On the Verge of Lunacy

*Note: This was a term paper for a class. Since I don't know what grade the professor gave me (or of she even read the paper at all), I decided to post it here. The Enuma Elish is also called The Seven Tablets of Creation. It documents the Babylonian creation epic. It was recorded in seven clay tablets found at various locations including the infamous library of Ashurbanipal at Nineveh, discovered by Austen Henry Layard. The name of the hero of the epic varies depending on where the tablet is found. The most common version tells of Marduk as the hero. In other versions, the god of the city is considered the hero. Introduction The title of the epic is taken from its opening line “When in the height, heaven was not named...” The epic chronicles Marduk’s war against Tiamat. He leads the other gods against the old divinity who had turned against her children. Besides Marduk’s exploits, the epic also tells about the birth of the gods and goddesses and the creation of the universe....

Perhaps the most popular source for Greek and Roman mythology is Edith Hamilton's book. However, Hamilton had covered only the stories that are already popular and did not emphasize the different versions from various sources. EM Berens's Myths and Legends of Ancient Greece and Rome offers a wider variety of stories, is more organized and has a lot of material that are not included in Hamilton's. The book included the various myths of Greece and Rome and is organized according to the most important figures to the demi-gods and mortals. The first part is about the creation of the world according to Greeks. The last part is about the Trojan war and its aftermath. Those already familiar with most of the Greek and Roman myths will find a lot of new information in the book not cited in others. If, however, you wish to find analyses of myths, this volume can serve as a starting point for further research. I like this book more than the popular ones because of its...

The Golden Bough was first published in two volumes in 1890. It is a must-read for those interested in comparative mythology and the study of religion. Sir James George Frazer attempted to explain the succession of the priests of Diana in Nemi known as the King of the Wood. The succession is unusual for its violence. The priest who represented Virbius (or Hippolytus) must stand vigilant lest someone attack him and take his place. To understand this problem better, the author delved into the history of magic, examined ritual and mythology and cited various beliefs and practices from across the world that were similar in function. He first examined the principles of magic; tree worship; the different taboos particularly those taboos involving the nobles; religious ceremonies; the fertility cults, etc. The King of the Wood at Nemi was "probably regarded as an incarnation of a tree-spirit/spirit of vegetation and is endowed with the magical powers to make trees bear...

Published in 1936, the book is divided into three parts. The first is about traditions wherein the author FitzRoy Somerset, 4th Baron Raglan discusses the differences and the validity of written accounts. There are accounts written at the time by persons present at the events they describe; accounts by eyewitnesses but not written down yet; archaeological evidences; accounts obtained from actors or spectators shortly after the event; and accounts obtained by questioning people what happened at the time before or those obtained at second or third hand. He then proceeds to cite examples in legends and myths such as Robin Hood, the Norse Sagas, King Arthur, Hengist and Horsa, Cuchulainn, and the Tale of Troy. The second part discusses what myths are about. According to Lord Raglan, most myths "are about gods, heroes, goddesses and heroines because they are accounts of the royal ritual... [r]itual religions aim to secure the well-being of the community by the due perf...

Kratos Zeus

Full title: Sumerian Mythology A Study of Spiritual and Literary Achievement in the 3rd Millennium B.C. This book perhaps is the most comprehensive and well-organized study on Sumerian religion I have read so far. The author himself has done studies over the years of this previously unknown peoples. He also contributed in the identification, decipherment, translation and analysis of fragments of ancient literary works. The book first introduces the author's intended projectst. Then the book proceeds to list the researches that have been done so far about the Sumerians. This volume is mostly concerns mythology and is divided into different categories. The author provides summaries and analyses of the origin myths, the organization of the universe according to the Sumerians, the creation of man, the myths of Kur and others. The author's writing style is reader-friendly. Students and even casual readers will find this book helpful and entertaining. The reade...

The story of Prince of Persia: The Forgotten Sands is set between events in Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time and Prince of Persia: Warrior Within . The Prince is sent by his father (King Sharaman) to an unnamed kingdom at the edge of their family's territory so that he can learn leadership and battle skills from his brother Prince Malik. Apparently, the Prince's family do not remember his previous adventures in Azad and think he has no experience at all. When the Prince arrived at the kingdom, he learns that his brother's army is on the verge of defeat by invaders. When they finally meet up, Malik reveals that he intends to release King Solomon's Army. The Prince argued for caution but Malik insists that he has no choice. The sand army is uncontrollable however and among those released by Malik using a magical seal was Ratash, an Ifrit lord in Solomon's time. Ratash created the sand army and attacked humans in the past. Solomon and the other Djinns im...

*Note: Multiplayer mode is not included in my review *Photo below is a screenshot God of War Ascension is the prequel to the God of War series (see  God of War Trilogy  and  God of War Origins Collection ). The events in the game take place after Kratos vowed to make Ares pay for the god of war's schemes. Because Kratos had broken his oath to serve Ares, the Furies pursued and imprisoned him. If you're familiar with Greek mythology, you may recall that the Furies or Erinyes are female goddesses of vengeance who punish those who have broken their oaths, human or immortal. The Furies are the sisters Alecto, Megaera and Tisiphone.  The opening video at the start of the single player mode retells the fate of one Titan who had suffered at the hands of the sisters. Aegaeon the Hecatonchires broke his oath with Zeus and suffered greatly for it. It is this fate that Kratos must try to avoid. Imprisoned and tortured, Kratos somehow finds a way to free him...

There have been several publications of studies of Egypt but none as organized as The Egyptians by Cyril Aldred. The third edition also has several helpful additions and revisions such as a list of kings of Egypt. The book includes a survey of Egypt's geography and natural resources, the archaeological and anthropological sites, and an introduction of its art, architecture, science, literature and religion. The chapters on prehistory and history are in chronological order and there are plenty of illustrations and photos as well. Students and enthusiasts of Egyptian history will find the book informative and detailed but still reader-friendly. Those who are looking for an in-depth study of Egyptian religion or mythology however might find this book lacking. Most of the details are on architecture and art, and some explanation on how the excavations and studies have pieced together Egypt's history. I recommend the book to those already familiar with some studie...

In a time when the bonds between gods and humans are weakening, one of the most powerful beings devises a plan to teach young gods the meaning of love and restore that connection. Kusanagi Yui was born and raised near a Shinto shrine. By all standards she's a normal girl with a normal life. One day on her way home from school, she discovers a sword which transports her to a sanctuary created by Zeus. She is given the task to act as the human representative in Zeus' school to teach young gods from different countries the meaning of love. If they succeed, it will prevent the destruction of the school and release the gods trapped in the realm. But every time there is a complication, the force holding the place together will weaken. Kusanagi Yui (center) with the gods Yui is hardworking and persuasive and manages to befriend the young gods with the help of her new friend Melissa, a doll sent to look after her. She meets the Greek gods Apollon, Hades and Diony...

This short book provides an introduction and English translation of one of Hesiod's work. The first part is an excellent outline of the history, background, and contents of Theogony. I recommend reading the part first because it is an important guide of the themes, inconsistencies and the studies done by scholars over the years of the work. However, I warn readers who are not into mythology. The introduction is lengthy and the tone is academic. Anyone without even the slightest background of Classical Mythology will be buried in all the information. For those who have read some of the Greek myths, Theogony is much easier to read because you'll know what to look for. I've read Theogony a while back and I find this book helpful because of the introduction. Some of the passages make more sense now. Rating: 10 out of 10

This collection of the majority of European mythology will make the lover of myths cry out for joy. Bulfinch's Mythology includes Greek and Roman myths; Norse; Celtic; Arthurian and British legends (Beowulf, Hereward and Robin Hood); tales of Charlemagne's Paladins; and a few Egyptian and Eastern (Zoroastrian/Persian, Hindu, Buddhist) myths and legends. The stories are limited however and only the more popular tales are included. It is a general overview of most myths but the focus, as expected, is still on Classical Mythology. The pages dedicated to the Greek and Roman gods take up most of the book, followed by Charlemagne's Peers. Despite my disappointed to find that I'd be reading stories I'm already familiar with, the book does have its surprises. There is a chapter dedicated to monsters and how myths are formed. Some of the epics are summarized, much to my dismay, but it might be a good introduction for readers who find the longer versions too te...

Greek history enthusiasts will find this beautiful volume an invaluable addition to their collection. Filled with vivid illustrations and photos, the book is a general outline of history of ancient Greece from its prehistory until Alexander's death.  It contains mostly descriptions of major architectural and archaeological finds and a narration of events at the time they were built or made. The book is informative but not detailed enough for the scholarly purposes. It however provides a good overview of architectural styles, art and a condensed history of the area. I recommend this both for casual and scholarly reading. If you are interested in mythology, the book also mentions a few things. The text is easy to understand and reader friendly (however, the reader might want to check some updates on the progress of the study of finds). Rating: 9 out of 10

Although the title refers to the epic of king of the same name, there is almost no connection the Gilgamesh itself except the references to his tomb and the retelling of the epic by the characters. Siblings Madoka Tatsuya and Madoka Kiyoko have nowhere to run. Forever haunted by their father's reputation as the cause of Twin X that wiped out most of the human population, they were chased by an unknown group with unclear motives. Not only did Twin X caused widespread death but  the explosion caused a mirror-like layer to appear in the sky. Most of the people born after Twin X have never seen the blue sky. Tatsuya is a Dynamis user. Dynamis is a psychic energy that allows the user to control physical objects.  Tatsuya and Kiyoko While trying to escape the pursuers, the Madokas meet three men in an abandoned house. Apparently those men also have Dynamis just like Tatsuya. It seemed that the group that's chasing them is opposed to the three men with dynamis. The f...

A short series (24 episodes and 2 specials) with a plethora of characters each with their own interesting story to tell would seem too ambitious. Durarara!! not only surpasses that expectation but it is probably one of the best series in its genre. Ryugamine Mikado decides to attend high school in Ikebukuro with the idea that he wants to experience more things. He meets his long-time friend Kida Masaomi, a lively young man who introduces him to several people and shows him amazing things including a headless rider, later revealed to be a Dullahan named Celty. Masaomi seems to be friends with everyone including the weird sort like Simon Brezhnev, Heiwajima Shizuo, and a suspicious guy named Orihara Izaya. Mikado and Masaomi later become friends with Sonohara Anri, a tough, mysterious girl. Masaomi, Anri, and Mikado Meanwhile, a group called Dollars is making a name for itself. There are rumors however that this gang is nonexistent even though some people claim the...

This is an English version of  Monsieur Galland's French translation of the tales, collectively called One Thousand and One Nights. Andrew Lang selected only thirteen stories. The poetry and the passages that didn't seem to make sense but the original authors thought funny were dropped. The stories were collected over centuries from different parts of what is now the Middle East and South Asia. In this version, the events supposedly occurred during the reign of Caliph Haroun al Raschid in Bagdad [Note: I retained the spelling of the names found in the book]. At the beginning of the story King Schariar of Persia was introduced as a ruler who took many wives, each of whom is executed after marriage because he thinks that all women are like his brother's unfaithful wife. Finally when Schariar's grand-vizir could no longer find a suitable bride, the vizir's daughter Scheherazade offered herself. She claimed she knows how to stop the king from ordering more wome...

The book is an exhaustive treatise of the creation and evolution of the concept of the dragon. It is divided into three chapters which discuss  incense and libations, dragons and rain gods, and the birth of Aphrodite. The titles of the chapters might be confusing and irrelevant at first glance but the author did more than just explain the various appearances and characteristics of the dragon. He went so far as to discuss every possible theory of its creation, purpose, and models. He even included topics which are remotely related to minor subjects discussed throughout the book.  The author has a tendency to extend the discussion of even the minor topics because he considered every theory that was extant during the creation of this book. The title might be misleading and the reader disappointed in the writer's style but his exhaustive method at arriving at his conclusions is praiseworthy. His uses comparison and verification to form his own opinions and does not wholly...

Mythology enthusiasts will find a lot of things to love about this book. It is divided into eight sections covering the major myth systems of the world and a few minor ones. The first part introduces the reader to mythology. The next six chapters present the different summarized stories and brief descriptions of the myths from classical mythology to myths in Oceania. The last chapter provide lists of the major recurring deities or heroes across the world, the who's who in mythology. Not only does the book provide stories but also a plethora of images, trivia boxes, and list of references to enhance the reading experience. These references are helpful for further studies and although the book is not comprehensive, it was able to cover the major myths and recurring themes helpful for students and myth enthusiasts alike. The stories and descriptions are just skeletons of the full-length myths so I still recommend the original manuscripts or translations of the myths for furth...

Full title: The Homeric Hymns; A New Prose Translation and Essays, Literary and Mythological The hymns, as stated in this book, are probably "preludes to the recitation of the Homeric or other cantos or are preludes to epic recitations." For a mythology enthusiast like myself, this book is a great addition to my collection. Andrew Lang looks at these hymns and provides background and insight as to their meaning and purpose. It's a bonus that the hymns are translated into prose for easier reading I don't recommend skipping the introduction and the essays because reading the translations will not make sense unless the reader is already familiar with the stories. Some hymns, although some tell stories, are incomplete. The essays in the first part serve as introduction, summary, and provide the explanation for the longer hymns. I also recommend this book to readers who have more than a casual interest in classical mythology. Rating: 9 out of 10

This comprehensive book on the chariot is comprehensive, engaging, reader-friendly, and well-organized. Casual readers need not worry about the names and events mentioned in the book because the author provides the necessary information. While students will find the notes and references section helpful for further studies. The book covers three continents and historical events and mythological scenes of the three epics, Iliad, Mahabharata, and Ramayana. It has eight chapters and several illustrations. The author discussed the possible origins of the chariot; its uses; modifications and variations of the chariot in each region; impact of the chariot on warfare; the use of weapons, armor, and;domestication of animals used for pulling, the formation of the armies in consideration of the chariots; the symbolism of the chariot; and finally the gradual decline of its use.  The following are the chapters included in this volume: I. Chariot Battle II. The Rise of the Cha...