Mythology

It is said that every road movie and novel about a defining journey owes a debt to the Odyssey. This imaginative program uses the poem's division into groupings of books as a framework to allow Dr. Tom Winnifrith, of Warwick University; Dr. Douglas Cairns, of Leeds University; and Ken Dowden, senior lecturer at Birmingham University, to analyze the oral tradition and key elements of the story line. Readings and dramatizations from the Odyssey enhance the discussion of recurrent themes, characterization, relationships, morals, and the cumulative effect of the ten-year journey in shaping and seasoning Odysseus. (31 minutes)

This lavishly produced two-part series offers fresh interpretations of the Jason and Odysseus stories, drawing parallels between the travails of these mythical heroes and the complexities of 21st-century Western society. Jason's voyage becomes an exploration of gender roles and sexual identity, and Odysseus appears strikingly modern in his struggle for domestic happiness. With commentary from University of Birmingham professor Ken Dowden, author and classics professor Edith Hall, and other respected scholars, Ancient Greek Heroes takes the viewer on two very informative journeys. Original BBCW broadcast title: Ancient Greek Heroes. 2-part series, 51 minutes each.

Antigone is perhaps the most easily accessible of all the great classical tragedies, its theme clear and up-to-date: the conflict between moral and political law. Now the tale of Oedipus and his family comes to its end-he, his wife Jocasta, his sons, and now, at the last, his daughter, all dead. Antigone is not the only victim in the play; Creon too comes to a tragic downfall-although he repents in time, bureaucratic ritual results in the deaths of Creon's son and wife, burdening him with guilt as well as grief. With Juliet Stevenson, John Shrapnel, and John Gielgud. (111 minutes)

The Greeks also called Apollo, Phoebus-brilliant one, perpetually reborn, who shoots darts from afar, and who incorporates the radiant characteristics of the sun. In this program, we learn about Apollo's mother Leto, his birth on the island of Delos, his twin sister Artemis, Python and Pythia, and the oracle of Delphi. Also discussed are Cassandra's prediction of the fall of Troy; Apollo and the concept of spiritual cleansing; and Apollo and the lyre. The stories are told of Apollo and Daphne, Hyacinthus, Marsyas, Asclepius, and the centaur Chiron. (26 minutes)

The main event in Greek mythology was the Trojan War, in which thousands of mortals died, while the gods watched and laid wagers on the outcome. Among the war's prime movers were Ares, god of war, whose stone heart thrived on quarrels and wars; his sister Eris, whose name means discord; and her dolorous offspring Ponos (pain), Mahes (battles), Foni (murder), Dysnomia (anarchy), Limos (famine), and Lethe (oblivion). This program focuses on Troy, where Zeus banished Poseidon and Apollo, and on the Trojan War. We learn about Thetis and Peleus; the rivalry between Aphrodite, Hera, and Athene; Paris and Helen; Menelaus and Agamemnon's quarrel with Achilles; and the efforts of various Olympian gods to intercede for one side or the other. In the end, it is clear that whenever Ares and Eris are present, disaster is inevitable. (26 minutes)

Artemis, Apollo's twin sister, was noted for both her beauty and her cruelty. She protected flora and fauna, especially wild animals, and was not reluctant to punish those who acted against nature. In this program, we visit the temple at Brauron, Arcadia, Mount Cithaeron, and other Artemisian haunts, and learn about Artemis' birth and youth. Also told are the stories of Orion, Niobe, Callisto, Echo and Narcissus, and Actaeon. (26 minutes)

In this program, we discover that Athene sprang full-grown and fully-armed from Zeus's head, and that Aphrodite emerged from the sea where the physical evidence had landed of Cronus' castration of Uranus. Also explored are love stories of Aphrodite, the myths of Neritis, Anchises, Pygmalion, and Galatea, the mythological roots of the Trojan War, and the lives of Ares and of Adonis. Athene gives mortals the olive tree, becomes patroness of Attica, and invents the chariot, the potter's wheel, and the plow. In the Trojan War, Aphrodite favors the Trojans, while Athene uses her wisdom to help the Greeks. Zeus assumes the role of mediator between the goddess of wisdom and the goddess of love. (26 minutes)

At the core of human consciousness exist the myths that have influenced the Western worldview for more than a hundred generations. This video/CD-ROM combination provides an in-depth analysis of the classical myths that underpin many aspects of Western culture.

In this illuminating program, renowned classicists including Sir Hugh Lloyd Jones, of Oxford University; Mary Lefkowitz, of Wellesley College; and Gregory Nagy, of Harvard University, explore the origins of classical mythology and its relationship with other aspects of Greek culture, tracing subsequent influences on Western civilization. Topics discussed include cultural transmission among the Mediterranean peoples of the 8th century BC, the derivation of texts attributed to Homer and Hesiod, interpretations of the myths of Phaeton and Callisto, the connections between Greek myth and tragedy, the Roman use of myths, and applications of modern critical theory to mythology. (29 minutes)

The earth is the foundation of all Greek mythology, for it was the abundance of the earth that caused the birth of the sky and the formation of the universe. This program begins in Eleusis, one of the oldest sanctuaries dedicated to Demeter and site of the Eleusinian Mysteries. We learn about Triptolemus, who taught mortals the art of agriculture, and visit Thessaly-home to the myth of Deucalion and Pyrrha, the Greek version of Noah's Ark. We hear stories about Charon, and about Persephone's reunion with her mother at Eleusis-whose stones are the silent witnesses to the ancient rites of spring and the orgies of autumn. (26 minutes)

The Greeks worshipped Dionysus and honored him widely and often. In fact, Greek drama was written as part of the great Dionysian celebrations. In this program, we learn about Semele, Dionysus' mother, and the efforts of Hermes and Apollo to save the baby's life; the purification of Dionysus; how mortals received the gift of the grape, and the dangers it can cause; and how Dionysus freed Hera from Hephaestus' golden net. Also discussed are Theseus, Ariadne, and the labyrinth; the marriage of Ariadne and Dionysus; Dionysus and Silenus; and Dionysus and the Maenads. (26 minutes)

This is the stunning Kennedy Center production of Euripides' great classic about a woman driven by emotion beyond the brink of rationality. With Zoe Caldwell as Medea and Judith Anderson as the nurse. The English text is by Robinson Jeffers. (87 minutes)

This series tells the stories of the Greek gods and heroes, vividly narrated by one of today's greatest storytellers, Sir Peter Ustinov. Filmed in Greece at Mount Olympus, Athens, Delphi, Olympia, and on the islands of Delos and Samathras, these programs retrace the origins of Greek mythology and explain the rivalries between the gods. The programs explore the human search for meaning in the chaotic forces of nature and the universe above, and remind contemporary audiences of the relevance of myths and legends for our own time. 8-part series, 26 minutes each.

Bearer of an almost unspeakable, immutable fate, Oedipus yet feels himself a man chosen-that is, favored-by the gods. Now an old man, blind and outcast, Oedipus wanders through Greece guided by his daughter Antigone until he comes to Colonus, where he knows he will die. Protected by the ruler of Thebes against the armies of Creon who have come in pursuit, he curses his son Polynices for indifference and ingratitude. Oedipus in this play is old and rails against the indignities of old age. Sophocles, nearly 90 at the time of its composition, apparently wrote the play to prove he was of sound mind; his son, it seems, was trying to claim Sophocles' estate by accusing his father of senility. With Anthony Quayle as Oedipus, John Shrapnel as Creon, Juliet Stevenson as Antigone, and Kenneth Haigh as Polynices. (2 hours)

Sophocles often won the leading prize at the Dionysia, the principal dramatic festival of Athens; but Oedipus the King was a runner-up, winner of the second prize. Posterity, however, considers the play second to none. The play tells the beginning of the Oedipus saga, setting the stage and creating the characters who will continue the story to its conclusion in Antigone. With Michael Pennington, John Gielgud, and Claire Bloom. (2 hours)