Garner's Greek Mythology

One goddess alone ruled in the ancient underworld. She was Persephone, although the Greeks dared call her only The Goddess.

She had been dragged unwillingly into that gloom by Hades, but she quickly adapted to her circumstances. Mysteriously, she, among all the gods, became the treasury of dark knowledge, the sole portal into universal truths. Today’s Wiccans, neopagans and witches look to her as a touchstone into all mysteries.

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2,500 years ago Delos was the most sacred island in Greece. As the birthplace of Apollo and Artemis, it was destined to become both the holiest of sanctuaries and a wealthy trading center.  

Its downside was that it was also the region’s largest slave market. Amidst all the temples and sanctimony, traders became immensely rich by selling slaves captured by roving pirates. That wealth became, in the end, the island’s ruin.

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How many of us know about the Goddess Tyche? Today this powerful divinity is largely forgotten. But 2,500 years ago, she was believed to determine the day-to-day fortunes of every Greek.

If your ship was tossed against rocks as you steered through a storm, it wasn’t your fate as much as your fortune. Tyche was at play. If you stumbled across a hidden treasure, you could thank the goddess. She alone dished out fortune, chance and luc...

In this episode Garner takes the listener on a pleasant hike in the countryside. But the city dweller stumbles upon a strange scene that may involve Athene, Artemis or Aphrodite. 

Upon returning to the city our hiker encounters the same woman in a coffee shop. Yet within minutes she vanishes. Intrigued and stunned by the encounters, our hiker returns to the countryside and once again witnesses a scene that seems to be a re-creation ...

Novel 4 of The Naxos Quartet sums up the most important things in life — love and belonging. In this episode Garner reads a brief selection from the book, focusing on a dramatic moment in the return of Inanna, Gaia, Timessa and Dionysos.

The Naxos Quartet includes The Winnowing, Cycladic Girls, Homo Divinitas and All That Lasts. All the novels are available on Amazon.       

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In 1976 an obscure psychologist from Princeton University published a book titled, “The Origin of Consciousness in the Breakdown of the Bicameral Mind.” It was a sensation, not in small part because Jaynes postulated that before modern consciousness occurred, the voices humans heard in their head were considered those of the gods. 

He pinpointed the date of this shift to around 1200 B.C.  After this date, humans became sel...

EP 45:  Interview with Greek AF Radio

In this episode we join hosts Ari and Foti of Greek AF Radio as they interview Patrick Garner on a wide-ranging array of mythology topics.

Garner discusses his creative background, his novels and the inspiration for the podcast itself. Greek AF Radio is the world’s largest platform for all thing Greek. Check them out at www.greekafradio.com ...

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When Greece became part of the Roman empire in 146 B.C., the Olympic gods were still dominant. But the gods had begun to drift away even then. This episode tracks their willful retreat from the lives of mankind.

Narrated by mythologist and best-selling author, Patrick Garner, Garner's Greek Mythology is unlike any other Greek history series.  Here these divine beings are viewed as if they were anything but mythical ...

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In Episode 43 we analyze the impact of violence on the ancient Greeks. It was everywhere — the product of men constantly warring with each other and the result of gods randomly exerting their power.

Far too often the gods precipitated war solely for their own enjoyment … Men waged war to replenish slaves. The Olympic gods fought with each other. Mortals who thought too highly of themselves were punished.

Narrated by mythologist and b...