According to Greek mythology, a man and a woman, are created as two equal principles completing a single whole. In practice, a woman turned out to be completely subordinate to a man. The male competitive spirit pushed women out of public life, and in the private sphere, the freedom of women was subjected to significant restrictions. Without electoral and economic rights, a woman acted only as a wife. A similar attitude towards the female sex was also expressed at the level of the mythological basis.
At first glance, there is an impressive gallery of powerful women in Greek myth and literature: Medea, Clytemnestra, Antigone, and many others. However, they were by no means role models. For the most part, they are depicted not as exercising power but as abusing it. For example, the jealous Hera to Aphrodite, using their charms to make men lose their minds. Ancient Greek male authors often portrayed women as troublemakers. Myth and literature abound with female characters who struggle to thwart the plans of male heroes, from the arch witch Medea to the deadly. Women were also often presented as driven only by the wild passion and ecstatic emotions.
The best myth which typifies the general attitude toward female subjects is the story of Pandoras box. The very purpose of Pandoras existence is to predict global problems for humanity. The myth says that an angry Zeus ordered Hephaestus, the god of fire and the patron of blacksmiths, to mold a maiden from clay, similar to goddesses in beauty (Quartermain). When work on the body was completed, each of the Olympians presented Pandora with a gift. Later, despite the given peace in her life, Pandora lifted the lid of the box and unleashed an unimaginable amount of misfortune and misfortune sent by the gods on the world. Therefore, the women in Greek mythology mostly give rise to chaos, the fall of the state, death, and devastation.
Hera is a goddess who symbolizes marriage and femininity; she is the daughter of Cronus and Rhea. This deity is often associated with the peacock and the cow. Allegedly, this goddess protects such an island as Samos as well as the city of Argos.
Hades is the god of the underworld, and he is the son of Cronus and Rhea. This deity governs and sometimes punishes the souls of deceased people. This deity is often accompanied by the three-headed dog, Cerberus.
Dionysus is the god who represents wine-making, the fertility of the soil, drinking, and even theater; he is the son of Semele and Zeus. This god grew up in the kingdom Phrygia located in Anatolia. He usually wears the skin of a leopard.
Prometheus is the Titan who gave the fire to human beings and taught them various skills and arts such as medicine. He is the son of Iapetus and Clymene. Prometheus was punished for his theft of fire, and he was chained to a mountain in Caucuses.
Titans are the children of primordial deities, namely, Uranus and Gaea. They are the opponents of Olympian gods. Titans are not associated with any geographic region. There are several generations of Titans, and these divine entities can perform several functions; for instance, Atlas is supposed to hold up the sky.
Gaea is one of the primordial deities, and she can be viewed as the personification of the entire Earth. Gaea is a self-borne deity; so, she does not have any parents, unlike Olympian Gods. The name of Gaea is sometimes linked with such a region as Delphi because she guided the oracles serving in the local temple.
Primary sources
Hera is mentioned in different primary sources such as Homers Iliad (2006) and Hesiods (2004) Theogony. These authors depict the birth of Hera and her interactions with gods as well as heroes.
Hades is depicted in Theogony by Hesiod (2004) and Homers Odyssey (2006). For instance, Homer (2006) writes about Odysseus travel through the underworld governed by Hades.
Dionysius is described by various ancient authors. For example, one can refer to Hesiods (2004) works and Ovids Metamorphoses (2010).
One can refer to Hesiods (2004) books to learn about Prometheus and his conflicts with Olympian gods.
Titans are mentioned by Hesiod (2004).
The story of Gaea and other primordial deities is told by Hesiod (2004).
Discussion of critical points
The presence of such a deity as Hera shows that the family was one of the key values for ancient Greeks. Moreover, this goddess illustrates the responsibilities of a wife.
The representation of Hades and his underworld in ancient myths suggest that Greeks did not have an optimistic view of the afterlife. In their opinion, these experiences were deprived of any joy.
Dionysus challenges the rules and values established by Olympian gods. For instance, he does not value power that is one of the top priorities for his father, Zeus.
Prometheus is a cultural hero who enables human beings to build their civilization. One should bear in mind that this myth is present in various ancient cultures. For instance, it is possible to consider the Georgian epic character named Amirani, who is also renowned for giving fire to people.
Titans succeeded in overthrowing primordial deities, but they could not retain their power. However, they were subdued by Olympian gods. To some degree, this example indicates that brutal force is eventually conquered by rationality.
Gaea and other primordial deities represent the uncontrolled forces of nature. In contrast, Olympian gods symbolize various qualities of human beings, such as rationality.
Reference List
Hesiod. (2004). Hesiod: Theogony, Works and Days, Shield. (A. Athanassakis, Trans.). Baltimore, MD: JHU Press.
Homer. (2006). Homer the Iliad and the Odyssey. (S. Butler, Trans.). New York, NY: El Paso Norte Press.
Ovid. (2010). Metamorphoses. (W. Johnson, Trans.). New York, NY: Hackett Publishing.
The impact of Greek mythology on the modern society cannot go unnoticed. Many spheres of the modern society have borrowed heavily on Greek mythology. Areas like modern language, arts and traditions among others all exhibit the influence of Greek tradition in the modern society.
A good example of this is where people with no or little understanding of Greek legends still know that Hercules was a strongman and that Venus is the god responsible for love. This goes ahead to show how the Greek mythologies have taken root in our modern society. In fact, majority of the traditions that people in the modern society carry out have their origin in Greece.
One Greek mythology that has influenced the whole world is the celebration of the Olympic Games. According to historians, the Olympic Games are a traditional Greek sport that was established in 776 B.C. The Greeks used these athletic contests to award vegetal crowns to people who excelled in different areas.
According to historians, the foundation of the Olympic Games is credited to Herakles. According to the myth, Zeus set up the games to celebrate his legendary success over his father Kronos. This event was celebrated once every four years and involved all Greece citizens.
As time went by, the rest of the world adopted the use of Olympic Games as a unifying event. Today, the Olympic Games are regarded as the most popular sporting event in history. In fact, the modern day sport has minimal differences compared to the original games. This goes a long way in exhibiting just how Greek culture has influenced the world systems. (Barringer, 2010)
In the modern society, very few people can speak Greek fluently. However, the English language has been greatly shaped by Greek mythologies. An example of this is a term like Herculean task , which refers to doing something that requires a big effort. According to historians, the term comes from the Greek legend that refers to the labors assigned to Hercules. Another common name in the English language that has its roots from the Greeks is the sleep inducing drug known as morphine.
According to English experts, this name has its origins from Morpheus, the Greek god responsible for bringing sleep. The Greek god of love Zeus otherwise known as aphrodisiac has also been incorporated in the English language. Today, the modern language uses the term aphrodisiac to refer to any stuff or condition that stimulates sexual need.
Besides their use in languages, Greek mythology also has a great impact on science. Today, most heavenly bodies have been given the names of Greek characters. On top of this, nearly all the planets and most of the stars in the solar system have been given Roman translations of Greek characters.
Conclusion
There is no doubt that the modern world has borrowed much from Greek mythology. Reference to Greek mythology proliferate every sphere of our society. The Olympic Games one of the most celebrated athletic sport has its origins from the Greek culture.
The sport has undergone the test of time and today it is considered as an event that unifies the world. In fact, some things that we take for granted as maps have their origin from Greek myths. The Europe continent that houses many communities is named after Europa, the virgin carried off by Zeus, who tricked her by masquerading as a bull.
The impact of Greek mythology on the modern society cannot go unnoticed. Many spheres of the modern society have borrowed heavily on Greek mythology. Areas like modern language, arts and traditions among others all exhibit the influence of Greek tradition in the modern society.
A good example of this is where people with no or little understanding of Greek legends still know that Hercules was a strongman and that Venus is the god responsible for love. This goes ahead to show how the Greek mythologies have taken root in our modern society. In fact, majority of the traditions that people in the modern society carry out have their origin in Greece.
One Greek mythology that has influenced the whole world is the celebration of the Olympic Games. According to historians, the Olympic Games are a traditional Greek sport that was established in 776 B.C. The Greeks used these athletic contests to award vegetal crowns to people who excelled in different areas.
According to historians, the foundation of the Olympic Games is credited to Herakles. According to the myth, Zeus set up the games to celebrate his legendary success over his father Kronos. This event was celebrated once every four years and involved all Greece citizens.
As time went by, the rest of the world adopted the use of Olympic Games as a unifying event. Today, the Olympic Games are regarded as the most popular sporting event in history. In fact, the modern day sport has minimal differences compared to the original games. This goes a long way in exhibiting just how Greek culture has influenced the world systems. (Barringer, 2010)
In the modern society, very few people can speak Greek fluently. However, the English language has been greatly shaped by Greek mythologies. An example of this is a term like Herculean task , which refers to doing something that requires a big effort. According to historians, the term comes from the Greek legend that refers to the labors assigned to Hercules. Another common name in the English language that has its roots from the Greeks is the sleep inducing drug known as morphine.
According to English experts, this name has its origins from Morpheus, the Greek god responsible for bringing sleep. The Greek god of love Zeus otherwise known as aphrodisiac has also been incorporated in the English language. Today, the modern language uses the term aphrodisiac to refer to any stuff or condition that stimulates sexual need.
Besides their use in languages, Greek mythology also has a great impact on science. Today, most heavenly bodies have been given the names of Greek characters. On top of this, nearly all the planets and most of the stars in the solar system have been given Roman translations of Greek characters.
Conclusion
There is no doubt that the modern world has borrowed much from Greek mythology. Reference to Greek mythology proliferate every sphere of our society. The Olympic Games one of the most celebrated athletic sport has its origins from the Greek culture.
The sport has undergone the test of time and today it is considered as an event that unifies the world. In fact, some things that we take for granted as maps have their origin from Greek myths. The Europe continent that houses many communities is named after Europa, the virgin carried off by Zeus, who tricked her by masquerading as a bull.
According to Greek mythology, a man and a woman, are created as two equal principles completing a single whole. In practice, a woman turned out to be completely subordinate to a man. The male competitive spirit pushed women out of public life, and in the private sphere, the freedom of women was subjected to significant restrictions. Without electoral and economic rights, a woman acted only as a wife. A similar attitude towards the female sex was also expressed at the level of the mythological basis.
At first glance, there is an impressive gallery of powerful women in Greek myth and literature: Medea, Clytemnestra, Antigone, and many others. However, they were by no means role models. For the most part, they are depicted not as exercising power but as abusing it. For example, the jealous Hera to Aphrodite, using their charms to make men lose their minds. Ancient Greek male authors often portrayed women as troublemakers. Myth and literature abound with female characters who struggle to thwart the plans of male heroes, from the arch witch Medea to the deadly. Women were also often presented as driven only by the wild passion and ecstatic emotions.
The best myth which typifies the general attitude toward female subjects is the story of Pandora’s box. The very purpose of Pandora’s existence is to predict global problems for humanity. The myth says that an angry Zeus ordered Hephaestus, the god of fire and the patron of blacksmiths, to mold a maiden from clay, similar to goddesses in beauty (Quartermain). When work on the body was completed, each of the Olympians presented Pandora with a gift. Later, despite the given peace in her life, Pandora lifted the lid of the box and unleashed an unimaginable amount of misfortune and misfortune sent by the gods on the world. Therefore, the women in Greek mythology mostly give rise to chaos, the fall of the state, death, and devastation.
Talk about awe and fascination in birds and animals, and everybody will think about ‘the owl.’ The mythology of the owl is dated far back beyond time we can date and has been passed on to generation after generation. However, to different cultures, the bird has been contradictory. In some cultures, it is hated, while in others, it is far much adored. In some, it is an angel of death, whilst in others, it is an angel of birth. In some, it is associated with witchcraft, while in others, it is associated with medicine and many more. For instance, among the ancient Greeks, Athene, the so proclaimed goddess of wisdom, honored the owl very much and classified it as her favorite bird (Athene noctua). The bird was protected and was allowed to occupy the Acropolis (A highly regarded area). The ancient Greeks used the bird to predict glory before going to battles. It was regarded that if the bird flew on top of Greek warriors before going to war, then they would emerge to be victorious (Adams, 1992). They also believed that the owl was a keen full watcher of Athens trade, and that is why it was engraved at the back of their coins. According to Lewis, the following picture demonstrates two coins with an owl engraved at the back (Lewis, 2005).
Greek mythology is a body of teachings used in ancient Greek to describe the human environment, the passing of time, and natural phenomena (Stafford 45). The myths explained stories concerning gods, heroes, and rituals. According to Jennings and Lowery, Greek mythology is depicted in collections of different narratives and artistic works (34).
Greek Mythology in Art: The Birth of Venus
The story revolves around the birth of Venus. The beautiful piece of art was created in the mid-1480s by Sandro Botticelli. The picture and the story behind it illustrate in many ways the Greek’s profound understanding of human nature and behavior. Venus is a being born from the sea.
In the drawing, she is nude and standing on a sea shell on the seashore. Towards her left side, the wind blows gently, causing her hair to flow with poise (Stafford 51). On the right side, a handmaid awaits to dress Venus and cover her nudity. The area around where Venus is standing is filled with violets.
According to the Greeks, art illustrates a wide variety of elements within the human environment. To begin with, the floating violets around Venus mean that the air is warm and still. Her nudity symbolizes modesty. In addition, a look at her body creates the idea of divine love. The angel embracing the woman is a symbol of physical love (Jennings and Lowery 47).
The illustration also shows that romantic love is unrealistic. The reason is that they are floating on water. On her part, the maid on the right signifies intellectual love and wisdom. The reason behind this is because she is ready to pride Venus with a piece of cloth to cover her nudity. The act is an illustration of how intellectual gifts are hidden from plain sight.
An in-depth analysis of the picture reveals that the myth is an accurate metaphor for contemporary human behavior as it was in ancient civilizations. In today’s world, people are inspired to show physical and intellectual love. The same case applied in the ancient era. The piece of art also recommends appropriate behavior for couples through the angel’s embrace (Stafford 62).
Comments on Students’ Essays
Student one talks about federal, state, and residential buildings. They give a brief and general account of different forms of structures and architectural techniques employed. For example, they state that many southern mansions are constructed using Greek revival design. Greek Revival was an architectural design that gained widespread recognition due to the exploration of similarities between ancient and present-day cultures (Stafford 59).
Student two gives an account of their understanding of Sister Wendy’s point of view on changes and improvements in art. They explain that art has changed over time. However, the paintings convey their message in a similar manner. In addition, the student does not shy away from pointing out where they disagree with Sister Wendy’s views. Over the centuries, the process of art and tools used has changed (Jennings and Lowery 63). The different phases of transformation have resulted in significant improvements.
Student three shows her total appreciation of Sister Wendy’s account. They support Wendy and do not disagree with any of her views. According to this student, Wendy’s stories have had a significant impact on their perception of artwork and artists. In addition, the accounts provide in-depth insights into the three stages of an artist’s development. The phases of development include emerging, mid-career, and established artists (Stafford 77).
Conclusion
Greek mythology has strong historical and factual roots. In today’s world, people understand the myths and stories through Greek literature and artistic representations. According to Jennings and Lowery, the folklores were used to re-tell historical occurrences (77). The aim was to help people maintain contact with their ancestors, heroes, and gods.
Works Cited
Jennings, Ken, and Mike Lowery. Greek Mythology, New York: Little Simon, 2014. Print.
Stafford, Emma. Life, Myth, and Art in Ancient Greece, Los Angeles, Calif.: J. Paul Getty Museum, 2004. Print.
Greek mythology is known for its great mythological heroes one of which was Hercules. This hero deserved general recognition for his courage and strength. The name of Hercules is widely known in different mythological legends of modern time. This character is always presented as the embodiment of strength and power who can resist any difficulties and life obstacles.
His name is considered to be Roman; being the son of Alcmene and the God Zeus he experienced great level of unfaithfulness and cruelty in his life. The ancient mythology is rich in myths and legends describing the fate of the powerful god’s son. Being a little boy Zeus’ wife Hera wishing to kill Hercules managed to send serpents for his destroy; though Hercules managed to strangle those snakes and remain alive. His courage and power allowed him to kill a bear being young and inexperienced man. He is widely known in the Greek mythology for his 12 labors introduced by Eurystheus as a kind of penance. The labors of Hercules covered twelve difficult tasks created in order to test the courage of Hercules.
The character of Hercules and his achievements have been described not only in the sphere of mythology. The theme of his legends interpretation was to show the power of mythological heroes on the example of one of the most strong and powerful. The Roman and Greek mythological legends managed to disclose the peculiarities of Hercules’ adventures and achievements. (Wilson, 2008).
Hercules is considered to be a significant hero in the sphere of science and art. Hercules was recognized as one of the most great and powerful representatives of the Greek mythology; he managed to turn from a mortal person into the god. His bright achievements and victories brought him immortality. A bright representative of the scientific theories about mythological characters and events is considered t be Carl Yung. This great person of his time managed to continue the theories of Sigmund Freud regarding the functions of the mythological events. He managed to continue psychological approach and the theory of collective unconscious and archetypes. He considered that archetypes are always presented in the myth and legends.
“…myth-forming structural elements must be present in the unconscious psyche…” (Carl Jung and the Collective Unconscious, 2005).
According to his statements the identification of the Hercules myths should take a start from the identification of archetypes. It was stated that myth should be perceived symbolically; it not about the gods or physical world. The myths of Hercules should stress the symbolism of strength and power, courage and braveness rather than the story disclosing the process of man’s transformation into the god. He did not stick to the goddess of the myths. The legends of Hercules are perceived as the process of a male self development during the lifespan. Jung supported the idea that in myths people were usually motivated by a psychological energy pushing them for new achievements and psychological growth. He never agreed with Freud’s instinctual drives of aggression. Regarding the mythological nature Jung stated that his patients’ dreams were closely connected with his own theory of collective unconscious and archetypes. He tried to explain it by the fact that consciousness is based on the activities of people’s mind, sense and intuition while the world of mythology refers to the unconsciousness, psychological archetypes. Jung proved by his theory that each person had archetypes as they exist in human unconsciousness. They can be especially vivid when people are covered by the world of dreams or mythological stories. (Morford, 2003).
Hercules is considered to be an example of a common archetype, a warrior archetype. He explained his warrior nature by the character’s desire to be superior to all others, to fight in order to protect; this archetype can be sometimes active in usual people because they understand and feel his function and role in life. Thus, Hercules is an example of the warrior archetype stimulating people for their personal qualities development somewhere on the unconscious level.
Thus, it is necessary to underline the main point of the mythological analysis of Hercules: this character is regarded to be the embodiment of strength and power of the Greek mythology. He managed to leave a print as a god and as a mortal character; Hercules has always been introduced as a muscular and strong man having no fear at any difficult situation. In modern science this hero is perceived as an archetype of a warrior. His place in modern science manages to prove that the character of Hercules can be embodied in every ordinary person in case of their desire to self development and realization. The ancient Greek myths disclosing the achievements and actions of Hercules are the background for the creation of new modern works of literature and for the development of new psychological theories such as those created by Carl Yung.
References
Morford, Mark P.O. & Lenardon, Robert J. Classical Mythology. 8th ed. Oxford U.P., 2003.
Wilson, Randy. Greek Mythology Hercules: the Mortal who became a God. 2008.
Carl Jung and the Collective Unconscious. 2005. Web.
Despite the fact that the characters from the Ancient Greek plays might seem somewhat naïve and clichéd, the female character from Euripides’ Medea displays considerably unique features and is, in fact, a breakthrough in writing female characters. While the character shares certain features with some of the female leads in other Ancient Greek plays, Euripides’ Medea stands on her own as a character and represents a new set of qualities, which used to be considered as incompatible with the idea of a female heroine.
One of the most evident changes that Euripides made to an Ancient Greek female character is making her more independent and considerably more motivated. Comparing her to another character written by the same author, one must admit that Euripides has added much more depth to Medea. Taking Clytemnestra as the closest example, one will see that the development of a female character is truly huge. Also willing to kill her husband, Clytemnestra is yet less threatening because of two reasons.
First, she does not have as much motivation as Medea does; as a matter of fact, Clytemnestra’s motives are rather vague. Clytemnestra claims that her motivation was also revenge: “He killed my child because of Helen’s lust” (Euripides), and at the same time it is stated in the poem that Agamemnon was standing in the way of her relationships with Aegisthus: “O father, you now lie in Hades, / Agamemnon, thanks to that murder / committed by Aegisthus and your wife.” (Euripides).
Comparing Medea to Jocasta from Sophocles’ Oedipus the King, for example, one will necessarily see that Medea is much more cruel, vengeful, passionate, and, therefore, more interesting character than the mother and wife of Oedipus. While the latter is best known for unwillingly sinning against nature and, thus, being a rather passive character, the former, on the contrary, fights against all odds, disregarding the moral side of the question. Jocasta’s despair and shock which she displays as she learns that her husband is actually her own son: “Oh, you unhappy man! / May you never find out who you really are!” (Sophocles) contrasts sharply with Medea’s passion and disregard for any moral issues whatsoever:
Chorus leader: But, lady, can you stand to kill your children?
Medea: Yes. It will be a mortal blow to Jason. (Euripides)
Therefore, Medea is portrayed not only as a much more ruthless, but also as a more calculating person than any of the women in Greek mythology. Not only does she plot her revenge, but also implements it without a single moment of regret, which makes her a much stronger and well-rounded character than any of the ones mentioned above. Vengefulness is the key feature that makes Medea stand out of all the female characters in most Ancient Greek plays.
However, Medea must not be viewed as a goddess of revenge; she also has a number of character features which make her humane and, thus, even more, terrifying: “As for Medea, / that poor lady, in her disgrace, cries out, /repeating his oaths, recalling the great trust” (Euripides). While being chased by a demonic creature is something that a typical Greek mythological hero does on a regular basis, knowing that one’s world has been ruined a woman who is desperate for revenge yet shares certain emotions with human beings is weird enough to make one tremble with fear.
Finally, it is worth considering Medea not only as the main antagonist but also as a mother of the family. It is essential that the play starts with portraying Medea as a good mother and a faithful wife: “with her husband and her children – well-loved /in exile by those whose land she’d moved to. / She gave all sorts of help to Jason” (Euripides).
However, as the play unfolds, Medea’s gradual descent into madness begins, revealing her cruel nature, which becomes obvious as Euripides describes her change of attitude towards her children: “I’ve seen her look at them with savage eyes, / as if she means to injure them somehow” (Euripides). It is quite peculiar that the gruesome fact of killing her own children does not contradict the fact that Medea loves her family more than anything else in the world: “O my children, / victims of your father’s evil actions!” (Euripides).
Therefore, these are not egoistic motives that make Medea slaughter her own children and plot her husband’s death. On the contrary, it was Medea’s uncontrolled love that brought her to such despicable crime – her family meant everything for her, and, when being deprived of her main life priority, she is left with nothing but destroying its miserable remnants: “(). Thus, Euripides makes the readers empathize with Medea as much as he makes them fear her.
Thus, it is clear that Medea’s character revolutionized the image of a woman in Greek mythology. Reinventing people’s perception of what part a female character is supposed to perform in a play, Medea set the stage for the further development of female characters. Euripides makes it obvious that the latter can be as complex as the male ones, yet develop in their own peculiar way and have their own unique features.
Greek and Roman mythology was highly dependent on how people lived. A myth itself appeared because people were deeply religious and felt the need of glorifying their gods. The content of myths, in its turn, was influenced by many additional factors, such as culture, geographical positions of the country, history, etc. Many Greek and Roman myths are driven by political concerns, where one of the main themes is one party striving against another for the throne.
Main body
The idea of seizing the throne by killing the previous ruler is very common in Greek and Roman mythology. Moreover, it seems to be natural and even honorable: the more bloody and cruel the fight is, the more respectable a person who takes over the throne becomes. For example, the Babylonian poem Enuma Elish (The Epic of Creation) has the following words in it.
They rejoiced and offered congratulation: “Marduk is the king!”
They added to him a mace, a throne, and a rod,
They gave him an irresistible weapon that overwhelms the foe:
(They said,) “Go, cut Tiamat’s throat,
And let the winds bear up her blood to give the news.”1
The words refer to the part of the poem when Marduk agrees to fight Tiamat and all her monsters, but demands to be provided with absolute power when he succeeds in the fight. This excerpt ideally demonstrates, first of all, cruelty and bloodthirstiness: “Go, cut Tiamat’s throat, and let the winds bear up her blood”.2 Secondly, it shows what exactly Marduk has to do to be the ruler: he becomes the king only if he uses his weapon and “overwhelms the foe”.3 And finally, there is a phrase: “And let the winds bear up her blood to give the news”.4 That is, people have to be informed about the slaying of the ruler, so another one, the slayer, can become the new one.
The unusual weapon Marduk has in Enuma Elish symbolizes the power of this character over his rival. Moreover, this weapon is called an irresistible one. That is, the poem implies that Marduk’s rival has no chance to resist and win the battle. In other words, the ritual of killing the ruler to seize the throne is normal; it is the natural order of things for the Greeks and Romans.
Combat and victory are traditional elements of any Greek and Roman ancient myth, each of which usually has the following structure.5 It starts with describing a threat, which has to be eliminated, and a hero for whom this threat is somehow personal. Then, the story tells about an unusual weapon the hero is provided with and the faraway land, where he needs to get. Since the threat is usually a person, the combat happens, where the hero wins eventually: even though he can be temporarily defeated in the battle, he always overcomes the rival in the end. Finally, the hero returns home and gets the reward. The type of the reward usually depends on the character of the combat and the kind of a threat: if the hero has to overcome the beast, he will probably marry the maiden after it, and if he aims to overthrow the king, he will get the throne in the long run.
In this context, both a monster and a ruler can be considered as a threat in ancient Greek and Roman myths. In his book called The Golden Bough, Frazer explains that with the following words: “When his waning power threatened the well-being of the people, the king had to be killed and a young, vital successor placed on the throne”.6 He also proves that it is quite a common pattern in ancient mythology since the stories of Adonis, Dionysus, Osiris, and others all fall under the description above. Considering this, the slaying of the ruler to take the throne does not seem so cruel anymore since it is done for the greater good: “The king must die that the people might live”.7
Still, even though force and even cruelty can be justified, it goes without saying that it appears to be an integral part of the power in Greek and Roman myths. Therefore, the reason why almost any ancient myth tells about the combats and shows the victory of the main hero is that such kind of a plot symbolizes power. And power was the most important for the Greeks and Romans in those ancient times.
The kind of figures that are described as heroes in ancient mythology deserves attention as well since the main characters represent power too. Admittedly, they are influenced by the life people lived in those times. As proof, all warriors are males while many beasts or overthrown rulers are females (as a prime example, Tiamat mentioned above is a female character). Men in ancient times were free and dominant, in both their private lives and public spheres.8 They had authority, and all members of their households (above all, their wives) had to obey. Only men were considered to fight in wars and make a difference in politics. Thus, it is not surprising that myths endow men with strength while women are presented as either evil characters, weak rulers, or powerless maidens that serve as a reward to great warriors.
Considering all of this, particularly the cult of power that is evident to the naked eye, the following question arises. Why were the ancient Greeks and Romans so concerned about their power and dominance? The truth is that not only do people maintain the sense of being free and dominant, but the whole state did the same. One of the reasons for that is the geography of the Balkan peninsula.9 It influenced the history of the Greeks and Romans, their culture, the way they lived and co-existed with other nations, and, consequently, it also affected their mythology. Because of the mountainous terrain, the communication between states was weak, and each of them gradually gained political independence. That is why cities and states remained autonomous and, as Powell writes about it, “struggled constantly and murderously against one another”.10 Nevertheless, none of those exists presently, which proves that the greater lesson that can be learned from ancient Greek and Roman myths is the following. The power gained by force is temporary and should be regularly confirmed. Otherwise, another pretender to the throne will appear and take over.
Conclusion
To conclude, the political concerns that the Greeks and Romans had in ancient times influenced their mythology. By telling about combats for the throne, which usually were cruel and violent, myths celebrated power since the power was almost equal to the use of force in those times. Nevertheless, even though the Greeks and Romans indeed had some power and dominance, all that was temporary by its very nature.
Bibliography
Powell, Barry B. A Short Introduction to Classical Myth. Upper Saddle River: Pearson Education, 2002.
Footnotes
Enuma elish IV.28-32.
Enuma elish IV.28-32.
Enuma elish IV.28-32.
Enuma elish IV.28-32.
Barry B. Powell, A Short Introduction to Classical Myth (Upper Saddle River: Pearson Education, 2002), 147.
Powell, A Short Introduction to Classical Myth, 34.
Powell, A Short Introduction to Classical Myth, 34.
Powell, A Short Introduction to Classical Myth, 159.
Powell, A Short Introduction to Classical Myth, 51.
Powell, A Short Introduction to Classical Myth, 51.