The Wisdom of the Ancients

The Wisdom of the Ancients by Francis Bacon A Series of Mythological Fables[1]

Published in 1609

Contents

• Preface
• Chapter I - Cassandra, or Divination
• Chapter II - Typhon, or a Rebel
• Chapter III - The Cyclops, or the Ministers of Terror
• Chapter IV - Narcissus, or Self-Love
• Chapter V - The River Styx, or Leagues
• Chapter VI - Pan, or Nature
• Chapter VII - Perseus, or War
• Chapter VIII - Endymion, or a Favourite
• Chapter IX - The Sister of the Giants, or Fame
• Chapter X - Acteon and Pentheus, or a Curious Man
• Chapter XI - Orpheus, or Philosophy
• Chapter XII - Cœlum, or Beginnings
• Chapter XIII - Proteus, or Matter
• Chapter XIV - Memnon, or a Youth Too Forward
• Chapter XV - Tythonus, or Satiety
• Chapter XVI - Juno's Suitor, or Baseness
• Chapter XVII - Cupid, or an Atom
• Chapter XVIII - Diomed, or Zeal
• Chapter XIX - Dædalus, or Mechanical Skill
• Chapter XX - Ericthonius, or Imposture
• Chapter XXI - Deucalion, or Restitution
• Chapter XXII - Nemesis, or the Vicissitude of Things
• Chapter XXIII - Achelous, or Battle
• Chapter XXIV - Dionysus, or Bacchus
• Chapter XXV - Atalanta and Hippomenes, or Gain
• Chapter XXVI - Prometheus, or the State of Man
• Chapter XXVII - Icarus and Scylla and Charybdis, or the Middle Way
• Chapter XXVIII - Sphinx, or Science
• Chapter XXIX - Proserpine, or Spirit
• Chapter XXX - Metis, or Counsel
• Chapter XXXI - The Sirens, or Pleasures

Endnotes

1. ^  Most of these fables are contained in Ovid's Metamorphoses and Fasti, and are fully explained in Bohn's Classical Library translation.

This work published before January 1, 1923 is in the public domain worldwide because the author died at least 100 years ago.