34 Circe Salon -- The Parallax

Achilles is armed and ready.  The Greeks huddle up and plan.  The blood is about to flow. Arrayed in battle armor, Achilles returns to the stage as Agamemnon and Odysseus plan strategy and prepare for the final clash with the Trojans!

One of the most lyrical chapters in the Iliad, in chapter 18, Achilles grieves over the death of Patroclus and steels himself to return to battle.  His loving mother, the goddess Thetis, commissions the god Hephaestus to fashion him new, resplendent armor for the battle he is about to wage and Homer paints a picture of the preparations in some of the most amazingly vivid passages ever written. 

The Roman Empire.  Shakespeare.  Marlon Brando.  James Mason.  With that kind of a lineup, a classic is unavoidable.  Join Sean Marlon Newcombe and Dr. Gary Stickel as they discuss the 1953 Classic, "Julius Caesar."  One of the most important events in world history dramatized by one of the greatest writers in world history, the story of Julius Caesar's assassination is timeless and this film did...

We've been on a bit of a break, but listen in to what we have in store for you in 2022!

Patroclus' death leads to a battle to retrieve his corpse... and the eventual return of Achilles to the fray.

Achilles refuses.   Patroclus enters the fray.  Confusion and fear amongst the Trojans.  Patroclus dies. The beginning of the end, folks.  The Iliad, chapter 16. 

The Battle of Thermopylae is an epic tale of the few standing against the many.  Known popularly as the "Story of the 300," two major Hollywood movies have tackled this tale-- with VERY different approaches.  Join Sean Marlon Newcombe as he chats with Classical scholar Dr. Gary Stickel about the two films "The 300 Spartans" and "300."

The beginning of the end.  Zeus awakens from his seduction by Hera and signals that he will start the process that will seal the Trojan fate.

Enter the Great Goddess.  Chapter 14 of The Iliad wherein Hera unleashes her sexual power to alter the course of the war. Hera seduces Zeus in order to give Poseidon reign to help the Greeks and lead them to Victory.  Join Sean Marlon Newcombe and Dr. Gary Stickel as they discuss this heated chapter. 

Something familiar, something peculiar, something for everyone: a comedy tonight!  And so begins the wonderful comedy "A Funny Thing Happened On The Way To The Forum"! Join us as we discuss this 1966 classic send-up of Roman comedy.  Directed by Richard Lester, director of "A Hard Days Night" and "The Three Musketeers," with amazing songs by Stephen Sondheim, this film and play has delighted for d...

In this chapter, the blood runs hot as both sides cut into their adversaries with brutal intent.  Also, when Zeus is away, Poseidon will play.  Poseidon enters the fray to help bolster the sagging fortunes of the Greeks.

The Trojans are on the move!  Chapter 12 of the Iliad finds the Trojan counter-offensive in full force as the sons of Illium tear into the Achaean lines.  Will the Greeks hold or will the Trojans prevail?  Listen in and find out!

The 1950s were the Golden Age of Sword and Sandal epics, and no film typified that more than Ben Hur.  Join Sean Marlon Newcombe and Dr. Gary Stickel as they discuss this Hollywood classic in the context of both history and filmed entertainment.  The chariot races, the might of Rome, the defiance of Judea and the rise of young carpenter from Nazareth called "Jesus" who would change the world forev...

The Trojans are on the move.  The Greeks are on the run.  Where is Achilles?  So goes chapter 11 of The Iliad. Join Sean Marlon Newcombe and Dr. Gary Stickel as they journey to the shores of Troy to discuss the most famous war of the Ancient World. 

Welcome back to the Classical World at the Movies!  This week, it's the apotheosis of the Classics in Hollywood: Spartacus (1960)! Starring and spearheaded by Hollywood icon Kirk Douglas, written by the legendary writer and Black List defier Dalton Trumbo, and directed by cinema titan and genius Stanley Kubrick, Spartacus remains the standard by which all films about the Classical World are judged...

It's espionage in the Ancient World!  It's chapter 10 of The Iliad wherein we see the Greeks and the Trojans use subterfuge to gain a military edge.  How did ancient armies use spies? What happened when they were captured? Did they drink Martinis like James Bond?   Join Sean Marlon Newcombe as he talks about this aspect of ancient warrior life with Homeric scholar Dr. Gary Stickel.

The Greeks entreat Achilles to return to the fray and fight the Trojans, but like a diva athlete, he's not interested in joining unless they make it worth his while.  Achilles is the "star" of the Greek "team" and he knows it... and so do the rest of the Greeks.  Without him in the battle, the Greeks don't stand a chance against the Trojans.  Pouting in his tent, Achilles refuses to fight.  The Gr...

A special episode about a special film!  The Real-life Indiana Jones, Dr. Gary Stickel, and Hollywood legend, Michael R. Miller, join Sean Marlon Newcombe to discuss the Coen Brothers 2001 film, O Brother, Where Art Thou? Based on Homer's Odyssey , O Brother, Where Art Thou? tells the story of three convicts who escape from a chain gang (one of whom is named "Ulysses," the Latin/Roman form of "Ody...

“Was this the face that launch'd a thousand ships, And burnt the topless towers of Ilium-- Sweet Helen, make me immortal with a kiss.--" So wrote Christopher Marlowe of one of the most famous names in history: Helen of Troy.  But who was Helen and what was life like for women of that era?"   Join us as we talk to again with Max Dashu, noted scholar of women in history, about Helen of Troy and wome...

This episode we talk about chapter 8 of The Iliad in which the anger of Zeus allows the Trojans to slaughter many Greeks in their battle to save their city of Troy.  Dr. Gary Stickel lectures.  Sean Marlon Newcombe hosts. 

We're back at the movies and this time it's Clash of the Titans !  Join Sean Marlon Newcombe and Dr. Gary Stickel as they review the 1981 and 2010 versions of Clash of the Titans .  How faithful were they to the myths?  How well did they portray the Classical World?  Did that portrayal change in the thirty years between when each film was made? Most importantly, were they any good?! It's lights, c...

Let's go to the movies!  First in a series reviewing Hollywood films about Classical history.  This week Troy (2004) starring Brad Pitt, Eric Bana, Diane Kruger and Saffron Burrows.  In this episode, Sean Marlon Newcombe and Dr. Gary Stickel review the 2004 movie, Troy .  Not only the filmmaking will be examined, but the  historicity will be reviewed.  This is a fun look at how the world of the pa...

The Gods had taken sides and their disagreements come to the surface as they champion their respective combatants.  Hector and Ajax face off in a titanic battle.  More extraordinary imagery of war and fate from Homer as the combat crescendos.  Join Sean Marlon Newcombe as he talks with archaeologist and Homeric scholar, Dr. Gary Stickel. 

The horrors of war and how they affect the personal lives of individuals is the theme for Chapter 6 of The Iliad. Troy is under siege and Trojan couples and families wrestle with the possible consequences of a dire outcome.  Homer also describes the horror of warfare in great detail.  Join us for a discussion of this intense chapter!

We move on to chapter 5 of the Iliad and learn about about an overlooked epic hero: Diomedes.  One of the greatest warriors of the Ancient World, he's almost unheard of in today's culture.  Who was this man and what made him such a great fighter?  Join Sean Marlon Newcombe and Dr. Gary Stickel to find out!