Mice and Frogs Behaving Badly (Epi 22, S4)

Ancient Rome Refocused

The Batrachomyomachia or Battle of the Frogs and Mice is a comic epic, or a parody of the Iliad, commonly attributed to Homer. Prof. Joel Christensen and Eric Robinson have translated this odd poem putting frogs and mice in the place of the Homeric Heroes.

Dr. Christiansen, is an associate professor of Classical Studies and comparative literature, and is the chair in the Department of classical studies, and teaches courses in Greek Epic and Archaic Poetry, Rhetoric and literary theory, linguistics, and mythology. He has taken the time to talk to us about an odd poem that has be translated repeatedly over the years. Why do people over the generations find this poem so interesting?

With an original musical piece written by Matthew Leigh Embleton, a reading of the Battle of the Frogs and Mice is read not only by Dr. Christensen, but intersects with Graeme Malcolm with permission of Random House Audio books.

Are you a frog or a mouse?

Step into the pond and find out.