MythologyFrom TinWiki.org
Mythology refers to legends, myths, and folklore that a certain culture believes to be true and that often use the supernatural to interpret natural events and to explain the nature of the universe and the human condition. The roots of the word are Greek, coming from the Greek μυθολογία mythología, meaning "a story-telling, a legendary lore". Mythology also refers to mythography, the study and interpretation of myths. Mythology also refers to the branch of knowledge dealing with the collection, study and interpretation of myths, also known as mythography. The study of myths from multiple cultures is called comparative mythology. The most well known mythologies are the Greek and Roman mythologies. But, other cultures have mythologies, as well, like the Babylonians, the Egyptians, the Norse culture, and the Europeans with Celtic lore and Arthurian legends.
[edit] Greek Mythology
Greek Mythology is a set of diverse traditional tales told by the ancient Greeks about the exploits and actions of gods and heroes and their relationships with ordinary mortals. Greek mythology served to explain the world, acted as a means of exploration, provided authority and legitimacy, and provided entertainment. Written Greek mythology begins with the epic poems of Homer, the Iliad and the Odyssey, which date from the 8th century BC. The ancient Greeks worshipped many gods; their culture tolerated diversity. Greek culture recognized no single truth or code and it produced no sacred written text like the Bible. Origins and actions of Greek gods varied greatly, depending on whether the tale was told in a comedy, tragedy, or epic poem. A Greek city-state was devoted to a particular god, goddess, or group of gods and built temples in their honor; the temples normally housed statues of their god, goddess, or gods. The city-state's god(s) were honored in festivals and were offered sacrifices, normally a domestic animal like a goat, although human sacrifice was not unheard of. Stories about the gods varied by geographic area; a god might have certain characteristics in one city or region and different characteristics elsewhere. Greek mythology has several specific characteristics, along with its multiple versions. The Greek gods were like human beings, their form, their emotions, their society. However, one crucial difference existed between gods and human beings; humans died, and gods were immortal. Heroes also played an important role, and stories about them conveyed serious themes and messages. The Greeks considered their human heroes from the past closer to themselves than their gods. [edit] The GodsAccording to Greek myths about creation, the god Chaos (gaping void) was the foundation of all things. From Chaos came Gaea (earth), Tartarus (underworld), and Eros (love). Eros was needed to draw divinities together so they might produce offspring. Chaos produced Night, while Gaea first bore Uranus, the god of the heavens, and after produced the mountains, sea, and gods known as Titans. The Titans were strong, large, and arrogant. The youngest and most important Titan was Cronus. Uranus and Gaea, who came to personify Heaven and Earth, also gave birth to the Cyclopes, one-eyed giants who made thunderbolts. Uranus tried to block any take over attempts by forcing her children back into Gaea. But the youngest child, Cronus, escaped this destiny, cutting off his genitals and tossing them into the sea. From the blood and foam in the sea, Aphrodite, goddess of sexual love, was born. After wounding his father and taking away his power, Cronus became ruler of the universe. But, Cronus suffered the same paranoia as his father. When his sister and wife Rhea gave birth to offspring, he swallowed them. Only the youngest, Zeus, escaped, because Rhea tricked Cronus by giving him a stone wrapped in swaddling to swallow instead of the baby. When grown, Zeus forced his father, Cronus, to disgorge the children he had swallowed. With their help and armed with the thunderbolt, Zeus made war on Cronus and the Titans, and defeated them. He established a new regime, based on Mount Olympus in northern Greece. Zeus married his sister Hera. Twelve major gods and goddesses had their homes on Mount Olympus and were known as the Olympians:
The gods had off-spring that weren't considered gods by the Greeks, but deities or divinities:
[edit] MortalsGreeks have numerous myths dealing with the origins of humans. In one, humans sprang from the ground, explaining their devotion to the land. In another, a Titan formed the first human from clay. Yet another tells of the re-creation of humans after Zeus destroys an ancient race with a deluge. Two survive, Deucalion and Pyrrha, and after making sacrifices to Zeus and receiving instructions from Hermes, tossed stones behind them. Stones thrown by Deucalion became men, by Pyrrha became women. [edit] HeroesMany tales in Greek mythology relate to heroes and their exploits. Their exploits were commonly quests and combat. Heroes like Jason and the Argonauts, Meleager, Helen, Heracles (Hercules), Theseus, Achilles, Perseus, Aeneas, and Oedipus inspired Greeks and taught morals and lessons of strength and wisdom. Heroes were either humans of extraordinary skill, strength, or wisdom or offspring of a deity and a mortal. Yet, heroes were not the equals of the gods and often could not balance out their exceptional powers. [edit] Roman Mythology
Roman Mythology refers to the set of belief held by the ancient people of Rome. Since Romans first saw their gods more as powers than as persons, there is little mythology that is purely Roman. Ancient Romans came into contact with the Greek culture in the 6th century BC, leading them to represent their gods in human form. Writers such as Virgil and Ovid gave names and functions to the Roman gods, in the Greek literary and artistic tradition, thus creating a hybrid Greco-Roman mythology that has inspired artists from ancient times to the present day. Most of what is known in the present day about Roman mythology comes from ancient Roman writers, artwork, and archaeological discoveries. Romans believed that their religion and religious practices maintained the pax deorum, peace of the gods. This ensured continued prosperity. No Roman citizen would undertake anything of any importance without seeking the favor of the appropriate god, and they held many public festivals to honor the gods. Romans worshiped their gods both on an individual and communal level. Each area of a Roman home had a god associated with it. The hearth was sacred to Vera, the storeroom to the gods Penates; household gods were known as Lares, and families would pray to them and offer small gifts of wine or incense. Janus presided over the main door of the home. Romans believed if they paid respect to these gods each day, they would enjoy divine blessings for their daily activities. They also paid respect to the gods of the fields during the Terminalia, where farmers with adjoining property decorated boundary stones with garlands. They purified their property once a year during the Ambarvalia, where they sacrificed a pig, sheep, and bull, offering prayers to the god Mars for the health and prosperity of flocks, family, and fields. Stages of life such as birth and puberty were marked by observances. Modern day traditions such as bridal veils and carrying a bride over the threshold come from these ancient Roman observances. If someone died in a house, the corpse was removed feet first to discourage the ghost from returning, and during the festival of the Parentalia, the living family members would make offerings of grain, wine, and flowers on the graves of their dead family. Communal festivals like Lupercalia, tying back to the founding of Rome, were held annually and celebrated fertility. [edit] Founding of RomeAlthough the ancient Romans did not have mythology pertaining to the creation of the world, they did attach great importance to the founding of Rome. Two distinct tales emerged about the city’s beginnings: Romulus and Remus Romulus and Remus were twins, sons of the god Mars and a mortal. When infants, they were set adrift on the Tiber River by their great uncle, who had stolen power from their grandfather, to die, but a she-wolf found them and cared for them until they were discovered by a shepherd. The shepherd and his wife took the boys and raised them as their own. After restoring their grandfather to power, the twins decided to found a city of their own. However, a quarrel ensued and Remus died during a brawl. Some versions of the story say he was killed by Romulus, others claim it was Romulus’ followers. After his brother’s death, Romulus named the city Rome and became its first king in 753 BC. Aeneas Aeneas, the son of the goddess Venus and the Trojan prince Anchises, came from the city of Troy in Asia Minor during the Trojan War. Roman legend holds he led a group of Trojan survivors who left Troy and arrived at Carthage, where the queen, Dido, fell in love with Aeneas. But, he left her, traveled to Italy, and founded Rome. Scholars believe that the legend of Aeneas gained acceptance during the 3rd century BC, when Rome was developing as a nation and sought to add to the city’s prestige by establishing a connection to the famous figures in Greek mythology. However, it was difficult for later writers to reconcile the two versions of Rome’s founding due to the 400 year interval between the arrival of Aeneas and the account of Romulus and Remus. The poet Virgil resolved the problem in his epic the Aeneid, which describes Aeneas marrying Lavinia, daughter of the king of Latium, a kingdom that occupied the future territory of Rome. Through this marriage, Aeneas became the originator of a line of kings and a direct ancestor of Romulus and the Romans. [edit] Roman GodsIn the beginning, the Romans did not give human or animal form to their gods, nor did the gods have well defined personalities. Most were associated with particular places. Gods were worshiped without images for 170 years after the city's founding. It took Greek influence in the 6th century BC to make the Romans give their gods human form and build temples for them.
[edit] Babylonian MythologyMost Babylonian myths were transcribed on clay tablets in 700 BC, stored in the library of the Assyrian King Ashurbanipal at Nineveh. The oral traditions came long before the tales were committed to stone. Two major epics, the Epic of Creation about Marduk’s rule over gods and men and The Gilgamesh Epic that shows a man's struggle to overcome death, are known to have originated around 2000 BC. Babylonian mythology has a very negative outlook on the underworld and the dead, cherishes life very much, and is materialistic and earth bound. The Babylonian people are fighters, strong people with powerful values. Babylonians also worshiped demons and monsters. [edit] Egyptian Mythology
Lasting for at least 3,500 years, ancient Egyptian beliefs and religion are much like the Greek’s. It is one of the oldest mythological systems that ever existed. The Egyptians found many objects worthy of worship, including celestial bodies, animals, kings, birth, and death. Pharaohs were believed to have descended from the gods. There are many, many gods or goddesses associated with Egyptian mythology. Some are shown having animal heads and human bodies, and others appear to be fully human. The gods usually had more than one name. Egyptian myths today may be very different from when they were originally created due to the fact that the ancient Egyptians never wrote down any of these myths, and as a result, they have been exaggerated and changed from their original versions. [edit] Egyptian Gods
[edit] The CreationIn the beginning, according to ancient Egyptian mythology, there was nothing except the ancient ocean of chaos, and it contained the makings to create anything that was to come. Ra emerged first from the sea and gave birth to Shu and Tefnut, who in turn gave birth to Geb and Nut, thus all the aspects of the universe were complete. Ra’s tears created man, and as Ra grew frail and old, man turned against him. Anger strengthened Ra, and he discussed matters with the other gods, deciding to destroy all of mankind. Hathor was assigned the task of destroying mankind and nearly wiped out the entire human race. But, Ra yielded, retreated to the heavens, and left Shu in his position. At this point, the present world was created. Geb and Nut married, against Ra’s orders, and Shu was ordered to separate them. Although he defeated Geb, he was too late; Nut was pregnant. Ra announced she could not give birth during any month of the year. Due to this announcement, Thoth gambled with the moon for more light and won five extra days, which were added to the original Egyptian calendar of only 360 days. Nut gave birth to Osiris, Horus, Set, Isis, and Nephthys on these days. Osiris was the example of good, while Set was the opposite and evil. Thus, the two extremities of moral actions were finally completed. [edit] The Story of OsirisOsiris, the son of Geb and Nut, eventually took over the throne of his father and married his sister Isis. He taught the ancient Egyptians how to farm, thus turning them away from their original cannibalistic nature. Everyone was happy and peaceful under his rule. But, his brother, Set, loathed and envied him, intending to kill him. While Osiris was out trying to accomplish civilization in other areas of the world, Set plotted. Upon Osiris’ return, Set announced a banquet and brought a beautiful chest, saying it would belong to whoever fit most properly in it. Everyone tried, but when it was Osiris’ turn, he jumped in, realizing too late that his brother had deceived him. The lid was slammed shut, Orisis suffocated, and the chest was thrown into the river. Set was then made king. Isis wandered in grief, discovering where the chest had traveled. With the help of Nephthys and magic, she was able to conceive a child with Osiris; this child was Horus and he was raised in seclusion due to fear of Set. When Set discovered Horus’ existence and Isis’ possession of her husband’s corpse, he found Osiris’ body, cut it into fourteen pieces and threw them into the river. Isis managed to recover thirteen of the pieces. Horus had the power to put these pieces back together, and after doing so, put together an army to fight Set. After three days of combat, Set was defeated, and handed over to Isis to be watched over. But, Set used persuasion and was set free. When Horus returned and learned of his enemy’s release, he cut his mother’s head off. Isis then received the head of Hathor, the cow goddess, and was brought back to life by Thoth. They fought Set once more and finally defeated him, throwing him into the Red Sea for all eternity. They returned home, revived Osiris into a god-like existence, and he was sent into heaven. He then became the god who judged all of the souls that were attempting to enter the underworld. Horus became king, and Egypt grew prosperous and great. Horus fathered four pure sons from which every Egyptian Pharaoh was said to be in some relation to them. [edit] Norse Mythology
Norse Mythology is closely tied to Norse religion. The Norse mythology was spread through Europe by the ancient Scandinavians exploring and settling in different areas of the continent. Scandinavia was overpopulated during the Age of the Vikings, during 780-1070 AD, so people left to conquer new lands. The oldest sons in the family would inherit all, so the younger sons would have to move away and start lives of their own. Men living at this time were called Vikings, which means fighting men or settling men. The Vikings conquered more and more of Europe, bringing their beliefs with them, therefore, their beliefs spread throughout the continent. According to the Norse, the world was created when Frost Giant Ymir was killed by Odin and his brothers. They believe the world will end when the Giants destroy Odin and his followers in battle; the final day is known as the Rognarok. In Norse mythology and religion, there are five supernatural races:
[edit] Major Gods in Norse Mythology
[edit] Religious RitualThe Norse gods were served by a class of priest-chieftains called godar. Worship was originally conducted outdoors, under guardian trees, near sacred wells, or within sacred arrangements of stones. Later, wooden temples were used, with altars and carved representations of the gods. The most important temple was at Old Uppsala, Sweden, where animals and humans were sacrificed. [edit] Celtic Lore
Celts refers to the people who dominated western and central Europe in the 1st millennium BC. The first archaeological evidence places the Celts in France and western Germany. In later years, they settled in the British Isles and from Spain to the Black Sea. The word Celt is derived from Keltoi, the name given to these people by Greek writers. To the Romans, the Celts were known as Galli, or Gauls, and those in the British Isles were called Britanni. Celtic tribes were bound together by common speech, customs, and religion, not any central governments. Their economy was pastoral and agricultural, with no real urban life. Each tribe was headed by a king and divided by class into the priests, Druids, warrior nobles, and commoners. Celtic mythology, which included earth gods, various woodland spirits, and sun deities, was particularly rich in elfin demons and tutelaries, beings that still pervade the lore of people of Celtic ancestry. Most of what is known about ancient Celtic mythology and folklore comes from contemporary Roman and Christian sources. It is believed that the ancient Celts were not widely literate, and Celtic mythology did not survive the Roman Empire unscathed. Few written records remain from the time before Roman invasions, and what was left bears a heavy imprint of Roman influence. Oral tradition kept the mythologies alive, so while the original tales may not survive fully intact, the message has been preserved by modern day writers. Celtic mythology includes the mythologies if Ireland, Wales, and Gaul.
[edit] Druidism
Ancient accounts assert that the functions of priests, religious teachers, judges, and civil administrators were performed by Druids; supreme power was vested in an archdruid. There were three classes of Druids: prophets, bards, and priests. They were assisted by female prophets or sorcerers, but these did not enjoy the powers and privileges of the Druids. Druids were well versed in astrology, magic, and the power of plants and animals. They held the oak tree and mistletoe in great reverence and customarily conducted their rituals in oak forests. It is believed that the Druids used altars and temples in the stone monuments known as dolmens, which are found throughout areas where Druidism thrived. Stonehenge antedates Druidism by many centuries. [edit] Celtic GoddessesIn Celtic mythology, goddesses were accorded particularly high status.
[edit] Celtic Gods
[edit] Heroes and HeroinesHeroes play a large part in Celtic lore, just like in other mythologies. Heroes like Cu Chulainn (Cuchulainn), Fergus Mac Roigh, and Finn mac Cumhaill (Finn MacCool) were legendary warriors, kings, and bards. Heroines like Deirdre were inspirations for poems, plays, and stories by modern Irish writers. [edit] SpiritsGaelic folklore is full of spirits and creatures. One is the Banshee, a female spirit who wailed outside a house, foretelling the death of one of its inhabitants. Another is the Leprechaun, a fairy in the shape of an old man, sometimes depicted as a cobbler, with a hidden store of gold. [edit] Arthurian Legend
King Arthur may have been a real British king, but most tales surrounding him and his kingdom are surrounded with myth, legend, and lore. According to legend, Arthur expelled foreigners from Britain, brought peace to the country, and established a kingdom based on law, morality, and justice. He resided at his castle at Camelot and created an order known as the Knights of the Round Table. His realm crumbles and his illegitimate son, Mordred, mortally wounds him in battle. Many versions of the legend claim Arthur will someday return, when Britain needs him. According to legend, Arthur is the son of King Uther Pendragon and the lady Ygraine. After his birth, Arthur is given to a man named Hector by the magician Merlin. Arthur is raised a commoner, but he alone succeeds at a test devised to choose Uther's successor: Arthur draws a sword from a stone (or an anvil). Arthur is eventually crowned King, and to help him in leading Britain, he receives the great sword Excalibur, offered to him by the Lady of the Lake. To defeat Britain's enemies, Arthur undertakes a series of wars, conquests, and invasions. After winning these battles, Britain has a long era of peace and security. Arthur sets up the Round Table; the shape of the table ensures that all knights who sit around it are equal in status. Arthur marries the lady Guinevere, but she and one of Arthur's favored knights, Lancelot, eventually fall in love; their love divides Camelot. The fall of the kingdom is hastened by the quest for the Holy Grail, the sacred cup used by Jesus at the Last Supper. The quest is worthy, but it takes Arthur's best knights away from court and leads many to their death. Arthur finds out about Lancelot and Guinevere, and his own justice system requires condemning Guinevere to death. But, Lancelot rescues her, initiating a war between his forces and those of Arthur and the knight Gawain. While fighting with Lancelot, Arthur must also contend with the Romans. He defeats the Romans, but at the same time, his illegitimate son (or nephew), Mordred, tries to take the throne. Arthur then battles Mordred on Salisbury Plain, a battle that leaves many dead. Arthur kills Mordred, but before he dies, Mordred mortally wounds the king. Before death, Arthur orders one of his knights (Bedivere or Girflet, depending on the version) to throw Excalibur back into the lake, returning it to the Lady of the Lake for safe keeping, so that the sword cannot fall into the wrong hands. Depending on the version, Arthur dies and is buried on Salisbury Plain, or that before death, a boat, containing his sister Morgan le Fay, takes him away to the island Avalon. Many versions of the legend promise that Arthur will return when Britain needs him to quell the nation's enemies and bring peace and security to the land again. [edit] Faces and Places of Arthurian Legend
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