Greek and Roman Myths: A Guide to the Classical Stories by Philip Matyszak (PDF)

Description

Full of intriguing facts and diverting stories—the ideal introduction to the myths and tales that lie at the heart of Western culture.Who was Pandora and what was in her famous box? How did Achilles get his Achilles heel? What exactly is a Titan? And why is one computer virus known as a Trojan horse?The myths of ancient Greece and Rome can seem bewilderingly complex, yet they are so much a part of modern life and discourse that most of us know fragments of them. This comprehensive companion takes these fragments and weaves them into an accessible and enjoyable narrative, guiding the reader through the basic stories of classical myth.Philip Matyszak explains the sequences of events and introduces the major plots and characters, from the origins of the world and the labors of Hercules to the Trojan War and the voyages of Odysseus and Aeneas. He brings to life an exotic cast of heroes and monsters, wronged women and frighteningly arbitrary yet powerful gods. He also shows how the stories have survived and greatly influenced later art and culture, from Renaissance painting and sculpture to modern opera, literature, movies, and everyday products.

User’s Reviews

Reviews from Amazon users which were colected at the time this book was published on the website:

⭐Nice to read the stories in one place.

⭐Summations of the mythologies involved are usually too complex or too limited to help organize this huge subject in the mind of the reader. This book satisfies a the non-specialist’s need for a short encyclopedic volume that can help in further reading of specific elements of the mythologies while keeping the bigger picture in mind. The entertain quality of the writing ensure its all an engaging browse through the traditions.

⭐This is a pretty good and short description of the Greek myths. However, I bought it for the Roman myths, which it does not include. I guess they added Roman to the title because the author occasionally included the Roman name of a Greek god.

⭐This pint-sized info and story packed volume must be in your collection–particularly if you love stories. This is not new material for many, but the author writes a brisk and lively overview–with depth when needed–like the best teacher or prof you ever had in school. It’s surprisingly fresh and fun to read. Five stars!

⭐This slim volume now takes pride of place on my bookshelf as a common refrence source. Despite 35+ years of casual interest and study of Greco-Roman culture, I had never before had a simple description of the hierarchy of the major deities and demi-gods.Even if you have no previous knowlege of the subject, or worse only the “knowledge” that appears in popular media, this book lays out a clear path, follows the path (with the brief side excursions clearly marked), and still leaves you wanting to know more.The only downside is the brevity, especially in the last few chapters, where the pace appears rushed and questions go unanswered. Overall, though, a worthy purchase, well worth the price.

⭐Easy to read, fast paced and a very eye opening understanding of all, or most, of the Greek and Roman myths.

⭐Very good

⭐Came in great condition

⭐This is more like a very small encyclopedia than a collection of stories. Perhaps not a page turner you might read from cover to cover but a good reference book to have beside you when reading about Greek history.

⭐This is a fascinating, accessible account of the Greek and Roman (mostly Greek) myths. In addition, the book and cover are really well made and nice to handle

⭐This was a great introduction to the Greek and Roman myths. It was an easy to read and brief guide to the myths and the gods with directions for further reading if you wanted. I did like the way the author had quite a lot of emphasis on how certain sayings we use today are derived from the myths. I also read the similar book about the Egyptian myths which was equally as good.

⭐Lovely and compact, brilliant layout with clear clean descriptions and mini-stories.Thames & Hudson really do know how to produce the goods.

⭐Exactly what was needed

Keywords

Free Download Greek and Roman Myths: A Guide to the Classical Stories in PDF format
Greek and Roman Myths: A Guide to the Classical Stories PDF Free Download
Download Greek and Roman Myths: A Guide to the Classical Stories 2010 PDF Free
Greek and Roman Myths: A Guide to the Classical Stories 2010 PDF Free Download
Download Greek and Roman Myths: A Guide to the Classical Stories PDF
Free Download Ebook Greek and Roman Myths: A Guide to the Classical Stories