Muses of Mythology

We apologize for the delay in our regularly scheduled programming. We need a bit more time to release the best version of our finale of Percy Jackson and the Olympians. Please accept a very special Patreon episode drop, our ReMyth episode about the first print volume of Lore Olympus, the beloved webcomic by Rachel Smythe.  The volume focuses on the first 25 chapters of Lore Olympus , but our conve...

“Oh my God, the winds are real?!” It’s the big one. This whole season has been leading up to The Iliad. Buckle up, dear listeners, because we brought in a real Iliad kid. Emily Garber (she/her), classics scholar(ish) and co-host of The Monster Donut podcast, shares the kind of insight about The Iliad you’d usually have to pay tuition to get. And so the episode is the length of a decent college lec...

“You can’t be precious about your interpretations of a text that was so unstable.” Returning guest and temporary co-host Megs Peterson (they/them) comes aboard to discuss the many rich, valid interpretations of Achilles and Patroclus’ relationship and how it’s not necessary to have a strict definition of said relationship to value their bond—but the homophobic interpretations are automatically wro...

“Hesiod definitely didn’t have a problem with women.” Pandora gets blamed for everything. Literally, Hesiod decided the first human woman is responsible for every bad thing in the world. Quinn Albert (she/her) joins the podcast to discuss the terrifying implications of stories that blame women for the suffering of men. Also, charm bracelets! Topics include Hesiod’s account from the worst side of T...

“You were never going to take us to McDonald’s, Zeus!” Rick Riordan created a rather bizarre portrayal of Prometheus. But what else is new? The Ancients also presented dramatically different versions of the fire-thieving Titan of foresight. Let’s talk about all of them and Mary Shelley, too! Talking points include who is really to blame for Luke Castellan’s fate, Zeus being a brat about getting tr...

“Rivers are goofily important.” Life thrives around rivers, and fandom thrives around fan creators. This week, we’re joined by special guest DisenyBeans (Bri) to discuss the potamoi (AKA River Gods).  Talking points include minor spoilers for Chalice of the Gods, the importance of cutting those plastic can holder rings up, a friendly reminder to STAY OUT OF CANALS, rivers as primordial kings, that...

“Persephone is not a minor goddess.” Our residency in the Underworld ends with some quality time spent with Queen Persephone. Talking points include Rick Riodran’s wildly different portrayals of Persephone in various stories, DJ’s season-based headcanon to explain the wildly different portrayals, Darien ruining another beloved mythic name etymology, Persephone always being queen of the underworld...

“Guess we know who planned the menu for this one.” The other half of Camp Half-Pod, writer and Dolphin Girl Erin Moynihan (she/her), joins the show to reexamine Demeter’s reputation as mythology’s biggest helicopter parent. Talking points include which godly parents actually care about their demigod children, projecting difficult parental relationships onto Demeter in the Taking of Persephone stor...

It's our birthday week! Our gift to you, dear listeners, is a sneak behind the Patreon paywall! (Our gift to ourselves is an extra week to get back on schedule!) Learn more about SAGE at https://www.sageusa.org/ "What if Mulan had to travel to the Underworld?" This week's journey through the Twisted Tales series takes DJ and Darien to somewhere they've never been before: C...

"I just love Hades as a character." In antiquity, the wise refrained from even speaking the name of the god of the underworld to avoid drawing his attention. Today, Manasa (she/her) from Camp Half-Pod joins us to talk about Hades a whole lot! Talking points include the staying power of childhood favorites, translations of The Iliad, the chilling power of marble, and pinpointing exactly w...

“William Shakespeare? The playwright?" Do you get déjà vu? Podcast favorite Robert Gaymer (they/them) returns for what can only be described as an episode remake. We’re heading back to the Underworld to thoroughly examine its landscape, citizens, and infrastructure. Talking points include the various rivers that make up Underworld topography, controversial judges, creative ways to pay the fer...

“I get to talk about the Sandman now!" We hope you're well-rested because this week's episode is about the god of dreams, Morpheus! Who is definitely, totally, absolutely a legitimate figure from ancient Greek mythology and the god who put Manhattan to sleep in The Last Olympian .  Talking points include cringe couple pet names, Harley Quinn and Poison Ivy being #Goals, the importan...

“That's some BIG AroAce vibes, kid." It's time to give the goddess of home and hearth her due! This week, Darien (she/her) and DJ (he/him) discuss the Top Three Hestia Moments in the Rick Riordan Books (Spoiler: There are only three Hestia moments). Talking points include why the home is not passive but something heroes fight for, how the hosts know nothing about Giants from Greek m...

"Thetis had to be always on her grind." Mythology has a lot of terrible dads. For once, let's talk about an excellent mother! Thetis did the MOST for her son, Achilles (even when she probably shouldn't). But as Darien (she/her) and DJ (he/him) learn, not even a goddess can save her son from a prophecy.  Other topics include Achilles having no chill, DJ's stance on the Ares...

DJ overcame a fate that took out Houdini—but he's still recovering from the experience. Please enjoy this Unlocked Patreon episode from Bunker 9 in which Darien and DJ dunk on Percy's terrible presents outlined in a 2022 Read Riordan post ( https://rickriordan.com/2022/08/happy-birthday-percy/ ). Note: DJ was totally correct about Chainsaw Man popping off.  Spoilers for Percy Jackson and...

“What are morals to a dolphin?" Darien (she/her) and DJ (he/him) journey under the sea and get to know important members of Poseison's court: Amphitrite, Triton, and Delphin.  Talking points include mythological evidence that Amphitrite wouldn't be mean to Percy, how Triton's fishtail directly led to the transformation in how sirens are depicted, and an awful lot of dolphin fac...

“‘No one touches her!’” Katie (she/her) from The Dam Snack Bar podcast joins the show to discuss the fate of Andromeda and present such piping hot takes as, "The Damsel in Distress trope isn't bad, actually." Talking points include Andromeda possibly being the earliest known damsel in distress, Darien fondness for an incredibly unpopular ship, DJ’s hero complex, Katie’s favorite fic...

"Because horse." Would you believe this episode was originally going to feature a talking horse? Fortunately, we got Owen from Through the Mist to come back instead! And he's bringing all his knowledge of the lore and a fabulous theory regarding the true heritage of pegasi in the Riordanverese. Talking points include Pegasus' brother being just a guy, anatomically accurate pega...

"Guess who was the father." It's been five books, so we guess we have to talk about Kronos now. Good thing Robert Gaymer (they/them) of TheDamMemePage is here to help get through the mess that is the Names of the Titans. Talking points include which Titan had what job, the value of the name "Kruke," the reason why the Titanesses sat out the Titan War,  and DJ's correc...

"Nico breaks Percy out of jail." Darien (she/her) and DJ (he/him) finish their conversation about The Last Olympian –for real this time! Topics include the curse of Achilles making Percy a full-on superhero, whether Luke went to the "Middle Place," if the armpit is a good weak point, a direct call out of Seaweed Brain podcast, and much bemoaning over Luke saying THAT. Please no...

"It's all Zeus' fault." Let's kick off the final book in Rick Riordan's Percy Jackson and the Olympians . Darien (she/her) and DJ (he/him) have so many thoughts about this book that it became the podcast's first two-parter! Topics include who has a claim on loot (magical, flying chariot loot, or otherwise), the tragedy of mortals who cannot let go of the gods, ho...

Get a taste of Darien's new podcast! Welcome to the inaugural episode of Eragon and Back Again! Hosts Darien Smartt (she/her) and Lucy Hart (she/her) dive into the world of Alagaësia and explore the Inheritance Cycle by Christopher Paolini. Join us as we explore themes, foreshadowing, and narrative techniques that will give you a whole new appreciation of this childhood favorite. As professio...

NEW PODCAST COMING WEDNESDAY, JUNE 1, 2023 Two adult writers revisit a childhood favorite and journey through Christopher Paolini's Inheritance Cycle! It's a weekly podcast about adventure stories and writing tips, with plenty of laughs along the way. Keep up with the show on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/eragonpod/ Send an email to EragonPod@gmail.com Support the show No portio...

“Pan went back to the primordial god soup.” We close out season four with an episode about Pan! Which means it's finally time to answer a question from the beginning of the season: What counts as "the wilds?" Beloved past guest, podcaster, and meme maker Robert Gaymer returns only to be dragged into a fierce debate! Other topics include Grover’s arc from follower to activist leader,...

"Ethics are optional." Our favorite grad student Lochlyn (she/her) joins the pod to discuss the incredibly creative and ethically ambiguous mythological inventor Daedalus! Was he just one guy? Was he really from Athens? And what was up with the nephew murder? Other talking points include the bizarre human impulse to feel threatened by greatness that is not one's own, Chiron not bein...