The first anthology to present the entire range of ancient Greek and Roman stories- from myths and fairy tales to jokes Captured centaurs and satyrs, talking animals, people who suddenly change sex, men who give birth, the temporarily insane and the permanently thick-witted, delicate sensualists, incompetent seers, a woman who remembers too much, a man who cannot laugh-these are just some of the colorful characters who feature in the unforgettable stories that ancient Greeks and Romans told in their daily lives. Together they created an incredibly rich body of popular oral stories that include, but range well beyond, mythology-from heroic legends, fairy tales, and fables to ghost stories, urban legends, and jokes.
The myths of the Romans are stories not about the gods but about the Romans themselves. Writers such as Livy, Virgil and Ovid presented myths as if they were actual histories of the origins and early days of Rome.
Full of intriguing facts and diverting stories—the ideal introduction to the myths and tales that lie at the heart of Western culture. Who was Pandora and what was in her famous box? How did Achilles get his Achilles heel? What exactly is a Titan? And why is one computer virus known as a Trojan horse? The myths of ancient Greece and Rome can seem bewilderingly complex, yet they are so much a part of modern life and discourse that most of us know fragments of them. This comprehensive companion takes these fragments and weaves them into an accessible and enjoyable narrative, guiding the reader through the basic stories of classical myth. Philip Matyszak explains the sequences of events and introduces the major plots and characters, from the origins of the world and the labors of Hercules to the Trojan War and the voyages of Odysseus and Aeneas. He brings to life an exotic cast of heroes and monsters, wronged women and frighteningly arbitrary yet powerful gods. He also shows how the stories have survived and greatly influenced later art and culture, from Renaissance painting and sculpture to modern opera, literature, movies, and everyday products.
The classical gods of Rome uncoiled from the fertile imaginations of the ancient Greeks whose gods were passionate and violent, jealous of their powers and subject to both mighty outbursts of love and all-consuming bouts of vengeful war. The dark forces of the ancient world were held at bay by the resourceful and emerging civilisation that formed the basis of Western culture, providing a tradition of fabulous tales that are retold in this new book. FLAME TREE 451: From mystery to crime, supernatural to horror and myth, fantasy and science fiction, Flame Tree 451 offers a healthy diet of werewolves and mechanical men, blood-lusty vampires, dastardly villains, mad scientists, secret worlds, lost civilizations and escapist fantasies. Discover a storehouse of tales gathered specifically for the reader of the fantastic.
While the ancient Roman pantheon in many ways resembles that of ancient Greece, there is much that sets apart Roman mythology. Romans also borrowed from the religions of ancient Egypt, Asia Minor, and the Middle East, and legendary figures such as Romulus and Remus, tied closely to the history of Rome, feature prominently in ancient stories. The major and lesser figures of Roman mythology are presented in this vibrant volume with sidebars spotlighting related facts and concepts about Roman mythology and religion.
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.
Tell tales to students in grades 5 and up using Greek and Roman Mythology! This 128-page book includes reproducible activities that develop higher-level thinking skills through mythological stories, maps, charts, crossword puzzles, quizzes, and worksheets. The book covers topics such as mythology, geography, history, and creative writing. Students love learning about these fascinating tales!
Based on the bestselling book of N. A. Kun, this is an easy-to-read, comprehensive collection of Greek myths. The book consists of eight chapters, covering the majority of the Greek mythology universe: (1) Stories of the Gods - the stories of creation, the war with the Titans and the myths related to the main Olympian gods. (2) Stories of the Heroes - Perseus and the Gorgon Medusa, Theseus and the Minotaur, Prometheus, Bellerophon, Orpheus, Daedalus and Icarus, Europa, Cadmus, Niobe and many more. (3) Heracles - the Twelve Labors and other myths related to the greatest of the heroes. (4) Oedipus and the Theban Cycle - including Antigone, Seven against Thebes and the Epigoni. (5) The Argonauts and the Quest for the Golden Fleece - a detailed retelling of the famous journey, including the story of Jason and Medea. (6) Stories of Troy - mainly based on "The Iliad" by Homer, but also other myths related to the Trojan War, such as the Golden Apple, the Judgement of Paris, the Trojan Horse, the Fall of Troy, and additional stories about Achilles, Patroclus, Ajax the Great, Helen, Cassandra and more. (7) The House of Agamemnon - the stories of Agamemnon, Clytemnestra, Orestes and Iphigenia. (8) The Odyssey - the journey of Odysseus to his native Ithaca, retold from "The Odyssey" by Homer.The book is based on a translation of the bestseller "What The Ancient Greeks And Romans Told About Their Gods And Heroes" by Nikolay A. Kun, a famous historian and writer, written in 1914. Ever since, the book has been extremely popular in Eastern Europe, and since it came out, has received hundreds of publications in Russian, and was translated into multiple languages. This edition: * Is an easy-to-read, adapted retelling of the original book, based on its translation into simple, modern English. * Is organized in a story-like manner, combining myths from different sources into a unified tale. * Is adjusted in a manner appropriate for younger readers, while staying as loyal as possible to the original ancient texts. * Includes detailed retelling of the "The Iliad" and "The Odyssey" by Homer, Ovid's "Metamorphoses", "The Argonautica" by Apollonius of Rhodes, the greatest Greek tragedies by Sophocles, Euripides and Aeschylus and many more. * Closely follows the ancient sources, completing and supplementing Kun's stories with new details and context. * Contains stories that have been adapted into the versions of the myths more commonly popular in the West.*Includes multiple stories not included in Kun's original book. * The order of the chapters is different from the original book to simplify chronological understanding. * Includes multiple, in-depth annotations referencing art, history, linguistics, geography and more.
