Epic Year
A 32 week guided tour of the 5 great epic poems starting in September 2026.
Five Poems, Three Thousand Years
Each epic builds on and references the ones before it.
Why Should I Read These Epic Poems?
The epics trace the roots of Western Civilization that we have inherited. They are the foundation of the story of our culture and reflect who we are and where we came from. Up until the last 100 years, the reading of the 5 great epic poems were expected for every educated person. They are the greatest of the great books. They embody the virtue and beauty and truth of humanity. Once you read them, you will see references to them everywhere. Each epic builds on and references the ones before it.
George Washington bragged to foreigners ‘Our farmers read Homer’. Western civilization, that all Americans are a part of, was built on the ideas and moral imagination of these works. My goal is that you love them as people have for centuries.
How Does This Class Work?
Homer was meant to be heard (sung-performed) rather than read. You can either read it aloud or listen to some of the many available readings online. The other epics are best experienced out loud to hear the rhythm of the works. I have divided the reading up to be about 4 hours a week, this is a fairly fast pace. Do not get bogged down in the details, just experience the grand sweep of the works the first time through. I promise, you will want to return to them many times in your lifetime when you can dive deeper.
Read the Study Guide
Read the study guide.
Listen to the Reading
Listen to the reading, preferably in one sitting.
Make Notes in Your Copy
Make notes in your physical copy to help you find passages during the discussion.
Attend the Discussion
Attend the discussion on that week’s reading.
What Will I Learn?
While experiencing the beauty of the epics, you will learn a little Greek, a little Latin, and a ton of history and geography. The Greek and Roman myths are everywhere in literature and art, I will be presenting related works of art during our discussion time – so add art history to that list!
What Is in the Study Guide?
The study guide is a brief synopsis of the story line and the major events. I will also include questions to ponder, helpful tips and references if you wish to dive deeper.
Questions & Answers
The reading level is about 9th-10th grade. Since you will be listening instead of reading the material, reading level should not be a barrier. I read the Iliad to my kids around age 9 and 10 and they acclimated right away. You will be amazed at how quickly your vocabulary and comprehension increase while experiencing great literature.
There will be a teen group and an adult group. If the groups grow beyond 12 people, we will split the group into 2 smaller ones.
I want this to be as flexible as possible. Feel free to jump in and out of groups as needed. It is helpful to read them in order, but not necessary. If there is interest, I will start new groups at various times of the year.
Please still attend, you will learn a great deal and be ready to tackle the reading when you can make it up.
There are many translations of the first four works, some are better than others. I will make suggestions but feel free to bring what you have, you may be drawn to a different translation as we go along. Comparing differing translations of important passages will be part of the fun.
We will meet in Paso Robles on Linne Road. The student group will be at 3:30 and will run about an hour. Day of week to be determined. The adult group starts at 6pm at the same location on either Wednesday or Thursday.
The Iliad, Odyssey and The Aeneid have graphic war scenes and all of the works have sexual references. These will not be glorified nor dwelt upon, they are just the reality of life and war. I will leave it up to parents to decide what age is appropriate for their children to be exposed to these themes.
Schedule & Cost
Paso Robles
Linne Road, Paso Robles, California.
Teen Group — 3:30 PM (about one hour)
Adult Group — 6:00 PM, Wed. or Thurs.
Cost is $50 a month which includes an online discussion community. Scholarships are available!
September 2026
You will participate in a 32 week guided reading of the complete epic poems and a weekly facilitated in-person group discussion of the major themes, worldview and relevance to modern life.
Students needing samples to turn in, see me for options.