The Heroes of the Greeks

Those interested in Jungian psychology and ancient religions should look carefully at the work of Karoly (or Karl) Kerenyi. Kerenyi was a friend of, and coauthor with, Carl Jung, a cofounder of the Jung Institute in Zurich, and a regular participant in the Eranos conferences in Ascona, Switzerland. His work is not, however, Jungian in the show more strictest sense of the word. Trained as a classical philologist, Kerenyi attempted to transcend the limits of historical study and to reveal the "theological" or contemporary significance of ancient myths. In doing so, he relied not solely on literary and archaeological documentation but also invoked a relationship of sympathy between the scholar and the evidence. Among an incredible number of publications, Kerenyi pursued this agenda in a series of volumes devoted to the mythologies of individual Greek gods and goddesses. Throughout, his writing is accessible to the general reader. (Bowker Author Biography) show less