From Zeus and Europa to Pan and Prometheus, the myths of ancient Greece and Rome seem to exert a timeless power over us. But what do these myths represent, and why are they so enduringly fascinating? This imaginative and stimulating Very Short Introduction goes beyond a simple retelling of the stories to explore the rich history and diverse interpretations of classical mythology. Examining how the myths are used and understood in both high art and popular culture, it takes the reader from the bedrooms of Pompeii to skyscrapers in New York, and finds classical myths in a variety of unexpected places: from arabic poetry and Hollywood films to psychoanalysis, the bible, and New Age spiritualism.