Either way, Stephen Fry makes them all feel fresh and accessible. If you’re anything like me, you’ll have heard some of these stories and you’ll recognise the names of some of the characters, but many more will be new to you. The stories go on to detail other unwise crossings of the gods by foolish mortals, including the likes of Psyche and Arachne, Phaeton and Cadmus, Echo and Narcissus, and culminating in the story of Midas. He was the titan who created humans and gave them the gift of fire, a gift forbidden by Zeus and stolen from Mount Olympus. The second part, “The Toys of Zeus”, begins with the story of Prometheus. Beginning with Gaia (Mother Earth) and Ouranos (Father Sky), the story follows the line of the gods down to Cronos and the Titans, and finally on to Zeus and his siblings, who go on to form the council of gods known as the Olympians. The first, “The Beginning”, tells the story of the birth of the gods. It’s clear he loves the subject matter himself, and it’s difficult not to be swept away by the sheer joy that permeates the work throughout. Throughout the book, Mr Fry keeps things light and respectful, telling each story in a way that entertains, amuses, and informs. Mythos, by Stephen Fry, is just the latest of these efforts, as he tries to capture the stories of Greek mythology for a modern audience. More than anything though, it’s the stories themselves.Ĭonsidering they came into being thousands of years ago, the legends of Zeus and his fellow gods, of Jason and Perseus, of Medusa and the golden fleece, have echoed down through the ages, inspiring countless retellings and re-imaginings.
The stop-motion animation of Ray Harryhausen obviously played a big part in that, as, before the days of CGI, there was something terrifyingly awesome about that fight scene with the skeletons.
Some of my earliest memories of fantasy are taken straight from Jason and The Argonauts and Clash of the Titans (the original, not the god-awful remake). Mythos: The Greek Myths Retold by Stephen Fry
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