Dear Classical Wisdom Reader,
It’s not so often we get to hobnob with the celebrity world... After all, our beat is the Classics and it’s not exactly a field that is renowned for its A-listers and superstars (at least not yet). So I was pretty stoked when the famed actor and comedian, Stephen Fry, agreed to come onto the Classical Wisdom Speaks Podcast to discuss Greek mythology.
Having spent the last two Olympiads retelling the best of the ancient Greek myths, perhaps it wasn’t surprising to hear just how broad and deep Stephen’s knowledge on the topic is... nor how passionate he is about the subject.
[Indeed, if you haven’t read -or listened- to his series, they are a great joy. Even for Myth pros, Stephen brings his usual joy and humor to these old tales and offers a wonderful wide sweep of the fabled catalog - an insight provoking offering in and of itself. You can check his books here: Mythos, Heroes, and Troy. The Odyssey is coming out soon!]
So please enjoy this special conversation with Stephen Fry. We discuss the ancient languages, etymology, and the joy of discovering the Classics through ancient Greek. We question whether Odysseus... or any of the other great names were really heroes and how these stories give us insight on AI and social media, among other things. Spoiler alert: Myths have great meaning.. and great purpose... in our here and now.
Have a listen and let me know why YOU think myths are important...
You can also download the audio file, if you wish, here:
All the best,
Anya Leonard
Founder and Director
Classical Wisdom
P.S. If you want to enjoy Stephen’s regular witticisms, he’s now also on Substack! You can check out his newsletter here:
Why are MYTHS Important?