I want to learn about ancient greek mythology. what book ?

Question

or web-site. book would also do fine. my buddy suggested homer.
but all i can find on him is the odyssey.

Answer 1

Qualifications first because I refer to this: I am going to a National Latin Competition (National Certamen at the National Junior Classical League Convention) as the mythologist on my state's team, so I figure I know my mythology.

Ovid's Metamorphoses, (I recommend Charles Martin's translation), is a compendium of hundreds of myths, beautifully told, mostly Greek and some Roman. The names of the gods and goddesses are Roman, but the myths are mostly Greek. It is, however, rather long, but it doesn't feel it. If you are offended by incest, rape, a tongue wiggling on the floor quite graphically (that one only happens once), cannibalism, or ripping people apart, read Bulfinch's. He wrote a long time ago, and was into censoring the "crude" parts.

Bulfinch's Mythology is an abbreviated (which is good) but boring translation of Metamorphoses, for the most part. He does include a few myths Ovid doesn't, and exclude a few Ovid does, (I think- I haven't read it for a while) but in general it is just a summary of Metamorphoses.

Edith Hamilton is another good summary of the major myths (Ovid includes a lot more minor myths.) Some people find her boring. I think she's all right, but stuffy. She avoids Ovid like the plague, and uses alternate versions from other authors as much as possible. She has a nice habit of saying where she found the best version of a myth, so you can go look it up there if her abbreviated version makes you curious.

A "young" version of the most major myths is D'Aulaires Book of Greek Mythology. It's a good introduction. Neither is it a picture book, simply a super-abbreviated, illustrated Edith Hamilton aimed at middle-schoolers. (It's still more than a hundred pages.) It got me started.

Homer's Iliad and Odyssey are not meant to be read, unless one is an English/Classics major, or a horny teenage boy. (The former *oozes* about metaphors and beautiful language, the latter wonders why Odysseus has two goddesses trying to have sex with him every night, and enjoys the incredibly descriptive battle scenes of who killed who killed who in all these *creative* ways.) They can, however, be safely (and enjoyably!) skimmed. I recommend Robert Fagles' translation of both of these works.

The Aeneid (also spelled Aenead), by Vergil (Virgil- Vergil is correct, but less common), is not Greek mythology, but it is important classical mythology. The first half copies the Odyssey, the second half sort-of copies the Iliad. (Battles, not siege really.) It reads a lot more like contemporary writing than Homer's works, which may be good or bad, depending on your views. I cannot recommend a specific translation.

These I have not read, but the National Certamen booklet reccomends to study for mythology needed.

Classical Mythology, by Mark Morford and Robert Lenardon

Meridian Handbook of Classical Mythology, by Edward Tripp

Final Advice: I use Metamorphoses and Edith Hamilton. They cover everything I have ever needed to know and more between them.

Websites:

http://www.paleothea.com/index.html is a good summary of all the women and most important in greek mythology IF one can ignore all the commentary.

A lot of people highly recommend http://pantheon.org/, (and list it as their source) but I cannot. I find it correct but not detailed, and in too small a font, in boring prose. Blah.

DON'T GO WIKIPEDIA.

It's FINE for broad outlines, so if you want to know who killed Medusa, go ahead. But if you want to know who Perseus' mother was, you're not likely to find it, or if you find it, it may be wrong. Lots of people do poorly in the Certamen because they believe the details Wikipedia told them.

Have fun!

Answer 2

A book that is a good start has already been mentioned, Edith Hamilton's "Mythology: Timeless Tales of Gods and Heroes." This volume covers, in sections of various length: "The Gods, Creation, and the Earliest Heroes"; "Stories of Love and Adventure"; "The Great Heroes Before the Trojan War"; "The Heroes of the Trojan War"; "The Great Families of Mythology"; "The Less Important Myths"; and "The Mythology of the Norsemen."

A good reference addition is J. E. Zimmerman's "Dictionary of Classical Mythology."

From Homer, come the "Iliad" and the "Odyssey." The first dealing with the events of the Trojan war, the second dealing with the return journey home of Odysseus after the war.

From Vergil, the "Æneid." The travels and travails of a group of Trojans who seek somewhere new to settle in peace.

And, if you can track it down—possibly in recent reprints—the 2-volume set of Random House's "The Complete Greek Drama." The set contains all of the surviving plays of Æschylus, Sophocles, Euripides, Aristophanes, and Meander (47 plays in all).

There are, of course, many websites that can provide you with reading material (and a general web search on "greek mythology" might turn up something none of us here have mentioned yet).

Good Hunting, you've a wealth of reading ahead of you. ;-)

Answer 3

Thomas Bullfinch's "The Age Of Fable' is a good one. Robert Graves' "The Greek Myths" is more technical. Its footnotes are as long as the essays. It is comprehensive though. Gustav Schwab's "Gods and Heroes of Ancient Greece" has a great style that makes for interesting reading. Edith Hamilton's "Mythology" is a brief one with some oversimplification, but it is a standard reference in some schools. Homer wrote the "Iliad' and the "Odyssey" and tells only part of the Trojan War tale.

Answer 4

For a great introduction/overview of Greek Mythology read

Mythology by Edith Hamilton

http://www.amazon.com/Mythology-Edith-Hamilton/dp/0316341517/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/002-2336510-4180052?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1182750686&sr=1-1

It is pretty much THE book on Greek Mythology.

Enjoy!

Answer 5

There are several collections of the stories available, the best way to learn about anything is to experience it yourself. So I would start there, reading the myths themselves, then look for commentary on the stories to help you understand the tales in context of Greek culture and history.

Many Greek characters have a Roman counterpart. Hermes in Greek was Mercury in Rome...both messengers. Ares in Greek was Mars in Rome...gods of war. Aphrodite in Greek was Venus in Rome...goddesses of love.

Answer 6

'Bullfinch's Mythology,' or 'The Age of Fable,' (also by Thomas Bullfinch) both well-respected, classic tomes... After that, I'd go to Edith Hamilton-- she's more about commentary, though, rather than laying down the actual Myths, in the form of a story... Bullfinch is well-written, entertaining....

Answer 7

Try www.sacred-text.com

Results 1 - 10 of about 639 from www.sacred-texts.com for ancient greek mythology.

Answer 8

Pandora's Box

Answer 9

BOOKS:
List of ancient sources:
http://www.maicar.com/GML/Bibliography.html

List of secondary sources (modern books):
http://www.maicar.com/GML/Bibliography2.html


SOME LINKS ON LINE:

Links to pages describing the lives and deeds of gods, goddesses, heroes, heroines, or any other creatures:
http://www.maicar.com/GML/Biographies.html

List to collective entries, such as AMAZONS and ARGONAUTS.
http://www.maicar.com/GML/GROUPS.html

Places and Peoples:
http://www.maicar.com/GML/PlacesPeoples.html

A to Z records organized in two sections: Characters (6525 entries), and a Geographical Reference (1184 entries).
http://www.maicar.com/GML/ShortEntries.html

For a survey of other lists (Personifications, Divinities of Waters & Landscapes, etc.), see:
http://www.maicar.com/GML/Divinities.html

List of Animals, Monsters, Demons and other creatures with unusual attributes:
http://www.maicar.com/GML/BESTIARY.html...

List of transformations. Who tranformed into what:
http://www.maicar.com/GML/METAMORPHOSES.html

Check also the main page at:
http://www.maicar.com/GML/