The Complete Idiot's Guide to Classical Mythology, 2nd Edition (The Complete Idiot's Guide)

416 Pages·2004·10.35 MB·English

by  Kevin Osborn

Dear Reader,
Relax! We promise we won't be testing you on the contents of this book.
Nope, though classical mythology could be the subject of a college course,
this book will not pummel you with academic jargon or a dry approach to
the classical Greek and Roman myths. Instead, we offer you the richness of
the stories themselves, tales that still have a powerful place in our culture
today.
In The Complete Idiots Guide to Classical Mythology, Second Edition, we would
like to acquaint you with some of the most poignant, exciting, and influen
tial characters in the history of Western literature. You will learn the story,
for instance, of a proud young man who doesn't really know who he is. As
he discovers more about himself, he finds out—to his horror—that he has
unwittingly killed his father and married his mother. This is the story of
Oedipus.
You will accompany Heracles as he battles monstrous foes in heaven and
hell. You will follow Jason on his quest for the Golden Fleece. You will
see how Perseus slays the snake-haired Medusa and Theseus defeats the
bull-headed Minotaur. You will encounter fantastic beasts and fearsome
foes on the long journeys of Odysseus and Aeneas.
In this book, you will also meet lovers of all kinds: unrequited Echo,
ever-faithful Penelope, abandoned Dido, and self-absorbed Narcissus.
This book will also introduce you to the gods and goddesses of Mount
Olympus: Zeus and Hera, Poseidon and Hades, Athena and Aphrodite,
to name a few. Though powerful and immortal, these gods were not above
the lust, jealousy, and fits of temper that we normally associate not with
the divine, but with our own baser instincts.
The entertaining characters of classical mythology are sure to thrill and
delight you. So don't bother taking notes or cramming for an exam that
will never come. Simply enjoy the stories and have fun reading.
Dana Burgess Kevin Osborn
About the Authors
Dana Burgess, Ph.D., lives in Walla Walla, Washington, where he is an
Associate Professor of Classical Languages and Literatures at Whitman
College. He previously taught at both Dartmouth College and Bryn Mawr
College, where he received a Master's degree in Latin and a doctorate in
Greek. He has taught college courses in both Greek and Roman literature,
Greek civilization, the Ancient Theatre, and ancient mythology as well as a
high school course on Myth and Popular Culture.
Kevin Osborn is the author of The Complete Idiots Guide to Bringing Up
Baby, The Complete Idiots Guide to Fatherhood, and The Complete Idiots Guide
to Parenting a Preschooler and Toddler, Too. He has written more than three
dozen books for both adults and children, including Ghosts and Witches,
entertaining accounts of human encounters with otherworldly beings. He
and Susan Kiley live in New Jersey with their four children: Megan, Ian,
Molly, and Casey.
Classical
Mythology
Second Edition
by Kevin Osborn and Dana L. Burgess, Ph.D.
A
ALPHA
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Copyright © 2004 by Kevin Osborn and Dana Burgess
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Contents at a Glance
Parti: The Beginning of All Things I
1 Tell Me a Story 3
What a myth is, the functions myths play in a particular cul
ture, and the sources of our knowledge about the mythology of
ancient Greece and Rome.
2 O Brave New World 13
How the world was created, how men were created, and how
and why women were created.
3 Hey, I've Heard That Before! The Roots of
Classical Myth 25
Earlier myths from other cultures that may have influenced
classical mythology—including the Babylonian genesis and
the story of the first hero, Gilgamesh.
4 Author, Author 39
The ancient poets, playwrights, and other writers whose
works have informed us about classical mythology.
Part 2: Welcome to the Pantheon: The Greek Gods 55
5 Tales of the Titanic 57
The birth of the first immortals, the ascent and brief reign
of the Titans, and their fall to the Olympians.
6 The Reign of Thunder and Lightning: Olympus
Under Zeus 67
The six original Olympians, all children of the Titans Cronus
and Rhea: Zeus and Hera (and their stormy marriage), their
brothers Poseidon and Hades, and their sisters Hestia and
Demeter.
7 The A Team: Olympians All 81
The seven other major players on Mount Olympus: the
goddesses Aphrodite, Athena, and Artemis, and the gods
Hephaestus, Ares, Apollo, and Hermes.
8 Friends, Fairies, and Fairy Tale Monsters 97
The "lesser" gods and goddesses, satyrs, and nymphs, and
the battles between the Olympians and both the Giants
and the terrifying monster Typhon.
¡y The Complete Idiot's Guide to Classical Mythology, Second Edition
9 Eat, Drink, and Be Merry: Dionysus 109
The frenzied and ecstatic rites of the god of wine and
his followers—as well as his persecution and ultimate
ascent to Olympus.
Part 3: Everyone Needs a Hero 1ZI
10 The Model Hero: Perseus 123
The hero who slew Medusa, rescued his wife from a sea
monster, and saved his mother from a human monster.
11 What the Hell? Adventures in the Underworld 133
How Hades found a wife, how Orpheus pursued his wife
even after death, and the eternal tortures of the damned.
12 Even the Wisest Cannot See: Oedipus the King 145
The blindness that caused a visionary hero to kill his father
and marry his mother.
13 The Labors of Heracles 157
The greatest of classical heroes: his persecution by his step
mother Hera and his many thrilling adventures.
14 Crimes of Passion: Jason, Medea, and the Argonauts 173
The fabled quest for the Golden Fleece, Medeas crimes on
Jason s behalf—and her revenge after he dumped her.
15 Lucky in War, Unlucky in Love: Theseus 187
The hero who defeated the Minotaur and escaped the
Labyrinth—and his unfortunate choice of women.
16 All's Not Fair in Love and War: The Fall of Troy 199
How a crasher at a wedding party sparked a rivalry among
goddesses, the abduction of Helen, and the greatest conflict in
classical mythology: the Trojan War.
17 Achilles: The Angry Young Hero 213
The greatest of Greek war heroes: his birth, his near invinci
bility in combat, his withdrawal from and return to the
Trojan War, and his ultimate death on the battlefield.
18 Take the Long Way Home: Odysseus 223
Why it took Odysseus 20 years to return to his faithful wife
Penelope—and his many adventures along the way.
19 Not in Our Stars: Tragic Heroes and Their Fates 237
Tales that illustrate the pain of unrequited love, the treachery
of in-laws, the perils of distrusting your mate, the virtue of
listening to your parents, and reasons why you should never,
ever lend your child the keys to the family chariot.
Contents at a Glance v
Part 4: Friends, Romans, Countrymen 249
20 When in Rome, Worship as the Romans Worship 251
The personal relationship that ancient Romans maintained
with their gods and goddesses—and the rituals they used to
keep these deities strong and vital.
21 Meet the New Boss(es), Same as the Old Boss(es):
The Gods and Goddesses of Rome 259
The hodgepodge of Roman deities—native Latin gods, immi
grant Olympians, deified Greeks, and nature spirits.
22 All Roads Lead to Rome: The Odyssey of Aeneas 273
How Aeneas escaped the sack of Troy and undertook his own
odyssey to found the Roman race.
23 Rome Wasn't Built in a Day 285
How Romulus and Remus battled over the founding of Rome,
legends of the city s early kings, and how a rape led to the
founding of a republic.
Appendixes
A Glossary of Terms 297
B Who's Who in Classical Mythology 301
C What's in a Name? Greek and Roman Gods
and Heroes 361
D Be Careful What You Wish For: The Fates of
Mortals Who Slept with Gods or Goddesses 363
E Read More About It 367
Index 369