Stephen Fry discusses his new book about the siege of Troy | 7.30

We know Stephen Fry from TV but he's also a writer and he's taken on one of the greatest stories ever told, the siege of Troy, in his new book.
With his wit, his wisdom and his humour, Fry takes us back to Ancient Greece and a story of gods and war that he says tells us so much about our world today.
Watch the extended interview with Stan Grant.
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[@nyc88s]

I adore Stephen Fry. What a wonderful mind and lovely heart.

[@pearlnicol2443]

I bought Stephen Fry's audio book on Troy. and I know I 'm going to like it. He has such a listenable voice.

[@barbaralamson7450]

I absolutely love Stephen Fry. He has a golden touch, no matter the venue he chooses. Brilliant.

[@nicolaparin761]

Fantastic interview thanks Stan Grant for bringing us Stephen Fry what a joy..best wishes and love thank you..

[@EastJazzman]

I am a RECENT READER Of Stephen Fry, and I love how he has written Troy, he covers everything that leads to the Trojan War and adds his own input along the way. He is telling the story and discussing his views all together in perfect sense. Looking forward to the Odyssey next year and I hope the year after he starts on the Aeneid.

[@GamerRateBot]

Every Australian can proudly cite this interview as evidence for the need for a public broadcaster. Where else would the history and philosophy of antiquity and its relevance to the present day be discussed uninterrupted for 20 minutes and at such a high production level?

[@roberthutchins4297]

In the UK, the great BBC is under permanent attack. Enough to weep. At least as of just a few years ago, the BBC had won nearly half of all the international TV prizes. The press bombards it daily, yet the yearly cost of the BBC (including their great radio channels) is less than half the yearly cost of any British newspaper. The yearly licence fee is about the European average, Enough to weep!!

[@densmorde4520]

KZbin, vimeo, etc. If you look at the quality of the Fry cam you understand that it is probably his own macbooc-cam. This could be done with a shoestring. I dont need to see that interviewers orange face so orange, he could be on a laptop cam aswell. Content is king.

[@roberthutchins4297]

.... and just look at the garbage most of the press gives us! On a yearly basis, the BBC costs about half what newspapers cost. And it´s that very same, generally poor to terrible, press that most virulently criticises the BBC!

[@roberthutchins4297]

@@densmorde4520 Yes, but I wonder what kind of content you like. The kind of quality programmes provided by the BBC are simply not consistently available elsewhere. If you think the BBC expensive at about the European average, just see what the yearly cost of a newspaper is. About double the cost of the BBC. The discussion is all about TV.. Try and find anything remotely comparable to BBC radio programmes elsewhere1 What a joke!! The BBC is the best-known and most prestigious broadcaster in the world. For a reason! You may well prefer the Sun newspaper at double the cost of the BBC. I don´t.

[@KennethLei57]

The world would be a much better place if nightly news was just like this excellent conversation with Stephen Fry.

[@royalblue5367]

God give me one season a year of Stephen Fry discussing modern politics and comparing it to stories from history and myth and I'll die a happy man.

[@nartarlyiatremaynne1239]

I concur with your sentiment. Australia 2.03am

[@declanheath6826]

Stephen Fry just casually talking about the principles of Psychohistory

[@kagetemplar]

I just finished heroes this week. All through out I was thinking "I hope he goes on and covers the Trojan war." Can't wait for this to come out.

[@bilalhindustitki1885]

It's out. I wish I'd have read the previous two before I embarked on Troy.

[@milanjelicic5346]

Fantastic trilogy, an absolute reading pleasure. I don't know why but Agamemnom in Stephen Fry's Troy sounds like Brian Blessed (well at least in my head :) Thank you Mr. Fry!

[@mysticfakir2029]

The single down vote is Steven Fry because he is such a modest gentleman. Now watch someone else downvote just to invalidate this comment.

[@barbaralamson7450]

I hope not, however, I will not read another as yours is spot on.

[@yeh3792]

Thank u Stan I saw this troy version in audio and thinking how many troys can I hear but yeh I have been inspired to listen again ...thanks Mr fry ...huge fan

[@Arron-S]

I am simple man... I see Steven fry .. I click

[@macguru9999]

I felt the Iliad was more about Achilles and his anger with Agamemnon than about telling the whole story of the Trojan war, but it is the human weaknesses and suffering and loss that makes it more than a glorification of war. And I could see why demigods like achilles were so interesting ... because of their human imperfections.

[@BoarhideGaming]

It was also about Achilles and Priam, King Of Troy, for me. Opponents of a fierce war fought in the same place for almost a decade. Achilles breezes through the battles famously untouched, with carefree delight in killing. After Agamemnon insults him by taking his booty (literally lol), he mopes about and refuses to fight out of pride. Then, Patrokoles, his “shield brother” (lover, I think more likely), gets killed, and Achilles kills again, but out of hate and revenge, and murders dozens and defiles Hectors body in a shameful way. When Priam approaches Achilles, surrendering his life to the enemy to retrieve his son’s body, and appeals to Achilles’ humanity, that’s when the young warrior cracks. His life and war were dictated by fun, riches, pride, hate and revenge. Now the king of Troy is kissing his hands and crying over his son. Achilles is reminded of love, and hurt, and even respect among men. Of course, he never gets to preach that realisation, as he is shot soon after, but I still think that’s the core point of the Iliad: a celebration of heroes and yet a stark warning of the horrors of war and what it turns good men into.

[@melissamarsh2219]

For me it’s about the death of heroes such as Hector

[@brianreardon956]

Just love the opening line. ‘Just go for............’ and it only got better.

[@leeknights5540]

Currently listening to Stephen reading his audio book Troy. Totally compelling, evocative, engaging, horrific, full of deep illumination. My favourite of Fry's delights so far . ... Until Oddyssey?

[@alexsmith2526]

good interview

[@Jack_1878]

This should be essential viewing for all. What a beautiful mind.

[@87654321j]

Sir Steven has this great talent to be able to talk about anything and it's fascinating and interesting same with James May he's got that same talent both men are national treasures 😊

[@bandhanasharma993]

I saw him in "The Man Who Knew Infinity" movie the first time , however the role was small there it really was very touching and interesting though ....☺️

[@carlosalbertoteixeira375]

Excellent interview. Thanks a lot, and greetings from Rio de Janeiro! ❤️👍🏻🖖🏻

[@kathrynabbott5032]

I have bought all of his books for my niece who is studying classical civilisation at Uni.

[@janebrown1706]

I'm halfway thru Troy. Its delightful! All I could ever want. I'd like to know how Stephen kept track of ppl AND relationships. I envisage a whole wall of posits! Logistics!!!

[@sarbajitghosh5244]

Very nice of you Stephen Fry

[@lazystalker1]

Listening to Stephen Fry is like ... Angels fornicating in your brain. :D

[@WhiteCamry]

Christmas Card angels or Biblical angels?

[@mistershopen6563]

Stephen Fry is like a real life Mr. Pickwick.

[@MrHoneHeke]

He's a good interviewer.

[@chowchichang2922]

Stephen Fry …. A Beautiful Mind ! ❤️ How nice if he was the leader of the Free World !

[@davidbrewer9030]

Eris, the goddess of discord, was not invited to the party, so in revenge she sent the apple to the party.

[@emg9823]

It all started and ended with a gift.

[@niclasjohansson5992]

@@emg9823 that's a nice point. I think that's how the greek preferred a resolution to a story should go. There is always a honey pot which damns a faction in the end

[@lynnebarnes3840]

Stephen is so intelligent and interesting, in a survey he was the top pick when the question was asked, "Who would you most like as a sperm donor?" Is there a greater compliment?

[@kaliyuga1476]

Grat

[@fromjarrod]

Yep passionately Fryed 🫖

[@NigelBanks]

I don't get it : how can the Likes be anything less than 100%?

[@MrHoneHeke]

He's gay so there will always be some haters.

[@Bradford.C.Wallsbury]

Because 2/3rds of the interview is nothing to do with the book

[@macguru9999]

Also , I read that the Odyssey is the story of a man who lies to his wife about why he is so late to come home :)

[@davidwilkie9551]

Good Observation, nearest the truth, "there are more vents" to spread opinions, and the noise is louder. "The more things change the more they stay the same", but closer and further away from immediate attention, and/or understanding.., so Sciencing is more practiced than experienced in proportioning.

[@animalfarm7467]

Will the ABC report on the general strike in India by 250,000,000 workers? - I don't think so!

[@defenderoftheadverb]

Why not?

[@animalfarm7467]

@@defenderoftheadverb : I believe I know why, but that's only my opinion. But the strike in India is just one of thousands of stories the ABC has failed to comprehensively cover: • The current unrest in France due to the French government making it illegal to photograph French police. • Former special rapporteur Alfred de Zayas, who finished his term at the UN in March, has criticized the US for engaging in “economic warfare” against Venezuela which he said is hurting the economy and killing Venezuelans. • John Bolton threatening the director of the OPCW saying, “I know where your children live”. • John Bolton sanctioning the International Criminal Court to stop them investigating war crimes on US territory. • Madeline Albright being responsible for the deaths of half a million Iraqi children under 5 years old. The list is almost endless.

[@beachcomber2008]

Phew! Lucky Australia. . .

[@dorisjohnson2933]

Not everyone is a thinker Steve other words thick

[@scholz9876]

"If you are fortunate enough to have a confidence in your own doubt then you own human make up is armor enough against anything. You don’t need to put on the armor of an identity. The armor of ‘this kind of feminist’, this kind of ‘angry white man’. That’s their armor. It protects the real self underneath which is a mixture of all kinds of things. It’s actually a bit sympathetic towards this, understanding of that, maybe going too far, wonders if this is truly the answer. All these weak, bleating, liberal things that seem to be a weakness are strength of free mind."

[@HavokTheorem]

The one thing that annoyed me is when Stephen at around 6:45 said 'it wasn't about the strategy'. I know it was just an accidental conflation of two words often used interchangably by the public who don't know the distinction, but what Stephen was describing was military tactics. Tactics being the on-the-ground management of the units of battle, such as offensive and defensive manoeuvres, the decisions about which units to deploy and so on. Strategy can be considered planning - the decisions about when and where to engage, managing the logistical needs of the army, the intended goals and priorities of the operation. This encompasses tactics; for instance, the Mongols could be said to rely on a strategy of superior mobility, and with the grand strategic goal of economic subjugation of client states to supply the army. Their primary tactic was strafing enemy formations with highly mobile cavalry archers, which is part and parcel of their strategy but not equivalent to it. PS if you are an actual military expert and what I've just said is BS, please let me know. I'm a layperson with a passion for historical warfare.

[@janebrown1706]

** Post-its! I hate predictor.

[@emmet_harris]

Stivinismywashpot

[@happytrader7210]

It is not true that there was a lot of homosexuality in ancient Greece. That is a modern misinterpretation of the texts.

[@crippledbeast_U-toob]

What is your source?

[@jandrews6254]

Whatevs

[@lazystalker1]

Probably just the same as today, about 10% of males ... or, 12% when there's been a whole lot of drinking. :P

[@happytrader7210]

@@crippledbeast_U-toob The claim is that Achilles and Patroclus were in a homosexual relationship because the translated text says they love each over. But it says no where in the text they were having sex with each other.

[@kaloarepo288]

@@happytrader7210 Even the Bible narrates a "love affair" between two young men in the story of David's love for Jonathon -if this is not a description of a love affair then is a damn good near perfect imitation of one.A Jewish lady wrote a book about king David about 20 years ago and she came to the conclusion that it was just that -a love affair!Stop being in denial.