Ascend - The Great Books Podcast

Harrison Garlick and Adam Minihan
  • 4.9 (117)
  • Books
  • Updated Weekly

Welcome to Ascend! We are a weekly Great Books podcast hosted by Deacon Harrison Garlick and Adam Minihan. What are the Great Books? The Great Books are the most impactful texts that have shaped Western civilization. They include ancients like Homer, Plato, St. Augustine, Dante, and St. Thomas Aquinas, and also moderns like Machiavelli, Locke, and Nietzsche. We will explore the Great Books with the light of the Catholic intellectual tradition. Why should we read the Great Books? Everyone is a disciple of someone. A person may have never read Locke or Nietzsche, but he or she thinks like them. Reading the Great Books allows us to reclaim our intellect and understand the origin of the ideas that shape our world. We enter a "great conversation" amongst the most learned, intelligent humans in history and benefit from their insights. Is this for first-time readers? YES. Our goal is to host meaningful conversations on the Great Books by working through the texts in chronological order in a slow, attentive manner. Our host Adam Minihan is a first-time reader of Homer. We will start shallow and go deep. All are invited to join. Will any resources be available? YES. We are providing a free 115 Question & Answer Guide to the Iliad written by Deacon Harrison Garlick in addition to our weekly conversations. It will be available on the website (launching next week). Go pick up a copy of the Iliad! We look forward to reading Homer with you in 2024.

  1. 1d ago

    Plato's Hipparchus with Dr. Frank Grabowski

    Today on Ascend: The Great Books Podcast, Dcn. Garlick and Dr. Grabowski discuss a short, strange, and somewhat forgotten Platonic dialogue - The Hipparchus. Check out our 15 Q&A Written Guide to the Hipparchus - great for small groups, homeschooling, autodidacts, and more! What begins as a simple question—“What is the love of gain?”—quickly becomes a sharp and unsettling examination of the democratic soul. With no dramatic setting and a nameless interlocutor, the dialogue feels almost like overhearing Socrates in the marketplace, pressing an ordinary Athenian citizen on whether the desire for more is always shameful, or whether the soul might rightly love higher forms of gain: nobility, honor, and even wisdom itself. What makes the conversation especially rewarding is how Socrates deliberately chooses a shocking example—the tyrant Hipparchus—and reimagines him as a lover of wisdom who sought to educate the city. In doing so, the dialogue quietly draws a parallel between the supposed tyrant and Socrates himself, both of whom attract the youth, challenge conventional order, and are ultimately rejected by a democratic culture that cannot tolerate excellence. Along the way, listeners encounter an early sketch of the tripartite soul, a critique of the leveling effects of egalitarianism, and an aporetic ending that leaves the interlocutor “compelled rather than persuaded.” Brief, strange, and surprisingly profound, this episode is an excellent preparation for the Republic and a compelling invitation to reconsider what the soul truly seeks. Chapters 00:00 Introduction to Plato's Hipparchus and its significance 01:54 Main themes: Love of gain, democracy, and wisdom 04:03 The character of Socrates and the setting of the dialogue 06:03 Hipparchus as a figure in political myth and history 07:58 Translation choices and interpretive approaches 10:00 The dialogue's structure and lack of dramatic setting 11:56 The definition of love of gain and greed 13:54 Socrates' critique of the love of worthless things 16:06 Hipparchus as a symbol of love of wisdom and fame 18:04 The political implications of Hipparchus' love of wisdom 20:00 The role of the democratic man and the love of gain 21:49 Socrates' pedagogical method and the nature of knowledge 23:52 The significance of the tyrant example and Hipparchus' myth 26:04 The character of the interlocutor and the setting of the dialogue 28:03 The introduction of Hipparchus and its layers of meaning 30:10 The political myth of Hipparchus and its revisionist history 32:00 Hipparchus' love of wisdom and the Herms 34:08 The allegory of knowledge and the tripartite soul 35:53 The love of gain as a love of wisdom and truth 38:08 The democratic man, shame, and the pursuit of philosophy 40:00 The role of philosophers in democratic society 42:01 The character of Socrates as a gadfly and teacher 43:48 The process of being compelled towards truth 45:54 Bloom's interpretation: Socrates as a political and epistemological figure 48:00 The significance of the short dialogues for understanding Socrates 50:12 The importance of humility and piety in reading Plato 51:57 Next week's discussion: Rival Lovers and the nature of wisdom Key words: Plato Hipparchus, love of gain, philokerdia, Socratic dialogue, political philosophy, Alan Bloom, Thomas Pangle, Roots of Political Philosophy, democratic man, egalitarianism, leveling effect, tripartite soul, thumos, nous, appetitive soul, tyrant Hipparchus, Herms, Socrates as gadfly, aporetic dialogue, compulsion versus persuasion, preparation for Plato’s Republic, philosopher-king, Great Books podcast, Ascend the Great Books Podcast, Deacon Harrison Garlick, Frank Grabowski, classical education, ancient philosophy, Plato short dialogues, forgotten Platonic dialogues.

  2. Jul 29

    Rediscovering Holy Eros

    Today on Ascend: The Great Books Podcast, Deacon Garlick invites you into a rich, methodical exploration of eros: the primal desire to satiate in beauty and be happy. What if the restlessness in your soul—the endless craving for more beauty, more fulfillment, more rest—is not a curse but a divine gift? Reclaiming Holy Eros https://www.theascent.io/p/reclaiming-holy-eros Women as Icons of God, Beauty-itself https://www.theascent.io/p/the-beauty-of-woman-as-an-icon-of Porn as a Poor Expression of Eros https://www.theascent.io/p/the-poor-erotics-of-porn Far from the pornographic or puritan distortions that dominate modern thinking, this ancient concept runs like a golden thread through Homer, Hesiod, Plato’s Symposium, the Old and New Testaments, the Church Fathers, Dante, and even Pope Benedict XVI’s Deus Caritas Est. Deacon shows how eros is the very question of the human condition—an upward call that moves the soul from lesser beauties to greater ones until it finds rest in Beauty itself. Drawing on his own spiritual labors, the host walks listeners through Plato’s ladder of love, the marital imagery of God’s covenant with Israel, the Song of Songs, Christ’s union with the Church, and the harmony between erotic ascent and the self-giving love of agape. Along the way he recovers a lost grammar of desire that is both natural and supernaturally elevated by grace—one that produces virtue, fecundity, and genuine theosis. The result is not abstract theory but a living path: a latticework upon which your own understanding of restlessness, happiness, and the call to become more Christlike can grow. Whether you have wrestled with the restlessness of the heart, wondered how pagan wisdom and Christian revelation speak to one another, or simply want a deeper vision of love that orders the soul toward God, this conversation offers something rare: a beautiful, coherent tradition that answers the deepest questions of what it means to be human. Listen, and begin the ascent. Chapters 00:00 Introduction to Eros and its significance in Christian spirituality 01:54 Eros in Homer, Hesiod, and the primordial cosmos 07:12 Plato's Symposium and the ladder of love 15:07 Eros in the Old Testament: Marriage and divine love 20:00 Eros in the New Testament: Christ and the Church 30:06 Eros and the ascent to divine beauty 40:11 Eros, virtue, and happiness in Christian thought 50:02 Eros and grace: the divine ascent and participation in God 01:00:10 The harmony of eros and agape in Christian life 01:10:08 Practical implications: loving God and neighbor through eros 01:20:01 Conclusion: recovering holy eros as the heart of human and divine love Keywords Holy Eros, Christian eros, Plato Symposium ladder of love, divine beauty, eros and agape, Deus Caritas Est Pope Benedict XVI, Song of Songs, marital imagery God and Israel, Christ bridegroom Church bride, Ephesians 5, St Augustine restless heart, Gregory of Nyssa, bridal mysticism, Bernard of Clairvaux, John of the Cross, Diotima, ascent to God, theosis, pagan and Christian erotics, Homer Hesiod Aristotle eros, natural and supernatural love, virtue and beauty, Ascend Great Books Podcast, Deacon Harrison Garlick, reclaiming holy eros, spiritual ascent, rest in God.

  3. Jul 27

    A Cantankerous Review of the Odyssey Movie

    Today on Ascend: The Great Books Podcast, Deacon Harrison Garlick delivers an unapologetically curmudgeonly critique of Christopher Nolan’s new film The Odyssey. Check out our LIBRARY on the great books. https://www.patreon.com/cw/greatbooks/collections 23 Raw Thoughts on the New Odyssey Movie https://www.patreon.com/greatbooks/posts/23-quick-on-164190324 SEE OUR SCHEDULE BELOW! Fresh off a twelve-week deep dive into Homer’s epic with thousands of listeners, Deacon argues that the movie is no mere adaptation but a modern ideological rewriting that flattens Homer’s rich characters, mutes the divine, and replaces sacred myth with progressive lessons about shame, war, race, and power. From Odysseus reduced to a guilt-racked figure who “defies the gods,” to the deliberate recasting and reframing of Helen, Menelaus, Circe, Athena, and even guest-friendship itself, Deacon contends that Nolan’s version marries cultural illiteracy with calculated compromise—and that both the film and the culture’s eager defense of it reveal far more about us than about Homer. Yet this is more than a film review. Deacon uses the movie as a lens to examine how stories shape a civilization’s soul, why myths matter more than mere fiction, and why Christians and lovers of the Western tradition must resist the slow leftward drift of endless compromise. SCHEDULE July 28, 2026 - Holy Eros: An exploration of eros in Plato, the Bible, and Christian thought August 4, 2026 - Plato's Hipparchus August 11, 2026 - Plato's Lovers August 18, 2026 - Plato's Hippias Minor August 25, 2026 - Plato's Ion September 1, 2026 - Enduring Chill by Flannery O’Connor September 8, 2026 - Red Shadows by Robert E. Howard September 15, 2026 - Chivalry by Neil Gaiman CHAPTERS (Updated) 00:00 — Intro: why this review matters 01:00 — Piety toward Homer and the problem with the film 03:05 — Why the movie is not a “conservative Trojan horse” 05:05 — The danger of relativism and compromise 07:10 — Myth vs. fiction: why adaptation matters 10:10 — Odysseus as a shame-filled hero 12:50 — Menelaus, Helen, and the film’s cultural messaging 15:30 — How Nolan flattens characters and tension 18:05 — Penelope and the loss of the rooted-bed scene 21:10 — Casting, modern language, and suspension of disbelief 23:55 — Calypso and the removal of Odysseus’s moral triumph 26:25 — Athena as shame and post-traumatic projection 29:55 — Nolan’s treatment of the Trojan War 32:55 — The Lystragonians and armor/costume criticism 35:05 — The cult of Nolan vs. the cult of Homer 37:00 — Gods, superstition, and the muted divine 39:15 — The slaughter of the suitors 41:10 — Guest-friendship, Xenia, and Christian themes 43:00 — Circe, the deer, and the soul of the crew 44:55 — Pacing, emotional investment, and the bard KEYWORDS Christopher Nolan Odyssey movie review, Homer Odyssey film adaptation critique, Ascend the Great Books Podcast, Deacon Harrison Garlick, cultural illiteracy in modern cinema, myth versus fiction in storytelling, Odysseus shame and guilt, Nolan casting controversies Helen Menelaus, Circe Athena Penelope Telemachus character changes, xenia guest friendship Golden Rule, Trojan War regret in film, Defy the Gods tagline analysis, classical education and Great Books, piety toward Homer, liberalism compromise in culture, upcoming Plato Republic study, Holy Eros episode, short Platonic dialogues Hipparchus Lovers Hippias Minor Ion, Short Story September Flannery O’Connor Robert E. Howard Neil Gaiman Melville, and Western civilization sacred myths.

  4. Jul 21

    NEW BOOK: The American Odyssey with Dr. Patrick Deneen

    Today on Ascend: The Great Books Podcast, Dcn. Garlick hosts Dr. Patrick Deneen to discuss his NEW BOOK: The American Odyssey: What an Ancient Story Reveals About Our Divided Souls. Pick up the AMERICAN ODYSSEY out today! https://a.co/d/01rpYuwt 23 Observations on the new Christopher Nolan Odyssey Movie https://www.patreon.com/greatbooks/posts/23-quick-on-164190324 In this special episode of Ascend: The Great Books Podcast, Dcn. Garlick welcomes back renowned Notre Dame political thinker Dr. Patrick Deneen—author of Why Liberalism Failed and Regime Change—to celebrate the release of his brand-new book, The American Odyssey: What an Ancient Story Reveals About Our Divided Souls. Fresh off a 12-week deep dive into Homer’s epic, the conversation reveals why Odysseus is the ultimate “proto-American” hero: a restless seeker torn between the hunger for home and the irresistible call of the frontier. Deneen traces this tension from the ancient text through Dante’s damning portrayal of Odysseus as a villain of forbidden knowledge, to the Renaissance reinvention of him as the triumphant explorer who metaphorically discovers America itself. What makes this episode unmissable is how Deneen unlocks Aristotle’s radical claim that humans are political animals precisely because we are neither beasts nor gods, the “citylessness” that turns Ithaca into a Cyclopean free-for-all, and the startling parallels between Odysseus’ refusal of immortality and Huck Finn’s decision to “go to hell.” Pairing iconic American stories like The Wizard of Oz, Field of Dreams, and Huckleberry Finn with Homer’s timeless episodes, Deneen shows that the Western tradition isn’t locked in dusty classics—it’s alive in our movies, novels, and national character, especially as America marks its 250th anniversary. Dive in and discover how an ancient tale of departure and return still maps the divided soul of a nation that can’t stop exploring… or longing for home. Chapters: 00:00 Introduction to Dr. Patrick Deneen and the Book 01:54 Deneen's Return to Homer and the Odyssey 03:59 Odysseus as a Proto-American Figure 06:59 The Tension Between Flourishing and Discontent 12:07 Odysseus and the Pioneering Spirit of America 19:02 The Shift in Odysseus' Image from Medieval to Renaissance 27:01 Odysseus as a Figure of Forbidden Knowledge 34:08 The Connection Between Odysseus and Columbus 40:02 The Polis and Citylessness in Homer and Aristotle 48:07 The Return of the Polis and the Homecoming 56:06 Huckleberry Finn as an Odyssean American Hero 59:45 The Western Tradition in Popular Culture Key words: Ascend Great Books Podcast, Deacon Harrison Garlick, Dr Patrick Deneen, The American Odyssey book, Homer Odyssey, Odysseus proto-American hero, Why Liberalism Failed, Regime Change, Western tradition, Aristotle Politics, man political animal, apolis citylessness, Dante Inferno Odysseus villain, Renaissance explorers, Columbus Amerigo Vespucci, American character, pioneering spirit, frontier homecoming, Calypso immortality, Huckleberry Finn, Field of Dreams, Wizard of Oz, 250th anniversary Declaration of Independence, Notre Dame political science, Homeric studies, great books podcast, Platonic dialogues, American soul, divided souls, political theory, classical literature, Americana, Odyssey episodes.

  5. Jul 14

    The Odyssey Books 23-24 with Dr. Justin Jackson and Dr. Benedict Whalen

    Today, we end our 12-week study of the Odyssey with a discussion on Books 23-24 with Dr. Justin Jackson and Dr. Benedict Whalen of Hillsdale College alongside host, Dcn. Harrison Garlick. There is yelling, laughter, cursing, and general chaos--but more of Homer's truth is unearthed in the process. Check out our ONLINE LIBRARY for resources on the great books. Check out Dr. Justin Jackson's Substack working through the Bible. Check out Dr. Justin Whalen at Hillsdale College. The long-awaited homecoming unfolds with Odysseus and Penelope's emotional reunion, the famous test of the immovable olive-tree bed, and the climactic confrontation with the suitors' vengeful families. The conversation crackles with insight as the guests unpack Penelope's cunning, Odysseus' complex character, parallels to Achilles and Heracles, and the poem's meditation on fidelity, mortality, justice, and the costs of homecoming. Dr. Jackson brings contrarian fire—challenging heroic ideals, celebrating the domestic, and wrestling openly with whether Odysseus' reckoning is justice or raw revenge—while Dr. Whalen offers sharp textual observations on themes of rootedness, temptation, and the poem's unresolved tensions. Expect yelling, laughter, heartfelt disagreement, and the kind of raw intellectual energy that makes great books come alive. Whether you’ve followed the whole series or are just dipping in, this capstone will leave you rethinking everything you thought you knew about the Odyssey. Stick around after the discussion for a look ahead at Plato’s Republic and more. If you love the Great Books, this is unmissable. Chapters 00:00 - Introduction: Finishing the Odyssey Journey 04:46 - Host Welcome & Episode Setup 06:27 - Guest Introductions: Dr. Justin Jackson & Dr. Benedict Whalen 07:04 - Dr. Jackson’s New Book on Reading Literature 16:28 - Diving into Book 23: Penelope Learns Odysseus Has Returned 21:07 - Penelope’s Skepticism & the Secret Signs 25:05 - The Great Rooted Bed Test & Recognition Scene 36:36 - Odysseus & Penelope Reunion, Emotional Moments 47:05 - The Final Labor & Comparison to Heracles 59:11 - Temptations: Calypso, Nausicaa & Penelope 1:11:32 - Transition to Book 24: Laertes & the Avenging Families 1:15:26 - Achilles & Agamemnon in the Underworld 1:35:02 - Reunion with Laertes & Proof Scenes 1:49:10 - Dolius, the Final Battle & Deus Ex Machina Ending 2:11:04 - Reflections on Justice, Revenge & the Poem’s Message 2:16:50 - Closing Thoughts & Upcoming Episodes Keywords Odyssey Books 23 and 24, Homer's Odyssey finale, Odysseus Penelope reunion, rooted bed test, immovable olive tree bed, suitors slaughter, Ithaca homecoming, Penelope cunning, Odysseus homecoming, Great Books podcast, Ascend podcast, Hillsdale College professors, Dr. Justin Jackson, Dr. Benedict Whalen, Homer teacher philosopher, Telemachus maturation, Achilles Agamemnon underworld, Laertes reunion, Poseidon penitential journey, justice vs revenge Odyssey, classical literature podcast, Western canon Odyssey analysis, father son reunion Odyssey, Penelope faithfulness, heroic fate comparison, Plato Republic preview.

  6. Jul 7

    The Odyssey Book 22 with Dr. Alex Priou

    Today on Ascend: The Great Books Podcast, Dcn. Harrison Garlick welcomes Dr. Alex Priou to discuss Book 22 of the Odyssey, the Slaughter of the Suitors. Check out our LIBRARY of written guides to the Great Books. Check out Dr. Priou's new Substack: The Close Read. What happens in Book 22? Odysseus stands at the threshold of his home, cries out to Apollo, and lets loose an arrow straight through the neck of Antinous (22.15). Chaos erupts in the hall as bread and meats are soaked in a swirl of bloody filth (22.21). Eurymachus attempts to broker a truce with Odysseus, but it is rejected (22.57); he then calls the suitors to arms and is slaughtered (22.73). Telemachus brings armor and weapons to his father, the swineherd, and the cowherd (22.121), but the goatherd sneaks weapons to the suitors (22.151). On his second run, the cowherd and swineherd intercept the goatherd, tie him up, and hang him from the rafters (22.196). Athena first arrives in the guise of Mentor (22.217) and then perches like a sparrow on the rafters, assisting Odysseus with her man-destroying shield of thunder (22.250). The suitors fall into panicked madness as Odysseus and his men wheel into the slaughter, slashing left and right, with grisly screams breaking from cracked skulls and the floor awash with blood (22.311). Odysseus spares the bard and the herald but shows no mercy to the prophet (22.327). The slaughter complete, Eurycleia summons the disloyal female servants, who help carry out the corpses and clean the gore (22.458–471). Telemachus oversees the disloyal women being slowly hanged in the courtyard—a pitiful, ghastly death (22.487)—while the goatherd is retrieved and mutilated to death by the swineherd and cowherd (22.500). Odysseus purifies his home with fire and brimstone (22.518), and the book ends with the loyal maidservants surrounding their king as he breaks down and weeps (22.528). Chapters: 00:00 Introduction to the Great Books Podcast 04:40 Exploring the Odyssey: Book 22 Overview 06:58 The Role of the Gods in the Odyssey 09:55 Justice and Revenge in the Slaughter of the Suitors 12:54 Imagery of Food and Gore in Homer 14:49 The Cyclops Narrative and Guest Friendship 18:51 Antinous: The First Death and Its Implications 22:36 The Role of Recognition in Justice 25:05 Eurimachus and the Plea for Mercy 29:18 Piety and the Restoration of Order 32:53 The Political Landscape of Ithaca 33:48 Purging and the New Order in Ithaca 34:18 The Balance of Power and Leadership Lessons 35:24 Pedagogical Journeys: Odysseus and His Men 37:39 Divine Endorsement and the Purging of the Unworthy 39:35 Odysseus's Transformation: From Arrogance to Understanding 41:36 The Role of Recognition in Identity 43:08 The Consequences of Identity and Wisdom 46:29 The Tragedy of Odysseus and Penelope 48:42 Telemachus's Growth and Inexperience 53:12 Divine Justice and the Nature of the Fight 58:11 The Role of Prophecy and Piety in Justice 01:05:23 The Nature of Piety and Accountability 01:06:59 Eros and the Path to Ascent 01:09:52 Self-Reflection and the Nature of Desire 01:13:10 Justice and the Fate of the Maidservants 01:23:36 The Consequences of Disloyalty 01:30:37 Recognition and Political Rule Discussion: Dr. Priou and Dcn. Garlick examine the justice of the slaughter, noting that while Antinous dies without recognizing Odysseus, the goatherd Melanthius suffers one of the most gruesome tortures in Homer—strung up and mutilated in language echoing the barbaric king Echetus. They discuss the hanging of the disloyal maidservants, Telemachus’s role in their execution, and why such violence may be necessary to purge disloyalty and restore order. Key themes include the restoration of piety, the shift from a decayed oligarchic rule by the suitors to a new natural aristocracy involving loyal servants, Odysseus’ pedagogical journey, and the tension between recognition, glory, and the establishment of a stable political regime supported by fear of the gods. Overall, the episode portrays Homer as a profound teacher on the ugly necessities of justice and political founding. The speakers reflect on how the book repudiates certain Iliadic values like vaunting over the slain, emphasizes cleansing and purification, and sets the stage for the final books. Dr. Priou highlights Odysseus’s cunning, the limits of rhetoric, and the need to curtail eros for civilized life, while both Dr. Priou and Dcn. Garlick encourage listeners to confront uncomfortable questions about revenge, mercy, and the role of divine and human violence in re-founding a polity. Next week our 12-week study of the Odyssey ends with Books 23-24!

  7. Jun 30

    The Odyssey Books 20-21 with Thomas Lackey and Dr. Grabowski

    Today on Ascend: The Great Books Podcast, we are discussing Books 20 & 21 with Mr. Thomas Lackey and Dr. Frank Grabowski. NEW ARTICLE: Why Should Christians Read Homer? Check out our COLLECTION OF WRITTEN GUIDES. In this episode of Ascend: The Great Books Podcast, Deacon Harrison Garlick and guests Dr. Frank Grabowski and Thomas Lackey dive into Books 20 and 21 of Homer’s Odyssey, where the stage is set for the long-awaited slaughter of the suitors. The portents multiply: Theoclymenus’s terrifying vision of the palace drenched in blood and gore, Athena’s divine orchestration, and Penelope’s masterful test with Odysseus’s legendary bow. Amid feasts for Apollo, disloyal servants, and growing frenzy, Odysseus the beggar masters his patience while Telemachus comes fully into his own—echoing the father-son reunion and the maturation arc that began in Book 2. The conversation has rich insights on Homeric anthropology, the thumos (spirited), xenia’s sacred bonds, ritual symbolism, and the limits of repentance under divine justice. Listeners will relish the similes, prophecies ignored at peril, subtle Christological resonances, and the masterful dramatic pause Homer builds before the violence erupts in Book 22. Whether you’re tracking Odysseus’s cunning, Telemachus’s growth, or the poem’s deeper moral and theological layers, this episode delivers fresh appreciation for why the Odyssey endures. Don’t miss it—especially with Dr. Patrick Deneen joining soon to connect the epic to our own age. Subscribe, grab the written guide, and join the journey on Patreon, YouTube, or thegreatbookspodcast.com. Keywords: Odyssey Book 20 summary, Odyssey Book 21 analysis, Homer Odyssey Books 20 and 21, Penelope bow test, Odysseus bow contest, Theoclymenus prophecy vision, slaughter of the suitors setup, Odysseus beggar disguise, Telemachus maturation, xenia guest friendship Odyssey, divine justice in Homer, Homeric thumos anthropology, Apollo feast day Odyssey, Greek classics podcast, Great Books discussion Odyssey, Odysseus revenge portents, Penelope cunning test, Homer similes Book 20, ritual symbolism Odyssey, Christological parallels Odyssey, Ascend Great Books Podcast.

  8. Jun 23

    The Odyssey Books 17-19 with Dr. Frank Grabowski

    Today on Ascend: The Great Books Podcast, Deacon Harrison Garlick and Dr. Frank Grabowski dive into Books 17–19 of Homer’s Odyssey, where the disguised king returns to Ithaca as a beggar. Check out our WRITTEN Q&A GUIDE TO THE ODYSSEY. Check out Dr. Grabowski's new Substack: The Porch and the Altar. The conversation explores iconic moments like Odysseus’s heartbreaking reunion with his loyal dog Argos, the tense first dialogue with Penelope that raises fascinating questions about what she truly knows or suspects, and the escalating violations of xenia by the suitors. Listeners will appreciate the rich analysis of loyalty as the ultimate standard, Odysseus’s hard-won maturation in temperance and piety, and striking contrasts between faithful servants like Eumaeus and disloyal figures like Melanthius. Homer emerges here as both poet and philosopher, using these scenes to probe justice, the nature of heroism, the city at peace, and the interplay of fate and human choice. With Athena guiding events and the tension building toward the suitors’ doom, Deacon and Dr. Grabowski illuminate how Odysseus’ trials have prepared him not just for revenge, but for restoring order. Whether you’re new to the epic or a longtime reader, this episode offers fresh insights that make the ancient story feel urgently relevant. Don’t miss it—subscribe and join the community as the Odyssey study continues toward its dramatic climax! Chapters 00:00 Introduction to the Odyssey Study 04:30 The Role of Penelope and Theoclymenus 07:14 Contrasting Characters: Eumaeus and Melanthius 10:28 Odysseus' Growth and Maturation 13:11 The Loyalty of Argos 16:26 The Test of Guest Friendship 19:10 The Fate of the Suitors 22:22 The Beggar Fight and Its Implications 24:43 Odysseus' Reflection on His Journey 27:21 The Irony of Antinous 30:45 Penelope's Anticipation and the Build-Up to Reunion 33:28 Odysseus' Moral Self-Awareness 36:37 Conclusion and Themes of Justice 42:10 The Philosopher Beggar and the Blindness of the Suitors 44:49 The Nature of Law and Lawlessness 47:33 Penelope's Cleverness and the Suitors' Downfall 52:09 Telemachus' Growth and the Stability of Society 57:19 The Reunion of Odysseus and Penelope 01:01:40 The Test of Loyalty and the Nature of Guest Friendship 01:06:23 The Subtlety of Odysseus and Penelope's Intuition 01:12:19 The Significance of Names and Identity 01:19:33 The Tension of Recognition and the Test of the Suitors Keywords: Odyssey Books 17-19, Homer Odyssey summary, Odysseus as beggar, reunion with Argos, Penelope and Odysseus dialogue, what Penelope knows, xenia guest friendship, loyalty in the Odyssey, Argos the dog, Melanthius goat herder, Eumaeus swineherd, Theoclymenus prophecy, suitors fate, Odysseus maturation, temperance and piety, Homer philosopher, city at peace, Athena disguise, beggar fight Book 18, bow of Odysseus, scar of Odysseus, Great Books Podcast, Ascend podcast Odyssey, Frank Grabowski Homer, classical education Odyssey, Western literature analysis.

See All (145)

4.9
out of 5
117 Ratings

About

Welcome to Ascend! We are a weekly Great Books podcast hosted by Deacon Harrison Garlick and Adam Minihan. What are the Great Books? The Great Books are the most impactful texts that have shaped Western civilization. They include ancients like Homer, Plato, St. Augustine, Dante, and St. Thomas Aquinas, and also moderns like Machiavelli, Locke, and Nietzsche. We will explore the Great Books with the light of the Catholic intellectual tradition. Why should we read the Great Books? Everyone is a disciple of someone. A person may have never read Locke or Nietzsche, but he or she thinks like them. Reading the Great Books allows us to reclaim our intellect and understand the origin of the ideas that shape our world. We enter a "great conversation" amongst the most learned, intelligent humans in history and benefit from their insights. Is this for first-time readers? YES. Our goal is to host meaningful conversations on the Great Books by working through the texts in chronological order in a slow, attentive manner. Our host Adam Minihan is a first-time reader of Homer. We will start shallow and go deep. All are invited to join. Will any resources be available? YES. We are providing a free 115 Question & Answer Guide to the Iliad written by Deacon Harrison Garlick in addition to our weekly conversations. It will be available on the website (launching next week). Go pick up a copy of the Iliad! We look forward to reading Homer with you in 2024.

Information

  • Creator
    Harrison Garlick and Adam Minihan
  • Years Active
    2023 - 2026
  • Episodes
    145
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Copyright 2026 Harrison Garlick and Adam Minihan
  • Show Website
    Ascend - The Great Books Podcast

You Might Also Like