Women of Classical Mythology: A Biographical Dictionary

by Robert E. Bell

Book Overview

Everyone is familiar with some of the women of classical myth. Athena, goddess of wisdom, and Aphrodite, goddess of love and beauty are particularly well-known, as are the snake-haired Gorgon Medusa, and the vicious harpies, half woman, half beast. Humans, too, have their place in the ancient lore: Medea, who killed her own children to gain revenge upon her husband Jason, and Helen of Troy, whose abduction by Paris incited the ten-year Trojan War...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0195079779
• ISBN13: 9780195079777
• Release Date: April 1993
• Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA
• Length: 480 Pages
• Weight: 1.55 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.3" x 6.2" x 9.2"

Customer Reviews

Wish more stars were possible

Very comprehensive and very readable. I love this book so much, and in ten years have never tired of it. I desperately wish he would write one for men. It's an excellent reference, and I wish every reference book I had were written in the same style.

Impressive Book

This is one of the most exhaustively researched reference books I've ever seen; it includes totally obscure references I've never heard of before, and I'm not a neophyte in the subject. But besides being erudite, it is also witty and entertaining, surely a rare combination in a work of scholarship. Highly recommended.

Great Source for Classical Feminine Names

Arranged in dictionary format, this book not only includes an exhaustive collection of entries covering every conceivable female from classical mythology (even the bitches among Actaeon's hounds are listed by name), there is also a cross-reference section titled "The Men in Their Lives" which contains those males from mythology who had anything at all to do with any of the females covered in this book. Each entry on each mythological female not only provides a detailed description of her, but also contains citations of ancient source material. An outstanding reference source for those interested in legendary females of the classical world.

Extremely Helpful!

This is the most helpful and comprehensive classical mythology dictionary I have found! Robert E. Bell should write one for the men. If you have a deep lasting love of classical mythology, or even if you just want to learn more, this is the book to buy.

Great Book!

My friend bought this book showed me(because he knows I love mythology) and I loved it. It is FULL OF INFORMATION of every female character of the classical mythology and their actions. I really loved this book after reading it, so now I am buying it for my personal collection.