This concise and wide ranging encyclopedia of Greek mythology is an excellent companion to the numerous characters populating the mythology of one of the world's most enduring cultures. With no introduction – one is not required for a work of this format – the 218 page book is a handy and cheap reference companion that should grace the shelves of many a student or trivia enthusiast.
Reading the entries one can quickly become lost in the wonderful history, attempting to pronounce some of the more fantastic names and being enthralled by the links between Greek mythology and language and modern day Western concepts. This is a highly approachable book written in an easily accessible style that welcomes the novice historian but at the same time provides the seasoned academic with a very quick reference tool.
Entries range in length from those of one line instructing the reader where to find the cross referenced entry, (for example “Juno. Roman name for Hera, queen of the gods. See Hera”), to the two page entry for characters such as Jason, Menelaus, Psyche and more. The entries themselves encourage much cross‐referenced reading for invariably the character under consideration will be the lover, wife, husband, brother, sister, nephew and so forth of another more notable character. By reading the cross‐referenced entries the reader will find that they build up a better idea of the complex nature of Greek mythology. Furthermore, each entry alludes to the wider history of the ancient Greeks and by default Romans, with stories relating to the Trojan War, the labours of Hercules, the Clash of the Titans and also to Greece's neighbours including Eleusis, Phoenicia and Sparta. In this way the Handbook is actually an intriguing and thought provoking volume that may galvanize the casual browser to delve further into the ancient histories of both Greece and Rome.
Discussion and “I never knew that” comments are also an interesting and inevitable by‐product of reading the Handbook. For example, a revelation to me was learning that the acanthus thorn bush is so called as a result of Apollo turning Acantha into a thorn after she spurned his advances and scratched his face. The story of Hyacinthus is that of yet another flower related mythical person included in the Handbook. Learning that Mount Atlas came to be as a result of Atlas being turned to stone after looking at the head of the Gorgon was an interesting fact. The tragedy of Echo and the cruelty of Rumour, one of the Demons whose entry appears in the Handbook are also related to the development of language and as such are particularly interesting, although brief, entries that are likely to prompt further research.
This is a very helpful, easy to use, highly accessible and immensely readable companion to the characters populating Greek mythology. The way in which they were adopted into Roman myths can clearly be seen and from thus the way in which many of the names and concepts became a part of the everyday life of Western Europe is very clear. For students of language the Handbook may prove to be helpful when studying the etymology of words and the book should be an indispensable aid to all fans of trivia, quizzes and fascinating dinner party facts. This should not in any way be considered a detraction from what is an eminently successful Handbook, rather it should be considered as a positive recommendation for the accessibility of this fascinating volume.
