Myths and Legends of Europe: Recent Episodes
Paul Vincent
The king of Britain is getting old and dreams of retirement. But who should rule while he relaxes.
With the first episode of The Incomplete Works of Shakespeare imminent, here’s a little competition for you!
The adventures of Odysseus and Aeneas come to an end. We see what happens when Odysseus finally arrives home and find out whether Aeneas's city ever gets built! The age of heroes is over.
Poor old Odysseus. The creator of the Wooden Horse knew he wasn't destined to get home for ten years but he never imagined quite how horrible the journey would be. On the way he loses ships and men, meets a scary one-eyed giant and has to choose between Scylla and Charybdis. Will he ever see his beloved Ithaca again?
The Trojan War is over. Troy is gone, destroyed by the marauding Greek army and all of its leaders, except one, are dead. The weary Greek heroes make their various ways home. Some of them don't get the welcome they expected!
At last everything is in place for the Greeks to take Troy. It is not all plain sailing, though; it takes trickery and cunning to complete the quest. Fortunately, in Odysseus, the Greeks have the trickiest and most cunning of all the heroes. Odysseus does not disappoint!
At last, Hector and Achilles finally meet in battle. One of them dies and the other revels in his glorious victory. Sadly, for him, the victor doesn't have much time left to enjoy it.
Wrathful Achilles may be sitting on the sidelines sulking but the war rages on. Man mountain Ajax takes on the mighty Hector in single combat. Diomedes and Odysseus capture a Trojan spy and Agamemnon is injured in the fighting. When one particular Greek is killed, though, wrath turns to rage.
Unfortunately, for the Greeks, Kalchas is proved to be correct. The poor heroes struggle to get to Troy and then have to wait nine years before the real fighting starts. A couple of the warriors are lost and then Agamemnon upsets his best fighter. It doesn't bode well!
All the prophecies start coming true as the Apple of Discord does its work. An inevitable chain of events leads to the launching of a magnificent fleet carrying the greatest army of the mythological world. The heroes of Greece are on their way to Troy.
The story of the Trojan War is one of the most famous and exciting of the Greek myths. It is a tale full of friendship, treachery, love, revenge, tragedy and death. This is the first of nine chapters which will tell the whole story of the build up to the war, the war itself and what happened to the survivors. In it we meet some of the important characters and hear about the wedding at which the seeds of the war were sown.
The story of Heracles draws to a close. We hear how he completes his final labour and then goes off on a spree of revenge before meeting a sticky end!
He's done the easy ones! Now it's time for the greatest hero of them all to get down to some really difficult tasks. As he goes about his last six labours Heracles drops in on the city of Troy and meets a couple of the Titans!
At last, it's time to begin the story of the greatest hero of them all. First we hear about the early life of Heracles, known to the Romans as Hercules. Everyone knows about the twelve labours he performed, though he was originally only set ten! We find out what causes him to have to perform his labours and we follow him as he sets out to complete them.
A chapter all about the goings on in the city of Thebes. We hear about the city's foundation and how it came to be ruled by one of the most unfortunate men in Greek mythology. We also solve the Riddle of the Sphynx
In this chapter we complete the tale of Theseus. We see him reach the height of his heroism and then fall from grace. We will also hear about one of the most famous incidents in Greek myth, commemorated by artists as different as Breughel and Iron Maiden: the flight of Icarus.
It's time to begin the story of King Minos and the terrifying Minotaur. We will hear about the building of the labyrinth in which the beast was imprisoned. We will also meet the hero Theseus and have a good laugh at his interesting journey to Athens.
It's time for the story of the king who turned everything to gold simply by touching it. No trip through the myths of Greece would be complete without it. We will also hear about Meleagros of Kalydon and the great hunter Atalanta and we will finish with the sad tale of the young man who fell in love with his own reflection.
This week we complete the story of Jason and the Argonauts. We meet the most scheming woman in Greek mythology and watch as she first helps Jason and then turns against him.
The first part of the story of Jason and the Argonauts. We hear how the Golden Fleece came to be where it was and why Jason was sent to find it. We follow the Argonauts on their long sea journey to the land of Kolchis.
In this chapter we hear the bloodthirsty story of the family of Pelops, including an unusual chariot race and a bitter feud. Zeus is up to his usual tricks and a few more of his children are hatched (and yes... I do mean hatched!)
This week we hear the story of the first of the great mythical heroes of Greece. Perseus is sent by an evil king to kill Medusa, the only mortal Gorgon. He does not find it easy!
It's time for us to meet some of the early mortal men and women and see how the gods interfered in their lives. We will find out about the births of two of great heroes of Greek mythology.
A journey into the murky depths of the Underworld where Hades, King of the Dead, rules. Here we meet the inhabitants of Tartaros forever destined to do pointless tasks as punishments for their actions while they were alive.
In this chapter we meet the rest of the great Olympians. In doing so we find out about some of more unpleasant gods and their equally nasty children! Ares and his kids are particular favourites of mine.
This week we meet the rest of the children of Kronos and a couple of the other Olympians. Look out for the story of Poseidon's persuasive dolphin and the tale of poor Persephone.
The fun really starts here! Zeus and his brothers and sisters fight against Kronos and the Titans over who will rule the heavens and the Earth. Only one side can come out on top. Which one will it be?
The frst chapter of our story introduces Gaia, the Earth and Ouranos, the Sky. We hear the Greek creation myth and meet the Titans and some hideous monsters!
Beowulf is given a fitting send off as Wiglaf takes charge. The outlook is not good for the men who didn’t come to their king’s aid!
A new challenge presents itself to Beowulf and this time he is unable to face it alone. The outcome is somewhat bittersweet.
All is well in the land of the Spear Danes. Grendel is gone and peace prevails. And then it doesn’t; big time.
The showdown between Beowulf and the beast is upon us. It’s not going to end well for one of them!
I have episodes written for both of my podcasts along with a sore throat. When I am able to speak properly there will be a couple of chapters released in quick succession.
So here we are at last, and many apologies for the extended delay, with an introduction to Beowulf.
A party goes badly wrong when Loki causes trouble. Then the Trickster gets what's been coming for a long time!
It's back to the trials and tribulations of the Aesir as one of their number suffers an unhappy fate. Loki is, of course, involved.
The wall of flame is finally breached but no good comes of it. Or of anything else really.
Sigurd rides away from Fafnir's lair and meets a wise woman. He learns his destiny and is far from pleased!
Andvari's curse starts working almost immediately. Meanwhile we meet a great Norse hero.
A bored Loki is not a good thing for the Aesir! On the other hand he's as good at getting out of trouble as he is at getting in to it.
Thor has to rely on his wits as he challenges a visitor, and a man shows off wisdom in his attempt to win a goddess.
My new ebook: Legends of King Arthur and His Knights is now available on all Amazon stores. The ASIN code is B01I8IB7J8.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B01I8IB7J8 for the UK
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01I8IB7J8 in the US
I hope you enjoy it!
Freyr sulks and sends his mate to fetch him a special woman, and a lack of beer results in a journey for Thor and Tyr.
Freya goes to any lengths to acquire a particularly special piece of jewellery. Loki gets involved in more trickery.
Loki finds a cunning way of rebuilding Asgard's wall and Heimdall goes on a productive journey.
Loki's three monstrous children are dealt with by Odin and Loki decides to play a somewhat unwise trick on Thor and Sif.
In this first chapter we introduce the complicated and slightly bizarre cosmology of Norse Mythology.
Welcome to the world of Norse Mythology. In this brief introduction we'll take a quick look at who the Norse actually were.
Robin gets immediate revenge for the death of his friend. This is followed by quite a bit more!
Everything is wonderful in Sherwood. Robin has been pardoned; the Merry Men are law-abiding workers and King Richard the Lionheart rules. But... kings do not live forever.
It's like Grand Central in Sherwood as visitor after visitor arrives; some more welcome than others. One of the guests is someone rather special.
The Merry Men march to Evil Hold to take their revenge on Sir Isembart. Success is dependent on the cooperation of an unknown ally.
Robin and his men travel to Yorkshire to help a fellow Saxon. All is not well back in Sherwood!
The Bishop of Hereford joins the ranks of the enemies of Robin Hood. He becomes somewhat bogged down in his attempts to capture the outlaw chief.
A visitor arrives in Robbers' Glade and calls in a favour. Robin and his men are only too happy to oblige.
Maid Marian hears tales of a man from Yorkshire whose fame seems to be rivalling Robin's. They decide to go and check him out.
The Sheriff of Nottingham graciously decides to accept a pile of cash to capture Robin Hood. He soon wishes he hadn't!
Prince John is subjected to another tournament in Nottingham. He is most unimpressed when a scruffy beggar is allowed to enter. His day doesn't get any better!
Another Norman knight encounters Robin Hood and his Merry Men. This time, though, the knight in question keeps doesn't leave Sherwood armourless and tied to his own horse.
I hope you enjoy this as much as I enjoyed writing it. All feedback very gratefully received.
Sir Isembart tries again to take his prize. Robin is ready for him, though, and his Merry band increases by one.
Another knight is sent packing by Robin and his men. Then they go in search of spiritual services.
Sir Guy of Gisborne persuades the very evil Sir Isembart to help him catch Robin Hood by lending him some men at arms. When they enter the forest Robin and Will are ready for them, and the invaders of Sherwood do not have a good time!
Little John wants to prove himself but ends up getting fat on the Sheriff's hospitality. Meanwhile, someone is out hunting for Robin!
Robin Hood goes to church but finds everything but spiritual peace. On his way home he has to cross a narrow plank bridge, but somebody is standing in his way.
Robin Hood loves archery contests. Prince John, on the other hand, doesn't. The one he goes to in Nottingham does nothing to change his mind!
Poverty and desperation cause a young man to kill one of the deer that roam Sherwood. This kicks off a chain of events that end with him becoming an outlaw; as does his friend, Robin.
In this first chapter we chart the journey from one myth to another. What happened in the five hundred and fifty or so years between the death of King Arthur and the arrival of Robin Hood? Listen and find out!
At last, it's here! the Legend of Robin Hood of Sherwood begins with a short introduction.
Announcing 'The Legend of Robin Hood of Sherwood', which will begin on December 18th 2014!! Also look out for a change of podcast feed name and some new artwork.
Was there one? Perhaps there was. Perhaps there wasn't. In the end, does it really matter?
Where does our information about King Arthur come from? In this chapter we take a quick look at the works of literature that relate the legend, and the historical sources of the times.
After a couple of chapters on the sources of the legends and the 'real' King Arthur our tale will be finished. But the podcast will continue. How? Listen to find out!
And so Arthur fights his decisive battle, but it is against Mordred and not, as had been expected, against Lancelot and his kinsmen. The outcome is, of course, disastrous.
Lancelot and Gawain, once the best of friends and now mortal enemies, finally face each other on the battlefield. Meanwhile, King Arthur receives some terrible news from home.
The King and Queen are reunited. Can the war between Arthur and Lancelot be ended? Probably, but for one man's wrath.
Agravain's indignation at Lancelot's treachery is unleashed. Unprecedented death follows as the number of Orkney Brothers is reduced from five to??? Well, you'll just have to listen to find out!
The Queen is rescued and the truth discovered but Agravain is far from pleased. A fatal conversation with King Arthur pushes Camelot beyond the point of no return.
King Arthur's suspicions grow and then fall again as he hears rumours from different sources. Events then take a strange turn when the Queen hosts a banquet.
So those who survived the Grail Quest are back in Camelot and all is great... for about a month!
At last, at long last, the Grail Quest comes to an end. Of course, successful achievement is accompanied by a sting in the tail.
Lancelot and his son finally get to spend a bit of quality time together, and Percival's sister donates some blood!
The three companions are reunited and gain a fourth. Spirituality abounds as the end of the quest draws near.
Talk about being stuck between a rock and a hard place. Poor Sir Bors is faced with more no-win situations than is good for a brave questing knight.
The Grail Quest turns very bad indeed for some of our favourite knights as treachery and recklessness lead to terrible tragedy.
Some of the questing knights can't seem to put one foot in front of the other without having a vision or a dream. Sadly, the visions and dreams do not give them any hope of success.
Tests and temptations galore for our young hero. Does he have what it takes to get through them?
Errors galore as the Knights of the Round Table begin the quest in earnest. Only Galahad continues serenely on, getting everything right!
The Grail Quest fails to recover from its faltering start. In fact King Arthur's worst fears are realised as events finally catch up with one of our heroes.
At last, someone sits in the Siege Perilous. Does he get burned to a crisp or is he the Chosen One who is destined to sit there?
Poor old mad Lancelot continues being mad for some considerable time. By the time he regains his senses the Grail Quest is almost upon him.
Lancelot is tricked by the daughter of the Fisher King, Pellam. Guinevere is finally told some home truths... twice!
Poor poor Palomides. Loving La Beale Isould hasn't done Tristram much good but at least she feels the same way about him. Palomides love for her, on the other hand, is completely unwanted. This makes him somewhat unhappy!
King Mark is up to no good yet again and Tristram and Isould finally give up on Cornwall. Away from Cornwall, a very treacherous deed is done.
King Mark finally goes too far and all possibilities of peace with Tristram disappear. Tristram, though, isn't his only target!
Erec carries on behaving petulantly towards his long-suffering wife. He also bites off a bit more than he can chew when it comes to jousting.
The History Collage is a project produced by a group of history podcasters. Each episode has a theme and is made up of short, no longer than nine minutes. You will hear my contribution in episode 2. Give it a listen: www.historypodcasters.com
King Mark promises (again!) that he will make peace with Tristram and the great knight returns to Cornwall. Meanwhile, one of the Orkney Brothers commits a terrible crime.
Despite the best efforts of King Mark, Tristram finally makes it to Camelot. Everyone is very pleased indeed... except King Mark, of course.
Knights with too little to do ride around insulting each other. On a more serious note, Tristram returns to Cornwall and goes mad!
At last, we find out who Beaumains really is. He turns out to be quite some fighter and is a welcome addition to the Order of the Round Table. His little brother also joins the club and he will eventually prove to be a lot more troublesome.
Beaumains returns from the kitchens and requests his other two gifts. He gets what he wants but somebody else is seriously unhappy about it.
Mr Tact strikes again! Two young men arrive at the court of King Arthur wanting to be knights and Kay insults both of them.
Tristram's stay in Ireland is cut short by an inevitable discovery. He is back before too long, though, and his fate is sealed when he and La Belle Isould drink some lovely wine!
Introducing the second greatest knight of Arthurian legend. Just like the Superman of the Round Table, Sir Lancelot, he develops a weakness for a particular woman!
It's back to Lancelot; the Superman of King Arthur's court is off adventuring again. Knights are rescued; ladies are helped; Lancelot gets into a couple of scrapes. All in a day's work really!
The Romans are back, demanding that King Arthur pay homage. King Arthur is not remotely interested!
Gawain searches for Lancelot again, this time with much more success. Lancelot shows us his heroic side as he defeats more enemies but he also gets a bit too close to the queen.
King Arthur makes an enemy and Sir Lancelot makes a friend. Surely the friend and the enemy can't be the same person!
Lancelot gets into his stride as he attempts to release a cursed castle from its evil enchantment. Cue duels, imprisonments, slayings and general mayhem.
Lancelot of the Lake comes of age and soon proves to be a formidable warrior with a rebellious streak and an eye for the ladies... one lady in particular.
Sir Gawain finally succeeds in avenging his father but then has a very strange adventure indeed!
King Arthur decides that Sir Uwain was in league with his mother, Morgan le Fay. She's up to her old tricks again and so poor Uwain is punished.
Everything's going very well for Arthur. Time for some magical villainous treachery then!
Arthur's newest knight takes centre stage now as he makes a big mistake and then redeems himself.
Arthur, fresh from his triumphs decides he needs a wife. There is only one candidate and, despite Merlin's disapproval, Arthur marries Guinevere. Oh, and as a wedding present he is given a very large round table!
The tale of Sir Balin and his brother Balan concludes, not very happily for either of them. First, though, we meet a knight with very special powers. Not that they do him much good!
Arthur battles against the kings again! Again he has help, this time from the stars of this chapter and the next, Sir Balin and his valiant brother. We also meet the Orkney boys who will be central to the entire tale of King Arthur and his Knights.
Arthur battles against his enemies again, this time with the help of two kings from Gaul. Merlin makes a prophecy or two and a future star of this podcast series is born.
At last, Arthur takes centre stage. Still only a teenager, his true greatness is revealed. Unfortunately, not everyone is impressed and he is forced to fight quite a few other kings in order to show who's boss!
It's mayhem as the Saxons continue to lord it over Britain and the usurper Vortigern quakes in his castle. Fortunately, along comes a man capable of uniting the country. And then he has a son.
Just over 2,000 years ago Britain was minding its own business. Then along came the Romans and spoiled it all. In this first chapter we watch as the Roman rule crumbles and a British king comes to the throne. Then it all falls apart as a man who wants to be king stops at nothing to achieve his aims. And at the end we hear about King Arthur (briefly!)
The Legend of King Arthur has stood the test of time and contains some wonderful stories. This introduction gives a quick overview of the epic journey on which we are about to embark!