In 1815, F. W. J. Schelling presented a lecture, "On the Deities of Samothrace," before the king of Bavaria. This lecture, which is one of the most original readings of the ancient mystery religion on the island of Samothrace, would become Schelling's last major publication and is the key initial work in what came to be known as his Philosophy of Mythology. Now, for the first time in English, this critical edition contains the entirety of Schelling's original text, including the lecture itself, as well as Schelling's extensive critical and philological endnotes. It also offers an afterword, along with copious explanatory notes and three new essays by the editors and translators that elucidate Schelling's text for contemporary readers. On the Deities of Samothrace is one of Schelling's most original and exciting works. It is a signature text in what Schelling later called philosophical religion, and it is a singular work in the philosophy of religion.

Friedrich Wilhelm Joseph Schelling (1775-1854) was an influential German philosopher. A student of Fichte and a contemporary of Hegel, Schelling's work was instrumental in the development of German idealism.Alexander Bilda studied philosophy, ancient history, and historical anthropology in Freiburg and Paris. He is editor (with A.-L. Müller Bergen and P. Schwab) of the Erlangen Lectures in the historical-critical edition of Schelling's works. His articles include studies on Kant, Fichte, Hegel, Schelling, and Merleau-Ponty. He currently works as a permanent academic staff member at the University of Freiburg. Jason M. Wirth is Professor of Philosophy at Seattle University. His recent books include Nietzsche and Other Buddhas: Philosophy after Comparative Philosophy and Mountains, Rivers, and the Great Earth: Reading Gary Snyder and Dogen in an Age of Ecological Crisis. David Farrell Krell is Emeritus Professor of Philosophy at DePaul University, Chicago, and Brauer Distinguished Visiting Professor of German Studies at Brown University. His scholarly books include Three Encounters: Heidegger, Arendt, Derrida; The Sea: A Philosophical Encounter; The Cudgel and the Caress: Reflections on Cruelty and Tenderness; and The Tragic Absolute: German Idealism and the Languishing of God.Alexander Bilda studied philosophy, ancient history, and historical anthropology in Freiburg and Paris. He is editor (with A.-L. Müller Bergen and P. Schwab) of the Erlangen Lectures in the historical-critical edition of Schelling's works. His articles include studies on Kant, Fichte, Hegel, Schelling, and Merleau-Ponty. He currently works as a permanent academic staff member at the University of Freiburg. Jason M. Wirth is Professor of Philosophy at Seattle University. His recent books include Nietzsche and Other Buddhas: Philosophy after Comparative Philosophy and Mountains, Rivers, and the Great Earth Reading Gary Snyder and Dogen in an Age of Ecological Crisis. David Farrell Krell is Emeritus Professor of Philosophy at DePaul University, Chicago, and Brauer Distinguished Visiting Professor of German Studies at Brown University. His scholarly books include Three Encounters: Heidegger, Arendt, Derrida; The Sea: A Philosophical Encounter; The Cudgel and the Caress: Reflections on Cruelty and Tenderness; and The Tragic Absolute: German Idealism and the Languishing of God.