Bulfinch's Mythology has introduced generations of readers to the great myths of Greece and Rome, as well as time-honored legends of Norse mythology, medieval, and chivalric tales, Oriental fables, and more. The skill with which he wove various versions of a tale into a coherent whole, the vigor of his storytelling, and his abundant cross-references to poetry and painting, demonstrating the relationship of literature and art. The myths and legends so vividly retold in this volume underlie much of the art, literature, and culture of Western civilization. As Bulfinch put it, "Without a knowledge of mythology, much of the elegant literature of our own language cannot be understood and appreciated.".