Like the symbols that haunt our dreams and guide our inner journeys, the myths of the Western world touch something deep within us, awakening old nightmares and new yearnings.

Some of the gods, tales, and mythic creatures in Bergen Evan's Dictionary Of Mythology are as familiar as the disturbing tale of Oedipus. Others may seem strange, wonderful, or chillingly macabre: Lycaon, the murderer, who is transformed into a wolf by an angry god; Cronus (Time) who devours his won children; Pan, the god of the animal in man, who fills us with overmastering fears that sweep courage and prudence aside; the hero Sigurd, who seeks a magic ring and finds a maiden . . . in a ring of fire.

These tantalizing stories and dozens more make this book a perfect addition to any library, as delightful for browsing as it is essential for reference.