Comments on: A Primer on Greek Mythology: Part II — The Mortal World and Its Heroes

By: Michael B.

Michael B. — Thu, 11 Oct 2012 01:38:27 +0000

In the play Medea, not only does Medea murder Jason’s new bride, but the princess’s father, and both of her sons with Jason.

I really dug into a lot of Nathaniel Hawthorne’s books on Greek mythology when I was younger, and had a wonderful encyclopedia of mythology that covered the Greek/Roman, Norse, Persian, and other mythologies.

Other good reads are available freely online, such as the plays for Medea, Agamemnon, The Trojan Women, Ajax… aaaaaaaaaand, that’s all I can remember off the top of my head.

Took a Greek civ course and a drama course one semester for my undergrad, and we just happened to read the plays following The Illiad for the greek civ, and then Medea for the drama course. Got all A’s that semester… easy to do when you love the material.

By: blake

blake — Wed, 10 Oct 2012 01:26:52 +0000

J. Delancey, the Greeks used to be of a “shame” morality, where the only thing that mattered regarding “right or wrong” was what your friends thought. enemies did not matter. that is why so many things they did seem treacherous or heroic to us. with Socrates there came “guilt” morality, where your own conscience is what matters, not the opinions of others. Socrates was the antithesis to Achilles. again, I think this is something that every man should study closely, because everyone will find himself in a situation at one time or another that demands you know which of those to use, also to understand why others are doing what they are doing.

By: Jaredd Wilson

Jaredd Wilson — Mon, 08 Oct 2012 12:04:21 +0000

The Greeks have good stories about the human condition, but I have to go with the Norse for my favorite mythos. They tell the same type of stories, but in an even more grandiose, shakespearian, operatic way.

By: blake

blake — Mon, 08 Oct 2012 01:48:48 +0000

Greek mythology is just a starting point of interest. I think every man should study the barbaric morality of pre-Homeric Greece (The Iliad, The Odyssey) and how everything completely changed with Socrates (Apology, Crito, and Phaedo by Plato). succinctly explained by Nietzsche in “Homer’s Contest”.

By: J. Delancy

J. Delancy — Mon, 08 Oct 2012 00:13:44 +0000

Read most these stories in Bullfinch’s Mythology which still sits on my bookshelf. The book also contains the Norse myths which include stories of Loki, Thor and Odin, who we saw recently in The Avengers.
Despite the treachery found in Greek myths, heroes abound and there are lessons on honor to be found throughout.

By: Kirk

Kirk — Sun, 07 Oct 2012 23:23:12 +0000

Very good summary. Thanks.

By: Gary McMains

Gary McMains — Sun, 07 Oct 2012 14:57:40 +0000

I would like you to know that I reference your articles on a consistent basis, as I try to help my sons and son-in-laws become the men they should and can be. It’s great that there is a website like yours to off set all of the emasculating crap that is out there. Your posts offer a clear picture for manly men. Thanks

By: AJ Garceau

AJ Garceau — Sun, 07 Oct 2012 03:05:36 +0000

Amazing – So thankful that you guys did another

By: Derek

Derek — Sun, 07 Oct 2012 01:36:17 +0000

quibble: Ovid is Roman. Many of his tales are based on Greek ones, but he’s still Roman.

Further reading:
The Routledge Handbook of Greek Mythology; Robin Hard.
A summary of major myths and most regional-minor ones.

http://www.Theoi.com for source material.

By: Daniel Guichard

Daniel Guichard — Sat, 06 Oct 2012 20:39:17 +0000

Great text, man.

Greek mythology is such a rich path to understand the dilemmas of human kind. Thanks for your good work.