Another short story is that of Icarus. Daedalus, his father, made wings out of feathers and wax for them to escape from the island of Crete. Daedalus warned Icarus not to fly too close to the sun as the heat would melt the wax. But Icarus, in his excitement, ignored the warning. He flew too high, the wax melted, and he fell into the sea and drowned.
One interesting short story is about Perseus. He was sent on a dangerous quest to slay Medusa, a Gorgon with snakes for hair whose gaze could turn people to stone. With the help of the gods, he got a reflective shield, winged sandals, and a magic sword. He used the shield to avoid looking directly at Medusa and was able to cut off her head.
One short Greek mythology story is about Echo and Narcissus. Echo was a nymph who could only repeat the last words she heard. She fell in love with Narcissus, a very handsome youth. But Narcissus was in love with his own reflection in a pool. He was so obsessed with his own beauty that he wasted away by the pool, and Echo was left heartbroken, slowly fading away as well.
One great short story is that of Perseus. He was sent on a quest to slay Medusa. He received help from the gods, like Hermes who gave him winged sandals, and Athena who gave him a polished shield. With these, he was able to behead Medusa without looking directly at her, as her gaze could turn people to stone. Then he used her head as a weapon against his enemies.
The works of Ovid often contain elements related to Greek mythology and some allusions that could be considered in the vein of what you seek. For example, his 'Metamorphoses' has stories that involve the complex relationships and amorous adventures of the gods and mortals from Greek mythology. However, it's important to note that the 'erotica' aspect is more in the context of the passionate and often complex relationships within the mythological framework rather than explicit in a modern sense.
The story of Odysseus is also very engaging. He was a hero who fought in the Trojan War. After the war, his journey back home was filled with numerous challenges. He faced the Cyclops, a one - eyed giant, outwitted him and managed to escape. He also had to resist the alluring song of the Sirens. His long and arduous journey took him ten years, and it shows his intelligence and perseverance in overcoming various obstacles.
There's also a lot of fan - created stories on platforms like Archive of Our Own. You can search for Greek mythology - related tags there. Some of them might be about reimagining the relationships between the gods, like a different take on the love story of Aphrodite and Ares, or the adventures of minor gods that were not explored much in the original myths.
Aphrodite's birth story is fascinating. She emerged from the sea, fully grown and beautiful. She was born from the sea foam after Cronus castrated Uranus and threw his genitals into the sea. Aphrodite became the goddess of love and beauty, and her story is full of intrigue as she influenced many love affairs among gods and mortals.
Sure. 'The Song of Achilles' by Madeline Miller is a great one. It retells the story of Achilles and Patroclus in a very engaging way.
Sure. 'Percy Jackson and the Olympians' has a lot of great fanfiction that involves original characters in the Greek mythology setting. There are also websites like Archive of Our Own where you can search for Greek mythology oc fanfiction using relevant tags.
Another good book is 'Percy Jackson & the Olympians' series by Rick Riordan. It's a modern take on Greek mythology. The story follows Percy, a demigod, as he discovers his powers and battles various mythological creatures. It's a really exciting read for both kids and adults who are interested in Greek mythology.