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She also explores the significance of rivers, which were often associated with the gods and used in rituals, as well as the importance of caves, which were seen as entrances to the underworld.
Alejandro Reynolds Thomson Freshman english 16 December, 15 The ancient greek customs of hospitality, sacrificing animals to the gods,and honoring the dead influenced the epic Odyssey. Customs in the odyssey consist of honoring the dead when odysseus went to the land of the dead odysseus gave his sweet milk and honey,and last sweet wine and clear water to avoid death. soon after runnin into the dead he found one of his men from a previous men who died and never was barred and there was a proper burial and the dead soldier was elpenor so odysseus promest elpenor that they would give him the burial he deserved. odysseus sacrificed a sheep so he would not die in the land of the dead and they also sacrificed animals to the
On the other hand, the Greeks believed that when someone died, their soul would leave their body and go to the underworld ruled by a god named Hades. In the underworld, the soul would be judged. If they were good, they would go to a special place called the Elysian Fields, which was like paradise.. Ancient
Claudio Martinez Ms. Lewis Period 4 English I Honors December 1, 2016 The Odyssey Imagine stepping into a different land, with a different culture, different art, a different language, and a lot more. Trying to acclimate to their beliefs, to their needs and way of life. No family, no trust, and no knowledge of anything around you. In The Odyssey by Homer, Odysseus went to different lands, and all of them were different, such as, Phaecia, where they welcomed him and showed him their culture, art, sports, and beliefs, which was the same climate Odysseus had at home, he felt confortable.
The practicers of Greek mythology place a great deal of importance on the afterlife, and how you might get there. First of all, there is simply an underworld, no heaven, and no way of receiving eternal life. This is not to say the underworld does not have a hierarchy of its own. The underworld is a hopeless place, divided into three levels Elysium, Asphodel, and The Fields of Punishment. Burial is also very important in mythology, if buried incorrectly, the soul could lose certain fundamental rights in the underworld.
However, they “gave us a sense that, against all the depressing and chaotic evidence to the contrary, life had meaning and value” (2). Many terrible things happens all the time which is why mythology is important for human survival because it gives us the courage to face terrible things but still be able to live our life to the fullest. According to Armstrong, mythology “ could enable you to live more fearlessly and therefore more fully here on earth, looking death calmly in the face. Myths and rituals of passage helped people to accept their mortality, to pass on to the next stage, and to have the courage to change and grow (57). In other words, myths allow us to think that we have control over our destiny and we should not be afraid of anything because no matter how much we try to hide, it is impossible to avoid death because all things come to end.
Ancient Greeks were known to tell epic stories about their gods. These stories, myths, are still told today. The stories change from mouth to mouth, but the characteristics and actions of the gods remain. Many of the myths and legends told explain what consequences and rewards the gods got for their actions. There is no single book that contains all of the myths and legends.
The Greek underworld, in mythology, is an otherworld where souls go after death, and is the original Greek idea of afterlife. At the moment of death the soul is separated from the corpse, taking on the shape of the former person, and is transported to the entrance of the Underworld. The Underworld itself is described as being either at the outer bounds of the ocean or beneath the depths or ends of the earth. It is considered the dark counterpart to the brightness of Mount Olympus, and is the kingdom of the dead that corresponds to the kingdom of the gods. Scylla and Charybdis were later localized in the Strait of Messina.
His Dark Materials also uses ancient myths in order to embellish the story. The myth of Oedipus Tyrannus can be compared to the King Bear, Iofur Rakinson. The myth of Oedipus is well known and referenced by many ancient sources. For example, the myth was referenced within the Odyssey by Homer within Book 11 in which Odysseus met Oedipus’ mother. The most famous source by which we know of the Oedipus myth is Sophocles.
Greek myths of gods, heroes and monsters are told and retold around the world because even though the earliest known versions of these myths date back more than 2,700 years ago in the works of the Greek poets Homer, Plato and Hesiod, there are lessons to be learned and taught in the myths, such as the story of Oedipus, where the lesson is that you can’t run from your fate, or the story of Orpheus and Eurydice that shows that you can’t change the past. These stories and many others are the base for Greek mythology, or the body of myths and teachings that belong to the ancient Greeks, concerning their gods and heroes, the nature of their world, and the origins and significance of their religion. Most people don’t realize that the Greeks and their myths are relevant to modern life. Parts of these myths have been used to name constellations, companies, even parts of science! Some examples of Greek myths today are the constellation Orion named after the great hunter in the stories or the company Nike named after the Greek goddess of victory, and the element Titanium named after the race of beings that came before the gods called the Titans, who were locked deep in the Underworld in a place called Tartarus.
Athen’s current king Cecrops, who was half-man and half-snake, was also the founder of Athens. As the city grew and grew, it looked appealing, especially to two of the most well-known gods of Mount Olympus. It is none other than Poseidon, god of the sea, and his competitor, Athena, goddess of wisdom. It is neck and neck between the two gods, as they battle for patron god of Athens and its surrounding territory, Attica. It is on the people of Athens to decide which god gave a better gift and the god chosen will become the patron deity of the city.
Gods and Goddesses were ideas created by the ancient Greeks to explain the natural wonders of the world. From explaining the presence of space, to the creation of wine, these beings allowed the Greeks to feel content with their lives, knowing who and how things were made for their living. These creatures ranged in power from stronger deities explaining more prominent environments, to lesser one for smaller environments. One of the most ruthless Gods involves Uranus, the Primordial God of the Heavens.
Greek mythology can be viewed as a mirror to the ancient Greek civilization. Ancient Greek myths and legends often reflected how the Greeks saw themselves. Myths were used by Greeks to make justifications of every existing aspect of earth as well as their own society. In myths, Greek gods & heroes often represented key aspects of the human civilization. From Greek mythology, we can learn about the favorable characteristics of humans, such as their behavior and valuable skills that were approved of by the ancient Greek society.
Greek Mythology and its Influences on Modern Society By Jenna Marie A. Macalawa, Lyceum of the Philippines University – Cavite Campus 2014 Myths are not dissimilar to fairy tales, legends, and sagas, but its period is distinctly different from usual existential time. It is considered as an expression of childhood experiences, and it also explains the origin and meaning of the world. According to Long (1994), “The term mythology may describe a certain body of myths, for example, Greek, African, or Scandinavian, or it may refer to the study of myths” (p.694). These collections of narratives are superior when it comes to influencing different areas of knowledge. There are numerous types of mythology, but Ancient Greece is the one that has given an immense influence on modern society.
The rivers that these civilizations were built around directly impacted the way they viewed their gods. The Nile was a very strong and reliable river. It flooded annually blessing the Ancient Egyptians with a richer agriculture then Ancient Mesopotamians. (pg 17) Because of this the Egyptians viewed their gods as reliable beings who wanted to help them.