"First published in three separate volumes from 1855 to 1863... It quickly became the standard source of classic tales from Ancient Greece and Rome, the Norse tradition, and beyond. This edition contains the full text of The Age of Fable, or Stories of Gods and Heroes, the first volume of Bulfinch's seminal work. From stories of the Greek gods of Mt. Olympus to retellings of the Illiad and the Odyssey, from descriptions of mythological monsters to tales of Hindu and Egyptian deities, Bulinch's versions of these classic stories bring their characters to life. Throughout the text, Bulfinch includes examples of literary interpretations of and allusions to the various stories and points out proverbial expressions that have their origins in the mythology he relates, making this a vital reference for students of literature as well as a delightfully vibrant collection of the stories that form our cultural heritage."
I totally agree with the above summary. I found this so interesting that he transfers these stories to the works by such literary giants as Byron, Tennyson, Milton, and Virgil; and works of art in places like the Louvre. It makes me wish I knew these myths better so that I could have understood many things I have read and seen over the years.
It was such a water hose of myths that it was hard to soak it all in. I wished I had an illustrated version! I followed The Iliad and Odyssey because I taught these two in classical literature with homeschoolers.
This book is not for everyone. I think most would find it quite dry. I found parts fascinating and parts dry.
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