This is a study of Greek myths in relation to the society in which they were originally told. It does not re-tell the myths: rather it offers an analysis of how myths played a fundamental role in the lives of the Greeks.
This is a study of Greek mythology in relation to its original contexts. Part one deals with the contexts in which myths were narrated: the home, public festivals, the lesche. Part two, the heart of the book, examines the relation between the realities of Greek life and the fantasies of mythology; the landscape, the family and religion are taken as case studies. Part three focuses on the function of myth-telling, both as seen by the Greeks themselves and as perceived by later observers.
