The Gods of Olympus

A History

Nonfiction, History, Ancient History, Greece, Social & Cultural Studies, Social Science, Folklore & Mythology
Cover of the book The Gods of Olympus by Barbara Graziosi, Henry Holt and Co.
View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart
Author: Barbara Graziosi ISBN: 9781429943154
Publisher: Henry Holt and Co. Publication: March 11, 2014
Imprint: Metropolitan Books Language: English
Author: Barbara Graziosi
ISBN: 9781429943154
Publisher: Henry Holt and Co.
Publication: March 11, 2014
Imprint: Metropolitan Books
Language: English

An elegant and entertaining account of the transformations of the Greek gods across the ages, from antiquity to the Renaissance and the present day

The gods of Olympus are the most colorful characters of Greek civilization: even in antiquity, they were said to be cruel, oversexed, mad, or just plain silly. Yet for all their foibles and flaws, they proved to be tough survivors, far outlasting classical Greece itself. In Egypt, the Olympian gods claimed to have given birth to pharaohs; in Rome, they led respectable citizens into orgiastic rituals of drink and sex. Under Christianity and Islam they survived as demons, allegories, and planets; and in the Renaissance, they triumphantly emerged as ambassadors of a new, secular belief in humanity. Their geographic range, too, has been little short of astounding: in their exile, the gods and goddesses of Olympus have traveled east to the walls of cave temples in China and west to colonize the Americas. They snuck into Italian cathedrals, haunted Nietzsche, and visited Borges in his restless dreams.
In a lively, original history, Barbara Graziosi offers the first account to trace the wanderings of these protean deities through the millennia. Drawing on a wide range of literary and archaeological sources, The Gods of Olympus opens a new window on the ancient world, religion, mythology, and its lasting influence.

View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart

An elegant and entertaining account of the transformations of the Greek gods across the ages, from antiquity to the Renaissance and the present day

The gods of Olympus are the most colorful characters of Greek civilization: even in antiquity, they were said to be cruel, oversexed, mad, or just plain silly. Yet for all their foibles and flaws, they proved to be tough survivors, far outlasting classical Greece itself. In Egypt, the Olympian gods claimed to have given birth to pharaohs; in Rome, they led respectable citizens into orgiastic rituals of drink and sex. Under Christianity and Islam they survived as demons, allegories, and planets; and in the Renaissance, they triumphantly emerged as ambassadors of a new, secular belief in humanity. Their geographic range, too, has been little short of astounding: in their exile, the gods and goddesses of Olympus have traveled east to the walls of cave temples in China and west to colonize the Americas. They snuck into Italian cathedrals, haunted Nietzsche, and visited Borges in his restless dreams.
In a lively, original history, Barbara Graziosi offers the first account to trace the wanderings of these protean deities through the millennia. Drawing on a wide range of literary and archaeological sources, The Gods of Olympus opens a new window on the ancient world, religion, mythology, and its lasting influence.

More books from Henry Holt and Co.

Cover of the book This Land Is Their Land by Barbara Graziosi
Cover of the book Dead Opposite by Barbara Graziosi
Cover of the book The Attack of the 50-Foot Teacher by Barbara Graziosi
Cover of the book Petty by Barbara Graziosi
Cover of the book Froonga Planet by Barbara Graziosi
Cover of the book King Flashypants and the Toys of Terror by Barbara Graziosi
Cover of the book A Place of Secrets by Barbara Graziosi
Cover of the book The Glass Bead Game by Barbara Graziosi
Cover of the book Fraser's Penguins by Barbara Graziosi
Cover of the book Broken as Things Are by Barbara Graziosi
Cover of the book The Jolly Roger Social Club by Barbara Graziosi
Cover of the book Marty Frye, Private Eye: The Case of the Busted Video Games & Other Mysteries by Barbara Graziosi
Cover of the book What a Wonderful World by Barbara Graziosi
Cover of the book The Electric War by Barbara Graziosi
Cover of the book Saga of the Sioux by Barbara Graziosi
We use our own "cookies" and third party cookies to improve services and to see statistical information. By using this website, you agree to our Privacy Policy