Though references to Greek myths will hardly surprise the reader of western European literature, the reception history of Greek mythology is far richer and includes such lesser known traditions as the Armenian one. Greek myths were known to medieval Armenians through translations of late classical and early Christian writings and through the original works of Armenian authors. However, accessing them in their Armenian incarnations is no easy task. References to them are difficult to find as they are scattered over the vast medieval Armenian written corpus. Furthermore, during the process of translation, transmission, retelling, and copying of Greek mythical stories, Greek names, words, and plot details frequently became corrupted. In this first-of-its-kind study, Gohar Muradyan brings together all the known references to ancient Greek myths (154 episodes) in medieval Armenian literature. Alongside the original Armenian passages and, when extant, their Greek originals, she provides annotated English translations. She opens the book with an informative introduction and concludes with useful appendices listing the occurrences of Greek gods, their Armenian equivalents, images, altars, temples, and rites, as well as Aesop’s fables and the Trojan War.

Table of Contents:
Acknowledgements Preface Introduction  1 Ancient Greek Myths in Christian Authors  2 Ancient Greek Myths in Old Armenian Literature  3 Names of Gods and Other Personages of Myths  Editorial Principles Texts  1 The Hundred-handed, Titans, Giants, Cerberus, Chimera and Gorgos  2 The Castration of Uranus and the Birth of Aphrodite  3 Cyclopes  4 Children of Uranus and Gea  5 The Birth of Zeus  6 Zeus’ Tomb in Crete  7 Atlas  8 Centaurs  9 Mythical Musicians  10 Musician Thamyris  11 Punishment of Hera, Hephaestus’ Disabling, Aphrodite and Ares  12 The Birth of Athena  13 Founding Eleusis and Attica  14 Leto and Tityos  15 Apollo and Daphne  16 The Court of Areopagus  17 Orion  18 Demeter, Persephone and Triptolemus  19 Zeus and Persephone-Pherephatte  20 Revolt of the Giants against Zeus  21 Prometheus and Hephaestus  22 Deucalion and the Flood  23 Graeci and the Origin of the Name of the Hellenes  24 Ion and the Origin of the Name of the Greeks  25 Otus and Ephialtes  26 The Flight of Phrixus and Helle from Ino  27 The Foundation of Corinth  28 Salmoneus and Tyro  29 Soothsayer Melampus  30 The Argonauts  31 Pelias Killed by Medea  32 Medea Takes Revenge on Jason  33 Medea’s Son Medus  34 The First Kings of Sicyon  35 The First Kings of Argos  36 Zeus and Inachus’s Daughter Io  37 Belus King of Assyria  38 The Daughters of Danaus and Sons of Egypt  39 Bellerophontes and Chimera  40 Zeus and Danae, the Birth of Perseus  41 Perseus and Gorgo Medusa  42 Eurystheus Reigns over Mycenae  43 The Birth of Heracles  44 Heracles and the Fifty Daughters of Thespius  45 Heracles’ Madness  46 Heracles and the Nemean Lion  47 Heracles and the Lernean Hydra  48 The Mares of Diomedes  49 The Amazons  50 Geryon and the Pillars of Heracles  51 Heracles’ Single Combat with Antaeus  52 Heracles and Busiris  53 The Adventures of Theseus and Pirithous  54 Cerberus and Heracles  55 Cercopes and Heracles  56 Heracles Destroys Troy  57 Heracles and Auge, the Birth of Telephus  58 Heracles and the Oxen of Thiodamas  59 Heracles and Deianeira. Heracles’ Death  60 The Apotheosis of Heracles  61 The Return of the Heraclids to Peloponnese, Aristodemus Stricken by a Thunderbolt  62 Distribution of the Towns of Peloponnese among the Heraclids  63 The Birth of Cadmus, Phoenician Letters Introduced to Greece  64 Europa and Zeus  65 Sarpedon in Lycia  66 Minos and Rhadamanthus as Judges  67 Pasiphae and the Bull, the Birth of Minotaur  68 Foundation of Thebes  69 Cadmus and the Sparti  70 Zeus and Semele, the Birth of Dionysus  71 Dionysus’ Upbringing  72 Madness of Athamas and Ino  73 Dionysus and the Tragedy  74 Actaeon  75 Dionysus and the Vine  76 Dionysus Torn Apart by the Titans  77 Dionysus and Pentheus  78 Dionysus’ Apotheosis  79 Labdacus and Lycus Reigning in Thebes  80 Zethus and Amphion, the Musician Arion  81 The Walls of Thebes  82 Niobe and Leto  83 The Sphinx Sent to Thebes  84 The Tragedy of Oedipus  85 Argos’ War against Thebes  86 The Transformation of Tiresias  87 Details of the Theban War  88 Single Battle of Eteocles and Polynices  89 Amphiaraus and Adrastus  90 The Epigones against Thebes  91 Zeus and Callisto, the Birth of Arcas  92 Atalanta and Hippomenes  93 Asclepius Struck by the Thunderbolt  94 Zeus and Leda  95 Dardania and Troy  96 The Rape of Ganymede  97 The Founding of Ilium and the Reign of Priam  98 Aeacus  99 The Birth and Upbringing of Achilles  100 Cecrops  101 Greek Letters Ascribed to Cecrops  102 Phoenix Blinded  103 The Strife of Athena and Poseidon for Athens  104 Cecrops’ Son Erysichthon  105 Phaethon  106 Myrrha, Birth of Adonis  107 Atthis and the Name of Attica  108 Cranaus’ Successors on the throne of Athens  109 The Birth of Erichthonius  110 The Daughters of Pandion, Triptolemus  111 Icarius  112 The Tragedy of Procne and Philomela  113 Erechteus’ Ascension to the Throne, Orythia and Boreas  114 Eumolpus  115 The Seventh to Eleventh Kings of Athens  116 Theseus in Attica  117 Daedalus and Icarus  118 Theseus and the Marathonian Bull  119 Medea’s Banishment from Athens  120 Theseus and Ariadne  121 Daedalus’ Flight and the Murder of Minos  122 Phaedra and Hippolytus  123 Ixion and Hera  124 The Battle of Centaurs and Lapiths  125 Helen Kidnapped by Theseus  126 The Adventures of Theseus and Pirithous in Hades  127 Tantalus’ Punishment  128 The Ivory Shoulder of Pelops  129 Pelops’ Marriage and Ascension to the Throne, the Pelopids  130 Atreus’ and Thyestes’ Ascension to the Throne  131 Agamenon and Menelaus, the Birth of Orestes  132 Helen’s Rape by Paris  133 Proteus Keeps Helen, Proteus’ Transformation, His Sons  134 Odysseus and Palamedes  135 Iphigenia in Aulis and in Tauris  136 Aphrodite Wounded  137 Diomedes Wounded by Paris’ Arrow  138 The Death of Patroclus  139 Achilles and the Scamander River  140 Hector Killed  141 Achilles and Thersites  142 Memnon Protector of Troy, Zarmayr  143 The Conquest of Troy, Polyxene  144 Orestes’ Ascension to the Mycenaean Throne, Pyrrhus Killed  145 The Island of the Cyclopes  146 Odysseus and Polyphemus  147 The Island of Circe  148 The Sirens  149 Scylla and Charybdis  150 On the Island of Calypso  151 Penelope’s Bridegrooms  152 The Birth of Pan  153 The Foundation of Rome  154 Narcissus Appendices  1 Mentions of Greek Gods, their Armenian Equivalents and Images  2 Complete Narrations about the Trojan War  3 Shaking Olympus  4 Candaules and Gyges, Midas  5 Halcyon  6 Hayk’s Grandson Cadmus Bibliography Literature Index of Names