5 days ago
Mythology: Where much of history began... so they say
Mythology, whether Egyptian, Greek, or Roman mythology, has played a role in all our lives as stories, myths and legends that have influenced us virtually since the beginning of time. The deities, heroes, legends, characters and creatures have inspired us in the same way that our cultures and traditions have.
In Egyptian mythology, the mighty Sun God Ra ruled the Earth after creation as the King of gods and mortals. His alter ego, the 'Eye of Ra', was a malevolent force he could unleash to quell discontent among his followers. Yet it was Osiris, the God of life and fertility, who stimulated an almost fanatical devotion. He survived dismemberment by his brother Set and was brought back to life by his wife Isis long enough to conceive a son, Horus.
This genealogy sustained an amazing thirty-one dynasties of mythologically inspired rule in Egypt, with figures like 'Hatshepsut', the adored Queen Regent; 'Amenhotep III', the ninth Pharaoh; and 'Ramesses II', or 'Ramesses the Great', the mightiest of all the pharaohs, able to rule as the hand of the gods with absolute power. It is believed that this mythology inspired the religious and social order of the Middle East through Egypt's strength and force. These may not have been peaceful times, but reflective of the ancient Egyptian proverb that 'To have peace there must be conflict'.
This is apparent in the iconic pyramids, which represent new life and each day's sunrise, as well as being virtually indestructible pharaonic tombs and monuments. Today, many of us possess the 'Eye of Horus', protective amulets said to offer divine protection. The ancient Egyptians were great storytellers and writers, but sadly much of their formal and largely symbolic hieroglyphs and the cursive hieratic form in everyday use, rarely survived the test of time.
Roman mythology, as warlike as it was, or is, is essentially a reimagining of Roman history and was more of a literary response to hero worship. The gods and goddesses were heroic, with strong Roman cultural values and a belief that their manner of living and their passing was one of divine determination. Their gods, such as Jupiter the god of thunder and lightning; Venus the goddess of love and desire; Neptune, the god of the seas; Mars the god of war; and Hercules, the god of great strength, were all like-for-like copies of the Greek gods.
What is Roman mythology's legacy for today's generation? Well, William Shakespeare was a staunch devotee of the form, especially through 'Antony and Cleopatra' and 'Julius Caesar'. Throughout many of his plays, he utilised the symbolism and imagery of mythology, Greek and Roman, to get his points across. These are still key elements in the teaching of Shakespeare to hundreds of thousands of students today.
Greek mythology, more than any, lives on in our colloquialisms and our literature. To recall just a few in common use, we refer to being as handsome as Adonis; to be as rich as Croesus, or to have a Midas touch; a two-faced person as having a Janus face; or to have a weakness as an Achilles heel; something large being, like Titan, titanic, or something huge a Colossus; a romantic deed being inspired by Cupid; or of a platonic relationship being Plato's description of Socrates' affection.
Greek mythology is believed to have originated almost four thousand years ago as an oral-poetic literary form concerning the origins and nature of the world, greatly inspired by how the Trojan Wars were seen through the eyes of Homer in his two magnificent epic poems, the 'Iliad' and the 'Odyssey'. Those original 'myths of origin' featured plotlines that could be from any soap opera on television today of love, beauty, wealth, betrayal, fury, deception, hatred, jealousy and revenge.
Ironically, 'Chaos' was one of the original characters of Greek mythology and it's still around!
BLURB
The ancient Egyptians were great storytellers and writers, but sadly much of their formal and largely symbolic hieroglyphs and the cursive hieratic form in everyday use, rarely survived the test of time.
