8th Edition

The Routledge Handbook of Greek Mythology

By Robin Hard Copyright 2020
    656 Pages 58 B/W Illustrations
    by Routledge

    654 Pages 58 B/W Illustrations
    by Routledge

    Now in its eighth edition, this magisterial work offers a comprehensive survey of the stories of Greek myth, from the Olympian gods, through the lesser gods and deities, to the heroes, adventures, and foundation myths of the ancient Greek world.

    The Routledge Handbook of Greek Mythology sets out to provide a comprehensive history of the divine order and mythical prehistory of Greece, as systematized on a genealogical basis by Hesiod and the ancient mythographers, while also taking into account the ways in which individual myths have changed and evolved over time in different genres of literature. This new edition has been extensively rewritten and reorganized to make it more accessible to readers who may have no particular knowledge of the ancient world and Greek mythology, and to ensure that information on each myth or mythical figure is easy to find within the book.

    This new edition of the handbook continues to offer an essential reference resource for all students of Greek mythology, and it provides an accessible and comprehensive overview of these stories for anyone with an interest in the classical world.

    List of figures

    Preface

    Abbreviations

     

    1. Sources for Greek Myth

    2. First Beginnings and the Age of the Titans

    First beginnings

    The marriage of Earth and Sky

    Cronos and the Titans

    3. The Three Great Divine Families

    The descendants of the Titans

    The family of Earth and Sea

    The family of Night

    4. The Rise of Zeus and Revolts against his Rule

    How Zeus established himself as the supreme god

    The marriage of Zeus and the completing of the Olympian circle

    Revolts against Zeus and the Olympian order

    5. Hades, Demeter and the Mythology of the Underworld

    Hades, Persephone and Demeter

    Mythology of the Underworld

    Other myths of Demeter

    6. Hera, Hestia and Poseidon

    Hera, the consort of Zeus and goddess of marriage

    Hestia, the virgin goddess of the hearth

    Poseidon, the lord of the seas and the earthquake

    7. Apollo, Artemis and Athena

    Apollo and Artemis, the twin children of Zeus and Leto

    Athena, goddess of warfare and handicrafts

    8. Dionysos, Hermes, Hephaistos and Aphrodite

    Dionysos, the god of wine and ecstasy

    Hermes, divine messenger and trickster

    Hephaistos, the divine blacksmith

    Aphrodite, goddess of love

    9. Lesser Deities and Nature-spirits

    10. The Early Mythical History of Argos

    The first Inachids in Argos and in Egypt and Phoenicia

    Danaos returns to Argos with his daughters, the Danaids

    Proitos and Acrisios, and the arrival of Bellerophon and Melampous

    Perseus and his immediate descendants

    11. The Life of Heracles

    The birth of Heracles and his early life at Thebes

    The twelve labours of Heracles

    Heracles’ servitude to Omphale and major campaigns

    The later life of Heracles in northern and central Greece

    12. The Return of the Heraclids

    13. Minos, Theseus and the Myths of Crete

    Minos, the Minotaur and the young Theseus

    The family of Minos and later kings of Crete

    14. The Kings of Athens

    The reign and adventures of Theseus

    The earlier kings of Athens

    15. Theban Mythology from Cadmos to Oedipus

    Cadmos and the founding of Thebes

    Regents and interlopers

    The tragic history of Oedipus

    16. The Theban Wars

    The Seven against Thebes and the myth of Antigone

    The second Theban War and its consequences

    How the Theban Wars affected the dynastic history of Argos

    17. The Family of Deucalion and Hunt for the Calydonian Boar

    Deucalion and his family

    Legends of Aetolia and the hunt for the Calydonian boar

    18. Jason and the Argonauts

    The origin of the golden fleece and why Jason was sent to fetch it

    The voyage of the Argonauts

    Jason and Medeia in Greece

    19. The Early Pelopids and the Family of Achilles and Ajax

    The early history of the Pelopids

    Achilles, Ajax and the Asopid family

    20. The Royal Families of Troy and Sparta

    The Trojan royal family

    The old Spartan royal family

    The origin of the Trojan War

    21. The Trojan War

    The Greeks cross over the sea and lay siege to Troy

    The first nine years of the war

    Foreign allies and final confrontations

    The fall of Troy and sack of the city

    22. The Return Journeys of the Greek Heroes

    The returns of the Greeks

    The wanderings of Odysseus

    The murder of Agamemnon and later history of the Pelopids

    23. Aeneas, Romulus and the Origins of Rome

    24. Legends of Arcadia and Final Miscellany

    The legends of Arcadia

    A final miscellany

     

    Bibliographical note

    Genealogical tables

    Main Index

    The Great Olympian Gods

    Selective Geographical Index

    Biography

    Robin Hard has published translations of the Library of Apollodorus, the only surviving comprehensive ancient handbook of Greek mythology, and of treatises on astral mythology and various philosophical works.

    'The new Routledge Handbook of Greek Mythology retains all the acclaimed virtues of the 2004 edition, a completely rewritten and meticulously updated version of H.J. Rose’s time-tested compendium. But this latest version provides an even more useful tool: Robin Hard has totally reorganized the earlier presentation of the often-complex stories about gods and heroes, more lucidly streamlining and sequencing the material, highlighting interconnections, and drawing attention to such matters as ancient cosmology and cult. The result is a fresh, clear narrative, featuring a strong story line while also attuned to curious lesser-known variants. An ideally accessible reference work, it can also be read straight through, with pleasure'.

    Richard Martin, Stanford University, USA