Aegean Sea

Aegean Sea

Author: Emmanuela Lia January 24, 2021 Duration: 1:39

(piano music) 

Hello, and welcome to Your Greek Word On A Sunday, a weekly, bite-size podcast for anyone curious on language, etymology and connections. I am your host, Emmanuela Lia and wherever you are in the world, if you want to entertain your brain for a few minutes, this is the podcast for you. Let's Go! 

This story has many legs but I’m focusing on one for the sake of this episode . In Ancient Greek mythology, Αιγέας (Aegeas) was an Athenian King and father of the hero Theseus. During one of the games organised in Athens where all member states could take part, the  champion and son of King Minos of Crete was murdered. That started a war between Athens and Crete that only the oracle Πυθία (Pythia) was able to resolve. She predicted that the only way for the war to end was for King Aegeas to accept whatever demands King Minos had. And what demands they were! Every year, 7 boys and 7 girls of the most noble families would be send off to Crete to enter the Minotaur’s labyrinth. If they failed to kill the beast or get out, the Minotaur would eat them alive. After many years of lost youth, Theseus decided to take part. The boats sailing to Crete had black sails, to mourn the agreement, and Aegeas asked his son to switch the sails to white ones, if he was on board a winning ship on the way back. Theseus did kill the beast and got out of the labyrinth but forgot to switch the sails so, when his father saw black sails returning, he threw himself into the sea and drowned. Athenians named that part of the sea after their king. ΑΙΓΕΑΣ/AEGEAN SEA


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Each week, Emmanuela Lia offers a quiet, thoughtful moment with Your Greek Word On A Sunday. This award-nominated podcast explores the fascinating journey of language, focusing on a single Greek word that has found a home in everyday English. It’s a bite-sized piece of history and connection, released every Sunday. You’ll hear more than just a definition; each episode traces the word’s path from ancient roots to modern usage, revealing how ideas and culture travel and transform across centuries and continents. Emmanuela unpacks the stories embedded within these travelling words, showing how they silently shape our thinking and link us to a distant past. Listening to this podcast feels like uncovering a hidden layer of meaning in the language we use without a second thought. It’s for anyone curious about where words come from, how history echoes in our speech, and the subtle threads that connect different worlds. The gentle, weekly rhythm and focused format make it a perfect companion for a reflective morning or a calm evening, turning a simple etymological exploration into a consistent ritual of discovery.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 335

Your Greek Word On A Sunday
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