Larousse encyclopedia of mythology

Transl. by Richard Aldington and Delano Ames and rev....from the Larousse Mythologie Generale ed. by Felix Guirand, 1st pub. in France by Auge, Gillon, Hollier-Larousse, Moreau et Cie., The Librairie Larousse.. Intro. by Robert Graves.

Robert Graves - Introduction. G.H. Luquet - Prehistoric mythology. J. Viau - Egyptian mythology. F. Guirand - Assyro-Babylonian mythology. L. Delaporte - Phoenician mythology. F. Guirand and A.-V. Pierre - Roman mythology. John X.W.P. Corcoran - Celtic mythology. E. Tonnelat - Teutonic mythology. G. Alexinsky - Slavonic mythology. F. Guirand - Finno-Ugric mythology. P. Masson-Oursel and Louise Morin - Mythology of ancient Persia. P. Masson-Oursel and Louise Morin - Mythology of India. Ou-I-Tai - Chinese mythology. Odette Bruhl - Japanese mythology. Max Fauconnet - Mythology of the two Americas. G.-H. Luquet - Mythology of Oceania. Max Fauconnet - Mythology of black Africa

'...the Larousse Encyclopedia of Mythology offers a comprehensive and compact Who's Who?, or Who Was Who? of the better known gods, goddesses, heroes, monsters, demons, angels and saints from all over the world, including certain Moslem ones. It does not discuss philosophic theory or religious experience, and treats each cult with the same impersonal courtesy. Myth has two main functions. The first is to answer the sort of awkward questions that children ask, such as: "Who made the world? How will it end? Who was the first man? Where do souls go after death?" The answers, necessarily graphic and positive, confer enormous power on the various deities credited with the creation and care of souls--and incidentally on their priesthoods. The second function of myth is to justify an existing social system and account for traditional rites and customs....' --Introduction

Hardcover