GODS OF OLYMPUS

An engaging introduction to a fascinating topic . . . Graziosi narrates the many metamorphoses of the Greek gods with humor and erudition.―The Christian Science MonitorThe gods of Olympus are the most colorful characters of Greek civilization: even in antiquity they were said to be cruel oversexed mad or just plain silly. Yet for all their foibles and flaws they proved to be tough survivors far outlasting classical Greece itself. In Egypt the Olympian gods claimed to have given birth to pharaohs; in Rome they led respectable citizens into orgiastic rituals of drink and sex. Under Christianity and Islam they survived as demons allegories and planets; and in the Renaissance they triumphantly emerged as ambassadors of a new secular belief in humanity. Their geographic range too has been astounding: in their exile the gods and goddesses of Olympus have traveled east to the walls of cave temples in China and west to colonize the Americas. They snuck into Italian cathedrals haunted Nietzsche and visited Borges in his restless dreams a lively original history Barbara Graziosi offers the first account to trace the wanderings of these protean deities through the millennia. Drawing on a wide range of literary and archaeological sources The Gods of Olympus opens a new window on the ancient world religion mythology and its lasting influence. Cutting-edge history. . . . Barbara Graziosi here breaks new ground in the interpretation of the major Greek gods ―Times Higher Education (London) For novices and enthusiasts alike a comprehensive and absorbing study of the gods of Olympus and how their cultural roles have changed over the centuries. ―Shelf AwarenessEngaging . . . Intelligent and entertaining. ―Publishers Weekly A book to savor. ―Kirkus Reviews