The Twelve Olympians

by Charles Seltman

THE TWELVE OLYMPIANS, specially written for PAN Books, gives a new account of the twelve chief gods and goddesses of Ancient Greece, and of the myths and gay stories told about them, which, recounted and referred to again and again in prose and poetry, are woven closely into the world’s greatest literature. Dr. Seltman points out that the high entertainment value of these myths should not be allowed to conceal the fact that these deities were Realities, not only to the Greeks but also to the early Christians, who believed in them as bad gods or demons. He shows the weaknesses in the religious framework of Greek Paganism, which, lacking a professional priesthood and an orthodox dogma, ultimately faded away, even though, judged by the customs and standards of the time, it was a moral, benevolent and humanist faith. He explains also the Greek attitude to sex and nudity particularly in connection with athletics. A chapter is devoted, to each deity, and there is a final chapter describing Mount Olympus, the legendary home of the gods. The book will be of great value to students; but its easy style will cammend it equally to general readers who may lack the background of a classical education. The author firmly believes that knowledge of the Ancient Greek faith in the Twelve Olympians can contribute to the troubled world of today, which still hungers for humanism, The volume is fully indexed and is illustrated with photogravure reproductions of statues and vase-paintings, including several little known except to the expert; there is also a map.Dr. Charles Seltman, son of a father steeped in antiquarian lore and of a devout Scots mother, spent a formative period of his childhood in South Italy; the ruins of Pompeu were often his secluded playground. A Fellow (and Librarian) of Queens’ College, Cambridge, he was until recently University Lecturer in Classics. He was a special editor of The Cambridge Ancient History, and has written much on Greek art and archeology. He was Director of the Exhibitions of Greek Art held at the Royal Academy in London in 1942 and 1946.

Genres: Mythology, Nonfiction

208 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1952

About the author

Charles Theodore Seltman (1886-1957) was an English art historian and writer, particularly in the area of numismatics.

Reviews

[Hana]

(review to come.)