What Can Greek Myth Teach Us About Being Human? | Why Myth Matters Why have stories of gods, monsters, heroes and tragedy survived for thousands of years? For the ancient Greeks, myth wasn't simply entertainment. It helped people understand the gods, society, suffering, morality and the unpredictability of human life. In this special extended Classical Wisdom event, Why Myth Matters, Anya Leonard is joined by Natalie Haynes, Sarah Iles Johnston, Jeremy McInerney, Helene Foley, James Romm and Agnes Callard to explore what mythology meant in the ancient world, and why these stories still matter today. The event begins by asking what the Greeks themselves meant by mythos. Jeremy McInerney and Sarah Iles Johnston explore storytelling as a way of making sense of an uncertain world, the power of the gods, shared identities and the dangers of human existence. Then Natalie Haynes turns to one of Greek mythology's most disturbing figures: Medea. Did Euripides transform her story by making her deliberately kill her children? Why does his play remain so shocking, and why does Medea remain strangely sympathetic despite committing an unimaginable crime? Haynes also explores Medea's position as a woman, foreigner and outsider, revealing how tragedy could challenge the assumptions of its original Athenian audience. Finally, Helene Foley, James Romm and Agnes Callard examine tragedy, philosophy and ethics. Why did Aristotle see tragedy as philosophical and universal while Plato distrusted its emotional power? Can witnessing suffering make us wiser? What is catharsis? And can tragedy teach us how to live? Through Medea, Oedipus, the Oresteia and the lost Greek plays, the discussion reveals something essential about Greek tragedy: these stories confront enormous questions without necessarily giving us easy answers. Perhaps that is exactly why myth still matters. Key Topics: What myth meant to the ancient Greeks Why humans tell stories Myth, religion and the Greek gods Myth across different cultures Myth, identity and society Natalie Haynes on Medea How Euripides transformed Medea Medea as woman, foreigner and outsider Why Greek tragedy still resonates Aristotle vs. Plato on tragedy Emotion, grief and catharsis Fate, morality and human responsibility Wisdom from the lost Greek plays Can myth teach us how to live? Why ancient stories still matter ⏱️ Timestamps: 00:00 Why Myth Matters 04:18 What did myth mean to the Greeks? 07:35 Gods, danger & uncertainty 09:22 Myths across cultures 18:07 Myth, society & identity 30:43 Why myths explore extremes 38:38 Do we still need shared myths? 43:15 Natalie Haynes on Medea 48:14 Why Medea shocked Athens 49:18 Did Euripides reinvent Medea? 53:33 Medea: woman, foreigner, outsider 58:18 Why Medea still matters 1:02:30 Tragedy, ethics & modern life 1:04:00 What makes tragedy unique? 1:14:39 Plato vs. tragedy 1:16:14 Emotion, grief & catharsis 1:27:38 Why Plato distrusted drama 1:47:06 Morality, fate & human action 1:47:22 Audience Q&A 2:05:30 Does myth need a moral? 2:05:47 The greatest Greek tragedies 2:07:45 Why tragedy never truly ends Myths change. Their characters and meanings change. But the questions beneath them remain remarkably familiar: Why do we suffer? What do we owe one another? How much control do we have over our lives? And how should we live when there are no easy answers? Which ancient myth do you think still has the most to teach us today? Tell us in the comments. 👉 Join Classical Wisdom Member on Substack for more ancient history, mythology and philosophy: https://classicalwisdom.substack.com/subscribe?coupon=b28f7da1 About the Speakers Natalie Haynes is an author, broadcaster and classicist whose books include Pandora's Jar, Stone Blind, A Thousand Ships and No Friend to This House. Sarah Iles Johnston is a scholar of Greek religion and mythology and author of Gods and Mortals and Arachne's Threads. Jeremy McInerney is a scholar of Classical Greece and author of Centaurs and Snake Kings and Greece in the Ancient World. Helene Foley specializes in Greek epic, tragedy, women in antiquity and classical reception. James Romm is a classicist and author of Since You're Mortal: Life Lessons from the Lost Greek Plays. Agnes Callard is a philosopher specializing in ancient philosophy and ethics and author of Aspiration and Open Socrates.
