"Classical Mythology in Context offers students an approach to understanding how Greek myths acquire meaning and significance in their historical, theoretical, comparative, and later artistic contexts. It integrates these four areas of inquiry into a dynamic, challenging, yet accessible format. Classical Mythology in Context is further distinguished by its inclusion of a robust se-lection of Greek sources, as well as Roman and Ancient Near Eastern texts"--

"Written for the way instructors teach and students learn, Classical Mythology in Context provides a truly contextualized treatment of classical myth that combines ancient sources, comparative perspectives, and modern and theoretical interpretations"...

"Written for the way instructors teach and students learn, Classical Mythology in Context provides a truly contextualized treatment of classical myth that combines ancient sources, comparative perspectives, and modern and theoretical interpretations"--

Classical Mythology in Context provides a contextualized treatment of classical myth, combining ancient sources, comparative perspectives, theoretical approaches, and artistic interpretations. It encourages students to directly encounter and explore ancient myths and to understand them in broader interpretative contexts. It features a modular structure that coincides with the four main components of a classical mythology course: history, theory, comparison, and reception.

From Zeus and Europa, to Diana, Pan, and Prometheus, the myths of ancient Greece and Rome seem to exert a timeless power over us. But what do those myths represent, and why are they so enduringly fascinating? Why do they seem to be such a potent way of talking about our selves, our origins, and our desires? This imaginative and stimulating Very Short Introduction goes beyond a simple retelling of the stories to explore the rich history and diverse interpretations of classical myths. It is a wide-ranging account, examining how classical myths are used and understood in both high art and popular culture, taking the reader from the temples of Crete to skyscrapers in New York, and finding classical myths in a variety of unexpected places: from arabic poetry and Hollywood films, to psychoanalysis, the bible, and New Age spiritualism. ABOUT THE SERIES: The Very Short Introductions series from Oxford University Press contains hundreds of titles in almost every subject area. These pocket-sized books are the perfect way to get ahead in a new subject quickly. Our expert authors combine facts, analysis, perspective, new ideas, and enthusiasm to make interesting and challenging topics highly readable.

This new edition of Anthology of Classical Myth offers selections from key Near Eastern texts—the Babylonian Epic of Gilgamesh, Epic of Creation (Enuma Elish), and Atrahasis; the Hittite Song of Emergence; and the flood story from the book of Genesis—thereby enabling students to explore the many similarities between ancient Greek and Mesopotamian mythology and enhancing its reputation as the best and most complete collection of its kind.