Beyond the Odyssey: A beginner’s guide to Greek mythology

Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey (2026) has sparked an interest in the ancient poem among moviegoers. However, Homer's retelling of Odysseus' tale is just one of the many Greek myths worth exploring. To help readers dive deeper into Greek mythology and literature, we spoke with Natalie Haynes, a popular classicist and witty stand-up comedian.

Haynes is the author of several books, including The Ancient Guide to Modern Life (2011), Divine Might: Goddesses in Greek Myth (2023), and A Thousand Ships (2021), which retells the Trojan War from a women's perspective.

Haynes advises against being intimidated by learning Greek, as it's not as daunting as it seems. She explains that people often feel they must meet the classics on their own level, rather than the classics adapting to them. Moreover, understanding Greek can help evaluate translations and appreciate the limitations of interpreting ancient texts. For example, Emily Wilson's 2017 translation of the Odyssey interprets the term polytropos as "complicated" instead of "many-sided" or "resourceful."

Haynes also highlights the importance of understanding ancient Greek history and culture while reading Greek myth and literature. One such concept is xenia, or "guest-friendship," which is central to Homer's epic poems and influenced how characters were judged by contemporaries. Another important concept is kleos, or "glory," which drove ancient Greek warriors to achieve remarkable feats to be celebrated in bards' songs after their death.

While Homer's poems reflect aspects of the ancient world, they also critique and question them. For instance, in the underworld, Achilles expresses regret that pursuing glory (kleos) was a terrible idea, as it would have been better to live a long, unfamous life. This juxtaposition of deconstruction and questioning of ancient customs adds depth to the myths we read today.