Top 10 Greek Mythology Books

Top 10 Greek Mythology Books:

1. The Odyssey
     Homer

If you’re looking for a crash course in ancient Greek mythology, there is perhaps no better choice of reading material than the exciting epic poem “The Odyssey.” The details of Odysseus’ heroic journey home from the Trojan War were kept alive through oral tradition for hundreds of years before Homer ever set pen to parchment, which means every detail works together to weave a fascinating and rhythmic tale.

2. Iliad
  Homer

There are not many books which stand the test of time, however it's safe to say that the Iliad, which dates back beyond 1,000 BC, passes that test.
Nine years after the start of the Trojan War, the Greek ( Achaean ) army sacks Chryse, a town allied with Troy. During the battle, the Achaeans capture a pair of beautiful maidens, Chryseis and Briseis. Agamemnon, the leader of the Achaean forces, takes Chryseis as his prize, and Achilles, the Achaeans’ greatest warrior, claims Briseis.


3. Aeneid
Virgil ( Publius Vergilius Maro)

 The book begins with the Trojan fleet sailing from Sicily and now near Carthage, 7 years after the fall of Troy. Juno bribes Aeolus to unleash storm winds on them, and they founder near Carthage. Venus appeals to Jupiter for their salvation and he reassures her of their glorious future and a golden age to come (the first of many prophecies and futurity scenes)


4. Metamorphoses
Ovid

Metamorphoses (from Greek μετά meta and μορφή morphē, meaning "changes of shape"), is a Latin narrative poem in fifteen books describing the history of the world from its creation to the deification of Julius Caesar within a loose mythico-historical framework. 


5. Jason and the Golden Fleece: ( The Argonautica )
Apollonius of Rhodes

The Argonautica is the dramatic story of Jason's quest for the Golden Fleece and his relations with the dangerous princess Medea. The only surviving Greek epic to bridge the gap between Homer and late antiquity, this epic poem is the crowning literary achievement of the Ptolemaic court at Alexandria, written by Appolonius of Rhodes in the third century BC.

6. Heroides
Ovid
In the twenty-one poems of the "Heroides", Ovid gave voice to the heroines and heroes of epic and myth. These deeply moving literary epistles reveal the happiness and torment of love, as the writers tell of their pain at separation, forgiveness of infidelity or anger at betrayal. The faithful Penelope wonders at the suspiciously long absence of Ulysses, while Dido bitterly reproaches Aeneas for too eagerly leaving her bed to follow his destiny, and Sappho the only historical figure portrayed here describes her passion for the cruelly rejecting Phaon.

7. Eros God of Love
Teri Temple
Introduces the Greek god Eros and explains his importance; features well-known Greek myths about this god; and includes map of ancient Greece and family tree of the Greek gods.

8. Treasury of Greek Mythology: Classic Stories of Gods, Goddesses, Heroes & Monsters
Donna Jo Napoli

9. A Child's Introduction to Greek Mythology: The Stories of the Gods, Goddesses, Heroes, Monsters, and Other Mythical Creatures
Heather Alexander
 
10. The Complete World of Greek Mythology
Richard Buxton

Greek myths are among the most complex and influential stories ever told. From the first millennium BC until today, the myths have been repeated in an inexhaustible series of variations and reinterpretations. They can be found in the latest movies and television shows and in software for interactive computer games. This book combines a retelling of Greek myths with a comprehensive account of the world in which they developed—their themes, their relevance to Greek religion and society, and their relationship to the landscape.

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