There is a long tradition of writers comparing Christopher Columbus to mythical figures. 16th century historian Peter Martyr believed Columbus was like a later-day Aeneas, the Trojan hero who travelled west to found a society in Italy that would one day become Rome. Over the centuries many Americans  gravitated to the idea of Columbus as Aeneas— a man who brought civilization west and gave it a new headquarters in America. However, more recently one historian has argued that Columbus is more like the tragic Greek hero Oedipus. In his estimation Columbus, like Oedipus, was a hero who brought about a tragedy unwittingly. Is this a fair analogy? While acting as the Viceroy of Indies and the Governor of Hispaniola, Columbus would personally oversee the enslavement of thousands of people, and the institution of a tribute system so exploitative that it led to one of history’s more shocking humanitarian disasters. How “unwitting” can all of this really be said to be? Tune-in and find out how pear shaped globes, Columbus’ chains, and America’s worst statues all play a role in the story. 

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