Classical Myths and Legends in the Middle Ages and Renaissance: A Dictionary of Allegorical Meanings

Classical myths and legends had a vigorous life long after the fall of Rome. During the Middle Ages and Renaissance, classical lore was interpreted in light of Christianity, and poets and mythographers attached allegorical significance to the ancient myths. Medieval and Renaissance authors such as Chaucer and Shakespeare drew upon the Greek and Roman myths to convey the values of Christian culture allegorically. Classical dictionaries identify characters and tales of Greek and Roman mythology, but these works do not explain the allegorical significance attached to the myths during the Renaissance and Middle Ages. Moreover, modern readers are generally unfamiliar with these allegorical meanings. This reference book provides entries for several hundred figures from classical mythology and explains how these figures were allegorically interpreted during the Middle Ages and Renaissance. Each entry includes examples of allegorical usage drawn from literature and art, and a bibliography. An extensive bibliography of primary and secondary sources concludes the volume.

H. DAVID BRUMBLE is Professor of English and Associate Dean for Undergraduate Studies at the University of Pittsburgh.