Product Description
Thirteen essays engage with one of the most obsessive aspects of the Baroque aesthetic, a dedicated commitment in distinct artistic contexts to the treatment of mythological material. Within the various 'Baroques' uncovered, there is a single unity of purpose. Meaning is always negotiable, but the process of interpretation is dependent upon intertextual forms of understanding, and presupposes the active participation of the receiver. The volume explores how the paradigmatic mythical symbols of a Renaissance epistemological world view can be considered a barometer of rupture and a gauge of the contradictory impulses of the time. Essays explore the differing functions of mythology in poetry (Quevedo, Espinosa, Góngora), prose (Cervantes), drama (Lope de Vega, Sor Juana, Calderón), art (Velázquez), and music (Latin American opera). Collectively they trace the dialectic of continuity and rupture that underpins the appropriation of classical mythology in the period; demonstrating that the mythological legacy was not as uniform, as allegorically dominated, nor as depleted of potential as we are sometimes led to believe.ISABEL TORRES is Head of Spanish and Portuguese Studies at Queen's University, Belfast. Contributors: JEAN ANDREWS , STEPHEN BOYD, D. W. CRUICKSHANK, TREVOR. J. DADSON, B.W. IFE, ANTHONY LAPPIN, OLIVER NOBLE WOOD, JEREMY ROBBINS, BRUCE SWANSEY, BARRY TAYLOR, ISABEL TORRES, D. GARETH WALTERS ... Read more

Product Description
A new trade paperback edition of Edith Hamilton's world-renowned classic--a book that has enthralled and delighted generations of readers with its timeless tales of gods and heroes. 50 line drawings.Amazon.com Review
Edith Hamilton loved the ancient Western myths with apassion--and this classic compendium is her tribute. "The tales ofGreek mythology do not throw any clear light upon what early mankindwas like," Hamilton explains in her introduction. "They do throw anabundance of light upon what early Greeks were like--a matter, itwould seem, of more importance to us, who are their descendentsintellectually, artistically, and politically. Nothing we learn aboutthem is alien to ourselves." Fans of Greek mythology will find all thegreat stories and characters here--Perseus, Hercules, andOdysseus--each discussed in generous detail by the voice of animpressively knowledgeable and engaging (with occasional lapses)narrator. This is also an excellent primer for middle- and high-schoolstudents who are studying ancient Greek and Roman culture andliterature. --Gail Hudson ... Read more

Customer Reviews (98)

Classic Look
The author takes a nicely readable and informative look at the classical mythology of Ancient Greece.Readers come away with a strong understanding of the subject, everything from Hercules to Ovid, Cupid to the Gods, plus their loves, quarrels, etc.Readers also gain a strong knowledge of the heroic legends and fervent religious beliefs of the world's first semi-democracy (only male citizens voted).My favorite sections included the loves of the Gods, and the writings of Homer, though some say she was a bit brief with the latter.We studied this book as high school freshman, and while not converted into a fan (I prefer Greek philosophers, particularly Socrates), I did come away much better informed.Fervent aficionados of Greek mythology should enjoy this volume as well as books offering deeper analysis; other readers should be satisfied to start and stop here.

Very Pleased
This book arrived in great condition, packaged in a ziplock bag and was very clean.It arrived exactly as I would expect for paying for the expedited delivery.Would use this seller again.

A must read if you enjoy classic tales
This book gives a great overview to all the major stories that are prevalent in Greek and Latin mythology. She does a good job of explaining where she took her source information from and why at the beginning of each chapter, which is good because there are many stories that were told by more than one major Greek poet, and then modified when the Romans took over. Included in the book are descriptions of the major and minor gods and goddesses, and information about them is compiled from the major stories in a condensed format, so that you can get the full picture of how each was depicted in the section. It also describes the great heroes (Perseus, Hercules) and their many adventures, and takes a whole chapter to condense the Iliad in a format that is much easier to read. It does the same for the Odyssey. It then describes the tragedies, most chiefly those of Oedipus, and at the end there is a little section on Norse myths, which have been made popular by Wagner's operas. At the end of the book are family trees, which really help to display how the gods and heroes and major characters are interrelated. All in all a very informative book that is easy to read. Highly recommended for every mythology buff.

Other books to consider:
The Mists of Avalon by Marion Zimmer Bradley, American Indian Myths and Legends by Richard Erdoes, and Chinese Ghost and Love Stories by Pu Singling

Wrong edition was sent
I specifically paid a little more in order to get the version of the book that was a newer cover and larger print.I was sent an old copy of the book that had a completely different cover, and was much smaller print.The seller did not send me the copy I saw in the picture that I ordered.

Great Condition, Fast Shipping!
Book arrived on estimated day and was in excellent condition.
Would buy from this merchant again in a heartbeat. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Ian Myles Slater on: Excellent, But Not to Start With
"Structure and History in Greek Mythology and Ritual" is part of a surprisingly long list of books by Walter Burkert, now Professor Emeritus at the University of Zurich, which have appeared in English translation, beginning with "Lore and Science in Ancient Pythagoreanism" in 1972. This is unusual in an age of supposedly declining interest in Greek and Latin, particularly since his books, while generally packed with information, also address theoretical issues, and are not always easy to understand. A number of them have been controversial, either for his own ideas, or for his challenges to the accepted wisdom. However, they are usually very interesting. The present book, one of his shorter works, is no exception. And it, too, makes demands on the reader.

"Structure and History" forms Volume Forty-seven of the Sather Classical Lectures, an invitational series delivered by Visiting Professors at the University of California at Berkeley since early in the twentieth century, and shows every sign of being aimed at professional scholars. Like many of the other contributions to the lecture series (a surprisingly large number of which have found their way into paperback editions over the years), it keeps the really difficult material tucked away in notes, and the primary argument doesn't need technical knowledge to follow. (Evaluating it is another matter.)

"Structure and History" picks up issues raised in Burkert's earlier, much longer, "Greek Religion" (in Britain, "Greek Religion: Archaic and Classical"), originally published in 1977, and translated in 1985. That is an engaging book which I found quite convincing, at least while reading it, as was the case with his shorter "Ancient Mystery Cults" (1987, originally the Carl Newell Jackson Lectures for 1982), with which it also has some overlaps.

My reaction to Burkert's book on killing as a ritual act, "Homo Necans: The Anthropology of Ancient Greek Sacrificial Ritual and Myth" (1972, translated 1983), was that Burkert got off on the wrong track on several matters. As Ian Morris put it about one of them in "Death-Ritual and Social Structure in Classical Antiquity" (1992), "Burkert's derivation of funerary rituals from hunting and sacrifice ... is ... unnecessarily limiting." But some of the ideas in "Homo Necans" appear in "Structure and History," in what I found a more modest and acceptable form.

In fact, except for "Lore and Science," most of his books can be read as parts of a single investigation of ancient Greek religion in its various manifestations. And even "Lore and Science" deals with the Pythagoreans as a religious movement.

"Structure and History in Greek Mythology and Ritual" appears to be a short survey, but it is NOT for beginners. If you aren't familiar with at least a couple of roughly college-level surveys, you may find yourself lost. I've been reading the sources (Greek, Latin, and others) in translation) as well as studies, for several decades, and from time to time I found myself reaching for Tripp's "Handbook of Classical Mythology" or Feder's "Handbook of Classical Literature," just to be sure I was following the argument correctly. Usually I was. Burkert isn't all *that* desperately obscure (at least not in the old, oracular, German manner), but sometimes I needed to have some lesser-known variants or obscure sources identified. Those even more amateur than myself will do well to bear this in mind before trying the book. And it is worth trying.

It could be used, I would think, as a mythological companion to Burkert's "Greek Religion," which deals mainly with sacred places, rituals, and other material and literary evidence, but only incidentally with mythological narratives. But it is rather heavily committed to basic issues of interpretive method, and is not aimed at fulfilling that function.

The title hearkens back to watchwords of the previous hundred years, including the old Myth-and-Ritual School, following Frazer, and the Structuralists of the middle and late twentieth century, but Burkert has new information -- mostly concrete data from the Ancient Near East -- with which to address the same problems. In place of speculation and anthropology, he has datable texts, presenting myths, and describing or prescribing rituals. He assumes that the reader is already quite familiar with the Greek material, and goes directly to important themes, and the methodological issues they present.

Burkert has covered some of the same material, with much else, in several different contexts: "The Orientalizing Revolution: Near Eastern Influence on Greek Culture in the Early Archaic Age" (1992) and, most recently, in "Babylon, Memphis, Persepolis: Eastern Contexts of Greek Culture" (2004). These return to the problems posed by evidence of older and contemporary civilizations, and their relationship to developments in Greece.

The adventurous may also wish to try Burkert's "Creation of the Sacred: Tracks of Biology in Early Religions" (1996), where again I find his work seeming to become too speculative. But it is interesting, quite enough to be worth the effort; and he may be right. He has treated some of the same problems in "Savage Energies: Lessons of Myth and Ritual in Ancient Greece" (1990, translated 2001). ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Most enjoyable reading
I found Roman Mythology entertaining and both clear and easy to understand.

This book not only covers much of Roman Mythology - it excellently shows how Roman history, culture and Greek Mythology contributed to the development of the mythology.

The additional expert comments at the end of each chapter add depth and insight into the subject of the chapter.

Highly recommended.



... Read more

Product Description
Here is a new Loeb Classical Library edition of Homer's stirring heroic account of the Trojan war and its passions. The eloquent and dramatic epic poem captures the terrible anger of Achilles, "the best of the Achaeans," over a grave insult to his personal honor and relates its tragic result-a chain of consequences that proves devastating for the Greek forces besieging Troy, for noble Trojans, and for Achilles himself. The poet gives us compelling characterizations of his protagonists as well as a remarkable study of the heroic code in antiquity. The works attributed to Homer include the two oldest and greatest European epic poems, the Odyssey and the Iliad. These have been published in the Loeb Classical Library for three-quarters of a century, the Greek text facing a faithful and literate prose translation by A. T. Murray. William F. Wyatt now brings the Loeb's Iliad up to date, with a rendering that retains Murray's admirable style but is written for today's readers. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (9)

the first Western book ever written is probably still the best
What are we reviewing here?Homer's work?The translation?The Greek text?The format of Loeb?I'll try to hit them all.
Homer's Iliad is as good as anything ever written in any language.Like just a few other authors--Shakespeare, Goethe, maybe Dante, Homer is a genius on the level of poetry, drama, and ideas.Enough said.
The difference between reading Homer in Greek and reading him in English is the difference between chicken salad and chicken s--t.ALL translations betray Homer terribly and of course this is not one of the best.But I assume most people who buy this book buy if for the Greek, but also want a diglot.I am aware of no other diglot available for the entire Iliad, and probably you could not much improve on this except to make the font bigger.Loeb should make their texts larger, not thicker but larger, so the font would be easier to read. The font of this revison is in fact even smaller than the earlier editions.But of course the texts are portable and affordable, so you can't have everything.In a diglot the translation has value only as a crib, and Murray's is great because it is very literal.What I like most about it (again, as a crib to aid the Greek, NOT as good literature, which it is not) is that Murray follows the Greek word order whenever possible.And yet it is very important to get this revision by Wyatt, because he for the most eliminates Murray's arcane language.
The other thingI like about the Loebs is that there is space around the text to annotate it by jotting down the vocab words you look up.
One final note.All my reviews are written from the perspective of New Testament Greek.The vocabulary of Homer is maddeningly extensive and does not overlap with the NT all that well.The forms are very different.The syntax is easy but for that reason will not help you with your NT syntax as much as other Greek texts.Value for NT Greek is NOT a good reason to read Homer in Greek.The only good reason to read Homer in Greek is that his Greek is wonderful in its own right, better than anything you will find anywhere.The first is still the best.

superb dust collector!
I got this to help with my intermediate Greek course; we're reading the first book of the Iliad and other selections.I found that it simply collects dust on my shelf next to all my other Loebs (which I have used much more).If you want something to help you study, I recommend the Lattimore translation of the Iliad.It's line-for-line and nearly completely accurate.The antiquated language of the Loeb and its approximate translation make Homer confusing and inaccessible.However, it is useful because if I read a passage from the Loeb, it forces me to realize what is wrong with it, so in a backwards way I have a better understanding of Homer because I know what is wrong with the Loeb and why the Lattimore is closer to accuracy.

Great edition of a great book
Homer, The Iliad, Loeb Classical Library Nos. 170 & 171, translated by A.T. Murray (1924), revised by William F. Wyatt (1999).ISBNs 0674995791 and 0674995805.

The Loeb books are small, as the dimensions on the Amazon product page will show you, and they're all hardcover.All volumes have the original Latin or Greek text on the left and an English translation on the right.Greek Loebs are bound in green and Latin volumes in red.Many Loeb volumes were originally issued in the early part of the twentieth century (the series was started in 1911) and so those which have not been updated can sound stilted to modern ears.A.T. Murray's Loeb translation of the Iliad was published in 1924.The professor of classics at Brown University, William F. Wyatt, has updated Murray's rendering, taking out the thees and thous and adding a few notes to Murray's already very helpful annotations.

I first read the Iliad in Butler's translation.I decided to read it again, and chose the Loeb version for the series' translations, which as mentioned above, tend toward the literal side of things to help students who are reading the Greek text and using the translation as a "crib."Of course, the Iliad really is "Greek" to me, and so the translation is the only useful thing to me in the Loeb edition.But the translation is well worth the forty bucks or so it costs for both volumes.The sentences can get a bit long and involved, but nothing worse than you'll find in older English literature, and I know enough about Greek to know it has long sentences.So from someone who knows no Greek, take it for what it's worth.

As for the Iliad itself: it might take a bit of getting used to for the modern reader, should he be unused to anything outside of his own century.Every time a warrior dies, it's "and over him his armor clanged," or "and his knees were loosed," or another formula phrase.Characters most likely have a descriptive handle: "Odysseus of many wiles," "ox-eyed queenly Hera," "swift-footed Achilles."But I quickly got the point where I was enjoying the formulas and not resenting them.Battle scenes are rather graphic: we're told exactly where the spearpointed entered and where it came out, and exactly which body parts fell out in the process; although a lot of us moderns brought up on Hollywood gore won't mind that.

So should you read the Iliad?If you do, you put yourself in company with Aeschylus, Plato, Aristotle, Virgil, Dante, Shakespeare, Cervantes, Milton, Johnson, our Founding Fathers, Tolstoy, and J.R.R. Tolkien, just to name a few.So do yourself a favor and give it a try.

Loeb still a classic
Wyatt's revision of Murray's classic translation updates the English text.The accuracy of the translation of the Greek in the line by line fashion characteristic of the Loeb classics is invaluable to those interested in reading at least parts of Homer in classical Greek.

Very enjoyable translation
I suppose whether you will like this version of the Iliad comes down to if you prefer a poetic or prose version. If you prefer the poetic translations, this book is not for you.On the other hand, I have found this to be my favorite to read (Butler's is good if you can find one with Greek god names as opposed to Roman), and it is a prose version.I have 7 or 8 of the various translations, and this is the one I come back to just to read for pleasure.And, it being a Loeb, it has the Greek on the left, so if you are feeling adventurous you can work on your language skills.

All-in-all a fine version of the Iliad.
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Product Description
Make no myth-take—this book is indispensable.

The Complete Idiot’s Guideto World Mythology explores the gods and goddesses, heroes and heroines, monsters and angels of the myths from every corner of the globe. Additionally, it explores the parallels between every culture and the striking similarities in mythic figures and the structure, action, wording, and result of the stories themselves.

• Covers Egyptian, Celtic, Teutonic, Norse, Japanese, Mexican, Native American, and other myths
• Features information on The Hero’s Journey—the cycle of myth according to Jung, Campbell, and others
• Appendixes include a glossary of terms and both a general and a subject Index
... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Fun and Interesting
Bought this as a present to a friend.She loved it!!!We read quite a few stories and found it both fun & interesting!!!

A Readable, Comprehensive Presentation
Brown and Lansing have attempted the impossible, and almost managed it.Their work is concise, interesting, and always leads the curious reader to further inquiries should he wish to do so.While not comprehensive, it is an excellent foundational text for anyone beginning a study into mythology.

Good introduction to World Mythology
I was looking for a book to use as an introduction to World Mythology.A book loaded with summaries of myths, and brief descriptions of gods, creatures and places.A book that is easy to read, that somehow organizes the information in a way that I could easily browse.This book is all that and a little bit more.

I used this book as a trampoline to the actual myths.It gave me a concise summary of the myths, which I use to decide whether I wanted to explore them in another source like in Great Myths of the Worldor Parallel Myths.It exposed me to some myths I wanted to study: Nordic, Celtic, Babylon, Japanese, ...With this book, I learned a bit about creatures such as Werewolves, Vampires, Zombies, and yes, The Chupacabra.It even had a section about comparative mythology in pop culture where Star Wars and The Matrix had a cameo.

I had bought other Complete Idiot's books as an introduction to a theme.As an introduction to World Mythology, this book deserves 5 stars.Not every book in the Complete Idiot's Series is a gem, but this one certainly is for me. ... Read more

Product Description
Greek gods and heroes come alive in this ingenious interactive kit--a masterpiece of paper engineering that provides a sophisticated yet wonderfully accessible introduction to ancient mythology. Contents of the box include a 64-page book, die-cut masks of Zeus and Aphrodite, the "Twelve Labors of Hercules" board game, a pop-up Trojan horse, a 3-D gatefold labyrinth, and more. Full color throughout. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

BEST INTERACTIVE BOOK I HAVE READ IN A LONG TIME
Pandoras box is great for adults and kids.It is full of big color pictures and easy to read stories about ancient greek mythology.It has a board game, pull out books, masks, pop up pictures and much, much more.Itdescribes the gods and goddesses of ancient greece.It is informative butnot boring.I found it fun and educational.The two don't usually mix butin this book they blend very well.I would recomend it to anyone who canread no matter what age they are. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Gods and Godesses In Greek Mythology
I really liked this book, it was easy and entertaining to read. It was fairly easy to understand, and the pictures helped to aid in understanding the whole consept. I suggest anyone that would like to broden thier horizon on greek mythology or are just looking for something different to read to give this book a go. I really , really, liked it!!!! ... Read more

Product Description
MONSTERS, MORTALS, GODS, AND WARRIORS

For over fifty years readers have chosen this book above all others to discover the thrilling, enchanting, and fascinating world of Western mythology. From Odysseus's adventure-filled journey to the Norse god Odin's effort to postpone the final day of doom, Edith Hamilton's classic collection not only retells these stories with brilliant clarity but shows us how the ancients saw their own place in the world and how their themes echo in our consciousness today. An essential part of every home library, MYTHOLOGY is the definitive volume for anyone who wants to know the key dramas, the primary characters, the triumphs, failures, fears, and hopes first narrated thousands of years ago -- and still spellbinding to this day. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (61)

Edith Hamilton's Mythlogoy
Very Poor, It only tells very short excerpts of the stories as told by other authors. Was not worth reading.

Horrible Experience
I ordered from the seller belltowerbooks, and I had a horrible experience. I ordered this book the end of July, and was suppose to receive it by August 12th, but I never did. I contacted the seller and they refused to refund me. I've read the book before, so I would recommend the book but not the seller.

Incredible
Informative, creative, exciting all of which are words I would use to describe this book.Mythology is one of my very favorite subjects and being a mythology lover I'm always on the lookout for good mythology books.This is my very favorite source.It includes the most myths I have ever come across in a book.Although on a few myths the author is very brief, I still thoroughly enjoyed them.It is very nice to have an index.This is a good one all you myth lovers!

Good
I was buying this book for my 10 year old son who is fascinated with mythology.This is a thick paper back book with no pictures and small print. Fortunately,he likes the book as the author includes interesting details and uses clear, practical language to describe all the different scenarios of mythology.

Can be boring at first
The first couple chapters are boring, do not hold much attention. One must focus in order not to fall asleep. Once past those chapters things get interesting. You might have an issue putting it down. ... Read more

Product Description
The most complete collection of Greek and Roman myths specially arranged to be read aloud to children aged five to twelve. "Every child deserves this book. Those who do the reading aloud will be enlightened and rewarded, too."--Edwin Newman Line drawings.


From the Trade Paperback edition. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (21)

Excellent read!
Our 8 year old daughter delights in these read aloud tales and I love how each story is structured. Each myth has three parts; 1. "About the story" which gives you a brief summary and then a list of the characters and help for pronouncing names. This part also lets you know how long the story will take to read aloud which is quite helpful when "Oh pleeeese, just one more!" arrives. 2. "The Myth" - these just roll off the tongue and are so enjoyable and easy to read. Having just read Tom Sawyer aloud, this was just a pleasure. 3. "A few more words" At the end of each myth there's a brief section which talks about the history of certain words used in the story and how they have evolved to current usage. We always read this section and either have an "Aha!" moment or marvel at how interesting it is. We are about half way through and are LOVING this book. It's like a warm glass of milk before bed...

Great Gift
I gave this book as a gift to a family that reads books aloud every night. The children are ages 8 and 10. The parents are educators. The family went through the book in 2 weeks and the parents have reported the book is "fantastic" The 8 year old has been retelling the myths to me daily!I highly recommend this book.

A book for grandparents and grandchildren
This is a marvelous book! I wanted my granddaughters to learn Greek and Roman myths since there are so many references to the stories and the characters in day-to-day media. If they knew more about the tales, I thought they could appreciate the references to them.

I first looked at the book to find out if the girls would like it and get anything out of it. As it turned out, I read it from cover to cover, and couldn't put it down. I had never had school or college classes in these subjects and I was mesmerized.

The plots are summarized at the beginning, which makes the stories easier to understand for people who have no knowledge at all of them. Also at the beginning of each myth is the amount of time it will take to read it -- making bedtime story reading more predictable. And, there is also a pronunciation guide for the names and some of the words, with brief explanations or definitions.

The stories themselves are fascinating, easy to read aloud, print on the pages is clear and not too small, and chapters are of reasonable length to tell a tale and maintain interest. After the end of each, there are short descriptions of words we use in modern times which originated from these myths and the language and culture of ancient times. These can be eye-openers, and have given my granddaughters and I opportunities for many discussions!

This was planned as a learning book. And, it's been a great teacher -- for the reader as well as the listeners!

Classics for kids and parents alike
I have a 4 and 7 yr. old.The stories are above the 4 yr. old's head (though he does play mostly quietly and seem to somewhat listen, which can't be bad...I'd probably be surprised at how much he is learning from his seeming inattentiveness), but have been WONDERFUL for reading to my 7 yr. old.We started out with some other Mythology books from the library (including The McElderry Book of Greek Myths, which I highly reccomend for the illustrations), and we had also just been listening on a car trip to "The Story of the World: History For the Classical Child Volume 1" on CD (also highly reccomend...not as boring as it may sound) which on discs 3 & 4 recounted some Greek history and stories, at an age appropriate level.This was a wonderful precurser to our nightly readings from this book.That said, I am homeschooling my son, and all that is not necessary to enjoy this book on its own as simply some great stories to read.The stories are easier to get through than even some illustrated versions, as they are well written and broken into managably short chunks. My son looks forward to the stories, and is always begging me to read one more.At the beginning of each story, context is given, approximate reading times (most about 10 minutes), helpful pronunciation guides (that also remind you who the primary characters in the story are), and then at the end of each story "A few words more" that tells about words and idioms in our language that came from something related to the story (my son loves the connections he discovers...a great way to begin an awareness of roots of words.) Children can understand and relate to the emotion that is portrayed in the stories, while picking up new vocabulary and elegant speech painlessly from the context.This book does an excellent job of presenting the stories in a compelling, easy to understand, but not dumbed-down manner, that maintains the richness of the stories and enhances them with added context.I found the author's ability to illuminate the human emotion in the stories, highlighted when I read his version of Pygmalion and Galatea, which we had read other versions of.In other versions, Pygmalion came across far-fetched in his love for his statue creation, a seemingly silly fable, but in this version you feel the depths of Pygmalion's emotions, and come away feeling that there is much in the common human condition expressed in this story... the themes are brought out and the story becomes more meaningful.
This is a book I plan to purchase, as it is not one we will outgrow and likely return to and enjoy often.We are on our third time checking it out from the library...and I really don't want to give it back.There are many books I love, that I am just fine borrowing from the library, but this one I really feel is worth the investment to have around as a staple in our home.

Wonderful family reading
I purchased this book for our family to read together.The stories are interesting and not too time consuming.The commentary at the end of the stories are informative, along with the definitions in the beginning of the story.I can't say enough positive things about how this book is organized and written.It has gotten by 7 and 9 year old daughters VERY interested in mythology.I also learn something from every story! ... Read more

Product Description

Valerius Flaccus, Gaius, Latin poet who flourished in the period ca. 70–90 CE, composed in smooth and sometimes obscure style an incomplete epic Argonautica in eight books, on the Quest for the Golden Fleece. The poem is typical of his age, being a free re-handling of the story already told by Apollonius Rhodius, to whom he is superior in arrangement, vividness, and description of character. Valerius's poem shows much imitation of the language and thought of Virgil, and much learning. The chief interest of the epic lies in the relationship between Medea and Jason, especially the growth of Medea's love, where Valerius is at his best. The long series of adventures and various Roman allusions suggest that the poet meant to do honour to Vespasian (to whom the epic is dedicated) with special reference to that emperor's ships in waters around Britain.

Customer Reviews (1)

Encylcopedia....I don't think so
I've always had an interest in Greek and Roman mythology.So when I saw this on Amazon, I had to get it.

Maybe I just didn't read all the fine print.And since no one had reviewed it...it was a gamble for me.

So I thought I'd help out those who had my same idea.

When they say encyclopedia, I think of Britannica, with all the pictures and information behind each article, being the visual person I am.But this "encyclopedia" is nonsense.It looks like just a bunch of newspaper articles.A very BORING "encyclopedia."I returned it right away.

I do realize that the subject of mythology is huge.The book is not even 2 inches thick, and about the size of an 8x10 photo.How can they put all that information on this little book?I know...take out all the visual information, and you've got it... ... Read more

Product Description

Myths have much to teach us about ourselves, and this comprehensive presentation of Greek mythological tales reaches across the ages to engage your students. From Apollo to Zeus - including such well-known mythological figures as Pandora, Midas, Pygmalion, Daedalus and Icarus, and many more - these majestic and mysterious stories provide insight not only into the lives of those who told them, but also into the modern character. These myths offer your students a unique context in which to examine their own emotions, strengths, and weaknesses as they learn about the ancient culture from which the stories arose.

Customer Reviews (4)

Mythology and Yoy
We received the book in better than expected condition and even though we were a little late in ordering, it still came in time for school..

Great for Learing the Stories!
I aboslutly loved this book!!! I took the Mythology course last year (junior year) in high school and this was our "textbook" for the class. It told the myths wonderfully and it have ones you know and ones you don't. Also it give you background information on the ancient Greeks and it helps you understand their culture more and how they lived.

I highly recommend it!

great for school!
I am currently reading this book in my Freshman English class, and I have to say that it is very good.It is considered a college text but the vocabulary is simple enough that 9th graders can read it without much difficulty.The book contains myths from just about every culture and concentrates on the change from a matriarchal society to that of a patriarchal society.Each myth starts with an introduction to the story, giving the reader background information about the characters in the myth, then it goes on to the story.The writing clear, precise and not as dry as most books of the type.The book also follows up some of the myths with reflection questions and also a paragraph or two on how the myth relates to our society today.

This book provides real-life connections to mythology.
As a pre-service teacher, I am always looking for good ideas for lesson plans.This book is wonderful.It provides the historical context of the myth, presents pre- and post-reading questions, and offers links to today'sworld.The myths are brilliantly retold in modern language that is easy tounderstand.The book is thought-provoking, and it challenges the idea thatmythology is a thing of the past.Mythology and You is very well composed,and offers a unique perspective on an old tradition. ... Read more

Product Description
Young readers will relish the adventure and magic that fill these legendary tales, retold for readers aged 4 through 8. This exquisite edition contains ten of the most beloved Greek and Roman myths, including The Trojan War; Ulysses; King Midas; Orpheus and Euridice; Medusa, Pegasus, and the Chimera; Hercules, Daedalus, and Icarus; Cupid and Psyche, Baucis and Philemon, and Atalanta. Each story is illustrated with an evocative full-color plate and additional spot art. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Uses ROMAN names
This book is a starter book on GREEK mythology - yet is uses the Roman names for the gods.I think a starter book should have the Greek names.

Good Purchase
I purchased this book for my 10 year old son last Christmas.He loved it and has asked for more.This is a good starter book for kids who are not familiar with Greek mythology. The stories are short and concise but not so greatly edited that kids won't understand the story.A few pictures help spark the imagination and guide the reader. All in all, a good purchase for the cost.

4 of the same
Please know, you will receive 4 of the same book, not 4 different books. I have grandchildren, so this works for me, but unless you have 4 children in your life, this will not be such a great choice. ... Read more

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Odysseus, the most heroic of the ancient Greek warriors, journeys home to Ithaca after the Trojan War. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

"This is the story of a man who was never at a loss."
"The Odyssey", as with other Greek poetry, was poetry intended to be recited orally as opposed to being read. Fitzgerald's backgroung in poetry brings out the lyrical passion of the Odyssey so prized by the Greeks as no other translation has done.

The sequel to "The Iliad", it represents the last phase of what is known as Greece's Heroic Age in which human events are governed by gods, demi-gods, and heroes.The mortal heroes are endowed with godlike gifts and are mostly tragic. They interact with emissaries from the gods who aid them to their destinies and forewarn them of the fates. Tales such as Jason and the Argonauts, the labors of Hercules, Perseus, Thesseus, etc., are also of that period. The uncertainties in Fate, glory, and mortality are always the dominant themes in these tales. The setting of "The Odyssey" is c. 1200 B.C. at the close of the Bronze Age. The Greeks are actually Myceneans, a Greek-speaking group that dominated Greece prior to the Doric invasions several centuries later. The story poetically recites a time of Myceanean geopolitical expansion across the Mediterranean and its coasts and encounters with hitherto unknown civilizations after the fall of legendary Troy.

"The Odyssey" starts many years after the Trojan war where, after many ordeals, Odysseus is reciting his travels to Princess Nausica: the young heiress of a kingdom upon which Odysseus washed ashore after being shipwrecked. He recites his departure from Troy after its sacking and how, having angered Poseidon, the god of the sea, he has been condemned to wander across the Mediterranean away from his wife and son, Penelope and Telemachus.Odysseus goes on to recite his encounters with various peoples and mythical beasts during his travels such as the lotus eaters, the sirens, the cyclopse, Scylla and Charibdis, etc.Odysseus is also held captive by powerful demi-godesses and witches such as Calypso and Circe. In Odysseus' absence, Penelope is constantly courted by unwelcome suitors who are wasting her estate. Now a young man and fed up with the suitors, Telemachus travels to mainland Greece to inquire about his father. Odysseus eventually returns to his home of Ithaca to reunite with his family and to dispose of the suitors.

There have been many disputes as to whether "The Odyssey" was really written by Homer and there's substantial evidence that it was not. Many scholars believe that a good portion of the Odyssey was written by a woman: probably a princess named Nausica whose court was in the Greek colony of Syracuse in Sicily and who cleverly inserted herself into the story. There's probably truth to that conclusion as the book is, first of all, a novel as opposed to a epic poetic recital such as "The Iliad" in which there is really no 1st person narrative.The main characters are also primarily women.The narrative seems to have a keen understanding of the female gender in terms of expectations, emotions, and behavior whereas the men are mostly faceless caricatures. This is completely inapposite to Homer's "Iliad" where the development of the male characters is rich and complex in contrast to those of women who are stereotypical representations without much depth (e.g. the women weep, moan, and are continuously reminded that their place is either in the bed or at the loom.) If one follows "The Odyssey" carefully, they will notice a distinct change in narrative style every time scenes are illustrated with nature or in various scenes involving the Gods which are very similar to the narrative style of "The Iliad." Another indication that Homer was not the main writer is that, unlike "The Iliad", the writer has no clue as to ships, navigation, or wind patterns.

Regardless of its true authorship, "The Odyssey" has been hailed as a literary jewel for the past 2900 years and there's a reason for it: it's a timeless look into the human condition as recited by a poet of immense talent. Although the characters may have lived over 3000 years ago, the epic drama has much relevance for humanity today. Fitzgerald provides a good translation that isn't weighed down like earlier ones with your "thys", "thees", "shalts", "doths", etc.Although some his word choices can be awkward such as 'wily-nily' and such, his translation is more fluid than those of many other writers and allows the reader to appreciate the meter much more without being weighed down or diluted with either archaic or overly modern English. So enjoy this masterpiece of literature in one of the best translations available to date: your money will be well spent.

Fitzgerald's Odyssey Rocks!
Robert Fitzgerald's poetic vision brings Homer's vibrant Greek verse through into full powered English poetry.I struggled through the original Greek in high school and find other translations wimp out compared to Fitzgerald's accurate, high energy images bringing the reader the vitality of the original.This is the best-ever translation of a timeless classic: one man's longing for home, loneliness and desolation overcome by insight and perseverance. Fantastic ... Read more

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24 lectures, 30 minutes/lecture)Course No. 243Taught by Elizabeth VandiverWhitman CollegePh.D., The University of Texas at Austin From Athena to Zeus, the characters and stories of classical mythology have been both unforgettable and profoundly influential. They have inspired and shaped everything from great art and literature, to our notions of sexuality and gender roles, to the themes of popular films and TV shows.Classical Mythology is an introduction to the primary characters and most important stories of classical Greek and Roman mythology. Among those you will study are the accounts of the creation of the world in Hesiod's Theogony and Ovid's Metamorphoses; the gods Zeus, Apollo, Demeter, Persephone, Hermes, Dionysos, and Aphrodite; the Greek Heroes, Theseus and Heracles (Hercules in the Roman version); and the most famous of all classical myths, the Trojan War.How Should We Study Mythology?Professor Elizabeth Vandiver anchors her presentation in some basics. What is a myth? Which societies use myths? What are some of the problems inherent in studying classical mythology? She also discusses the most influential 19th- and 20th-century thinking about myth's nature and function, including the psychological theories of Freud and Jung and the metaphysical approach of Joseph Campbell.You consider the relationship between mythology and culture. What are the implications of the myth of Demeter, Persephone, and Hadesas recounted in the Homeric Hymn to Demeterfor the Greek view of life and death, marriage and gender roles?What are the origins of classical mythology? Professor Vandiver examines similarities between the Theogony and Mesopotamian creation myths and considers the possible influences that the prehistoric Greek cultures, the Minoans and Mycenaeans, may have had on classical mythology.She also cautions you about the dangers of probing for distant origins. ... Read more

Product Description
Full of intriguing facts anddiverting stories—the idealintroduction to the mythsand tales that lie at theheart of Western culture.Who was Pandora and what was in her famous box? How did Achillesget his Achilles heel? What exactly is a Titan? And why is one computervirus known as a Trojan horse?

The myths of ancient Greece and Rome can seem bewilderinglycomplex, yet they are so much a part of modern life and discoursethat most of us know fragments of them. This comprehensive companiontakes these fragments and weaves them into an accessible andenjoyable narrative, guiding the reader through the basic stories ofclassical myth.

Philip Matyszak explains the sequences of events and introducesthe major plots and characters, from the origins of the world andthe labors of Hercules to the Trojan War and the voyages of Odysseusand Aeneas. He brings to life an exotic cast of heroes and monsters,wronged women and frighteningly arbitrary yet powerful gods. Healso shows how the stories have survived and greatly influenced laterart and culture, from Renaissance painting and sculpture to modernopera, literature, movies, and everyday products. 100 black-and-white illustrations ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

The power of myth
I have done a lot of reviews for Philip "Maty" Matyszak, Cambridge lecturer and fellow UNRV member. I hate to sound like a paid publicist, but the simple truth is I enjoy the many books of his I have read. With Greco-Roman mythology being one of my favorite areas of inquiry, I was intrigued how one of my favorite authors would approach the subject, and I was not disappointed. The Greek and Roman Myths is an enjoyable overview of the subject.

The study of mythology has been approached from a variety of perspectives over the years. In an effort to deconstruct it, modern scholars have seen it as anything from fabrications to cover real political history and class conflict, to projections of group psychology or the collective unconscious. Me? I prefer to tackle mythology on its terms, seeing it as a product of the culture that spawned it - nothing more, and nothing less. And because Greco-Roman culture is to some degree our culture, even if we are two thousand years removed from it, the stories of Olympian gods and ancient heroes are ipso facto our stories.

Given the above, Maty's approach to the book is one I can appreciate. In his introduction he gives three principle reasons for writing his work. One is to provide a "big picture" of the extent mythological corpus. While these stories spanned one thousand years and different ends of the European continent, they nonetheless forge a unified whole: "It is the greatest collaborative tale ever told, and all the more awe-inspiring for being the collective effort of two different cultures." The second is to provide the background context of the myths, and to "get into the heads" of the original audience that appreciated these stories sans modern exegesis. Finally, the author points out the relevance of it all to moderns, whether the myths are conveyed through historic works of art or everyday items of consumer culture.

The first two chapters cover the mythological creation of the cosmos through the various generations of mankind. The next two chapters provide an overview of the Olympian deities, giving their main attributes and more memorable exploits. Chapters five and six look at lesser mythological beings and the heroes of legend. The last three chapters highlight some of the major cycles of Greco-Roman myth, from the labors of Hercules to the Trojan War and its aftermath.

Maty's intelligent but lucid prose should draw in any interested reader. The book is blessed with 95 illustrations for your visual enjoyment, and includes a bibliography for further study and an index. As a rapid overview overview of the subject, designed to showcase the aforementioned "big picture" of Greco-Roman myth, it works well. For those whose secondary school backgrounds neglected the classics (an all too often occurrence, these days), this work would provide an excellent introduction.

But being more of a survey or overview than a definitive study, it is nonetheless brief, and therein lies its chief detraction. Admittedly, it would be hard to encapsulate ten centuries of mythology into a single work. Also barely mentioned are the various cults of the gods, whose details are interesting in their own rights (i.e., Dionysus as the god of drama, or the inner workings of Apollo's cult at the oracle of Delphi). But on the whole, for the goals it sets for itself, this little book is a great addition to anyone's library, and another triumph for Matyszak. ... Read more