Women in Classical Mythology

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This opening day collection has been developed for a special library in a Classics department of an academic institution, and prepared primarily for the undergraduate population taking courses in Classical Mythology, with an emphasis on Women in Mythology. In addition, the collection will have obvious benefits for graduate students, and contribute to the overall quality of faculty teaching. The bulk of the materials will be used to support the courses offered, and have the undergraduate majoring in Classics or Classical Studies, or taking electives in the area, as a focus. The three main criteria for a collection of this kind are first, the departmental library must contain copies of all books used as required texts in courses; secondly, that a range of books that are helpful to instructors in the teaching of these courses is essential; and lastly, that a variety of books otherwise likely to be of interest and use to students in the undergraduate courses, to give them insight and offer direction through the literature. Although books and journals of a highly specialist quality have great value in the study of any subject area, they will not have a place in this collection as the focus is on undergraduate education. There will be some multiple copies needed for this library, but since the collection has a mandatory reference policy, with no exceptions, the numbers of duplicates will be low.

The study of Ancient Greek and Roman society falls under the term Classics, and describes the history, art and architecture, politics, literature, philosophy, music, religion, and mythology of two of the worlds greatest civilizations. The Greeks and Romans are studied together because of the complex and important ties they had with one another. It is true that the Romans conquered Greece and took over its empire, but in turn, Greece captured the hearts and minds of the Roman people, teaching them about their language, gods, and literature. Indeed, the fact that Greek ideas and important works have survived and become the foundation for Western Civilization, is due in no small part to the Romans adopting, spreading, and heralding them across their empire. As the legendary H. I. Marrou wrote in A History of Education in Antiquity,

If Greek civilization in its turn had remained the jealously guarded preserve of a few Aegean cities, it too would have disappeared long ago, without renewing, as it has, the face of the earth. And the fact that it has fulfilled its destiny is largely due to Rome. Romes historic function was to complete the work begun by Alexander, and plant Hellenistic civilization from the Sahara to the lochs of Scotland, from the Euphrates to the Atlantic; and to give it such deep roots that it could withstand the storms of Teuton and Slav invasions, and the Arab invasion, if not that of the Turks. It is this profound labor, ensuring the renaissances of the future, that constitutes Romes real honor and imperishable glory (Marrou 148,).

And that is why this writer would never call a collection development project in Classical Mythology simply Greek Mythology, even though it seems as if the emphasis is on the Ancient Greeks. For example, it was the Roman poet Ovid (4 B.C. - 17/18 A.D), who provided us with many of the important Greek myths. If Ovid had not written his Metamorphoses, many important stories would never have survived and therefore, Metamorphoses should always hold a special place of honor in any library collection devoted to Classical Mythology. It is especially important for the study of Women in Mythology because it is filled with poems describing a multitude of goddesses, lovers of Zeus, and genuine love between husbands and wives. Who could read The Death of Orpheus and not feel real emotion? The Metamorphosis, Hesiods Theogony and Works and Days, and Homers Iliad and Odyssey have laid the foundation for the study of Classical Mythology, and thus, are considered the primary texts for this opening day collection. As each new reader comes to these literary masterpieces, distinct and fresh insight is the result, and therein lies the magic.

Studying the primary sources is required and essential in the study of Classical Mythology, and allows for new and important interpretations of the works to be developed, providing more insight into the civilization that has in large part formed Western Civilization. For the Ancient Greeks and Romans, mythology was synonymous with their religion and closely linked to politics, history, architecture, philosophy, and it played a huge role in the cultural activities of music, sports, and festivals. For instance, they would not wage a battle without first conferring with the gods. That can be seen, all the way back to Homers Iliad, and continued to have its place throughout the ages. To understand the commitment that these ancient people had toward their myths, one simply needs to look at the education system. An educated Greek or Roman, was one who had a good understanding of the classic myths, and could recite long sections of Homers poems. Mythology was imbued into the structure of education, which began at home with the telling of ancient stories.

Greeks were interested in understanding the place of human beings within the world around them and Greek myths contributed to this effort. From the time when humans left the homosapien level of existence, they looked around their world and asked why? In groping for the answer to this question, mythology was born. Hesiods Theogony was a myth that discussed the connection the Greeks had to the gods and to the universe overall. Indeed, the whole sequence of myths in Hesiods work give the feeling that somehow things are inevitable, that evil is more equable than it seems, that old age and disease are in some ways the fault of the people. The Greeks truly believed that if humankind had behaved better, then things would not have ended so badly between them and the gods, and if we could only learn to improve our behavior, things might improve. Greek myths were passed down through the generations, and did contain important messages in them about life in general, and life within society in particular. For these ancient peoples, nothing was done without the gods in mind, with mythology so deeply ingrained into society that it affected how people lived their lives and was directly responsible for societys perception of women and the manner they were treated in everyday situations. Therein lies the great importance of the study of mythology, for it can help to explain creation, existence, death, and morality. As H. R. Ellis Davidson said in Gods and Myths of Northern Europe,

The study of mythology need no longer be looked at as an escape from reality into the fantasies of primitive peoples, but as a search for the deeper understanding of the human mind. In reaching out to explore the distant hills where the gods dwell and the deeps where the monsters are lurking, we are perhaps discovering the way home(Davidson 164,4).

If mythology can explain what a societys views and values are, and if Western society evolved out of and was formed by the Ancient Greeks and Romans, then it is possible to garner insight into todays society by studying ancient myths. As John Peradotto suggests in Classical Mythology An Annotated Bibliographical Study, we must try to coax meaning out of the narratives, (Peradotto, 17,1) and so, by studying Women in Classical Mythology, one can better understand historical and current gender dynamics, with the hope that by understanding, change is also possible.

It is therefore, the mission of this library to build and maintain a collection that will support the instructional, research, and intellectual needs of an academic departmental library concentrating on Women in Classical Mythology. The primary purpose is to provide the information resources in print, and other media to carry out the departments teaching program, and to support the research of its students and faculty. The collection will present a diversity of ideas, expression, and scholarship. This Classics Library and Reading Room is designed as a facility where those studying in this field can find a non-circulating, core collection of primary texts with relevant secondary commentaries and reference works. It is the policy of the library to offer students a quiet, intellectual place to read, think, and study.

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