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Greek Religion: Greek Mythology
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The scope of Greek mythology is enormous. It extends from the horrific crimes of the early gods and the bloody wars of Troy and Thebes, to the childhood pranks of Hermes and the touching grief of Demeter for Persephone. The legions of gods, goddesses, heroes, heroines, monsters, daemons, nymphs, satyrs, and centaurs that one encounters in traversing this vast landscape are beyond count.
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In Greek mythology, Ares ("battle strife"; in Greek, Ἄρης), is the god of war and before battle people worshipped him. The Romans identified Mars, the god of war that they inherited from the Etruscans, with Hellenic Ares, but maintained a different, less ambiguous relation with him. Among the Hellenes, Ares was always mistrusted: his birthplace and true home was placed afar off, among the barbarous and warlike Thracians (Iliad xiii.301; Odyssey viii.361; Ovid).
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A bibliography of modern works on Greek myth, beginning from Boccaccio's Genealogia degli Dei de Gentili: Carlos Parada, Greek Mythology Link. The developers of modern mythography and hermeneutics, starting from Bulfinch's genteel Christian tradition, in approximate chronological order:
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This is a short survey of Greek religious practice and beliefs from ground level. The texts of Homer, Hesiod, and the Greek dramatists and philosophers, who defined Greek beliefs, have long been known and understood. There is a conventional view of Greek mythology which is taught by rote to school children (at least until recently), which relies on a neat set of 'myths and legends.' It was not until the pioneering efforts of Jane Harrison and other scholars in the 19th century that a picture emerged of what actually constituted Greek religion, and how it evolved. This monograph covers what was known by the middle of the 20th century. It gives a fascinating look at the very earthy popular side of Greek religion, with its noisy (and often messy) festivals, initiations, secret societies, oracles, and a practical but very superstitious belief system. He ... discusses how some of these beliefs and festivals, under the guise of Christianity, have persisted to this day.
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The following sample list offers choices of required readings for the M.A. in Classical Antiquities, Special Field: Greek Mythology and Religion. Students are expected to consult with their advisor before choosing the readings, which will form the basis of their special field examination.
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In addition to Indo-European and Near Eastern origins, some scholars have speculated on the debts of Greek mythology to the still poorly understood pre-Hellenic societies of Greece, such as the Minoans and so-called Pelasgians. This is especially true in the case of chthonic deities and mother goddesses. For some, the three main generations of gods in Hesiod's Theogony (Uranus, Gaia, etc.; the Titans and then the Olympians) suggest a distant echo of a struggle between social groups, mirroring the three major high cultures of Greek civilization: Minoan, Mycenaean and Hellenic.
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Greek Mythology