What are you reading? 5
Recently a friend asked me if, as a child, my favorite story in Edith Hamilton’s Mythology was Perseus vs. Medusa. “I liked the Perseus story,” I said, “But my favorite was the House of Atreus.” “That explains so much,” she said.
The House of Atreus was a spectacularly unlucky royal clan: bloodshed, murder, matricide, human sacrifice, hounding by The Furies, curses and eternal punishment. The cause of the family’s doom was their ancestor, Tantalus.
Tantalus was a favorite of the gods, but he turned against them for no particular reason. He invited them to a banquet at his palace, where he served them a meat stew made of his son Pelops. But his immortal guests knew what the dish was made of. They restored Pelops to life—a feat, as he had been chopped up and cooked—and condemned Tantalus to an eternity of torment. He was set in a pool in the underworld, in a state of perpetual hunger and thirst. Every time he stooped to have a drink of water, the water would drain away instantly. Around the pool were the low-hanging branches of trees heavily laden with fruit. Every time he reached for the fruit, the branches would move away. Tantalus was surrounded by food and drink, but he could never slake his hunger and thirst. I think the verb “to tantalize” comes from his name.
House Atreides in Frank Herbert’s science-fiction epic Dune was probably descended from the House of Atreus, hence their bad luck. The original Atreus, by the way, discovered that his brother was in love with his (Atreus’s) wife. So he had his brother’s children killed, cooked, and served to the unsuspecting brother. What a recipe to be handed down for generations.
Published in 1942, Mythology by Edith Hamilton is a retelling of myths and legends from ancient Greece, Rome, and Scandinavia. The creation myths, the heroic tales of Jason, Hercules and Theseus (the early superheroes), the Iliad, Odyssey, and Aeneid, the Norse sagas, they’re all here. These stories are not meant to convey moral lessons (The ancient gods behaved very badly, much worse than the humans) or to teach people how to live (I do know that eating people is wrong). They’re just great stories, and a solid foundation for appreciating literature. These myths were the subjects of classical art, opera, poetry, and theatre, and knowing them enriches one’s understanding of all these works. Those classical allusions in Shakespeare, James Joyce, and everyone else—they’re all here. Those women in helmets and long blonde braids in eight-hour Wagner operas—this is what they’re bellowing about. If you plan to take up reading, this is a good place to start.
Answers to questions you might be asking, unless you wandered onto this site purely by accident >>>
April 7th, 2008 at 22:36
Hey, Jessica, I still haven’t picked up my prize book from you. Been quite hectic for me this past weeks, but my problem is, where exactly is Anvil Publishing? Is it on the side of Shangri-la Plaza? I usually stay away from Shaw Blvd. because of the evil jeepneys and the horrendous traffic. Is it near Unilab? Also, would you do me the honor of signing the book for me? Thank you.
April 8th, 2008 at 10:13
It’s interesting that the Romans and Brits (the original ones anyway, not the Anglo-Saxons and Normans) claim descent from the Trojans; the Romans thru Aeneas son Ascanius also called Iulus, and the Brits through Ascanius’s grandson Brutus or Britto, (hence the name Britain). I once found it interesting that Romans in movies always had British accents and it turns out that some Roman emperors were of British descent.
April 8th, 2008 at 19:26
I read Edith Hamilton’s Mythology when I was in high school. We were assigned to read Jason and the Argonauts and Cupid and Psyche. I liked the other stories so I ended up reading the whole book. But I lent the book to a classmate and it’s been four years since he has not returned the book. I missed reading it. Although I still remember the story of Orpheus which is one of my favorites.
April 8th, 2008 at 22:21
One of my biggest regrets was not being able to appreciate greek mythology.. i guess its not too late
April 9th, 2008 at 02:35
Looooooove that book, and always fascinated by Greek mythology!!!
I love the story of how the Trojan War started and the story after that!!
My favorite God was Athena, she sprung from Zeus head after a headache!
Talo ang Advil sa pukpok ni Hephaestus!
April 9th, 2008 at 11:21
“cupid and psyche” was my favorite in high school. but then my likes evolved and so was my favorite story in this mythology collection. Norse mythology, as told in the Eddas, fascinates me most these days because of their tragedy (their gods are doomed) and the Christian connection.
April 9th, 2008 at 12:12
that was the black one with miss hamilton’s face at the middle!!! i loved the story of atalanta and that guy who beat her and pygmalion and galatea.. ahm.. my favorite god would be athena as well. :)
April 9th, 2008 at 13:11
Hi i copied and pasted this blog to our group website, bookhawk.multiply.com , a new site for Booksale, NBS POB, etc. bargain hunters. Hope it’s ok. Also posted your site address. Thanks.
April 10th, 2008 at 05:33
Hm, I think, if anything, the ancient myths (mostly) teach us how not to be jerks… all the while telling us that it’s these same jerks that make stories interesting. Loki, Zeus, Theseus, Eris, Ajax (the horny one), et al, would hate having them as roomies. Except for Athena, she rules.
April 10th, 2008 at 12:41
What’s with all this Athena-love going on here? I think she’s a bitch for what she and the Greeks did to Troy. The Greeks are petty, boorish thugs compared to the suave and sophisticated Trojans. Achilles was a spoiled bully. And Odysseus? Come on. A lying, scheming, bastard. Have you ever thought about why there are no condoms named Greeks? You behave like the ancient Greeks, no woman would date you. Of her own free will, that is. :-D
April 10th, 2008 at 13:50
The creation myths rocked. And don’t forget the classic Cronus-swallowing-his-kids part. And Zeus overthrowing Cronus.
I admire Hephaestus, for being an excellent craftsman and putting up with his cheating wife, Aphrodite. But Hera made an impact on me, and I fear that I’d want to be her when I get married – I love it when she destroys almost all of her husbands’ other “wives” and girlfriends to smithereens. You’d want to hate her, but she’s such a diva.