Northrop Frye & Jay Macpherson, "Biblical and Classical Myths: The Mythological Framework of Western Culture"

In the 1970s and 80s, Northrop Frye and Jay Macpherson co-taught a very influential course at the University of Toronto's Victoria College on the history of Western mythology—Frye focusing on the biblical myths; Macpherson on the classical. Biblical and Classical Myths recreates the thought behind that course, with Frye's lectures—unpublished until very recently—supplemented by Macpherson's popular 1962 textbook on classical mythology, Four Ages: The Classical Myths.

Frye's lectures on the Bible make up the first half of the book. He expounds on an array of topics, including translations of the bible, sexual imagery, pastoral and agricultural imagery, and law and revolution in the bible. Four Ages makes up the second half. Macpherson narrates the major classical myths from stories of creation to the myths' survival in later European traditions.

By complementing the biblical tradition with the classical, this volume imparts a comprehensive understanding of western mythology. With a preface by Alvin Lee, general editor of the Collected Works of Northrop Frye, Biblical and Classical Myths is an essential volume and represents a unique achievement in scholarship.

Contents

Preface to the Combined Edition
Abbreviations

Symbolism In The Bible
 Foreword
 1 An Approach to the Bible and Translations of the Bible
 2 The Shape of the Bible
 3 Images of Paradise: Trees and Water
 4 Parody and Manifest Demonic: Trees and Water
 5 Sexual Imagery: The Bride and the Bridegroom; The Great Whore and the Forgiven Harlot
 6 Pastoral and Agricultural Imagery
 7 The World of Angels; Leviathan, Dragons, and the Antichrist
 8 Demonic Parodies and the Hero from across the
 9 The Double Mirror: Exodus and Gospel
 10 The Metaphor of Kingship
 11 King, Priest, and Prophet
 12 The Question of Primogeniture
 13 Genesis: In the Beginning
 14 Genesis: Creating the Sexes; Exodus: A Revolutionary Heritage
 15 Law: Ordering a Society
 16 Law and Revolution; Wisdom: The Proverb
 17 Wisdom: Playing before God; Ecclesiastes: Vanity of Vanities
 18 Job: A Test
 19 Job and the Question of Tragedy
 20 Job and Restored Humanity
 21 The Language of Proclamation: Style and Rhythm in the Bible; The Gospel: Rewriting the Commandments
 22 Revelation: Removing the Veil
 23 Revelation: After the Ego Disappears
 24 The Language of Love
 Maps
 Note on the Illustrations
 Notes
 The Bible and Further Readings

Four Ages: The Classical Myths
 Foreword
 Introduction

 1 In The Beginning
  The Creation
  The Golden Age
  War in Heaven
  The Reign of Zeus
  Prometheus
  Pandora's Box
  Deucalion's Flood
  Phaëthon

 2 Spring and Winter
  Demeter and Persephone
  Adonis
  Hyacinthus
  Narcissus
  Orpheus

 3 Loves of the Gods and Metamorphoses
  Loves of Zeus: Callisto, Io
  Pan and Syrinx
  Apollo and Daphne
  Clytie
  Endymion
  Arachne
  Procne and Philomela
  Midas' Touch
  Ceyx and Alcyone
  Nisus and Scylla
  Philemon and Baucis

 4 The Heroes
  Perseus
  The Labours of Heracles
  Jason and the Golden Fleece
  Bellerophon and Pegasus
  Theseus

 5 The Royal House of Thebes
  The Children of Agenor
  Zeus and Semele
  Ino and Athamas
  Pentheus
  Actaeon
  Oedipus

 6 The Tale of Troy
  The Apple of Discord
  The War
  The Fall of the City
  The Returns
   The Return of Menelaus
   The Return of Agamemnon
   The Return of Aeneas
   The Return of Odysseus

 7 Cupid and Psyche

 8 Conclusion: The Passing and Afterlife of the Gods

 Family Trees
  Family Tree of the Olympians
  Family Tree of the Royal House of Thebes
 Mythology–History Chart
 Maps
  The Greek World
  The Mediterranean World
 Sources of Quotations
 Note on the Illustrations
 Note on Classical Names
 Notes
 Suggestions for Further Reading
Biblical Indexes
Index of Classical Mythology

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