Greek Mythology

Mythology has captivated people for thousands of years. Often the stories end in tragedy, or the gods that are featured seem cold and cruel. There seems to be a blurring between what is a god and what is mortal, yet the gods demand piety from their mortal underlings. Why were mythological stories told and what was their meaning?

It was once believed that mythological stories had no factual basis and were completely fictional. It is now known that many of the stories do have a factual origin. The facts change over the course of time and the people of the past are made to be better and stronger than the people of 'now'. Mythological stories were told in an oral tradition, that is they were not written down for many centuries. Over hundreds of years storylines would be altered so suit the audience of the time. Herodotus, a Greek historian of the 5th century BC noticed that the stories of the great mythological characters might vary depending on which region or even country he was in. Homer shows the shade of Herakles in the underworld and admits that his immortal godly self is at the same time feasting in the heavens. Homer was combining different versions of the death of Herakles into his own story telling. In early versions of the myth, Herakles would die and go into the underworld and a witless shade, the same as other mortal people did. In later versions of the myth, Herakles became immortal as he died. His shade did not need to enter the underworld, yet it still does in Homer's version of the story, probably because his audience expected that familiar part of the story to be included alongside the new immortal Herakles, even if it makes no sense.

The gods are an integral part of mythology. They are really immortal powerful people with all the failings of mortals. Many stories have a bad outcome for the mortals within in because they have not shown the deference towards the gods, that they demanded of ordinary people. Baucis and Philemon were the only people in their village who were not drown by Zeus and Hermes. Their neighbours had turned the gods (who were disguised as beggars) from their houses. This was an offence to the gods because hospitality (xenios) was an area ruled over by Zeus (king of the gods) and his son Hermes. No mercy is shown to the village and everyone is killed. Baucis and Philemon escaped the fate of their neighbours because they allowed the gods into their home, even though they were poor themselves and gave them hospitality.

Mythology is also made up of aetiological stories. These stories explain why things are the way they are. The Narcissus flower exists because a mortal named Narcissus was the love of the goddess Aphrodite. She warned her lover to be careful when out hunting, however he did not heed her warnings and was killed soon after. Aphrodite turned the remains of her lover into a flower so that it would act as a permanent memorial to him.

For more mythology information please visit my website http://www.mythologyhellenic.com.

Jane Sproston was a teacher of Classical Civilisation and Classical Greek in a number of secondary schools. She is also an examiner of Classical Civilisation for a major examination board. Her website is http://www.mythologyhellenic.com.