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The Greek myths have a universal appeal, reaching far beyond the time and physical place in which they were created. But many are firmly rooted in specific settings: Thebes dominates the tragedy of Oedipus; Mycenae broods over the fates of Agamemnon and Electra; Knossos boasts the scene of Theseus’ slaying of the Minotaur; Tiryns evokes Heracles, who set out from its citadel on each of his twelve labours.
This unique approach to Greek mythology takes the reader on a tour of 22 destinations in Greece and Turkey, recounting the classic tales and the history associated with each and highlighting features that visitors can still see today. It provides an account of all the major gods and stories from ancient Greek mythology, with the myths presented in the sequence in which most Greek writers imagined them, beginning with creation and the coming of the gods and ending with the return of Odysseus from Troy – and his visit to Hades.
Drawing on a wide range of Classical sources and illustrated with specially commissioned drawings of landscapes, statues and vase paintings, Greek Mythology is both a useful companion for modern visitors to the famous sites connected with Greek mythology and an enthralling imaginative journey for the armchair traveller.
Introduction • 1. Mount Olympus • 2. Sunium • 3. Eleusis and the Mysteries of Demeter and Persephone • 4. Delos • 5. Delphi • 6. Ephesus • 7. Paphos • 8. Pylos • 9. Olympia, Pelops and the Games • 10. Thebes • 11. Tiryns and the Labours of Heracles • 12. Iolcus and Mount Pelion • 13. Corinth and False Promises of Love • 14. Argos, Land of Hera, Home of Heroes • 15. Athens • 16. Knossos • 17. Calydon • 18. Sparta • 19. Mycenae and the Curse on Agamemnon’s Family • 20. Troy • 21. Ithaca and the Wanderings of Odysseus • 22. Hades
Description
The Greek myths have a universal appeal, reaching far beyond the time and physical place in which they were created. But many are firmly rooted in specific settings: Thebes dominates the tragedy of Oedipus; Mycenae broods over the fates of Agamemnon and Electra; Knossos boasts the scene of Theseus’ slaying of the Minotaur; Tiryns evokes Heracles, who set out from its citadel on each of his twelve labours.
This unique approach to Greek mythology takes the reader on a tour of 22 destinations in Greece and Turkey, recounting the classic tales and the history associated with each and highlighting features that visitors can still see today. It provides an account of all the major gods and stories from ancient Greek mythology, with the myths presented in the sequence in which most Greek writers imagined them, beginning with creation and the coming of the gods and ending with the return of Odysseus from Troy – and his visit to Hades.
Drawing on a wide range of Classical sources and illustrated with specially commissioned drawings of landscapes, statues and vase paintings, Greek Mythology is both a useful companion for modern visitors to the famous sites connected with Greek mythology and an enthralling imaginative journey for the armchair traveller.
