The Wisdom of the Ancients

A Series of Mythological Fables

English · 1884 · 3h 17m · Myths, Literary Criticism, Philosophy

In Wisdom of the Ancients, Francis Bacon reads classical myths as more than imaginative stories. He proposes that their fables may preserve ideas about nature, human conduct, and the origins of society.

Bacon considers familiar figures and tales from ancient mythology, offering interpretations that connect poetic images to philosophical questions. His approach treats myth as a possible vehicle for knowledge, while acknowledging how easily readers can force a story to support meanings it was never intended to carry.

The result is a work of early modern literary criticism and philosophy, shaped by Bacon’s interest in how knowledge is conveyed and interpreted. It suits listeners curious about classical myth not only as narrative, but as a source of ideas—and about the risks of reading too much into a fable.