Greek Mythology Research Paper

Two millennia ago, at the time when the Ancient Greeks dwelled on the planet people now call Earth rather than Gaia, high above Mount Olympus lived the gods and goddesses that kept the world in prime order. As most of the mortals living underneath the skies worshipped most of the major gods, they have also worshipped the minor gods that were in control of the little things that keep people going day by day. But there was one god that not any mortal or immortal dared to pay much heed to, and his name was Arithmos, the god of numbers and calculations.

Being the son of Hephaestus, the god of blacksmiths, and Aphrodite, the goddess of love, it would have been believed that with his glimmering dark blue eyes, chiseled jaw, and silky black curls-and having the intelligence that could be compared

with the great goddess of wisdom, Athena- that Arithmos would be popular among the mortals, but the world found him handling math useless.
Arithmos began to believe what the other immortals and mortals thought of him: he was useless. The handsome god forced himself to lose his passion for math, hating that his job gave him no notice. At that point, Arithmos decided to leave Mount Olympus, being stripped from the title of minor god and leaving behind the last problem of a negative square root that he was able to solve through developing a fake unit that helped simplify it obsolete.

A decade has passed and Arithmos lived among the mortals, occupying his time with the likes of philosophers such as Plato and Socrates. On one of the days, Plato and his young student, Aristotle, began to quarrel about who was fit to rule.
“It is necessary that the Philosopher Kings should have absolute power! They are the most logical and are the most sensible when it comes to what is justifiable or not!” Plato clamored, huffing out a puff of breath and fixing his graying hair behind his ear and crossing his arms.
Aristotle objectified, raising his voice at his teacher. “That is absurd, the citizens of Greece should have the right to rule over themselves and have a say at how their lives should be ruled!”
Socrates got between the two, trying to break up the heated and debatable argument. As Socrates was pulling them apart, Arithmos stood aside, watching amusedly as his friend played referee.
Socrates was annoyed by this and yelled at the immortal, questioning him.“Why do you not come and help me bring peace among these shrieking harpies!”
Arithmos mustered a light chuckle, smiled briefly and started to rub his forehead.

“ I find their quarrels quite entertaining, but at this moment, I also find it to be giving me an ache in the head. I shall depart for a few moments, just to get some fresh air.”

At this, Arithmos exited through two alabaster columns of the scholars’ building, heading for the dense forest that settled right by the establishment, but was stopped as a small, soft hand gripped his bicep. He turned to see Danae, Plato’s daughter, a magnificent beauty, who knew it herself. Danae pouted her small rosy lips and asked Arithmos about his departure. “Where do you think you are going? Would you rather like to spend time with me?”

Arithmos took Danae’s hand off of his arm, trying to get some distance away from her.“ I am just heading for a small walk, which I would like to take alone.” Danae was angered by his constant decline to be within her company, for she desired Arithmos as he was the only man that was as beautiful as her and did not fall in love with her. Letting Arithmos go, Danae watched as he walked through the trees rich in green color, waiting until he was out of sight to secretly follow

him.

Arithmos caught a light scent of berries and pine in the wind created by Zephyros, the god of spring breezes, as he took lunging steps through the greenery that created dark shadows in every corner. Taking off his leather sandals, he let his feet touch the soft, moist earth and continued to walk until he came upon a small clearing where the forest shone a dim light. As he came near to the clearing, he heard the soft twinkle of a woman’s laughter and went through the shrubbery to come face to face with a beauty that even surpassed his mother. The woman had pale long silky blonde hair and eyes that seemed to change into all of the colors of the rainbow. Her skin was almost translucent and she had the pinkest lips. Arithmos stared at the woman in awe until she vanished through thin air.
Arithmos did not know what exactly happened, but he felt as if he was struck by his half brother, Eros’, arrow and he was immediately filled with love and passion again, not only for the woman, but for his lost past. Arithmos does not know if this woman is a mortal, a divine goddess, or a nymph of the woods, but he knew he must see her again.
The following day, Arithmos went to the same clearing in the forest and waited for the beauty to appear. When she did, Arithmos turned from his spot and walked up to her.
“Divine lady, what is your name? Who are you? I have never beheld a beauty such as you. There was a not a moment when I first caught a glimpse of you and thought of anything else.” Arithmos questioned in need of an answer after professing his dire interest in her.
“Arithmos, son of Hephaestus and Aphrodite, god of numbers and calculations, I hope that I am everything you envisioned. I am called Idola, a nymph of the forest you lay eyes on. I have always worshiped you at your temple and I have long ago fell in love with you and your intelligent demeanor.” After the nymph said this, Arithmos’ heart started to beat quickly and he began to think about the life he had on Mount Olympus as a minor god. Someone has noticed me and has cherished me as a god. Arithmos could only process to make one action and it was to pull her in a lengthy kiss, but once he did this, she vanished into thin air again.
A new dawn has arrived and it was the third day that Arithmos would come visit Idola. But as he walked through the dark forest this time, Danae in a brown-hewn cloak continued to follow him since day one. Arithmos, going through the clearing again, met Idola with such longing that he kissed her until his lips felt numb. Danae, watched in anger as Arithmos and the lovely woman embraced while giving kisses to each other. Danae could not watch any more and let her demons come out as she went through the clearing, running towards Idola and throwing her to the ground where she hit her head against a large sharp rock that stood to the side.
“Why, Arithmos? Why could you not love me instead of this whorish nymph?” Danae yelled.
“She is meant to be with me! I believe the Fates destined us to be together!” Arithmos cried out as he crouched near Idola, who bled heavily from her head and her chest unmoving.
“You...you killed her! Leave this instant if you do not want to meet Hades!” Arithmos yelled, sobbing viciously as he held the lifeless body of his love. Danae did not wait a second more, knowing that Arithmos held true to every word he said.

Many days and nights have passed and Arithmos still has not left his spot where he held Idola. The gods from Mount Olympus that have been watching him noticed his despair and out of pity and sympathy, Aphrodite and Hephaestus were sent down to grant him a spot back as god of numbers and calculations.
“No, I cannot. When I met Idola, I was rejuvenated with a passion for all that I did and will ever have, but I am wasted now. There is no point for me to go on.” Arithmos shared his emotions currently overwhelming him to his parents in a hushed tone.
“Son, please do come back to Mount Olympus, for your talents will be needed for ends to come. Idola has shown us as well as you. At first, you must have noticed that Idola was not really a nymph. In fact, she was a figment of your imagination. Do you remember how she always vanished through thin air? It was because you were developing her to become someone who was real. She was your coping mechanism, the key in returning that passion for math that has always been buried deep inside of you.” Aphrodite said in hopes of revealing all of the mysteries of Idola, so Arithmos could return as a minor god.
“What? Was she really all just a figment of my imagination? Did you put Hecate up to this, playing a magical game, so I realized that I was useful in the world? Was it a decade’s year’s game to teach me how to become a real god?”
“That is somewhat true, but Ioda was more of an entity. Her soul was real, but Hecate (the goddess of sorcery and witchcraft) used her magic to make her seem as a living person. It was a test, Arithmos, not a game. We wanted you to see if you would hold your position even if there was no mortal worshipping you. Those puny mortals have not understood yet how important math is in structuring the whole city they live upon.” Hephaestus gritted his teeth in disdain as he spoke of the humans they control.
Arithmos nodded to all of this, thanking that Idola was not in fact completely imaginary, but she really was alive and was valuable in the terms of teaching him to return to his passion as minor god.
Going back atop Mount Olympus and into his old living quarters, Arithmos was acquainted with the negative square root that he was trying to separate, but realized this time the square root of eight was a two and an i as the complex number. What does that mean? Taking the scroll with the developed math equation to the hall of the Olympians, Arithmos asked the gods of the letter i that helped solve his problem he left to rot a decade ago. The gods, who felt pity for him and for his love, they were able place Idola’s entity into the imaginary unit, i, which helped simplify negatives within a square root. As Idola was, for the most part, a figment of imagination, she held value, which gave Arithmos the passion to become the god of numbers and calculations once and forever more.