"A rich source for students of Greek mythology and literature, the Homeric Hymns are also fine poetry. Attributed by the ancients to Homer, these prooimia, or preludes, were actually composed over centuries and used by poets to prepare for the singing or recitation of longer passages of the Homeric epics. In his acclaimed translations of the Hymns, Apostolos N. Athanassakis preserves the essential simplicity of the original Greek, offering a straightforward, line-by-line translation without seeking to masquerade or modernize. For this long-awaited new edition, Athanassakis enhances his classic work with a new bibliography, a comprehensive index, careful and selective changes in the translations themselves, and numerous additions to the introduction and notes which will enrich the reader's experience of these ancient and influential poems."--BOOK JACKET.