Greek and Egyptian Mythologies

Rating:
Summary: Incredible...insightful...inspiring...
Review: I could attempt to write a review of this work, but
it is so rich, satisfying, informative, and inspiring
a volume that I would rather quote from the back
cover, which seems to me to sum up the perfections of
this compilation.
"GREEK AND EGYPTIAN MYTHOLOGIES features seventy-two
articles, reproduced in full [in English translation]
with illustrations, from the acclaimed two-volume
MYTHOLOGIES. Written by distinguished scholars, the
articles explore a fascinating variety of themes and
topics. The section on Greek myth surveys mythologies
of creation, power, war, death, and sexuality; articles
on gods, goddesses and their cults bring fresh perspectives
to our understanding of religion in Greek societies. The
discussions of myth in Egypt are equally wide ranging --
from cosmology, anthropology, ritual, and religion to the
cults of Isis and the fate of the Egyptian gods from the
Middle Ages to the eighteenth century.
"The articles offer illuminating examples of the working
of myth in cultures past and present -- how we create, use,
and are guided by systems of myth to answer fundamental
questions about ourselves and our world: Where do we come
from? Who are we? How shall we live? What happens when we
die?
"Building on perspectives developed by such scholars as
Claude Levi-Strauss and Georges Dumezil, and drawing on
such diverse sources as the history of religions,
anthropology, archaeology, literature, and linguistics,
the contributors define a new approach to the study of
myth in society. Rather than simply cataloging gods
and symbols, the articles in MYTHOLOGIES explore the
complex working of myth in past societies and in our lives
today."
-- Back Cover.
---------
The "Introduction: The Interpretation of Mythology"
is incredibly rich and informative. It includes the
essays (never dry or dull! -- always extremely interesting
and inspiring) on: Toward a Definition of Myth. The

Interpretation of Mythos: Nineteenth and Twentieth-
Century Theories. Myth and Writing: The Mythographers.
Prehistoric Religion. "Nomadic Thought" and Religious
Action.
The essays in the rich Part 2 section on Greek mythology
contain such topics (which really interested me) as:
Myth in the Greek City: The Athenian Politics of Myth.
Philosophy and Mythology, from Hesiod to Proclus. Plato's
Mythology and Philosophy. The Neoplatonists and Greek
Myths. Greek Cosmogonic Myths. And these are only some
of the many.
The Part 3 section on Egypt contains such topics as:
Egyptian Cosmogony. Egyptian Anthropology. The Divine
and the Gods in Ancient Egypt. Egyptian Rituals. Death
in Egyptian Religion. Meroitic Religion. The Cults of
Isis among the Greeks and in the Roman Empire. Isis
the Magician, in Greek and Coptic Papyruses. The Fate
of the Egyptian Gods from the Middle Ages to the
Eighteenth Century. And that is the full list of
titles in that section.
All in all, this work is even more stimlating and
insightful than Robert Graves, and I would even put
it far ahead of THE LAROUSSE ENCYCLOPEDIA OF MYTHOLOGY,
which I also own and use.