Mythology Explained

Mythology Explained
  • 3.9 (9)
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  • Updated Semiweekly

On Mythology Explained we will be diving deep in to all kinds of Mythology: Greek, Roman, Norse, Chinese, Egyptian - you name it. If you've always been curious about the beginnings of Hercules or how Zeus came to be- then this is the podcast for you.

  1. Sep 17

    The FORBIDDEN Books Removed from Religion

    Today we’re going to discuss the forbidden books removed from religion: ancient texts filled with fallen angels, demons, giants, hidden cosmologies, secret revelations, and visions so strange and controversial that many were ultimately excluded from official scripture. Topics Covered In This Video: The forbidden books left out of the Bible The Book of Enoch and the story of the Watchers Fallen angels, Azazel, Semjaza and the Nephilim The Book of Giants and the Dead Sea Scrolls The Gospel of Judas and its alternative portrayal of Judas Iscariot Gnostic Christianity and the idea of hidden spiritual knowledge The Nag Hammadi texts and lost early Christian writings The Testament of Solomon and ancient demonology King Solomon’s magical ring and his control over demons The Apocalypse of Abraham and its depiction of Azazel Why some ancient religious texts were rejected or excluded from biblical canon How different Jewish and Christian communities developed different collections of scripture The role of theology, politics, geography and religious authority in shaping the biblical canon Ancient beliefs about angels, demons, giants, cosmic rebellion and forbidden knowledge Questions Answered: What books were left out of the Bible? Was the Book of Enoch removed from the Bible? Why isn’t the Book of Enoch in most Bibles? Who were the Watchers in the Book of Enoch? Who were the Nephilim and where did they come from? Who was Azazel in ancient Jewish tradition? What is the Book of Giants? Was the Book of Giants found among the Dead Sea Scrolls? What does the Gospel of Judas actually say about Judas? What did the Gnostics believe about God, creation and salvation? What are the Nag Hammadi scriptures? What is the Testament of Solomon? Did ancient traditions really portray Solomon as controlling demons? What is the Apocalypse of Abraham? Why were some ancient religious books excluded from the Bible? Were books actually removed from the Bible? How was the biblical canon decided? What are some of the strangest lost and forbidden religious texts? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

  2. Sep 10

    How an ANGEL Became the DEVIL (Not in the Bible) - Mythology Explained

    Most people today believe that Lucifer’s fall is a straightforward story: a powerful angel grows proud, rebels against God, and becomes the Devil. It’s one of the most famous “origin stories” in the world… except there’s a problem. That story — at least in the form we know it — doesn’t actually exist in the Bible. The idea of Lucifer as a fallen angel is something that developed over centuries, shaped by translation choices, theological debate, and later literature. And depending on which tradition you look at — Christian, Jewish, Islamic, or even medieval poetic — the fall of the “Devil” is told in very different ways. Topics covered / questions answered: Was Lucifer originally the Devil in the Bible? Where does the name Lucifer come from? What does Lucifer mean in Latin? (lux ferre, light-bringer, morning star) Does Isaiah 14:12 describe a fallen angel — or the King of Babylon? Why did the Latin Vulgate translate “morning star” as lucifer? How did a poetic image of Venus become a proper name? Who was Satan in the Hebrew Bible? What does śāṭān actually mean? (accuser / adversary) Is the satan in the Book of Job a rebel — or a heavenly prosecutor? What role does the satan play in Zechariah? When did “the satan” become a single cosmic enemy? Does the New Testament ever call Satan Lucifer? Is there a clear biblical origin story for the Devil’s fall? What does Revelation 12’s war in heaven actually describe? How were Isaiah, Ezekiel, and Revelation later read as one story? What did early Christian writers like Origen, Tertullian, and Augustine add? How did the Middle Ages turn Lucifer into the Devil’s original angelic name? Did John Milton invent the Lucifer most people know? Is “better to reign in Hell than serve in Heaven” in the Bible? (No — Paradise Lost, 1667) How did Paradise Lost shape Western art, preaching, and pop culture? Why do Lucifer and Satan get treated as the same being today? What is the difference between the biblical satan, the Latin lucifer, and Milton’s rebel angel? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

  3. Sep 6

    Did 9 Foot Giants Walk the Earth? The MYTH of the Kandahar Giant

    Hey everyone, welcome to Mythology Explained. I heard this folktale..conspiracy…myth..Whatever you want to call it mentioned on a couple of podcasts recently, and being fairly unfamiliar with it myself, I decided to dig a little deeper. It goes a little something like this.. According to one of the strangest military legends of the modern era, American soldiers operating near Kandahar encountered a creature that should not have existed. It stood somewhere between ten and twelve feet tall, had long red hair, six fingers on each hand, six toes on each foot—weighed ELEVEN HUNDRED POUNDS and it had the strength to kill armed soldiers with a single blow. TOPICS COVERED / QUESTIONS ANSWERED: What is the Kandahar Giant? Did U.S. soldiers really encounter a giant in Afghanistan? Where did the Giant of Kandahar story originate? Was the Kandahar Giant really 9 to 12 feet tall? What supposedly happened during the military encounter? Did the Kandahar Giant kill an American soldier? Was the giant reportedly killed by U.S. forces? Was the Kandahar Giant’s body transported by the military? Is there any evidence that the Kandahar Giant actually existed? Were there eyewitnesses to the Kandahar Giant incident? Has the U.S. military ever confirmed the story? Was there a military cover-up involving the Kandahar Giant? Could the Kandahar Giant have been a Nephilim? What are the Nephilim in the Bible? Does the Bible describe literal giants? Are the Nephilim connected to other ancient giant myths? Why is the Kandahar Giant often described as having red hair? Are there historical legends of red-haired giants? Have giant human skeletons ever actually been discovered? Are stories of ancient giants based on real people? Why do giant myths appear in so many different cultures? Is the Kandahar Giant a true story, urban legend or modern mythology? How did the Kandahar Giant story become so popular online? What parts of the Kandahar Giant story can actually be verified? Did 9-foot giants ever really walk the Earth? Could ancient giant mythology have inspired the Kandahar Giant legend? From biblical Nephilim and ancient giant legends to modern military folklore and alleged government secrecy, the Kandahar Giant remains one of the internet’s most fascinating stories about giants supposedly surviving into the modern world. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

  4. Aug 19

    Nyx: The Only Goddess Zeus Actually Feared

    Long before the Olympians ruled from their thrones on Mount Olympus, the cosmos was shaped by older forces — vast, silent, and unknowable. These were the Primordial Deities or Protogenoi: the first powers of existence, embodying fundamental aspects of reality itself. And out of the first void came something deeper than shadow. A presence, not just of absence, but of power. She wasn’t the goddess of one place or domain. She didn’t rule the sea or the sky. She simply was — there before the stars, before time, before anything had a name. Even Zeus, king of the gods, knew better than to cross her. Because this wasn’t just nightfall. It was Night itself. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

  5. Jul 28

    Odyssey Translator Emily Wilson SLAMS Christopher Nolan's Adaptation...

    Christopher Nolan has repeatedly pointed toward one particular line from Emily Wilson’s translation of The Odyssey as an inspiration for his film: “Tell me about a complicated man.” It is a line intended to introduce Odysseus as a figure with many different sides—a warrior, liar, husband, survivor, manipulator and one of the most intelligent characters in Greek mythology. But now Emily Wilson has actually SEEN Christopher Nolan’s version of that character. And according to her…He isn’t particularly complicated at all. In a recent interview, Wilson described Nolan’s Odysseus as a “traumatized Jason Bourne”—an action hero who feels guilty about being an action hero. She criticized the removal of his intelligence, disguises, humour and many of the qualities that make him so memorable in Homer’s poem. She also argued that Penelope’s role had been reduced, that the movie failed to humanize many of the victims of Odysseus’s violence and that its moral messaging was ultimately incoherent. And since that interview, she has apparently become even harsher, describing the film’s writing as “abysmal” and saying... Topics Covered In This Video: Emily Wilson’s criticism of Christopher Nolan’s Odyssey Why Emily Wilson called the film’s writing “abysmal” Why Wilson said she would be ashamed to have written the script The translator who inspired Christopher Nolan’s version of Odysseus Emily Wilson’s “complicated man” translation explained Why Wilson described Matt Damon as a “traumatized Jason Bourne” How Nolan changed Odysseus from Homer’s original character Why Nolan’s Odysseus feels less intelligent and deceptive The removal of Odysseus’s humour, disguises, and trickery Why the “Nobody” trick was removed from the Cyclops scene Matt Damon as Odysseus explained Why Nolan focuses on Odysseus’s guilt and trauma Why Penelope’s role was reduced in Nolan’s adaptation Anne Hathaway as Penelope explained The importance of Penelope’s marriage-bed test Why Zeus and Poseidon were removed from the movie How Nolan changed Athena’s role in The Odyssey Zendaya as Athena explained Why Wilson believes the supporting characters feel like puppets How the film treats the victims of Odysseus’s violence Why Wilson called the movie’s moral messaging incoherent The film’s conflicting messages about war and violence What Christopher Nolan’s Odyssey gets right Why Wilson praised Nolan’s braided storytelling The stories-within-stories structure of Homer’s Odyssey The biggest problems with Nolan’s Odyssey The Odyssey casting controversy explained The lack of Greek actors in The Odyssey Why Greek representation matters in The Odyssey Why Nolan’s Odyssey may not feel authentically Greek Why Nolan may be modernizing The Odyssey too much The role of women in Homer’s Odyssey Emily Wilson’s Odyssey translation explained Why Emily Wilson’s translation is controversial Is Emily Wilson’s translation faithful to Homer? Is Nolan adapting Homer or reshaping Homer? Why Nolan’s Odyssey may look ancient but feel modern Has Nolan preserved the identity of Homer’s Odyssey? Questions Answered: What did Emily Wilson say about Christopher Nolan’s Odyssey? Did Emily Wilson call the film’s writing “abysmal”? Why did Wilson criticize Nolan’s screenplay? Did Emily Wilson’s translation inspire Christopher Nolan? What does “complicated man” mean in The Odyssey? Why did Wilson compare Matt Damon to Jason Bourne? How is Nolan’s Odysseus different from Homer’s? Why is Odysseus less cunning in Nolan’s movie? Why was the “Nobody” trick removed? Did Christopher Nolan simplify Odysseus? Why is Penelope so important in Homer’s poem? How did Nolan change Odysseus and Penelope’s relationship? Why are the Greek gods mostly absent from the movie? How did Nolan change Athena? Why did Wilson call the film’s message incoherent? Does Nolan’s movie condemn or glorify violence? What did Emily Wilson actually like about the film? Why did Wilson praise Nolan’s narrative structure? Is Christopher Nolan’s Odyssey faithful to Homer? Is Emily Wilson being too harsh on Nolan’s movie? Why does Nolan’s Odyssey not feel authentically Greek? Why does Greek representation matter in The Odyssey? Is Christopher Nolan modernizing Homer too much? Is Nolan adapting The Odyssey or rewriting it? Does the film work better as a Nolan movie than as Homer? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

  6. Jul 25

    Christopher Nolan’s Odyssey Is Going to Divide EVERYONE… (Full Review)

    So, I went to see The Odyssey. In spite of the countless dislikes on the movie’s trailers. In spite of some of the questionable casting choices. In spite of the almost complete lack of Greek representation in an adaptation of one of the most famous GREEK myths ever written. And in spite of the MULTIPLE videos made by me criticizing decisions the filmmakers had already revealed. But despite ALL of those things, I was never going to simply let the movie pass me by. I’m perfectly willing to make judgments based on the information available to me. But I’m also not going to draw a line in the sand and completely make up my mind about a movie I haven’t even seen yet. And now that I HAVE seen it… Topics Covered In This Video: Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey full movie review Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey spoiler-free review My honest reaction to Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey Was Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey actually good? What surprised me most about Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey The best and worst parts of Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey How the finished movie compares to the controversial trailers Was the backlash to The Odyssey trailer justified? Did Christopher Nolan prove the critics wrong? The biggest problems with Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey Why The Odyssey trailers received so much backlash The negative reaction to Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey explained Did the finished movie fix the problems shown in the trailers? Why Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey does not feel authentically Greek The lack of Greek actors in Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey Why Greek representation matters in The Odyssey The Odyssey casting controversy explained Why the cast feels like a Hollywood costume party Matt Damon as Odysseus explained Tom Holland, Zendaya, and Anne Hathaway in The Odyssey Travis Scott’s role in Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey The costumes, armour, sets, and visual effects in The Odyssey Lupita Nyong’o’s role in The Odyssey explained Why Helen of Troy’s casting became controversial What Helen of Troy looked like in Greek mythology How faithful Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey is to Homer Did Christopher Nolan modernize The Odyssey too much? Is Nolan adapting Homer or reshaping Homer? The role of women in Homer’s Odyssey Slavery, gender, power, and hierarchy in The Odyssey Why Nolan’s Odyssey may look ancient but feel modern Greek identity and the meaning of Odysseus’s homecoming Is Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey worth watching? My final verdict on Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey Questions Answered: Is Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey good? What is my honest review of Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey? Is Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey worth watching? Was I wrong about Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey? Did the movie live up to its trailers? Was the backlash to The Odyssey trailer justified? Did the finished movie fix the problems shown in the trailer? What are the best and worst parts of Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey? Why was Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey so controversial? Why does Nolan’s Odyssey not feel authentically Greek? Why does Greek representation matter in The Odyssey? Are there Greek actors in Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey? Why does the cast feel like a Hollywood crossover? Is Matt Damon convincing as Odysseus? Why is Travis Scott in Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey? Who is Lupita Nyong’o playing in The Odyssey? Why was Helen of Troy’s casting controversial? What did Helen of Troy look like in Greek mythology? How faithful is Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey to Homer? Did Christopher Nolan modernize The Odyssey too much? Is Nolan adapting Homer or rewriting Homer? How much of Homer’s worldview survives in the finished film? Why might Nolan’s Odyssey look ancient but feel modern? Did Christopher Nolan prove the critics wrong? What is the final verdict on Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

  7. Jul 19

    The Mythology of Circe Explained (Witch from Christopher Nolan’s Odyssey)

    I did it. I went to see The Odyssey. I won’t spoil anything here, and I’ve got a full review on the way, but before I release that, I want to talk about Circe—the witch from The Odyssey who transforms Odysseus’s men into pigs and eventually gives him the instructions he needs to reach the entrance to the Underworld. The movie also makes some pretty significant choices about who Circe is, what she represents, and how her encounter with Odysseus actually unfolds. And that inspired me to take a deep dive into some of her history, examining her origins and how the Circe we saw on screen differs from the Circe of Myth. Topics Covered In This Video: Who was Circe in Greek mythology? Circe’s role in Homer’s Odyssey explained The mythology of Circe in Christopher Nolan’s Odyssey How Christopher Nolan changed Circe’s story Why Circe was one of the darkest parts of The Odyssey Samantha Morton’s portrayal of Circe explained Was Circe a witch, goddess, or sorceress? Who were Circe’s parents in Greek mythology? Circe’s connection to Helios, Aeetes, and Pasiphae Where was Circe’s island of Aeaea? Circe’s enchanted wolves and lions explained Why Circe transformed Odysseus’s men into pigs The disturbing meaning behind the pig transformation How Nolan turned Circe’s magic into body horror Why Odysseus’s men retained their human minds as pigs How Odysseus defeated Circe in Homer’s Odyssey How Hermes and the magical herb moly protected Odysseus Why Christopher Nolan removed Hermes and moly The meaning of Circe’s crow in Christopher Nolan’s Odyssey Was Circe’s transformed sister in Homer’s original poem? Did Circe and Odysseus become lovers? Why Odysseus remained on Circe’s island for an entire year Why Nolan removed Circe and Odysseus’s relationship Why Circe sent Odysseus to the Underworld Who was the prophet Tiresias in The Odyssey? What Odysseus learned in the land of the dead Circe’s warning about the Sirens explained Why Odysseus tied himself to the mast Circe’s role in the creation of Scylla explained How Scylla became a monster in Greek mythology Christopher Nolan’s Odyssey explained The biggest changes Nolan made to Homer’s Odyssey How accurate is Christopher Nolan’s Odyssey? Christopher Nolan’s approach to Greek mythology Homer’s Odyssey compared with Nolan’s movie The journey of Odysseus after the Trojan War The Cyclops, Sirens, Scylla, and Charybdis explained The major gods, witches, and monsters in The Odyssey Why Nolan reduced the direct involvement of the Greek gods What Christopher Nolan’s Odyssey gets right about Circe Questions Answered: Who was Circe in The Odyssey? Was Circe a witch or a goddess? Who played Circe in Christopher Nolan’s Odyssey? Why did Circe turn Odysseus’s men into pigs? Did the men know they had been transformed into pigs? What did Circe mean when she said the men were already pigs? How did Nolan change Circe’s transformation spell? How did Odysseus resist Circe’s magic in Homer? What was the magical herb moly? Why are Hermes and moly absent from Nolan’s movie? Who was the crow in Christopher Nolan’s Odyssey? Did Circe really have a sister who became a crow? Did Circe and Odysseus have a relationship? How long did Odysseus remain with Circe? Why did Circe send Odysseus to the Underworld? Who was Tiresias, and what did he tell Odysseus? How did Circe help Odysseus survive the Sirens? Did Circe transform Scylla into a monster? How does Nolan’s Circe differ from Homer’s Circe? How accurate is Christopher Nolan’s version of Circe? What did Christopher Nolan change from Homer’s Odyssey? What happens during Odysseus’s journey home from Troy? Who are the main monsters in The Odyssey? Why does Nolan portray Greek magic as body horror? Was Circe the darkest part of Christopher Nolan’s Odyssey? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

  8. Jul 14

    The REAL Reason Everyone HATES Christopher Nolan’s Odyssey…

    Christopher Nolan has made a movie with real ships, real oceans, one of the most expensive productions in history, and quite possibly the most recognizable cast ever assembled. And somehow, the most interesting thing about the trailer is how many people seem to hate it. Hey everyone, welcome to Mythology Explained. Over the last couple of months, I’ve made quite a few videos discussing Christopher Nolan’s upcoming adaptation of The Odyssey. But after the release of the latest countdown trailer, the reaction surrounding this movie has become far more negative than I think anyone expected. The comment section is filled with people mocking the casting, the costumes, the accents, and the general direction of the film. And if we consider how popular Nolan is in general, the fact that one of HIS trailers has generated this level of hostility is pretty significant. Interestingly, Nolan recently dismissed much of the pre-release criticism as essentially “irrelevant” (his words not mine) because no one criticizing the film has actually seen it yet. Topics Covered In This Video: Christopher Nolan’s final Odyssey trailer explained Why The Odyssey trailer is receiving backlash The biggest problems with Nolan’s Odyssey Why the final trailer made the controversy worse Could Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey underperform? The negative reaction to The Odyssey trailer The Odyssey trailer dislikes explained Why Nolan’s Odyssey does not feel authentically Greek The lack of Greek actors in The Odyssey Why Greek representation matters in The Odyssey The Odyssey casting controversy explained Why the cast feels like a Hollywood costume party Matt Damon as Odysseus explained Tom Holland, Zendaya, and Anne Hathaway in The Odyssey Travis Scott’s role in The Odyssey Why realistic sets cannot make The Odyssey feel authentic The costumes and armour in The Odyssey trailer Lupita Nyong’o as Helen of Troy explained Lupita Nyong’o as Clytemnestra explained Why Helen of Troy’s casting is controversial What Helen of Troy looked like in Greek mythology Why Nolan may be modernizing The Odyssey too much Is Christopher Nolan trying to correct Homer? The role of women in Homer’s Odyssey Emily Wilson’s Odyssey translation explained Why Emily Wilson’s translation is controversial Is Emily Wilson’s Odyssey faithful to Homer? Did Emily Wilson change Homer’s meaning? Slavery, gender, power, and hierarchy in The Odyssey Is Nolan adapting Homer or reshaping Homer? The danger of applying modern morality to ancient mythology Why Nolan’s Odyssey may look ancient but feel modern Greek identity and the meaning of Odysseus’s homecoming Has Nolan recreated The Odyssey without preserving its identity? Questions Answered: Why is Christopher Nolan’s final Odyssey trailer controversial? Why has The Odyssey trailer received such a negative reaction? What are audiences criticizing about Nolan’s Odyssey? Could Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey underperform? Why does Nolan’s Odyssey not feel Greek? Why does Greek representation matter in The Odyssey? Are there Greek actors in Nolan’s Odyssey? Why does the cast feel like a Hollywood crossover? Who is Matt Damon playing in The Odyssey? Why is Travis Scott in The Odyssey? Why is Lupita Nyong’o as Helen of Troy controversial? Is Lupita Nyong’o also playing Clytemnestra? What did Helen of Troy look like in Homer? Is Christopher Nolan modernizing The Odyssey too much? Is Nolan attempting to correct Homer for modern audiences? Why is Emily Wilson’s Odyssey translation controversial? Is Emily Wilson’s translation faithful to the original Greek? Did Emily Wilson change The Odyssey? Does Emily Wilson impose modern morality on Homer? Is Nolan adapting Homer or rewriting Homer? How much of Homer’s worldview will survive in the film? Why might Nolan’s Odyssey look ancient but feel modern? What is The Odyssey actually about? Why is Greek identity important to Odysseus’s homecoming? Has Nolan recreated the appearance of The Odyssey without preserving its identity? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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3.9
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About

On Mythology Explained we will be diving deep in to all kinds of Mythology: Greek, Roman, Norse, Chinese, Egyptian - you name it. If you've always been curious about the beginnings of Hercules or how Zeus came to be- then this is the podcast for you.

Information

  • Creator
    Mythology Explained
  • Years Active
    2023 - 2026
  • Episodes
    245
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © SABK Media Solutions Ltd. 2026. All Rights Reserved.

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