stories of gods and heroes, originally published in 1855, is the first of three works that make up bulfinch's mythology, by thomas bulfinch. a useful and concise guide to the gods and goddesses of greek and roman mythology, this text was used in history classrooms for over a century. bulfinch’s writing is an attempt to expand the enjoyment of classic literature for the common reader, explaining the allusions made to mythology in so many other titles of the day.