MYthology and FOlklore Midterm
MYthology and FOlklore Midterm
MYthology and FOlklore Midterm
Introduction
From earliest childhood we are captivated by the sounds of the human voice
telling a story. There is an elemental, magnetic pull to hear the myths, fables and
parables that are a part of our varied cultures. We learn early life lessons from these
wise folktales with their colorful characters and episodes. In this unit, we will explore
the many stories that are treasured by different continents in the world and learn about
their traditions and culture. Myths and folklores provide a basis for moral boundaries
and establish the basic guidelines for the way people within a society live. As you learn
about myths and folklore from around the world, you will find that many cultures have
similar stories. It will help you develop strong reading skills, model positive character
traits, appreciate other tradition, learn about decision making, explore new ways of
seeing the world and discover a love of stories. As a pre-service teacher it is important
that you will have your own personal experiences with these stories so you can bring
them into the classroom and be used as tools to develop literacy and genuine love for
reading among your learners.
B.
Explain the characteristics of gods and goddesses of ancient mythology and how
this belief is reflected in the present through literature and movies
c. Describe creation stories where animals play an important role and describe the
symbolic nature of animals as portrayed in myths and legends
D.
Name the pantheons of the world and mythological cities attributed to them and
how they impact on modern living
E.
Recognize folkloric beliefs and practices through motifs and symbols and the
communal impact of such.
together they were parents of the Titans. They were the primal Gods. Cronus, the
youngest deposed Uranus and became king of the sky. He married his sister Rhea, and
they had six children. However, fearing that he would also be thrown out by his own
son, he swallowed his first five children. Rhea, managed to hide the sixth child, Zeus,
from him. The boy grew up in exile and eventually returned to challenge his father,
forcing him to release the other children from his body. Zeus then led his siblings to
victory in a war against the titans. He exiled the Titans, beneath the Earth and ruled Mt.
Olympus with his siblings and later his children.
World View. The Greek view of the
world was a little different than ours. The
Greeks believed that the world was flat, but
circular, like a paper plate. At the center of
the Universe was Greece. Their world was
divided by the Mediterranean, which means
“Middle of the Lands” in Latin. The river
Ocean flowed around the world in a
clockwise motion. In the north lived the
Hyperboreans – an extremely happy people
for whom life was sweet. When the old people became tired of living, they threw
themselves into the sea. This was a land of constant vacation where people were said
to live for 1,000 years.
In the south lived the Ethiopians. In Greek drama, mention is often made of various
gods being in Ethiopia, meaning really far away. The Ethiopians were said to be on
good terms with the gods and liked to entertain them.
To the west were the Elysian Fields. This was the closest the Greeks got to the idea of
heaven; only the best and brightest of the dead people got to go there.
The Primordial Gods. The beginning of Greek mythology started with the
creation. and from nothingness came the beginning of humankind. This is the Greek
God chronicle. The Titans. Gaea (Ge), the earth, and her son Uranus, the heavens,
produced the Titans, among other beings. The Titans were the old gods who were
supplanted by the Olympian gods. Their mother Gaea was probably a neolithic earth-
mother who was pushed into the background by the patriarchal gods of the Indo-
Europeans who invaded Greece during the second millennium B.C., but her worship
persisted even into the Classical Age.
Cronus was the chief Titan, a ruling deity who obtained his power by castrating his
father Uranus. Cronus married his sister Rhea, and together they produced the
Olympian gods, whom Cronus swallowed at birth to prevent them from seizing the
throne. His son Zeus defeated him and the other Titans and bound them in the
underworld. Cronus' Latin name was Saturn. Rhea was Cronus' wife. Vexed at having
him swallow their children, she hid Zeus from him and gave him a stone to swallow
instead. Oceanus was the unending stream that encircled the world, a Titan, who with
his wife Tethys produced the
rivers and the three thousand
ocean nymphs. Hyperion was
the Titan of light, the father of
the sun, the moon, and the
dawn. The Muses, nine of them
were goddesses of inspiration in
literature, science and the art.
Clio, Urania, Thalia,
Terpsichore, Melpomene, Erato,
Euterpe, Polyhymnia and
Calliope. Themis was the Titaness of justice and order. She gave birth to the Fates and
the seasons. Iapetus was the Titan who fathered Prometheus, Epimetheus, and Atlas.
Other Titans include Coeus and Crius. Other Titanesses include Phoebe and Thea. Their
attributes and functions were either forgotten or insignificant.
Like the original twelve Titans, their children and grandchildren were also called Titans.
Prometheus was the wisest Titan, a benefactor to mankind, whom he created. His
name means "forethought." Originally an ally of Zeus, he later tricked Zeus and was
chained in the Caucasus Mountains, where an eagle fed upon his liver daily. Epimetheus
was a stupid Titan whose name means "after-thought." He accepted the gift of Pandora
from Zeus; and Pandora, the first woman, unleashed all the evils of the world on
mankind. Atlas, for warring against Zeus, was forced to bear the vault of the heavens
upon his shoulders at the edge of the world.
Other Primordial Deities. Eros, along with Gaea, was the child of Chaos in early
Greek mythology. He represented the creative principle of attraction that brings beings
together, establishes friendships and marriages, creates cities, and so on. In later
myths he was the son of Aphrodite and represented lust.
The Cyclopes were one-eyed monsters, the children of Gaea and Uranus. There were at
first three of these storm-demons, and they represented the thunder, lightning, and the
thunderbolt. They helped Zeus against the Titans. The Hecatoncheires were three more
monsters produced by Gaea and Uranus. Each had fifty heads and a hundred arms of
prodigious strength. These creatures represented the cataclysmic forces of nature.
Briareus was distinguished by the fact that he once served as Zeus's bodyguard.
Together they helped Zeus defeat the rebellious Titans. The Giants were generated by
Uranus' blood when Cronus mutilated him. Eventually they became powerful enough to
attack the whole Olympian order and were vanquished only after an earth-shattering
battle. The Furies, who pursued and punished sinners, also sprang from the blood of
Uranus. Specifically, they punished matricides.
The Olympian Gods. Zeus was the supreme deity of the Greeks and was
depicted as a robust, mature man with a flowing beard. At first a storm-god who
wielded the thunderbolt, Zeus became the All-Father who populated the heavens and
the earth by his promiscuous liaisons; and he finally became the grand dispenser of
justice. His palace was on Mount Olympus, together with the homes of the other
Olympians. Jupiter and Jove were his Latin names. Hera was the jealous wife and sister
of Zeus, the protectress of marriage and childbirth. In several myths she was quite
vindictive toward those with whom Zeus fell in love. Her Latin name was Juno.
Poseidon, a brother of Zeus, was lord of the sea and a god of horses. A wrathful,
moody god, he carried a trident and traveled in the company of sea nymphs and
monsters of the deep. His Latin name was Neptune. Demeter was Zeus's full sister, a
goddess of vegetation and fertility. She had various lovers, including Zeus, and a
daughter, Persephone, who was taken by Hades. In Demeter's grief the earth grew
barren, and only when her daughter returned to her for six months of each year did the
earth become fruitful. Her Latin name was Ceres. Apollo, the son of Zeus, was the god
of light, of intelligence, of healing, and of the arts. His most important shrine was at
Delphi, where an oracle prophesied. Apollo had several love affairs and a few rejections
that he punished. He was also called Phoebus Apollo. Artemis was Apollo's twin sister
and a daughter of Zeus. The goddess of chastity, she was a virgin huntress who was
shown carrying a bow and a quiver of arrows. By some quirk she also presided over
childbirth and was associated with the moon. Her name in Latin was Diana.
Aphrodite, the goddess of love and beauty, was either born of the sea-foam or was the
daughter of Zeus. She represented sex, affection, and the power of attraction that
binds people together. According to some myths Hephaestus was her husband, Ares
her lover, and Eros her son. Aphrodite's Latin counterpart was Venus, a more erotic
goddess. Athena was the virgin goddess of wisdom, a warrior who sprang fully armed
from the head of Zeus after he had swallowed the Titaness Metis. She was also a
goddess of the arts and the guardian of Athens. Her chief traits were prudence and
valor. She was sometimes called Pallas Athena. Athena's Latin name was Minerva.
Hestia was the mild virgin goddess of the hearth, the family, and peace. She was Zeus's
sister. Her Latin
name was Vesta. Ares, the bullying god of war, was the son of Zeus and Hera. A brutal
deity who delighted in slaughter and looting, he was also a coward. In his adulterous
affair with Aphrodite, Ares was caught and exposed to ridicule by her husband,
Hephaestus. His Latin name was Mars. Hephaestus was the lame, ugly god of the crafts,
a skilled artisan who created many wonderful things. He was injured by his father Zeus
for defending Hera in a quarrel. He was identified with the Latin god Vulcan, a deity of
volcanic fire. Hermes, the cleverest of the Olympian gods, ruled wealth and good
fortune, was the patron of commerce and thievery, promoted fertility, and guided men
on journeys. He was herald and messenger of the gods, a conductor of souls to the
netherworld, and a god of sleep. Hermes was the son of Zeus and was depicted with a
helmet, winged sandals, and the caduceus. Mercury was his Latin name. Hades was lord
of the underworld, the region of the dead. Since he was a brother of Zeus, he was
sometimes included among the Olympians. He was a stern, dark, inexorable god, and
his kingdom was gray and lifeless. He abducted Persephone, the daughter of Demeter,
and made her his queen. His Latin names were Dis and Pluto.
vine, he suffered death but was resurrected. His female worshipers were the frenzied
Maenads. Yet out of his celebration grew the tragic theater. He was also known as
Bacchus, Latin Liber, a god of drunkenness. Pan, the son of Hermes, was the god of
flocks. He had the torso and head of a man, but the hindquarters and horns of a goat. A
marvelous musician, he played the pipes and pursued various nymphs, all of whom
rejected him for his ugliness. The Satyrs were originally men with horses' haunches and
tails, two-legged as opposed to the four-legged Centaurs. But in Roman times they were
confused with Fauns, or goat-men who roamed the woods. The Centaurs were
principally savage beasts, half-horse and half-man. Chiron was the exception, a Centaur
famous for his virtue and wisdom. The Dryads were tree-nymphs and had beautiful
female shapes. There were also mountain nymphs, wood nymphs, stream nymphs, and
sea nymphs, all in female form. The Gorgons were three hideous dragonish sisters that
could change men to stone at a glance. Medusa was the most famous one.The Sirens
were sisters who sat on rocks by the sea and lured sailors to their doom by singing to
them. Helios was the sun god, but he did not play a large part in Greek mythology.
Aeolus was the custodian of the four wind. Castor and Polydeuces (or Pollux) were
famous twins who protected sailors. Polydeuces' brotherly devotion when Castor died
made their names a by-word for fraternal affection. Proteus, the son or attendant of
Poseidon, had the ability to prophesy and to change his shape at will. Triton was the
trumpeter of the sea and was depicted blowing a large conch shell. The Fates were
three powerful goddesses who determined the lives of men. Clotho wove the thread of
life; Lachesis measured it out; and Atropos cut it off with her scissors of death.
Mythical Greek Geography. At the center of the earth towered Mount
Olympus, where the gods lived and held court. Sometimes Olympus was thought of as
the actual mountain in Greece, but more often it was a lofty region in the heavens.
Around the earth ran a limitless river called Ocean. On the northern shores of this river
lived the Hyperboreans, a fortunate race of men who never knew care, toil, illness, or
old age. This community was isolated from the rest of the world, being unapproachable
by land or sea. It enjoyed perpetual light and warmth. To the West lay Hesperia, the
land of the evening star, where the golden apples of Hera were guarded by the dragon
Ladon and by seven immortal maidens, the Hesperides. The western lands and seas
were populated with monstrous beings: the one-eyed Cyclopes, the cannibalistic
Laestrygonians, Scylla and Charybdis, the Sirens, and the Titan Atlas. But also to the far
west lay the Elysian Fields, or Isles of the Blessed, where certain favored mortals went
when they died. In the far south were the Ethiopians, a lucky, virtuous people with
whom the gods banqueted. And in the East were the barbarians, or non-Greek-speaking
races to whom the blessings of civilization were unknown. Beneath the disk of the earth
was Tartarus, where the Titans were confined, a vast, nebulous realm of darkness.
Between earth and Tartarus was the underworld kingdom of Hades, the ruler of the
dead. The entrance to this realm was guarded by Cerberus, the three-headed dog. And
once the departed spirits passed they had to be ferried across the River Styx by Charon,
the foul-tempered boatman. The place was thought of as cavernous and dim, a joyless
abode in which the dead gradually faded into nothingness.
into the Italian peninsula and Sicily. As the Roman Republic was rising to prominence, it
acquired these Greek territories, bringing them under the administration of the Roman
state. Romans adopted many aspects of Greek culture, adapting them slightly to suit
their own needs. For example, many of the gods and goddesses of Greek and Roman
culture share similar characteristics. However, these deities were renamed and
effectively re-branded for a Roman context, possessing names that are different from
their Greek counterparts.
The main god and goddesses in Roman culture were Jupiter, Juno, and Minerva. Jupiter
was a sky-god who Romans believed oversaw all aspects of life; he is thought to have
originated from the Greek god Zeus. Jupiter also concentrated on protecting the Roman
state. Military commanders would pay homage to Jupiter at his temple after winning in
battle.
Juno was Jupiter’s wife and sister. She resembled the Greek goddess Hera in that she
kept a particularly watchful eye over women and all aspects of their lives. Minerva was
the goddess of wisdom and craft. She watched over schoolchildren and craftspeople
such as carpenters and stonemasons. Minerva is thought to be the equivalent of the
goddess Athena, who was the Greek goddess of wisdom. Other Roman gods and
goddesses who were adapted from Greek culture include Venus, who drew on
Aphrodite, goddess of love; Neptune, a sea god who was inspired by the Greek god
Poseidon; Pluto, who ruled the Roman underworld as the god Hades did in Greek
culture; Diana, Roman goddess of the hunt who had her Greek equivalent in Artemis;
and Mars, god of war, who was fashioned after the Greek god Ares. Just as the Greeks
influenced Roman culture, the Romans inspired the cultural development of later
societies. You may by now have noticed that many of the planets in our solar system
were named after Roman deities. Rome did have some of its own gods and goddesses
who did not trace their origins back to Greek culture. For example, Janus was a god
with two faces that represented the spirit of passages
such as doorways and gates. Believed to preside over
beginnings, it is fitting that the month of January is
named after Janus. Janus’ son was Tiberinus, the god of
the river Tiber, which runs through the city of Rome.
According to Roman mythology, the gods had a hand in
the founding of the city of Rome itself. Mars, god of war,
and a Vestal Virgin named Rhea Silvia were the parents of twin boys, Romulus and
Remus. Vestal Virgins were not permitted to marry or bear children but were instead to
devote their lives to serving Vesta, goddess of the hearth. It is said that King Amulius
ordered that the twins be thrown into the Tiber River as a punishment to Rhea Silvia for
betraying her vow of celibacy. Luckily, the boys were rescued from the river by a mother
wolf. She helped to raise them until a local couple adopted them. As the boys grew up,
they became important members of the community. They dethroned King Amulius and
worked together to establish a new city. In a later argument about the city, however,
Romulus killed his brother Remus. Romulus went on to name the city after himself,
calling it Rome (or Roma). The presence and influence of gods and goddesses were
integral parts of life in the Roman state. The people of Rome built temples to their gods
and observed rituals and festivals to honor and celebrate them. Any favorable or
unfavorable circumstances in Roman life could be attributed to the mood of certain
gods, so people would likewise make offerings to the gods in thanks, or in an attempt to
appease their tempers. Unlike many monotheistic religious or spiritual traditions, the
Romans gods were seen as caring little about the morality of the Roman people. Rather,
their chief concern was being paid tribute through very specific rituals. We can still
recognize traces of the Roman gods and goddesses in the artifacts that remain from the
ancient civilization and the art that pays homage to them. Carvings of Janus still survive
and statues of Neptune spout water from city fountains. Today we appreciate the stories
and mythology built around these deities as insights into what life was like over 2,700
years ago for the ancient Romans. https://www.nationalgeographic.org/article/godsand-
goddesses-ancient-rome/
In contrast to that of the Greeks, Roman mythology seems arid and impoverished. As a
rule the Romans were, not myth-makers, and the myths they had were usually
imported. The Roman gods were utilitarian, like the practical and unimaginative Romans
themselves. These gods were expected to serve and protect men, and when they failed
to be useful their worship was curtailed. This does not mean the Romans lacked
religious sentiment. They had a pantheistic sense of the divinities present in nature. But
their deepest religious feelings centered on the family and the state. When the Romans
adopted the Greek gods from the third century B.C. on, these deities were simplified to
conform to the Roman religion. Mars was the chief god of the imperial age, more
honored than Jupiter, since he aided and symbolized the Roman conquests. The writers
who handled mythological subjects typically dealt with patriotic legends that glorified the
Roman past, or in love tales. Thus they paid tribute to the state or to love, the basis of
the family, in terms derived from Greek mythology. Sometimes in their borrowings they
achieved true originality, as Virgil did in his epic poem, The Aeneid, or as Ovid did in
his poetic compilation, The Metamorphoses.
The Roman Gods. The gods listed immediately following were the Roman
adaptations of the Greek gods. These had importance in both Roman mythological
writing and in the Roman religion. Then we will list some of the purely native gods, who
were significant mainly for the Roman religion
Jupiter, Jove (Zeus) reigned in the Roman pantheon and defended the state, a god of
celestial phenomena and justice.
Juno (Hera), the wife of Jupiter, a goddess of motherhood and childbearing.
Saturn (Cronus), the father of Jupiter, ruled Italy during the Golden Age. The
Saturnalia was held in his honor, a winter festival in which masters and slaves
exchanged roles, a time of gift giving and license.
Mars (Ares), the son of Juno, was a highly respected god of war but also an agricultural
deity. Thus he represented two primary Roman preoccupations — farming and fighting.
Vesta (Hestia) was a lovely goddess of the hearth and of sacrificial fire. Her temple was
tended by the Vestal Virgins.
Ceres (Demeter) was a goddess of grain.
Minerva (Athena) was a warrior goddess who also presided over commerce.
Neptune (Poseidon) was lord of the sea.
Dis, Pluto (Hades) ruled the underworld of death.
Creation Myths and other folkore. Aeneas is the mythological hero of both
According to Roman mythology, the story of the twin brothers tells of the origins
of Rome. They were the children of Mars and Rhea Silvia and according to Virgil and
many other writers, their adventures were inextricably linked to the foundation of Rome.
Born in Alba Longa, they were seen
as a threat to King Amulius and so
to save himself he ordered them to
be abandoned on the banks of the
River Tiber. The newborns were left
to die but Tiberius, the
mythological father of the river,
saved them and they survived
under his care. A female wolf
suckled them in a cave near to
Lupercal. Later on, they
were adopted by a shepherd, Faustulus. Unaware of their identity, they grew up
working as farmers and shepherds. But no matter how far they had come from their
original birth parents and home, their roots did not leave them and their inbuilt
leadership skills helped them gather many supporters. As they grew into adulthood, they
became involved in an argument between the supporters of Amulius and Numitor. As a
consequence, Remus was imprisoned in Alba Longa, the very place where he was born.
The king and Remus’ grandfather suspected his real identity. Meanwhile, Romulus was
busy looking for ways to free his brother. While all this was taking place, they both got
to know about their real identity, and they joined forces with their grandfather to
restore the throne. Finally, they won and Amulius was killed. As they arrived back to the
seven hills, they were caught up in an argument about where to build the city. Romulus
preferred Palatine Hill, but Remus wanted it to be on Aventine Hill. As they could not
reach an agreement, they asked the gods to help by using augury or the interpretation
of omens. Romulus saw 12 auspicious birds and claimed a win as Remus only saw six.
This gave rise to a new dispute and eventually Remus was killed. Romulus then went on
to found the city of Rome.
A famous folklore is about Janus. Janus, the Roman god of beginnings, had two
faces, one reflecting the past and the other the future. Even the month of January owes
its name to Janus. Moreover, it is he who was responsible for the motions and changes
that occur in time. He played an essential role in
ancient Roman myth, for example, when Romulus
kidnapped a Sabine woman and Janus came into the
picture as the savior. He saved the woman by
flooding the way to her with a volcanic hot spring
which buried all the kidnappers under the ash and
boiling water.
(Tashttps://www.ancienthistorylists.com/rome-history/top-10-
interestingroman-mythology/) The last famous story about
Roman
myth and folklore is about a brave young woman. Cloelia is considered as the bravest of
all women and belonged to the earliest of Roman history. After the war between
Clusium and Rome came to an end because of a peace treaty in 508 BC, the Etruscan
king, Lars Porsena, took Roman hostages. One of them was young Cloelia who fled the
hostage camps leading a group of Roman virgins. She escaped on a horse and swam
across the River Tiber. Lars Porsena then made a condition for her return. On her
return, Porsena was so impressed by her courage that he granted her wish to take half
of the hostages. She chose the young Roman men so that the war could be continued.
Her wit and bravery was invaluable to the Romans and in her honor, an equestrian
statue was built at Via Sacra
4. Mark the important places your character visited by using legends or map key.
5. Explain the beginning middle and end of the trail. What has this travel or quest
contributed to his main goal and influenced the Roman empire? Do this in your
journal or a Bond paper.
make his way to the Underworld and used his musical talents to convince Hades to
release his true love. Hades agreed, but only if Orpheus would lead his bride to the
world of the living without looking back to make sure she was following him. Orpheus
almost made it all the way to the surface before he couldn't control himself and turned
around. Eurydice had been following him the whole time but once he looked at her she
was immediately taken back to the land of the dead for eternity. Orpheus swore to
never love again
Alcyone and Ceyx. Alcyone and Ceyx were the beloved king and queen of
Trachis in Greek mythology. They loved each other so intensely that both gods and
mortals admired their relationship. However, they both let this go to their heads a little
bit and began to call each other Hera and Zeus, the king and queen of the gods. This
didn't go over well with the real Hera and Zeus, who wanted to punish them. One day,
while Ceyx was sailing back to his wife, Zeus sent a thunderbolt to capsize his ship and
kill the king. Alcyone waited on the shore day and night for her missing husband to
appear on the sea and prayed to Hera to return Ceyx to her. Hera took pity on her and
sent Ceyx's body to wash ashore so Alcyone wouldn't have to wait anymore. Alcyone
was so overcome with grief that she drowned herself at the sight of her dead husband,
but Zeus turned them both into kingfisher birds that lay eggs on the water during the
halcyon days when the ocean is calm.
Hero and Leander. This tale is based upon a later poem by Musaeus around
the fourth century B. C. . Nonetheless, it follows the tragic theme of two doomed lovers.
Hero was a Sestos priestess of Aphrodite, and Leander was a lad of Abydos. They were
on opposite sides of the Hellespont, but the youths fell in love anyway. At nightfall, Hero
would hang a torch so Leander could swim across to her, using the light to guide him.
One stormy night, the wind blew the light out; Leander lost his way and drowned. Upon
learning of her lover's death, Hero also drowned herself in order to be with him. The
story is a favorite among Renassaince artists; Rubens has an especially astonishing
portrait.
Pygmalion and Galatea. This is actually a Latin
myth, but it is rather amusing, so I'll include it: Pygmalion,
king of Cyprus, was extremely dissatisfied with the vain
and loose women of his kingdom. Instead of seeking a
mate, he spends his time carving from marble his ideal woman, whom he lovingly refers
to as Galatea [not the
same as the one in a previous entry]. At a festival honoring Cyprus's patron goddess
Aphrodite, he prays for a wife like his statute. Aphrodite is charmed by his devotion.
When he returns to his home, he embraces the marble to find that it returns his hugs.
Aphrodite has granted him his wish—Galatea is alive.
Philemon and Baucis. This is the story of kindly, elderly couple from Phrygia
who entertained and comforted strangers even though they themselves were
impoverished. One set of "bums" were impressed and decided to reward the couple;
indeed, the strangers could, for it was Zeus and Hermes, who had been treated rudely
in their previous encounters with mortals. A grand palace was created for the kindly
couple, and the gods granted their wish that they should die at the same moment. Both
were transformed into trees: Philemon the oak and Baucis the lime; their boughs were
entertwined, symbolizing their everlasting love..
Pyramus and Thisbe. Actually a Babylonian tale, this
involves two lovers in a situation similar to that of Hero
and Leander and presents somewhat of a pre-Romeo
and Juliet scenerio. They would meet at night, near a
mulberry tree outside the city. One evening Thisbe
arrived, but fled when she saw a lioness approaching. In
her haste, she dropped her cloak. The lioness, fresh from a hunt, mauled the cloth with
its bloodstained paws, and retreated. Pyramus soon arrived and discovered the cloak
with the blood—and naturally assumed the worst. In agony, he stabbed himself; his
blood splattered on the mulberries, which have been red ever since. Thisbe found his
body and herself committs suicide.
Ariadne and Dionysus. Yet another instance of a male pig abadoning his
faithful companion after she becomes of no use to him. Ariadne was the daughter of the
the king of Crete, Minos. Minos had instigated from Athens a sacrifice of seven youths
and seven maidens to feed the Minotaur, and the hero Theseus was to be one of the
victims. However, Ariadne fell in love with him, and she assisted him by giving him a ball
of gold thread to help him in the labyrinth where the creature dwelt. She accompanied
him back on the voyage to Athens but he soon dumped her on the island of Dia, or
Naxos. The god Dionysus found the wounded girl and made her his wife. He placed her
wedding crown, the Corona Borealis, into the heavens as a symbol of their love.
Here are the other romances in mythology that you might want to check out.
Cupid and Psyche; Helen and Paris; Apollo and Daphne; Aphrodite and Adonis;
Odysseus and Penelope; Tristan and Isolde,
religion was local, with different religious centers having different gods and
cosmogonies. After listing a few of the major gods, we will give the account of the
creation according to the priests at Heliopolis. Of myths proper there is only one of
which we have a complete account — the story of Osiris. The Egyptians took their myths
for granted, passing them down by word of mouth without ever fully recording them.
The reason we have the myth of Osiris is that Plutarch, the Greco-Roman historian
wrote it down.
Osiris was the first child of Geb and Nut, a god of nature and vegetation but
also the judge of the dead in the underworld. He was instrumental in civilizing the
world, yet was murdered by his envious brother, Set. Osiris was shown as a man in
mummy wrappings, crowned with a miter and two ostrich feathers.
Isis, a daughter of Geb and Nut, was the faithful wife of Osiris and a beneficent
sorceress. She enjoyed a large cult in antiquity and was represented with a throne on
her head.
Set was Osiris' evil brother, the incarnation of wickedness and sterility. He was
depicted with a beastly head and tail.
Nephthys was Set's sister and consort, but she loved Osiris and, through
cunning, had a child by him. She wore a basket on her head.
despatched the goddess Hathor to wipe out humankind. Hathor did an effective job of
it, killing men by the tens of thousands until only a tiny remnant was left. Then Ra
relented, and men were spared. But Ra was thoroughly sick of the world and retreated
into the heavens, leaving Shu to reign in his place. At that time the present world was
established.
Against the orders of Ra, Geb, the earth god, and Nut, the sky goddess, married. Then
Ra in his wrath ordered Shu, the air god, to separate them. Shu defeated Geb and
raised Nut aloft, separating them permanently. However, Nut was pregnant, and Ra had
decreed that she could not give birth in any month of any year. Seeing her plight, the
god of learning, Thoth, gambled with the moon for extra light and thus was able to add
five extra days to the official Egyptian calendar of 360 days. On those five days Nut
gave birth to Osiris, Horus the Elder, Set, Isis, and Nepthys, successively. Osiris became
the incarnation of good, while Set became the embodiment of evil. In this manner the
two poles of morality were fixed once and for all.
Myth of Osiris. The first son of Geb and Nut, Osiris was tall, slender, and
handsome, with jet black hair. When his father, Geb, gave up the reigning power over
Egypt and retired into the heavens, Osiris took over the kingship and married his sister,
the beautiful Isis. Under his wise authority the Egyptians were persuaded to renounce
cannibalism. He taught them farming and the pleasures of music, and he framed a just
legal code for them. Egypt flourished peacefully under his rule.
Then Osiris went off to civilize the rest of the world and brought the same blessings to
Europe, the Near East, and the Orient. In his absence Isis reigned as queen of Egypt
and the land continued to prosper.
However, Osiris had an ugly and evil brother with red, coarse hair like an ass's pelt. This
was Set, a born plotter who envied the power and attractiveness of his elder brother.
In fear of Set, Isis raised Horus in seclusion. The boy was bitten by beasts, stung by a
scorpion, and suffered intense pains throughout his childhood, and only his mother's
witchcraft managed to save him. Often Osiris would appear to the young Horus to
instruct him in the arts of war in preparation for the coming battle with Set. Horus grew
to manhood as a valiant, handsome young general.
In time Set learned of Horus' existence and of his destiny to take over the throne of
Egypt. Set also learned that Isis possessed the chest containing Osiris' corpse, so at
night Set would hunt through the Nile delta in search of the chest. At length he found it
and cut Osiris' body into fourteen pieces and threw them into the Nile.
Isis was appalled at this second calamity to befall her husband, but with her customary
patience she collected thirteen pieces of Osiris' body from the river. Horus, having
learned the art of sorcery, was able to join his father's body together again. However,
Osiris' genitals had been eaten by some fish, so Isis was obliged to make a model of
them.
By this time Horus had gathered an army with which to attack Set. Under Set's reign
Egypt had become parched and infertile, and many of Set's followers were deserting to
serve Horus. After restoring his father's body, Horus set out to wreak vengeance on the
dreadful king. Set and Horus fought furiously for three days and nights in hand-to-hand
combat, and Set was defeated. Horus turned the wretched captive over to his mother
Isis and went off to pursue and kill Set's followers.
Set seemed merely pitiable in chains, and using all his powers of persuasion, he talked
the forgiving Isis into releasing him. When Horus returned and learned of this, his anger
was so great that he chopped off his mother's head. The god Thoth then replaced Isis'
head with that of the cow-goddess Hathor and brought her back to life.
Together Horus and Isis pursued Set, and when they met the fighting was even more
intense. Set managed to grab Horus' eye and tear it out, but Horus wrested it back and
finally drove Set into the Red Sea forever.
Horus and Isis then returned to the temple where Osiris' body lay. Horus embraced the
body and fed it his own eye that had been torn out, and Osiris revived as a truly godlike
personage. Next Horus prepared a ladder for his father to ascend into heaven. By this
means Osiris rose into the sky, with Isis on one side of him and Nephthys on the other.
The gods sat in judgment on him, and with Thoth as his advocate Osiris was declared to
have lived a pure and truthful life. From there Osiris went to the Seat of Judgment,
where he in turn was allowed to judge the souls of the dead.
Horus was recognized by the gods as being Osiris' legitimate son and the rightful heir to
the throne of Egypt. Under his dominion Egypt grew fruitful again, and he sired four
pure sons from whom the entire line of Egyptian Pharaohs descended.
The Myth Analysed. In some interpretations of the myth of Osiris the main
figures of the myth sumbolize the physical features of Egypt itself. Thus, Osiris
represents the Nile with its annual flooding and withdrawal; Isis represents the fertile
farm land of Egypt, which was made fecund by the Nile; Set represents the arid desert
that separates the Nile and the fertile land; while Nephthys stands for the marginal
areas between the farm land and desert. This naturalistic approach may stem from the
fact that the lineage of these gods symbolized forces of nature — earth, sky, air,
moisture, the sun.
Yet the main features of the myth are largely moral, depicting the eternal struggle
between the powers of good and evil. Osiris is fearless, self-sacrificing, gentle, in
harmony with himself, a benefactor to mankind; whereas Set is fearful, devious, full of
envy and hate, sterile, never at peace. Osiris commands undying loyalty, while Set is
deserted when his luck wears thin. The gods aid Osiris' family through hardships, but
Set has merely his own strength to rely on. Lastly, goodness leads to one's resurrection
and an honored place in the afterworld, but evil leads only to a despised exile.
One point worth remarking about some Egyptian gods, such as Ra, Shu, and Geb, is
that they suffer the same vicissitudes as earthly monarchs. They reign for a while in
Egypt, their power begins to dwindle, and they retire into the sky, leaving their kingdom
to a son. Moreover, Osiris has a mortal body and dies like any man. And he must be
restored to life through magic and love. One can link this to the annual death and
rebirth of vegetation, but it has more to do with the idea of the soul's immortality and a
regeneration beyond the grave.