Anthology Of Classical Myth: Primary Sources in Translation - Softcover

Stephen Trzaskoma; R. Scott Smith; Stephen Brunet

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0872207218 ISBN 13: 9780872207219

Publisher: Hackett Publishing Company, Inc., 2004

Synopsis

This volume is designed as a companion to the standard undergraduate mythology textbooks or, when assigned alongside the central Greek and Roman works, as a source-based alternative to those textbooks.

In addition to the complete texts of the Homeric Hymns and Hesiod's Theogony, this collection provides generous selections from over 50 texts composed between the Archaic Age and the fourth century A.D. Ancient interpretation of myth is represented here in selections from the allegorists Heraclitus, Cornutus and Fulgentius, the rationalists Palaephatus and Diodorus of Sicily, and the philosophers and historians Plato, Herodotus and Thucydides. Appendices treat evidence from inscriptions, papyri and Linear B tablets and include a thematic index, a mythological dictionary, and genealogies. A thoughtful Introduction supports students working with the primary sources and the other resources offered here; an extensive note to instructors offers suggestions on how to incorporate this book into their courses.

About this title

About the Author:

Stephen M. Trzaskoma is Professor of Classics, University of New Hampshire.

R. Scott Smith is Associate Professor of Classics, University of New Hampshire.

Review:

This book is a treasure-trove. It will be hugely useful to instructors teaching any level of mythology course. Not only does it provide, under one cover, good translations of the two complete books essential to every course (Theogony; Homeric Hymns), it also offers hundreds of pages of additional primary material . . . . No other book in English offers such a wide range of well-translated and important sources. This will be the perfect complement to courses in myth and ancient civilization, making exploration of the mythic heritage richer and more intellectually exciting for all. . . . The quality of translation is universally high--passages are simple, direct, accurate, yet preserve (as the editors wished) a good sense of the native stylistic variations found in the range of excerpts. --Richard Martin, Stanford University

I am astonished by the simplicity of the idea, and, at the same time, the complexity of the effort, that joined to produce this outstanding work. . . the organization is impeccable and the selection is provocative. This new volume will allow instructors to encourage students to explore the dynamic nature of mythology as a whole, as well as specific myths and mythological themes, across the spectrum of ancient authors, genres, and time periods. . . . I believe this volume will be an invaluable contribution to way we teach Classical myth at the university level. --Monica Cyrino, University of New Mexico

Anthology of Classical Myth is an elegant book and a welcome addition to the field of college level classical mythology textbooks. It offers, in a purposeful and orderly manner, a considerable amount of otherwise not readily available material, maintaining a tone of cultivated but lively and personally engaged learning throughout. . . . The choice of texts is what makes this anthology unique and really interesting. --Celica Milovanovic, The Classical Outlook

About this edition

• Publisher: Hackett Publishing Company, Inc.
• Publication date: 2004
• ISBN 10: 0872207218
• ISBN 13: 9780872207219
• Binding: Paperback
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 576