Edith Hamilton's Mythology: Timeless Tales of Gods and Heroes is widely praised for its engaging storytelling and comprehensive coverage of Greek, Roman, and Norse myths. Reviewers commend its accessibility and educational value, though some note it may oversimplify complex myths. Overall, it remains a beloved and influential introduction to classical mythology.

Mythology enthusiasts and classic literature lovers will revel in Edith Hamilton’s Mythology: Timeless Tales of Gods and Heroes. Ideal for fans of Bulfinch’s Mythology and Homer’s The Iliad, this reader appreciates comprehensive, well-researched tales, exploring ancient myths with keen interest in cultural history and storytelling.

Mythology: Timeless Tales of Gods and Heroes by Edith Hamilton retells Greek, Roman, and Norse myths, assesses their literary significance, and provides unified narratives from disparate sources. Divided into seven sections, it covers creation myths, love and adventure stories, heroes before and during the Trojan War, mythological families, less prominent myths, and Norse cosmology and gods. The book includes descriptions of sexual violence, family violence, bigoted language, suicidal ideation, incest, kidnapping, and death.

Informative / Mysterious / Fantastical / Adventurous

- Edith Hamilton's Mythology: Timeless Tales of Gods and Heroes was first published in 1942 and has since become one of the most beloved and accessible introductions to Greek, Roman, and Norse myths.
- The book is praised not only for its engaging storytelling but also for Hamilton's efforts to reflect the values and themes of the original myths while making them accessible to a modern audience.
- Mythology: Timeless Tales of Gods and Heroes has been influential in popular culture, inspiring numerous adaptations and serving as a foundational reference for anyone interested in mythological studies.

**Edith Hamilton**  
An American classicist and author who wrote about Greece and Rome for the general public, notably interpreting classical literature in her time.

**Homer**  
A legendary bard traditionally associated with the epic poems Iliad and Odyssey, regarded as major poetic works of ancient Greece.

**Hesiod**  
An ancient Greek poet whose works Theogony and Works and Days are among the earliest sources of Greek mythology, focusing on cosmology and practical advice.

**Pindar**  
A lyric poet from Thebes known for his victory odes, which celebrate athletic winners and connect them to mythological heroes.

**Aeschylus**  
A Classical Athenian tragedian whose surviving works, including the Oresteia trilogy, are deeply rooted in mythological themes and narratives.

**Euripides**  
A Classical Athenian tragedian recognized for his enigmatic plays, which often challenge traditional Greek views about the gods and human nature.

**Apollonius of Rhodes**  
A Hellenistic poet known for his epic Jason and the Argonauts, blending heroic narratives with a new city’s cultural identity.

**Virgil**  
A Roman poet whose Aeneid serves as a national epic for Rome, intertwining mythological history with themes of empire and leadership.

**Ovid**  
An Augustan poet known for Metamorphoses, a compendium of Greek mythology that often presents stories with subversive undertones.

**Apollodorus (pseudo-Apollodorus)**  
An unknown author of the Library of Greek Mythology, a prose catalog of Greek myths focusing on recording and preserving various story variants.

Edith Hamilton

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Mythology: Timeless Tales of Gods and Heroes Summary and Study Guide

Background

Mythology: Timeless Tales of Gods and Heroes Background

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Chapter Summaries & Analyses

Preface and Introduction

Mythology: Timeless Tales of Gods and Heroes Preface and Introduction Summary & Analysis

Part 1: “The Gods, the Creation, and the Earliest Heroes”

Part 1, Chapter 1

Mythology: Timeless Tales of Gods and Heroes Part 1, Chapter 1 Summary & Analysis

Part 1, Chapters 2-4

Mythology: Timeless Tales of Gods and Heroes Part 1, Chapters 2-4 Summary & Analysis

Part 2: “Stories of Love and Adventure”

Part 2, Chapters 1-2

Mythology: Timeless Tales of Gods and Heroes Part 2, Chapters 1-2 Summary & Analysis

Part 2, Chapters 3-4

Mythology: Timeless Tales of Gods and Heroes Part 2, Chapters 3-4 Summary & Analysis

Part 3: “The Great Heroes Before the Trojan War”

Part 3 Mythology: Timeless Tales of Gods and Heroes Part 3 Summary & Analysis

Part 4: “The Heroes of the Trojan War”

Part 4 Mythology: Timeless Tales of Gods and Heroes Part 4 Summary & Analysis

Part 5: “The Great Families of Mythology”

Part 5 Mythology: Timeless Tales of Gods and Heroes Part 5 Summary & Analysis

Part 6: “The Less Important Myths”

Part 6 Mythology: Timeless Tales of Gods and Heroes Part 6 Summary & Analysis

Part 7: “The Mythology of the Norseman”

Part 7 Mythology: Timeless Tales of Gods and Heroes Part 7 Summary & Analysis

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Key Figures

Mythology: Timeless Tales of Gods and Heroes Key Figures

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Themes

Mythology: Timeless Tales of Gods and Heroes Themes

Index of Terms

Mythology: Timeless Tales of Gods and Heroes Index of Terms

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Important Quotes

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Mythology: Timeless Tales of Gods and Heroes

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