Books of Titans
Books of Titans Podcast
Children of Heracles by Euripides
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Children of Heracles by Euripides

Episode 231: One of Euripides' Least Familiar Tragedies
A Roman fountain mosaic from Anzio depicting the hero Hercules and his faithful companion Iolaus. (Palazzo Massimo alle Terme, Rome)

Euripides wrote this tragedy in 430BC, a fateful year that saw the beginnings of the Peloponnesian War. It’s interesting to read this play in light of the historical atmosphere. Athens was entering a war with Sparta. The Spartans traced their descent from Heracles, and in this tragedy, the children of Heracles are near Athens (in Marathon) seeking refuge. Will Athens hold to her ideals and protect the suppliants? Will force beat deliberation? Will the innocent suffer?

This is a wonderful tragedy play, with elements of humor, despair, and deep insight. In this episode, I walk through the play, cover important scenes, quotes, and themes.

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Discussion about this podcast

Books of Titans
Books of Titans Podcast
Welcome to the Books of Titans Podcast where I (Erik Rostad) seek truth in the world’s great books. My goal is to read 200 of The Great Books over the next 10 years and share what I’m learning. I’ll talk a bit about each book, tie ideas together from a variety of genres, and share the one thing I always hope to remember from each of the Great Books.
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Erik Rostad