Myths were extremely important to the culture of Anicient Greece. Throughout the rise and fall of the Ancient Greek empire, tens of thousands of poems, stories, and songs dedicated to heroes, monsters, gods, demigods and other assorted creatures were created. There were many recurring myths and characters, the most famous being or having to do with the gods and their children. The Oracle at Delphi was one of, if not the most famous Greek characters that was not a god, or related to a god. The Oracle is in almost as many myths as the gods, as she was able to accurately foresee the future, and nearly every myth that involved a quest usually involved a consultation to the Oracle. The Oracle at Delphi is arguably the most important and influential …show more content…
character in Greek mythology, except for the gods themselves. In Greek mythology, the Oracle of Delphi is Pythia who was a priestess at the Temple of Apollo. People would come from all over to ask the Oracle for her wisdom about important matters of public policy to personal affairs. The Oracle would also be consulted before any kind of important decision, including war or the founding of colonies. Priests and priestesses at an oracle spoke on behalf of the gods. The advice from the gods was usually so vague that it always seemed to be right. Other people from as far as Lydia, Caria, Rome, and even Egypt would send a representative to consult the Oracle. Eventually, the Oracle was placed under the protection of the Roman Empire for a short while to protect her from barbarians and thieves. However, the temple was eventually destroyed after years of war, earthquakes, and being burned by barbarians. The spirit of the Oracle of Delphi was passed on from maiden to maiden to continue to speak the prophecies of Apollo. Delphi in ancient times was considered the center of the known world, the place where heaven and earth met. This was the place on earth where man was closest to god. In Mythology, Delphi was the meeting place of two eagles, released by Zeus and sent in opposite directions. Where they met indicated the center of the earth. Delphi is known as the center of worship for the god Apollo, son of Zeus who embodied moral discipline and spiritual clarity. By the end of the Mycenaean period Apollo had displaced these other deities and became the guardian of the Oracle. Apollo decided he needed an assistant, a wise woman, an oracle.
Apollo did not want any old oracle to speak for him. He wanted a real one. However at the time, there weren't any legitimate ones. The oracles he had met were always vague and inaccurate. For example, if you asked an oracle if you should plant your garden tomorrow, they might say "the frost will be gone if the gods will it." Not really helpful. Apollo had the power to magically make someone truly see the future, just as he could. He decided that he was going to create the one, true, great oracle. After many weeks he chose a priestess to be called Pythia. He would use his magic to allow her to truly see the future. He built a special temple for her home. Apollo's rules stated that she had to tell the truth, but she could not be too specific. This was very typical of Apollo and the rest of the Gods. It could not be so easy as her simply seeing the future and relaying that to whomever asked, she had to be vague and riddlesome so as to allow for misinterpretation. For example myth has it that one day, a weary king came to the Oracles temple at Delphi. He asked the oracle if he would win his upcoming battle. She smiled and told him a great king would win the battle, which was exactly what he had wanted to hear. He went away joyful, leaving many gifts for the oracle behind him. When he led his men into battle however, they were quickly defeated, and the king was killed. Word spread, but people still flocked to Apollo's oracle. They knew she had told the truth. She had to tell the truth. There is no proof that such a character existed in real life, but there are numerous accounts of historical events that record involvement from the Oracle at
Delphi. In one historical event, Athens was going to be invaded by the Persian Empire, which was had the strongest military of the time. The leaders of Athens went to see the Oracle at Delphi for a prophecy. The Oracle said that only the "wooden wall" could stop the Persians. The Athenians took this to mean their navy (built from wooden ships), so they tricked the Persians into engaging them at sea before landing infantry on the ground. The battle was a decisive victory for Athens. Had Athens not won this battle, then Persia would have conquered not only Athens, but the rest of Greece. Although there is no proof the oracle said this, there is certifiable evidence that the Greeks fought off a Persian assault using naval strategy to their advantage. The Oracle at Delphi is a figure of great historical importance that was, and still is, shrouded in mystery. Few mythological characters surpass her influence and importance. Even though she was not a god she was worshipped as a near equal.
The Odyssey was also very popular in it’s time. It was set in ancient Greece where in its culture; mythology was the heart of everyday life. The Greek Culture turned to mythology to explain different phenomena for which they had no scientific explanation and this was prominent in the epic the Odyssey.
To start with the most common one, the role of the gods, one can see many such allusions thrown all over the odyssey. The epic poem starts in Mt.Olympus where the gods are discussing what will happen to Odysseus , Master mariner and warrior of Ithaka. As it so happens he is on the island of Kalypso, one of the lesser gods. Also, as Odysseus travels, one learns about the role of the gods in not only his travels but other peoples ones too. Agisthos, the man who stole Agamemnon's wife and killed him, was sent a message from Zeus by Hermes, giving him the information of what will happen if he kills him. Also, Menelaus, the red haired king of war, had to wrestle with a sea-god in order to gain acceptance and sail all the way back to his homeland of Sparta, and find news about the rest of his companions. He would not find out about his brothers demise until he got home.
When we look at Greek Mythology we often run into the gods of that era. Sometimes they are merely backdrops to the human element of the story but in stories such as The Odyssey the gods play a prominent if not vital role to the central themes of the story.
The Greeks believed in many gods and oracles. The oracle in Oedipus the King is the oracle of Apollo, the Greek god of the sun. Oedipus the King represents Antiquity best because it encompasses the polytheistic beliefs of the time. It is important to understand the beliefs of the time in order to understand what gave the people hope and motivation to perform all deeds.
Mythology was very important to the men and women of ancient Greece. They worshipped the gods and goddesses, wrote poems about them, and based a great deal of art work off of them. The people of Greece looked to the gods and goddesses for help in all aspects of their lives; including health, agriculture, and war. Reading about Greek mythology can inform people about the society of Greece because the Greek gods were created by the people of Greece. Three main goddesses who were worshipped by the Greeks were Hera, Athena, and Aphrodite.
We’re all interested in understanding our place in the world around us; the roots of our existence, and how we fit into the world around us. In ancient Greece, the ideology was the same. While looking for answers, mythology, or more specifically myth, was born. Ancient Greek lives were then affected by Hesiod’s Theogony, as it depicted their relations to the gods and to the universe itself.
The gods and goddesses were thought to control different parts of the universe. For example, Zeus is the king of the gods, controlled weather. Or like Athena who was the goddess of wisdom. You learn about different gods and goddesses in myths. A myth is a story about a god or goddess. Homer, a blind poet, is famous for telling myths. He told myths because no one could read or write.
Greek gods have and continue to spark the interest in many people. There are endless amounts of stories/myths available to read about them. Greek gods display a variety of different characteristics based on their personality. In particular, Aphrodite is known for being the most beautiful goddess, her ability to make men fall in love with her, her unfaithfulness, and how she caused the Trojan War. She may be a goddess, but that does not make her flawless.
Greek Mythology is a group of stories relevant to the culture, religion, and society of the Greeks. The purpose was an attempt to explain the origins of life, the reasons and causes for the human condition, as well as the cultural norms and practices of the society they lived in. Greek Mythology formed the foundation of religious beliefs and practices of ancient Greece and contain strong factual and historical roots. From these traditions, we discover that the Greeks believed in the collection of immortals living on Mount Olympus in Greece. Furthermore, Greek myths reveal morals, philosophies, and warnings. The study of myths assists in gaining an understanding of the religious and political institutions of Ancient Greece and its civilization.
Apollo is often known as the god of music, but he is also the god of the sun, medicine/healing, prophecy, oracles, plague, light, truth, and knowledge. He is famous for playing a lyre (a “u-shaped, harp-like instrument) and was the leader of the Muses. Muses were gods who specialized in arts and sciences. Apollo also participated in many music competitions against other gods and goddesses. Apollo, when he was an infant, was given by Zeus the gift of prophecy. Apollo was also the guardian of the Greek city Delphi. The first oracle of Greece was located in Delphi. Apollo was also considered to be a god of the sun, as he had the important task of moving the sun across the sky everyday with his chariot.
Greek mythology was used in ancient times to explain how and why the world works and how it was created. People used Greek Mythology to tell myths about why the world has characteristics such as water ,plants, life, and animals. Myths tell stories about Gods, Goddesses, monsters and mythical creatures, although there are many myths about the sea, trees, and life, but one the most important myth is the myth of Gaea she was known to be the creator of earth.
Apollo had many powers but he was most well known as the god of archery, he could control sunlight, tell the future, and was known as the bringer of plagues and illnesses. He also represented strength and intelligence to the Greeks. Apollo could control sunlight and make pretty much anything out of it, he often made arrows but could also make swords, tables and even chairs! When Apollo saw the future he could only make out bits and pieces of a person's fate. Even though seeing the future may seem like an incredible gift it can also be a curse because foretelling the future could change it in unknown ways. Apollo and his twin sister Artemis were both amazing archers, they could shoot enemies by just letting an arrow fly from their bow and having it seek out its victim.
The Greeks developed myths because they didn’t have explanations for things like thunder, earthquakes, and volcanoes like we do today, so they believed that their gods caused these events to happen and the myths explained the gods actions.
Myths give us role models. Ever wonder why superhero movies are so popular? Children pattern themselves after heroes and connect with many archetypal characters like Superman and Wonderwoman. As adults we can find strength in stories about deities and mythical figures, and their heroic journeys as well.
The god and goddess is important because they play an important role in the Iliad. Gods and goddesses are significant in the Iliad because they were a part of the culture and daily lives of the Greek people. Many of the characters in the Iliad are gods, goddesses, and the children of gods. Many are the children of gods and humans. The Greek cultures worship these gods and daily lives are built around the code of morality they dictate. The gods were worshiped and also sacrificed too. They have a higher power than majority of anyone especially the goddess they have a lot of power. Many Greeks thought their life was for the gods and goddess. They constantly prayed to them and honored them, in fear of something