Once Upon a Time: The Greek Myths Made Real

I finished book 3 of the Once Upon a Time challenge several days ago, but I've had little time to post about it.  The actual title of the book is Songs on Bronze: The Greek Myths Made Real, published in 2005 by Nigel Spivey.  Spivey, a British academic teaching at the University of Cambridge, obviously believes in the value of a classical education and he is willing to help the reader achieve that goal.



Nigel Spivey

 Spivey divided his collection of classic Greek tales into five parts:

• An Early Childhood of the World--the story of Gaia, Mother Earth, and Ouranos, the sky; Prometheus and Pandora; Demeter and Persephone
• Heroes in the Making that recounts selected heroes' stories--Herakles, Theseus, Perseus, and Jason and the Argonauts
• War about Troy
• A Hero's Coming Home about Odysseus' wanderings and adventures
• The Stuff of Tragedy that tells of the fall of the house of Atreus.  This final section is the only one I don't recall from my own Liberal Arts Education, which admittedly did take place some time back.

Spivey's version of the myths has elements of a bodice ripping romance, although a disinterested tone is maintained throughout.  Spivey doesn't take himself too seriously as the purveyor of the classics, but the gods were a bawdy and vindictive group of individuals, and these stories illustrate that repeatedly. 

The Kirkus Review felt that Spivey's collection was appropriate for the young adult market who have been reared on TV and sensationalism.  Songs on Bronze probably would serve as a good introduction to the myths, but I felt they may work better as a refresher for someone like me who had to study drier versions of the tales years ago. 

I read the whole book while pedaling away on my stationary recumbent bicycle, thus, combining my physical education with my classical education in true Greek fashion.  Spivey has also written a book on the ancient Olympic games.


The small room where I ride my bike also doubles as a potting shed and is one of
my favorite rooms in the cottage (though it looks too busy in bottom photo).

View from the "bike" room--the shade dappled trellis and fountain.
It will soon look much more lush as two plants grow down
and the others grow up!