What should i read first

Hi everyone, I'm new to the forum and have some basic underlying knowledge of Greek mythology, but I'm running a competition (starting in Jan) to do with interpretations of the mythology - both visual and written - and I feel I need to know more. While I'm getting advice from a friend of mine who's PHD was based on Lemnos and Cyzicus, I feel I should have a better understanding of it myself. My question is, where should I start?
 

Sara

New Member
Hi, I suggest you to read the main source about the greek mythology: the "Metamorphoses" by Ovidio, a poem in which many myths are bound by the common theme of metamorphoses. I've just read it: it's not boring, is very fluently and Ovidio write in a easy way but at the same time the tales alllow to meet several characters with a deep introspection life described by the autor.
 
Hi Sara, thanks! I've read this poem years ago - as I recall it was during the summer hols! I think a re-read now would be very beneficial, thanks again for your input.
 

Munnin13

New Member
You probably read Edith Hamilton's Mythology by now and The Golden Bough? The Odyssey and the Aeneid are awesome of course, but fairly standard too. If this is the case, the next level of knowledge I would recommend is Richard Lewis Farnell, The Cults of the Greek States. After that, the writings of Pausanias in translation provide so much detail, I for one can never get enough of his descriptions of the different temples probably because he was one of the last witnesses to the mythological greatness.
 
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