Gods and monsters: the hidden stories of the Odyssey

Daisy Dunn explores the Odyssey's greatest hits – and how each tells us as much about ancient Greek civilisation as it does about Odysseus himself

Published: August 21, 2026 at 10:00 AM

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Twenty years away from home: 10 of them spent fighting a war, and 10 more spent battling monsters, gods and his own worst instincts.

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In the second episode of our four-part series on the Odyssey, Kev Lochun and classicist Daisy Dunn explore Odysseus's greatest adventures – from encounters with the one-eyed Cyclops to brushes with the so-called witch Circe – and consider what they say about Greek views of civilisation, gender and divine power.

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Go beyond the podcast

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Want to know more about ancient Greece? Kev Lochun has curated a collection of essential reading, listening and viewing from the HistoryExtra vaults to help you explore life in ancient Greece.

Authors

Kev LochunDigital editor (audience and video)

Kev Lochun is digital editor (audience and video) at HistoryExtra

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