All civilizations and traditions have had fairly well developed mythologies, but in terms of the impact on the Western culture and civilization the mythology of ancient Greece and Rome clearly stands out. These two co-dependent mythological traditions have evolved over the course of almost a thousand years, and have left an indelible mark on the culture of ancient Mediterranean. Jointly they have come to be known as "Classical Mythology," and have been on and off part of the Western educational curriculum to this day.
This very short introduction to Classical Mythology aims to explore and explain the enduring influence of classical mythology on our cultural and political metaphors. This is a book about ideas, rather than a detailed account of all the aspects of classical mythology. It tackles the very notion of what mythology is, and argues that mythology as a separate part of literary, religious, and social sphere was not recognized as such by the ancients. It was rather considered an integral part of everyday life, on par with what today may be occupied by all sorts of national histories and common cultural markers. The book also emphasizes the fact that myths were not static and immutable, but rather malleable and easily adapted to various purposes. This has been the case all the way until today. Hardly a year passes without a major film that is based on classical mythology - Troy, Hercules, and Clash of the Titans spring immediately to mind. These Hollywood adaptations have been significantly altered and sanitized for the modern movie audiences.
This is a very engaging and intellectually stimulating book. Helen Morales is a witty and perceptive writer, and this book was very enjoyable to read. However, this is not an introduction to the summaries of major classical myths, and if you are looking for a book that will provide those you may be disappointed.