Uploaded February 2026 | Updated September 2026, 43 minutes ago
Discussion exploring notions of justice and the hero cult. Discussion began with a reflection on gods' roles in critical scenes such as the disfigurement of Hector's body, yet with an acknowledgment that Homeric poetry does not frame even the disapproval of gods in the sense of what is just and what is not — or, in other words, in terms of dikē. Other topics included the role of Zeus and absence of absolute morality, the presence of vendetta, and the Iliad versus the Odyssey on questions of mortality. Discussion also turned to the nature of heroes as presented in the Homeric epics. As Professor Nagy pointed out, there appears to be an atomistic notion of how the heroes of distant past are related to the recent past. Participants also explored the role of characters that are post-epic, the so called "father of history," and what it is to be a cult hero. The emphasis on connection, even if it were a mental connection, with heroes clearly reigns supreme in Homeric tradition, and appears to be a chance to understand what it is to be initiated into an afterlife. Other related topics included Herodotus, the fallibility of mortals, and rituals as a self-regulatory mechanism through which the world of heroes is brought into consciousness.
Recorded in Fall 2021 during v16 of the MOOC, The Ancient Greek Hero in 24 Hours, focusing on Hours 12 and 13, and responses to the Discussion Questions.
With Gregory Nagy, Keith DeStone, and members of the HeroesX Team.
Discussion exploring notions of justice and the hero cult. Discussion began with a reflection on gods' roles in critical scenes such as the disfigurement of Hector's body, yet with an acknowledgment that Homeric poetry does not frame even the disapproval of gods in the sense of what is just and what is not — or, in other words, in terms of dikē. Other topics included the role of Zeus and absence of absolute morality, the presence of vendetta, and the Iliad versus the Odyssey on questions of mortality. Discussion also turned to the nature of heroes as presented in the Homeric epics. As Professor Nagy pointed out, there appears to be an atomistic notion of how the heroes of distant past are related to the recent past. Participants also explored the role of characters that are post-epic, the so called "father of history," and what it is to be a cult hero. The emphasis on connection, even if it were a mental connection, with heroes clearly reigns supreme in Homeric tradition, and appears to be a chance to understand what it is to be initiated into an afterlife. Other related topics included Herodotus, the fallibility of mortals, and rituals as a self-regulatory mechanism through which the world of heroes is brought into consciousness.
Recorded in Fall 2021 during v16 of the MOOC, The Ancient Greek Hero in 24 Hours, focusing on Hours 12 and 13, and responses to the Discussion Questions.
With Gregory Nagy, Keith DeStone, and members of the HeroesX Team.
