Greek Mythology vs. Modern Science
Throughout all history, humans have been trying to make sense of the natural world around them. In ancient cultures around the world, we see this proved with myths and stories. Now that modern technology and science exists, we are able to see how natural phenomena actually happen. When witnessing natural disasters or other strange things occur, people naturally look for explanations, before modern science, that sometimes meant they had to create an explanation themselves. Myths have been used to explain everything from the simple, like wind and rain, to the complex, like solar eclipses or the Northern Lights. One culture famously known for its mythology is ancient Greece. Though Greek mythology may now seem outlandish and hard to believe, it was what gave cause to many natural phenomena before modern science, including the subjects of day and night, whirlpools, and even volcanoes.
Every day, the people of Greece would witness the steady rise and fall of the sun in the sky and created a god that was similar in boldness and was just as bright. Helios (later Apollo) was a titan and thus came before many of the other gods known today. He would drive the chariot of the sun, pulled by his four horses, across the sky, bringing light to the world. Once he would reach the Hesperides (essentially the horizon), he would travel along the river circling the flat Earth to reach his home in the east to rise again the next day. Society now recognizes that
Greek mythology is one of the coolest things anyone could think of. The ideas of gods and goddesses coming down to earth to interact with the human race, is quite an amazing thing. In many cultures, gods are very important. The ancient greek culture is an example where mythology is very important to the people, the gods are everywhere in daily life. Yet with the made up mythology, they needed a place to begin with and the greeks are no exception, but the story of the gods beginning is very interesting.
Greek Mythology has been known to be one of the footprints left by the civilization of ancient Greece to our history and these mythology somehow shed a light to the culture, life style, religion and history of ancient Greece since the mythology were the primary basis of the origin of the ancient Greeks and they believed that these mythologies explained the origin of why things turned out to be like that.
myths were sacred in the Greek culture and it helped people figure out how everything was
In ancient Greece, Greek mythology began to emerge. Mythical narratives began to erupt for the purpose of giving an explanation to certain social, religious, and environmental phenomena. Greek chronicles included the gods/goddesses, heroes, and non-human creatures.
Ancient Greek society fell over 2000 years ago but despite this, its mythology still continues to influence our western society. References to Greek mythology can be found all through time and in our western culture. The influence of Greek mythology can be found in our science, arts and literature and our language. When Ancient Greece fell to the Roman Empire, Rome adapted its mythologies which still influence us today as they have through history. That is not to say that Greek mythology wasn’t influenced itself – Greek mythology has links with the bible and the early Mycenaean’s. It has also been recognised as one of the earliest forms of paganism.
When people wonder about Ancient Greece the first thing that comes to their minds is Greek mythology; gods and goddesses that have helped shape many historical events. “In ancient Greece, stories about gods and goddesses and heroes and monsters were an important part of everyday life.” (“Greek Mythology.”) The civilization showed that numerous characters and stories helped shape Greeks. The beliefs the Greeks had with mythologies was they understood the meaning behind all the characters that are known today. However, to the Greeks, they were not just characters, these were their gods and goddesses who gave them meaning and understanding of the world around them. Worshiping the gods and goddesses helped them with their religious rituals and the temperament of the weather. A famous wine-jar that was made during this time period was “Achilles killing the Amazon Queen Penthesilea, 540-530 BCE, black-figured amphora”. (Khan Academy) The civilization that they lived in grew around their worship and achievements.
Zeus, he was the king of the gods and the supreme ruler of people. He originally was a god of the sky. In time, the Greeks regarded him as the only god who concerned him-self with the whole universe. They also associated Zeus with justice and believed that he punished the wicked and rewarded the good. He belonged to the race of Titans, and was the son of Cronus and Rhea. After overthrowing Cronus, Zeus took his father's place and ruled from Mount Olympus. He headed a family of twelve major gods, called the Olympians.
Modern Greek mythology is one of the finest arts you can find in the 21st century, it has been the point where students and scholars study it in order to have a good look at its beauty and popularity. Greek mythology in the modern times had influenced people so much that it became somewhat of a lifestyle where people adapt the way the gods and goddesses look and act based on books and stories from the past. We can tell that people use Greek designs as well on drawing up plans for buildings as well as interior and exterior design.
Greek and Roman myths often explain natural phenomena, such as, change of seasons (Persephone, Demeter, and Hades)
The ancient Greeks thought the gods affected everything. They believed that Mount Olympus was where the gods lived, earthquakes were a message from the gods, and their first olive tree was a gift from Athena. Mount Olympus was assumed to be home to the gods because the mountain rises 9,570 feet in the air. The entrance to Olympus was a “...great gate of clouds, kept by the Seasons.” (Document 2) Another important geographic feature the Greeks made into a religious belief was the landscape and environment. Greece is “...smack-dab in the middle of a very active volcanic zone,” (Document 3) so the Greeks formed a religion called oracles, and the belief was “Oracles are the gods speaking to people, often in the form of minor earthquakes,” (Document
Greek Mythology is a collection of myths and teachings that originated from the ancient Greeks. Tales of Greek Mythology are usually related to gods or heroes, the nature of the world, and the significance and origin of the Greek culture and ritual practices. Greek Mythology was part of the polytheistic religion in ancient Greece. Many scholars study the myths in an attempt to understand the religious and political institutions of Ancient Greece and its civilization. The scholars also wanted to gain knowledge of the nature of myth-making itself. The earliest Greek myths were part of an oral tradition that began in the Bronze Age. Greek mythology is made up of several different gods and goddesses. Greek myths attempt to explain the origins
As the Greeks explained natural phenomenon, colorful stories regarding gods, goddesses, heroes, and villains were in reference. The stories seem elaborate in comparison to how phenomenon are explained and solved today, however, those stories made sense to the culture in an era where explanations were more crucial. Among those stories, the phenomenon of whirlpools, rocks, and obscure aquatic catastrophes were featured. The two topics were synonymous with Charybdis and Scylla.
Mythology was very huge in Ancient Greece. There are so many different folktales and myths
At the same time, it reminds us that these myths do not really constitute the religion of the Greeks. These myths are more similar to proto-scientific stories that are meant to explain usual phenomena, such as thunderstorms or the setting of the sun. Some myths are pure amusement and are not meant to explain anything. On the whole, the later myths appear more religious, as Zeus, the primary god, begins to resemble the sort of omnipotent God--figure familiar to modern readers—in the Iliad, he is very human and moody, but by the Odyssey he is more wise and sympathetic. Zeus changes so much from the old philanderer he once was that he begins to look very much like the Judeo-Christian concept of God. These all concepts relate to the myths and if in today’s world one were to think of it as reality one would laugh on this.
In Greek Mythology, perhaps one of the most rudimental yet one of the most important elements are the Greek Gods and Goddesses. The ancient Greeks created the stories about the lives and journeys of the Greek Gods, known as myths, simply as an endeavor to elucidate nature and all phenomena which were difficult to explain using modern science and logic. These myths about the Gods were spread around the world by explorers and storytellers, and later merged with Greek religion. To this day, numerous myths survived through many writings and through much art. Each of these myths is very unique, and moreover, tells us much about the Greek Gods. The Greek myths in particular convey to us that Greek Gods and Goddesses looked and acted like humans,