
E-text prepared by Suzanne Lybarger, Janet Blenkinship, Brian Janes, and the Project Gutenberg Online Distributed Proofreading Team (https://www.pgdp.net/)
GREEK AND ROMAN GHOST STORIES - BY - LACY COLLISON-MORLEY - FORMERLY SCHOLAR OF ST. JOHN'S COLLEGE, OXFORD - AUTHOR OF "GIUSEPPE BARETTI AND HIS FRIENDS," "MODERN ITALIAN LITERATURE"
A modestly sized anthology gathers the most vivid ghost tales that survived from ancient Greece and Rome, offering listeners a glimpse into how the classical world imagined the restless dead. The introduction sketches the rituals, beliefs, and mythic ideas that linked the living to their ancestors—burial customs, sacred trenches, and festivals that opened a thin veil between worlds. It sets a tone that is both scholarly and atmospheric, inviting curiosity about the supernatural in antiquity.
Within the stories, everyday citizens confront shades that linger in tombs, haunt family hearths, or appear on the rare days when the underworld’s gate swings open. From eerie encounters at Roman “mundus” pits to Greek rites that summon lingering spirits, each narrative blends historical detail with a chilling sense of presence. Listeners will hear how ancient peoples tried to appease these entities, and how the fear of forgotten souls shaped their customs, making the collection both an educational journey and a haunting listening experience.
Language
en
Duration
~1 hours (105K characters)
Publisher of text edition
Project Gutenberg
Release date
2005-11-30
Rights
Public domain in the USA.

1875–1958
A British scholar with a deep interest in Italy and the classical world, wrote lively works that range from literary history to collections of ancient ghost stories. His books open doors to Renaissance families, Italian writers, and the supernatural imagination of Greece and Rome.
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