Product Overview
Every culture and time has its myths. You might say that myths help us to understand people, since just like people they can be inspirational and beautiful, as well as cruel and violent. The main players in mythology are the original drama kings and queens they hang themselves in shame, poke out their own eyes, rule cities, and marry their relatives and the fun doesnt stop there! If you want all the scoop on gods and goddesses, fates and furies, monsters and heroes from around the world, Mythology for Dummies is the Whos Who of mythological figures that you cant do without.
Its no secret that mythology can be confusing for anyone. From cultural hero Johnny Appleseed, to manly Odysseus, to femme fatale Aphrodite, and those pesky Cyclops running amuck on that faraway island, Mythology for Dummies covers all the bases, including information on:
- Greek mythology
- Homers Iliad and Odyssey
- Roman mythology
- Virgils Aeneid
- Beowulf
- Non-European mythology
Also, this book will get you up to speed on the heavy stufflike how mythology intersects with our lives, and explores the meaning of existence. Organized into chapters on specific topics, it breaks down the common types of myths and mythological figures, and offers plain-English explanations of how myths have appeared in cultures throughout the ages. Youll find what you need to know on these topics and many more:
- What makes myths different from legends and fairy tales
- Greek creation myths and those really ancient Greek Gods
- The Olympian Gods (taller, younger, and better looking than you)
- The Greek goddesses (the fairest and the meanest of them all)
- Heroes made, born, and re-born
- Mythological places from Elysium Fields, to Atlantis, and Xanadu
- Roman religion how it was begged, borrowed, and stolen
