SOME of you have heard already of the old Greeks; and all of you, as you grow up, will hear more and more of them. You can hardly find a well-written book which does not contain Greek names, or words, or proverbs. You cannot walk through a great town without passing Greek buildings, or go into a well-furnished room without seeing Greek statues and ornaments and patterns. And as you grow up and read more and more, you will find that we owe to these old Greeks the beginnings of all our mathematics, physics, geography, astronomy, laws and politics—we owe more to them than almost any other people on Earth.
Today we think of princes as people with easy lives of comfort, but in ancient Greece kings were workers and warriors the same as anyone else. The greatest kings and heroes cooked their own meals, made their own ships and weapons, and fed and harnessed their own horses. Perseus, Jason and Theseus were all sons of kings, and all of them ventured forth on dangerous voyages and adventures to earn renown and the right to inherit their fathers' kingdoms. They trusted in the gods of Olympus, and honed their minds and bodies to be successful at the tasks they were given.
Some of them were wise, with virtuous companions and guides. Others were proud, with wicked helpers who brought them to ruin. These ancient stories still relay a timeless message: one cannot prosper and readp good from evil means.
Charles Kingsley wrote this adaptation of three classical Greek myths for the education of his own children in 1855. Our edition contains all 16 original illustrations by Helen Monro, the original frontispiece by Rose le Quesne, and a map of Europe and northern Africa showing the various places mentioned in the myths.
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