In Greek mythology, Megara (Μεγάρα) was the oldest daughter of Creon, king of Thebes. In reward for Heracles' defending Thebes from Orchomenus in single-handed battle, Creon offered his daughter Megara to Heracles,[1] and he brought her home to the house of Amphitryon.[2] She bore him a son and a daughter,[3] whom Heracles killed when Hera struck him with temporary madness; in their hero-tombs in Thebes they were venerated as the Chalkoarai.[4] In some sources Heracles slew Megara too,[5] in others, she was given to Iolaus when Heracles left Thebes forever.
In some traditions, in order to atone his guilt, he was forced to perform the Twelve Labours, but in Euripides' tragedy, Heracles' return from his encounter with Cerberus in Hades begins the agon.
Notes [link]
- ^ Odyssey 11.269.
- ^ Euripides, Madness of Heracles.
- ^ The number of Megara's sons varies according to the source; the Theban tradition made them eight (Kereny 1959:185f notes Pindar's Fourth Isthmian Ode) but Euripides' Heracles reduced them to three, possibly for the exigencies of his stage tradition, Kereny notes (Kerenyi 1959:1186).
- ^ "Those on whom fell a curse of bronze" (Kerenyi 1959:186).
- ^ Pseudo-Apollodorus, Bibliotheke 2.6.1.
References [link]
- Kerenyi, Karl, The Heroes of the Greeks (Thames and Hudson) 1959.
External links [link]
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Mythology
Mythology is a collection of myths, especially one belonging to a particular sacred, religious or cultural tradition of a group of people. Myths are a collection of stories told to explain nature, history, and customs–or the study of such myths.
As a collection of such stories, mythology is a vital feature of every culture. Various origins for myths have been proposed, ranging from personification of nature, personification of natural phenomena to truthful or hyperbolic accounts of historical events, to explanations of existing ritual. Although the term is complicated by its implicit condescension, mythologizing is not just an ancient or primitive practice, as shown by contemporary mythopoeia such as urban legends and the expansive fictional mythoi created by fantasy novels and comics. A culture's collective mythology helps convey belonging, shared and religious experience, behavioural models, and moral and practical lessons.
The study of myth dates back to antiquity. Rival classifications of the Greek myths by Euhemerus, Plato's Phaedrus, and Sallustius were developed by the Neoplatonists and revived by Renaissance mythographers. Nineteenth-century comparative mythology reinterpreted myth as a primitive and failed counterpart of science (E. B. Tylor), a "disease of language" (Max Müller), or a misinterpretation of magical ritual (James Frazer).
Mythology (Derek Sherinian album)
Mythology is the fourth solo album by keyboard player Derek Sherinian. Sherinian again draws upon some of the greatest talent from the worlds of rock and jazz music. Among the artists appearing on Mythology are jazz fusion player Allan Holdsworth (U.K., Soft Machine, Level 42), Steve Lukather (Toto), Simon Phillips (Toto, Jeff Beck, The Who), Zakk Wylde (Ozzy Osbourne, Black Label Society), Grammy award winner Steve Stevens (Billy Idol), Jerry Goodman (Mahavishnu Orchestra, Dixie Dregs), and a very rare guest appearance from guitarist John Sykes (Whitesnake, Thin Lizzy, Blue Murder).
Track listing
Mythology (Eloy Fritsch album)
Mythology is an album by new age artist Eloy Fritsch. It is generally viewed as one of his stronger solo works. As with Apocalypse, Fritsch plays a variety of keyboard instruments on the album. Featured in the inside photograph are a Modular Synthesizer System-700, Minimoog Synthesizer and electronic keyboards. Mythology deals with diverse myths of the world. So several cultures were visited, including those of Brazil, the Aztecs, the Incas, Assyria, Greek, Hindu, Egyptian, Nordic, Atlantis, the Romans, the Chinese, and so on. All electronic compositions on the album were based in his own interpretation of the characteristics of each mythological element chosen for this work.
