Gods and Heroes of Ancient Greece

From fire-stealing Prometheus to scene-stealing Helen of Troy, from Jason and his golden fleece to Oedipus and his mother, this collection of classic tales from Greek mythology demonstrates the inexhaustible vitality of a timeless cultural legacy. These stories of heroes and powerful gods and goddesses are set forth simply and movingly, in language that retains the power and drama of the original works by Aeschylus, Sophocles, Euripides, and Homer.

Introduction by Werner Jaeger
With black-and-white illustrations throughout
Part of the Pantheon Fairy Tale and Folklore Library

INTRODUCTION BY WERNER JAEGER 15
 
PART I
 
PROMETHEUS 31
THE AGES OF MAN 36
PYRRHA AND DEUCALION 39
ZEUS AND IO 42
PHAETHON 47
EUROPA 52
CADMUS 57
PENTHEUS 60
PERSEUS 66
CREUSA AND ION 72
DAEDALUS AND ICARUS 82
THE STORY OF THE ARGONAUTS 86
        Jason and Pelias 86
        The Cause and the Outset of the Voyage of the Argonauts 88
        The Argonauts at Lemnos 89
        The Argonauts in the Land of the Doliones 92
        Heracles Left Behind 94
        Polydeuces and the King of the Bebrycians 96
        Phineus and the Harpies 97
        The Symplegades 100
        Further Adventures 101
        Jason in the Palace of Aeetes 105
        Medea and Aeetes 107
        The Counsel of Argus 109
        Medea Promises to Help the Argonauts 112
        Jason and Medea 113
        Jason Does the Bidding of Aeetes 117
        Medea Takes the Golden Fleece 121
        The Argonauts are Pursued and Escape with Medea 124
        The Argonauts on their Homeward Journey 128
        The Colchians Continue their Pursuit 132
        The Last Adventures of the Argonauts 133
        Jason’s End 138
MELEAGER AND THE BOAR 143
TANTALUS 147
PELOPS 148
NIOBE 150
SALMONEUS 155
HERACLES 156
        The Infant Heracles 156
        The Rearing of Heracles 157
        Heracles at the Crossroads 158
        The First Adventures of Heracles 160
        Heracles Fights the Giants 162
        Heracles and Eurystheus 165
        The First Three Labors of Heracles 166
        The Fourth, Fifth and Sixth Labors of Heracles 169
        The Seventh, Eighth and Ninth Labors of Heracles 172
        The Last Three Labors of Heracles 175
        Heracles and Eurytus 182
        Heracles and Admetus 183
        Heracles in the Service of Omphale 188
        Subsequent Exploits of Heracles 191
        Heracles and Deianira 193
        Heracles and Nessus 195
        Heracles, Iole, and Deianira. His End 196
BELLEROPHON 202
THESEUS 206
        His Birth and his Youth 206
        His Journey to his Father 208
        Theseus in Athens 210
        Theseus in Minos 211
        King Theseus 215
        The War with the Amazons 217
        Theseus and Pirithous 218
        Theseus and Phaedra 222
        Theseus and Helen 226
        The End of Theseus 228
THE STORY OF KING OEDIPUS 230
        The Birth of Oedipus, his Youth, his Flight, and the Murder of his Father 230
        Oedipus in Thebes 234
        The Discovery 235
        Jocasta and Oedipus Inflict Punishment on Themselves 239
        Oedipus and Antigone 240
        Oedipus at Colonus 241
        Oedipus and Theseus 245
        Oedipus and Creon 246
        Oedipus and Polynices 247
THE SEVEN AGAINST THEBES 251
        Polynices and Tydeus as the Guests of Adrastus 251
        The Heroes Set Out. Hypsipyle and Opheltes 253
        The Heroes Arrives in Thebes 256
        Menoeceus 258
        The Attack upon Thebes 260
        Brothers in Single Combat 262
        Creon’s Resolve 266
        Antigone and Creon 268
        Haemon and Antigone 269
        Creon’s Punishment 270
        The Burial of the Heroes of Thebes 271
THE EPIGONI 272
ALCMAEON AND THE NECKLACE 275
THE HERACLIDAE 277
        The Heraclidae Come to Athens 277
        Demophoon 279
        Macaria 282
        The Battle 283
        Eurystheus and Alemene 286
        Hyllus and His Descendants 287
        The Heraclidae Divide Up the Peloponneus 292
        Merope and Aepytus 296
 
PART II
 
TALES OF TROY 299
        The Building of Troy 299
        Priam, Hecuba, and Paris 302
        The Rape of Helen 305
        The Argives 310
        The Argives Send Priam a Message 315
        Agamemnon and Iphigenia 317
        The Argives Set Out. Philoctetes is Abandoned 328
        The Argives in Mysia. Telephus 329
        Paris Returns 333
        The Argives before Troy 334
        Fighting Begins. Protesilaus. Cycnus 338
        The Death of Palamedes 342
        Achilles and Ajax 343
        Polydoras 346
        Chryses, Apollo, and the Wrath of Achilles 350
        Agamemnon Tries the Argives 356
        Paris and Menelaus 361
        Pandarus 367
        The Battle. Diomedes 371
        Glaucus and Diomedes 382
        Hector in Troy 383
        Hector and Ajax in Single Combat 388
        The Truce 392
        A Trojan Victory 394
        The Argives Send a Message to Achilles 399
        Dolon and Rhesus 402
        Another Argive Defeat 407
        The Fight at the Wall 414
        The Struggle for the Ships 417
        Poseidon Strengthens the Achaeans 423
        Apollo Revives Hector 428
        The Death of Patroclus 435
        The Grief of Achilles 449
        Achilles Newly Armed 452
        Achilles and Agamemnon Reconciled 457
        The Battle of Gods and Men 462
        Achilles Fights the River-God Scamander 467
        The Battle if the Gods 471
        Achilles and Hector Before the Gates 474
        The Death of Hector 476
        The Funeral of Patroclus 481
        Priam Visits Achilles 488
        Hector’s Body in Troy 496
        Penthesilea 498
        Memnon 508
        The Death of Achilles 515
        Funeral Games for Achilles 519
        The Death of Ajax the Great 523
        Machaon and Podalirius 529
        Neoptolemus 533
        Philoctetes on Lemnos 539
        The Death of Paris 544
        The Storming of Troy 547
        The Wooden Horse 549
        The Destruction of Troy 559
        Menelaus and Helen. Polyxena 563
        Departure from Troy. Ajax of Locris Dies 567
THE LAST TANTALIDES 572
        Agamemnon’s Line and House 572
        Agamemnon’s End 575
        Agamemnon is Avenged 579
        Orestes and the Furies 589
        Iphigenia in the Land of the Tauri 597
ODYSSEUS 609
        Telemachus and the Suitors 609
        Telemachus and Nestor 616
        Telemachus in Sparta 620
        The Suitor’s Plot 623
        Odysseus Leaves Calypso and is Shipwrecked 625
        Nausicaa 629
        Odysseus and the Phaeacians 633
        Odysseus Tells the Tales of his Wanderings to the Phaeacians. The Cicones. The Lotus-Eaters. The Cyclopes. Polyphemus 642
        Odysseus Continues his Tale. The Leather Bag of Aeolus. The Laestrygonians. Circe 651
        Odysseus Continues his Tale. The Realm of Shades 661
        Odysseus Continues his Tale. The Sirens. Scylla and Charybdis. Thrinacia and the Hers of the Sun-God. Shipwreck. Odysseus and Calypso 665
        Odysseus Bids the Phaeacians Farewell 671
        Odysseus Reaches Ithaca 673
        Odysseus Visits the Swineherd 677
        Telmachus Leaves Sparta 682
        With the Swineherd 686
        Telemaches Returns 688
        Odysseus Reveals Himself to his Son 691
        The City and the Palace 693
        Telemachus, Odysseus, and Eumaeus Reach the City 696
        Odysseus, the Beggar, in the Hall 700
        Odysseus and the Beggar Irus 703
        Penelope and the Suitors 705
        Odysseus Mocked Again 708
        Odysseus Alone with Telmachus and Penelope 709
        Night and Morning in the Palace 715
        The Feast 717
        The Contest with the Bow 719
        Odysseus Reveals Himself to the Good Herdsmen 721
        Vengeance 725
        The Servants are Punished 730
        Odysseus and Penelope 732
        Odysseus and Laertes 735
        Athene Calms Rebellion in the City 739
        Odysseus the Victor 741
 
INDEX 745