Greek Tragedies

Years after she was led to Aulis to be sacrificed, Iphigenia lives in exile as a priestess of Artemis, charged with sacrificing strangers who come to her shores. When two Greek prisoners arrive, she discovers that one is her long-lost brother Orestes. Euripides’ Iphigenia Among the Taurians is a story of recognition, escape, and a family broken by violence given one unexpected chance at reunion.

An old, blind Oedipus comes at last to Colonus, seeking a place to die. Hunted by his past and fought over for the strange power promised by his death, the ruined king must confront his sons, his city, and the gods before finding a final resting place. Sophocles’ Oedipus at Colonus is a haunting story of exile, reconciliation, and redemption at the end of a long and terrible life.

Tantalus, mighty king and son of Zeus, prepares a feast for the gods—and becomes convinced it is a test of his own divinity. As reason gives way to pride, he crosses the final boundary between man and god, father and monster, and discovers too late the meaning of the laws he has broken.

In the only surviving tragedy telling of contemporary events, Aeschylus tells of the defeat of the Persian armies at Salamis.

Odysseus awakens in darkness, waiting for a dawn that never comes. Guided by Sisyphus through the shadows of Hades, the great king retraces the path of his life until memory gives way to truth.

A sister defies a king. A ruler defies the gods. Sophocles’ Antigone is one of the defining tragedies of the ancient world, exploring duty, law, pride, and the devastating cost of moral certainty. In this episode, we examine the clash between Antigone and Creon and ask why this timeless drama continues to provoke debate more than 2,400 years after it was first performed.

In honor of the release of The Odyssey, this week we read the only extant satyr play, The Cyclops by Euripides. In Greek Theater, authors wrote four plays for a performance, three tragedies and one comedy called a satyr play. This satyr tells the story of Odysseus outwitting the Cyclops.

Betrayed by Jason's marriage to Creon's daughter and threatened with exile, Medea resolves a terrible revenge. She sends poisoned gifts that kill the bride and Creon, then—unable to allow her children to be used against her—kills her own sons.After committing these acts she escapes Corinth in a chariot granted by her divine lineage, leaving Jason ruined and the city shattered. The episode examines betrayal, wrath, and the tragic consequences of vengeance.

A proud young prince devoted to Artemis rejects love and scorns the power of Aphrodite. In revenge, the goddess kindles a forbidden passion in his stepmother, Phaedra, setting in motion one of Greek tragedy’s cruelest chains of misunderstanding. In this episode, we explore Euripides’ Hippolytus—a haunting drama of chastity, desire, divine vengeance, and the heartbreaking reconciliation between a father and his dying son.

In this episode, we turn from tragedy to one of the oldest surviving works of Greek literature: the Homeric Hymn to Apollo. We follow the god’s remarkable rise from his miraculous birth on the island of Delos to his conquest of the monstrous Python at Delphi. Along the way, Apollo establishes his great oracle, claims his sacred sanctuary, and gathers the first priests who will serve him. More than a simple hymn of praise, the poem reveals how the Greeks understood divine power, prophecy, music, and the founding of sacred places. It is the story of a young god announcing himself to the world—and ensuring that mortals will hear his voice for generations to come.