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A scientific, literary, theological, political, and moral education is necessary for personal happiness and to perpetuate the blessings of civil and religious liberty. Hillsdale College furnishes these beautiful courses for free to all who wish to learn and to enjoy those blessings.
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Revolutionary America
Join us in celebrating our heritage and remembering the foundations of our liberty with Hillsdale College’s first feature-length, theatrical documentary, Revolutionary America.
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The Odyssey
The Odyssey tells the tale of the cunning and crafty hero of the Trojan War on his journey home. After ten years of war, Odysseus faces another ten years of fantastic temptations, deadly monsters, treacherous seas, and impious men. Meanwhile, Ithaca is threatened by suitors who plague his wife and plunder his wealth. When Odysseus reaches home, he must slay the suitors, test the loyalty of his friends and family, and restore order to his marriage and his kingdom.
Latest Articles
The Swineherd, the Dog, and the Beggar at the Door
July 27, 2026
A stranger arrives at your door with nothing: no name, no proof of who he is, no way to repay you. What do you owe him? In the world of The Odyssey, that question had a fixed answer, because hospitality to strangers, or xenia, was treated as religious law rather than etiquette. In our most recent free online course, “The Odyssey,” Professor Ben Whalen points to this principle as one of its c...
Penelope’s Web: The Political Wisdom of Homer’s Queen
July 23, 2026
Why doesn’t Penelope just send the suitors away? More than a hundred men have occupied her household for years, eating her stores and courting her hand because they’re certain that Odysseus is dead. Penelope has no army, no husband to back her, and a son who is still too young to have the standing to throw anyone out. Her situation offers exactly two obvious moves: refuse the suitors outright o...
Why Does Odysseus Reject Calypso’s Offer?
July 16, 2026
If a beautiful god or goddess offered you immortality and endless sensual pleasure in exchange for leaving behind all the cares of the mortal world, would you accept? That question lies at the center of one of the most memorable episodes in Homer’s “The Odyssey.” After years of war and wandering, Odysseus finds himself on the island of the goddess Calypso. There, he is offered something h...
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