A lot of spears getting thrown and a lot of fighting in this instalment of the Iliad. Not only that, but Zeus is preventing the other gods from taking action in the battle. But don't worry, Hera has a plan! A plan to distract Zeus. A very... hinted at... plan.

Sources for this episode:

TBA

It's Valentine's Day! Let's look at some of the romantic stories in Greek mythology and... oh. Well, at least Ovid gave up a prototype version of Romeo and Juliet to work with. That's right, it's the story of Pyramus and Thisbe!

Sources for this episode:

TBA

We continue to watch the gods meddle in human affairs as Zeus sends confusing omens and turns Hector into a boulder throwing maniac. Oh, and yet more people getting injured in ways that make the hosts shudder.

Sources for this episode:

• Homer (1965), The Iliad. Translated by E. V. Rieu. Harmondsworth; Penguin Books Ltd.
• Author unknown, Wikipedia (date unknown), Antiphus (online) (Accessed 19/01/2025).
• Author unknown, Wikipedia (date unknown), Eris (mythology) (online) (Accessed 19/01/2025).
• Author unknown, Wikipedia (date unknown), Ilus (online) (Accessed 19/01/2025).

Expect random acts of violence, petty squabbles and a chariot race with a twist as we journey through Books IX and X of the Iliad. Oh, and we give Odysseus more of a verbal beating that he doesn't deserve...

Sources for this episode:

• Homer (1965), The Iliad. Translated by E. V. Rieu. Harmondsworth; Penguin Books Ltd.
• Author unknown, Wikipedia (date unknown), Ilus (online) (Accessed 19/01/2025).

Inspiration for the drawing from the following

• https://www.easypeasyandfun.com/how-to-draw-a-horse/
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Triumph_of_Achilles_in_Corfu_Achilleion.jpg

Covering Books VI through VIII of the Iliad today, we learn that it's dangerous to be a charioteer to Hector, as you might end up with a spear in a very tender area... We also see a pause from war as Hector has a quiet moment with his wife and son, and Odysseus gets his ego shattered.

Sources for this episode:

• Homer (1965), The Iliad. Translated by E. V. Rieu. Harmondsworth; Penguin Books Ltd.
• Author unknown, Wikipedia (date unknown), Cubit (online) (Accessed 09/12/2024 and 18/01/2025).

Inspiration for the drawing from the following:

• By Johann Heinrich Wilhelm Tischbein - Own work, James Steakley, 2001-08-06, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=16878331

As the tenth year of the Trojan War continues, Diomedes starts cutting through the Trojans like a knife through butter. Aside from a possible cameo from a primary source author himself, Diomedes is about to show the world how cool he is- including taking on the God of War himself...

Also, get ready for a cameo from the heiress presumptive who has been recording our jingles!

Sources for this episode:

• Homer (1965), The Iliad. Translated by E. V. Rieu. Harmondsworth; Penguin Books Ltd.

• Author unknown, Wikipedia (date unknown), Dares Phrygius (online) (Accessed 09/12/2024).

Inspiration for the drawing from the following:

• By Copy of Nausykles or Kresilas (?) - Jastrow (2007), Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=2091049

We've finally started one of the famous works of the ancient world! In this instalment, Achilles and Agamemnon have a falling out because of a slave girl, Aphrodite proves herself the worst and the war is nearly settled right there and then after a siege of nine years...

Sources for this episode:

• Homer (2021), The Iliad & The Odyssey. Translated by S. Butler. Oviedo: Entreacacias, S. L.
• Frazer, J. G. (1921), Apollodorus: The Library (Volume I). London: William Heinemann.
• Graves, R. (1981), Greek Myths: Illustrated Edition. London: Cassell Ltd.
• Ovid (1955), Metamorphoses. Translated with an introduction by M. M. Innes. London: Penguin Books.
• Author unknown, Wikipedia (date unknown), Pentalogy (online) (Accessed 18/08/2024).
• Author unknown, Wikipedia (date unknown), Tetralogy (online) (Accessed 18/08/2024).

The Autocrat team is on a bit of a break before we get into the Iliad in episode 59 next week. However, we didn't want to leave you starved of content! This week includes a bit of an update on scheduling, plus some fun moments from the podcast's history- including some never seen before...

Let us know if you want to see more bloopers, and we might include some on a Patreon someday!