The Age of Fable
Open in Reader

Classical mythology popularization

The Age of Fable; or, Stories of Gods and Heroes

Thomas Bulfinch1855
Introductorycomplete

The first and most famous volume of Bulfinch's Mythology, designed to make classical stories accessible to a general Victorian audience. Bulfinch retells the myths of Greece and Rome with a focus on their appearance in literature and art, stripping away more 'obscene' or complex elements to create a refined narrative. It covers the creation of the world, the Olympian gods, the adventures of Perseus and Medusa, the Trojan War, and the wanderings of Ulysses and Aeneas. It also includes brief sections on 'Eastern' and Northern mythology, making it a comprehensive introductory survey.

Also known asBulfinch's Mythology
This edition1855
EditionSanborn, Carter, and Bazin, Boston
Comparative MythologyMythologyClassical mythologyApollo and DaphneRoman MythologySymbolismPrometheus and Pandoraritual documentationGreek MythologyFolklore StudiesClassical / Victorian EducationalFolklore & SuperstitionPyramus and Thisbe

Contents164 chapters

  1. 01BULFINCH'S MYTHOLOGY THE AGE OF FABLE
  2. 02CONTENTS
  3. 03Chapter I
  4. 04CHAPTER II
  5. 05PYTHON
  6. 06APOLLO AND DAPHNE
  7. 07PYRAMUS AND THISBE
  8. 08CEPHALUS AND PROCRIS
  9. 09Chapter III
  10. 10CALLISTO
  11. 11DIANA AND ACTAEON
  12. 12LATONA AND THE RUSTICS
  13. 13PHAETON
  14. 14Chapter IV
  15. 15BAUCIS AND PHILEMON
  16. 16PROSERPINE
  17. 17GLAUCUS AND SCYLLA
  18. 18Chapter V
  19. 19DRYOPE
  20. 20VENUS AND ADONIS
  21. 21APOLLO AND HYACINTHUS
  22. 22CEYX AND HALCYONE: OR, THE HALCYON BIRDS
  23. 23Chapter VI
  24. 24CUPID AND PSYCHE
  25. 25Chapter VII
  26. 26THE MYRMIDONS
  27. 27Chapter VIII
  28. 28ECHO AND NARCISSUS
  29. 29CLYTIE
  30. 30HERO AND LEANDER
  31. 31Chapter IX
  32. 32UPON A LADY'S EMBROIDERY
  33. 33NIOBE
  34. 34THE GRAEAE AND GORGONS
  35. 35PERSEUS AND MEDUSA
  36. 36PERSEUS AND ATLAS
  37. 37THE WEDDING FEAST
  38. 38Chapter X
  39. 39THE SPHINX
  40. 40PEGASUS AND THE CHIMAERA
  41. 41THE CENTAURS
  42. 42THE PYGMIES
  43. 43THE GRIFFIN, OR GRYPHON
  44. 44Chapter XI
  45. 45MEDEA AND AESON
  46. 46THE CALYDONIAN HUNT. MELEAGER AND ATALANTA
  47. 47ATALANTA
  48. 48Chapter XII
  49. 49HEBE AND GANYMEDE
  50. 50Chapter XIII
  51. 51OLYMPIC AND OTHER GAMES
  52. 52DAEDALUS
  53. 53CASTOR AND POLLUX
  54. 54Chapter XIV
  55. 55ARIADNE
  56. 56Chapter XV
  57. 57ERISICHTHON
  58. 58RHOECUS
  59. 59THE WATER DEITIES
  60. 60NEPTUNE
  61. 61AMPHITRITE
  62. 62NEREUS AND DORIS
  63. 63TRITON AND PROTEUS
  64. 64THETIS
  65. 65LEUCOTHEA AND PALAEMON
  66. 66THE CAMENAE
  67. 67THE WINDS
  68. 68Chapter XVI
  69. 69ADMETUS AND ALCESTIS
  70. 70ANTIGONE
  71. 71PENELOPE
  72. 72Chapter XVII
  73. 73ARISTAEUS, THE BEE-KEEPER
  74. 74AMPHION
  75. 75LINUS
  76. 76THAMYRIS
  77. 77MARSYAS
  78. 78MELAMPUS
  79. 79MUSAEUS
  80. 80Chapter XVIII
  81. 81ARION
  82. 82IBYCUS
  83. 83SIMONIDES
  84. 84Chapter XIX
  85. 85ORION
  86. 86AURORA AND TITHONUS.
  87. 87ACIS AND GALATEA
  88. 88Chapter XX
  89. 89THE ILIAD
  90. 90Chapter XXI
  91. 91MENELAUS AND HELEN
  92. 92AGAMEMNON, ORESTES, AND ELECTRA
  93. 93TROY
  94. 94Chapter XXII
  95. 95THE LAESTRYGONIANS
  96. 96SCYLLA AND CHARYBDIS
  97. 97CALYPSO
  98. 98Chapter XXIII
  99. 99FATE OF THE SUITORS
  100. 100Chapter XXIV
  101. 101DIDO
  102. 102PALINURUS
  103. 103Chapter XXV
  104. 104ELYSIUM
  105. 105THE SIBYL
  106. 106Chapter XXVI
  107. 107OPENING THE GATES OF JANUS
  108. 108CAMILLA
  109. 109EVANDER
  110. 110NISUS AND EURYALUS
  111. 111MEZENTIUS
  112. 112Chapter XXVII
  113. 113SYBARIS AND CROTONA
  114. 114EGYPTIAN DEITIES
  115. 115MYTH OF OSIRIS AND ISIS
  116. 116ORACLES
  117. 117ORACLE OF TROPHONIUS
  118. 118ORACLE OF AESCULAPIUS
  119. 119ORACLE OF APIS
  120. 120Chapter XXVIII
  121. 121STATUES OF THE GODS
  122. 122THE OLYMPIAN JUPITER
  123. 123THE MINERVA OF THE PARTHENON
  124. 124THE VENUS DE' MEDICI
  125. 125THE APOLLO BELVEDERE
  126. 126THE DIANA A LA BICHE
  127. 127THE VENUS OF MELOS
  128. 128THE POETS OF MYTHOLOGY
  129. 129VIRGIL
  130. 130OVID
  131. 131Chapter XXIX
  132. 132THE PHOENIX
  133. 133THE COCKATRICE, OR BASILISK
  134. 134THE UNICORN
  135. 135THE SALAMANDER
  136. 136Chapter XXX
  137. 137HINDU MYTHOLOGY
  138. 138VISHNU
  139. 139SIVA
  140. 140JUGGERNAUT
  141. 141CASTES
  142. 142BUDDHA
  143. 143THE GRAND LAMA
  144. 144PRESTER JOHN
  145. 145Chapter XXXI
  146. 146OF THE JOYS OF VALHALLA
  147. 147THE VALKYRIOR
  148. 148THOR
  149. 149OF LOKI AND HIS PROGENY
  150. 150HOW THOR PAID THE MOUNTAIN GIANT HIS WAGES
  151. 151THE RECOVERY OF THE HAMMER
  152. 152Chapter XXXII
  153. 153Chapter XXXIII
  154. 154THE FUNERAL OF BALDUR
  155. 155THE ELVES
  156. 156RAGNABOK, THE TWILIGHT OF THE GODS
  157. 157RUNIC LETTERS
  158. 158THE SKALDS
  159. 159ICELAND
  160. 160Chapter XXXIV
  161. 161IONA
  162. 162SKETCH OF THE HISTORY OF GREEK SCULPTURE
  163. 163THE FULL PROJECT GUTENBERG LICENSE
  164. 164"Cover"

Influences & Sources

Strange Survivals

Strange Survivals

1892

Intermediate

Works Influenced by This

Argonautica

Argonautica

250

Intermediate
Theogony & Works and Days

Theogony & Works and Days

-700

Intermediate
Metamorphoses (Books VIII-XV)

Metamorphoses (Books VIII-XV)

8

Intermediate
Metamorphoses (Books I-VII)

Metamorphoses (Books I-VII)

8

Intermediate

By the Same Author

Bulfinch's Mythology

Bulfinch's Mythology

1855

Bulfinch's Mythology

Bulfinch's Mythology

1881

Introductory

Readers Also Explore

Argonautica

Argonautica

250

Intermediate
Mythology of Greece and Rome

Mythology of Greece and Rome

1881

Intermediate
Young Folks' Treasury Vol. 2

Young Folks' Treasury Vol. 2

1909

Introductory
Heathen Mythology

Heathen Mythology

1842

Intermediate
Theogony & Works and Days

Theogony & Works and Days

-700

Intermediate
Student's Mythology

Student's Mythology

1873

Intermediate

Ask the Hermetikon Archivist about this text

Search within this book, retrieve direct quotations with page references, or explore related ideas.

Ask the Archivist