Night's black agents

the long version

"Night's Black Agents offers an introduction to the world of witches and wizards in Greek and Roman antiquity, and to the ghosts of the dead that were often associated with them. In its pages Daniel Ogden introduces us to the ancient equivalents, and often the actual prototypes, of the cherished ingredients of the modern horror movie. The central focus is the stories that the ancients loved to tell each other about magical adventures, tales of a deeply traditional nature and with strong affinities to folktale. And this is why these tales, which made the world of magic a real and immediate one for the ancients, retain the power to captivate and engage us still today."--BOOK JACKET.