Authors and screenplay writers across generations have all drawn inspiration from myths and folklore to bring us the delightful and imaginative genre of fantasy. From children’s cartoons, such as Scooby Doo, to television shows, like Charmed, we see a variety of popular myths and folklore. T.v shows that are based on Greek mythology include Xena: Warrior Princess, Hercules: The Legendary Journeys, and Atlantis.
There is even a Disney movie, Hercules, released in 1997. Subsequently, in 1998, Disney released Hercules: The Animated Series. Heroes by Stephen Fry is your one stop shop for everything you wanted to know about the famous heroes in Greek mythology.
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What books are in Stephen Fry’s Greek Myths Retold trilogy?
- Mythos – The Greek Myths Retold
- Heroes – Mortals and Monsters, Quests and Adventures
- Troy – Our Greatest Story Retold
What is Stephen Fry’s Heroes about?
This book is all about the adventures of well-known mortals and demigods (offspring of a mortal and a god) on quests where they slay an enormous assortment of monsters. Stephen Fry expertly applies his storytelling abilities to take these old tales back to their roots; the stories were meant to be told and shared to entertain, and that is exactly what Fry accomplishes.
What stories are in Heroes by Stephen Fry?
This book describes the stories of 8 familiar heroes:
- Perseus,
- Heracles
- Bellerophon
- Orpheus
- Jason
- Atalanta
- Oedipus
- Theseus
Read on for more details on each of these heroes.
What is Perseus famous for?
Perseus was the son of Zeus and Danaë (who Zeus impregnated via a shower of golden rain). Danaë’s father Acrisius was prophesized to be killed by his grandson, so he had Danaë and Perseus put in a chest and flung into the sea. Luckily, they survived. But what is Perseus famous for? Perseus is most famous for slaying Medusa (whose gaze could turn men into stone) but also for saving princess Andromeda from a sea monster.
Are Heracles and Hercules the same?
Yes. Heracles (aka Hercules) was the son of Zeus and Alcmene (grandchild of Perseus and Andromeda) who Zeus impregnated by impersonating her husband, Amphitryon. Alcmene was also impregnated by her husband and was to bear 2 children. Zeus’s wife Hera was aware of what Zeus had done and decided to take revenge on Heracles.
Heracles grew to be strong but quick-tempered. One day Hera sent a fit of madness upon Heracles which caused him to become delusional and kill his wife and children. Heracles was overcome with grief but all blood crimes must be atoned. For this reason, King Eurystheus set a number of tasks or ‘labors’ for Heracles to complete.
What were the 12 labors of Hercules in order?
- Slaying the Nemean Lion
- Slaying the Lernaen Hydra
- Capturing the Ceryneian Hind
- Capturing the Erymanthian Boar
- Cleaning the Augean Stables
- Killing the Stymphalian Birds
- Capturing the Cretan Bull
- Capturing the Mares of Diomedes
- Taking the Girdle of Hippolyta
- Taking the Cattle of Geryon
- Bringing the Golden Apples of the Hesperides
- Fetching Cerberus
What is Bellerophon famous for?
Bellerophon is the hero who, to cleanse himself of accidental fratricide, killed the Chimera, a fire-breathing monster with the body and head of a Lion, a second head (on its back) of a Goat, and a venomous snake for a tail. Bellerophon also famously had tamed Pegasus, a flying horse.
What is the story of Orpheus about?
Orpheus was renowned as the best musician of all. When his wife Eurydice died in a tragic accident, Orpheus, in his grief, stopped making music. Apollo advised Orpheus to go to the underworld and get his wife back. In the underworld, Hades and Persephone were so moved by Orpheus’s music that they allowed Eurydice to follow Orpheus out on the condition that she was to be 10 paces behind him and that he may not turn to look at her before they were both out of the gates. But alas, Orpheus turned back to look at Eurydice too soon and she was taken back into the underworld.
Who is Jason in mythology?
Jason was the leader of the Argonauts, a group of heroes Jason gathered to help him on his expedition aboard the Argo (ship) to retrieve the Golden Fleece (guarded by a fierce serpent that never slept or closed its eyes).
This task was set upon him by Pelias who promised to step down from the throne that was rightfully Jason’s upon successful completion. Medea, an enchantress, falls in love with Jason and even goes to the extent of killing her brother in order to help Jason on his quest. Jason later betrays Medea for another woman but Medea takes revenge by killing their children (3 sons that Medea bore Jason) as well as Creusa, Jason’s new wife-to-be.
Are there any female Greek heroes?
Yes. In Heroes, we get to learn about Atalanta, a mortal who is a highly skilled huntress.
What was Atalanta best known for?
Abandoned as a baby for being born a girl, Atalanta was found and suckled by a bear. She was later taken in by hunters who taught her their skills. Atalanta, known for being ‘swift footed’, could outrun anyone and was easily the best at any sport. She joined a group of reluctant men in the hunt for the monstrous Calydonian boar.
After this hunt her parents wanted to welcome her back into their kingdom as they had no other offspring. Atalanta did not want to marry and set a condition that whomsoever could outrun her would be her future husband, but should any suitor accept the challenge and fail, they must die. Hippomenes was in love with Atalanta and prayed to Aphrodite for help in winning the race. When Hippomenes neglects to thank Aphrodite, she sends down uncontrollable lust upon the couple while they were in a temple. Atalanta and Hippomenes copulated in the temple earning themselves the wrath of the temple goddess, Cybele, who transforms the pair into lions.
Why did Oedipus marry his mother?
An oracle had told Oedipus’s father, Laius (King of Thebes), that his son would kill him. Laius had the infant Oedipus left on a mountain where he was found and taken in by a herdsman. The oracle’s prophesy came about, nonetheless. When Oedipus grew older and took to the road, he did come across his father and accidentally killed him.
Oedipus also came across and defeated the Sphinx, a creature with a woman’s head, a lion’s body and wings of a bird, by answering its riddles. The Sphinx takes a tumble down the mountain and is killed. Oedipus enters into Thebes and is taken to meet the beautiful (and recently single) Queen who is grateful for his act of bravery in taking on the Sphinx. Not knowing that they are mother and son, Queen Jocasta and Oedipus fall in love and get married. The story does end with the couple finding out their true relationship, followed by Jocasta killing herself and Oedipus blinding himself.
Who is Theseus and what did he do?
Theseus is a cousin of Hercules and most famous for slaying Asterion, the Minotaur (a creature with a bull’s head and a human body). Theseus is believed to have been fathered by both King Aegeus of Athens as well as the god Poseidon. When he is older, he decides to take a journey from Troezen to Athens to become their united king. On his journey, Theseus encounters and kills six different trouble-makers who were notorious for killing travelers. The enchantress Medea is Jason’s step-mother and she also has a son, Medus, who she had hoped would rule Athens.
Medea sends Theseus on a quest to kill the Marathonian Bull (originally the Cretan Bull that Hercules captured in his seventh labor and then released). Theseus is successful in killing the bull so Medea plans to poison him. But the King realizes that Theseus is his son and stops Medea who takes off with her son. It was after this that Theseus learns of the annual tributes of 7 men and 7 women being sent to Crete to feed the Minotaur. He decides to go as one of the tributes and manages to kill the Minotaur with help from Princess Ariadne. There are more adventures of Theseus where he battles the Amazons, centaurs and even Hades.
The Review
Heroes
This is an excellent read if you’d like to get to know the stories and backgrounds of the Greek Heroes, the adversities they faced and how the gods interfered or helped them along in their journeys. Written in Stephen Fry’s humorous narrative, its an entertaining book even with the challenge of having too many characters to possibly remember them all.
PROS
- Full of drama that shocks and delights
- A witty and humorous re-telling
CONS
- Too many characters to possibly remember
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