Author Description

Extensive and colourful mythologies of gods, heroes, places, and natural phenomena are hallmarks of all great ancient civilizations. Lacking our rational understandings of the laws of nature, early peoples throughout the world created and relied on a vast array of myth to explain the perplexing and sometimes terrifying event with which they were confronted.Alexander Murray begins this fascinating guide to well-known mythological figures with an account of the creation of the world out of 'a great shapeless mass'. According to classical mythology, from this chaos fashioned the first basic elements of love, earth, sea, sky, night, and day. The twelve Olympian gods, the highest order of gods, sat high above this creation and ruled the world through whim and caprice.Including many major mythical figures from classical, European, Eastern and Egyptian mythology, this comprehensive book is an invaluable illustrated reference work to the great myths that continue to intrigue readers to this day.