Greek Religion (Paperback)

by Walter Burkert (Author)

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal
Chapter titles suggest Burkert's scope and treatment of the multiple facets of Greek religion, focusing upon the period 800-300 B.C.: Prehistory and the Minoan-Mycenaean Age; Ritual and Sanctuary; The Gods; The Dead, Heroes, and Chthonic Gods; Polis and Polytheism; Mysteries and Asceticism; Philosophical Religion. References to publications since the German edition of 1977 are included. Generally, this is a praiseworthy overview of a difficult subject. However, an unidiomatic English translation makes for added difficulties in coping with Burkert's relentless scholarshipreplete with dogmatic hypotheses and often unconvincing conclusions. Greater judicious clarity would have made this important work less frustrating for the scholar and more accessible to the student of religion. Robert J. Lenardon, Classics Dept., Siena Coll. & SUNY at Albany

Copyright 1985 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Review
"A powerful synthesis from the greatest living authority on the subject, but for all its depth and detail, it is never less than lucid and the text is constantly enlivened with vivid asides and illuminating analogies." The Times

"The leading continental scholar ... his Greek Religion... already has the standing of a classic." London Review of Books

"A masterpiece, packed with learning but also rich in ideas and connections of every sort ... nobody else could have produced an account of the subject of comparable range and power. This will be the best history of Greek religion for this generation." New York Review of Books --This text refers to the Paperback edition.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 512 pages
• Publisher: Harvard University Press (July 26, 1985)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0674362810
• ISBN-13: 978-0674362819
• Product Dimensions: 8.8 x 5.8 x 1.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars See all reviews (12 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #340,118 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

22 of 22 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A fantastic survey of religious practice in Ancient Greece, January 30, 2002

By	Sean Francisco Smith "New York Jazz MythMaker" (Brooklyn, NY United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

While the market for Mythology is flooded by books describing Greek Myth (with many excellent versions), too many have been reduced to neo-pagan re-usage, forcing the myths onto a modern metaphor. All too often, books cut and paste the myths into a new age ideal that melts Taosism, Buddhism, American SHamanism into a nasty blend devoid of any of the specific flavorings of any of these rich traditions.

Burkett's book doesn't d othis. If you want to know how the Ancient Greeks PRACTICED religion, this is a great book, filled with fantastic detail. Burkett is neither a Frazer/Campbell Synthesist, nor a true Levi-Strauss Structuralist. Like the latter group, he delves into the details, discussing how the individual greek cities and cults practiced their religion.

By the time the book is complete, the reader has a crystal clear picture of the everyday spiritual life of an ancient greek citizen, from the archaic to the philosophical (even the the curses and phrases).

More than that, the book gives a clear definition of what a Polytheistic system of beliefs is like.

I definite part of any student of Greek History or General Mythology and Religion.

23 of 25 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Reading the book is a devotion to Athena, September 12, 2004

By	J. Baer (Pennsylvania) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Burkert leaves no stones unturned in this survey of Greek religion. Everything you would want to know about religion is covered here. Topics include the manifold origins of Hellenic religion; a detailed discussion of the innumerable divinities who constitute the actual focus of the religion; cults, rituals, sacrifices, temples and the like; and finally the impact of the philosophical schools. As a reference and research material it is currently second to none.

My favorite section is the one that outlined the Olympian gods themselves. Many of the Greek gods are not actually Greek. Bet you didn't learn that in school.

There are some problems with this book, though. The first is the incredibly dry and monotonous tone of the book. Obviously academic books are not meant to read like poetry, but either Burkert or his translator is uncannily dull even for a professor. The second is the sheer scope and depth of the book may cause some people to actually drown in an overload of details.

For these two reasons I took a star off the ratings. I actually don't recommend this book for the beginner. If you're a neophyte to the serious study of Greek religion, there are less severe works out there. But if you already have some exposure to the subject and want to take your research to the next level, then this book just might be for you.

17 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent!, April 27, 2000

By	Charissa Gilreath (USA) - See all my reviews

Finally, a book that doesn't just go over the main Greek gods and goddesses, list a few of the festivals and some myths, and stop there. This book goes into great depth about what Greek religion was /really/ like, and the motivations, beliefs, and psychology behind it. Relying on archaeological evidence as well as other sources, this book gives an in depth look at ancient Greek religion, even confronting the issue of human sacrifice. Extensive notes in the back further flesh out this fantastic book, providing hundreds of other avenues and sources to explore. The author even provides an index of Greek words if you want to look a term up straight from the original Greek instead of wondering how it's been translated into English so you can look it up in the regular index. The writing might be slightly dense in some areas, but this isn't a problem as the subject is so interesting and so much information is presented. A truly scholarly book.