Greek and Roman
The Ugly Birth of All Things
Heaven rejoiced in his evil doing. But vast Earth groaned within, being straitened, and she made the element of grey flint and shaped a great sickle, and told her plan to her dear sons. […]
8th Century BC
Greek and Roman
Night, Whom Even the Deathless Gods Fear
“And there, all in their order, are the sources and ends of gloomy earth and misty Tartarus and the unfruitful sea and starry heaven, loathsome and dank, which even the gods abhor.” […]
Greek and Roman
The Queen of Monsters
“The goddess fierce Echidna who is half a nymph with glancing eyes and fair cheeks, and half again a huge snake, great and awful, with speckled skin, eats raw flesh beneath the secret parts of the holy earth.” […]
Greek and Roman
The Origin of Inspiration
“Unwearying flows the sweet sound from their lips, and the house of their father Zeus the loud-thunderer is glad at the lily-like voice of the goddesses as it spread abroad, and the peaks of snowy Olympus resound, and the homes of the immortals.” […]
Greek and Roman
Tales of Lesser-Known Gods
“For so did Styx the deathless daughter of Ocean plan on that day when the Olympian Lightener called all the deathless gods to great Olympus, and said that whosoever of the gods would fight with him against the Titans, he would not cast him out from his rights, but each should have the office which he had before amongst the deathless gods.” […]
Greek and Roman
Divine Parricide
hese great Cronos swallowed as each came forth from the womb to his mother’s knees with this intent, so that no other of the proud sons of Heaven should hold the kingly office amongst the deathless gods. […]
Greek and Roman
The Fate of Prometheus
“And ready-witted Prometheus he bound with inextricable bonds, cruel chains, and drove a shaft through his middle, and set on him a long- winged eagle, which used to eat his immortal liver; but by night the liver grew as much again everyway as the long-winged bird devoured in the whole day. ” […]
Greek and Roman
Lives in the Hands of Gods
“Lunging at Paris, he grabbed his horsehair crest, swung him round, started to drag him into Argive lines and now the braided chin-strap holding his helmet tight was gouging his soft throat – Paris was choking, strangling.” […]
Greek and Roman
War of the Deathless Gods
“Then Zeus no longer held back his might; but straight his heart was filled with fury and he showed forth all his strength. From Heaven and from Olympus he came forthwith, hurling his lightning: the bold flew thick and fast from his strong hand together with thunder and lightning, whirling an awesome flame.” […]
Greek and Roman
The Phalanx March
“As ravening fire rips through big stands of timber high on a mountain ridge and the blaze flares miles away, so from the marching troops the blaze of bronze armor, splendid and superhuman, flared across the earth, flashing into the air to hit the skies.” […]