Description

Robin Lane Fox’s Travelling Heroes: Greeks and their Myths in the Epic Age of Homer proposes a new way of thinking about ancient Greeks, showing how real-life journeys shaped their mythical tales.

The tales of the ancient Greeks have inspired us for thousands of years. But where did they originate? Esteemed classicist Robin Lane Fox draws on a lifetime’s knowledge of the ancient world, and on his own travels, to open up the age of Homer.

His acclaimed history explores how the intrepid seafarers of eighth-century Greece sailed around the Mediterranean, encountering strange new sights – volcanic mountains, vaporous springs, huge prehistoric bones – and weaving them into the myths of gods, monsters and heroes that would become the cornerstone of Western civilization: the Odyssey and the Iliad.

‘A beautiful evocation of a tantalizing world … Travelling Heroes is a tour de force’
Rowland Smith, Literary Review

‘Lyrical, passionate … his great gift is to make this long-ago world a vivid, extraordinary and sometimes frightening place … a wonderful story’
Elizabeth Speller, Sunday Times

‘Original, daring and arguably life-enhancing … produced with a sweeping narrative flourish worthy of a cinematographer or screenwriter’
Paul Cartledge, Independent

‘Lane Fox argues his case with tremendous style and verve … learned, and always lively’
Mary Beard, Financial Times

Robin Lane Fox (b. 1946) is a Fellow of New College, Oxford, and a University Reader in Ancient History. His other books include The Classical World, Alexander the Great, Pagans and Christians and The Unauthorized Version. He was historical advisor to Oliver Stone on the making of Stone’s film Alexander, for which he waived all his fees on condition that he could take part in the cavalry charge against elephants which Stone staged in the Moroccan desert.

Publisher Review

Praise for Robin Lane Fox's Travelling Heroes "Fox has produced a work of prodigious scholarship. . . . A major contribution to Classical scholarship. . . . Strongly recommended." --Clay Williams, Library Journal "[Robin Lane Fox's] intellectual discipline is impressive." --Kirkus Reviews The Classical World: An Epic History from Homer to Hadrian "Fox is a fluent, perceptive color commentator on the pageant of ancient history, while giving readers some idea of where the parade was headed." --Publishers Weekly (starred review) "Lane Fox's survey deserves to be widely read. Indeed, I cannot think of a better introduction to the subject for those with no prior knowledge. . . . Lane Fox's strong and clear narrative will stimulate those reacquainting themselves with this fascinating era as much as it enthralls newcomers." --The Washington Post "Fox, the author of numerous works on classical civilization, is a masterful writer whose elegant but highly readable prose offers an evolving portrait of Greek and Roman culture over a period of roughly 900 years. . . . [Fox] discusses in often fascinating detail topics that are normally given short shrift in general histories. . . . This is an excellent work of scholarship and literature." --Booklist The Unauthorized Version: Truth and Fiction in the Bible "Biblical historiography, with an edge. . . . [S]ound and clearly argued. A wealth of information." --Kirkus Reviews "Magnificent...delivered with authority and verve. Learned but never pedantic, [Lane Fox] is an unfailingly incisive, thought-provoking, humane, courteous, and often entertaining guide." --The Economist "A remarkable achievement . . . [Lane Fox] manages, like a skilled juggler, to keep a number of intellectual balls in the air...with wit and grace. . . . The book could serve as a useful review for knowledgeable readers or as a crash course for the biblically impaired." --The New York Times Book Review "[A] bracing precis of cutting-edge biblical criticism . . . The Unauthorized Version reacquaints us with one of the chief achievements of post-Enlightenment civilization." --Philadelphia Inquirer "Fox does not approach his subject as an antagonist, but with the care and knowledge to make the text more meaningful. This book deserves a place in all libraries." --Library Journal Praise for Robin Lane Fox s Travelling Heroes Fox has produced a work of prodigious scholarship. . . . A major contribution to Classical scholarship. . . . Strongly recommended. Clay Williams, Library Journal [Robin Lane Fox s] intellectual discipline is impressive. Kirkus Reviews The Classical World: An Epic History from Homer to Hadrian Fox is a fluent, perceptive color commentator on the pageant of ancient history, while giving readers some idea of where the parade was headed. Publishers Weekly (starred review) Lane Fox's survey deserves to be widely read. Indeed, I cannot think of a better introduction to the subject for those with no prior knowledge. . . . Lane Fox's strong and clear narrative will stimulate those reacquainting themselves with this fascinating era as much as it enthralls newcomers. The Washington Post Fox, the author of numerous works on classical civilization, is a masterful writer whose elegant but highly readable prose offers an evolving portrait of Greek and Roman culture over a period of roughly 900 years. . . . [Fox] discusses in often fascinating detail topics that are normally given short shrift in general histories. . . . This is an excellent work of scholarship and literature. Booklist The Unauthorized Version: Truth and Fiction in the Bible Biblical historiography, with an edge. . . . [S]ound and clearly argued. A wealth of information. Kirkus Reviews Magnificent...delivered with authority and verve. Learned but never pedantic, [Lane Fox] is an unfailingly incisive, thought-provoking, humane, courteous, and often entertaining guide. The Economist A remarkable achievement . . . [Lane Fox] manages, like a skilled juggler, to keep a number of intellectual balls in the air...with wit and grace. . . . The book could serve as a useful review for knowledgeable readers or as a crash course for the biblically impaired. The New York Times Book Review [A] bracing precis of cutting-edge biblical criticism . . . The Unauthorized Version reacquaints us with one of the chief achievements of post-Enlightenment civilization. Philadelphia Inquirer Fox does not approach his subject as an antagonist, but with the care and knowledge to make the text more meaningful. This book deserves a place in all libraries. Library Journal " Praise for Robin Lane Fox s "Travelling Heroes " Fox has produced a work of prodigious scholarship. . . . A major contribution to Classical scholarship. . . . Strongly recommended. Clay Williams, "Library Journal " [Robin Lane Fox s] intellectual discipline is impressive. "Kirkus Reviews " "The Classical World: An Epic History from Homer to Hadrian" Fox is a fluent, perceptive color commentator on the pageant of ancient history, while giving readers some idea of where the parade was headed. "Publishers Weekly "(starred review) Lane Fox's survey deserves to be widely read. Indeed, I cannot think of a better introduction to the subject for those with no prior knowledge. . . . Lane Fox's strong and clear narrative will stimulate those reacquainting themselves with this fascinating era as much as it enthralls newcomers. "The Washington Post " Fox, the author of numerous works on classical civilization, is a masterful writer whose elegant but highly readable prose offers an evolving portrait of Greek and Roman culture over a period of roughly 900 years. . . . [Fox] discusses in often fascinating detail topics that are normally given short shrift in general histories. . . . This is an excellent work of scholarship and literature. "Booklist " "The Unauthorized Version: Truth and Fiction in the Bible " Biblical historiography, with an edge. . . . [S]ound and clearly argued. A wealth of information. "Kirkus Reviews " Magnificent...delivered with authority and verve. Learned but never pedantic, [Lane Fox] is an unfailingly incisive, thought-provoking, humane, courteous, and often entertaining guide. "The Economist" A remarkable achievement . . . [Lane Fox] manages, like a skilled juggler, to keep a number of intellectual balls in the air...with wit and grace. . . . The book could serve as a useful review for knowledgeable readers or as a crash course for the biblically impaired. "The New York Times Book Review" [A] bracing precis of cutting-edge biblical criticism . . . "The Unauthorized Version" reacquaints us with one of the chief achievements of post-Enlightenment civilization. "Philadelphia Inquirer " Fox does not approach his subject as an antagonist, but with the care and knowledge to make the text more meaningful. This book deserves a place in all libraries. "Library Journal "" Praise for Robin Lane Fox's "Travelling Heroes " "Fox has produced a work of prodigious scholarship. . . . A major contribution to Classical scholarship. . . . Strongly recommended." --Clay Williams, "Library Journal " "[Robin Lane Fox's] intellectual discipline is impressive." --"Kirkus Reviews " "The Classical World: An Epic History from Homer to Hadrian" "Fox is a fluent, perceptive color commentator on the pageant of ancient history, while giving readers some idea of where the parade was headed." --"Publishers Weekly "(starred review) "Lane Fox's survey deserves to be widely read. Indeed, I cannot think of a better introduction to the subject for those with no prior knowledge. . . . Lane Fox's strong and clear narrative will stimulate those reacquainting themselves with this fascinating era as much as it enthralls newcomers." --"The Washington Post " "Fox, the author of numerous works on classical civilization, is a masterful writer whose elegant but highly readable prose offers an evolving portrait of Greek and Roman culture over a period of roughly 900 years. . . . [Fox] discusses in often fascinating detail topics that are normally given short shrift in general histories. . . . This is an excellent work of scholarship and literature." --"Booklist " "The Unauthorized Version: Truth and Fiction in the Bible ""Biblical historiography, with an edge. . . . [S]ound and clearly argued. A wealth of information." --"Kirkus Reviews " "Magnificent...delivered with authority and verve. Learned but never pedantic, [Lane Fox] is an unfailingly incisive, thought-provoking, humane, courteous, and often entertaining guide." --"The Economist" "A remarkable achievement . . . [Lane Fox] manages, like a skilled juggler, to keep a number of intellectual balls in the air...with wit and grace. . . . The book could serve as a useful review for knowledgeable readers or as a crash course for the biblically impaired." --"The New York Times Book Review" "[A] bracing precis of cutting-edge biblical criticism . . . "The Unauthorized Version" reacquaints us with one of the chief achievements of post-Enlightenment civilization." --"Philadelphia Inquirer " "Fox does not approach his subject as an antagonist, but with the care and knowledge to make the text more meaningful. This book deserves a place in all libraries." --"Library Journal "