Elements of Mythology: Intended to Enable the Reader to Understand the Ancient Writers of Greece and Rome

Elements Of Mythology: Intended To Enable The Reader To Understand The Ancient Writers Of Greece And Rome by Abraham John Valpy. This nineteenth?century introduction to classical myth traces the origins and worship of the pagan deities and the principal heroes and demi?gods of ancient Greece and Rome. The Preface explains that the plan was inspired by a French work and aims to present a plain, accessible history for the youthful mind, avoiding indecent expressions and promoting a rational object of worship and morality. Book I surveys the origin and worship of the gods, including Saturn, Cybele, Jupiter, Juno, Apollo, Diana, Bacchus, Mercury, Venus, and the celestial bodies and infernal powers; it describes temples, sacrifices, priesthood, and religious practices. Book II covers Perseus, Hercules, Theseus, the Argonauts, Cadmus, Oedipus, the Theban wars, the Trojan saga, and the adventures of Ulysses and Aeneas, interwoven with allegory and moral commentary. The work also discusses domestic deities, oracles, and the interpretive readings of myths.