Understanding Homer
A One-Year Guided Initiation into the Poet of the West
"Learn Homer in 15 minutes of reading a day, without the hassle of University"
-
-
- Study Homer’s Iliad and Odyssey with author C.B. Robertson
- Understand the source code of Western civilization
- Create your own Homeric translation
-
My name is C.B. Robertson.
I am a philosopher and an author — I'm not an academic, and this course is not about credentials.
Many people recognize that Homer is crucially important to who we are, but they don’t know how or why.
They often say they’ll read Homer “someday.” They put it off because it feels intimidating — alien, distant.
That distance doesn’t close with time.
It closes with initiation into the language, the values, and the world of Homer.
“Understanding Homer” is a year-long course designed to give you real connection with the poet at the roots of Western civilization.
This is not a summary course.
It is a deep familiarization — one that aims to make you at home in the story of our civilization, with a working command of the language and values that run beneath it.
The course includes:
- A full 12-month reading curriculum
- Monthly live group calls
- Private discussion community (Discord)
- Monthly reflective essays with 5–10 minute personal video responses
- A final translation project (10–20 lines of Homer)
This course is for people who've meant to get around to Homer, but never did.
It's for people who started to get into the Iliad or the Odyssey, but didn't understand what they were reading.
It's for people who've read Homer, who grasp the story, but don't fully understand his relevance to us today.
I built this course out of more than 15 years of studying Homer, and nearly 3 years of teaching it.
It is the course I wanted when I first began.
If you are serious about understanding Homer, this is the most direct way to start.
Tuition
Founding Cohort Price: $780
Enrollment is limited to 20 students.
FAQ:
Will I need to buy books?
The curriculum covers 6 books, with some additional readings. I recommend you buy them all, physically. However, all of these works -- including the Iliad and Odyssey themselves -- can be found for free online... with the exception of Adam Nicholson's Why Homer Matters.
How much reading is involved?
Expect to be reading at least 15-20 minutes of the course material per day.
When are the live group calls?
Group meetings will be happening at 7:30pm, Pacific Time, on the following Saturdays:
- June 20 (kick-off)
- July 18
- Aug 22
- Sept 19
- Oct 24
- Nov 21
- Dec 19
- Jan 16
- Feb 20
- Mar 20
- Apr 17
- May 15
- June 19 (conclusion)
Meetings will be recorded so that students who miss a meeting will be able to listen back. Dates subject to change.
Can I get a refund if I decide I don't like it?
If in the first three months (up to Sept 20) you decide -- for any reason -- that the course isn't for you, I will give you a full refund. No questions asked.
Are there payment plan options?
I can set up payment plans for 3 payments of $260, on a case-by-case basis.
Sponsored by the Order of Fire