her under divine instruction before she directs him to the underworld).
The hosts explore deeper philosophical and moral themes, viewing these stories as Odysseus's moral and theoretical education. They discuss xenia (guest-friendship) and its perversions, the tension between Odysseus's cunning intellect and his men's appetites or spiritedness, leadership failures, and Homer's intentional dialectic presenting human nature. Particular attention is given to Odysseus's curiosity, pride, and evolving understanding of place, home, mortality, and nature (highlighted in the moly scene as a discovery of physis). The conversation frames Circe as a structural pivot, contrasting earlier moral tales with later intellectual ones, and portrays Odysseus as a complex, self-serving yet learning figure whose narrative may blend truth and rhetoric tailored to his audience.
Chapters
00:00 Introduction to Ascend and the Great Books
07:42 Professional Updates and New Opportunities
09:37 Teaching Homer: Insights and Anecdotes
10:58 Homer as a Philosopher: Dialectics in the Text
14:08 Odysseus: The Complicated Hero
15:47 Odysseus' Journey: Learning and Growth
17:54 The Role of Storytelling in the Odyssey
23:05 The Importance of Place and Homecoming
28:08 Odysseus and His Men: Leadership Dynamics
35:47 The Lotus Eaters: Virtue and Temptation
40:31 The Nature of Happiness and the Soul's Journey
44:04 Odysseus and the Cyclops: A Political Critique
54:20 Guest Friendship and Ethical Dilemmas
01:05:01 Rhetoric and the Limits of Persuasion
01:09:21 Understanding Polyphemus: The Nature of Deception
01:11:20 Odysseus's Internal Monologue: The Role of Wisdom
01:12:46 The Cyclops's Overconfidence: A Fatal Flaw
01:13:49 The Role of Wine: A Tool for Manipulation
01:14:58 Guest Friendship: A Perverse Parody
01:16:36 The Blinding of Polyphemus: A Turning Point
01:17:47 Community Response: The Cyclops's Isolation
01:18:41 The Consequences of Pride: Odysseus Reveals His Name
01:20:51 The Significance of 'Nobody': Identity and Cunning
01:23:24 The Escape Plan: Cleverness in Adversity
01:24:05 The Curse of Polyphemus: A Divine Retribution
01:26:42 The Cycle of Violence: Guest Friendship Violated
01:27:34 The Structure of the Odyssey: Peaks and Valleys
01:29:09 The Role of Agency: Human Choices vs. Divine Will
01:29:38 The Heartbreak of Aeolus: Trust Broken
01:33:56 The Lystra-agonian Encounter: A Leadership Crisis
01:36:31 Odysseus's Leadership and Responsibility
01:39:50 The Enigmatic Circe: Goddess and Witch
01:45:13 Odysseus's Encounter with Circe: A Test of Will
01:50:59 The Nature of Eros and Odysseus's Choices
01:56:56 The Philosophical Journey: Nature and Mortality
02:01:51 The Path to the Underworld: Elpenor's Fate
Keywords
Key keywords for this episode include Odyssey Book 9, Odyssey Book 10, Odysseus Cyclops, Polyphemus, Circe Odyssey, Homer Odyssey summary, Odysseus adventures, Lotus Eaters, Aeolus bag of winds, Laestrygonians, Odysseus and Circe, Nobody Odysseus, Xenia guest friendship, Homer philosophy, Odysseus leadership, Odysseus moral education, Summary of Odyssey Books 9 and 10, Odysseus vs Polyphemus, Circe turns men into pigs, Philosophical themes in The Odyssey, Homer Odyssey Cyclops episode, Odysseus journey home, Guest friendship in The Odyssey, Ascend Great Books Podcast, Harrison Garlick Odyssey, and Gregory McBrayer Homer.

Today on Ascend: The Great Books Podcast, Dcn. Harrison Garlick and Dr. Frank Grabowski discussing Books 6-8 of the Odyssey discussing Odysseus' time with the Phaeacians.
Check our our WRITTEN GUIDE to the Odyssey.
10 Reasons to Read the Odyssey (The Ascent)
Why Odysseus Refused to Become a God (The Ascent)
Chapters
00:00 Introduction to the Odyssey and the Phaeacians
10:45 The Nature of the Phaeacians
16:38 The Role of Rhetoric in Nausicaa's Character
22:41 Cultural Norms and Guest Friendship
28:23 Marriage Motifs and Political Wisdom
34:09 Nausicaa as a Symbol of Virtue
43:06 Odysseus and the Gods: A Growing Understanding
48:53 The Unique Role of Women in Homeric Epics
52:02 The Complexity of Guest Friendship
57:25 Divine Intervention: The Role of the Gods
01:02:24 Marriage Proposals: Naivety or Strategy?
01:04:53 Cultural Embarrassment: Odysseus's Maturity
01:08:52 Exploring the Human Side of Heroes
01:09:55 The Complexity of Virtue in Homer
01:10:50 Beauty and Political Instability
01:11:35 Marriage Proposals and Hidden Identities
01:11:58 Odysseus' Response to Offers of Hospitality
01:13:35 Cultural Insights from the Phaeacians
01:15:08 The Nature of Athleticism and War Games
01:16:44 The Role of the Bard in Storytelling
01:18:32 Odysseus' Emotional Depth and Vulnerability
01:19:44 Guest Friendship and Reciprocity
01:21:38 Odysseus' Identity and the Stakes of Revelation
01:24:07 The Bard's Song and Its Implications
01:25:59 Craft vs. Strength: Lessons for Odysseus
01:30:09 Adultery and Its Consequences in Homeric Society
01:31:15 The Warning Embedded in the Bard's Tale
01:34:10 Nausicaa's Role and the Theme of Marriage
01:37:04 Odysseus Weeping: A Complex Hero
01:40:45 The Final Ask: Identity and Storytelling
01:42:13 Prophecies and Their Consequences
01:45:10 Narrative Structure and the Art of Storytelling
Book 6 Summary
Odysseus washes ashore on the island of the Phaeacians. Athena appears to Princess Nausicaa in a dream and inspires her to go wash clothes at the river with her handmaids. Odysseus awakens, naked and brine-covered, and approaches the princess cautiously. He flatters her with rhetorical skill (comparing her to Artemis), requests aid without grasping her knees, and bathes privately. Nausicaa, showing courage, wit, and political savvy, provides him clothes, food, and careful instructions on how to approach the palace and supplicate her mother, Queen Arete, while avoiding gossip. The book ends with Odysseus praying to Athena in a sacred grove.
Book 7 Summary
Guided invisibly by Athena, Odysseus enters the splendid, utopian palace of King Alcinous and Queen Arete. He supplicates the queen as instructed, pleading for passage home. The court is initially stunned into silence until an elder prompts hospitality. Odysseus is bathed, feasted, and given a seat of honor. Queen Arete recognizes her daughter’s clothing and questions him; he recounts his arrival but omits some divine help. King Alcinous offers generous hospitality, promises to convey him home, and even subtly proposes marriage to Nausicaa (which Odysseus sidesteps). The Phaeacians are portrayed as peaceful, technologically advanced, and god-kin, living in an Edenic setting.
Book 8 Summary
The next day features athletic games, feasting, and bardic performance. A young Phaeacian (Broadsea) taunts Odysseus, prompting him to compete and win the discus throw, demonstrating his prowess. The bard Demodocus sings of the Trojan War (stirring Odysseus to tears) and the comic adultery of Ares and Aphrodite (trapped by Hephaestus’s craft), which Odysseus enjoys. More gifts and dancing follow. Nausicaa bids Odysseus a quiet, flirtatious farewell. Alcinous finally asks his name, setting up the hero’s full tale in the next books. The episode underscores themes of hospitality, craft over brute strength, and Odysseus’s emotional vulnerability.
Check out our 2024 playlist on the Odyssey too!
Keywords
Odyssey Books 6-8 summary, Odyssey Books 6-8 analysis, Nausicaa and Odysseus, Phaeacians Homer, King Alcinous Queen Arete, Nausicaa beach scene, Odysseus Nausicaa temptation, guest friendship xenia Odyssey, Phaeacian utopia, Homer Odyssey podcast, Ascend Great Books Odyssey, Odysseus Nausicaa rhetorical exchange, Hephaestus Aphrodite song Odyssey, Odysseus weeping simile, Odysseus Alcinous marriage proposal, Phaeacian ships technology, Calypso vs Nausicaa, Odyssey Book 8 games bard, Odysseus craft over strength, Deacon Harrison Garlick Odyssey, Frank Grabowski Odyssey, Porch and Altar Substack.

Odysseus rejects becoming a god... why?
Today on Ascend: The Great Books Podcast, Dcn. Harrison Garlick is joined by Dr. Glenn Arbery of Wyoming Catholic College and Dr. Frank Grabowski of Holy Family Classical School to discuss BOOK FIVE of the Odyssey--arguably one of the important passages in the entire Odyssey and in the Western canon.
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Check out our written study guide to the Odyssey!
Odysseus is offered everything a man could desire: immortality, endless pleasure, and the love of the goddess Calypso on her enchanted island. Yet he refuses, choosing instead the path of suffering, homecoming, and humanity. The conversation unpacks why Odysseus weeps on the shore despite his Edenic surroundings, the deeper meaning of his refusal, and the timeless question Homer poses to every listener: Would you say no to immortal pleasure?
The scholars dive into rich themes—Odysseus’s interior dialogue with his own thumos (spirit), the contrast between Calypso’s cave and rocky Ithaca, the subtle work of the gods and fate, and striking antecedents to Platonic psychology.
With insightful close readings, connections to the Iliad, and reflections on identity, place, and human flourishing, this discussion transforms a single book into a meditation on what truly makes life worth living. Whether you’re new to Homer or revisiting the epic, this episode will leave you eager for more. Highly recommended for anyone who loves great books, philosophy, or wrestling with life’s biggest questions.
Chapters
00:00 Introduction to Ascend and the Great Books
04:13 Exploring the Odyssey: Book Five
09:41 Athena's Plea and Zeus's Response
23:53 Odysseus on Calypso's Island: A Study of Contrast
34:43 The Choice of Immortality: Odysseus's Dilemma
39:32 The Identity of Odysseus: Suffering and Immortality
41:02 The Nature of Human Desire and Fulfillment
42:56 The Dilemma of Odysseus: Choices and Consequences
45:14 The Complexity of Fidelity: Odysseus and the Goddesses
48:09 Homer's Moral Landscape: Understanding Odysseus
51:14 The Role of Place in Identity and Homecoming
54:05 The Symbolism of Clothing: Calypso vs. Nausicaa
01:09:40 The Wrath of Poseidon: Odysseus's Struggles at Sea
01:13:35 The Inner Dialogue of Odysseus: Heart and Mind
01:17:23 The Weight of Time and Suffering
01:20:04 The Complexity of Divine Intervention
01:22:21 Agency and Internal Dialogue
01:25:20 Mortality and Immortality: The Role of Women
01:29:10 Navigating Divine Guidance
01:31:20 The Human Experience and Divine Learning
01:33:56 The Journey to the Shore: A Symbol of Rebirth
01:40:05 The Significance of the Olive Tree
01:43:41 The Transformation of Odysseus
Keywords: Odyssey Book 5, Book Five of the Odyssey, Odysseus Calypso, Odysseus refuses immortality, Homer Odyssey Book 5, Calypso's island, why does Odysseus refuse immortality, Odysseus choice Calypso, Homer Odyssey analysis, Ascend the Great Books, Odysseus thumos, Platonic soul Homer, Odysseus homecoming, fate Zeus Odyssey, Odysseus rebirth, Calypso pleasure island, great books podcast Odyssey
Be sure to check out our Odyssey episodes from 2024 too!

Today on Ascend: The Great Books Podcast, Dcn. Harrison Garlick and Dr. Frank Grabowski discuss the famous "Telemachy" or the coming of age story of Telemachus, Books 2-4 of the Odyssey.
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Check out our WRITTEN GUIDE to the Odyssey.
In this rich second episode of our 12-week Odyssey series, Dcn. Harrison Garlick and Dr. Frank Grabowski dive deep into Books 2–4 — the Telemachy — exploring Telemachus’s powerful coming-of-age journey from a fatherless, disordered Ithaca to the ordered poleis of Pylos and Sparta.
They unpack how Homer paints a vivid picture of political decay: twenty years without an assembly, a missing generation of men, and suitors devouring the household while logos itself loses its force. Yet as Telemachus steps into his father’s seat and sets sail under Athena’s guidance (disguised as Mentor), we witness not only his maturation but a masterclass in what makes a healthy polis. The conversation shines especially when they examine the suitors’ impiety, the beautiful practice of guest-friendship (xenia), and the threefold piety it reveals — toward the gods, the city, and the family.
From Nestor’s sacrifices and storytelling to Menelaus and Helen’s double wedding feast, the episode is packed with insight, humor, and timely wisdom. Whether you’re reading the Great Books for the first time or returning to Homer with fresh eyes, this conversation will deepen your appreciation for the political, moral, and spiritual layers of the Odyssey.
Chapters
00:00 Introduction to the Odyssey Study
06:18 Telemachus' Journey and Athena's Role
08:01 Political Instability in Ithaca
09:38 The Assembly and Telemachus' Leadership
15:48 Penelope's Dilemma and Guest Friendship
17:47 Xenia: The Importance of Hospitality
24:16 The Omen and the Suitors' Fate
30:37 Justice and the Role of the Gods
32:11 Mentorship and Guidance in Telemachus' Growth
39:45 Telemachus' Transformation and Epithet Significance
44:15 The Evolution of Characters in Homer
45:01 Telemachus' Journey to Maturity
47:42 The Role of Divine Guidance
48:38 Sacrifices and Natural Religion
52:56 Pylos: A Model of a Healthy Society
54:44 The Power of Prayer and Rhetoric
59:15 The Tragedy of War and Its Heroes
01:03:58 The Consequences of Choices in War
01:10:57 The Role of the Bard in Society
01:14:46 Foreshadowing and Sacrifice in the Odyssey
01:19:34 The Double Wedding Feast and Hospitality
01:22:08 Piety, Gratitude, and Debt
01:25:46 Reflections on War and Loss
01:28:12 Helen's Duality and the Nature of Free Will
01:29:10 Temptation and the Role of Wisdom
01:39:07 Menelaus' Journey and Wrestling with Fate
01:45:00 The Return to Ithaca and the Threat to Telemachus
Here are more videos from our 2024 study!
Book 2 of the Odyssey with Dr. Grabowski and Thomas Lackey
Book 3 of the Odyssey with Dr. Grabowski and Thomas Lackey
Book 4 of the Odyssey with Adam Minihan and Fr. Bonaventure, OP.

Today on Ascend: The Great Books Podcast, Dcn. Harrison Garlick is joined by Dr. Pavlos Papadopoulos of Wyoming Catholic College and Dr. Frank Grabowski of Holy Family Classical School to discuss BOOK ONE of the Odyssey--one of the greatest texts in the Western canon.
Check out our NEW 12-WEEK STUDY OF THE ODYSSEY.
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Be sure to use our WRITTEN GUIDE to the Odyssey!
They explore why the epic opens with “man” (not rage, not a god), the meaning of polytropos (“man of twists and turns”), Telemachus’s urgent coming-of-age amid an absent father and predatory suitors, Athena’s masterful mentoring, and Zeus’ striking defense of human responsibility.
Along the way they illuminate Homer’s sophisticated anthropology, the poetic dialectic of Homer the philosopher, the haunting parallels with the House of Atreus, and why this ancient poem still speaks so powerfully to questions of masculinity, homecoming, virtue, and human greatness today.
Witty, learned, and full of “blood on the floor” interpretive energy, this conversation will leave you hungry for the next eleven weeks—and convinced that Homer is one of the greatest teachers you’ll ever encounter.
Chapters
00:00 Introduction to the Great Books Podcast
03:39 The NEW Odyssey: A 12-Week Study
09:29 The Importance of Reading Homer
17:01 Exploring the Opening Lines of the Odyssey
30:14 The Man of Twists and Turns: Understanding Odysseus
35:28 Exploring Odysseus: The Complexity of a Hero
39:26 Justice and Fate: The Role of Aegisthus
42:28 Divine Intervention: Zeus and Human Responsibility
55:30 The Journey Home: Odysseus and Telemachus
01:03:12 Coming of Age: Telemachus's Transformation
01:05:37 Exploring Penelope's Role
01:11:44 Telemachus' Journey to Manhood
01:24:56 Reflections on the Odyssey
More Resources
Intro to the Odyssey with Dr. Patrick Deneen (2024)
The Odyssey Book 1 with Dr. Frank Grabowski and Thomas Lackey (2024)
Do Christians Owe a Debt to Homer? The Ascent.
Understanding Homer as a Philosopher & Theologian. The Ascent.
Keywords
Odyssey, Homer, Greek Literature, Great Books, Philosophy, Mythology, Education, Homer's Teachings, Classical Studies, Odyssey Analysis Odyssey, Homer, fate, divine justice, Odysseus, Telemachus, Greek mythology, divine intervention, hero's journey, philosophy