Classical Myths and Legends in the Middle Ages and Renaissance: a dictionary of allegorical meanings by H. David BrumbleCall Number: Reference [X] PN669 .B78 1998
ISBN: 0313294518
Publication Date: 1998-02-24
Classical mythology had a vigorous life long after the fall of Rome. Medieval commentators interpreted these myths allegorically. Throughout the Middle Ages and Renaissance, poets and playwrights such as Chaucer and Shakespeare drew upon classical myths to convey Christian beliefs allegorically. While readers of the Middle Ages and Renaissance could be expected to understand the allegorical significance of the ancient myths, contemporary readers are often unfamiliar with the veiled moralizations embedded in the mythological allusions of medieval and early modern authors. While numerous classical dictionaries identify the figures and tales of Greek and Roman mythology, this reference book explains the allegorical significance attached to the myths by Medieval and Renaissance authors.