The Homeric Hymns (Oxford World's Classics)

The Homeric Hymns (Oxford World's Classics)

Most people are familiar, at least by repute, with Homer's two great epics, the <em>Iliad</em> and the <em>Odyssey</em>, but few are aware that other poems survive that were attributed to Homer in ancient times. The <em>Homeric Hymns</em> are now known to be the work of various poets working in the same tradition, probably during the seventh and sixth centuries BC. They honor the Greek gods, and recount some of the most attractive of the Greek myths. Four of them (<em>Hymns</em> 2-5) stand out by reason of their length and quality. The <em>Hymn to Demeter</em> tells what happened when Hades, lord of the dead, abducted Persephone, Demeter's daughter. The <em>Hymn to Apollo</em> describes Apollo's birth and the foundation of his Delphic oracle. In the <em>Hymn to Hermes</em> Apollo's cattle are stolen by a felonious infant--Hermes, the god of thieves. In the <em>Hymn to Aphrodite</em> the goddess of love herself becomes infatuated with a mortal man, the Trojan prince Ankhises.<br> This volume offers a faithful verse translation of all the hymns, Explanatory Notes, and a Glossary of Names.<br><br><strong>About the Series: </strong>For over 100 years <strong>Oxford World's Classics </strong>has made available the broadest spectrum of literature from around the globe. Each affordable volume reflects Oxford's commitment to scholarship, providing the most accurate text plus a wealth of other valuable features, including expert introductions by leading authorities, voluminous notes to clarify the text, up-to-date bibliographies for further study, and much more.<br>