Philippe Borgeaud was, until his retirement, Professor of the History of Ancient Religions at the University of Geneva where he is now an Honorary Professor in the Department of the Sciences of Antiquity. He is one of the world's leading scholars of the history of religion, originating in his study of ancient Greece. His books include The Cult of Pan in Ancient Greece (1988) and Mother of the Gods (2004).

'A delight to read, wonderfully informative, richly synthetic, challenging and stimulating. Borgeaud ranges widely, thinks deeply, consistently offers shrewd observations and provocative suggestions, while tracing the history of ideas about the nature of religion from antiquity to the present.' Bruce Lincoln, Caroline E. Haskell Distinguished Service Professor Emeritus of the History of Religions, University of Chicago

• 1. Talking about Gods; 2. The Birth of Paganism; 3. Translating the Gods; 4. Sources of Comparison; 5. On the Ground; 6. The Destiny of the Figure; 7. The Logic of False Beliefs; 8. The Contagion of the Sacred; 9. Sloughing Off the Straitjacket.

Philippe Borgeaud was, until his retirement, Professor of the History of Ancient Religions at the University of Geneva where he is now an Honorary Professor in the Department of the Sciences of Antiquity. He is one of the world's leading scholars of the history of religion, originating in his study of ancient Greece. His books include The Cult of Pan in Ancient Greece (1988) and Mother of the Gods (2004).

'A delight to read, wonderfully informative, richly synthetic, challenging and stimulating. Borgeaud ranges widely, thinks deeply, consistently offers shrewd observations and provocative suggestions, while tracing the history of ideas about the nature of religion from antiquity to the present.' Bruce Lincoln, Caroline E. Haskell Distinguished Service Professor Emeritus of the History of Religions, University of Chicago

• 1. Talking about Gods; 2. The Birth of Paganism; 3. Translating the Gods; 4. Sources of Comparison; 5. On the Ground; 6. The Destiny of the Figure; 7. The Logic of False Beliefs; 8. The Contagion of the Sacred; 9. Sloughing Off the Straitjacket.