Conversation: "Epic in Our Times"
Classicist and translator Emily Wilson is joined in conversation by Sophie Gee and Pasquale Toscano to explore how epic confronts rising populism, nation-building and authoritarian rule.
Why does epic—the most ancient of all genres—seem to be everywhere right now? And why is it especially needed in this moment of rising populism, nation-building, and authoritarian rule? These are the questions Sophie Gee and Pasquale Toscano discuss with Emily Wilson, a classicist and renowned translator of Homer. Please join us to grapple with how this unmodern form helps us confront the challenges of today.
In Conversation:
Emily Wilson is the College for Women Class of 1963 Term Professor in the Humanities at the University of Pennsylvania, an award-winning translator of Homer’s Iliad and Odyssey, and a MacArthur Fellowship recipient.
Sophie Gee is a professor of English at Princeton University, the Vice-Chancellor Fellow at the University of Sydney, and a co-host of the hit podcast “The Secret Life of Books.”
Pasquale Toscano (*24) is an assistant professor of English at Vassar College who’s written about epic, Milton, and disability for a range of venues, both academic and public-facing.
This event was recorded on February 17, 2026.