Summer 2026
Homer's Odyssey
The Becoming of European Man
Taught by Dr. Johannes A. Niederhauser
Homer's Odyssey along with the Iliad is one of the two founding myths of European humanity. Odysseus chooses to be mortal over immortality, gruesome homecoming over heroism, his nostos makes him an instrument of divine justice. Odysseus sets himself apart from Achilles because he wants to continue on living as a mortal. In the text we encounter the familiar and central themes of Western canon: xenia or hospitality; the development of the hero, loyalty, metis or cunning over physical strength, and perhaps most importantly the tension between freedom and fate and nostos or homecoming.
Join our seminar this summer and read this fundamental text closely!
The Course
Over the course of seven weeks we will read Homer's Odyssey together. There will be a lecture of about 45 mins at the beginning of every seminar followed by Q&A and group discussion.
The course is strictly limited to 25 people.
Vision
This course is for you as you're searching to understand your heritage and ancestry. The Odyssey is the founding myth of Western civilisation, maybe even more so than the Iliad because of its themes of homecoming, erring, and the conscious choice of mortal toil over heroic immortality.