Ancient myths link students to a powerful cultural history. Bulfinch captures these fables in one graceful, lyrical collection which has been a standard reference for over 140 years. Part One includes the tales of Prometheus, Hercules, and Ulysses. Part Two includes aeneas, Thor, Beowulf, and other heroes.

First published in three separate volumes from 1855 to 1863, Bulfinch’s Mythology quickly became the standard source of classic tales from ancient Greece and Rome, the Norse tradition, and beyond. This edition contains the full text of The Age of Fable, or Stories of Gods and Heroes, the first volume of Bulfinch’s seminal work. From stories of the Greek gods of Mt. Olympus to retellings of the Iliad and the Odyssey, from descriptions of mythological monsters to tales of Hindu and Egyptian deities, Bulfinch’s versions of these classic stories bring their characters to life. Throughout the text, Bulfinch includes examples of literary interpretations of and allusions to the various stories and points out proverbial expressions that have their origins in the mythology he relates, making this a vital reference for students of literature as well as a delightfully vibrant collection of the stories that form our cultural heritage.

The Age of Chivalry, Thomas Bulfinch’s masterpiece of history and fable, recounts the legend of Arthur and the Round Table. A timeless tale retold by Milton, Dryden, Tennyson, and writers before and since, the Arthurian legend has metamorphosed from medieval Welsh texts to the French vernacular romances of Chrétien de Troyes, from obscure histories of a British chieftain of the fifth or sixth century to a chronicle of the advent of Christendom in the British Isles. In addition to revivifying these heroes, Bulfinch discusses their role in literature and art and explains the historical events and the worldview of the civilization that created them.

Many of the world’s travails may be traced to the displacement of mythology by the age of science. Knowledge today is often deemed useful only if it enlarges our possessions or raises our station in society. If instead, the criterion were to make us happier and more virtuous, mythology would have retained its proper place in society.

The Age of Fable is Thomas Bulfinch’s brilliant reconstruction of the ancient myths and legends that form the backbone of western culture. Drawn from a variety of classic sources, including Ovid’s Metamorphoses, Egyptian myths, Eastern mythology, and Hindu, Norse, and Celtic works, these selections form a remarkable tapestry of human endeavor: dreams, illusions, adventures, and loves. Included are the legends of Cupid and Psyche, Venus and Adonis, Hero and Leander, Hercules, and many others.

Ancient myths speak eloquently of the affairs of immortal gods and shining heroes, while linking us to our cultural history. Bulfinch captures these fables in one graceful, lyrical collection which has been an enduring success for over 140 years. Now, through George Guidall’s lucid two-part narration, The Age of Fable takes on new life and power. Part One includes the fascinating tales of Prometheus, Hercules, and Ulysses. Part Two completes the collection with the adventures of aeneas, Thor, Beowulf, and other heroes.

Thomas Bulfinch, as one reviewer put it, “created an anthology of mythology.” This audiobook contains the first fourteen chapters of The Age of Fable, the first of three volumes, comprising Bulfinch’s complete work.

The Age of Fable recounts stories of Greek gods, demigods, and best-known characters in mythology. In our times, many references are made to these stories and characters in the arts, especially in the fine arts, theater, and literature. Chapters include

IntroductionPrometheus and PandoraApollo and Daphne–Pyramus and Thisbe–Cephalus and ProcrisJuno and Her Rivals, Io and Callisto–Diana and Actaeon–Latona and the RusticsPhaetonMidas–Baucis and PhilemonProserpine–Glaucus and ScyllaPygmalion–Dryope–Venus, and Adonis–Apollo and HyacinthusCeyx and HalcyoneVertumnus and Pomona–Iphis and AnaxareteCupid and PsycheCadmus–the MyrmidonsNisus and Scylla–Echo and Narcissus–Clytie–Hero and LeanderMinerva and Arachne–Niobe