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Ancient Greek Myths: A Classic Account of the Origin of the Gods, Dionysus, Heracles, Jason and the Argonauts, Theseus and the Minotaur, Oedipus, and More
We are pleased to make this classic work accessible to a wider audience. The Library of History , written between 60 BCE and 30 BCE by Diodorus Siculus, is not widely read because it is loaded down with detailed descriptions of all the nations of his time and obscure histories, which are of interest only to specialists. But there is a gem hidden by all that dusty one of best ancient accounts of many Greek myths. It contains the best surviving account of the entire myth of Heracles. It contains excellent concise accounts of the complete myths of Dionysus, Jason, Medea and the Argonauts, Theseus and the Minotaur, Oedipus and the Seven Against Thebes, and Daedalus. It contains brief accounts of many other myths. This edition includes only the parts of the Library of History that are about Greek myths. It breaks the text up into chapters and adds subheadings to make it more readable. Diodorus sometimes tries to explain away the myths, but soon reverts to the myth itself. For example, he says that Heracles did so much good during his life that people worshiped him after his death, leading to the myth that he was deified after he died. But right afterwards, he says that Hera reconciled with Heracles after he was deified. Whether you are just learning about these myths or are an expert looking for more details about them, this book is for you.
140 pages, Paperback
Published September 24, 2019
About the author
Diodorus Siculus
339 books34 followersDiodorus Siculus (Greek: Διόδωρος Σικελιώτης [Diodoros Sikeliotes]) was a Greek historian, who wrote works of history between 60 and 30 BC. He is known for the monumental universal history Bibliotheca Historica. According to Diodorus' own work, he was born at Agyrium in Sicily (now called Agira). With one exception, antique sources afford no further information about Diodorus' life and doings beyond what is to be found in his own work. Only Jerome, in his Chronicon under the "year of Abraham 1968" (i.e., 49 BC), writes, "Diodorus of Sicily, a writer of Greek history, became illustrious". His English translator, Charles Henry Oldfather, remarks on the "striking coincidence" that one of only two known Greek inscriptions from Agyrium (I.G. XIV, 588) is the tombstone of one "Diodorus, the son of Apollonius".
Diodorus' universal history, which he named Bibliotheca Historica ("Historical Library"), was immense and consisted of 40 books, of which 1–5 and 11–20 survive: fragments of the lost books are preserved in Photius and the excerpts of Constantine Porphyrogenitus.
It was divided into three sections. The first six books treated the mythic history of the non-Hellenic and Hellenic tribes to the destruction of Troy and are geographical in theme, and describe the history and culture of Ancient Egypt (book I), of Mesopotamia, India, Scythia, and Arabia (II), of North Africa (III), and of Greece and Europe (IV–VI).
In the next section (books VII–XVII), he recounts the history of the world from the Trojan War down to the death of Alexander the Great. The last section (books XVII to the end) concerns the historical events from the successors of Alexander down to either 60 BC or the beginning of Julius Caesar's Gallic Wars. (The end has been lost, so it is unclear whether Diodorus reached the beginning of the Gallic War as he promised at the beginning of his work or, as evidence suggests, old and tired from his labours he stopped short at 60 BC.) He selected the name "Bibliotheca" in acknowledgment that he was assembling a composite work from many sources. Identified authors on whose works he drew include Hecataeus of Abdera, Ctesias of Cnidus, Ephorus, Theopompus, Hieronymus of Cardia, Duris of Samos, Diyllus, Philistus, Timaeus, Polybius, and Posidonius.
His account of gold mining in Nubia in eastern Egypt is one of the earliest extant texts on the topic, and describes in vivid detail the use of slave labour in terrible working conditions.
Diodorus' universal history, which he named Bibliotheca Historica ("Historical Library"), was immense and consisted of 40 books, of which 1–5 and 11–20 survive: fragments of the lost books are preserved in Photius and the excerpts of Constantine Porphyrogenitus.
It was divided into three sections. The first six books treated the mythic history of the non-Hellenic and Hellenic tribes to the destruction of Troy and are geographical in theme, and describe the history and culture of Ancient Egypt (book I), of Mesopotamia, India, Scythia, and Arabia (II), of North Africa (III), and of Greece and Europe (IV–VI).
In the next section (books VII–XVII), he recounts the history of the world from the Trojan War down to the death of Alexander the Great. The last section (books XVII to the end) concerns the historical events from the successors of Alexander down to either 60 BC or the beginning of Julius Caesar's Gallic Wars. (The end has been lost, so it is unclear whether Diodorus reached the beginning of the Gallic War as he promised at the beginning of his work or, as evidence suggests, old and tired from his labours he stopped short at 60 BC.) He selected the name "Bibliotheca" in acknowledgment that he was assembling a composite work from many sources. Identified authors on whose works he drew include Hecataeus of Abdera, Ctesias of Cnidus, Ephorus, Theopompus, Hieronymus of Cardia, Duris of Samos, Diyllus, Philistus, Timaeus, Polybius, and Posidonius.
His account of gold mining in Nubia in eastern Egypt is one of the earliest extant texts on the topic, and describes in vivid detail the use of slave labour in terrible working conditions.
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