GREEK MYTHS

The Greek myths are timeless classics, whose scenes and figures have captivated us since ancient times. The gods and heroes of these legends hold up a mirror to the human condition, embodying universal characteristics and truths - whether it be the courage of Perseus, the greed of Midas, the vaulting ambition of Icarus, the vengeance of Medea, or the hubris of Niobe. These traits are the basis for the bedrock of our culture and literature today and remain relevant and fascinating for all readers, young and old alike. This edition contains 47 tales based on the most famous episodes in Greek mythology, from Prometheus and Pandora, Daedalus and Icarus, the Argonauts, The Golden Fleece, and Tales of Troy with Priam, Hecuba and Paris, The Abduction of Helen, Hector in Troy, The Wooden Horse, Theseus to the Trojan War and Homer's Odyssey with The Sirens, Penelope, Arachne and Midas. The individual texts are selected from the seminal work Gods and Heroes: Myths and Epics of Ancient Greece by Gustav Schwab (1792-1850), and strikingly illustrated by 29 artists, among them outstanding representatives of the Golden Age of Book Illustration and the Arts and Crafts Movement including Walter Crane (1845-1915), Arthur Rackham (1867-1939), William Russell Flint (1880-1969), and Virginia Frances Sterrett (1900-1930). These illustrations are complemented by scene-setting vignettes for each story and a genealogical tree of Greek gods and goddesses by Clifford Harper, commissioned especially for this volume. Placing the tales in context, the book contains a historical introduction by Dr Michael Siebler and is rounded off with biographies of all featured artists as well as an extensive glossary of Ancient Greece's most famous protagonists. New from Taschen, lavishly illustrated in colour plates an exquisite line art and woodcuts, quarter- clothbound, 20.5 x 25.6cm, heavyweight 336 pages, two colourful satin pagemarkers, glossary.