Greek Mythology Audio
Stories for Adults
"The oldest stories in Europe were made to be heard, not read."
Where do you begin with Greek myth when you want to listen, not read? The kinds of audio that exist, a sensible order, and how to pick what suits your evening.
What are the best Greek mythology audio stories for adults?
It depends on what you want. For the original texts, listen to an audiobook of Homer's Iliad or Odyssey or of Hesiod's Theogony. For a clear overview, choose a spoken retelling of the myths by an author. For atmosphere, choose a dramatized or first-person audio journey, such as the episodes in Visionaria's ancient-city series. Many listeners combine a text with a journey. This page is a guide; it is not one episode in the app.
Free to start β’ Available on iOS & Android
"Headphones on. Olympus is a short walk from here."
Myths Were Heard First
Greek mythology in audio covers any recording that tells the stories of the Greek gods and heroes by voice: audiobooks of the ancient poems, spoken retellings, plays and dramatizations, podcasts and guided audio journeys. The form suits the material. The Iliad and the Odyssey are generally understood to come from a tradition of spoken poetry that was performed aloud long before it was written down.
Key Facts About Listening to Myth
The first kind of audio is the ancient text read aloud. Audiobooks of the Iliad and the Odyssey exist in several English translations, and the choice matters: a verse translation sounds different from a prose one, and a reader's voice can make an old text easier or harder to follow. Hesiod's Theogony is short and gives the family tree of the gods, and is a good choice for a first listen. Greek tragedy is available in the same way, from Aeschylus, Sophocles and Euripides, often with a cast.
The second kind is the modern retelling. Authors have retold the myths in plain prose for adult readers, and many of these books also exist as audiobooks. They are often the easiest way in, because they put the stories in order and explain what the old poems take for granted. If you have never read any Greek myth, start here and then go to the original texts. Keep in mind that a retelling shows one author's choices, and the myths themselves exist in many versions.
The third kind is the immersive audio journey. Here the aim is not to teach the myths but to put you in a place from them. Visionaria's episodes are first-person audio journeys, told with narration, music and spatial (3D) sound, set mostly in five ancient cities. They suit the end of the day better than a long book, since each lasts roughly 5 to 20 minutes. They are based on real history and myth, but they are dramatized, so they do not replace the texts.
"A bard needed no screen. Neither do you."
A Sensible Listening Order
Step one: the family. Begin with who the gods are and how they are related. Our guide to the Greek gods gives the structure in a few minutes, and Hesiod's Theogony gives the original version. Knowing the cast makes everything else easier to follow.
Step two: the war. The Iliad is the oldest great story of the Greek world, and the Trojan War guide covers what happens in it and what does not. Then listen to the Odyssey, which is a different kind of story: a journey and a homecoming. Our guide to the Odyssey lays out the order of its episodes.
Step three: the heroes. Once you know the gods and the war, the hero tales fall into place. The twelve labours of Heracles are a good example, a set of tasks that appears in many sources. Greek tragedy is the place to hear the same myths asked harder questions, and it works well as audio drama.
Step four: the places. Greek myth is tied to real places, and hearing them can give the stories a ground. The cities of Athens, Sparta and Troy are part of Visionaria's series, and the guide to Mount Olympus covers the mountain itself. You can take the steps in any order, or in pieces, and none of them requires a test at the end.
"There is no wrong order. Even the Greeks told it differently in every town."
Where Visionaria Fits
Troy Series
Visionaria has a Troy series of three episodes of roughly 13 to 14 minutes each: the Palace of Priam, the Temple of Apollo Smintheus and the Trojan Horse.
Athens and Sparta
The Temple of Hephaestus in Athens runs about 19.7 minutes, and the Altar of Zeus Lakedaimonios in Sparta about 15 and a half minutes. Both are first-person audio journeys set at a real ancient site.
Drama and Myth
The Theatre of Dionysus in Athens runs about 16 minutes and takes you to the place where Greek tragedy was staged. The app's Greek love story is Perseus and Andromeda.
Good for Evenings
The episodes are paced slowly enough to wind down with, which is the reason they exist. They are not a medical product, and results vary by person.
Pair a text with a journey: read about Troy in the guide to the Trojan War, then hear the Trojan Horse with headphones. Or begin in Athens with the Theatre of Dionysus, where the tragedies were staged. The approach is explained under cinematic meditation.
"Study by day. Wander by night."
Who This Guide Is For
Commuters and Walkers
You have time with your ears free and want something with more depth than a playlist. An audiobook of an ancient poem or a retelling fits well.
Evening Listeners
You like to wind down with a story at the end of the day. A short journey in one place may suit you better than a long plot.
Lapsed Readers
You read Greek myth at school and want to come back to it without sitting down with a thick book.
Travelers to Greece
A little preparation makes the sites richer. Listen on the plane, then visit the temple.
Students
Hearing a text while following it on the page is a way to keep the names straight. This page helps you choose what to pair.
Fans of Epic Stories
If you enjoy long, structured stories with great characters, the Iliad and the Odyssey are the origin of much of what you already like.
Note for beginners: you do not need any background. If you want one place to begin, the guide to the Greek gods takes only a few minutes.
"No quiz. The Muses do not grade."
More Greek Myth
"Pick a thread and pull."
Your Questions Answered
Everything you need to know about Greek myth in audio
"Questions best asked with headphones on."
Ready to Hear
Greek Myth?
Download Visionaria and step into Athens, Sparta and Troy with your eyes closed.
"The old storytellers would have wanted a good pair of headphones."