Content material Individuals: Analysis, Greek Mythology and The Energy of Podcasts
54 min read
On Content material Individuals, Meredith Farley interviews inventive professionals and leaders to get a behind-the-scenes have a look at their profession experiences and switch that into actionable recommendation for listeners. Tune in to listen to from specialists in varied media, and get impressed to seek out contentment in your individual inventive profession.
Episode #12 Abstract
Liv Albert is the creator and host of the podcast “Let’s Discuss About Myths, Child!” She chats with Meredith Farley on this episode about analysis, studying, Greek mythology, podcasting, the facility of an amazing story and extra. Pay attention alongside to seek out inspiration to your personal inventive endeavors.
Content material Individuals: Analysis, Greek Mythology and The Energy of Podcasts
On this episode of Content material Individuals, I chat with Liv Albert, creator and host of the podcast “Let’s Discuss About Myths, Child!”. Along with her diploma in English Literature & Classics, she tells historic tales in a enjoyable, witty approach. She not solely writes, produces and hosts her podcast, however she’s additionally an creator of two Greek mythology books.
Liv fell in love with Greek mythology round seventh grade, when she noticed a ‘90’s miniseries on “The Odyssey.” Since then, she’s explored historic sources and honed her analysis expertise to carry these timeless tales to life.
“Let’s Discuss About Myths, Child!” began out as a enjoyable concept, however Liv shortly realized that it had a lot extra to supply — each to her listeners and her life.
Listed here are just a few extra issues we discuss in between all of the myths and magic:
- The significance of giving your self time to observe and enhance.
- Dealing with feedback and not-so-constructive criticism.
- Discovering and understanding tales that matter.
Thanks for listening!
– Meredith Farley, Host of Content material Individuals
Extra Content material for Content material Individuals
Liv’s podcast: Take a look at “Let’s Talk About Myths, Baby!”
Liv’s e book: Get your intro to the greats in “Greek Mythology: The Gods, Goddesses, and Heroes Handbook.”
Brafton: We will not be mythological Greek heroes, however we are advertising and marketing heroes. Discover out why in our digital advertising and marketing e-newsletter.
Meredith’s e-newsletter: Take a look at Meredith’s newsletter (additionally known as Content material Individuals).
Podcast Transcript:
Meredith: Hey, everybody, and welcome to Content material Individuals. Tune in to listen to from creatives, leaders, and specialists in varied media. I’m your host, Meredith Farley.
Ian: And I’m the present’s producer, Ian Servin.
Meredith: Hey, Ian.
Right now, we talked to Liv Albert. Liv’s the creator, host, and producer of the highly regarded Greek and Roman mythology podcast, Let’s Discuss About Myths, Child. I like Liv’s present. I used to be actually glad to speak to her. In the event you’re not conversant in it, it’s a twice weekly podcast wherein Liv dives deep into the small print of historic Greek and Roman myths and the historical past that surrounded them. She brings a very cool perspective, loads of humor, sarcasm, and a contemporary lens to those tales. And he or she’s constructed up a very enormous listener face. The present will get thousands and thousands of downloads per yr. We talked to Liv in regards to the origins of the present and what she’s realized constructing such a profitable podcast from the bottom up.
Ian: Clearly, podcasts have been round for some time, however I really feel like so many different issues, they actually blew up in the course of the pandemic. So it was tremendous cool to speak to somebody who actually constructed a present from the bottom up and grew an viewers and a neighborhood round it. Podcasts are clearly a brilliant attention-grabbing format for content material. And with all the consideration it’s been getting recently, it’s one thing that lots of people are . And Liv had so many nice issues to say, not nearly what makes a podcast particular, but in addition what makes good content material and how one can take your individual ardour and enthusiasm to make one thing that’s going to attach with an viewers.
Meredith: Yeah, it was nice to listen to from her on that. So with out additional ado, we hope you prefer it. Right here’s our convo.
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Meredith: Thanks a lot for becoming a member of content material individuals and being on this episode.
Liv: Thanks a lot for having me. It’s very good.
Meredith: I’m so excited. I do know we have been simply chatting a second in the past about this, however I’ve been a very long time listener of your podcast. My buddy Brianna truly turned me on to let’s discuss myths, child. And he or she was truly additionally on a later episode of this podcast.
So for listeners who aren’t conversant in you, might you share a bit bit about who you might be and what your podcast is about?
Liv: Yeah, so I’m Liv Albert. I created and host the podcast, let’s discuss myths, child, which is a factor I nonetheless dislike saying in entrance of different individuals and simply the title, not the podcast, clearly. Yeah, I began it about 5 and a half years in the past. I discuss Greek mythology. I retell tales and over the previous few years, I’ve taken to talking with like teachers and specialists and authors and all these totally different unbelievable individuals in regards to the historic world and principally each aspect at this level. I’ll take something if it options the traditional Mediterranean in any respect. That’s simply principally my whole life at this level.
Meredith: When did your love of Greek mythology start and what do you suppose drew you to it?
Liv: So humorous, I get requested this like actually on a regular basis and I by no means have an amazing reply as a result of it’s principally that like I’ve cherished it since I used to be a child, however I don’t keep in mind like the place that got here from particularly apart from I used to be a toddler. I do keep in mind in grade seven and I say grade seven as a result of I’m Canadian. That’ll come out fairly fast.
I had this instructor who not solely taught us Greek mythology, but in addition he had us watch the there’s like this mini collection from the 90s that like I’m of an age the place after I was in grade seven and for him to point out us, it meant that he had like a VHS recording that he needed to roll a TV into the room and play this and we needed to quick ahead the commercials as a result of it was recorded from TV and all that.
However yeah, it was like this mini collection of the Odyssey and that’s all I keep in mind is like having to look at that. I barely keep in mind what’s in it. I simply keep in mind watching that and have it’s like if it wasn’t the catalyst, it simply drew me deeper into Greek mythology
Meredith: For certain. I believe we’re of the identical age, so much like the previous recollections. I believe I watched that. What’s the title of the man that’s in it? It’s like Armand.
Liv: Sure, yeah, precisely Armand, one thing in quite a bit and like I don’t keep in mind what components of the odyssey it featured, I simply know, we watched it.
Meredith: Oh my, I yeah, I completely keep in mind that one and I believe that was my intro to Greek mythology as nicely, though I didn’t keep it up in the identical approach. That’s actually that’s attention-grabbing.
So all proper, myths, I consider it as the unique content material and I’m actually tempted to dive proper into questions on myths as a result of I do know you might be such an skilled, however as a result of this podcast is about inventive work and loads of creatives are listening, I wish to one, acknowledge that you’ve got achieved a major success by your content material and two, be sure that as we go, I’m doing my finest to mine your experiences for actionable recommendation for listeners who additionally may wish to create one thing for themselves.
And so first, one factor I’m very interested in is to ask you to share a bit bit in regards to the day after day work of me teaming similar to profitable and it could appear to me actually labor and analysis heavy podcast, like what goes into an episode and what’s every week or two in your life usually like?
Liv: Yeah, so first I might suggest to anybody trying to do that to not do it the way in which that I’ve finished it, which is that I’m now incapable of relinquishing management on so many issues. And whereas I do have an assistant now, she principally simply does the stuff that I might have by no means had time to do if I didn’t have her.
So like hiring her simply gave us extra stuff. It didn’t take a lot off of my plate as a result of I’m a multitude. However that’s all to say, yeah, it’s extremely labor intensive. I usually simply continually search for ways in which I could make it simpler on myself and I’ve but to seek out them. However principally, I launch two episodes of the podcast each week on Tuesdays. I do what I name a story episode. It’s the place it’s simply me telling tales from Greek mythology. Or on this case proper now, I’m within the midst of this large historical past collection on Sparta, which is much more analysis intensive in a approach that makes me query all the things I’ve ever finished. However for the common episodes, for the Greek delusion episodes, it does require loads of analysis.
Fortunately, I’m fairly good at analysis now. And one of many issues that’s humorous is I can’t even actually surrender the analysis side to my assistant as a result of all the things I do in analysis, I do like concurrently whereas writing it. So I’ll have eight books open round me, like 10 totally different web sites. And I’m simply studying these items and typing the script as I’m going. And so these episodes at all times have a script. It sounds actually off the cuff loads of the time, I wish to suppose a minimum of, however it’s utterly scripted for essentially the most half. It’s identical to a stream of consciousness scripted. So it nonetheless seems like an individual rambling. However these are like 5 to 6 thousand phrases that I’m writing and researching each week.
After which Friday episodes are both like, I’ll simply learn one thing from the traditional world that’s like a translation that’s within the public area. And thus is like copyright free, or I will probably be talking to 2 teachers, specialists, authors and issues like that. In order that requires me to schedule and file and edit these conversations, which is why I typically do the studying episodes, as a result of they’re significantly simpler. So after I have to make my life a bit bit nicer in every week, I’ll do a kind of as an alternative. However usually I don’t as a result of I’ve too many superb people who I’ve already recorded with or wish to file with. And it simply finally ends up like that. So like I’m recording with anyone tomorrow. And so it, I yeah, it’s loads of work, principally, if that solutions the query. However it’s clearly finished me nicely.
Meredith: Yeah, that’s actually attention-grabbing. As you’re speaking, it’s reminding me a bit little bit of possibly like startup founders who’ve created one thing that’s like wholly of them. And even determining the right way to in any approach divide and delegate feels completely unattainable. So what it seems like is such an attention-grabbing course of.
So you might be researching and writing in actual time. And that’s for the not, however the scripted, however the simply you Tuesday episode. And you then’re additionally coordinating, researching and modifying the dialog episodes. And that’s taking place in actual time each week. Or do you do a number of forward of time? Like, how do you’re employed that?
Liv: I attempt to do a number of forward of time. However clearly, as a result of they’re so labor intensive, it’s usually probably not attainable as a result of there’s solely so many phrases you’ll be able to write in every week. And when one episode is 5 to six,000, in addition they continue to grow. Prefer it was extra like three to 4,000. And I simply maintain getting wordier and having an excessive amount of to say in each episode. In order that’s partially on me.
However I’m additionally actually acutely aware, like I’ve adverts in my present and that’s how I pay the payments. However I additionally by no means need the episode so quick that the adverts are overwhelming. So whereas I used to do what I known as mini myths have been like quick, transient episodes. Now I don’t actually suppose that I’ve the power to be that transient anymore as a result of I’m too obsessive about all the intricacies within the historic world, like that’s simply include what number of years I’ve been doing this. But in addition I by no means wish to launch episodes which might be so quick that the adverts grow to be excessive. So it’s at all times like a juggling act with that as nicely, which wasn’t actually the query that you just requested. However yeah, it’s all taking place in actual time for essentially the most half. And I do attempt to batch put together so usually I’ll try this with if I’m doing a studying episode, as a result of I can do these a bit simpler. So if I’m having a day the place I can simply bang out a few of these, I’ll, or if I’ve a bunch of conversations, I attempt to edit them in order that they’re able to go. As an example, like all my Sparta conversations are able to go now. And I’m working extra on the analysis ones as we go. Sorry, my, I’m making an attempt to not breathe straight into my microphone, however I’m speaking an excessive amount of, my respiratory is troubling.
In order that’s principally how I deal with these. My aim is at all times to have like a minimum of a month ready prematurely. However as a result of they’re so labor intensive, and I wrestle with ADHD, that was not an issue till I turned full time with the podcast. And now it’s very exhausting to do issues prematurely as a result of I would like the deadline as a way to drive my mind to do them. So it turns into, yeah it’s difficult, however that’s at all times a aim. It’s to work forward.
Meredith: Wow, that’s actually attention-grabbing. I’m listening to the Sparta collection for what it’s value. And I completely adore it. It’s so fascinating. And I really feel like if you hear, you’ll be able to really feel like they really feel like laborers of affection and like a real dedication to you being as thorough and complete and considerate as attainable about this. These are actually attention-grabbing ideas. And I’m like, what do you, why do you even use sources? How do you discover your sources for these very advanced and in-depth tales?
Liv: The Sparta ones for one, thanks. I’m glad to listen to individuals are having fun with the Sparta ones. I’ve heard it from just a few individuals and it truly, prefer it makes a very large distinction as a result of these are like a whole, like me stepping out of all of my consolation zones and speaking about not solely historical past, however this a part of historical past that I’m not that conversant in. I did my BA, however I’m 10 years previous now. And what do I keep in mind from it? Not practically sufficient. And so the historical past ones are way more daunting for me and I’m questioning whether or not I’m simply rambling and sounding like I make any sense. However to date, so good.
However so for the analysis of the Sparta collection, the one approach I used to be capable of do it’s that the assistant that I employed final yr, Michaela Smith, is one superb, however two, she is finding out classics in college. And so she not solely has a brisker grasp on all of this, however she additionally has entry to school publications and college libraries and all the things. So fortunately, like all the analysis, basically she pulled all the things that we may wish after which put it into a method by which I might then use it. And we’ve been engaged on the scripts collectively quite a bit in a approach that we don’t for the mythology as a result of I, it’s simply me storytelling in the mean time. However for these ones, there’s much more she’s been writing a ton primarily based on her personal analysis and information.
After which I’ll go in and make it extra my voice, my humor, all these various things and like flesh it out with what I wish to say and make it rather less educational as a result of she’s caught in that headspace, which is basically useful for me. And I’ll simply decide by it and alter what I would like. So for the Sparta one which’s been fully primarily based on her, however in the case of the mythology, like I’ve now spent so a few years doing this, just like the analysis strategies I exploit now versus 5 years in the past are unbelievably totally different. So the place I used to simply Google issues and see what I might discover and piece stuff collectively or I had one e book of Greek myths that I used to be doing that and it was like, a retelling e book, like a e book, a scholar wrote of Greek myths moderately than the unique sources. And now I’m like, it’s very uncommon that I’ll use something that’s not a major supply like from the traditional world. And when it’s, it’s this two quantity set that I’ve, which is totally ineffective to anybody who’s simply coming at mythology from a interest standpoint.
And for anyone like me, it’s deeply so useful. It’s known as early Greek myths by Timothy Gantz. And it’s like a supply e book. Mainly this educational went by and picked out each reference to each character in each historic supply. And he places all of them collectively and talks about what’s the similar and what’s totally different and what these bizarre issues are and who mentioned what and when and he usually has sources which might be fragmentary or partially misplaced in a approach that it’s usually exhausting to seek out that as nicely. In order that’s utterly invaluable. There’s additionally an internet site that’s like a lifesaver as a result of it compiles loads of historic sources as nicely. So principally I’ll say I’m fairly acquainted now with the place to seek out historic sources. I’ve so many books and so many various locations the place I can discover them.
So it’s simply loads of piercing by 1,000,000 totally different sources making an attempt to stay to authentic sources or historic sources moderately or, students writing about these sources and it’s fairly wild. However I’ve simply turned it into an artwork at this level and may just about discover something.
Meredith: Yeah, sounds prefer it. Someplace associated to the trailer for the present or a minimum of it was after I first began listening, which was just a few years in the past, you referenced, you mentioned, Hey guys, like begin at this episode quantity. And I believe the message was one thing to the impact of round this episode is if you really feel such as you honed in on the right way to inform a narrative and the way we needed the podcast to be.
And one, I discovered that even simply enthusiastic about it now as somebody who’s finished like 10 episodes of a podcast, I discover that basically comforting as a result of it’s like, yep, you bought to do loads of these earlier than you actually determine the right way to do it. However you’re so good at it. Are you able to inform me a bit bit about what you realized about storytelling and podcasting from these early days?
Liv: Oh, God, yeah. The factor about podcasts that’s each superb and so irritating is that they simply reside ceaselessly, irrespective of if you recorded them. Episodes I recorded and put on the market 5 and a half years in the past, individuals are coming to them as in the event that they’re a model new factor they’re listening to for good or unhealthy. It may be troubling. What you’re referencing is definitely the very first episode of the present has a disclaimer up on the prime. It says round this episode, I received higher at what I’m doing, I received higher at researching, I received a greater microphone, blah, blah, blah. And so I do have that on the very starting of the primary episode. And does it persuade individuals?
No, everybody begins with the primary episode. My first episode is at all times the primary downloads of my whole present, together with I believe it was about one tenth of my whole downloads for this yr, which is sort of a reference. So yeah, like 2022, I had a complete of 400 episodes, clearly not launched in 2022. However by the top of the yr, my present had 400 episodes out there within the feed. And out of these 400, like our whole, I received one thing over 10 million, I believe downloads final yr. And a million of these downloads was my first episode.
Why are you doing this to me? It will get so a lot better. As a result of lots of people cease after the primary one too, or depart me evaluations the place they’re like, she’s unhealthy at researching. And I’m like I advised you that I acknowledged it. I’m higher now. It’s virtually like I’ve been doing this for 5 years, and there’s 400 episodes, like possibly the primary 5 aren’t the most effective reference factors. Anyway, I really feel very strongly about it. But in addition, they get essentially the most downloads, so that they’re not getting deleted.
However that’s all to say I began this podcast as a interest, explicitly, as a result of I used to be actually depressed, and I hated my job. I’d gone by a full blown quarter life disaster and give up my profession that I’d labored all the things for and moved throughout the nation house ish, however not house. And so it was identical to I used to be in a deeply messy place, and I used to be tremendous depressed, and lonely, and all I did was hearken to podcasts. And even like we talked about earlier than we began recording, such as you develop these sorts of relationships with the podcasters that you just hearken to, they usually’re like pals. And that was simply my entire factor. And I began one purely as a result of I used to be like this may very well be my factor too, like I might simply do that as a option to cross the time to really feel much less depressed, what have you ever.
And that’s 100% why I began the present. And so it was actually piecemeal, it was like, I explicitly keep in mind that most likely the primary three or 4 episodes, I wrote the script primarily in my cellphone’s notes app whereas I used to be not doing the job that I hated, whereas I used to be sitting in my workplace typing and like I used to be so I used to be studying on like Wikipedia and like different no matter different web sites I might get on my mobile phone, on my cellphone whereas I used to be like additionally writing within the notes app. So that they have been very simply they have been a stream of consciousness, however in a really totally different approach from what I do now. And it was simply thrown collectively and simply no matter got here to me.
And so I believe they’re good. And I don’t suppose that they have been unhealthy when it comes to like storytelling, however they weren’t as correct as I would really like, as detailed, they glossed over loads of issues. All of the misogynists on the market who hate my present would say that I discussed the patriarchy an excessive amount of. I didn’t actually change that, however I received higher at it.
And I believe it’s only a matter of the extra you’re doing it and the extra sources you get to I believe the episodes the place I made a decision I received higher at it was after I began the Iliad. And that’s as a result of I used to be studying the Iliad, whereas earlier than I had been studying like books of Greek myths which might be written by individuals right now, versus the traditional sources. However with the Iliad, I needed to inherently go to the traditional sources and I believe that form of switched one thing for me. And I noticed the worth of being completely or wherever attainable, completely with historic sources, and what that did each for my element and accuracy and so many various issues.
And so yeah, I believe it’s only a matter of it’s simply observe, proper? It’s simply with podcasts, observe stays within the feed ceaselessly. Whereas when you’re writing a novel, you’re going to undergo 10 totally different drafts and nobody’s ever going to see these. However a podcast, particularly if you’re not beginning it with an organization backing you with producers with editors with all these various things, such as you’re simply beginning it with nevertheless you’re going to start out it. And yeah, like the primary most likely 20 episodes of my present or observe that everybody will get to hearken to ceaselessly.
Meredith: One million individuals a yr hearken to and perpetuate.
Liv: Yeah. I truly simply heard from a professor at a college who was like, I simply wish to let you recognize that I assigned your first episode to my class they usually actually cherished it. And he or she mentioned all these extremely form issues. However I used to be like, Oh, God, no, not my first episode. Choose a special one. I’m so a lot better now.
Meredith: I’m wondering, do you suppose that okay, do you suppose they are surely that unhealthy? Or do you suppose you have been, have been you exhausting in your set tougher on your self within the early days?
Liv: So I believe unhealthy is the fallacious phrase to make use of when it comes to how I actually really feel. I don’t suppose that they’re unhealthy. I simply suppose that they’re not a very good illustration of what my present has been for the final three to 4 years. And I’m pleased with what the present is now. I’m pleased with what it was again then too. However it was a special present. It was leisure. It was identical to, right here’s a enjoyable and quippy delusion. It’s going to be 20 minutes lengthy. It’s going to be actually floor stage. You’re going to have enjoyable. It’s high-quality.
And I don’t suppose there’s something fallacious with that. However what my present is now’s an actual deep dive into the traditional world, the traditional sources, the context, the nuance, the historical past, all the things in a approach that I like. And I believe lots of people additionally simply desire storytelling. So most likely these early episodes are finest for them. However I like all the things I’ve realized and the small print I can go into now and the nuance and the historical past of actually all the things like I’m obsessive about that. And so to me, like I’m simply far more proud. And I believe that my present present is simply higher in all of these respects, however it is sort of a choice factor, most likely greater than something.
Meredith: While you say historic sources I don’t I’m, are you able to clarify precisely what that’s? I don’t know. I actually know.
Liv: That’s truthful. Yeah. I’m going to make use of loads of phrases which might be completely regular for me. So please ask about something. However historic sources, I, so what I imply by that’s the sources that truly come from the traditional world. So I learn them in translation, however they’re from the traditional world. So I’m speaking in regards to the Iliad, the Odyssey, Homer’s works, quote unquote Homer, he most likely wasn’t an actual man. However these are the works that we’ve got his title on. Or the traditional performs, the performs of Euripides and Aeschylus and Sophocles.
These are a few of my favorites to cowl. Euripides is my favourite. He’s the best possible. So these are performs that have been written within the historic world, written within the fifth century BCE carried out within the fifth century. And so they simply survive for us to learn right now. So the comparability between one thing that was written in historic Greece and survives for us to learn in translation, like the choice is say books of Greek delusion which might be written by individuals within the final 100 years. So Edith Hamilton is essentially the most well-known, I might say. However there are such a lot of, I wrote one, mine is a, is an instance of this, individuals writing in regards to the Greek myths, however from our, from now, simply during the last 100 years.
And sometimes what they’re doing is a bunch of various historic sources, they usually’re placing all of it collectively. However usually, they’re doing that, after which they’re inserting their very own narratives and typically biases, just like the e book that I had that I used to be utilizing on the early days of the podcast, I simply discovered, it’s simply known as the Greek myths and prefer it was on sale at a bookstore and I used to be actually broke and doing this only for enjoyable. In order that’s the one I purchased and that’s the one I learn. And I’ve seemed again on components of it now. And it has all of those utterly invented issues which might be usually tremendous misogynist, and it presents them as if that’s precisely what was mentioned within the precise Greek, the traditional sources, the Greek mythology.
Whereas that is completely a person inserting his personal wild insults to girls which might be like not within the historic sources in any respect. So usually if you’re studying these ones, and sadly, they’re essentially the most accessible, they’re essentially the most complete, they’re the best approach so that you can discover all the tales identical to an on a regular basis individual accessing them. However they will usually be tremendous inaccurate when it comes to what we do know in regards to the historic world. And so they can usually be, as a result of for essentially the most half, all the things’s been written by males up till very just lately, they will usually be actually misogynistic. And also you don’t know if you suppose like the traditional world was tremendous misogynistic, however it wasn’t that unhealthy. Like this man may even make it worse, which is saying one thing. Yeah, so it’s like that’s the massive distinction and why I’m so particular now the place I’m going to be referring to the traditional sources wherever attainable.
Meredith: So you are taking what I understand as a really intentionally intersectional lens when telling and decoding these myths. And I’m curious if, and also you’re answering it, however a query I got here into this eager to ask you was, do you suppose that these myths initially spring from a patriarchal heterosexual lens? Or is {that a} extra latter day retelling that we’re nonetheless disentangling ourselves from? I don’t know if that’s clear. Mainly, I’m questioning, I used to be eager to ask you when you thought the myths began off as sexist as they appear.
Liv: The primary phrasing or query I believe is even higher. And I utterly get it. So I’m completely going to reply that as a result of it’s a bit little bit of each in a approach that I believe is basically attention-grabbing. So there’s going to be quite a bit right here. Mainly, the traditional sources as we’ve got them now have been completely developed in a patriarchal society. Patriarchal, sure, heterosexual, no, which I believe is attention-grabbing. So the time wherein these items like say the Iliad and the Odyssey, I’m simply going to make use of these as the most effective instance as a result of they’re additionally the earliest surviving sources we’ve got from historic Greece. So that they’re from in regards to the eighth or ninth centuries BCE, a few of the oldest.
So that they have been developed in a patriarchal society. They have been developed round that point. They won’t have been written down till later as a result of all the things comes from an oral storytelling custom. So round that eighth, ninth century, these have been oral tales that have been advised by touring bards. Because of this we predict Homer was most likely not an actual individual. It was most likely a variety of touring bards that may journey the Greek world. They might inform these tales, however they might sing them their songs set to music.
So it’s not even simply poetry, like they’re completely songs set to music, they might sing them in entrance of a bunch of individuals, evening after evening, issues would change as a result of there have been totally different individuals singing them. So all of them sung in regards to the Iliad, all of them sung in regards to the wrath of Achilles, however they might insert issues, change issues, alter, probably primarily based on the place they have been telling the story to whom, all of these items they might wish to like function that area extra closely or there’s all these totally different connections that would make and why these items have been continually altering as a result of it was solely ever spoken aloud. After which ultimately they have been written down into issues that we’ve got survived right now. So that they have been each developed and written down in a patriarchal society. Nevertheless,
the teams that existed in the identical areas earlier than and influenced the gods that exist within the Greek mythology that we all know have been, nevertheless lengthy, far again, most likely a very good 1000 years earlier than, they have been matriarchal in a approach, or we predict that they have been, we don’t have writing, however we’ve got loads of collectible figurines which might be girls which have breasts and all the things. We’ve loads of people who recommend that they have been usually pretty matriarchal, if not utterly, like they have been, they worshiped goddess far more than they did by the point of the works that we’ve got, if that makes any sense within the Bronze Age and earlier, they worshiped girls much more.
And on their very own there’s loads of goddesses that have been most likely developed in that point after which handed all the way down to grow to be the goddesses of Greek delusion, Athena, Aphrodite, Gaia. They initially most likely have been extra goddess-based after which they simply turned these lesser characters that they’re within the works that we’ve got. Quite a lot of it’s simply primarily based on archaeology, not textual content, as a result of we don’t have, we don’t have tales from that point. We solely have if we’ve got any writing, it tends to be, like, actually sensible what existed within the palaces on the time.
And so all to say, like, all to say they have been all developed in that world, however in addition they have these leanings of goddesses. And you’ll really feel the place these goddesses are available. Aphrodite is extremely sturdy. She is extremely sexually transgressive. She will get to do no matter she needs. And he or she’s married, however she doesn’t, she’s not along with her husband very a lot. She has youngsters with a bunch of different individuals. She is a very good instance of this goddess that most likely got here to us by an initially matriarchal society and become what we all know of Aphrodite right now. And so there’s quite a bit in there. However in the case of the heterosexual aspect, that’s, for essentially the most half, one thing that happened extra when Christianity took maintain and that we’re nonetheless pulling aside right now. The traditional Greeks weren’t significantly heterosexual, however in addition they weren’t gay in the way in which that we consider it now. They, loads of totally different city-states, primarily Athens and Sparta, or Sparta was a bit bit totally different. I’m going to speak about it in the case of Athens, as a result of that they had this observe known as pederasty, which is tremendous gross.
As a result of what it’s that older males would have a younger man slash boy who they might mentor, however it was additionally an inherently sexual relationship. And it was, like, it was undoubtedly affection-based and romantic at instances as nicely. They normally had wives as nicely. So there’s this actually, they simply didn’t take into account sexuality like we did. There’s no notion of homosexual, straight, bi, no matter. There’s simply nothing. It’s simply no matter is occurring. They didn’t marry the identical gender or issues like that. However they undoubtedly had sexual relationships. And if girls did, amongst different girls, we don’t actually have it clear as a result of they didn’t actually consider it that approach.
They most likely wouldn’t have seen it as intercourse. So it didn’t are available, however it was most likely taking place quite a bit. However as a result of it wasn’t penetrative, they didn’t see it as intercourse. And so we don’t hear about it. It’s actually attention-grabbing. We do have the poet Sappho from the Island of Lesbos. She is why we’ve got the phrase lesbian as a result of she wrote love songs to girls. And he or she was a lesbian as a result of she was from the Island of Lesbos. And that’s actually the place the phrase comes from. So there may be that. However she’s a one-off. And lots of people will inform you that her love poem songs weren’t about girls, that she was writing them for a person to offer to a lady as a result of they wish to utterly erase her sexuality, no matter it
was. It’s actually fascinating. However, yeah, principally, the heterosexuality that we assign to all of that’s undoubtedly Christian slash trendy. But in addition it’s simply you need to ignore all the things you recognize about gender and sexuality. In relation to the traditional world, in an interesting approach, I might go on ceaselessly.
So I’ll cease myself now.
Meredith: Now, that’s so fascinating. I wish to be sure I’ve it proper. As you’re speaking, I’m virtually picturing a chemistry set. That sounds bizarre. However it’s like these historic prototypical myths are, this liquid that then by these totally different lenses of the tradition of the time will get distilled in numerous methods.
So it’s if I find yourself, I believe I’ve the order proper, however appropriate me if I’m fallacious. So Bronze Age, most likely extra matriarchal, a few of the Greek goddesses that we all know have been most likely larger gamers and worshiped a bit greater than it’s into the traditional Greeks, the place there’s not essentially a heterosexual lens, however there’s definitely a patriarchal lens utilized to the mores of the tales. After which we sadly lose a ton of the traditional texts. After which there’s these Bards in additional like darkish, round, did you say round 800 BCE?
Liv: So the Bards are literally like actually early historic Greece. Oh, okay. And yeah. So and I’ll make clear too, it’s most likely earlier than the Bronze Age, the place it was matriarchal. However the Bronze Age has a bit bit extra of it leftover. However the Bronze Age is the place we first get, like, all the main stuff that we take into consideration. However there isn’t a, or there’s minimal writing that comes from that point. So there’s loads of totally different intervals in historic Greece. The Bronze Age is like 2000 BCE to 1200-ish. After which there’s this large decline. Lots of people debate loads of various things about what occurred.
So I gained’t attempt to try this. However then there may be like this early Iron Age interval, the place it’s actually transitional. We’re coping with a whole change in writing programs. So the writing that we’ve got from the Bronze Age there are like components that come into the traditional Greek that we all know now, however it’s fairly totally different. After which that’s when we’ve got this emergence of the oral storytelling custom. So we’re speaking like virtually proper after the Bronze Age. After which there’s the Archaic interval, which comes after that, which is like a few of the historic Greece that we consider, just like the Persian Wars. That’s just like the sixth, seventh centuries. After which we transfer into the Classical interval, which is what you actually consider. That’s when all of the philosophers are round. That’s when all of the playwrights are round. That’s when Athens goes to conflict with Sparta. After which from there, it’s just like the hellenistic interval, which comes after Alexander the Nice and all of this, after which the Roman interval. So principally, like all of that’s patriarchal. Beforehand, there are these goddess collectible figurines that we predict recommend a matriarchal society, a minimum of in some areas.
However yeah, the storytelling is definitely like oral storytelling of the touring bards is just like the earliest writing or tales that we’ve got now. Additionally, I noticed, so the early Iron Age is typically known as the Darkish Ages. It’s a brilliant problematic time period although, truly, as a result of Darkish Ages recommend one thing in regards to the individuals when truly what it simply means is a scarcity of sources, which is why we’ve got the Darkish Ages, the time interval I don’t even know, like extra just lately, I’m actually unhealthy with all the things after BC. However it simply refers to a scarcity of sources, however it suggests one thing in regards to the people who finally ends up being dangerous. However in Greece, they name it the Darkish Ages, however it’s truly the early Iron Age interval as a result of it’s not darkish. We’ve writing, we’ve got proof, like all these various things clarify it’s not truly a Darkish Ages. However individuals do typically name it that also. However yeah, that’s just like the early Darkish Ages. It’s just like the Greek Darkish Ages versus a thousand years later, when there’s one other quote unquote Darkish Ages.
Meredith: In order that is smart. Sure. So the oral custom is going on. And that’s taking place earlier than the extra classical period. Is that proper?
Liv: Yeah. Yeah. In order that’s after we received just like the Iliad and the Odyssey and a lot extra that we don’t that has been misplaced or by no means written down within the first place. After which the classical interval is the place we get plenty of writing as a result of it’s when the philosophers are coming in, they’re writing a lot stuff. Plato wrote approach an excessive amount of. He was excessive. After which the playwrights the place we’ve got so lots of their performs surviving and a whole bunch that we all know are lacking. After which there’s additionally like we solely have three surviving tragedians. So writers of tragedy, after we know there have been so many extra, however solely three like work from three of them survive.
After which there are the comedy writers too, of the classical interval. So there’s simply a lot content material from the classical interval. Whereas within the archaic interval, there’s much less and within the early Iron Ages, there’s even much less. So yeah, it’s simply form of the development of that. However one factor that’s actually vital to consider is that all the things we have a tendency to speak about in the case of historic Greece from the philosophers to the playwrights to simply this normal concept of what we consider for the classical interval broadly. And like that form of influences how we see historic Greece usually tends to return from Athens. Athens was a serious participant in that interval. However they weren’t as large earlier.
And so they definitely weren’t just like the be all and finish all of historic Greece is simply that’s the place the writing that not solely the writing that survives to us right now tends to return from, however significantly additionally the writing that individuals have been finding out for the final 1000 years. And over the previous few many years and centuries, I might say, individuals are beginning to have a look at issues from different areas. However up till this level, we’re actually closely influenced by Athens. So all the things comes by this actually sturdy ethnocentric lens that influences what we predict. And so Athens was tremendous patriarchal. Athens, girls in Athens, their lives sucked. However we will’t say that with certainty about the remainder of Greece. Their lives have been totally different in Sparta, like marginally higher, however largely simply totally different. After which elsewhere, there’s like much more sorts of query marks. So loads of what we are likely to say about historic Greece, particularly within the classical interval and archaic too, to an extent, is rather like Athens.
Whereas Athens is a small a part of the bigger Greece, which can also be a very good reminder that historic Greece was not a unified place by any means. They have been at all times combating with one another. We name them historic Greece now, however it was like a bunch of small states that typically would workforce up with each other. However in the end, they have been all like particular person individuals, particular person like states, and doing their very own factor, writing their very own stuff, having their very own dialects of Greek, like all that. It was actually broadly unfold out. And we simply now put all of it underneath one umbrella of historic Greece.
Meredith: So for the sources that aren’t from Athens of that point, have they at all times been round and simply of much less curiosity? Or have been these different areas simply a lot much less prolific that we’ve got to try to surmise issues in regards to the tradition versus Athens?
There’s such a physique of labor we will actually dig in. Like why haven’t we centered extra exterior of Athens but?
Liv: I’m much less sure about that. That’s extra of a query for academia, I believe, and particularly additionally how a lot exists from past Athens. Broadly, as a result of I’m researching Sparta now, I’ve a greater concept of that. And in the case of Sparta, virtually all the things we learn about Sparta was truly written not by Spartans in any respect. Most of it was by Athenians who have been their enemies. So it’s actually attention-grabbing making an attempt to piece aside what occurred in Sparta. We’ve writing from a few poets of Sparta, however simply poets. So we’ve got a little bit of poetry, however it doesn’t actually inform us something in regards to the society. So I might say it’s most likely 90% that the work from Athens is what truly survived, primarily as a result of Athens was a spot the place they have been extra all for writing issues down for survival.
It wasn’t that they have been smarter or extra attention-grabbing, it’s simply that they have been particularly extra all for issues which might be survivable now. They have been the massive place for the tragedies, the performs, and in order that’s what survives from there, that’s the place the philosophers have been. After which simply usually, loads of it’s not coincidence as a result of you’ll be able to see why, however it isn’t as a result of they have been significantly particular. They have been like a powerhouse, however they’re additionally simply all for stuff that occurs to outlive. But in addition the important thing to all of that is to ensure that one thing to outlive from the traditional world, a whole bunch of various individuals and teams should make acutely aware choices for it to outlive, aside from just a few actually uncommon circumstances. As a result of the bodily work from, say the Iliad and the Odyssey, the place it was most likely written down within the seventh century, so like 600 BCE, to ensure that one thing to outlive from that point, it doesn’t simply survive within the kind that existed again then, as a result of for essentially the most half, except it was written all on clay tablets that someway survived, which is unlikely, these items can have fallen aside.
And so it tends to be like individuals should have copied them for posterity. Quite a lot of that is available in in the course of the Byzantine interval the place that they had all these libraries and the Byzantines have been copying loads of stuff. So we’ve got the Byzantine interval and that space to thank for many of what survives right now. And so like quite a bit over time, so many various individuals needed to make these choices to maintain copying these works in order that they survive. So it’s additionally prefer it was as a result of the Athenians wrote down loads of issues. After which it was as a result of these totally different individuals have been within the Athenians writing. After which subsequent, like a whole bunch of years later, these individuals have been . So it’s only a collection of various people who we’ve got no management over having to have determined that they wish to maintain a factor aside from actually uncommon issues, however actually attention-grabbing ones. So we all know that there have been a ton of Tragedians writing these Greek tragedies yearly, that they had this large theater pageant, they usually carried out a bunch of them yearly.
We’ve a bunch, we all know a bunch of names of people that wrote them down, or who created these performs, however we solely have surviving performs from three totally different individuals. East Coast and Sophocles, we’ve got, I believe it’s like between six and 9 performs that survive from every of them that we will learn now. And people gained’t survive. And the identical normal quantity from Euripides survive as a result of they have been taught in Byzantine colleges. So the Byzantine college system used them to show their college students. And so we’ve got all these copies that have been capable of survive as a result of the Byzantines, who have been most likely what they have been virtually a thousand years after, if not like near that, as a result of they have been selecting to review these items, they survived for us right now.
Excluding Euripides the place he had a bunch of performs the place they weren’t taught at school. So that they’re the performs that like quite a bit much less individuals cared about, they have been much less well-liked, individuals most likely thought they have been unhealthy it’s like several filmmaker or artist inventive now, you’re gonna have works that aren’t best, and individuals are not going to recollect them or they’re, and it’s not going to be for good causes. And to your sake, for the opposite playwrights, we don’t know what their work was unhealthy, we don’t know the unhealthy ones as a result of they’re misplaced. By Euripides, we’ve got a bunch that survived as a result of this Byzantine collector had all of Euripides’ performs on these scrolls. And the scrolls every contained I don’t know, a handful, possibly 10 performs in a single scroll. They have been alphabetical. And certainly one of his scrolls survives. So it’s like English letters H by Ok, I believe or one thing. It’s like just a few totally different letters within the alphabet that this one’s this one scroll survives.
And so we now have I believe it’s like possibly 10 of Euripides’ performs which might be meh, they’re those that individuals didn’t love within the historic world. We’re not finding out in colleges. They’re simply the random performs on this letter group. And so they’re known as the alphabet performs now. And principally, as a result of this one factor managed to outlive, not deliberately, it was random, we’ve got all these performs that we wouldn’t in any other case have. And we’ve got this indication that not all the things was excellent. However that mentioned, too, we’ve got these performs that weren’t beloved within the historic world, however are like, so fascinating to review now.
So certainly one of them is Helen, which I’ve lined on the present. And Helen is so attention-grabbing, as a result of it’s this alternate universe of the Trojan Warfare, the place Helen doesn’t go to Troy in any respect, this ghost model of her goes to troy. And as an alternative, she is delivered to Egypt, the place she simply likes dwelling, ready all of it out for all of that point. And we might not have that play in any other case, as a result of no one cared about it within the historic world. However we’ve got it now. And it’s fascinating and peculiar and funky. And it’s simply utterly random, dumb luck that we even have it to learn right now. I’m actually obsessive about the alphabet, if that isn’t apparent.
Meredith: So if you had Emily, of the Fuck Boys of Literature on, and that was the primary time that I actually heard about this. And also you have been speaking about the concept there’s actually solely like a handful of the best hits that have been actually preserved and survived. However there are such a lot of different texts from this time that we simply don’t have entry to.
And it actually blew my thoughts. However you speaking in regards to the different universe Helen of Troy play, it makes me give it some thought. And in 500 years, individuals are like finding out our Netflix cues for all times claims about our tradition. And it’s yeah, these weren’t that good. Nobody was that into them. However we did watch them after dinner typically.
Liv: Yeah, no, there’s simply a lot. And I believe we’ve got this concept that all the things from the traditional world is good and engaging and funky. However it’s that’s as a result of that’s the stuff that sufficient individuals determined was good and engaging and funky that it exists right now. And right now, we don’t take into consideration that as a result of all the things is inherently a lot extra preservable between the web and identical to the standard of books and all these various things, prefer it’s simply so totally different. However again then with the issues that that they had and the writing buildings and the overall custom, which was like, particularly with artwork on this approach, the custom was to not write it down.
The custom was to simply go sing it to your folks. And so it needed to be actually deliberately written down as a result of there was like a objective behind it. However what’s actually fascinating is how we all know all of the issues that we don’t know, as a result of there’s received to be quite a bit that we don’t know existed, however it did, however we’ll by no means know. However there’s quite a bit that we all know existed and it’s misplaced. And that’s simply because different individuals would reference it of their writing and their writing survives.
So anyone can be like, so there’s this poet, there’s these two poets the place they wrote a ton, however not loads of it survives. Pherecrates is one and Simonides is one other. Pherecrates, I believe is the one I’m considering of the place it’s we all know he wrote a lot mythology, however virtually nothing survives in full. Whereas as an alternative, it’s anyone like, say, Pseudo-Apollodorus was like, Pherecrates wrote this entire story about this and this. However we don’t have it, we all know it existed as a result of apollodorus wrote that it existed. So we like know that he learn it, however we will’t learn it. And I believe truly it’d even be Pherecrates, anyone wrote a model of this story the place Helen doesn’t go to Troy, this ghost of her goes. We all know that it wasn’t invented by Euripides. He received the concept from an earlier poet, however not a lot of that poet’s work survives. We simply comprehend it existed in any respect.
Meredith: Oh my God. Have you ever seen the play Arcadia by Tom Stoppard? It’s my all time favourite performs and possibly certainly one of my all time favourite works of literature. And there’s a, one of many predominant characters in it’s she’s within the 1800s. And he or she’s obsessed and so saddened to the, to distraction by all of those historic texts that have been misplaced and fires and it’s, and truly in some methods the play is about like humanity coming to grips with the truth that we are going to lose and overlook issues on a regular basis and we’ve got to love reinvent it continually.
And this dialog is making me take into consideration that quite a bit.
Liv: Yeah. I take into consideration these items all the time. Like I’ve a working record of all of the Euripides performs that I do know existed, however I can’t learn and I’m mad about it on a regular basis. However there’s additionally so many large query marks about like variations of tales or one factor that’s come up for me just lately is there’s this actually well-known delusion of Cupid and Psyche and everybody thinks of Cupid and Psyche or definitely everybody in my circles. It’s a very main story, however the one model we’ve got that tells that story is written by a Roman novelist named Apuleus.
And I believe it’s fairly clear that he made most of it up, however we will’t ensure. There’s no proof that the story of their entire relationship existed in any related approach within the Greek world. And so we’ve got to imagine that he made it up. But in addition he might have learn one other factor and developed his story primarily based off of that’s misplaced and we’ll by no means know. Or the little bit of the Trojan Warfare the place the Computer virus exists and the place Achilles, will get the arrow by his heel and we get all that, all of that stuff that’s like essentially the most well-known components of the Trojan Warfare. None of that truly exists in an historic Greek supply that survives. It exists in a Roman supply. And we all know that he was basing his work off of Greek sources that survived for him, however don’t survive for us now. So we all know the Computer virus and Achilles’ heel existed in Greek mythology and in Greek historical past, however we don’t even have that bodily work.
Meredith: I don’t need this to be a very gimmicky query. However I might hate getting a query like this for the file. However when you solely protect one Greek delusion for the subsequent millennia have you learnt which one it could be?
Liv: Oh, I do know I’ve a solution. I don’t suppose it’s like an amazing reply primarily based on a ton of various components that most likely must be put into such an vital query. However I might simply say the Odyssey as a result of it’s nice. And I like the Odyssey. Yeah. In order that’s my favourite straightforward go-to. No, Greek delusion, use a Greek delusion. So I’m going to say the Odyssey. Yeah. As a result of in any other case, I might have mentioned Euripides play, however performs are totally different. They don’t depend. It’s high-quality.
Meredith: And with out the Odyssey, you’ll by no means have had your VHS mini collection.
Liv: Precisely. Yeah, I might have by no means grow to be this. It’s nonetheless my favourite Greek epic. Odysseus is my problematic love. He does loads of unhealthy issues and I like him ceaselessly. Yeah, it’s all of the Odyssey for me. I do know we don’t have an excessive amount of time left. And I’ve, I’m sorry, I rant quite a bit.
Meredith: I cherished it. And I presume. So I wish to speak a bit bit about Medusa with you. And I do know that it’s one thing that you just talked a few bit. You’ve talked with different friends and had actually attention-grabbing questions and conversations round. And I additionally know I’m not on Twitter, however I do know you’ve talked about on the podcast that that is one which for you appears to gentle up your Twitter everytime you’re tweeting about Medusa.
And I, I don’t know, I’ve at all times been actually drawn to it for some motive. And I shouldn’t say it for some motive. I believe there’s loads of advanced issues about girls’s energy in that delusion. And it actually hits on some archetypal nerves in loads of methods. So possibly you may give us a one minute abstract of Medusa. And like, why do you suppose it hits such a nerve with of us right now?
Liv: Okay, I’m going to do it actually, it’s going to be fast. And thus I’ll converse loads of phrases very quick. So Medusa, oh gosh, there’s a lot. So the earliest type of Medusa is that this man named Hesiod. And he says that she was a Gorgon. He doesn’t describe what a Gorgon was. He says that she’s a Gorgon who was born to Forkis and Keto, who’re like sea monster goddesses or gods and goddesses.
After which he says that she suffered a woeful destiny. She was basically assaulted by Poseidon and like ultimately Perseus lower her head off. And in order that’s just like the earliest type of her story, like basically all of it. After which like a bunch of various issues change, there’s just a few totally different variations of it. However the large one which will get picked up is Ovid, who’s a Roman creator, he’s writing most likely a minimum of seven or 800 years after Hesiod wrote that earlier bit.
And Ovid has this entire story the place truly she’s this stunning lady and he or she’s a priestess of Athena and Poseidon once more assaults her however in Athena’s temple after which she will get punished by Athena for that her hair turns to snakes and he or she turns individuals to stone. After which once more, Perseus comes and kills her. And so these are just like the fundamentals of it. However what individuals I believe take maintain due to popular culture and so many various issues is this concept that she’s this terrifying monster who’s out to harm individuals and deserves loss of life by Perseus. However none of that truly exists within the Greek delusion. That was most likely a minute.
Meredith: No, that’s so just like the bizarre story in that within the telling of it, she’s punished for being assaulted basically.
Liv: In Ovid. Yeah.
Meredith: Okay. However then prefer it’s there’s this cultural understanding of her as this monster who loves turning individuals to stone.
Liv: Yeah, none of that exists in Greek delusion and actuality in historic Greek sources. So earlier than Ovid and never Ovid, she is just not ever proven as hurting anyone. We don’t know that she turned anyone to stone. We simply know that she might.
Yeah, like we don’t have proof that she ever did it. We simply know that like bodily she might and we actually solely know that as a result of her head afterwards turns issues to stone. However till her head is bodily caught from her physique, she doesn’t truly hurt anyone. And Perseus is just not despatched to kill her as a result of she’s harmful.
That’s a very frequent false impression. Like he’s not despatched there as a result of she’s inflicting hassle or like she’s harming individuals. He’s despatched there as a result of this king of Seriphos needs him lifeless in order that he can marry Perseus’s mother. And the way in which that he thinks he can kill off Perseus with out angering the mom is to simply be like, hey, go get me her head, show that you just’re a hero, go carry me Medusa’s head. So it’s purely that he wants the top. It’s not like stopping any hurt or saving anyone. Prefer it’s simply completely randomly picked as a result of he, like this king, thinks that it’s going to kill Perseus to get her head.
However yeah, so like this entire concept develops that she’s like individuals on Twitter have advised me by individuals, I imply males, have advised me that like the rationale she needed to be killed is as a result of she was terrorizing the lands and like her loss of life alleviated a stress on the earth. And it’s all in your head, dude. And I can see your misogyny exhibiting like what are you speaking about? Nothing about that exists in Greek delusion. The worst we’ve got is in Ovid the place she is surrounded by statues and the implication is that she turned individuals to stone. However once more, that’s solely an Ovid and he’s already made her a sufferer of assault. Like he already makes her a sympathetic character. So it doesn’t even add something to the argument that she hurts individuals.
Meredith: All proper, possibly this can be a good option to wrap it up is that I like the Greek myths. I’m a really linear thinker. And one factor that I discover advanced about them is I’m like, the place do I begin? Like, how do I, proper now, it usually appears to me like, it’s like making an attempt to know an eight season TV present by beginning in season 4. So if somebody was like, I actually desire a foundational understanding of the who’s who and the fundamental narrative right here, the place would you set them?
Liv: Oh so the primary factor I inform individuals if you’re coming to Greek delusion is you’ll be able to’t have that viewpoint. If you wish to truly perceive it from the traditional world, if you wish to perceive it by a totally trendy perspective, however lose all the historic nuance, then you’ll be able to decide up any e book of Greek myths. I might suggest one written by a lady as a result of we have a tendency to have the ability to push apart loads of the misogyny. Edith Hamilton is fairly good. It’s very previous. So it does have extra of that.
I wrote one, however it’s very floor stage. So there’s books. However the factor about Greek delusion is that again to the oral storytelling I discussed, that’s the approach that they meant the tales to be understood. And it was by no means about linearity. It was by no means about narrative construction. It was by no means about principally you need to overlook all the things you suppose you recognize about what a narrative or a story must be. As a result of that was not the intention of any of those. Like they have been advised to identical to share tales round a hearth or to elucidate one thing within the pure world or to elucidate the significance of sure areas and cities.
Like each space of historic Greece has some story related them to Heracles as a result of he was just like the hero for all Greece. And they also would all make up their very own tales of how he was related to their tradition. And sometimes it’s 5 phrases. And that’s like a complete story. As a result of it didn’t, it wasn’t about what we consider as tales. It was in regards to the general like objective of what was being shared. So I believe one of the simplest ways to know it when it comes to the traditional world is to disregard all the things you suppose you wish to learn about tales and to simply decide up something truthfully. However I perceive that that’s troublesome.
So there are like, gods, I don’t know, there’s simply there’s an excessive amount of to know to place it into one straightforward factor. I believe my present is an effective reference level as a result of you’ll be able to virtually begin on any episode, so long as it’s not one that claims like half two of three in, within the title. And I’m going to offer you sufficient background and stuff. However I believe that the important thing and what I believe makes the way in which I’m coming at these myths, significantly related for the myths themselves, is the way in which that they initially have been meant to be advised, which is that it wasn’t about this construction, it wasn’t about understanding all of it. You can’t have in your head a timeline as a result of timelines didn’t exist.
As a result of these tales have been advised over 800 years. Rather a lot adjustments over 800 years. So it’s simply not about, it’s not about dotting the I’s and crossing the T’s as a result of that they didn’t care. It was like 800 years of tradition melded into these tales. And so the way in which I do it’s story primarily based. So you’ll be able to simply click on a narrative you wish to hear. But in addition, I give sufficient background and historical past and all these totally different variations and why and all the things. So I believe, yeah, I’ve loads of episodes to hearken to it’s daunting. However I believe that’s a great way to know the way it labored and why as a result of it’s a lot extra attention-grabbing when you perceive the why.
Meredith: All proper. That’s fascinating. Is there a selected episode of yours that you just play when you simply wish to dip your toes and begin right here?
Liv: Let’s say the Theogony, not my first episode, which can also be in regards to the Theogony, however I did one final yr or the yr earlier than the place I went again and I did a way more detailed have a look at the Theogony. And I ought to clarify what the Theogony means. It actually simply means just like the beginning of the gods.
So basically, it’s just like the origin story of all the gods. So it introduces a bunch of individuals and the place they arrive from and why and yeah, I don’t know. There’s simply, there’s a lot. There’s an excessive amount of.
Meredith: No, we will discover that Theogony and put it within the present notes for certain. And I might additionally say I like your e book. So I’ve your e book. It’s known as Greek mythology, the gods goddesses and heroes handbook. Illustrations are beautiful.
I discovered it a useful reference level. I’m undoubtedly like at instances like, wait, who is that this individual? And so I, for what it’s value, I’d actually suggest that to you. It’s actually been useful and simply so enjoyable to web page by for me.
Liv: Thanks. I believe it’s most likely, I consider it as being so floor stage and no matter. Additionally, I used to be commissioned to put in writing it. However that’s why I discuss it like that. And I adore it to be clear. However yeah, I do suppose it most likely is a very good start line as a result of additionally the entire commissioning side of it from the writer was that they needed a e book that additionally connects in like the place you may know sure characters from popular culture, which is an effective option to get a grip on what you’re studying and what names you may keep in mind or acknowledge and issues like that. So all of that’s within the e book.
And it does cowl loads of kind of the introductory stage myths and just like the gods and, why you ought to be and what their form of main tales have been. So yeah, possibly my e book is an ideal introduction.
Meredith: All proper thanks a lot, Liv. We’ll hyperlink within the present notes all the things you gave us a trillion nice references. We’ll attempt to get in there. And I really feel like I might have picked your mind about these things for hours. You’re such a font of knowledge. Thanks for a way beneficiant you might be together with your information and your expertise.
Liv: Thanks a lot. Thanks a lot. I hope I talked sufficient about content material moderately than Greek myths, however I might most likely discuss Greek myths ceaselessly.
Meredith: Thanks.
Liv: Thanks.
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Meredith: Okay, everybody, we hope that you just loved our dialog with Liv as a lot as we did.
Ian: Subsequent week, we’ll be speaking with one other podcaster and YouTuber Caroline Winkler.
Meredith: Caroline has a very inventive, great YouTube channel with greater than 400,000 subscribers. We talked to her about what it’s wish to have a profitable profession on YouTube and her new podcast, Not For Everybody.
To help this present, you’ll be able to charge, overview and subscribe. These issues make an enormous distinction. And when you’d like right now’s dialog, you’d most likely just like the content material individuals e-newsletter, subscribe on the hyperlink within the present notes.
Ian: And that’s it of us. Thanks a lot for listening.
