Homer’s Odyssey is becoming a major motion picture. Whether you like movies or not, this is a great excuse to read this millennia-old story about a salty war hero who just wants to go home. Join us on June 24th and July 1 to discuss the Odyssey with UC Santa Cruz Ancient Studies faculty Anne Kreps and Martin Devecka where we’ll discuss the wild world of Odysseus and what this epic can teach us about talking to strangers, lying, and picking a good disguise.

Please register above to attend one or more of the webinars!

This program will be using the The Odyssey, Emily Wilson 2018 edition and will cover Books 1-12 on June 24th and Books 13-24 on July 1st.

Martin Devecka, Associate Professor, Ancient Studies & Literature

As a cultural historian, Devecka writes on topics in ancient literature and society that range from robots to ruins. He is currently finishing a book manuscript on animal citizenship in the Roman Empire.

Anne Kreps, Associate Professor, Ancient Studies & History

As a historian of the ancient Near East, Kreps studies heresies, Gnosticism, and the politics of sacred texts. Her current work examines the Dead Sea Scrolls within New Religious Movements in the United States.

Images:

• Odysseus and Circe (book 10): top-two men who have been turned into animals already, Odysseus with sword, Circe with headscarf
• Odysseus and Elphanor in underworld (book 11): Odysseus sits with chin on hand, naked Elpanor (the crew member who dies in book 1) rises naked from the earth. The God Hermes stands behind Odysseus
• Odysseus draws the bow (book 21)
• Odysseus escapes the Cyclops (book 9): He ties himself to the belly of a goat.

This event is presented by The Humanities Institute and the UC Santa Cruz Ancient Studies Program. Co-sponsored by Bookshop Santa Cruz.