Discover (or rediscover!) history's greatest myths and legendsFrom Grendel and Beowulf to Poseidon, Medusa, and Hercules, the gods, monsters, and heroes of mythology are endlessly weird and fascinating. And if you're looking for a helpful companion to this wild collection of creatures, humans, and deities, you've found it! Mythology For Dummies delivers the straight goods on history's most popular myths, helping you make sense of even the most complicated ancient stories.You'll learn about the origins of your favorite myths, their cultural impact, and more. Discover:* The coolest mythological characters, including intrepid Odysseus, the volatile gods of Mount Olympus, and Thor and Loki* How ancient mythology intersects with our daily lives in pop culture, high culture, and everything in between* Mythological destinations, like Atlantis, and famous sites from Greek, Roman, and Norse mythologyAn engrossing guide to some of the most enduring and interesting tales from throughout history, Mythology For Dummies serves up the inside scoop on almost every myth or legend you'd care to learn more about.

Introduction 1Part 1: Mythology Basics and Why the Stories Endure 5Chapter 1: The Truth About Myths 7Chapter 2: Ancient Myths in Modern Culture: The Legacy 19Part 2: Thunder and Lightning: Greek Mythology 29Chapter 3: Greek Creation Myths and Really Ancient Greek Gods 31Chapter 4: Taller, Younger, and Better Looking Than You: The Olympian Gods 45Chapter 5: The Fairest and Meanest of Them All: The Greek Goddesses 61Chapter 6: So Fine and Half Divine: Heroes 77Chapter 7: The Trojan War, the Iliad, and the Odyssey 95Chapter 8: Of Chorus They're so Dramatic: Greek Tragedy 115Part 3: The Cultural Spoils of an Empire: Roman Mythology 131Chapter 9: Will the Real Roman Mythology Please Stand Up? 133Chapter 10: Virgil's Aeneid and the Founding of Rome 149Chapter 11: Time to Change Things Up: Ovid's Metamorphoses 159Part 4: One Big Family Feud: Norse and Northern European Mythology 169Chapter 12: Snow, Ice, and Not Very Nice: Norse Deities 171Chapter 13: Heroes and Monsters: The Big Northern European Sagas 189Chapter 14: A Seat at the Round Table: King Arthur and His Court 201Chapter 15: Myths from the Emerald Isle: Ireland and Celtic Mythology 217Part 5: The Cradle(s) of Civilization: African and Near-Eastern Mythology 225Chapter 16: Central and Southern Africa: The Bantu's Eternal Earth and Sly Animals 227Chapter 17: Floods, Mud, and Gods: Mesopotamian and Hebrew Mythology 235Chapter 18: Three Cheers for Egypt: Ra, Ra, Ra! 249Chapter 19: North African Mythology: A Real Melting Pot 261Chapter 20: One Thousand Tales: Persian Mythology 269Part 6: Kashmir to Kyoto, and a Lot in Between: South- and East Asian Mythology 279Chapter 21: Land of a Thousand Gods: India 281Chapter 22: Get out the Fine China: Early Chinese Myth and the Three Teachings 293Chapter 23: Japan: Myths from the Land of the Rising Sun 305Part 7: "New World"? Says Who? Mythology of the Americas 317Chapter 24: Central and South American Mythology: Civilizations, Cities, and Ball Games 319Chapter 25: Sea to Sea, and Lots of Animals in Between: Indigenous Myths of North America 333Part 8: The Part of Tens 349Chapter 26: Ten Mythological Monsters 351Chapter 27: Ten (Plus One) Mythological Places 357Index 365