Audiobook History of Greece, Volume 01 (of 12)

The first volume of George Grote's monumental History of Greece opens with a detailed examination of legendary Greece, separating the mythical age from the historical period beginning with the first Olympiad. Grote analyzes the divine mythes, exploring how the Greeks conceived their gods through human-like forms and passions, and tracing the genealogical systems that connected human tribes to divine ancestors. He examines the Hesiodic and Orphic theogonies, detailing the rise of Zeus to supreme power and the foreign religious influences that gradually altered the primitive worship of Hellas. The narrative proceeds to heroic legends, covering the genealogies of Argos, Sparta, and Arkadia, along with prominent figures like Herakles, Perseus, and the Pelopids. Throughout, the author emphasizes the subjective value of these mythes as the true mental stock of early Greeks, reflecting their genuine faith and religious sentiment rather than historical fact. The volume concludes with a comparative view of the Grecian mythical vein with that of modern Europe, illustrating how these traditions served as the indispensable foundation for Hellenic art, artifice, and national identity.