Are There Limits to Human Ambition?
Odysseus and Human Excellence in Homer’s Odyssey—A Public Lecture
Join us for a free public lecture and discussion of Emily Wilson’s historic translation of Homer’s The Odyssey led by Dr. Charlotte Thomas, Professor of Philosophy and Director of the Great Books Program at Mercer College in Macon, Georgia. Thomas is the Executive Director of the Association for Core Texts and Courses, and the author of The Female Drama: The Philosophical Feminine in the Soul of Plato’s Republic.
Saturday, November 15, 2025, 6:00 PM
1916 Jensen Way NE, Poulsbo, WA 98370
Odysseus and Human Excellence in the Odyssey
Are There Limits to Human Ambition? A Public Lecture
Odysseus wants too much. Just returning to Ithaca alive after almost 20 years is a big ask, and praying that his wife and son are OK is even more ambitious. But, that’s not all Odysseus wants. He wants his kingdom. He wants his wealth. He wants to stand between his son and father in victorious battle. He wants his song to be sung, and in that song, he wants to be more heroic than Achilles. These seem like outlandish ambitions, the kind that are routinely punished by the Olympian gods as hubris. And yet, Odysseus is beloved of the gods, and he manages to get everything he wants—to realize all his apparently outlandish ambitions. By thinking carefully about what Odysseus wants and doesn’t want, we can begin to bring into focus what the poet suggests are the proper ambitions of human beings—the modes of excellence available to us in contrast to hopeless, misguided, self-defeating desires to be divine. Why Homer’s epic poem about a Bronze Age war hero speaks to us today, will also become clear through the course of this public lecture.
CONTACT: info@lemolobay.com
Also Join Us for a seminar on the odyssey
A small, Socratic seminar led by Dr. Thomas, Saturday, September 15, 1:00—3:30
Dr. Thomas will also lead a small, informal Socratic seminar on Emily Wilson’s translation of the Odyssey on Saturday, November 15, 2025, at 1:00 until 3:30. The seminar will take place at Lemolo Bay Advisor’s office in hisotric downtown Poulsbo. If you would like to join this seminar or find out more about it, please email Nyomi, LBA’s operations manager. Space is limited to ten participants. We have a limited number of loaner copies of the Odyssey, if you would like to borrow a copy of the text in advance of the seminar. Reach out to Nyomi for details. The seminar is open to new and seasoned readers alike.
