Category: | Our Mythical Childhood Survey

Natalia Kapatsoulia , Filippos Mandilaras

Daedalus and Icarus [Δαίδαλος και Ίκαρος]

Daedalus was a celebrated sculptor who produced life-looking statues in Athens. People admired Daedalus’ work, but praised also Daedalus’ nephew, Talos. When Talos was found dead, the Athenians thought that Daedalus might have been envious and killed Talos. Daedalus left for Crete. King Minos asked Daedalus to build a prison to confine the Minotaur, a monster with a human body but a bull’s head and tail. For many years Daedalus lived in King Minos’ palace. He had a b(...)

literary

COUNTRY: Greece

TAGS: Ariadne Athens Crete Daedalus Icarus Minos Minotaur Talos Theseus

Marisa De Castro

Let’s Go to Crete! [Πάμε στην Κρήτη;]

Marisa Decastro and Mark Weinstein take young children and their guardians on a sightseeing tour of Crete, which is, as we read in the opening page, Greece’s largest island. Children are encouraged to mark places of interest on a sketch-map of Crete. The exploration of Crete starts with its diverse landscapes. These range from high mountains with gorges to plains with olive groves. Mention is made of the Cretan ibex, the so-called “kri-kri”, an indigenous wild goat. The descrip(...)

literary

COUNTRY: Greece

TAGS: Artemis Athena/ Athene Calypso Crete Daedalus Europa Greek history Greek mythology Hephaestus Ithaca Kronos / Cronus Labyrinth Minos Minotaur Odysseus/ Ulysses Radamanthus Rhea Sarpedon Talos Theseus

Marcia Dorothy Williams

Mini Greek Myths (Series): Daedalus and Icarus & Orpheus and Eurydice

This short book contains two stories previously published in a longer collection by the same author. Like other books in the same series, the main body of the book is taken up with one story, while around a third of the book comprises a shorter retelling. The first story, Daedalus and Icarus, is told in a series of short chapters. Daedalus is presented as a craftsman renowned for his skills who boasts about his achievements. When his nephew, Talos, turns out to be a craftsman whose skills e(...)

literary

COUNTRY: United Kingdom

TAGS: Athena/ Athene Athens Crete Daedalus Eurydice Hades Icarus Metamorphosis Minos Minotaur Orpheus Persephone Talos Theseus

Natalia Kapatsoulia , Filippos Mandilaras

My First History [Η Πρώτη μου Μυθολογία](Series): Crete – From Minos to today [Κρήτη - Από τον Μίνωα ως σήμερα]

The narrative starts by making a point of Crete’s unique geographical location. The island resembles a bridge between Europe, Asia, and Africa. The book explains that Crete has seen lots of activity ever since its first inhabitants arrived eight thousand years ago. Crete has been far from a quiet place also because of its mythological connections. We are told that Zeus grew up here and brought Europa to the island. The giant Talos protected Crete end to end. Later, King Minos built the lab(...)

literary

COUNTRY: Greece

TAGS: Athens Crete Europa Minos Minotaur Rhea Talos Theseus Zeus

John Harris , Mark Todd

My Monster Notebook

My Monster Notebook is a picture book that gives information about several mythological monsters: Echidna, Orthrus and Geryon, Briareus, Ethon, Argus, Lamia and Keto, the Teuemessian Fox, Hecate, Typhon, Erinyes, Proteus, Cacus, Circe, Triton (and the tritons), Graeae, Nereids, Talos, Python, and Ladon. It is formatted like a young teenager’s exercise book for a class project on Monsters, and uses trompe-l’oeil, collage and sketches to present the material. On the inside cover is a n(...)

literary

YEAR: 2011

COUNTRY: United States of America

TAGS: Argus Briareus Cacus Circe Echidna Erinyes Ethon Geryon Graeae Hecate / Hekate Heracles / Herakles Jason Keto / Ceto Ladon Lamia Nereids Odysseus/ Ulysses Orthrus Poseidon Proteus Python Talos Teumessian fox Triton Typhon Zeus

José Daniel Cabrera Peña, Neil Smith

Myths and Legends: Jason and the Argonauts

The book details with the quest of Jason and the Argonauts in great detail, accompanied by original paintings by the illustrator as well as maps and photos from other sources. The main story is narrated in the middle, yet there are excerpts in several chapters which illuminate other key points of the story, such as the Golden Fleece, the list of Argonauts, Jason in movies etc. This is not a fiction but rather a narration of the myth aimed at older readership. The book includes an introduction on(...)

literary

YEAR: 2013

COUNTRY: United Kingdom United States of America

TAGS: Aphrodite Ares Argonauts Athena/ Athene Circe Golden Fleece Harpies Hera Heracles / Herakles Hercules Jason Medea Pelias Talos

Natalia Kapatsoulia , Filippos Mandilaras

The Golden Fleece [Το χρυσόμαλλο δέρας]

King Athamas, prompted by his second wife Ino, intends to sacrifice his son, Phrixus, but a golden ram appears and carries Phrixus away. Phrixus and his sister, Helle, ride the flying ram across the seas. Helle falls to her death over a narrow sea passage. At Colchis, Phrixus sacrifices the ram to Zeus and offers its golden fleece to king Aeetes. A dragon guards the fleece. Many years later, Jason requests the golden fleece from Aeetes. To receive it Jason is tasked with ploughing the land (...)

literary

COUNTRY: Greece

TAGS: Aeëtes Apollo Athamas Colchis Corinth Crete Helle Ino Iolcus Medea Orchomenus Orpheus Pelias Phrixus Sirens Talos Zeus

Jim Henson’s Creature Shop , Jim Henson , Duncan Kenworthy, OBE, Anthony Minghella, Nigel Williams

The Storyteller (Series): Greek Myths

Hiding in Minos’ labyrinth, the Storyteller and his dog come across four different objects that inspire him to relate their myths. First, he recounts the tale of Theseus and the Minotaur, recalling the beast once housed in the very maze they’re hiding in.Upon learning that his father is Aegeus, King of Athens, Theseus hurries to that city, slaying many bandits on the way. The king’s wife Medea, fearful of what threat this stranger poses to her own sons, attempts to poison him, (...)

audiovisual

YEAR: 1991

COUNTRY: United Kingdom

TAGS: Ariadne Daedalus Eurydice Graeae Sisters Greek mythology Hades Icarus Labyrinth Medusa Minos Minos (King) Minotaur Orpheus Persephone Perseus Talos Theseus

Croteam , Tom Jubert , Jonas Kyratzes

The Talos Principle

In The Talos Principle, the main character wakes up to find a peaceful but ruined world. An unknown voice, who later says he is Elohim, speaks to you, the player, and instructs you to complete a series of puzzles he has created for you (consisting of lasers, pressure pads, “Reflectors”, “Hexahedrons”, Enemies, amongst other features) so that you collect “sigils” and therefore ascend to the next realm. However, it also advises you not to climb the tower; later (...)

electronic

YEAR: 2014

COUNTRY: Online

TAGS: Aristotle Athena/ Athene Automatones Bacchus Cretan Labyrinth Daedalus Hephaestus Heracles / Herakles Hercules Hesperides Hippocampi Labyrinth Lares Mercury Minos Poseidon Rhyton Roman Mosaics Sphinx Talos Zeus