a beginner's guide to greek mythology

new obsession, unlocked

“Drawn on by his eagerness for the open sky, he left his guide and soared upwards, till he came too close to the blazing sun, and it softened the sweet-smelling wax that bound his wings together.”

— The Death of Icarus, Metamorphoses, Ovid.

Mythology is everywhere. That is what I realized when I started to learn more about ancient greek myths. It became visible to me how these ancient stories are rooted in modern language, sayings, and in traditions. But what interests me most is the way modern artists use these stories to tell different ones, to uncover what is hidden between the lines of the ancient texts, and how they tell us something about our own time through stories that have passed between humans for hundreds of years.

If, like me, you have always wanted to delve into the world of greek mythology, I have made a list of recommendations to start exploring this world. Perhaps you’ve already read/seen/heard some of these and want to expand on your knowledge. Or you already know about greek myth and want to engage with them through fiction. Whatever it is, I hope this list will inspire you!

paintings ⋆｡°✩

the lament for icarus - herbert james draper

The myth of Icarus, although a short one, is one of my favourites. Live fast, die young, but that isn’t all I got from this story: It also shows a boy who is not afraid to get what he wants. This painting is a beautiful depiction of Icarus after he has fallen, melting into the arms of one of the nymphs surrounding him.

john william waterhouse

hylas and the nymphs & circe offering the cup to ulysses

Waterhouse is one of my favourite painters. His paintings often depict mythological events; Greek myth, Arthurian, Shakespearean… You name it, Waterhouse painted it. I have a card of the painting Hylas and the Nymphs on my wall. The clear water in this depiction is just masterful, and the nymphs look like waterlilies as they poke out of the water to greet Hylas.

The story goes that Hylas was sent by his ship’s crew to fetch water, but he never returned…

(Also, wouldn’t Hylas and the Nymphs make a great band name?)

Waterhouse also painted Circe, the sorceress known for turning men into pigs. Once he depicts her giving the cup to Odysseus/Ulysses. In another painting you can see the moment she poisons the bath water of Scylla, which transforms the nymph into a monster.

proserpine - dante gabriel rossetti

Persephone, called Proserpine in Roman mythology, was the goddess of spring and, after being abducted by Hades, became queen of the underworld. In this painting by Rossetti, she is depicted eating pomegranate seeds, food of the underworld. Because she ate six of the seeds, and because eating food from the underworld would cause a living person to stay there forever, Hades confined her to his kingdom six months of each year.

“Their boughs afford cool shade, and the lush meadow is bright with flowers. There it is always spring. In this glade [Persephone] was playing, picking violets or shining lilies. With childlike eagerness she gathered the flowers into baskets and into the folds of her gown, trying to pick more than any of her companions. Almost at one and the same time, [Hades] saw her, and loved her, and bore her off — so swift is love.”

— Metamorphosis, Ovid.

retellings ⋆｡°✩

percy jackson - rick riordan

When Percy Jackson finds out he is a demigod, the child of a god and a mortal, he is brought to Camp Halfblood, a camp where children like him can learn to survive the dangers that will await him. One of those dangers is no one other than Zeus, who accuses him of stealing his lightning bolt.

Percy himself is named after Perseus, a greek hero who defeated Medusa. In this retelling, elements from greek mythology are taken into a new context. Percy’s voice is so distinct, his inner monologue so witty, that moving images without a voice over just can’t do it justice. They’ve tried, but in this case the written word trumps everything else (and I don’t say that often!). Don’t watch the films, don’t watch the series, just read the books. Trust me, they are so much more engaging. A book can go from this:

“Even strength must bow to wisdom sometimes.”
― Rick Riordan, The Lightning Thief

to this:

“With great power... comes great need to take a nap. Wake me up later.”
― Rick Riordan, The Last Olympian

mythos - stephen fry

This book is a great introduction to Greek mythology! A fairly chronological account of all the different events, gods and mortals who shaped the mythology of that time.

“The Greeks created gods that were in their image; warlike but creative, wise but ferocious, loving but jealous, tender but brutal, compassionate, but vengeful.”
― Stephen Fry, Mythos: The Greek Myths Retold

circe - madeline miller

Circe, daughter of sun god Helios and nymph Perse, knows her way around potions and herbs and pops up in the Odyssey. Madeline Miller weaves a tale around that what is known about Circe from earlier work. We see the in-between, the untold story, as Circe is banished by her father to live on an island. Musings on immortality and identity are clad in beautiful, lyrical descriptions that I think fit these tales like a glove. Miller brings Circe to earth and spills all of her innermost secrets, showing us the most humane god ever.

“I thought once that gods are the opposite of death, but I see now they are more dead than anything, for they are unchanging, and can hold nothing in their hands.”
― Madeline Miller, Circe

“I passed a pear tree drifted with white blossoms. A fish splashed in a moonlit river. With every step I felt lighter. An emotion was swelling in my throat. It took me a moment to recognise what it was. I had been old and stern for so long, carved with regrets and years like a monolith. But that was only a shape I had been poured into. I did not have to keep it.”

— Madeline Miller, Circe

song of achilles - madeline miller

Miller also wrote a story closer to the Trojan war; the story of Achilles through the eyes of his lover, Patroclus. Achilles was prophesied to become a great warrior, and the legends about him would be told lifetimes after his death. And death was also the price he paid for the glory. This retelling focuses on Patroclus, who struggles with Achilles path towards greatness and has to love this hero from afar, when he would rather be close.

“I feel like I could eat the world raw.”
― Madeline Miller, The Song of Achilles

the silence of the girls - pat barker

A great retelling that will make you think about the stories that lie hidden between the lines of those we know. One of these stories, about the queen turned slave named Briseis, is dug up and breathed into life by Barker.

The story felt cutthroat compared to Madeline Miller’s descriptive style; she tells you what she sees and doesn’t let you look away when it gets ugly among the Trojans and the Greeks.

“The defeated go down in history and disappear, and their stories die with them.”
― Pat Barker, The Silence of the Girls

metamorphoses - ovid

Most of my favourite myths include transformation and the greeks loved them too; Circe turning men into pigs, Icarus and his wings, Narcissus turning into a flower… A lot of these stories are centered around metamorphoses as an explanation of, for example, the creation of flowers or continents. Ovid accumulates and describes these myths in this book.

“Unwittingly, he desired himself, and it was himself the object of his own approval, at once seeking and sought, himself kindling the flame with which he burned.”

— Narcissus by the pool, Metamorphoses, Ovid.

music ⋆｡°✩

swan upon leda - hozier

In this song, Hozier pairs the myth of Leda and the Swan with the struggle for reproductive and women’s rights. In the story of Leda, Zeus transforms himself into a swan to pursue the beautiful Leda and violently assaults her.

“A crying child pushes a child into the night
She was told he would come this time
Without leaving so much as a feather behind”

achilles come down - gang of youths

This beautiful song sketches the internal war of the hero Achilles. Gang of Youths portrays his intrusive thoughts and the voice that is trying to coax him away from the edge of the roof, accompanied by violin and cello.

“The self is not so weightless, nor whole and unbroken
Remember the pact of our youth
Where you go, I'm going, so jump and I'm jumping
Since there is no me without you”

achilles heel - j. maya

A collage of greek myths wrapped in one song to show how the person you love becomes your weakness.

“I swear on my life and the River Styx
I never thought it'd be you I'd miss”

i, carrion (icarian) - hozier

I heard this song live only two weeks ago, and I was transported to the height of Ancient Greece and listening to a bard tell the tale of Icarus. This song, another one by Hozier, lifts you up like wings with wax and makes the burn of the sun feel sweet.

“And though I burn, how could I fall
When I am lifted by every word you say to me?”

cassandra - abba

I only just found this on a playlist with myth-inspired songs, but I like the way in which this sounds like an apology to Cassandra, echoing into the past. Cassandra was one of the daughters of the Trojan king. She was given the gift of prophecy by Apollo, but when she didn’t return his love, the god turned his gift into a curse: She would be able to see the future, but no one would believe a word of what she said. Cassandra thus knew of the war that was coming, but couldn’t do anything to prevent it.

“You know the future is casting a shadow
No one else sees it, but you know your fate”

There are many more sources to look for. The greek tragedy is also a well-known tradition in theatre and shows how many of these stories played out. This is something I am myself unfamiliar with and I am keen to delve into that next, but I hope the recommendations above give a little introduction to the many (contemporary) sources of greek myth. I also couldn’t find any good films about these stories, so if you have any recommendations, I would love to hear them!

⋆｡°✩ thanks for reading! ⋆｡°✩

images used in this post:

starry sky (pinterest) • details of hylas and the nymphs, circe invidiosa, and psyche opening the golden box (all by john william waterhouse) • detail of crouching figure of atlas (by baldassare tommaso peruzzi)