There are only two original books by Russian authors about Greek gods . All subsequent editions are based on information provided in these two sources. But the Greek mythology is so many-sided that information from a couple of books is enough for many glossy gift editions. What is so special about the ancient Greek gods?
The fact is that the ancient mythology of Greece penetrated into all spheres of our existence, a lot of words are associated with the names of the gods (morphine, panic). There are many hints of ancient myths in culture, and how many films were shot according to Greek traditions ... Of course, the writers of such films are very free to use the plot, but the main conflicts are conveyed very accurately.
Oddly enough, the ancient Greek gods allow us to better understand universal values. The mythology of the Greeks is an applied conflictology, mainly of family relations. Not for nothing that Freud chose Oedipus and Electra for the name of well-known complexes. This only proves that myths gathered the most typical for people, and it turned out that not only for the Greek nation.
Here is the mother’s tendency to reflect his father’s discontent in children (Medea), and the image of impeccable fidelity (Penelope), and jealousy of children from other marriages (Hera and Hercules).
Ancient Greek mythology is complex. The gods are connected with each other and with mortal complex relationships. Take, for example, the legend of the most beautiful woman in the world. Yes, Elena the Trojan. Its origin is covered in mystery. Formally, she is the daughter of Agamemnon and Leda, in the "popular" books she is called the daughter of Zeus and Leda. But in-depth studies say that she was the daughter of Zeus and the deity Nemesis (goddess of retribution). One is illogical - she should have been a goddess in this situation. However, she was not offended after death - she became the wife of Achilles in the ancient Greek paradise behind the coffin.
The ancient Greek gods and goddesses are very similar to people. They suffer, they are jealous, they take revenge. These are not ideals at all. And their relationship with each other is far from exemplary. Aphrodite is unfaithful to her husband because she married him without much desire. Zeus cannot live without entering into relations with numerous mortal beauties, and the goddesses do not disdain. As a result, he has many illegitimate children and is considered the father of many gods. And he himself is far from an ideal son. Because he overthrows his father from the throne. And we see that the same fate would await Zeus if he had not reconciled in time with Prometheus.
Plots are extremely rich, and here is the punishment of the gods (necklace of Harmony), and rebellion (Prometheus against Zeus), and punished pride (Semele). There are almost no aspects of life that would not be reflected in the ancient Greek encyclopedia of relations.
How to read these myths? Necessarily with a pencil in his hands. If you mark the connections between the ancient Greek gods, it will be easier to figure out why one woman disliked the children of another and did everything to get rid of the latter.
Personally, I most liked the beautiful myth of Psyche. Eros fell in love with mortal Psyche and appeared to her in the dark. To become a goddess and his lawful wife, a curious girl went through many trials arranged by her mother, Aphrodite. Here you have a typical dislike of the mother-in-law to the daughter-in-law. The plot is common.
In the myths of Greece there is nothing everyday, there is always emotional tension, in the world of gods and mortals, serious passions boil. Odysseus remains faithful to his Penelope (although he got in the wanderings of the illegitimate son of Telegon who killed him later), returning to her for many years from a difficult campaign against Troy. You sympathize with the heroes and gods, realizing that their problems are close to everyday human. These are not the gloomy and majestic gods of Egypt, these are understandable and "democratic." Books on mythology can be given to children to learn typical stories from an early age. This is very useful in the adult world for understanding the many realities of culture.