Heroes, Gods and Monsters of the Greek Myths

Heroes, Gods and Monsters of the Greek Myths by Bernard Evslin was first published in hardcover in 1967. A collection of stories from ancient Greek and Roman mythology retold for a young adult audience, it is considered a modern classic in the genre of ancient myth retellings.

Plot Summary

In a short introduction, Evslin shares his personal experience hearing stories from Greek mythology as a child and explains how he understands them. He notes that ancient Greek myths portray the gods bringing forth both good and evil, and that he believes the myths narrate scenes from an eternal struggle between “the powers of Light and the powers of Darkness” (10).

The book is divided into six additional parts. The first one, titled “The Gods,” contains thirteen chapters that describe the major Olympian gods and their domains. Evslin retells some of the most iconic and well-known stories about the gods and their children. These include tales about Athene’s contest with Arachne, Hades kidnapping Demeter’s daughter Persephone, Hera’s interference with the birth of Apollo and Artemis, Hermes stealing Apollo’s cattle as an infant, and Hephaestus’s marriage to Aphrodite.

The second part, called “Nature Myths,” recounts foundational stories of Greek mythology featuring Prometheus, Pandora, Phaethon, Orpheus, Narcissus and Echo, Eros and Psyche, and Arion.