Description |
viii, 230 pages, 8 pages of plates ; 24 cm |
ISBN |
9781847252302 hardback |
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1847252303 hardback |
Bibliography |
Includes bibliographical references and index. |
Contents |
The first wicked witches of the West? -- Roman Gothic : the witches of the Latin tradition -- Babylon and Memphis : the sorcerers of the imperial age -- Hidden stories : grimoires, amulets and curse tablets -- Across the divide : love and sex between the living and the dead. |
Summary |
"Night's Black Agents" offers an introduction to the world of witches and wizards in Greek and Roman antiquity, and to the ghosts of the dead that were often associated with them. In its pages Daniel Ogden introduces us to the ancient equivalents, and often the actual prototypes, of the cherished ingredients of the modern horror movie. The central focus is the stories that the ancients loved to tell each other about magical adventures, tales of a deeply traditional nature and with strong affinities to folktale. And this is why these tales, which made the world of magic a real and immediate one for the ancients, retain the power to captivate and engage us still today. |
Library Class |
Anthrop K535
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Subject |
Mythology, Greek.
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Mythology, Roman.
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Greek literature -- History and criticism.
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Latin literature -- History and criticism.
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Supernatural in literature.
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