The Odyssey Books 17-19 with Dr. Frank Grabowski

Today on Ascend: The Great Books Podcast, Deacon Harrison Garlick and Dr. Frank Grabowski dive into Books 17–19 of Homer’s Odyssey, where the disguised king returns to Ithaca as a beggar.

Check out our WRITTEN Q&A GUIDE TO THE ODYSSEY.

Check out Dr. Grabowski's new Substack: The Porch and the Altar.

The conversation explores iconic moments like Odysseus’s heartbreaking reunion with his loyal dog Argos, the tense first dialogue with Penelope that raises fascinating questions about what she truly knows or suspects, and the escalating violations of xenia by the suitors. Listeners will appreciate the rich analysis of loyalty as the ultimate standard, Odysseus’s hard-won maturation in temperance and piety, and striking contrasts between faithful servants like Eumaeus and disloyal figures like Melanthius.

Homer emerges here as both poet and philosopher, using these scenes to probe justice, the nature of heroism, the city at peace, and the interplay of fate and human choice.

With Athena guiding events and the tension building toward the suitors’ doom, Deacon and Dr. Grabowski illuminate how Odysseus’ trials have prepared him not just for revenge, but for restoring order.

Whether you’re new to the epic or a longtime reader, this episode offers fresh insights that make the ancient story feel urgently relevant. Don’t miss it—subscribe and join the community as the Odyssey study continues toward its dramatic climax!

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to the Odyssey Study

04:30 The Role of Penelope and Theoclymenus

07:14 Contrasting Characters: Eumaeus and Melanthius

10:28 Odysseus' Growth and Maturation

13:11 The Loyalty of Argos

16:26 The Test of Guest Friendship

19:10 The Fate of the Suitors

22:22 The Beggar Fight and Its Implications

24:43 Odysseus' Reflection on His Journey

27:21 The Irony of Antinous

30:45 Penelope's Anticipation and the Build-Up to Reunion

33:28 Odysseus' Moral Self-Awareness

36:37 Conclusion and Themes of Justice

42:10 The Philosopher Beggar and the Blindness of the Suitors

44:49 The Nature of Law and Lawlessness

47:33 Penelope's Cleverness and the Suitors' Downfall

52:09 Telemachus' Growth and the Stability of Society

57:19 The Reunion of Odysseus and Penelope

01:01:40 The Test of Loyalty and the Nature of Guest Friendship

01:06:23 The Subtlety of Odysseus and Penelope's Intuition

01:12:19 The Significance of Names and Identity

01:19:33 The Tension of Recognition and the Test of the Suitors

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