The Mythology of Plants: Botanical Lore from Ancient Greece and Rome (Hardcover) (ISBN-13: 9781606063217)

This engaging book focuses on the perennially fascinating topic of plants in Greek and Roman myth. The author, an authority on the gardens, art, and literature of the classical world, introduces the book's main themes with a discussion of gods and heroes in ancient Greek and Roman gardens. The following chapters recount the everyday uses and broader cultural meaning of plants with particularly strong mythological associations. These include common garden plants such as narcissus and hyacinth; pomegranate and apple, which were potent symbols of fertility; and sources of precious incense including frankincense and myrrh. Following the sweeping botanical commentary are the myths themselves, told in the original voice of Ovid, classical antiquity's most colorful mythographer.

The volume's interdisciplinary approach will appeal to a wide audience, ranging from readers interested in archaeology, classical literature, and ancient history to garden enthusiasts. With an original translation of selections from Ovid's Metamorphoses, an extensive bibliography, a useful glossary of names and places, and a rich selection of images including exquisite botanical illustrations, this book is unparalleled in scope and realization.

Author: Annette Giesecke
ISBN-10: 1606063219
ISBN-13: 9781606063217
Publisher: J. Paul Getty Museum
Language: English
Published: 04/15/2014
Pages: 144
Format: Hardcover
Weight: 1.26lbs
Size: 8.77h x 6.94w x 0.64d

Review Citation(s):
Foreword 08/27/2014
New York Review of Books 09/25/2014 pg. 40
Choice 09/01/2014 pg. 104