Full Description
The Greek Myths contains some of the most thrilling, romantic, and unforgettable stories in all human history. From Achilles rampant on the fields of Troy, to the gods at sport on Mount Olympus; from Icarus flying too close to the sun, to the superhuman feats of Heracles, Theseus, and the wily Odysseus, these timeless tales exert an eternal fascination and inspiration that have endured for millennia and influenced cultures from ancient to modern. Beginning at the dawn of human civilization, when the Titan Prometheus stole fire from Zeus and offered mankind hope, the reader is immediately immersed in the majestic, magical, and mythical world of the Greek gods and heroes. As the tales unfold, renowned classicist Robin Waterfield, joined by his wife, writer Kathryn Waterfield, creates a sweeping panorama of the romance, intrigues, heroism, humour, sensuality, and brutality of the Greek myths and legends. The terrible curse that plagued the royal houses of Mycenae and Thebes, Jason and the golden fleece, Perseus and the dread Gorgon, the wooden horse and the sack of Troy - these amazing stories have influenced art and literature from the Iron Age to the present day.And far from being just a treasure trove of amazing tales, The Greek Myths is a catalogue of Greek myth in art through the ages, and a notable work of literature in its own right.
Contents
Introduction. The Ancient Greek Landscape. HOPE FOR HUMANKINDWar against the Titans; War against the Giants; Zeus and His Brothers. THE The Flood; The Line of Deucalion; The Argonauts and the Golden Fleece; The Calydonian Boar Hunt; Io and the Danaids; Perseus and the Gorgon; The Curse of the House of Atreus; Atreus and Thyestes; The End of the Atreid Theseus; Theseus and the Minotaur; King Theseus. HERACLES: The Birth of Heracles; The Twelve Labours of Heracles; Heracles the King-Maker; Heracles Becomes a God. THE TROJAN WAR: The Marriage of Peleus and Thetis; The Judgement of Paris; The Abduction of Helen; The Greeks Prepare for War; The Greek Landing; Achilles Withdraws; Agamemnon's Dream; Menelaus and Paris; Diomedes' Day of Glory; Hector Triumphant; Envoys and Spies; The Assault on the Ships; The Deception of Zeus; The Death of Patroclus; The Return of Achilles; The Death of Hector; Two Funerals; The Death of Achilles; The Wooden Horse; The Fall of Troy. ODYSSEUS' RETURN: Trouble on Ithaca; Telemachus' Journey; Odysseus on Scheria; The Cyclops Polyphemus; Acolus, the Laestrygonians, and Circe; The Underworld; Dangers at Sea; The Cattle of the Sun; Odysseus Reaches Ithaca; At the Swineherd's Hut; In the Palace; Penelope Bibliography. Index of Names and Places. Index of Subjects. Acknowledgements.
