Alternative to Hamilton

[Anonymous No.12051263]

This book is supposedly useless, so what would be a viable alternative? I want to start with the Greeks and this is top of the chart but I saw a thread here rubbishing it. Is Robert Graves' Greek Myths a good alternative? Can anyone recommend other alternatives? I want an extremely solid grounding in Greco Roman mythology, and maybe Norse/Egyptian etc.

[Anonymous No.12051357]

>>12051263
Bump for interest, specially on the Norse and Egyptian myths.

I actually read Hamilton's Mythlogy and it's not as awful as some say. However if you
>want an extremely solid grounding in Greco Roman mythology
You should read primary sources instead. Look up the classics syllabus of any reputable universities and pick one or maybe two secondary literature/textbooks but engage with the sources yourself

[Anonymous No.12051385]

B U L F I N C H

A P O L L O D O R U S

[Anonymous No.12051756]

>>12051263
What's supposedly useless about it? It's a great intro before you start diving into the main greek texts. It provides some historical context and a concise telling of the myths.

It's not something you read and then claim to have extensive knowledge of greek mythology. Is that what you were expecting?

[Anonymous No.12051866]

>>12051263
>>12051263
Nah Hamiltons is god tier (lol) introduction to greek mythology, also an excellent reference work due to her clear and wonderful prose. It has everything, even has all you need to know before reading the iliad.

Graves is funny because its bro-tier, written feom a chad standpoint, however, that is, a chad feom the 50s, so it doesn't hold up that well in regards of wanting an introductuon to the gods and myths, but it is a fun read if you just want funny stories about the gods' antics.
Graves make poseidon look like a pathetic pussy and makes apollo and hermes look like absolute bros. It bawically covers excellent ground on very select myths, even esoteric ones, and just skims the ones you most likely want to read for a canonical understanding of zeus, troy, cronus etc etc.

So, in all, Hamilton is the go to choice, and graves' is more of a fun read once you know these myths.

Pic related: Graves' rendering of aphrodite cucking hephaestus is fucking hilarious in its bro tier way, as well as Zeus being basically an alcoholic father

[Anonymous No.12051883]

>>12051263
it's p good

I think I have a nice old box set of graves' thst I probably stole from my brother but I've never opened it

[Anonymous No.12051890]

>>12051263
This book was alright but it was basically like having some lesbian grandmother tell me Greek mythology as bedtime stories, with random autistic opinionated interjections. That’s fine in itself, but surely there are more detailed and scholarly introductions to the myths of antiquity. I expected this book to be more Wikipedia than it was.

[Anonymous No.12051941]

>>12051890
if you want wikipedia read wikipedia

[Anonymous No.12051954]

>>12051263
>Supposedly useless
I seriously hope you weren't part of the last thread because people were saying the opposite. It's a primer, nothing more.

[Anonymous No.12051967]

Hamilton is a great book.
stop listening to contrarian manchildren

[Anonymous No.12052496]

>>12051883
mint condition 1957 printing :-\
I should give it a run

[Anonymous No.12052512]

>>12052496
>owning old shit
fucking boomer

[Anonymous No.12052527]

>>12052512
suck my eggs

[Anonymous No.12053171]

>>12051890
>like having some lesbian grandmother tell me Greek mythology as bedtime stories
What the FUCK is this even supposed to mean?

[Anonymous No.12053256]

>>12051890
That's why I liked it.

[Anonymous No.12053270]

>>12051263
Hamilton's book is a great introduction and has been taught on college campuses for years.

[Anonymous No.12054039]

>>12051263
dont listen to /lit/ when they something popular is shit

[Anonymous No.12054086]

>>12051263
>>12051357
>Norse “mythology”
please tell me you’re joking

[Anonymous No.12054244]

>>12051263
Currently reading it, it's an easy read and very enjoyable. However, it's not something that gives you exhaustive info, since it was written in the 40s and further discoveries have been made or at least constructed in the field.

[Anonymous No.12054271]

>>12054039
Hilariously /lit/ is largely responsible for it becoming more popular. It was barely in print five years ago and now it has deluxe editions coming out.

[Anonymous No.12054471]

>>12053270
>taught on college campuses for years.
that ought to be reason enough to disqualify it, or at least be suspicious of it, by now.

[Anonymous No.12054908]

>>12054271
Yeah this is another one of those cases (like with the meme trilogy) of the retards who post here now trying to tear down all of the old board culture>>12054271

[Anonymous No.12056315]

>>12051866
>Graves is funny because its bro-tier, written feom a chad standpoint
>chad standpoint

What the fuck are you interpreting out of his works? Do you interpret all history with memes?

[Anonymous No.12056356]

>>12051263
I have this book, just finished the Greek section two days ago, it's actually good so I don't know where you got that it was useless.

[Anonymous No.12056801]

>>12056315
No you autist, i expressed myself with modern internet lingo, dumbass. What would you have preferred i said? Jock? Chad is a funny word, go fuck yourself

[Anonymous No.12056850]

>>12051756
>What's supposedly useless about it?
It gets recommended so the zoomers feel like they have to shit all over it and be contrarian because they are incapable of actual literary criticism

[Anonymous No.12056900]

>>12056801
Internet slang is not allowed on /lit/, we are a very intellectual board