The Book of Greek and Roman Folktales, Legends, and Myths

The first anthology ever to present the entire range of ancient Greek and Roman stories--from myths and fairy tales to jokes. Captured centaurs and satyrs, talking animals, people who suddenly change sex, men who give birth, the temporarily insane and the permanently thick-witted, delicate sensualists, incompetent seers, a woman who remembers too much, a man who cannot laugh--these are just some of the colorful characters who feature in the unforgettable stories that ancient Greeks and Romans told in their daily lives. Together they created an incredibly rich body of popular oral stories that include, but range well beyond, mythology--from heroic legends, fairy tales, and fables to ghost stories, urban legends, and jokes. This unique anthology presents the largest collection of these tales ever assembled. Featuring nearly four hundred stories in authoritative and highly readable translations, this is the first book to offer a representative selection of the entire range of traditional classical storytelling. Set mostly in the world of humans, not gods, these stories focus on figures such as lovers, tricksters, philosophers, merchants, rulers, athletes, artists, and soldiers. The narratives range from the well-known--for example, Cupid and Psyche, Diogenes and his lantern, and the tortoise and the hare--to lesser-known tales that deserve wider attention. Entertaining and fascinating, they offer a unique window into the fantasies, anxieties, humor, and passions of the people who told them. Complete with beautiful illustrations by Glynnis Fawkes, a comprehensive introduction, notes, and more, this one-of-a-kind anthology will delight general readers as well as students of classics, fairy tales, and folklore. Contents List of Illustrations and Tables Preface Abbreviations Introduction The Kinds of Ancient Story The Present Book Chapter 1. Kings and Princesses 1. Cupid and Psyche 2. The Treasury of Rhampsinitos 3. The Pharaoh and the Courtesan Chapter 2. Gods and Ghosts Divine Epiphanies 4. The Muses Appear to Hesiod 5. The Muses Appear to Archilochos 6. Thamyris Competes against the Muses 7. Stesichoros’s Palinode 8. Asklepios Heals Pandaros 9. Asklepios Reveals Secrets of the Gods 10. Athena Saves the Lindians 11. The Altar of the Vulture God 12. A Fortune in Water 13. The Rescue of Simonides Lower Mythology 14. Narcissus 15. Rhoikos and the Nymph 16. “The Great God Pan Is Dead!” 17. Bogies Shape -Changers 18. The Werewolf 19. The Empousa Ghosts 20. Philinnion 21. The Last Princess at Troy 22. The Grateful Dead Man 23. Murder at the Inn 24. Letter from the Middle of the Earth 25. The Haunted House 26. The Haunted Baths 27. The Haunted Battlefield 28. The Hero of Temesa 29. Periander’s Wife Early Wonder-Workers 30. Abaris the Hyperborean 31. Aristeas of Prokonnesos 32. Hermotimos of Klazomenai 33. Epimenides of Crete 34. Pherekydes of Syros 35. Pythagoras Transmigration of Souls 36. Pythagoras Remembers an Earlier Life 37. Pythagoras Discerns a Friend’s Soul in a Dog 38. Empedokles Recalls His Earlier Lives 39. The Woman Who Remembers Too Much Magicians and Witches 40. Pases the Magician 41. Attack by Star-Stroke 42. A Woman Dies from Spells 43. The Soul- Drawing Wand 44. Apollonios Cures a Plague 45. The Magician’s Apprentice 46. Evil Landladies Divination and Seers 47. The Language of Birds 48. The Acquisition of the Sibylline Oracles 49. What the Sibyl Wants 50. Bacchus Forsakes Antony 51. Cato Explains a Portent 52. Cato on Soothsayers Fate 53. Polykrates’s Ring 54. “Zeus, Why Me?” 55. The Last Days of Mykerinos 56. Kleonymos’s Near-Death Experience 57. Eurynoos’s Near-Death Experience 58. Curma’s Near-Death Experience Jews, Christians, and Pagans 59. The Origin of the Septuagint 60. Miracles of Jesus 61. Paul and Barnabas Mistaken for Pagan Gods 62. The Discovery of the True Cross 63. The Last Delphic Oracle 64. “You Have Won, Galilean!” 65. The Murder of Hypatia Chapter 3. Legends on Various Themes The Bizarre 66. Capture of a Satyr 67. Capture of a Centaur 68. Sightings of Mermen and Mermaids 69. The Self-Sustaining Beast 70. In Love with a Statue 71. Animal Offspring 72. The Ugly Man 73. Male Parturition 74. Sudden Change of Sex 75. Periodic Ecstasy 76. The Laughing Tirynthians 77. The Man Who Loses His Laugh 78. A Strange Tomb 79. The Lame Man and the Blind Man Irony 80. Intaphrenes’s Wife 81. A Parent’s Request 82. Plato’s Characters 83. The Unbreakable Glass Bowl Animals 84. The Dolphin Rider 85. The Grateful Dolphin 86. Androkles and the Lion 87. How Ophiteia Gets Its Name 88. Xanthippos’s Dog 89. The Accidental Killing of a Cat Children 90. The Children Play King 91. The Children Play Priest 92. The Children Play War 93. A Child Steals from the Goddess Friends 94. Damon and Phintias 95. Friends Unknown 96. Abauchas’s Choice Rulers and Tyrants 97. Plato Teaches a Tyrant about Democracy 98. The City of Forbidden Expression 99. Ismenias’s Subterfuge 100. Queen for a Day 101. The Absentminded Emperor Justice 102. Zeus’s Ledger 103. The Golden Ax 104. The Judge of the Ants 105. Tarpeia’s Reward 106. The Cranes of Ibykos 107. The Murder of Mitys of Argos 108. An Eye for an Eye 109. The Trial of the Courtesan Phryne 110. The Problem of Dreamt Sex 111. The Disputed Child 112. Abusive Son of an Abusive Father Chapter 4. Tricksters and Lovers Trickery and Cleverness 113. Trophonios and Agamedes 114. The Dishonest Banker 115. The Joint Depositors 116. The Two Thieves 117. Aesop and the Figs 118. Never Heard Before 119. The Slaves Take Over 120. The Milesians Hold a Party 121. Saving Lampsakos 122. The Suckling Daughter 123. A Donkey’s Shadow 124. The Hoax Lovers and Seducers 125. Zeus and Hera Wrangle over Sexuality 126. The Affair of Ares and Aphrodite 127. Iphimedeia Desires Poseidon 128. Hippolytos and Phaidra 129. The Husband’s Untimely Return: 1 130. The Husband’s Untimely Return: 2 131. The Signal 132. The Widow of Ephesos 133. Sleeping with a God 134. The Pergamene Boy 135. Aesop and the Master’s Wife 136. The King’s Trusted Friend 137. Dream-Lovers 138. The Astute Physician 139. Hero and Leander 140. Xanthos, Who Longs for His Wife 141. Ariston and His Friend’s Wife 142. Olympians in the Bedroom Chapter 5. Artists and Atheles Artists and the Arts 143. Herakles Fooled 144. Nature Fooled 145. Painter Fooled 146. The Sculptor Polykleitos 147. Models for Helen of Troy 148. Helen’s Chalice 149. Archilochos: Lethal Iambics 150. Hipponax: More Lethal Iambics 151. The Cicada 152. A Singer’s Compensation 153. Pindar’s Sacrifice 154. Pindar’s House 155. Phrynichos Fined 156. The Chorus of Aeschylus’s 157. Sophocles on Himself and Euripides 158. “I See a Weasel” 159. “Mother, I Call to You” 160. Saved by Euripides 161. How Menander Composes His Plays 162. The First Line of Plato’s Republic 163. Ovid’s Worst Lines Athletes 164. The Origin of the Stadium 165. The First Marathon 166. The Origin of Nude Athletes 167. The Origin of Nude Trainers 168. Polymestor the Sprinter 169. Ageus the Long-Distance Runner 170. Milon the Wrestler 171. Eumastas the Strongman 172. Theagenes’s Statue 173. Poulydamas the Pancratiast 174. Kleomedes Runs Amok 175. Astylos Angers His Hometown 176. Exainetos Pleases His Hometown 177. Glaukos the Boxer 178. The Reluctant Dueler Chapter 6. Memorable Words, Notable Actions Portents 179. The Infant Pindar on Mt. Helikon 180. The Infant Plato on Mt. Hymettos 181. Young Demosthenes in Court Characterizations 182. A Statue of Homer 183. Themistokles and the Man from Seriphos 184. Aristeides the Just 185. Timon the Misanthrope 186. The Arrest of Theramenes 187. Socrates’s Hardihood 188. Socrates Ponders a Problem 189. Demosthenes’s Handicaps 190. “Delivery!” 191. Only Human 192. What Alexander Sleeps Upon 193. Cleopatra’s Wager 194. The Lamprey Pools 195. A Principled Man 196. Nero Fiddles 197. “Where Would He Be Now?” 198. A Slave’s Eye 199. The People of Akragas Laconic Spartans 200. Too Many Words 201. A Spartan Mother 202. Discussion at Thermopylae 203. Alexander the Great Becomes a God 204. On Spartan Adultery Delusion 205. Menekrates, Who Calls Himself Zeus 206. Menekrates-Zeus Writes to King Philip 207. Philip Hosts Menekrates 208. Hannon’s Birds 209. The Woman Who Holds Up the World with Her Finger 210. The House Called Trireme 211. The Happy Shipowner 212. The Happy Playgoer Memorable Words 213. Ars Longa, Vita Brevis 214. Which Came First? 215. Alter Ego 216. “Give Me a Place to Stand, and I’ll Move the World!” 217. Life Is Like the Olympic Games 218. “The Die Is Cast” 219. “Et tu, Brute?” 220. In Hoc Signo Vinces Memorable Experiences 221. Toxic Honey 222. A Narrow Escape 223. The Great Fish 224. The Discovery of Archimedes’s Tomb Summing up and Last Words 225. Counting One’s Blessings 226. Socrates 227. Theophrastos’s Lament 228. Vespasian’s Last Words Deaths 229. Pythagoras 230. Aeschylus 231. Euripides 232. Philemon 233. Diogenes the Cynic 234. Zenon 235. Cleopatra 236. Petronius Arbiter 237. Archimedes Chapter 7. Sages and Philosophers Truth and Wisdom 238. The Seven Sages and the Prize of Wisdom 239. Thales on Life and Death 240. A Question of Responsibility 241. A Problem of Identity 242. Secundus the Silent Philosopher Converting to Philosophy 243. Plato 244. Axiothea 245. Epicurus Benefits and Perils of Philosophy 246. Aristippos on the Philosopher’s Advantage 247. Aristippos on the Benefits of Philosophy 248. Antisthenes on the Benefits of Philosophy 249. Diogenes on the Benefits of Philosophy 250. Krates on the Benefits of Philosophy 251. The Most Useful Man in Ephesos 252. Protagoras’s Books Burned 253. Sinning against Philosophy The Philosophic Life 254. Thales in the Well 255. Thales and the Olive Presses Wealth vs. Wisdom 256. Simonides’s View 257. Aristippos’s View The Cynics 258. Diogenes on Being Laughed At 259. Diogenes and the Lantern 260. The Meeting of Diogenes and Alexander 261. Alexander’s Offer 262. Diogenes on Personal Attire 263. Diogenes on Temple Theft 264. Diogenes on a Public Reading 265. Diogenes Visits a Brothel 266. Diogenes on the City of Myndos 267. “Watch Out!” 268. Krates and Hipparchia 269. Monimos on Wealth Philosophers Criticize One Another 270. Diogenes Criticizes Plato 271. Plato Criticizes Diogenes 272. Plato Characterizes Diogenes 273. Diogenes on Plato’s Theory of Ideas 274. Diogenes on a Definition of Plato’s 275. Diogenes on the Impossibility of Motion Education and Learning 276. A Song before Dying 277. The Entrance to Plato’s Classroom 278. The Delian Problem 279. The Worst Punishment Discoveries and Inventions 280. The Invention of Hunting 281. The Invention of Board Games 282. The Original Language 283. Thales Inscribes a Triangle in a Circle 284. Thales Measures the Height of the Pyramids 285. Thales Predicts an Eclipse 286. The Pythagorean Theorem 287. “Eureka!” Happiness and Contentment 288. The Origin of Human Miseries 289. The Rock of Tantalos 290. The Sword of Damocles 291. King Midas 292. Wealth and Happiness 293. Water and a Loaf of Bread 294. Gold vs. Figs 295. Untouched by Grief 296. The Happy Mute 297. Pyrrhos and Kineas On Drinking 298. The Third Cup of Wine On Behaving Like Animals 299. The Different Stages of Life 300. The Different Kinds of People 301. The Different Kinds of Women Aesopic Fables 302. The Fox and the Crane 303. The Dog with a Piece of Meat 304. The Raven with a Piece of Meat 305. The King of the Apes 306. The Ape with Important Ancestors 307. The Sour Grapes 308. The Ant and the Cicada 309. The Lion’s Share 310. The Race of the Tortoise and the Hare 311. The Lion and the Mouse 312. The Plump Dog 313. The Transformed Weasel 314. The Goose That Lays Golden Eggs 315. The Tortoise That Wishes to Fly 316. The King of the Frogs 317. The Astronomer 318. The Shepherd Who Cries “Wolf!” 319. “Here Is Rhodes!” 320. The Belly and the Feet 321. The Oak and the Reed Short Fables 322. The Mountain in Labor 323. The Attentive Donkey Chapter 8. Numskulls and Sybarites Traditional Numskulls 324. Margites 325. Meletides 326. Koroibos 327. Morychos 328. Akko 329. The Foolish Kymaians 330. The Foolish Abderites Other Numskulls 331. Carrying the Load 332. Acquiring Sense 333. Seeing the Doctor 334. The Trained Donkey 335. The Books 336. The Slave 337. A Call of Nature 338. The Twins 339. The Funeral 340. The Ball in the Well 341. The Educated Son 342. The Travelers 343. The Grateful Father 344. A Pair of Twins 345. The Fugitives 346. The Pillow Wits 347. Too Healthy 348. What Does It Taste Like? 349. All in the Family 350. The Strongest Thing 351. Caesar’s Soldiers Sing Miscellaneous 352. Not at Home 353. The Portent 354. The Deaf Judge 355. The Scythian 356. The Cold Reading 357. The Covetous Man and the Envious Man The Delicate Sybarites 358. Uncomfortable Sleep 359. The Suitor 360. Noise Policy 361. The Affliction of Work 362. Excursions to the Country 363. Chamber Pots 364. Piped Wine 365. Policy on Parties 366. Dancing Horses Tall Tales 367. Topsy-Turvy Land 368. Frozen Speech 369. Thin Men Appendix. Across the Genres: Ancient Terms, Belief, and Relative Numbers Notes on the Tales Glossary Bibliography Ancient Sources List of International Stories Index Title Page -- Copyright Page -- Dedication Page -- Contents -- List of Illustrations and Tables -- Preface -- Abbreviations -- Introduction -- The Kinds of Ancient Story -- The Present Book -- Chapter 1: Kings and Princesses -- 1. Cupid and Psyche -- 2. The Treasury of Rhampsinitos -- 3. The Pharaoh and the Courtesan -- Chapter 2: Gods and Ghosts -- Divine Epiphanies -- 4. The Muses Appear to Hesiod -- 5. The Muses Appear to Archilochos -- 6. Thamyris Competes against the Muses -- 7. Stesichoros's Palinode -- 8. Asklepios Heals Pandaros -- 9. Asklepios Reveals Secrets of the Gods -- 10. Athena Saves the Lindians -- 11. The Altar of the Vulture God -- 12. A Fortune in Water -- 13. The Rescue of Simonides -- Lower Mythology -- 14. Narcissus -- 15. Rhoikos and the Nymph -- 16. "The Great God Pan Is Dead!"--17. Bogies -- Shape-Changers -- 18. The Werewolf -- 19. The Empousa -- Ghosts -- 20. Philinnion -- 21. The Last Princess at Troy -- 22. The Grateful Dead Man -- 23. Murder at the Inn -- 24. Letter from the Middle of the Earth -- 25. The Haunted House -- 26. The Haunted Baths -- 27. The Haunted Battlefield -- 28. The Hero of Temesa -- 29. Periander's Wife -- Early Wonder-Workers -- 30. Abaris the Hyperborean -- 31. Aristeas of Prokonnesos -- 32. Hermotimos of Klazomenai -- 33. Epimenides of Crete -- 34. Pherekydes of Syros -- 35. Pythagoras -- Transmigration of Souls -- 36. Pythagoras Remembers an Earlier Life -- 37. Pythagoras Discerns a Friend's Soul in a Dog -- 38. Empedokles Recalls His Earlier Lives -- 39. The Woman Who Remembers Too Much -- Magicians and Witches -- 40. Pases the Magician -- 41. Attack by Star-Stroke -- 42. A Woman Dies from Spells -- 43. The Soul-Drawing Wand -- 44. Apollonios Cures a Plague -- 45. The Magician's Apprentice -- 46. Evil Landladies -- Divination and Seers -- 47. The Language of Birds **The first anthology to present the entire range of ancient Greek and Roman stories―from myths and fairy tales to jokes** Captured centaurs and satyrs, incompetent seers, people who suddenly change sex, a woman who remembers too much, a man who cannot laugh―these are just some of the colorful characters who feature in the unforgettable stories that ancient Greeks and Romans told in their daily lives. Together they created an incredibly rich body of popular oral stories that include, but range well beyond, mythology―from heroic legends, fairy tales, and fables to ghost stories, urban legends, and jokes. This unique anthology presents the largest collection of these tales ever assembled. Featuring nearly four hundred stories in authoritative and highly readable translations, this is the first book to offer a representative selection of the entire range of traditional classical storytelling. Complete with beautiful illustrations, this one-of-a-kind anthology will delight general readers as well as students of classics, fairy tales, and folklore.