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Learn Greek By Watching These TV-Series and Films | Greek Movies and Series

greek movies

Is there a better way to immerse yourself in a language other than watching films and tv-series in that language? You can improve your Greek language skills with Greek-speaking films and tv-series. Helinika presents some Greek movies and tv-shows recommendations for its international community. Most movies and series episodes can be found online for free, even on YouTube. Comment down below if you want recommendations for Greek books and songs!

Greek TV-Series That Worth Your Time | Greek-Speaking Series

Δεληγιάννειον Παρθεναγωγείον (Deligianneion Boarding School)

A story by Charis Romas and Anna Chatzisofia. It is a drama/ romantic/ period/ comedy tv-series which aired 10 years ago. Although it was filmed quite recently, it takes place in a fictional boarding school for girls the years before and during World War II. It covers different topics, such as love, self-sacrifice, friendship, young romance, parent-children relationships, teen pregnancies, and feminism in early 20th Century Greece. It has a very emotional ending, which will offer you one of the most bitter-sweet feelings you will ever get after finishing a series. You can watch it for free on YouTube.

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Εγκλήματα (Crimes)

A story by Leuteris Papapetrou. One of the most iconic ‘90s Greek tv-series is “Εγκλήματα” (Crimes). It is a dark comedy and a memorable character from this series is Soso Papadima – but I will not give too much information about her and spoil anything. You should watch the series yourself. It is also available for free on YouTube.

Δύο Ξένοι (Two Strangers)

A story by Alexandros Rigas and Dimitris Apostolou. “Δύο Ξένοι” is the typical ‘90s romantic comedy that features two people with completely different backgrounds and personalities who meet and fall in love. On one hand we have a bubbly yet uncultured morning show presenter and on the other hand a grumpy theater director and drama teacher. By watching this show, you will also be able to hear some of the most memorable lines from well-known ancient Greek tragedies. The series is also available here on YouTube.

Περί Ανέμων και Υδάτων (On Winds and Waters)

A story by Kakia Iyerinou. This tv-series aired in the early 2000s and it features some of the most well-known Greek actors and actresses. It is a romantic series and it takes place in the beautiful island of Corfu. The intro song is also by Mikis Theodorakis, one of the best contemporary Greek composers and lyricists. You can also watch it for free on YouTube!

Το Νησί (To Nisi/ The Island)

Based on Victoria Hislop’s book. “Το νησί” is a drama that premiered in 2010 but takes place in 1939, in a small village in the island of Crete. “Νησί” means “island” in Greece. However, the title refers to another tiny island: Spinalogga. A place that was inhabited by the unfortunate people who had fallen ill by a mysterious disease. I am not going to spoil anything, so if you are interested in learning more about the plot, which is based on true events, you can always watch the series. You won’t find it on YouTube but on other video platforms.

Notable Mentions | More Greek TV-Shows

  1. Άγριες Μέλισσες
  2. Οι Στάβλοι της Εριέτας Ζαΐμη
  3. Το Καφέ της Χαράς
  4. Κωνσταντίνου και Ελένης
  5. Πάτερ Ημών

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Greek Movies You Should Start Watching | Greek-Speaking Films

Ποτέ την Κυριακή (Never on Sunday)

Written and directed by Jules Dassin, starring Melina Merkouri. This ‘60s movie has a special place in my heart, since it features my hometown, Piraeus, which is the port of Athens, Greece. It follows Homer, an American classical scholar in search of happiness, and Ilya, a local woman who is considered immoral for sleeping with men in exchange for money. The movie won the Academy Award for Best Original Song (written by the legendary Manos Hadjidakis) and was nominated for countless more Academy Awards. Melina Merkouri, the leading actress, won “Best Actress” at the 1960 Cannes Film Festival. A movie that every person who learns Greek should watch at least once in their lifetime. And yes, you can find it here on YouTube with English subtitles.

Πολίτικη Κουζίνα (With a Touch of Spice)

Directed by Tassos Boulmetis. This 2003 movie will help you understand the culture of the Greeks who originate from the city of Constantinople, through its culinary history. It has won eight Greek State Film Awards, including the Award for Best Film, and it had a huge success in the cinemas. You can watch it on YouTube but at a very small price.

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Νύφες (Brides)

Directed by Pantelis Voulgaris. This 2004 history drama was supported by Martin Scorsese, has countless Greek State Film Awards and was nominated for Golden St. George at Moscow International Film Festival. It follows the story of a 1922 young woman who is sent to the United States on a boat to marry a man she has never met. She is among the 700 brides-to-be from Greece – all of them have tragic stories to tell. You can watch it for free on YouTube.

Αν (What If)

By Christoforos Papakaliatis. This 2012 movie will give you a tour of the most beautiful places in the city of Athens. It also briefly features some of the events that happened in Greece after the crisis of 2008. However, these events mostly act as the background to the main storyline, which has made other people love the film or hate it. It has won Best Sound in the Hellenic Film Academy Awards. You can watch it for free on YouTube.

Κυνόδοντας (Dogtooth)

Directed by Yorgos Lanthimos. This 2009 Greek film was maybe the first one that fell under the what we (now) call “Weird Greek Wave Cinema” category. I don’t want to spoil anything from the plot, so I am only going to mention that it was nominated for Best Foreign Language Film at the 83rd Academy Awards and it won the Prix Un Certain Regard at the 2009 Cannes Film Festival. It has also won countless other awards and prices in Greece and abroad, including the Feature Film Award at Montreal Festival of New Cinema. Unfortunately, you cannot watch the entire movie on YouTube but you can easily find it on other video platforms.

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Notable Mentions: More Greek movies

  1. Βίος και Πολιτεία του Αλέξη Ζορμπά
  2. Έτερος Εγώ
  3. Η Κάλπικη Λύρα
  4. Μικρά Αγγλία
  5. Το Τανγκό των Χριστουγέννων

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Dos & Don’ts in Athens, Greece

athens travel advice

What are some weird facts about Athens, Greece? Can you throw your toilet paper in the toilet? Is the tap water safe in Athens? Are you allowed to drink in public in the Greek capital? These and other questions are answered in Helinika’s new YouTube video. Don’t forget to subscribe and stay connected!

Athens Travel Advice | Athens Travel Tips

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Ancient Greek Vampires | #GreekMyths

ancient greek vampires

Most of us know vampires from Hollywood and, of course, the 19th Century Gothic horror novel “Dracula” by Bram Stoker. They are blood-thirsty people (or creatures) of the night. They are called “the undead” and they are still very feared in the Balkans and in Eastern Europe. Vampires are often depicted as being pale, aristocratic, and charming. Sometimes, they resemble frightening monsters. They always seek blood but, in certain occasions, they consume people’s energy and are therefore called energy vampires. All of them fear the sunlight, garlic, and certain metals. +What if I told you that ancient Greeks believed in vampires as well?

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The Modern Greek “Vrykolakas”

The modern Greek vampire is called “vrykolakas”. A vrykolakas is an undead creature that resembles a zombie (at least in the way they are portrayed in Hollywood movies). They drink blood but they have cravings for flesh as well. According to legend, these supernatural beings were once humans. These people either got excommunicated by the Orthodox Church or followed a sinful lifestyle. After their death, they turn into horrific creatures that leave their tombs at night and scare or even hunt the living.

The fear of the vrykolakas spread among Greeks when the latter encountered some Slavic groups in the Balkan region. In fact, as many of you might already know, vampires are very popular among the Slavs. In Greece, the fear of the vrykolakas soon faded away and most Greeks are aware of vampires thanks to Stoker’s “Dracula”. What most people do not know is that stories of vampire-like creatures are way older than the Irish writer’s book and the 17th-century folklore.

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Vampires in Ancient Greece | Ancient Greek Vampires

Ancient Greeks are known for being imaginative and creative when it comes to storytelling. If you have watched Helinika’s video series narrating Homer’s “Odyssey”, then you should remember that Odysseus had to perform a ritual to be able to talk to the souls of the dead in Hades. This ritual involved sacrificing an animal and offering its blood to the souls. It is clear that Ancient Greeks believed that the dead were thirsty for blood; thirsty for anything that keeps the human body alive.

This belief seemed to have led some ancient Greek cities to take protective measures when burying their dead. Neolithic graves discovered in Choirokoitia in Cyprus indicate that people were trying to stop the dead from exiting their graves.  They would place rocks on the dead bodies’ chests, making sure that they would not escape during the night. Similar burial sites were found in other places across Greece.

Apart from these findings, ancient Greek mythology includes many stories of undead creatures that targeted people – especially at night. Empusa and Lamia were two vampiric monsters in ancient Greek folklore. Their origins are not clear; some believed they were the angry ghosts of two dead women, while other said that they were demons.

Embusa and Lamia would take the forms of beautiful women to attract young, energetic men who wandered alone at night. With their charming beauty, they would lure them into dark alleys and fields. There, they would attack these men, drinking their blood and sometimes eating their flesh.

A similar legend is the one of Mormolyceia or Mormo. A female ghost who targeted babies and young children instead. During the Byzantine times, Mormo and Lamia were considered to be the same supernatural being. In fact, it is believed that the original story of Lamia described her as a ghost that targeted infants.

According to the legend, Lamia was a Libyan queen who (unsurprisingly) became Zeus’ lover. Hera, Zeus’ sister and wife, started to harass the woman by abducting and killing her children as soon as they were born. Lamia became so enraged that started targeting other people’s babies. Ancient Greek women would often mention Lamia when their children were misbehaving to make sure that they don’t sneak out of their beds at night. Similar stories were told in other ancient communities around the globe.

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Dos & Don’ts in Athens, Greece

Can you throw your toilet paper in the toilet? Is the tap water safe in Athens? Are you allowed to drink in public in the Greek capital? Athens dos and don’ts

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Top 10 Weirdest Births in Ancient Greek Mythology | #GreekMyths

birth of venus

Ancient Greek myths are full of weird birthing stories. From Aphrodite/ Venus, who was the result of a Titan’s castration, to Zeus finding out he is pregnant to Athena after having a headache (yes, the goddess of Wisdom was conceived in the brain), here are the ten weirdest births in ancient Greek mythology!

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Weird Birthing Stories in Ancient Greek Myths:

  1. The Birth of Venus (Aphrodite)
  2. The Birth of Goddess Athena
  3. The Birth of Dionysus
  4. The Birth of Helen of Troy
  5. The Birth of Hercules and Iphicles
  6. The Birth of Apollo and Artemis
  7. The Birth of Zeus’ Siblings
  8. The Birth of Hephaestus
  9. The Birth of Phanes
  10. The Birth of Perseus

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Number 10: The Curious Birth of Perseus

Perseus is the legendary founder of Mycenae and one of the greatest ancient Greek heroes; he is the one who actually killed the snake-haired Gorgon Medusa. Like with most mythical heroes, he was the son of Zeus and a mortal. The mortal was a princess named Danae. Danae’s father, Akrisios, had heard of a prophecy that his future grandchild would kill him. Akrisios locked Danae into a bronze chamber to make sure that she would never get impregnated. Well, that did not stop Zeus from impregnating Danae in the form of golden rain. Princess Danae ended up giving birth alone in the bronze chamber, surprising everyone when they found her with baby Perseus in her arms.

Number 9: Phanes and the Cosmic Egg

Phanes was an ancient Greek deity of procreation in the Orphic cosmogony. He was the generator of life and he might give the answer to the age-old question “what came first, the chicken or the egg?”. Well, according to Phanes’ myth it was the egg that came first. The ancient Greek deity came out of the cosmic egg along with a serpent and became the first king of the universe, long before Zeus took over.

Number 8: The Parthenogenesis of Hephaestus

Hephaestus is the ancient Greek god of crafts, fire, and volcanoes. He was the only Olympian god who had some physical abnormalities. According to Hesiod, this was a result of parthenogenesis – his mother, Hera, conceived him alone. Hera decided to give birth to a son to take revenge on Zeus for being unfaithful.

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Number 7: The Second “Birth” of Zeus’ Siblings

Zeus was the youngest child of Titan Cronus and Rhea. His eldest brothers and sisters, including Hera, Poseidon, and Hestia, were swallowed whole after their birth from their father. Rhea was able to hide baby Zeus before he was consumed alive and, once he grew up, he was able to free his siblings from Cronus’ belly. Zeus’ siblings were basically born twice and from both parents.

Number 6: The Birth of Artemis and Apollo in Exile

Artemis and Apollo are two twin Olympians who were the result of Zeus’ and Letos’ union. Hera, Zeus’ wife, had banned Leto from giving birth on land – whether that was the mainland or an island. However, Leto managed to find refuge on Delos island, which was surrounded by swans. Artemis was born quite easily, but Apollo’s birth lasted nine days and nights, because Hera has abducted Eileithyia, the goddess of childbirth. According to some variations of the myth, newborn Artemis assisted with the delivery of her twin brother.

Number 5: The Unwanted Birth of Hercules/Heracles and Iphicles

Heracles (also known as Hercules) is one of the most well-known ancient Greek mythical heroes of all times. Since he was the son of Zeus and a mortal, Hera did everything she could to stop his mother Alcmene from giving birth to him and his twin(?) brother Iphicles. Iphicles was actually a brother from another father and was not related to Zeus. Hera did everything she could to slow down the birth of the two brothers and even tied the legs of Alcmene together. The goddess was finally distracted by a servant and Alcmene delivered the babies successfully.

Number 4: The Spectacular Birth of Helen of Troy

Mythical Helen was once considered to be the most beautiful woman on Earth. Her kidnapping sparked the Trojan war, which was the starting point of Homer’s Odyssey. Helen was conceived and delivered under surprising circumstances. Zeus transformed into a swan and mated with a woman named Leda. She then laid eggs that hatched and yielded Helen and her brothers and sisters.

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Number 3: The (Re)Birth of Dionysus

Dionysus is the god of wine and he was later associated with ancient Greek drama. The god was actually born twice. His mother was Semele, a mortal who (unsurprisingly) got impregnated by Zeus, and was targeted by Hera for this exact reason. This time, Hera pretended to be a friend of Semele and asked her about the father of her unborn baby. Semele revealed the true identity of the father but Hera pretended to not believe her. Semele then asked Zeus to tell the world about his son – something that Hera knew would anger him. Zeus sent lightning bolts to Semele, killing her. However, he did not want his unborn child to die as well. He sewed the fetus on his thigh and few months later, Dionysus was born.

Number 2: Athena’s Birth Was a Literal Headache

Goddess Athena was also a result of Zeus’ lust for a mortal woman. This time, the woman was called Metis. Zeus impregnated her but then heard of a prophesy that Metis would give birth to two children; her firstborn would be a girl and she would later give birth to a boy who would overthrow Zeus. The king of the gods and goddesses of Mount Olympus decided that the best way to protect himself would be to consume pregnant Metis alive. Some months later, Zeus started feeling unwell. He had a terrible headache that felt like something wanted to tear his head apart. Hephaestus then followed Hermes instructions and split Zeus’ head apart to see what the problem was. And that was when goddess Athena jumped out of his head. She was fully grown and already wearing her armor!

Number 1: The Not So Graceful Birth of Venus (Aphrodite)

Aphrodite (or Venus in Latin) is the goddess of beauty and romance. Her birth has been featured in multiple art pieces since the Renaissance, but the reality is that is was not as graceful as it’s been depicted. Aphrodite was the result of the castration of Cronus from the Olympians. Her brothers and sisters threw the severed parts of Cronus in the ocean and she rose from the sea foam.

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The Odyssey Part 5 (Final) | Books 17 – 24 | #GreekMyths

Last time we followed Odysseus back to his kingdom, Ithaca. There he met with his son Telemachus and his loyal friend Eumaeus. Today we will cover books 17 to 24 of the Odyssey, finishing this series.  

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“The Odyssey” Books 17 – 20: The Suitors Meet Beggar-Odysseus

Telemachus visits the palace of Ithaca and meets his mother. She embraces him and asks whether he was able to collect any news regarding his father. The young prince follows the plan and does not reveal that his father has reached the island. Instead, he says that he is captured in Calypso’s island and that they should make a sacrifice to appease the gods and goddesses of Mount Olympus. That is when Theoclymenus enters the scene. He is a prophet from Argos who was wanted for committing murder. The fugitive had sought refuge in Telemachus’ boat and ended up in Ithaca. He revealed that he had seen Odysseus on the island, but Penelope did not believe him.

It was almost nighttime when the suitors visited the palace to dine and drink wine. They used to eat and drink at the palace every night, along with Penelope’s maids. The queen of Ithaca was feeling helpless and unable to bring order to the kingdom of Ithaca. The island was ruled by complete chaos.

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What the suitors did not know was that Odysseus, dressed up as a beggar, was walking towards his kingdom, along with his loyal friend, Eumaeus. A man named Melanthios sees the men and taunts Odysseus for his appearance. And what follows is one of the most iconic parts of Homer’s Odyssey: Odysseus’ dog, Argos, was spotted laying nearby. Argos was only a puppy when the king of Ithaca travelled to Troy. But the dog, which was very old and neglected at that time, was able to recognize his master immediately and started wagging its tail. Argos was unable to run to Odysseus and due to his excitement and old age, died at the scene. The friendship between a dog and a man was considered sacred since ancient times.

Odysseus finally enters the palace and, pretending he is a beggar, starts asking for money from the thousands of suitors. Some of them throw bread at him. The king then starts narrating a story; how he also used to be rich. Antinous, one of the suitors, hits him on the shoulder and Odysseus, still disguised as a beggar, asks the gods to punish him. He doesn’t attack yet; his journey has taught him a lot and he has paid for his hybris.

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Meanwhile, another beggar appears on the scene and asks Odysseus to fight – he didn’t want another beggar taking away some of his potential earnings. The beggar gets intimidated by Odysseus’ strong physique and the suitors offer some meat to the winner. The suitors have one more drink for the night and leave.

The king and prince of Ithaca then start hiding their weapons in the palace; they will use them tomorrow to scare away and kill the suitors. Once they are done, Odysseus visits Penelope in her chamber. The faithful queen of Ithaca does not recognize her husband. She sees a beggar who was mistreated by her maids and the angry suitors and feels bad for him. She asks him to narrate his story, but the man explains his past is too painful to be brought up. Penelope, feeling very familiar towards this stranger, starts discussing her own problems. How powerless she feels and how she might have to end up marrying one the suitors, although she detests them.

Odysseus then starts narrating a story to Penelope. That he is originally from Crete and that he once hosted Odysseus during his homecoming trip. He manages to describe him accurately; he was the same person after all. The queen cries and promises to host the man in her palace. The man promises that Odysseus is alive and on his way back, but Penelope cannot believe this scenario. So many years have passed by.

Following the rules of philoxenia, Penelope instructs Eyrykleia, her most loyal maid, to clean the host’s feet. The maid recognizes Odysseus from a hunting wound on his thigh and Odysseus warns her to not reveal his identity. Penelope then asks for Odysseus advice. She dreamt of an eagle that preys on geese in her kingdom; the eagle talks to her and says he is Odysseus and the geese are no other than the suitors. Odysseus says he believes that the dream will come true but Penelope is skeptical. She also reveals that she plans to choose her new husband tomorrow. She will marry whoever is able to shoot an arrow through twelve axe heads with Odysseus bow. Her real, disguised husband reminds her that Odysseus will come back and Penelope runs towards her chamber in tears.

Odysseus spends the night trying to convince himself to not attack the suitors while they sleep. Goddess Athena visits him and reassures him he will be able to fight against the suitors on his own. She promised to protect him with her divine powers. Meanwhile, Penelope prays to goddess Artemis to end her life.

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“The Odyssey” Books 21 – 24: The End

The next morning, Penelope gathers the suitors in the main hall and announces them that she will marry one of them. She explains that the new king of Ithaca will be the man who will be able to shoot an arrow through twelve axe heads with Odysseus’ bow.

The suitors fail one by one and then beggar Odysseus asks to give it a try. The suitors laugh but Penelope allows him to use the bow, promising that she will give him food and clothes if he succeeds. Telemachus, knowing what is about to follow, leads his mother inside the house, while Eumaeus makes sure that the doors are locked. Odysseus shoots the arrow, which manages to go through all twelve axe heads. At the same time, a lightning strikes, a sign that Zeus is with Odysseus’ side again.

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Once Odysseus shows his skills, he throws an arrow at Antinous, the vilest of the suitors. The rest of the men try to find their weapons but Odysseus and Telemachus had made sure to hid them carefully. With Athena’s help, Odysseus defeats the suitors one by one, and makes sure that the maids that were disloyal to him get punished as well.

Eyrykleia, the old maid, informs Penelope about Odysseus’ return and the death of the suitors. Penelope cannot believe this scenario; she thinks that the gods punished the suitors for their hybris and that Odysseus is dead. But then Odysseus enters her room and reveals his true identity. Penelope is hesitant to believe him; but Odysseus talks about their bed, which he had carved himself from an olive tree that has its roots in the foundation of the house. This bed cannot be moved, just like the couple’s faith and loyalty to each other. This secret that only he and she knew was enough to make Penelope believe that her husband was alive and standing in front of her. She hugs him and apologizes to him for her skepticism.

There are now two things left to do, a sacrifice to god Poseidon and a visit to the vineyards of Laertes, Odysseus’ old father.  Odysseus meets his father, they embrace, and makes sure that Poseidon will favor him again by visiting the mainland holding the Winnowing Oar and making a sacrifice when he meets the first person who is unaware of the sea and seamen. As for the suitors, they end up in Hades, and their loss divides the people of Ithaca. With Athena’s intervention, peace is declared, and the Ithacans follow Odysseus, their true king; the one who is favored by the gods.

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Homer’s Odyssey Part 4 | Books 13-16 | #GreekMyths

odyssey part 4

Last time we followed Odysseus in the kingdom of the dead and we learned how he was able to save himself from the Sirens, Scylla and Charybdis. What will happen next? Today we will cover the fourth part of Homer’s Odyssey. Make sure to stay till the end and comment down below your thoughts after watching this video. And subscribe for more videos on Greek mythology!

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“The Odyssey” Book 13: Odysseus Reaches Ithaca

The 13th book of Odysseus’ journey starts in present time, with the Ithacan king finishing narrating his adventures in front of the people of Phaeacia. The hospitable islanders sympathized with Odysseus and they offered him a boat ride home, along with various gifts and resources. Odysseus thanks king Alcinous and the rest of the Phaeacians and gets on board. The boat finally arrives at Ithaca the next day, while Odysseus is asleep. The Phaeacians leave Odysseus on the shore and return to their peaceful island. Soon enough, Poseidon notices that they helped Odysseus reach Ithaca and he gets filled with anger. After asking permission from Zeus, god Poseidon turns the Phaeacian ship into stone few moments before it arrives in the harbor. As a result, the ship sinks and the Phaeacians who helped Odysseus reach Ithaca were never seen again. King Alcinous realized that helping Odysseus enraged the gods and swore to never help strangers ever again.

At the same time, king Odysseus wakes up and finds himself on a land he could not recognize. Goddess Athena appears in front of him as a shepherd and explains to him that he is indeed in Ithaca and that his people need him. Odysseus at first tries to conceal his identity, the goddess reveals her identity and advices him to use his tricks to eradicate the suitors who conspire against him and his son. To protect him, she transforms him into an old man and leaves Ithaca to go find Telemachus in the Peloponnese region.

“The Odyssey” Book 14: Eumaeus, The Loyal Friend

The transformed king of Ithaca follows Athena’s advice and hides into a hut that belongs to Eumaeus, a local farmer and loyal friend of Odysseus. There he meets Eumaeus, who not only feeds the transformed Odysseus but confesses to him how much he misses the king of Ithaca and how much he detests the men who have taken over his palace, trying to convince Penelope to marry one of them. Odysseus promises Eumaeus that his beloved king will return – his own identity is not revealed yet. He narrates a different story regarding his background and finally learns that his son is in danger, since the suitors are conspiring to kill him. Once the night arrives, Odysseus sleeps in the hut and Eumaeus tends to his herd.

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“The Odyssey” Book 15: Telemachus Returns

While Odysseus sleeps, goddess Athena find Telemachus in the Peloponnese region and urges him to travel back to Ithaca to prevent his mother from marrying a suitor. She warns him of the dangers he might face and suggests that he visits Eumaeus first and let him visit Penelope to announce his return. As he leaves, an eagle flies off holding its pray. Is this a sign?

Back in the hut, Odysseus learns about the death of his mother and how lonely his father, Laertis, is. Eumaeus then narrates his own story. He was abducted by pirates when he was a child. King Laertis purchased him to save him and Odysseus’ mother raised him. While the farmer narrates his story to the transformed Odysseus, Telemachus arrives on the island.

“The Odyssey” Book 16: Father and Son Reunite

The young prince of Ithaca reaches Eumaeus’ hut, where he is greeted by the friendly farmer and is introduced to his father who had the appearance of an unrecognizable old man.  Odysseus soon understands that his son does not feel confident enough to stand against the suitors. With Athena’s intervention, Odysseus regains his appearance and reveals his true identity to his son. The men embrace and cry together. United they can eradicate the hundreds of suitors that roam the palace. Father and son spend the whole night talking and coming up with the right plan that can help them regain power over their palace.

Will they succeed? Can father and son win against hundreds of suitors? If you are interested in hearing the rest of the story, don’t forget to subscribe (free). Also, if you enjoyed watching this video, feel free to like, comment and share.

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Homer’s Odyssey Part 3 | Books 11-12 | #GreekMyths

The previous part ended when Odysseus was about to depart the island of Circe, where he learned that, in order to find a way to reach Ithaca safely, he would have to visit Hades, the ancient Greek kingdom of the dead.

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“The Odyssey” Books 11-12: Odysseus and The Souls of Hades

Odysseus sails away with his crew and lands on the region of Cimmerians, where the men of Winter resided. There he follows Circe’s instructions and performs a ritual that would open the veil that separates the land of the living from the land of the dead, allowing him to talk to the ghost of the blind clairvoyant Tiresias.

The area was surrounded by thick fog. Odysseus performed the ritual, which involved sacrificing animals and offering milk and honey. He was warned that if he did not feed the souls of the dead, they would try to drink his blood. From the pit he had dug, countless souls appeared and started to consume the offerings. Odysseus came across many people he had met in his life, including his dead mother Anticleia. The Ithacan king had to sit far away from the pit until the fortune teller Tiresias appeared. He cried while watching his mother feast on the blood, without being able to talk with her.

All of a sudden, Theban Teiresias appears. “Son of Laertes, sprung from Zeus, Odysseus of many devices, what now, hapless man? Why hast thou left the light of the sun and come hither to behold the dead and a region where is no joy? Nay, give place from the pit and draw back thy sharp sword, that I may drink of the blood and tell thee sooth,” he said.

Teiresias tells Odysseus that he should not touch the flocks of Helios when he lands on Thrinakia and he predicts that he will manage to kill Penelope’s suitors when he finally reaches Ithaca. Teiresias also consoles Odysseus to make a sacrifice to Poseidon once he reaches a land where the people do not know of the sea. This is the only way to appease the god of the sea and live a trouble-free life.

Teiresias then allows Anticleia to drink from the blood and finally talk with her son. Odysseus had left Ithaca knowing that his mother was alive. He was unaware she was dead. Anticleia explains that she couldn’t bear waiting for her son’s return; her constant worries killed her. Odysseus tries to hug his mother at this point but she vanishes into thin air. The souls of the dead start surrounding Odysseus, telling him their stories of how they died. The king of Ithaca starts running away from the pit and sails away with his crew.

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The Sirens | Odysseus’ Journey

They first stop at Circe’s island where they make a funeral pyre for the soul of Elpenor who had died there and whom they met when talking with the souls of the dead. Circe then warns them of a great danger they might face during their trip. On their way to the island of Helios, the Sun, the Ithacans might come across the Sirens, a group of dangerous creatures that lured sailors with their beautiful voices on the rocks they resided on. Contrary to the popular belief, the Sirens were not mermaids but gigantic birds that had women’s faces.

The Ithacans were advised to wear earplugs and therefore never listen to the irresistible song of the Sirens. And that is exactly what they did. However, Odysseus was very curious and wanted to have this experience before settling to Ithaca. Instead of wearing earplugs, he asked his sailors to tie him to the mast and commanded them to not listen to him or untie him until they are far away from the Sirens.

The sailors soon noticed the rocky island of the Sirens in the horizon. They tied Odysseus to the mast, put some wax in their ears, and started paddling faster than ever. The blood-thirsty Sirens tried seducing the men with their beautiful voices, asking them to make a stop on their island. Odysseus was begging his men for mercy – he was asking them to untie him and let him swim towards these magical and seductive women. But his sailors could not listen to him. After some time that felt like an eternity, they were able to sail away from the Sirens and finally untie their leader.

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Scylla and Charybdis |Odysseus’ Journey

The next obstacle they had to surpass was a pass between Scylla and Charybdis, two deadly sea monsters that had caused countless deaths in the sea. The narrow pass was located between Sicily and Calabria. On one hand, there was Scylla, a six-headed dog-like creature that would eat sailors that accidentally sailed closed to it and, on the other hand, there was Charybdis, a monster that lived under a small rock and created whirlpools that sank any nearby boats.

Odysseus had to make a difficult decision here. Which option was the least dangerous for him and his crew? He realized that by avoiding Charybdis and approaching Scylla, he would loose fewer men: Charybdis would sink the entire ship, whereas Scylla would only be able to grab and eat a few men. That was a sacrifice that had to be made.

The crew passed by Scylla and Odysseus tells his men to not fear – he didn’t want them to panic; panic could be deadlier than the sea monster. Scylla managed to eat six men to the horror of Odysseus and the rest of the men. The crew managed to stay focused and sailed away, approaching the island of Helios, mourning their dead friends.

Teiresias and Circe had warned Odysseus to not eat the animals that resided on the island, since this would enrage Zeus. However, the winds were not in their favor and the crew remained stranded on the island. There was almost no food left and some of the men decide to eat the cattle of Helios, without asking for Odysseus’ permission. That action enraged Zeus who conjured a storm and targeted Odysseus’ ship with a thunderbolt, wrecking it. The men fell into the water and the enormous waves managed to separate them from each other. Odysseus managed to grab onto a floating piece of wood and watched the waves take him towards the whirlpool of Charybdis. The lucky Ithacan managed to escape and, after passing by Scylla, he ends up in Calypso’s island.

And this is when Odysseus ends his story, thanking Alcinous for his hospitality. It is time for him to get on board and leave Phaeacia. What will happen next? Will Poseidon and Zeus allow Odysseus reach Ithaca?

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Odysseus’ Nostos Part 2 | Homer’s Odyssey Summary | #GreekMyths

odyssey part 2

Last time we followed Odysseus from Troy to the land of the Lotus Eaters. We also saw what was happening in Ithaca during his absence. This time, we will continue with book nine of the Odyssey and follow Odysseus’ journey across the Mediterranean.  

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“The Odyssey” Books 9-12: Continuing the Wanderings of Odysseus

After managing to leave the land of the Lotus Eaters, wily Odysseus and his crew reached the land of the Cyclopes, which is estimated to be located in Sicily. The Cyclopes were giants with one enormous eye on their forehead. They were violent and lawless creatures and they were not the brightest either.

Odysseus and his man explored the land, ate some of the livestock, and found a cave that seemed occupied. They wanted to ask for help and entered the cave which was the home of Cyclops Polyphemus. The latter not only denied helping the men but ate some of them and trapped Odysseus and the rest of his crew in his dark, terrifying home. Little did he know that Odysseus was not only brave but blessed with the ability to find solutions in the most difficult situations.

Wily Odysseus offers some of his wine to Polyphemus and introduces himself – he says his name is “Kanenas” which translates to “Nobody” in Greek. Polyphemus soon falls asleep after drinking the wine and Odysseus finds the opportunity to create a sharp spear from Polyphemus large club. With the help of his men, he blinds Cyclops Polyphemous who wakes up, opens the door, and screams for help. This is when the Ithacans manage to escape and run towards their ship. The other Cyclopes visited Polyphemus asking him who hurt him. “Nobody” he screamed. The Cyclopes get confused and leave Polyphemus alone, thinking he blinded himself.

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Odysseus and his men were already on their boats, staring and pointing at the giant man who was tricked by a group of tiny humans. Odysseus was ecstatic; he had fought men in Troy but managing to win against a giant creature like Polyphemus was a great achievement. And that is when he began insulting Polyphemus while sailing away. He was unaware that he had committed an hybris and he was soon going to face the wrath of Poseidon, father of Polyphemus and god of the sea. Poseidon throws an enormous rock at Odysseus that nearly hits his boat. Odysseus is now cursed to never return home – at least alive.

Odysseus and his crew manage to reach the Island of the Wind, where Aiolos, the god of the Winds, resides. Aeolia was located close to Sicily and Aiolos was very kind and hospitable towards Odysseus and his crew. The Ithacans stayed there for one month and before they sailed away, Aiolos gifted Odysseus a bag containing winds that could help them reach Ithaca faster.

With the westerlies at their back, the boats start approaching Ithaca within ten days. Odysseus stared at the starry night over Ithaca knowing he would step foot on his beautiful kingdom probably within a day. And he fall asleep peacefully on the dock. Some of his men though could not sleep that night. What was in Aiolos’ bag? Did it contain winds or treasures? What is Aiolos’ had given gold to Odysseus and the latter did not want to share the gifts with his men? These greedy men decided to open the bag, just like Pandora opened the box containing all evils. The winds were forcefully released, creating a hurricane that lead the boats back at Aeolia. Aiolos speculates that Odysseus’ journey is cursed and explains that he can’t help him any further.

The Ithacans start sailing without any wind and they soon reach Lamos, a place that was inhabited by a group of aggressive cannibals called Laestrygonians. The Laestrygonians attacked and ate many of Odysseus’ men in front of the rest of the crew who watched in horror. The Ithacans run back to their boats, however, the hungry cannibals started throwing rocks at them. The rocks destroyed all ships but one. Odysseus and the rest of the survivors managed to escape by paddling faster than ever.

The next stop was the island of the witch Circe, Aeaea. Odysseus’ men were terrified to search for the inhabitants, since they had been meeting only dangerous, inhospitable individuals. However, Odysseus sends some of his men to follow a smoke trail that was coming from the depths of the woods. The men found a home that was guarded by wolves and mountain lions. A woman was singing inside the house – she invited the men inside, welcomed them, and prepared a feast for them. Little did they know that she was the witch Circe.

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The men start eating and drinking, except for sailor Eurylokhos who was hesitant towards strangers after witnessing his mates being consumed by giants not once but twice. Suddenly, the men start turning into pigs – their drinks contained a powerful potion that Circe had prepared for the men who displeased her. Eurylokhos informs Odysseus and the latter visits Circe and threatens her that he will kill her unless she takes the hex back. Circe explains that the curse will break only if Odysseus spends a night with her – a proposal that the king of Ithaca found quite fair.

Odysseus ended up spending an entire year at Circe’s island, which had turned into a paradise for him and his men (who were not only turned back into men, but their looks were also enhanced). Eventually, the Ithacans realize that it is time to go home. Odysseus asks Circe to help them return to Ithaca and she reveals to him that, in order to break the curse, he would have to visit Hades, the kingdom of the Dead, and speak with Tiresias, the well-known fortune teller and prophet. She explains what he would have to do there and how to protect himself from the blood-thirsty souls of the dead. How will Odysseus travel to Hades? Who is he going to meet there? Stay tuned because Part III will be coming soon!

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Part I of the Odyssey:

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Odysseus’ Journey Part 1 | Homer’s Odyssey Summary | #GreekMyths

You may know him as Ulysses or Odysseus. He was the legendary king of the island of Ithaca in Greece, husband of Penelope, and father of Telemachus. He is known as being resourceful, cunning, adventurous, brave, and determined. He was the person who came up with the idea of the Trojan horse in the Iliad after all. Sometimes, he appeared to be overconfident and faced the wrath of the gods. Today we will be exploring his nostos, his adventurous homecoming journey across the Mediterranean – known as “The Odyssey”, an epic poem attributed to the ancient Greek poet Homer.

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Nine Facts about Homer’s Odyssey:

  1. It is estimated that the Odyssey was composed around the 8th century BC;
  2. It is an epic poem and was meant to be verbally narrated but was documented on 24 books;
  3. The epic is the sequel of the Iliad, which revolves around the Trojan war;
  4. The Odyssey begins “in medias res” – instead of following a linear chronology, the story begins in the middle of the story (how many Netflix series have been inspired by Homer?);
  5. The epic poem starts with the invocation of the muse prompt – a prayer or address that acts as a prologue;
  6. It follows Odysseus (his Latin name is Ulysses) on his ten-year journey from Troy to his kingdom, Ithaca;
  7. Odysseus is brave and strong, but his greatest qualities are his cleverness and his ability to come up with quick solutions to gigantic (no pun indented) problems;
  8. The Odyssey serves as a cautionary tale for those who tend to brag about their achievements – hybris, the dangerous overconfidence, will lead you away from your path;
  9. Homer’s Odyssey stands as an inspiration for countless books, movies, and other forms of artwork. The most popular book is James Joyce’s “Ulysses”, one of the most important works of modernist literature.

The Summary of the Odyssey | The Odyssey in a Nutshell

Maybe you are preparing for a test or you are simply interested in getting the gist of the epic poem. Whatever the reason might be, here is the summary of Homer’s Odyssey – one of the most breathtaking adventures of all time.

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“The Odyssey” Books 1-4: What is Going on in Ithaca?

The first four books of the Odyssey describe the situation in the (real) island of Ithaca during king Odysseus’ absence. Odysseus took part in the ten-year siege of the city of Troy and his kingdom at the hands of his wife Penelope and his son Telemachus. Penelope is described as loyal, faithful, and patient. She awaits her husband’s return and hides away from the countless suitors that visit their kingdom in the hopes of marrying Penelope and ruling Ithaca. Although she dislikes the presence of the 108 suitors, she remains passive. She had told the suitors that she will remarry only once she completed a burial shroud for Odysseus’ father. However, every night she unravels the weaving to make sure that it will never be completed. Telemachus is in his teenage years and has started to get angry with the suitors who disrespect his father and create a sense of anarchy in the kingdom.  

 That is when goddess Athena decides to intervene. As the goddess of wisdom, she was in favor of the extremely intelligent Odysseus who had come up with the idea of the Trojan horse. After asking permission from Zeus, she travels to Ithaca in the form of Mentor, Odysseus’ friend. Athena reveals to Telemachus that his father is still alive and will return to the island soon. Telemachus asks for the gods to punish the suitors and soon two eagles appear on the sky, fighting. This was not the final punishment but rather a bad omen for the greedy suitors who chose to ignore it.

Telemachus follows goddess Athena’s advice and visits the Peloponnese region, specifically Pylos and Sparta, to investigate his father’s disappearance. He had been missing for over ten years after the end of the Trojan War – the trip should have lasted a few weeks or months.  King Menelaus, husband of Helen of Troy,  reveals to Telemachus that his father is stranded on the island of Calypso and really wants to come home. At the same time, while Telemachus is gone, the suitors start plotting his assassination. All they want is to take over the beautiful kingdom of Ithaca.

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“The Odyssey” Books 5-8: Odysseus Escapes Calypso’s Island

Books five and eight focus on wily Odysseus. The king is stranded on Calypso’s island, Ogygia, which is believed to be the island Gozo in the Maltese Archipelago. Calypso is a beautiful nymph who became Odysseus’ lover when he got stranded on her island and refused to let him return to his wife. Odysseus was in Ogygia for seven years with Calypso trying to convince Odysseus that she was much more attractive than Penelope. Although Odysseus did not agree with that statement, the nymph made him feel powerless and he acted as if he was her husband.

Thanks to Athena’s intervention, the gods of Mount Olympus agree to help Odysseus return home. Hermes, the messenger god, visits Calypso and orders her to let Odysseus go. However, Calypso is not the only one who wants Odysseus to stay away from his kingdom. Poseidon, the god of the sea, is mad at him – the reason is revealed later.

Odysseus is now free to leave Ogygia and, with the help of Calypso, he builds a raft within four days. With a magical breeze sent by gods, he is able to sail away from what we now know as the Maltese Archipelago. The 17th day of his trip, Poseidon sees him and conjures a storm that tosses Odysseus in the water – the king is almost drowned. With the help of the goddess Ino, also known as queen of the Sea,  and the goddess Athena, he manages to survive and get ashore.

The place he ends up staying is Phaeacia which is ruled by the king Alcinous, and many scholars believe is located near the island of Corfu. In Phaecia, a storm-tossed Odysseus meets Alcinous daughter, princess Nausicaa. Her female friends are all afraid of him; Odysseus looks similar to Tom Hanks in “Cast Away”.  But Nausicaa is instantly attracted to him. The princess wants to lead him to the palace but is afraid that people will start gossiping if they see him with her.

Odysseus is finally led to the palace with the help of Athena who is in the form of a little girl. At the palace, he is welcomed by Alcinous who is angered when he learns that his daughter left him find his way alone. After being bathed, clothed, and fed, Odysseus is encouraged to tell his adventures. And that is when the most interesting part of the epic poem begins.

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“The Odyssey” Books 9-12: The Wanderings of Odysseus

Odysseus starts narrating to the people of Phaeacia how he ended up stranded on their land. It all started ten years ago, right after the end of the Trojan War. He and his seamen started their nostos, their homecoming trip. Twelve ships sailed away and their first stop was the land of the Cicones, which was located in Thrace. Odysseus’ seamen start stealing and eventually the local army turns against them. Odysseus lost six men per ship and left as soon as possible.

Their next stop was the land of the Lotus Eaters, which is estimated to be located on the northern coast of Africa. The Lotus Eaters are very friendly and peaceful people. However, they lack motivation and ambition. All they want to do is eat their beloved lotus fruit all day and all night. The locals offer the lotus fruit to Odysseus and his crew. The fruit was apparently a narcotic and it was very addicting. Odysseus, a very ambitious man, could not bear see his men laying on ground all day, having forgotten their goal of reaching Ithaca. The men did not want to return to their duties on the ship and Odysseus had to organize a literal intervention and force his crew back to their ships. Their next stop was in Sicily, on the land of the Cyclopes, a group of gigantic, cannibalistic men with one huge eye on their forehead. What happens when Odysseus comes in contact with them? How wily Odysseus manages to free himself and his men from the barbaric Cyclops Polyphemus?

Stay tuned because we will be following the storyline in another video! Don’t forget to subscribe to stay updated!

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The Odyssey (Penguin Classics)

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Echetlaeus: The Mythical Hero of The Battle of Marathon | #GreekMyths

echetlos-marathon

If you are interested in Greek history, then you must be aware of the Battle of Marathon – one of the greatest battles of the ancient world, along with the Battle of Thermopylae.  Now, that was a historical event and this series is dedicated on Greek mythology. However, sometimes, historical events are accompanied by legends. And today’s video is dedicated on such a legend: Echetlaeus, the super-hero of the battle of Marathon. But let’s take everything from the start.

The Persians, the Greeks, and the Greco-Persian Wars

Two ancient civilizations of great significance are the Persians and the Greeks. These two civilizations eventually clashed in a series of conflicts that lasted between 499 and 449 BC and we now know as “The Persian Wars”. The legendary figure we will talk about today appeared during the First Persian invasion of Greece which ended with the victory of the Athenians at the battle of Marathon 490 BC.

It all started in 547 BC, when the Persian Empire, which was lead by Cyrus the Great, conquered the Ionian region in Asia Minor, which was inhabited by the Greeks. The massive and ever-expanding Persian Empire soon noticed how independent-minded the Ionians were and a decision was made to appoint tyrants to rule each Greek-inhabited city.

That decision had the exact opposite effect from what they desired; the Ionian Greeks did not seem to conform. They actually started revolting and, with military support from Athens and other Greek city-states, they managed to cause a lot of trouble to the Persians, which included burning down the city of Sardis, the city that, according to the historian Herodotus, was founded by Hercule’s sons and later captured by the Persians.

These riots lead to the Persians deciding to take immediate action towards discipling the Greeks and making sure that the rest of the minorities in the Persian Empire would remain well-behaved. And they started by attempting to punish the Greek city-states that helped the Ionians revolt against them.

The first Persian invasion of Greece, as documented by the “father of history”, Herodotus, began in 492 BC and ended with the Battle of Marathon in 490 BC. The Marathon is a town in the east part of Attica – the region in which Athens belongs to. In the plains surrounding the town, approximately 11.000 Athenians (and people from Plataea) fought over 100.000 Persians and, although they were outnumbered, they managed to win. According to the legend, after the win, the best Athenian runner, Pheidippides, run to Athens at a very high pace from Marathon to Athens to announce the news. Right after he arrived in the city and exclaimed “we won!”, he died from exhaustion. And this is where the idea of running a Marathon comes from.

TL;DR: The Persians captured the Greek region of Ionia in Asia Minor. The Greek-inhabitants revolted with the help of Athens and other Greek city-states. The Persians tried to invade mainland Greece to diminish any dangers against their empire and the first attempt ended with the battle of Marathon. In this battle, some interesting things were documented by ancient historians.

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The Myths Surrounding the Battle of Marathon

The battle of Marathon is of great strategic significance. The Athenians were outnumbered but, by trapping the massive Persian army in the plains of Marathon, they were able to win the battle. However, since ancient times, some legends surround this historical event that try to explain how a small Greek army was able to defeat an enormous army of another advanced ancient civilization. What “paranormal” activities happened during the battle? Who was the warrior Echetlaeus/ Echetlos who fought with the Greeks, but no one knew or expected?

The first myth(?) that has survived till today says that Pan, the half-man – half-goat god, was observing the battle from a cave close to the battle ground. At one point, the runner Pheidippides came face-to-face with the god and the second had an important question to ask: why the Athenians did not honor Pan as much as they honored the Olympian gods. Pheidippides promised that the city-state of Athens would honor Pan from now on and the god is said to have helped the Greek army by scaring away a part of the Persian army with his loud, terrifying screams. The enemies were in panic mode: a term we use even today to express great fear.

The philosopher and biographer Plutarch mentions that the ghost of the mythical king Theseus appeared in the battleground and fought against the Persian army. And even gods and goddesses from mount Olympus were believed to have helped the Greek army in various ways. But the most enigmatic “supernatural” presence in Marathon is described by the ancient geographer Pausanias: Echetlaeus.

Echetlaeus / Echetlos/ Echetlaus / Echetlus: The “Super-Natural” Warrior… Sent by Pan?

In the Stoa Poikile in the north side of the Ancient Agora of Athens, a painting was created that displayed the heroes of the Battle of Marathon. This painting included the hero Echetlaeus (also seen as Echetlaus and Echetlus), who appeared on the battle-ground out of nowhere, fought against the Persians along with the Athenians, and disappeared after the end of the battle.

He was dressed up like a farmer and he held a plough and a cattle prod. These agricultural tools were his lethal weapons; he is described as killing countless enemies with no effort. Despite wearing no protective gear, he was not wounded and his appearance resembled a god: he has tall and muscular – almost unhuman.

Echetlaeus was worshipped by the Athenians as the hero of the echetlon (ploughshare). His name survives till today, although he is not as well-known as Hercules and other ancient Greek heroes. Some people believe that Echetlaeus was sent by the god Pan, since he was seen exiting the same cave from which Pan was observing the battle. However, others speculate that he is connected to Demeter, Persephone and the secret agrarian rituals revolving them: the Eleusinian Mysteries. And this is connected to another legend that wants the Athenians to have witnessed the Eleusinian procession the night before the battle – however, the people marching resembled ghostly-figures and not real people!

What are your thoughts on Echetlaeus? Do you think he is a mythical or a historical figure? Was he a strong farmer that happened to pass by the battle-ground and joined the Athenians or a “super-natural” being? And if he was not a human, was he sent by Pan or Demeter and Persephone? What other myths do you know surrounding this major historical event?

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