The complete world of Greek mythology Cover Image

Book

The complete world of Greek mythology / Richard Buxton.

Summary:

Publisher description: From the first millennium BC onwards, Greek myths have been repeated in an inexhaustible series of variations and reinterpretations. Nowadays they can be found in film, television and computer games. This book combines a retelling of Greek myths with a comprehensive account of the world in which they developed. Throughout, the author draws upon the latest research into ancient Greek story-telling, presenting the material in an attractive, accessible and authoritative style.

Record details

ISBN: 0500251215
ISBN: 9780500251218
Physical Description: 256 p. : col. ill., maps ; 26 cm.
Publisher: London : Thames & Hudson, 2004.

Content descriptions

Bibliography, etc. Note:

Includes bibliographical references (p. 246-249) and index.

Formatted Contents Note:

I: Contexts, sources, meanings -- General characteristics of Greek myths -- Sources of evidence -- Contexts for myth-telling -- II: Myths of origin -- Cosmogony -- Origins of humanity -- Local origins -- Bringers of culture -- Colonies -- III: The Olympians: power, honour, sexuality -- Powers and spheres of influence -- Honour and boundaries -- Divine sexuality -- IV: Heroic exploits -- Perseus -- Meleager, Atalanta and the Kalydonian Boar -- Jason, the Argonauts and Medea -- Herakles -- Theseus and the heroic Athenian past -- The Trojan War -- V: Family Sagas -- The house of Pelops -- Tereus, Prokne and Philomela -- Antiope and his kin -- Proitos, Stheneboia and Bellerophon -- The House of Laios -- Strong bonds: love between spouses -- Same-sex eroticism -- VI: A landscape of myths -- Mountains -- Caves -- Rivers and springs -- The sea -- Crete -- Troy -- The underworld -- VII: Greek myths after the Greeks -- How Rome re-imagined Greece -- The Middle Ages -- From the renaissance to the 20th century -- Present and future -- Maps -- General map of the Greek world -- The voyage of the Argo -- The Labours of Herakles -- Theseus' exploits en route for Athens -- Greek contingents at Troy -- Mountains -- Rivers.