In the matter of illustrative English and American poems the principle of selection has been that the verses shall translate a myth from the classic original, or exemplify the poetic idealization and embellishment of the subject, or suggest the spirit and mien of ancient art. But in each case regard has been had to the æsthetic value of the poem or the citation. In the search for suitable examples I have derived valuable assistance from Mr. E.C. Guild's "Bibliography of Greek Mythology in English Poetry of the Nineteenth Century" (Bowdoin College, _Library Bulletin No. 1_). The student is also referred to A.E. Sawtelle's "Sources of Spenser's Mythology," C.G. Osgood's' "Classical Mythology of Milton," and R.K. Root's "Classical Mythology in Shakespeare" (Holt, 1896, 1900, and 1903, respectively). In the Commentary four things have been attempted: first, an explanation, under each section, of ordinary textual difficulties; second, an unpretentious exposition of the myth or a brief statement of the more evident interpretations advanced by philologists or ethnologists; third, an indication of certain additional poems or verses that illustrate the myth; fourth, special mention of such masterpieces of ancient and modern sculpture and painting as may serve to introduce the student or the general reader to a field of æsthetic profit neglected by the great mass of our people. For the poetic conception of most of the myths contained in Chapters I-XXIV, we are indebted to the Greek imagination; but since this book is intended for students of English poetry, and since in English poetry Latin names of mythological characters are much more frequently employed than Greek, the Latin designations or Latinized forms of Greek names have been, so far as possible, retained; and such variations as Jupiter, Jove--Proserpina, Proserpine, freely used. In the chapters, however, on the attributes of the Greek gods, names exclusively Greek have been placed in parentheses after the usual Roman equivalents, Latin appellations, or designations common to both Greek and Roman usage. In the transliteration of Greek names I have followed, also, the prevalent practice of our poets, which is, generally speaking, the practice of the Romans. The diphthong #ei#, for instance, is transliterated according to the accepted English pronunciation, which in individual words perpetuates the preference of the Latins for the _e_ sound or the _i_ sound respectively. So #Atreidês# becomes Atr[=i]des; #Iphimedeia#, Iphimed[=i]a. But, on the other hand, #Kythereia# becomes Cyther[=e]a; #Pêneios#, Pen[=e]us; and #Mêdeia#, Med[=e]a; while owing to purely popular English custom, such a name as #Pheidias# has become, not Pheidias nor even Ph[=i]dias, but--_Ph[)i]dias_. A few names of islands, towns, persons, etc., that even in Latin retain their Greek forms,--such as Delos, Naxos, Argos, Aglauros, Pandrosos,--have been transferred without modification.