When Pierre Grimal's celebrated Dictionary of Classical Mythology was first published in English, it was acclaimed as 'an essential source (Library Journal) and 'a work at once authoritative and complete' (The Times Literary Supplement).
This easy-to-use abridged edition makes an ideal reference tool for students and general readers alike. Clear and concise entries distil the essence of Greek and Roman mythology, presenting the standard versions (and significant variants) of each story and describing characters from Abas and Acastus to Zeus and Zeuxippe. The central figures and events - the adventures of Odysseus, Achilles and Aeneas, the other Homeric heroes, the labours of Hercules, the legendary origins of Rome and the love affairs of the Olympians - are considered in full; comprehensive cross-references and genealogical tables fill in the family connections and links between myths. To anyone interested in the classics, or keen to decipher allusions in later literature, this definitive dictionary will prove invaluable.