The Penguin Book of Classical Myths

Nov 11, 2024 12:09 PM

Author:Jennifer March

What were the twelve labours of Herakles? Why did Zeus turn himself into a shower of gold? What was the name of the guard-dog of the Underworld? Which two-faced Roman god gave his name to the month January? What is the answer to the riddle of the Sphinx?

The myths of ancient Greece and Rome are the most dramatic and unforgettable tales of love, war, heroism and betrayal ever told. Whether it's Ikaros flying too close to the sun, Prometheus stealing fire from the gods or the tragedy of Oedipus, their characters have inspired art, literature, plays and films, and constellations named after them fill the night sky. But how much do you really know about them?

From the clash of the Titans to the fall of Troy, here are the greatest legends of all time, brilliantly retold by classical scholar Jenny March. All the heroes, monsters, villains, gods and goddesses of classical civilization are included; the epic journeys of Odysseus and Aeneas; the founding of Athens and Rome; the quests of Jason seeking the Golden Fleece and Theseus slaying the minotaur. Giving the origins, development and interpretation of each myth, this is the essential guide to the stories that have shaped our world.

Reviews

Krishnamurti influenced me profoundly and helped me personally break through the confines of my own self-imposed restrictions to my freedom

—— Deepak Chopra

One of the greatest thinkers of the age

—— the Dalai Lama

Krishnamurti is one of the most significant human beings of the twentieth century

—— Deepak Chopra

[A] luminous new study... Sisters of Sinai is by turns a rattling adventure yarn - thick with roving Bedouin and ancient tombs - and a testament to the power of perseverance

—— Washington Post

Marvellous... A fine, fascinating account

—— Los Angeles Times

In Sisters of Sinai Janet Soskice has achieved the impossible - she has brought biblical scholarship to life. A gripping story of two spirited women determined to pursue the truth whatever the cost, with camels to boot. Wonderful

—— Sara Wheeler

An extraordinary and compelling book, combining vivid travel adventures, wonderful characters, and absorbing journeys of the mind and heart. Janet Soskice brilliantly and accessibly unfolds one of the most gripping sagas of Biblical detection, while telling the story of two magnificent women who trespassed intrepidly in worlds that sought to exclude them

—— John Cornwell

This rattling tale appears to come straight from an Indiana Jones adventure... Janet Soskice had done an excellent job in piecing together the lives of two remarkable, and largely forgotten women

—— Marc Horne , Scotland on Sunday

Soskice tells the story with scholarly conviction... [This] biography is one to be earmarked

—— www.thebookbag.co.uk

An ambitious and attractive book. Its tone is learned, thoughtful and usually intimate...a finely balanced and well-told experiment that will echo with many readers

—— Independent

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