BEGIN:VCALENDAR VERSION:2.0 PRODID:-//wp-events-plugin.com//7.3.3//EN TZID:Europe/London X-WR-TIMEZONE:Europe/London BEGIN:VEVENT UID:49@prometheustrust.co.uk DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20250617T194500 DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20250617T211500 DTSTAMP:20250613T202124Z URL:https://prometheustrust.co.uk/events/a-platonic-look-at-the-odyssey-of -homer/ SUMMARY:A Platonic look at the Odyssey of Homer DESCRIPTION:In the glittering and enduring stellium that was ancient Greece \, the two brightest stars were Plato and Homer: the former is known as th e founder of the West's philosophic approach to truth\, the latter as the founder of the West's literary tradition. But perhaps the simple division of philosopher on the one hand\, and epic fiction writer on the other fail s to capture the range of either: Plato's use of myth and story\, and his power to move the reader in the drama of his dialogues\, along with his ab ility to elevate and initiate those who follow him along the path of philo sophy is there for any who are open to such possibilities. And Homer\, who se understanding of the human condition and the divine stage upon which we are required to unfold our mysterious nature has rarely been surpassed\, has perhaps obscured his wide-ranging wisdom by hiding it in symbolic and mythic language.\n\nCan we draw the two together by reading Homer with Pla tonic eyes? Will Platonic concepts help us to gain a deeper understanding of the two great epics attributed to Homer\, and will his verses give us i nsights into the narrative which Plato offers us\, scattered through vario us dialogues\, of the soul's journey?\n\nFollowing our look last month at Homer’s Iliad\, this month we plan to continue the theme of Platonic exp lorations of Homer with the Odyssey. If the Iliad can be read as a symboli c representation of the descent of the soul in search of beauty\, we might well follow the Platonic tradition is reading the second epic as an explo ration of the soul’s reascent to the intelligible\, and her passing thro ugh the cathartic trials to reach the contemplative life.\n\nThis session will use this paper as our starting point: PT Session 17 June 2025 - Odyss ey\n\nThese open sessions usually run twice on the same day to accommodate different time zones\, but this month we are running the US-timed one on the 24th starting at 7:30pm EDT/4:30pm PDT.  The link for this one will b e posted soon (what appears at the end of this is last month's link).\n\nT hese sessions take particular topics or passages from Plato and other writ ers in the tradition - these are open to anyone interested\, and they attr act a wide range of participants. We usually begin with a short 5 or 10 mi nute introduction to the subject in hand and (when appropriate) a reading of a short text: this leaves a good hour or so to discuss the ideas which arise.\n\nThere are no fees payable. The Trust sees the Platonic tradition as a spiritual one: not only a guide for the outer life\, but especially to be treasured for its assistance in the cultivation of the inner self - the soul - for\, says Plato in the Timeaus\, “we are not terrestrial pl ants\, but blossoms of heaven.” We understand the tradition to be profo und and cohesive\, and one that repays the long-term effort required to tr uly embed oneself in it. Our approach is not exclusive - we value other t raditions for their insights - nor is it dogmatic or an attempt to prosely tise: however we are serious in our attempts to fathom the depths of the t radition\, to identify its foundations\, and where its teachings seem to r un counter to accepted thinking to investigate them thoroughly rather than rejecting them prematurely. Thus our point of focus is on the teachings o f the tradition and most especially our own inner response to them.\n\nBy joining our studies you are making no commitment beyond that of co-operati ng with us in our exploration of those truths which have inspired a compan y of men and women most luminous in their understanding\, and unsparingly generous in their teaching.\n\nYou can register for the UK timed session v ia zoom by clicking on the link  here https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/reg ister/4CdENZbgQNG_0jb05-eVsQ.\n\nAnd for the US-timed session click here ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://prometheustrust.co.uk/wp-content/uploads /2025/06/TheResilienceofOdysseus_635284138827749465_640.jpg CATEGORIES:Open session LOCATION:https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tL1n9OTaR1mXMzesP50yEweet ing/register/SRL5FZihSuqtf3ipV9ykpQ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VTIMEZONE TZID:Europe/London X-LIC-LOCATION:Europe/London BEGIN:DAYLIGHT DTSTART:20250330T020000 TZOFFSETFROM:+0000 TZOFFSETTO:+0100 TZNAME:BST END:DAYLIGHT END:VTIMEZONE END:VCALENDAR