In the days of long ago there reigned over Ithaca, a rugged little island in the sea to the west of Greece, a king whose name was Odysseus. Odysseus feared no man. Stronger and braver than other men was he, wiser, and more full of clever devices. Far and wide he was known as Odysseus of the many counsels. Wise, also, was his queen, Penelope, and she was as fair as she was wise, and as good as she was fair.
In the deep forest that clothes Mount Ida, not far from the strong city of Troy, Paris, son of King Priam, watched his father's flocks by night. Suddenly through the dim woods he saw a light, as if the golden sun and silver moon shone both together. And, lo! in the radiance of this light there stood before him the three fairest of the goddesses - queenly Hera, wise Athene, and lovely Aphrodite.
Within this book are timeless stories from Ancient Greece such as Icarus, the young man whose infamous flight became a cautionary tale on folly and the heeding of advice, and Orpheus, the fabled musician whose wife Euridice encounters great peril. Adventure stories, such as The Caledonian Hunt, bring stunning displays of action while the exploits of ancient and Godly heroes such as Perseus and his winged horse relay the elemental power with which the ancient Gods were attributed.Later in the text we find several representative examples of Nordic myth - the valiant story of Roland the Paladin and Freya, the formidable Queen of the Northern Gods are told. The epic story of Beowulf is rendered here in prose form, and all allude to the furious capacities of the Nordic Gods.Compiled and authored by Greek historian and scholar Jeanie Lang, the accounts within this text combine superb research with strong readability, with the freshness and originality of each story easy to behold and enjoy whether you be a student of the classics or a general enthusiast for enduring ancient mythology.
A masterful retelling of the story of the siege of Troy, as contained in The Iliad. Written especially for younger readers, this book provides a perfect introduction to the storyline contained in the classic work, starting from the events which led to the ten-year siege of Troy by a coalition of Greek states, and ending with the death of Hector after the climactic final battle which featured the hero warrior Achilles. The reader will meet the famous characters Paris, Helen, Hector, Ajax, and many others, all of whom have passed into the realms of European folklore, even though the events of The Iliad occurred over 2,500 years ago. Along with The Odyssey, The Iliad is among the oldest existing works of Western literature, with the earliest written version dating to around the eighth century BC. It is a vital work for anyone seeking a well-rounded classical education. This version has been completely reset and hand-edited and contains the original illustrations by W. Heath Robinson.
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