The Wisdom of the Myths: How Greek Mythology Can Change Your Life

This comprehensive analysis of Greek myth seeks to uncover the basic worldview that lies behind such varied and disparate stories, and allusions such as “a Herculean task” and “Pandora’s box.” In this, Ferry (A Brief History of Thought), a professor of philosophy at the Sorbonne, is surprisingly successful: time and again he proves that “wisdom consists of finding our natural place in a divine and everlasting order.” Those who fight to uphold this divine order—Theseus, Heracles—are rewarded with a heroic legacy. But those who go against the natural order—even unwittingly, like Oedipus—are swiftly and brutally struck down. Ferry excuses much of what modern readers might perceive as injustice on the part of the gods. When Apollo flays a satyr who challenges him to a musical contest, for example, it is not vanity but the literal triumph of harmony over discord. Despite his claim that “I recount the legends as if to an audience of children,” Ferry’s narration proves long-winded and repetitive. However, he never loses sight of his central argument, and despite the pedantic tone, the breadth of evidence will sway most readers. (Jan.)