E-Book Overview
This is a great book if you just need to look up some quick information on a Greek or Roman god. It does go into detail on some of the more important characters like Hercules, but most just have a few paragraphs. My main complaint is that even though it says "Greek AND ROMAN Mythology" about 75% of the characters covered are Greek in origin. It is nice that each character is labeled as either Greek or Roman though. This made writing my Roman Mythology paper much easier. A good book for anyone interested in Mythology :)
E-Book Content
Greek and roman MYTHOLOGY A TO Z Greek and roman MYTHOLOGY A TO Z Revised Edition Kathleen N. Daly Revised by Marian Rengel Greek and Roman Mythology A to Z, Revised Edition Copyright © 2004, 1992 by Kathleen N. Daly All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or utilized in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage or retrieval systems, without permission in writing from the publisher. For information contact: Facts On File, Inc. An imprint of Infobase Publishing 132 West 31st Street New York NY 10001 ISBN-13: 978-0-8160-5155-7 Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Daly, Kathleen N. Greek and Roman mythology A to Z / Kathleen N. Daly; revised by Marian Rengel.—Rev. ed. p. cm.—(Mythology A to Z) Originally published: c1992, in series: Daly, Kathleen N. Mythology A to Z. Summary: Alphabetically listed entries identify and explain the characters, events, important places, and other aspects of Greek and Roman mythology. Includes bibliographical references and index. ISBN 0-8160-5155-0 (alk. paper) 1. Mythology, Classical—Encyclopedias, Juvenile. [1. Mythology, Classical—Dictionaries.] I. Rengel, Marian. II. Title. BL715.D26 2003 292.1′3′03—dc21 2003048535 Facts On File books are available at special discounts when purchased in bulk quantities for businesses, associations, institutions, or sales promotions. Please call our Special Sales Department in New York at (212) 967-8800 or (800) 322-8755. You can find Facts On File on the World Wide Web at http://www.factsonfile.com Text design by Joan M. Toro Cover design by Cathy Rincon Maps by Jeremy Eagle Printed in the United States of America VB Hermitage 10 9 8 7 6 This book is printed on acid-free paper. CONTENTS Introduction vii Map of the Greek World, c. 1600–323 B.C. xiii Map of Rome and Vicinity, c. 500–200 B.C. xiv A-to-Z Entries 1 Selected Bibliography 138 Index 141 INTRODUCTION WHAT IS MYTHOLOGY? From earliest times, humans have had a need to explain the origins and wonders of the world: the mountains and the oceans, the changing seasons, the earthquakes and storms, volcanoes, floods, the existence of animals, including humans. Early humans, in every culture on Earth, made up stories about these phenomena and invented gods and supernatural beings to provide comfort and instruction. Sometimes people such as the Greeks made up stories just for entertainment; for example, the story of PYGMALION and GALATEA explains nothing in nature or science, but it’s a good story. It is the story in George Bernard Shaw’s play Pygmalion (1913) and the musical and the movie My Fair Lady. As the ages passed, and tribes shifted from place to place, broke up, regrouped, increased in size, and migrated to different lands, they took their stories with them. As the stories were passed on, they changed with the language, climate, and local folklore of the people. Eventually people built shrines and temples to their gods and heroes. They prayed to them for help, made sacrifices to them and celebrated them with festivals. In some countries, such as Rome, rulers took on the status of gods. I