In classical mythology Astraea, the goddess of justice, chastity, and truth, was the last of the immortals to leave Earth with the decline of the ages. Her return was to signal the dawn of a new Golden Age. This myth not only survived the Christian Middle Ages but also became a commonplace in the Renaissance when courtly poets praised their patrons and princes by claiming that Astraea guided them. The literary cult of Astraea persisted in the sixteenth century as writers saw in Elizabeth I of England the imperial Astraea who would lead mankind to peace through universal rule. This and other late flowerings of the Astraea myth should not be taken as the final phases of her history. Frederick A. de Armas documents in this book what may well be the last great rebirth of Astraea, one that is probably of greater political, religious, and literary significance than others previously described by historians and literary critics. The Return of Astraea focuses on the seventeenth-century Spanish playwright Pedro Calderón de la Barca, and analyzes the deity's presence in thirteen of his plays, including his masterpiece, La Vida es Sueho. Her popularity in this period is partially attributed to political motives, reflecting the aspirations and fears of the Spanish monarch Philip IV. In this broad study, grounded on such diverse fields as astrology, iconography, history, mythology, and philosophy, de Armas explains that Astraea adopts many guises in Calderón's dramas. Ranging from the Kabbalah to Platonic thought and from satires on Olivares to cosmogonic myths, he analyzes and reinterprets Calderón's theater from a wide range of perspectives centered on the playwright's utilization of the myth of Astraea. The book thus represents a new view of Calderón's dramaturgy and also documents the popularity and significance of this astral-imperial myth during the Spanish Golden Age.

In classical mythology Astraea, the goddess of justice, chastity, and truth, was the last of the immortals to leave Earth with the decline of the ages. Her return was to signal the dawn of a new Golden Age. This myth not only survived the Christian Middle Ages but also became a commonplace in the Renaissance when courtly poets praised their patrons and princes by claiming that Astraea guided them. The literary cult of Astraea persisted in the sixteenth century as writers saw in Elizabeth I of England the imperial Astraea who would lead mankind to peace through universal rule. This and other late flowerings of the Astraea myth should not be taken as the final phases of her history. Frederick A. de Armas documents in this book what may well be the last great rebirth of Astraea, one that is probably of greater political, religious, and literary significance than others previously described by historians and literary critics. The Return of Astraea focuses on the seventeenth-century Spanish playwright Pedro Calderón de la Barca, and analyzes the deity's presence in thirteen of his plays, including his masterpiece, La Vida es Sueho. Her popularity in this period is partially attributed to political motives, reflecting the aspirations and fears of the Spanish monarch Philip IV. In this broad study, grounded on such diverse fields as astrology, iconography, history, mythology, and philosophy, de Armas explains that Astraea adopts many guises in Calderón's dramas. Ranging from the Kabbalah to Platonic thought and from satires on Olivares to cosmogonic myths, he analyzes and reinterprets Calderón's theater from a wide range of perspectives centered on the playwright's utilization of the myth of Astraea. The book thus represents a new view of Calderón's dramaturgy and also documents the popularity and significance of this astral-imperial myth during the Spanish Golden Age.

First Published in 1999. Routledge is an imprint of Taylor & Francis, an informa company.

'This masterly work ought to be The Elizabethan Encyclopedia, and no less.' - Cahiers Elizabethains Edmund Spenser remains one of Britain's most famous poets. With nearly 700 entries this Encyclopedia provides a comprehensive one-stop reference tool for: * appreciating Spenser's poetry in the context of his age and our own * understanding the language, themes and characters of the poems * easy to find entries arranged by subject.

Combining an understanding of astrological symbolism and the psychological processes involved in the pursuit of individuality, the author shares insights about how the concept of fate evolves. Through myths, fairy tales, and zodiacal signs, she shows usthis mythological journey.

Ancient Greek Beliefs explores the mysteries of the ancient myths and religious beliefs of a great people. The text is divided into three sections, Greek mythology, the ancient Greeks, and conclusions. A brief history and lengthy glossary are included. The book is designed as a basic text for the introduction to ancient Greek mythology and beliefs, and the text muses about the religious lessons we might learn from them. It contains abridged stories of Greek mythology, including the extant Greek plays, and considers portions of the works of the great writers, including Aeschylus, Euripides Hesiod, Homer, Plato, and Sophocles. It opens a comprehensive window into the lives of these great ancient people.

Written to introduce readers to the complexity and elegance of astrology as a tool for discovering your identity, appreciating your values, improving communication, understanding family dynamics, expressing your creativity, maximizing your skills, connecting successfully with others, finding and sustaining love and intimacy, pursuing your area of expertise, charting your career path, recognizing and participating in your community, and growing into and evolving your spiritual life purpose, this book sets out to accomplish three tasks: 1) take readers deeper into the interpretation process than most beginner books by providing a formula for and examples of over 1,700 specific energy combinations, 2) treating the subject matter as significant and important as medicine, engineering, business, physics, law, or any other profession that requires years and years of dedicated study and practice, and 3) offering a reading strategy that will allow readers of this book and any other books on astrology to quickly enjoy their first foray into the subject. Purposeful repetition of ideas, personal stories from the author, and a worksheet process all work together to show you the remarkable power and usefulness of astrology and what it takes to start down the path to unlocking its secrets for your benefit and the benefit of those people who are important in your life.