Greeks are a very powerful civilization. Their ways are quite different from most and have a deep background. Their cultural and religious habits are different and so are their eating habits. They’ve given a lot of valuable things to humanity along with the most important branch of science, Physics.
Other than all this, the background of their mythological beliefs has also been quite fascinating. The creatures and gods that were believed to be real according to the Greeks are many. They have been quite different from the rest of us and it is quite evident.
Other than that, even their literature is quite interesting, whether it is fiction or non-fictional commentary, it will definitely appeal to a number of readers quite smoothly. It is very fascinating to learn about and would definitely help the reader in gathering information about a great civilization. The tales provided by these people are quite legendary.
8 Best Greek Mythology Books That You Must Go Through
1. Heroes: Mortals and Monsters, Quests and Adventures
This book is written by Stephen Fry. It talks about Greek heroes as the major focus and discusses how great they were. The book tries to enlighten how the heroes were so powerful to be depicted on a piece of parchment. It talks about how these bold heroes accomplished heart-stirring adventures relying on their wits and how they used to last through so many powerful creatures and dangerous events with much ease, how they could outwit gods with vengeful intentions.
It was the style of these mere mortals that their stature was much greater than that of many and how they triumph over even the toughest of problems was empowering. Filled with battles of great action and acts of real bravery and base cowardice. Even the stories of selfless sacrifices and ruthless murders. It is basically a book that helps us know what we mortals are capable of, to the best of our abilities and even at the worst.
2. The Library of Greek Mythology
This book is written by Apollodorus and translated by Robin Hard. This is a very unique book and probably the most valuable book on this list. This is the only book of the kind that could make it through classical antiquity. This is a unique guide to Greek mythology and it can trace its footsteps back to the origin of the universe and can complete the journey to the Trojan War.
It has been used as a sourcebook by a lot of classicists and has proven to be quite helpful to all. It can help through the complete history of Greek mythology which can accommodate the story of every great family of heroic mythology and a lot of great adventures to be compiled in the same book. It can be used as a reference book on Greek mythology and can even be used as a primary source of information for it. This book won’t disappoint you.
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3. The Greek Myths
This book is written by Robert Graves. It consists of the greatest stories to ever be told. Whether you talk about the voyage of Greek Argonauts or the labors of Hercules, whether you talk about king Midas and his touch of gold or you talk about Theseus and the Minotaur, whether you want to know about the journey of Odysseus back to home or the Trojan War, it has got them.
All of these stories are compiled into a single big story and served to the readers in a very delightful manner. It contains records for people who wish to know about these affairs in a concise manner as well as provides complete details in a full commentary manner. It is basically a complete package for any reader. This book is a classic among the classics and would be very useful for any intent to be fulfilled for the reader.
4. Metamorphosis
This book is written by Ovid and translated by Charles Martin. This epic poetic work of Ovid has echoed through the ages and is termed amongst the most important texts given to Western imagination. It takes inspiration from Dante’s time and works its way to the present day and even the greatest artists of the century have found a living source in the work of Ovid.
The author that translated the book has tried to match the information provided by Ovid into the closest fidelity he could offer back and tries to catch the initial liveliness and speed of the original work. Other than the translation of original work, the reader can find a glossary of personifications, people and places which makes it much more useful for even modern readers.
5. Mythology: Timeless Tales of Gods And Heroes
This book is written by Edith Hamilton. It succeeds quite exceedingly in bringing life to Greek, Norse and Roman mythologies and is a great book for information on all three. This book acquires information from ancient times to the very present.
This book also acquires a lot of information and stories from ancient Greece as well as modern-day stories. The book has stories like the Trojan War, Jason, and the Golden Fleece, wanderings of Odysseus, the actions of Midas, etc. and provides great insights into the field of art, culture, and literature as well. It’s a great book to dive into, to gather knowledge about Greek mythologies.
6. Alcestis
This book is written by Katherine Beutner. It bases solely upon the Greek woman Alcestis. It is a myth but people still believe her to be the most ideal wife in Greece. She is the one who loved her husband as much as to die and go to the underworld in place of him.
It is a great book and when it comes to the author, she tried to paint a vivid picture of Alcestis and she even discusses the things that happened to her in the exact three days that she had spent in the underworld. Read this book to know about this huge myth of Alcestis and try to know if it is true or not.
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7. For Her Dark Skin
This book is written by Percival Everett. A very nice book that tackles the problems of real life in a straightforward manner. It revolves around two characters, Jason and Medea. It sheds light on a great storyline and is a beautiful book to go through in order to know about Greek mythologies. It doesn’t tackle the conventional issues that constituted Greek mythology but instead, it took a focused approach.
The story depicted in this book is a well-crafted exploration of the story of the characters. It is well versed with ironies of the reality of revenge, pride, ambition, and passion. The desires and needs of these characters lead them through a series of events that bring some new insights into the classic theme.
8. The Minotaur Takes a Cigarette Break
This book is written by Steven Sherrill. After spending fifty centuries out of the maze, the Minotaur figures out that he is in the American south, has to live in the trailer park and tries working at a steakhouse as a line cook. He has given up the habits of feasting on human flesh and is quite lonely.
But after spending about a fortnight into this modern era and being forced into maddening situations, this immortal being breaks free and finally feels his possibility for love and happiness. Read this transformational book for a great change in your current perspectives.
I hope I was able to help you in selecting a book that covers Greek mythology and their cultural beliefs. These books provide great knowledge about a wonderful civilization that provided a lot of meaningful things to the human race. Try going through these with an open mind to learn as much as you can. If the content was helpful, please like the post or leave a comment on it. Any type of criticism is completely welcome.