Eric Bana is perfect in his role he read the Iliad very well!! He is the best actor in there!!! And he looks very ancient Trojan it can be said!! Perfect portrayal!!
he's the best thing about the movie, how very dare he... he's perfect for the idealized aristocrat warrior. i mean, that movie always makes me cringe but not for the castings, the casting were almost perfect
The same as every German soldier in every second world war movie speaks with an American accent. Then again, according to them they did liberate Europe all by themselves.
Mell Gibson made an attempt to film in the supposed language of the time of the story, but it did not contribute very much to the feeling of autenticity. particulary like in Apocalipto he got so many things wrong. I prefer a movie with the imagery and setting accurate and having the language in convenient English.
Watch th movie in italian if it's Rome, greek for greece if you want a bit of authenticity...and ...well a prayer for ancient egypt, that's a dead language 😂
@What? Ha, no. Oh yea, it is kinda strange.. But I guess it's up there with things such as most protaganists being extremely attractive, people not stumbling over their words as they do in real life.. Just kinda an accepted part of the the theatre of film I guess ^^
@Hubbu I'm a woman and I absolutely LOVED Xena. I was about 9 or 10 when I would yell Xena's battle cry all over the playground. I love Lucy Lawless so much.
I was about to say the same thing. People at his level are usually perceived as purists but he strikes a balance between explaining the mythologies as they are and interpreting them beyond whether for expression, exploration, or entertainment.
I'm a bit disappointed that out of the entire movie of Troy, the problem was the chariots. The whole movie has about 20% mythological accuracy. Fun movie though :)
@YoungToonfish The film is made better by omitting most of the mythological aspects IMO... Reading the Iliad was one of the worst reading experiences I've ever had... nearly the entire book discusses military numbers and the relationships/allegiances/brief histories of the gods which made it a real slog (might as well look at a chart and read a Wikipedia article). On the other hand, the Odyssey was engaging and incorporated a good balance of narrative and mythology.
The thing is that the director/producer of the movie wanted to get it a bit more realistic and cut out the whole heros, halfgods and actual gods battling. And yeah, that’s about 80% of the whole Iliad 😅 But yeah, it is a great movie nonetheless. If I want accuracy to the myths, I just read the Iliad 🤷🏼♀️😄
Would be really keen to see Peter explain some Greek based video games. Assassins Creed Odyssey would be so cool since Kassandra’s story is a nice interpretation of demi gods. She’s a descendent of Leonidas and the powers you can unlock for her are very godlike. One quest even has a battle royal theme to it which is super intriguing. There’s also great expansions based on Persia and Atlantis. Also includes lots about Sparta and Athens in the main story line. And really interesting quests fighting Medusa, the Minotaur etc… I loved playing it!! Greek video games would be great for Peter to dig deeper into. I am so here for all the Greek mythology videos btw 🙌🏽
This is why I love the Fate Franchise, though warning they mostly genderbent some famous characters. But some facts are actually fascinating, like the connection between the Greek Mythology and the Arthurian Legend because of the Trojan War and the Roman Empire, and the Leonidas being the descendant of the Great Hero Heracles who himself is a descendant of Perseusm
Little off topic, but I find it very interesting how their is kind of a dichotomy between Greek and Hindu heroism. In Hindu mythology, the bow is kind of the greatest weapon. The main characters of the two major Hindu epics, Rama (The Raymana) and Arjuna (The Mahabharata), both use bows as their main weapons. The Raymana even goes into great detail describing the very real strength it takes to string a bow. It makes me wonder how Alexander’s men and the people of the Hindu-kush reacted to each others cultures just by their heroes.
When i saw the percy jackson movie sea of monsters, i tot he was gonna rip this movie to shreds( due to how inaccurate and horrible it was). However he kinda gave a new perspective on the stories. Really enjoy this episode.good job
@Nathaniel Wilcox Yeah that's true it is telling its own stories that are similar to the myths but different while being accurate to the original myths as things that happened in world history.
He said they are not accurate to the myths, which is kind of untrue they mention the myths all the time Herakles fough this, and killed it this way, Odysseus ran into this and had to do this to get out of it. I think it could be argued they are quite accurate.
Yeah I'm glad he mentioned the books since they did a far better job of showing love for the original myths while not being loyal to them still pulling a lot of those elements.
Jason and the Argonauts is still the best Ancient Greek Myth movie ever made and the pinnacle of stop go motion thanks to the genius of Ray Harryhausen and it is still way better than the terrible remake of Clash of the Titans that proves CGI will never be better than proper special effects! Talos still sends shivers down my spine every time I watch the movie and those living skeletons are a masterpiece in stop go animation!
I grew up watching the Sinbad movies in the 70s, wore out a VHS set of his movies, just freaking love Harryhausen!! Can't stand horror and gore, but give me a creepy rowing minotaur or a skeleton soldier any day.
@Bobbie Oh I didn't forget it but I don't think it was quite as good as Jason was. If I remember correctly it was also the last movie Ray Harryhausen ever worked on.
Another thing about bows in Ancient Greece, it wasn't just considered dirty fighting but pretty much unmanly. It's one of the reasons why Paris was considered a coward and not manly enough, mainly cuz of his actions with Helen and his choice of the bow as a weapon, even though he was skilled with the bow.
bows were also pretty much a Persian thing, in their invasion of Greece they had Scythian cavalery in their troops It also remarkeble that at the Temple of Aphia Paris was depicted as a Scythian archer.
"Myths are the most relevant things because facts can be debated, interpreted, and argued over. But if you tell a story...you're trying to communicate something important to that person." I'm just going to assume that Professor Meineck has never been on the internet a day in his life if he thinks people don't argue over the meaning behind stories.
@TheAbstruseOne atlatis is real but it’s not the place we think it is, it was a just a place that looked like it was sunken i believe the place is in africa.
@TheAbstruseOne Sure :) I haven't refuted anything or even tried to, and I'm not here to argue, and I'm not trying to sell you anything. All I'm saying is I find open-mindedness important (but that the brain shouldn't fall out either, as Sagan put it). Maybe I didn't like the professor's turn of phrase in this video, that's all; it isn't hard to tack on an "as far as we know" to the end of a sentence. But I immediately regret replying at all :D All the best.
@Kasper Salonen So you say *I* have already made up my mind while at the same time admitting that you "don't know enough" yet refute the conclusion of every single non-tinfoil-hat-wearing expert in the field?
@TheAbstruseOne Thanks for the reply. I recognize that you have also already made up your mind, and I respect that :) I guess I personally feel that I don't know enough about prehistoric civilizations or modern investigative methods to relinquish my doubt, so I feel obliged to give all takes a chance, including but not limited to the official one. This thought process of mine isn't limited to seemingly paranormal or invented topics. If I believe in anything related to this reasoning as such, it's that we have very likely forgotten a great deal about our past as a species.
I don’t care how much crap Troy gets it’s still one of my favorites! I still watch it 2-3 times a year. Brad Pitt as Achilles, Eric Bana as Hector, Brian Cox, Brendan Gleeson, everyone is perfectly casted imo. I wish that Sean Bean could’ve had a sequel for the Odyssey directed by Wolfgang again. I can dream lol
When I first heard about Troy way back when, I thought "this sounds like a fan dream or Producer's Chair game movie pitch." Yet, it actually happened. And it was everything we thought it would be. The last of the Sword'n'Sandal Hollywood epics.
Of course the chariots were a callback to ancient warfare in Anatolia. That's not a maybe. Troy was in Anatolia and the Iliad was set in the bronze age when chariot warfare was the defining feature of battles in the Near East. I'm sure this guy knows that, probably just slipped his mind.
@Ahriman That would all be true. I just thought it was funny the way he said "Maybe this is calling back to x". It would be like watching Ford v Ferrari, and saying, "You know, I think this scene right here might be calling back to the feud between Ford and Ferrari in the sixties", as if it's that's not already obvious, especially for someone like him. I don't blame him though. Nobody's going to do an off-the-cuff commentary like this and execute it perfectly.
He clearly said that they should either have used only infantry or made it an all chariot fight, which is exactly on point. I think what he meant was to explain why the movie writers at all bothered with throwing a chariot here and there.
Peter you are a true scholar. You talk with such confidence and ease. You are a role model historian/scholar/professor. Thank you for inviting him back. Vanity fair I like your content more than GQ who has a similar series. Much respect to you. I have never learned so much in your videos or GQs like this one. Really ty Peter for coming
Mythology snobs who enjoy heavily fantasized depictions I would presume? ... I believe that "Troy" turns a relatively boring book into an engaging film.
Mythology Expert: A Hydra (Heedra) is a many headed creature that is associated with water. I, who’s been pronouncing it as “Hi-dra”: my whole life was a lie?
English spelling is such a mess. Heedra, Hi-dra, etc. You're trying to recreate what letters are supposed to do again, because you have actually forgotten what they mean, and that they can be consistent. Sister: use that word, if you want to remember how to pronounce i & e in other languages.
Understand that it's almost modern popularity of American culture to call it HI-dra. Movies like Disney's Hercules has contributed to many of us pronouncing it that way.
really weird at the end where he kept talking about a 'percy jackson movie'? and the space where they were supposedly showing the scene was just empty? (also, yes, totally agree that PJ's take on the myths not being entirely accurate is often kind of point. they go through the motions and history repeats itself, but at the same time the setting has changed so much that it can't be identical)
What movies? While the setting is diffrent osvioysly they reference the myths a lot. Annabeth give Percy (and us the audience), contexts to the myths: oh hey Herakles fought the Stymphalion birds and defeated them witth brass bells that sort of thing. While the setting changes thry still give atleast a decent t understanding of Greek Mythology.
I thought/heard that Egyptians mentioned Atlantis, as well. I think it was Solon. They may not have called it Atlantis, but it apparently matched the description as given by Plato.
A 2017 study on the genetic origins of the Minoans and Mycenaeans showed that modern Greeks resemble the Mycenaeans, but with some additional dilution of the early Neolithic ancestry. The results of the study support the idea of genetic continuity between these civilizations and modern Greeks in the history of populations of the Aegean, before and after the time of its earliest civilizations. ACCORDING TO THE SAME STUDY, ANCIENT GREEKS MOSTLY CARRIED GENES FOR DARKER HAIR AND EYES. Lazaridis, Iosif; et al. (2017). "Genetic origins of the Minoans and Mycenaeans". Nature. 548: 214-218. doi:10.1038/nature23310 Science Magazine, 2 August 2017, "The Greeks really do have near-mythical origins, ancient DNA reveals". Live Science, 3 August 2017, More than Myth: Ancient DNA Reveals Roots of 1st Greek Civilizations Katherine Lindemann, DNA analysis traces origins of Minoans and Mycenaeans, ResearchGate, 2nd August 2017 The Best preserved Roman frescoes, Mosaics and their Painted Statues all show Black and Brown haired people, not Blonde or Red hairs.. EVER... The only Blonde haired people I have seen are those depicting Germanic and Gallic slaves and Prostitutes. All of the Paintings and Mosaics of Gods and Goddesses and that Mosaic of Alexander are all Black haired and Dark haired. The same with the painted statue of ATHENA Campegna, the only Originally painted statue that has survived shows ATHENA Campegna as Jet Black haired, with Olive Tawny skin, MARS is painted as Swarthy by the Greeks and Romans and VENUS APHRODITE is painted as Dark haired with large Dark eyes and so is APOLLON.
I'm a bit bummed that the opportunity to discuss how the allegory of Atlantis has been co-opted by white supremacists was not addressed at all. It's an interesting example of the power of an ancient allegory (personally, I don't agree with labeling it as a myth) being actively used in modern day to support problematic ideology. I would be interested for Dr. Meineck to come back and address this. The podcast, Let's Talk About Myths, Baby! recently did a series on Atlantis that covers it quite nicely with some excellent academic guests who delve into the problematic re-interpretations that have been made in recent years.
I think you cut Troy out way to short. Only making a thing out of chariots. What about Hector? Achilles? Even the trojans fighting with tower shields and Aeneas at the end depicting the roman myth that the trojans are their ancestors? Even Xena got more attention.
@Σωφροσύνη he loved him more than his own life. Also that their bones are interred together. Shows a pretty deep bond, and judging by the commonality of homosexual relationships in the ancient world, it’s pretty likely. Will we ever really know? No, but to say there’s no signs whatsoever is just disingenuous.
@Alex Duffus I don't have to tell myself, the Iliad and Odyssey tell it for me. If you really disagree, would you be so kind as to give a citation to the opposite?
Achilles not being in a romantic relationship with Patroklos is not inaccurate in the slightest, there were no signs of any such relationship in the actual Iliad or Odyssey.
The current best theory for Atlantis is it was the Minoan island of Thera (Thera is the name for the modern island Santorini) and the eruption that made it look like it does today. The eruption destroyed the majority of the island and the center no longer exists above water only the edges of the island survive. Simulations and archeological evidence suggest there was a tsunami that hit the surrounding islands as well. You can look at pictures of Santorini to get an idea of what I am talking about.
A bit disappointed in the IMMORTALS bit. First of all, because it wasn't the best bit the could pick (I'd have chosen when the Gods are up on Mount Olympus and Poseidon jumps down, quite similar to the manner in which Homer describes how Athena jumps down in the Iliad), but because the value of this particular rendering of the Minotaur kinda implies that some myths are embellished lies and some were true; there wasn't an actual beast half human, half bull, but a tortured, beastly man, a killer stripped of speech and reason in the depths of that labyrinth (which also makes the story of the Minotaur even tragic)...
So. We’re not gonna talk about how in Troy, Achilles’ Buddy was his “cousin”? Doesn’t sound Greek to me. He was his ward, kinda like Caesar did, and was did. Bedmate and trainee. It wasn’t at all uncommon.
Honestly, i understood maybe 30% (my English not so good) but the part that i understood was very interesting. I love Greek mythology and movies about it (even if they uncorrectable). Sorry for my English) i just want to say thanks for this video.
I think blood sacrifices were meant as a symbol of selflessness, giving up something you deeply desire for the greater good. When I say that my parents "sacrificed" for me, I meant them devoting their time and money on me over their own needs. This doesn't mean getting killed in a ceremony to impress a deity.
❤️ Hermosa eleccion 4.FO/Elizeid de mejor 1 (elecciones ) 9.9/10 2 ( culturales ) 9.7/10 Son unos de los mejores conciertos , no-puede-ir-pero-de-tan-solo verlos desde pantalla,, se que estuvo Sorprendente .
It is kind of funny to see the characters speak in "ancient sounding" tones and manner of speech in general, even though the people obviously did not speak English. So why not have them speak in modern-day English? What difference does it make? It is the same nonsese as Goldeneye or The Hunt for Red October with Russians giving commands in ENGLISH to their comrades.
Imagine studying for 7-8 years to become a Professor of Classics only for the clowns at Vanity Fair to call you a ‘Mythology Expert’. Put some respect on the man’s name.
I would say that many conspiracy theories serve the same purpose as myths of antiquity: to create a sense of purpose and order out of what in truth is chaotic and uncaring
Hydra might be inspired by octopus, and they confused it's tentacles with heads like snakes, if tentacle broke off it will grows another one. If defeat actual head you defeat octopus.
Immortals is not acurate in the mythology at all ! But I like how they portray the gods ! I wish they would just do a movie with gods and not demi gods because gods never get a a lot of screen time
❤️ Hermosa eleccion 4.FO/Elizeid de mejor 1 (elecciones ) 9.9/10 2 ( culturales ) 9.7/10 Son unos de los mejores conciertos , no-puede-ir-pero-de-tan-solo verlos desde pantalla,, se que estuvo Sorprendente .
The far far better way to get children interested and educated about ancient Greek mythology let them read the books by Caroline Lawrence and her series "Roman Mysteries"
THANK YOU for the first segment; so many people still believe Atlantis was real when it was clearly an allegorical storytelling device created by Plato.
He may be incorrect, though. While not called Atlantis and certainly not the level of grandeur we tend to associate with it, the nation of Minoa and its capital of Knossos are very likely candidates for the origin of the myth. Technocratic, isolationist, strong navy, warred with Mycenea, destroyed suddenly by a volcanic eruption. Their undeciphered writing and maze-like labyrinthian designs also incorporate the circles Plato and Herodotus described. There was a lot of resentment between Minoa and Mycenea, so their destruction became a story of hubris over time, the Greeks assuming the Gods to have destroyed them for it. We have only started to really excavate Minoa in-depth since the 1970s, so I don't blame the guy in the video nor people in general for not knowing we've likely solved the quandary of Atlantis with a very real civilization. For one, he's a mythology expert, not a history or archaeology expert on the Bronze Age. Then again, the answer isn't all that exciting either, so it's not exactly going to catch on with people in a popularity contest for theories. Minoa is actually very interesting, though, they had unique clothing, art, culture, and a matriarchal society.
Maybe Atlantis is a myth that came out of some prosperous/legendary city being destroyed by earthquake/tsunami or something like that. It happened to Santorin after all (more volcano explosion there, but still)
Immortals was directed by Indian director, Tarsem Singh, who drew much of his own Indian influences into the Greek mythology. Even when Theseus found that arrow, it had that resemblance of the Arrow of Shiva, a Hindu god. So the movie felt very disconnected even though I could appreciate his take on own culture. But no! Stick to the original. I just wish you'd talked about the 1980/81 "Clash of the Titans". Love that movie. Even though it looked cheap by today's standards but it's WAY WAY better than the crappy remake.
0:35 this is also not true as at this time Eratosthenes would have calculated the circumference of the earth so it was well know before that the earth was a sphere.
If he hasn’t already, I think it would be fantastic if he reviewed Greek/Roman/Norse mythology in video games like God of War and Hades!
That would be so sick!
Age of Mythology. I never played it but it's probably fun.
Hades is amazing, by the way. Got it on Steam winter sale, I can tell in advance it's the best purchase of the year.
Yes. This please!
@Shaojun Tian yes.
You missed something important . In many of Sophocles' writings , he has repeatedly stressed that Hector did not actually look like Eric Bana
@Coé and what do you think mediterraneans look like?? Because Eric Bana looks very much like one of them.
Eric Bana is perfect in his role he read the Iliad very well!! He is the best actor in there!!! And he looks very ancient Trojan it can be said!! Perfect portrayal!!
he's the best thing about the movie, how very dare he... he's perfect for the idealized aristocrat warrior. i mean, that movie always makes me cringe but not for the castings, the casting were almost perfect
@middle aged man in extreme debt whenever I see Hector mentioned, I always imagine a short, stocky , dark haired Mexican guy
@clever username right..i undeemine his authority..even I knows more about greeks..
What is entirely authentic in all movies is that in ancient Greece, Egypt and Rome they all spoke with an English accent.
The same as every German soldier in every second world war movie speaks with an American accent. Then again, according to them they did liberate Europe all by themselves.
Mell Gibson made an attempt to film in the supposed language of the time of the story, but it did not contribute very much to the feeling of autenticity.
particulary like in Apocalipto he got so many things wrong. I prefer a movie with the imagery and setting accurate and having the language in convenient English.
Watch th movie in italian if it's Rome, greek for greece if you want a bit of authenticity...and ...well a prayer for ancient egypt, that's a dead language 😂
@MaMastoast Yeah, I think you must be right.
@What? Ha, no. Oh yea, it is kinda strange.. But I guess it's up there with things such as most protaganists being extremely attractive, people not stumbling over their words as they do in real life.. Just kinda an accepted part of the the theatre of film I guess ^^
I’d love to hear his take on the story of Achilles and Patroclus!
@Eros Just like the roommates of Modena.
@Eros Who occasionally dropped the soap(¬‿¬).
yes pls!!
*bathed
Aw shoot. I said the same dang thing. But you said it better.
I love Professor Meineck. The fact that he says he doesn't care about accuracy because it's Xena, that's lovely.
@Hubbu I'm a woman and I absolutely LOVED Xena. I was about 9 or 10 when I would yell Xena's battle cry all over the playground. I love Lucy Lawless so much.
Given his age, he probably would have been a teenage boy watching it first time round. Lucy Lawless' powers were strong on teenage boys! lol
I was about to say the same thing. People at his level are usually perceived as purists but he strikes a balance between explaining the mythologies as they are and interpreting them beyond whether for expression, exploration, or entertainment.
"I have no idea what that was, but it was fantastic." this is honestly how I feel after some of my favourite movies.
Very well put! I couldn't agree more.
I'm glad Peter could come back for part 2. I hope part 3 isn't too far away.
I'm a bit disappointed that out of the entire movie of Troy, the problem was the chariots. The whole movie has about 20% mythological accuracy. Fun movie though :)
@YoungToonfish The film is made better by omitting most of the mythological aspects IMO... Reading the Iliad was one of the worst reading experiences I've ever had... nearly the entire book discusses military numbers and the relationships/allegiances/brief histories of the gods which made it a real slog (might as well look at a chart and read a Wikipedia article). On the other hand, the Odyssey was engaging and incorporated a good balance of narrative and mythology.
The thing is that the director/producer of the movie wanted to get it a bit more realistic and cut out the whole heros, halfgods and actual gods battling. And yeah, that’s about 80% of the whole Iliad 😅
But yeah, it is a great movie nonetheless.
If I want accuracy to the myths, I just read the Iliad 🤷🏼♀️😄
i think there was more in the first part...i mean, they probably didn't want to trash it, almost all of these movies share the same accuracy lol
Xena the Warrior Princess was indeed fantastic
Xena is based on discovered scrolls written by some man called Gabrielle.
Would be really keen to see Peter explain some Greek based video games. Assassins Creed Odyssey would be so cool since Kassandra’s story is a nice interpretation of demi gods. She’s a descendent of Leonidas and the powers you can unlock for her are very godlike. One quest even has a battle royal theme to it which is super intriguing. There’s also great expansions based on Persia and Atlantis. Also includes lots about Sparta and Athens in the main story line. And really interesting quests fighting Medusa, the Minotaur etc… I loved playing it!! Greek video games would be great for Peter to dig deeper into. I am so here for all the Greek mythology videos btw 🙌🏽
"Hades" is great too.
I'd like Peter to explain why there is even a female Spartan warrior in AC Odyssey in the first place!
This is why I love the Fate Franchise, though warning they mostly genderbent some famous characters. But some facts are actually fascinating, like the connection between the Greek Mythology and the Arthurian Legend because of the Trojan War and the Roman Empire, and the Leonidas being the descendant of the Great Hero Heracles who himself is a descendant of Perseusm
Little off topic, but I find it very interesting how their is kind of a dichotomy between Greek and Hindu heroism. In Hindu mythology, the bow is kind of the greatest weapon. The main characters of the two major Hindu epics, Rama (The Raymana) and Arjuna (The Mahabharata), both use bows as their main weapons. The Raymana even goes into great detail describing the very real strength it takes to string a bow.
It makes me wonder how Alexander’s men and the people of the Hindu-kush reacted to each others cultures just by their heroes.
When i saw the percy jackson movie sea of monsters, i tot he was gonna rip this movie to shreds( due to how inaccurate and horrible it was). However he kinda gave a new perspective on the stories. Really enjoy this episode.good job
@Nathaniel Wilcox Yeah that's true it is telling its own stories that are similar to the myths but different while being accurate to the original myths as things that happened in world history.
He said they are not accurate to the myths, which is kind of untrue they mention the myths all the time Herakles fough this, and killed it this way, Odysseus ran into this and had to do this to get out of it. I think it could be argued they are quite accurate.
Yeah I'm glad he mentioned the books since they did a far better job of showing love for the original myths while not being loyal to them still pulling a lot of those elements.
Well nothing wrong with learning that I've pronounced Hydra wrong my whole life. Great video, more of this please
@Abby minor tower
it's ok, i've been saying minotaur wrong my entire life
Jason and the Argonauts is still the best Ancient Greek Myth movie ever made and the pinnacle of stop go motion thanks to the genius of Ray Harryhausen and it is still way better than the terrible remake of Clash of the Titans that proves CGI will never be better than proper special effects! Talos still sends shivers down my spine every time I watch the movie and those living skeletons are a masterpiece in stop go animation!
I grew up watching the Sinbad movies in the 70s, wore out a VHS set of his movies, just freaking love Harryhausen!! Can't stand horror and gore, but give me a creepy rowing minotaur or a skeleton soldier any day.
@Bobbie Oh I didn't forget it but I don't think it was quite as good as Jason was. If I remember correctly it was also the last movie Ray Harryhausen ever worked on.
Lets not forget the original clash of the titans with stop motion. I think i watched that everyday of my childhood
Another thing about bows in Ancient Greece, it wasn't just considered dirty fighting but pretty much unmanly. It's one of the reasons why
Paris was considered a coward and not manly enough, mainly cuz of his actions with Helen and his choice of the bow as a weapon, even though he was skilled with the bow.
How do we take the association of heracles with a bow, or Odysseus and his test of strength with his bow?
bows were also pretty much a Persian thing, in their invasion of Greece they had Scythian cavalery in their troops
It also remarkeble that at the Temple of Aphia Paris was depicted as a Scythian archer.
Professor Meineck's review of Xena Warrior Princess is absolutely perfect.
I am so glad there is a part 2 now. Incredibly informative.
Cannot express how much I love Peter's breakdowns of mythology!!! Would love to see another installment :)
absolutely love hearing this guy’s knowledge on the subject, keep bringing him back
"Myths are the most relevant things because facts can be debated, interpreted, and argued over. But if you tell a story...you're trying to communicate something important to that person." I'm just going to assume that Professor Meineck has never been on the internet a day in his life if he thinks people don't argue over the meaning behind stories.
@TheAbstruseOne atlatis is real but it’s not the place we think it is, it was a just a place that looked like it was sunken i believe the place is in africa.
@TheAbstruseOne Sure :) I haven't refuted anything or even tried to, and I'm not here to argue, and I'm not trying to sell you anything. All I'm saying is I find open-mindedness important (but that the brain shouldn't fall out either, as Sagan put it). Maybe I didn't like the professor's turn of phrase in this video, that's all; it isn't hard to tack on an "as far as we know" to the end of a sentence. But I immediately regret replying at all :D All the best.
@Kasper Salonen So you say *I* have already made up my mind while at the same time admitting that you "don't know enough" yet refute the conclusion of every single non-tinfoil-hat-wearing expert in the field?
@TheAbstruseOne Thanks for the reply. I recognize that you have also already made up your mind, and I respect that :) I guess I personally feel that I don't know enough about prehistoric civilizations or modern investigative methods to relinquish my doubt, so I feel obliged to give all takes a chance, including but not limited to the official one. This thought process of mine isn't limited to seemingly paranormal or invented topics. If I believe in anything related to this reasoning as such, it's that we have very likely forgotten a great deal about our past as a species.
I don’t care how much crap Troy gets it’s still one of my favorites! I still watch it 2-3 times a year. Brad Pitt as Achilles, Eric Bana as Hector, Brian Cox, Brendan Gleeson, everyone is perfectly casted imo. I wish that Sean Bean could’ve had a sequel for the Odyssey directed by Wolfgang again. I can dream lol
@James Davenport they did find evidence for it that's true. . interesting doc I watched years ago on ☺️
When I first heard about Troy way back when, I thought "this sounds like a fan dream or Producer's Chair game movie pitch."
Yet, it actually happened. And it was everything we thought it would be. The last of the Sword'n'Sandal Hollywood epics.
even Orlando Bloom as Paris.. he's perfect for it
That's a good shout that. He's maybe bit old now but a younger bean would have perfect. 👍
This man found something actually positive about the PJO movies, ya love to see it.
MATE!! I LOVE THIS GUY, THANKS FOR HAVING HIM AGAIN
Is there a part 3? This needs a part 3
Of course the chariots were a callback to ancient warfare in Anatolia. That's not a maybe. Troy was in Anatolia and the Iliad was set in the bronze age when chariot warfare was the defining feature of battles in the Near East. I'm sure this guy knows that, probably just slipped his mind.
@Ahriman That would all be true. I just thought it was funny the way he said "Maybe this is calling back to x". It would be like watching Ford v Ferrari, and saying, "You know, I think this scene right here might be calling back to the feud between Ford and Ferrari in the sixties", as if it's that's not already obvious, especially for someone like him. I don't blame him though. Nobody's going to do an off-the-cuff commentary like this and execute it perfectly.
He clearly said that they should either have used only infantry or made it an all chariot fight, which is exactly on point.
I think what he meant was to explain why the movie writers at all bothered with throwing a chariot here and there.
quick, someone write more movies about greek and roman mythology so Peter can come back here and talk about them forever!!
Peter you are a true scholar. You talk with such confidence and ease. You are a role model historian/scholar/professor.
Thank you for inviting him back. Vanity fair I like your content more than GQ who has a similar series. Much respect to you. I have never learned so much in your videos or GQs like this one. Really ty Peter for coming
I don't know why people need to pretend that Troy isn't a fantastic, thoroughly enjoyable film.
Mythology snobs who enjoy heavily fantasized depictions I would presume? ... I believe that "Troy" turns a relatively boring book into an engaging film.
Mythology Expert: A Hydra (Heedra) is a many headed creature that is associated with water.
I, who’s been pronouncing it as “Hi-dra”: my whole life was a lie?
English spelling is such a mess. Heedra, Hi-dra, etc. You're trying to recreate what letters are supposed to do again, because you have actually forgotten what they mean, and that they can be consistent. Sister: use that word, if you want to remember how to pronounce i & e in other languages.
Does that mean I feel deheedrated when I've been out in the Sun too long?
Understand that it's almost modern popularity of American culture to call it HI-dra. Movies like Disney's Hercules has contributed to many of us pronouncing it that way.
In classical Greek it's closer to Hoo-dra
in greek its pronounced eedra
LOVE listening to this guy talk! he must be a phenomenal professor.
I never understood why they didnt make the minotaur a minotaur in immortals, they had gods and titans in that movie so why not
I think it's hard to animate and make it believable and not look goofy in action.
Brilliant. I hope they can do more movies with him.
really weird at the end where he kept talking about a 'percy jackson movie'? and the space where they were supposedly showing the scene was just empty?
(also, yes, totally agree that PJ's take on the myths not being entirely accurate is often kind of point. they go through the motions and history repeats itself, but at the same time the setting has changed so much that it can't be identical)
What movies? While the setting is diffrent osvioysly they reference the myths a lot. Annabeth give Percy (and us the audience), contexts to the myths: oh hey Herakles fought the Stymphalion birds and defeated them witth brass bells that sort of thing. While the setting changes thry still give atleast a decent t understanding of Greek Mythology.
Jason and the Argonauts will forever be one of my favourite movies! It scared the living daylights out of me when I was younger but I love it!
I thought/heard that Egyptians mentioned Atlantis, as well. I think it was Solon. They may not have called it Atlantis, but it apparently matched the description as given by Plato.
I love Xena too. Also, please make a Part 3 and 4 and maybe 5,6,7,8,9,10? 🥺
Lord Menelaus: “Take me to the battlefield”
Charioteer: “Please rate my service”
So glad that yall brought Peter back. He is such a great host. Really enjoyed this one as well.
Totally mind blown on the Spartan commentary. I had never realized they were an unsustainable culture.
The biggest reason they became a militaristic society was due to the number of slaves in Sparta.
I'd love to hear what a mythology expert thinks of the myths written for futuristic movies such as the Mad Max 3 story of Paul Walker.
I’m glad he brought up Atlantis I was blown away when I found out Plato was the only one who talks about it
This is amazing - i hope to see more videos of him because i could listen to this forever!!
A 2017 study on the genetic origins of the Minoans and Mycenaeans showed that modern Greeks resemble the Mycenaeans, but with some additional dilution of the early Neolithic ancestry. The results of the study support the idea of genetic continuity between these civilizations and modern Greeks in the history of populations of the Aegean, before and after the time of its earliest civilizations. ACCORDING TO THE SAME STUDY, ANCIENT GREEKS MOSTLY CARRIED GENES FOR DARKER HAIR AND EYES.
Lazaridis, Iosif; et al. (2017). "Genetic origins of the Minoans and Mycenaeans". Nature. 548: 214-218. doi:10.1038/nature23310
Science Magazine, 2 August 2017, "The Greeks really do have near-mythical origins, ancient DNA reveals".
Live Science, 3 August 2017, More than Myth: Ancient DNA Reveals Roots of 1st Greek Civilizations
Katherine Lindemann, DNA analysis traces origins of Minoans and Mycenaeans, ResearchGate, 2nd August 2017
The Best preserved Roman frescoes, Mosaics and their Painted Statues all show Black and Brown haired people, not Blonde or Red hairs.. EVER... The only Blonde haired people I have seen are those depicting Germanic and Gallic slaves and Prostitutes. All of the Paintings and Mosaics of Gods and Goddesses and that Mosaic of Alexander are all Black haired and Dark haired. The same with the painted statue of ATHENA Campegna, the only Originally painted statue that has survived shows ATHENA Campegna as Jet Black haired, with Olive Tawny skin, MARS is painted as Swarthy by the Greeks and Romans and VENUS APHRODITE is painted as Dark haired with large Dark eyes and so is APOLLON.
I'm a bit bummed that the opportunity to discuss how the allegory of Atlantis has been co-opted by white supremacists was not addressed at all. It's an interesting example of the power of an ancient allegory (personally, I don't agree with labeling it as a myth) being actively used in modern day to support problematic ideology. I would be interested for Dr. Meineck to come back and address this. The podcast, Let's Talk About Myths, Baby! recently did a series on Atlantis that covers it quite nicely with some excellent academic guests who delve into the problematic re-interpretations that have been made in recent years.
White supremacists adopting a past that never was seems perfectly on brand though.
Omg yesss thank you for uploading a part two!!! I hope he’s back in the future!!
Oh man! I would love to see Peter do a video discussion on just Ray Harryhausen films!
I think you cut Troy out way to short. Only making a thing out of chariots. What about Hector? Achilles? Even the trojans fighting with tower shields and Aeneas at the end depicting the roman myth that the trojans are their ancestors? Even Xena got more attention.
I can excuse most inaccuracies in Troy, but I draw the line at Achilles being straight
Sorry for the wall of text 😅
@Σωφροσύνη he loved him more than his own life. Also that their bones are interred together. Shows a pretty deep bond, and judging by the commonality of homosexual relationships in the ancient world, it’s pretty likely. Will we ever really know? No, but to say there’s no signs whatsoever is just disingenuous.
@Alex Duffus I don't have to tell myself, the Iliad and Odyssey tell it for me. If you really disagree, would you be so kind as to give a citation to the opposite?
@Σωφροσύνη keep telling yourself that bro
Achilles not being in a romantic relationship with Patroklos is not inaccurate in the slightest, there were no signs of any such relationship in the actual Iliad or Odyssey.
More of this please! He is amazing!
This guy is my favourite of all your guests. I could listen to him for hours!
Actually a lot of what he says, is different of what we learn in mythology, at our schools, here in Greece
The current best theory for Atlantis is it was the Minoan island of Thera (Thera is the name for the modern island Santorini) and the eruption that made it look like it does today. The eruption destroyed the majority of the island and the center no longer exists above water only the edges of the island survive. Simulations and archeological evidence suggest there was a tsunami that hit the surrounding islands as well. You can look at pictures of Santorini to get an idea of what I am talking about.
A bit disappointed in the IMMORTALS bit. First of all, because it wasn't the best bit the could pick (I'd have chosen when the Gods are up on Mount Olympus and Poseidon jumps down, quite similar to the manner in which Homer describes how Athena jumps down in the Iliad), but because the value of this particular rendering of the Minotaur kinda implies that some myths are embellished lies and some were true; there wasn't an actual beast half human, half bull, but a tortured, beastly man, a killer stripped of speech and reason in the depths of that labyrinth (which also makes the story of the Minotaur even tragic)...
I could listen to this guy for hours, thanks for bringing him back
So. We’re not gonna talk about how in Troy, Achilles’ Buddy was his “cousin”?
Doesn’t sound Greek to me.
He was his ward, kinda like Caesar did, and was did. Bedmate and trainee. It wasn’t at all uncommon.
Honestly, i understood maybe 30% (my English not so good) but the part that i understood was very interesting. I love Greek mythology and movies about it (even if they uncorrectable). Sorry for my English) i just want to say thanks for this video.
I love that he loves Xena: Warrior Princess!!! ❤️❤️❤️
This is probably the best and fairest review of history in movies I’ve ever seen
I love the accurate pronouncing of the names😇
awesome hes back, everyone shld hear this guy speak on this topic.
I think blood sacrifices were meant as a symbol of selflessness, giving up something you deeply desire for the greater good. When I say that my parents "sacrificed" for me, I meant them devoting their time and money on me over their own needs. This doesn't mean getting killed in a ceremony to impress a deity.
I love this man, he’s really good.
❤️ Hermosa eleccion 4.FO/Elizeid de mejor
1 (elecciones ) 9.9/10 2 ( culturales ) 9.7/10
Son unos de los mejores conciertos
, no-puede-ir-pero-de-tan-solo verlos
desde pantalla,, se que estuvo
Sorprendente .
I wish this fellow had his own KRclip channel. I would be his #1 subscriber
Excellence, keep this series going
we need more of him!!
He cracked me up with Xena- 100% inaccurate but also fantastic
I LOVE this guy. Please bring him back.
I love his approach here! What a wonderful video!
It is kind of funny to see the characters speak in "ancient sounding" tones and manner of speech in general, even though the people obviously did not speak English. So why not have them speak in modern-day English? What difference does it make? It is the same nonsese as Goldeneye or The Hunt for Red October with Russians giving commands in ENGLISH to their comrades.
Please bring this dude back i could watch hours of this
So glad he’s back for Part 2!
So stoked just to see one of childhood favorites, Jason and th Argonauts get a decent reply.
Ooof. He said “we have the myth of the American dream” 😅😭 He’s not lying!
Imagine studying for 7-8 years to become a Professor of Classics only for the clowns at Vanity Fair to call you a ‘Mythology Expert’. Put some respect on the man’s name.
i love this guy, such a soothing voice. glad he's back!
I would say that many conspiracy theories serve the same purpose as myths of antiquity: to create a sense of purpose and order out of what in truth is chaotic and uncaring
Hydra might be inspired by octopus, and they confused it's tentacles with heads like snakes, if tentacle broke off it will grows another one. If defeat actual head you defeat octopus.
PETER WELCOME BACK YAY WE LOVE YOU💜. THANKS VANITY FOR BRINGING HIM BACK
It's funny superman Henry C is so small muscle in this movie
I love this man and I just want to listen him tell story every day
This was awesome. Completed my morning coffee. Thank you so much.
Immortals is not acurate in the mythology at all ! But I like how they portray the gods ! I wish they would just do a movie with gods and not demi gods because gods never get a a lot of screen time
In The Illiad Achilles was already dead when the Greeks sacked Troy. He was never in the Trojan Horse.
❤️ Hermosa eleccion 4.FO/Elizeid de mejor
1 (elecciones ) 9.9/10 2 ( culturales ) 9.7/10
Son unos de los mejores conciertos
, no-puede-ir-pero-de-tan-solo verlos
desde pantalla,, se que estuvo
Sorprendente .
Why wouldn't they show a relevant scene of Xena? Like when Hades or Aphrodite or minotaur was depicted?
Agreed. Or Ares or Athena. But hey, at least he said Xena was fantastic anyway. ✌
Ah that was amazing, about the hydra etiological myth. Today I learned!
I need more of this and of professior Meineck!
Part 3? He's awesome
The far far better way to get children interested and educated about ancient Greek mythology let them read the books by Caroline Lawrence and her series "Roman Mysteries"
Please do Elizabeth Taylor's Cleopatra next 😍
as a kid i watched Jason and the argonauts 100 times
I'm very satisfied with the way he pronounced Hydra.
"I have no idea what that was, but it was fantastic."
Me with all of mythology.
THANK YOU for the first segment; so many people still believe Atlantis was real when it was clearly an allegorical storytelling device created by Plato.
@chill follins Plato specifically gave the location of Atlantis. It’s not real, spoilers. If you reach hard enough you can make any point ig
He may be incorrect, though. While not called Atlantis and certainly not the level of grandeur we tend to associate with it, the nation of Minoa and its capital of Knossos are very likely candidates for the origin of the myth. Technocratic, isolationist, strong navy, warred with Mycenea, destroyed suddenly by a volcanic eruption. Their undeciphered writing and maze-like labyrinthian designs also incorporate the circles Plato and Herodotus described. There was a lot of resentment between Minoa and Mycenea, so their destruction became a story of hubris over time, the Greeks assuming the Gods to have destroyed them for it. We have only started to really excavate Minoa in-depth since the 1970s, so I don't blame the guy in the video nor people in general for not knowing we've likely solved the quandary of Atlantis with a very real civilization. For one, he's a mythology expert, not a history or archaeology expert on the Bronze Age. Then again, the answer isn't all that exciting either, so it's not exactly going to catch on with people in a popularity contest for theories. Minoa is actually very interesting, though, they had unique clothing, art, culture, and a matriarchal society.
Maybe Atlantis is a myth that came out of some prosperous/legendary city being destroyed by earthquake/tsunami or something like that. It happened to Santorin after all (more volcano explosion there, but still)
Immortals was directed by Indian director, Tarsem Singh, who drew much of his own Indian influences into the Greek mythology. Even when Theseus found that arrow, it had that resemblance of the Arrow of Shiva, a Hindu god. So the movie felt very disconnected even though I could appreciate his take on own culture. But no! Stick to the original.
I just wish you'd talked about the 1980/81 "Clash of the Titans". Love that movie. Even though it looked cheap by today's standards but it's WAY WAY better than the crappy remake.
I haven’t seen any of these movies but love his commentary!
Side note: in Percy Jackson her name is Thalia, not Talia. The subtitles got that wrong.
well they pronounced it wrong so it's not the fault of whoever did the subtitling
Isn’t that pronounced Talia, rather like Anthony is pronounced Antony? Or is the “th” sound in her name actually pronounced?
I hope they remake "Jason and the argonauts"
0:35 this is also not true as at this time Eratosthenes would have calculated the circumference of the earth so it was well know before that the earth was a sphere.