Greek mythology is a body of myths and
teachings that belong to the ancient Greeks. It concerns not only their gods
and goddesses but the formation of the universe and it’s components, the nature
of their cults and the various rituals and practices. Greek mythology is a part
of the religion of ancient Greeks. The attempts by modern scholars to study
Greek mythology is done with the motive of understanding the religious and
political institutions of the time and to understand the process of myth
making.
The
Greek myths talk about the adventures of not only a wide range of gods and
goddesses but also heroes and heroines, mythical creatures, spirits of natures,
amongst others. They also came up with stories explaining the presence of
constellations in the sky and various flowers. Our main sources of Greek
mythology come from poetic narratives. Some of the best known works that have
given us a wealth of knowledge about the various myths are the Illiad and
Odyssey by Homer. Illiad talks about the Trojan War while the Odyssey describes
the aftermath of the war and the journey of Odysseus, a hero of the Trojan War,
while he returns home. Another well known work by Homer’s near contemporary
Hesiod. Hesiod’s works the Theogony and the Works and Days, talk about the
genesis of the universe, succession of divine rulers, ages of man, origin of
human woes, and the origin of sacrificial practices.
There were also Homeric Hymns that
preserved myths, in fragments of epic poems of the Epic Cycle, in lyric poems
in the works of tragedians and comedians of the fifth century BC, in writings
of scholars and poets of Hellenistic age, and in texts from the time of the
Roman empire by writers such as Plutarch and Pausanias. These myths though
weren’t always in the written form, initially they were disseminated in oral
poetic tradition.
These extensively written narratives are
not our only source of Greek myths. Greek representational arts, such as vase
paintings and votive gifts also give us an insight not only in the world of
Greek myths but in the day to day workings of ancient Greece. Archaeological
findings have shown that some of the most prominently displayed figures on
artefacts are of gods and goddesses and heroes and their adventures. Some of
the best known myths like the Adventures of Heracles (better known as Hercules)
and the Trojan War have been depicted in geometric designs on pottery from the
eighth century BC. Homeric and other mythological scenes also appear on vases
in the succeeding Archaic, Classical, and Hellenistic eras. This further
supplements the already existing literary evidence.
Authors, poets, and artists have been
inspired by Greek mythology for ages. Greek mythology presents themes and ideas
that present contemporary relevance that makes the stories work. Western
civilization, art, and architecture as a whole have been heavily influenced by
Greek mythology. The twelve Zodiac signs and astrology has also been heavily
influenced by Greek myths and the relationship of Greek gods with each other
also influences the way certain zodiac signs interact with each other.
Democracy is all well and good but the
ancient Greeks have contributed more to the Western Civilization then just an
amazing form of governance.
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