Nebraska’s Department of Classics and Religious Studies will host lectures by authors Jonathan Shay and Michael Shiner, as well as a marathon reading of “The Odyssey,” during a week celebrating Homer on campus.
Shay’s lecture will be held from 5 to 7 p.m. April 16 in the Nebraska Union Auditorium. Renowned in the field of psychology and throughout veteran communities for his work with Homeric epics, he studies how ancient classics can help those who suffer from the aftermath of war.
Shay is best known for his book “Achilles in Vietnam,” which compares the tale of Homer’s Iliad and the main character Achilles to the experiences of American veterans of the Vietnam War.
Researcher Michael Shiner will continue the week with “Homer Told the Truth About Leadership,” a talk on what modern-day readers can learn about leadership successes and failures from Homer’s ancient texts. The lecture will be held from 5 to 7 p.m. April 17 in Burnett Hall, Room 107.
The week will conclude with Nebraska’s second annual Homerathon, a marathon reading of Homer’s Odyssey in English. The event will begin at 8 a.m. April 18 on the Meier Commons green space and continue throughout the day.
Read about last year’s first-ever Homerathon here.
For more information, email unl.homerathon@gmail.com.
