Mythology 101

From Gods and Goddesses to Monsters and Mortals, Your Guide to Ancient Mythology

Kathleen Sears

• Publisher: Adams Media
• Year: 2013
• Print ISBN: 9781440573323
• eBook ISBN: 9781440573330
• Topic: Social Sciences
• Subtopic: Folklore & Mythology
• Index: Social Sciences

Explore the fascinating myths of Greek and Roman civilizations!The tales of gods and heroes are often turned into tedious discourse that even Ovid would reject. This easy-to-read guide cuts out the boring details, and instead, provides you with a thrilling lesson in classic mythology.From the heights of Mt. Olympus to the depths of the Underworld, this book takes you on an unforgettable journey through all the major myths born in ancient Greece and Rome, such as Achilles's involvement in the Trojan War; Pluto's kidnapping of the beautiful Proserpina; and the slaying of Medusa by Perseus, the heroic demi-god. You'll also learn all about the wonders of the world as well as the greatest creatures ever recorded in history.Like Charon navigating the River of Wailing, Mythology 101 will guide you through the most glorious (and completely terrifying) tales the ancient world has to offer.

COMPARING GREEK AND ROMAN MYTHOLOGIES

Shared Stories and New Tales

Early in Rome’s history, the ancient Romans had a religion that was completely their own. As time passed, however, extensive changes occurred within this religion. As Romans conquered neighboring territories, they absorbed some aspects of local religions, and as Greek literature became known in Rome, it influenced Roman religion. Greek mythology was assimilated into Roman mythology to fill in gaps in the latter; eventually, Romans adopted (and adapted) Greek myths on a broad scale.

Similarities and Differences

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While many of the stories are essentially the same in Greek and Roman mythologies, the names are different. However, the Romans also had their own myths, separate from those of the Greeks.

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Although the Romans borrowed heavily from Greek mythology, they kept their own names for the gods and ...

Table of contents

• Title Page
• Contents
• Introduction
• Defining A Myth
• The Greek Storytellers
• Roman Mythmakers
• Chaos, Prometheus, and The Birth Of Man
• The Ordered Universe: Sun, Moon, and Dawn
• Pandora’S Box
• Gaia (Earth) and Pontus
• Cyclopes and The Hundred-Handed Ones
• Myths in Literature
• The Titans and Titanesses
• The Giants
• Typhon
• Cronus and The Birth of Zeus
• Zeus Versus Cronus: The Battle with The Titans
• Mount Olympus and Mythological Laws
• The Twelve Olympian Gods
• Zeus and Hera
• Poseidon
• Hades
• A Map of The Underworld
• Myths in Art and Music
• Zeus’s Many Affairs
• Escaping Death: Mortals who traveled to The Underworld
• Hestia
• Demeter
• Athena
• The Judges of The Dead
• Apollo
• Dionysus
• Ares
• Artemis
• Aphrodite
• Still a Mystery: The Eleusinian Rites
• Hephaestus
• Hermes
• Six Wives for Zeus
• The Wrath of Hera
• Muses, Nymphs, Satyrs, and Charites
• Triton, Hecate, and Pan
• Other Lesser Gods
• Myths in Movies and Popular Culture
• Scylla
• Amazons
• Minotaur
• Chimera
• Medusa
• Centaurs
• More Monsters: Griffins, Erinyes, Harpies, and The Hydra of Lerna
• Sphinx
• What Makes a Hero?
• The Twelve Labors of Heracles
• Ancient Feuds: Athena Versus Ares
• Perseus
• Theseus
• Jason
• Odysseus
• Achilles, Agamemnon, and Other Important Heroes
• The Origins of The Trojan War
• Heroes of The Trojan War
• The Fall of Troy
• Comparing Greek and Roman Mythologies
• Aeneas: The Trojan Hero
• Romulus, Remus, and The Creation of Rome
• The Roman Kings
• Modern-Day Mythology
• Appendix A: Family Tree of The Greek Gods
• Appendix B: Family Tree of The Roman Gods
• Insert Images
• Copyright