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The Conversation
The Conversation
Joel Christensen, Professor of Classical Studies, Brandeis University

Reunions can be nostalgic and painful as well as happy – as the ancient Greek heroes Achilles and Odysseus show us

A painting showing Odysseus recognizing Achilles, who is disguised as a woman. Paris, Musée Du Louvre. DeAgostini/Getty Images

Celebrations are a joyous time of reuniting with family and friends. But afterward, people can sometimes be left uneasily mulling over their relationships. Annual returns home can induce an uncomfortable nostalgia in the tension between how the past is remembered and how the present is experienced.

As someone who studies ancient Greek myth and poetry, I often find myself making sense of my own life through my work. Even though many Greek myths are infamous for disturbing topics such as infanticide and incest, ancient audiences did look to their stories to make sense of themselves and their world.

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