3 Review(s)

From the creation out of chaos and the birth of the Olympians to the Labours of Hercules, the Trojan War and Odysseus's return, Robert Graves's superb retelling of the Greek Myths - now published for the first time in a single volume in paperback - has long been acclaimed as the definitive version. From sources scattered throughout ancient literature Graves used a novelist's skill to weave a crisp coherent narrative of each myth. Full commentaries offer cross-references, interpretations and explanations combining solid scholarship with the intuitive insight of a poet; even little-known variants are recorded when they reveal an extra dimension of ritual or historical meaning. (In principle, Graves boldly claimed, Greek mythology 'was no more mysterious in content than are modern election cartoons'.) A comprehensive index of names and their derivations adds to ease of use. The result is a classic among reference books, ideal of specialists, dippers of anyone seeking details of the gods, heroics and extraordinary events which inspired Homer, the Greek tragedians and so much subsequent European culture. And, since it naturally includes the tales of Tantalus and Theseus, Orpheus and Orestes, Midas and Medea, it also contains many of the greatest stories ever told.