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The Myth Of Atalant A Reflection Of The Greek Values And Culture By Reading These Myths

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25. Although Phaeton’s request of his father to ride his chariot was very dangerous, Apollo still had to honor it because he had sworn by the Styx. When he gave the offer to grant Phaeton a wish, Apollo said, “Ask anything you want of me and you shall have it. I call the Styx to be a witness to my promise…” (182). Since Apollo was a god, he could not break a promise that he made that was witnessed by the Styx, the river of the oath of the Gods. This shows that Greek culture greatly valued dependability and loyalty. Even though Apollo knew that bad things would happen if Phaeton rode the chariot, he had to keep his promise. In many cases the myths are a reflection of the Greek ideals and culture By reading these myths, it can be inferred that the Greeks valued loyalty greatly. 26. The myth of Atalanta shows that the Ancient Greeks saw women as less valuable than men. In the myth, Atalanta’s father abandoned her to die when she was born, because he wanted a son instead of a daughter. This shows that in Ancient Greek society, men were valued more than women, because of the stereotype that men can work harder and complete tasks better than women. Since her father would abandon his own child, just because of her gender, it shows that having a boy meant a lot in Ancient Greek society. In summary, the Ancient Greeks viewed women as lesser than men. 27. Atalanta is a good role model for all young women, because she defied the stereotypes that are associated with her gender. Atlanta

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