Exploring Homer’s World: Bronze Age Greece

The Odyssey by Homer, translated by Emily Wilson
The Three Theban Plays: Antigone; Oedipus the King; Oedipus at Colonus, translated by Robert Fagles

Part tour, part retreat, this trip is a unique opportunity to immerse yourself in the world of Homer by reading his epic Odyssey and visiting sites connected to the myths, poetry, and history that shaped ancient Greece.

We set the context by exploring the architectural masterpieces of Athens, including the Acropolis and the Parthenon. Your Classical Pursuits leader and local guide will bring Homeric legends and ancient Greek drama to life on excursions to sites such as Thebes, home to the seven mythological gates, and Aulis.

For the second half of our journey, enjoy a week at the Kapsaliana resort in beautiful Crete. The quiet setting among olive groves is the ideal place to dig deeper into The Odyssey. Homer’s poem tells the story of the journey of the Ithacan king Odysseus as he tries to return home after the Trojan War. Your skilled discussion leader will provide a fun and engaging experience whether you are coming to the epic for the first time or have read it many times before. Outside our seminars and discussions, you’ll enjoy activities like cooking classes and excursions to Knossos, an ancient city associated with the myth of Theseus and the minotaur.

The guiding principle of our trip is a concept sacred to ancient Greeks and still a fundamental value in Greece today: philoxenia, which can be translated as “friend to the stranger.” The Odyssey is a story of xenia (guest-friendship), whether it is practiced well or poorly, treated with reverence, or parodied. Outside the pages of the book, enjoy Greece’s famous hospitality with a group of travellers who might start out as strangers but will end up as friends.