Celebrated scholar Joseph Campbell shares his intimate and inspiring reflections on the art of living in this beautifully packaged book, part of a new series to be based on his unpublished writings.
Gilgamesh, King of Uruk, and his companion Enkidu are the only heroes to have survived from the ancient literature of Babylon, immortalized in this epic poem that dates back to the third millennium BC. Together they journey to the Spring of Youth, defeat the Bull of Heaven and slay the monster Humbaba. When Enkidu dies, Gilgamesh's grief and fear of death are such that they lead him to undertake a quest for eternal life. A timeless tale of morality, tragedy and pure adventure, The Epic of Gilgamesh is a landmark literary exploration of man's search for immortality.
N. K. Sandars's lucid, accessible translation is prefaced by a detailed introduction that examines the narrative and historical context of the work. In addition, there is a glossary of names and a map of the Ancient Orient. For more than seventy years, Penguin has been the leading publisher of classic literature in the English-speaking world. With more than 1,700 titles, Penguin Classics represents a global bookshelf of the best works throughout history and across genres and disciplines. Readers trust the series to provide authoritative texts enhanced by introductions and notes by distinguished scholars and contemporary authors, as well as up-to-date translations by award-winning translators.
Reveals how the ancient Celtic text of the Mabinogion was the mythical predecessor to the legends of King Arthur.
- Revised edition of Arthur and the Sovereignty of Britain (UK) that includes the author's latest research and insights. - A comprehensive reader's companion with synopsis of stories and full commentary. - Written by renowned scholar Caitl n Matthews, author of The Celtic Wisdom Tarot (15,000 sold). The ancient Celtic stories of the Mabinogion have received universal recognition from scholars as both sources of the Arthurian legend and keys to insights into the ancient magic of the Celtic Otherworld. Now renowned Celtic scholar Caitl n Matthews, drawing on a full range of medieval texts and ancient Welsh writings, provides a fully revised and updated reader's guide to these rich and far-reaching tales. In King Arthur and the Goddess of the Land, Matthews sheds particular light on Sovereignty, the Goddess of the sacred land of Britain, and the spiritual principle of the Divine Feminine. Clearly revealed are the many alternate forms taken by the Goddess of the Land--including her incarnation as Morgan of Avalon, who plays a dominant role in the Arthurian cycle. Also established are links between the legendary characters of the Mabinogion and their counterparts in other living myths of the Western world. Through the marriage of the Celtic kings to the Goddess of the Land, the sacred contract between political rulership and responsibility for the land's well-being is dramatically revealed. In King Arthur and the Goddess of the Land, Matthews once again articulates definitively the continuing relevance of ancient Celtic thought and belief as illustrated in the powerful myths and legends of ancient Britain.
This family favorite is a unique, well-loved source of stories, recipes, things to make, activities, poems, songs, and festivals. Each festival, such as Christmas, Candlemas, and Martinmas, has its own illustrated chapter. Also included are sections on birthdays, rainy days, convalescence, and a birthday Calendar.
The perfect present and fun for the whole family, it explores the numerous festivals that children love to celebrate.
In Celtic myth, the mixture of wise spiritual teaching and dramatic imagery creates new, potent, and disturbing visions. This selection of eleven storiessome more than 3,000 years old focuses on the women of ancient British mythology, from the formidable women warriors who trained heros to fight and kill to the beautiful companions who led them to higher realms of feminine intuition and spiritual wisdom. Caldecott goes beyond a mere recounting of female strength, providing lucid personal commentary that illuminates the complete myth and the culture from which it springs. These powerful stories transmit a recognition of the mystery of being and an understanding of the powerful magic of inner transformation.
All the wonder, terror and delight of Greek mythology springs forth from the pages of this unique and much-needed anthology. Rhonda Hendricks has not only selected from the works of the ancient authors the best -- and often earliest -- versions of these tales; she has also arranged them so as to give a cumulative view of classical mythology beginning with The Creation and The Birth of Zeus. Of particular interest are: The Ages of Mankind, The Birth of Athena, Oedipus the King, Heracles, Theseus, Jason and Medea, The Judgement of Paris, The Trojan Horse, Pygmalion, and Cupid and Psyche. These texts offer a new perspective on classical mythology and, by so doing, cast a new light on this cornerstone of Western culture.
Mexican-American traditions are richly nourished by the folkways of three cultures: Indian, Spanish, and Mexican. This comprehensive look at the Mexican-American world includes a range of traditional proverbs, riddles, stories and folksongs; folk narrative, from Pancho Villa to urban ghosts, saints to revolutionaries; customs, from household shrines to irrigation rituals to charreadas, or Mexican-style rodeos; children's games, home remedies, folk foods, crafts, dress, and more.Besides its wide range of folk genres, Mexican-American Folklore is also broad-ranging in space--it covers the entire American Southwest, and in time, it includes material from several generations back, as well as very recent adaptations of customs to modern life. These stories teach readers the importance of courage, resourcefulness and respect for Mexican-American traditions.
Reveals the discovery of an artifact that many experts believe may be the Holy Grail
- Traces the journey of the Grail from the Holy Land to Rome and eventually to a ruined chapel in Shropshire, England - Uncovers new evidence identifying the historical King Arthur and his connection to the Holy Grail The popular Arthurian stories of the Middle Ages depict the Holy Grail as Christ's cup from the Last Supper, which was believed to have been endowed with miraculous healing powers and the ability to give eternal life to whoever drank from it. A much earlier tradition, however, claimed the Grail was the vessel used by Mary Magdalene to collect Christ's blood when he appeared to her after rising from the tomb. While many vessels were claimed to have been the true Grail, there was only one thought to have been the chalice used by Mary. From Jesus' empty tomb, where it remained for almost 400 years, this holy relic known as the Marian Chalice was taken to Rome by the mother of the first Christian emperor, Constantine the Great. It was then smuggled from Rome in 410 A.D., according to the fifth-century historian Olympiodorus, to save it from the barbarians who sacked the city. Well into the Middle Ages legend persisted that it had been taken to safety in Britain, the last outpost of Roman civilization in Western Europe. This journey to England, and what happened to the Chalice there, is the focus of this book. Graham Phillips's research uncovers the secret legacy of an ancient noble family over generations and a trail of clues hidden in the English countryside that lead to a mysterious grotto, a forgotten attic, and the lost chalice. In tracing the relic, Phillips offers the inside story behind an astonishing adventure that results in the identification of the historical King Arthur and the location of one of the most powerful symbols in Western tradition.
"To quietly persevere in storing up what is learned, to continue studying without respite, to instruct others without growing weary--is this not me?"
--Confucius
