Women of Classical Mythology: A Biographical Dictionary (Oxford Paperback Reference) - Softcover

Bell, Robert E

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0195079779 ISBN 13: 9780195079777

Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA, 1993

Synopsis

Everyone is familiar with some of the women of classical myth. Athena, goddess of wisdom, and Aphrodite, goddess of love and beauty are particularly well-known, as are the snake-haired Gorgon Medusa, and the vicious harpies, half woman, half beast. Humans, too, have their place in the ancient lore: Medea, who killed her own children to gain revenge upon her husband Jason, and Helen of Troy, whose abduction by Paris incited the ten-year Trojan War. But these figures represent only a handful of the hundreds and hundreds of female characters who played essential roles in the poetry, drama, and folklore that arose from Greek and Roman mythology. And despite the rich diversity of these figures, standard reference works on mythology and related subjects often give them short shrift.
This fascinating book is the first and only comprehensive biographical dictionary devoted to mythological women. It offers unprecedented access to information on hard-to-find women in Greek and Roman myth, as well as a fresh look at the better-known figures. From the famous to the obscure, all of them are here--from Cardea, a Roman divinity who protected the hinges of doors, to Echidna, a half-woman, half-serpent who mated with her fire-breathing brother Typhon, to Ate, the goddess of error. In addition, readers will learn new facts about old favorites: how Zeus ordered the proverbially garrulous Echo to distract Hera while he enjoyed sexual relations with Echo's sister nymphs; that Melpomene, muse of tragedy, was reputed to be mother of the sirens; that Diana--known as the Roman equivalent of Artemis, goddess of chastity and the hunt--had been worshiped as a Latin and Sabine diety from a much earlier era.
The approximately 2,600 lively, engagingly written entries are arranged alphabetically and completely cross-referenced for easy access, and vary from one sentence to several pages. Each entry places its subject both in the overall context of classical myth, and in the frame of reference of her better-known male counterparts. For each figure there is a description of her particular contribution to folklore, and a list of the various poems, tragedies, epics, and other types of stories in which she plays a central role. In addition, the handy special index "The Men in Their Lives" makes it simple to locate a particular women known primarily through relations, for instance, Theseus's mother, or Achilles's wife.
Heroines, murderers, lovers, wives, animals, hermaphrodites, monsters, and transsexuals--theWomen of Classical Mythology offers a unique and rich guide to an aspect of ancient literature often overlooked. It will provide readers not only with a valuable reference source, but with hours of delightful browsing.

About this title

Review:

"An essential addition to any reference collection which attempts to cover classical mythology in some depth." -

School Library Journal

"The various myths are retold well in nontechnical language with occasional character insights. The book is quite browsable and could easily spark deeper interest." -

Library Journal

"The various myths are retold well in nontechnical language with occasional character insights. The book is quite browsable and could easily spark deeper interest." - Library Journal

"An essential addition to any reference collection which attempts to cover classical mythology in some depth." - School Library Journal

From the Publisher:

Here is the first and only volume to tell stories of the women both human and divine, who gave birth to, conspired with, supported, loved, and betrayed the familiar heroes, gods, rulers, and monsters of classical Greek and Roam mythology.

More than 2,600 entries identify the women of classical mythology, place them into context with their better known male counterparts, and describe their own contributions, trials adventures and tragedies.

In addition to such well known figured as Athena, Aphrodite, and Medea, there is information on such women as Cardea, a roman divinity who protected homes from evil spirits, Echidna, a half-woman, Half-serpent who mothered some of mythology's most terrible beings; and Galateia, an ivory sculpture that came to life through the love of Pygmalion.

This volume fills a critical gap in the literature of classical mythology.

About this edition

• Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA
• Publication date: 1993
• ISBN 10: 0195079779
• ISBN 13: 9780195079777
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 480