Ep 1433 | The Robertson Family Grows Again With a Very Special New Arrival
October 2, 2026
AI Summary
5 min readThe Cyclops, the Cave, and the Moral Law Written on the Heart
The Robertson family opens this episode with a new arrival—Bella had a baby, and Phil's brother also had one two days earlier, making Zach a double uncle. But the main event is their ongoing study of Homer's Odyssey through Hillsdale College's free course, and they're deep into Lectures 5 and 6, covering the Cyclops and Circe. What emerges is a sustained argument that Homer's ancient epic, written roughly 3,000 years ago and likely embellished by Odysseus himself, contains moral and theological truths that align remarkably well with the Bible—not because Homer borrowed from Scripture, but because the moral law is written on every human heart.
The Nobody Trick and the Problem of Pride
The Cyclops episode is famous for its violence and cleverness, but the Robertsons focus on what it reveals about identity and pride. Odysseus and his men are trapped in the cave of Polyphemus, a one-eyed giant who eats his guests. They cannot simply kill him because only he can move the massive stone blocking the entrance. So Odysseus gets the Cyclops drunk, tells him his name is "Nobody," and then blinds him. When the other Cyclopes hear Polyphemus screaming and ask who attacked him, he shouts "Nobody attacked me!" and they leave, assuming he has offended the gods.
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What you'll learn
- 1 Ep 1433: The Robertson Family Grows Again With a Very Special New Arrival
- 2 (00:01) **Opening & Hillsdale College Course Setup** - The Robertsons introduce the Cyclops lecture from their free Hillsdale College course and begin discussing Homer's Odyssey
- 3 (00:38) **The "Nobody" Identity Trick** - Jase explains Odysseus's clever deception when trapped in the Cyclops's cave
- 4 (01:32) **Is Odysseus Making This Up?** - Zach proposes that Homer may be signaling Odysseus is fabricating the magical elements of his story
- 5 (02:52) **Biblical Truths Hidden in Homer** - The Robertsons identify how the Odyssey consistently reveals pride and arrogance as core human struggles
- 6 (04:28) **The Moral Law Written on the Heart** - Jase connects Paul's teaching in Romans to what Homer instinctively gets right
- 7 (05:42) **The Power of Story: Big Fish Connection** - Phil reflects on how stories like the Odyssey and the movie Big Fish impact us through their deeper truths
+ Full timestamped outline available in the app
Guests on this episode
Show Notes
The Robertson family welcomes another new baby as John Luke and Christian celebrate becoming uncles again, and the guys remark on the growing number of grandkids filling up the family compound. From there, Al, Zach, Christian, and John Luke turn to Homer’s “The Odyssey” and the surprisingly modern warnings buried inside its stories of pride, pleasure, distrust, and temptation. They connect Odysseus’ downfall to today’s struggles with pornography, drug addiction, doomscrolling, and the constant pull of quick dopamine. The guys also look at how Scripture gives a fuller answer to the moral truths Homer recognized, and why faith, community, and Christ matter when it comes to breaking those cycles.
In this episode: Romans 1; Romans 2:14-16; Genesis 6; Genesis 11; Ephesians 4:17-32; Titus 1:10-13; Genesis 1:28; Genesis 9
Today’s conversation is about Lesson 5 & 6 of The Odyssey taught by Hillsdale Professor Dr. Benedict Whalen. Take the course with us at no cost to you!
More about 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.
Join Dr. Benedict Whalen as he explores themes of love, marriage, kingship, duty, and piety. Encounter Homer's epic, which displays the full human experience. In a world of uncertainty, Odysseus charts a path towards peace through perseverance, prudence, and justice.
Join Odysseus on his fantastic journey home from Troy in Homer’s unrivaled story.
Sign up at http://unashamedforhillsdale.com/
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https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/at-home-with-phil-robertson/id1835224621
Chapters
00:00 The Odyssey’s Cyclops
05:04 Homer’s Ancient World Still Looks Familiar
09:28 A New Robertson Baby
13:18 Why Odysseus Called Himself “Nobody”
18:02 Did Elephant Skulls, Nephilim & Giants
23:11 One Mistake Changes the Entire Journey
27:42 Jealousy & Distrust Create a Cycle of Destruction
32:21 Being Made in God’s Image Changes Us
39:08 The Modern Traps of Ple
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