The riveting narratives that make up the intricate tapestry of classic mythology primarily focus on ancient Greek and Roman myths, while also briefly touching on the Norse tradition. This complex labyrinth of tales, too vast to be told in a straight line, often hints at characters or plots that only fully come to life later in the narrative. However, the reader need not be daunted by this and is encouraged to navigate through the book as they wish to clarify any uncertainties.

The narrative commences by elaborating on the significance of mythology and its interpretation. It gives an insight into the principal deities and the cosmic birth. There are twelve chief gods residing atop Mount Olympus, including Zeus, the leader, and his companions: Hera, his wife, Athena, his daughter, Hermes and Ares, his sons, Apollo and Artemis, his other children, his brothers Poseidon and Hades, his sister Hestia, and Hephaestus and Aphrodite. While their names are Greek, the Romans renamed the majority of the gods when they embraced them. Alongside these twelve are two crucial deities, Demeter, Zeus's sister, and Dionysus, his son, who inhabit earth instead of Mount Olympus.

Astoundingly, the way these tales depict the universe's origin aligns with modern scientific theories like the Big Bang. It explains that initially, chaos and darkness reigned supreme, from which Earth and Heaven emerged, giving birth to various beings, most of whom were monstrous. However, these monsters ultimately led to the Titans, human-like gods. A Titan overthrew his celestial father, only to be dethroned by his own son Zeus later. Zeus and his siblings vanquished the Titans and crowned themselves as the universe's rulers. They created humans and promptly started controlling them. Zeus, notorious for his philandering, often descended to Earth in a mystical form to seduce human women. The children from these unions became the first heroes among humans, who, with divine assistance, achieved great victories against monstrous beasts and undertook monumental tasks. Many of these semi-divine heroes, along with a handful of mortal counterparts, went on to establish Greece's dynasties, including notable figures like Theseus, Hercules, Cadmus, Achilles, and Aeneas.

The narratives of these heroes, which explain the establishment of certain cities or the legitimacy of specific dynastic bloodlines, were devised to elucidate phenomena observed in the world. Many other tales, often unrelated to heroism, were spun to explain nature's various elements like flowers, lightning, and landscapes, serving as "early science." However, Greek tragedies from around 500 BC, significantly more complex than these simplistic explanatory tales, delve into the complexities of the social and ethical fabric and grapple with the human condition's profound issues. Protagonists in these plays, trapped in circumstances beyond their control, are forced to confront their situations and make moral choices with severe consequences. These Greek tragedies are considered by many scholars to be psychologically and literarily as sophisticated as any other works written thereafter.

The narrative rounds off with a short foray into the Norse traditions, distinctly different from the Greek and Roman tales. Christian zeal to destroy pagan materials resulted in the near obliteration of Norse mythology in Scandinavia, Germany, and other Norse lands. Only in Iceland did the written versions of Norse tales survive. These Icelandic texts, dating back to around 1300 AD, but predating that in oral tradition, portray a bleak, desolate, and ultimately doomed universe, headed towards a battle between good and evil, where even the gods would meet their end. This brief exploration into Norse myth offers a stark contrast to the comparatively bright world of Mediterranean myth.