本书以经典文本为主要载体，融故事欣赏与文化解读为一体，既可作为大学本科英语专业和非英语专业二、三年级教材，也可供有一定英语知识、对西方文化及其神话传说感兴趣的广大读者阅读和欣赏。旨在提高学生的英语阅读能力和文学文化鉴赏水平，增进学生对西方文化精神的理解，帮助学生逐渐形成批判性思维习惯。

适读人群 ：学生,教师,一般读者


内容完整，系统梳理希腊罗马基本神话知识与经典文学主题，帮助学生理解西方文化精髓；
选材经典，融故事欣赏与文化解读为一体，提高学生的文学文化鉴赏水平；
练习精炼，循序渐进，帮助学生了解神话知识的同时，养成批判性思维习惯。

马建军，广东外语外贸大学英语语言文化学院教授，研究方向为英语小说、女性，近年来主要教授课程为1-3年级精读、英国文学、希腊罗马神话、短篇小说、西方古典文论、二十世纪西方批评理论等。

Table of Contents
Introduction…………………………………………………………………………………… 1
Definition of Mythology
Common Approaches to Mythology
Greco-Roman Mythology： Classic and Popular
Unit 1 Myths of Universe Creation………………………………………………………………15
Account from Hesiod’s Theogony
The Pelasgian Creation Myth
The Homeric-Orphic Creation Myths
Account from Metamorphoses by Ovid
Account of Mythopoeia
Hindu Creation Myth
Chinese Creation Myth
Unit 2 Five Ages of Man…………………………………………………………………………25
The Five Ages of Mankind
Hesiod’s Version
Alienation of the Human from the Divine
Prometheus and Mankind
Pandora’s Box
The Deucalion Deluge and Human Creation
Unit 3 Titanic and Olympian Genealogy…………………………………………………………37
A Survey of the Divine Family
Uranus and Cronus
Gaia’s Children
Cronus and Zeus
Titanomachy
The Olympian Family
The Family Tree
Major Olympians
Minor Gods and Goddesses and Demigods
Unit 4 Major Olympian Deities (I)………………………………………………………………57
Zeus
King of Gods and Goddesses
Zeus and Hera
Zeus and His Mortal Lovers
Zeus’ Children
Apollo
Birth of Apollo
The Oracle of Delphi
Apollo’s Love
Musical Contests
Dionysus
Birth of Dionysus
The Wanderings of Dionysus
The Dionysia
Unit 5 Major Olympian Deities (II)……………………………………………………………81
Hera
Queen of the Heavens
Strife Between Hera and Zeus
Ability of Parthenogenesis
Stereotype of a Nagging and Jealous Wife
Aphrodite
Birth and Marriage
Stereotype of Mistress
Aphrodite and Adonis
Athena
Birth of Athena
Nature of Athena
Athena and Athens
Contest with Arachne
Unit 6 Greek Heroes (I)………………………………………………………………………… 99
Perseus
Birth of Perseus
Beheading of Medusa， the Gorgon
Rescue of Andromeda
Fulfilling the Prophecy
Heracles
Birth of Heracles
Twelve Labors of Heracles
Heracles’ Love and Death
Twelfth Labor： Fetching Cerberus
Unit 7 Greek Heroes