Types of myths with examples. Main types of myths

Ancient mythology is firmly associated in the minds of modern people with the mysterious Hellas. It was in Ancient Greece that this genre originated and experienced unprecedented flourishing. What is a myth, what is its specificity and what types are distinguished? Let's figure it out.

Concept and essence

The word “myth” translated from the language of the ancient Greeks means “legend” or “tradition”. Most often, the main theme of such works was the life of gods and god-like creatures, but often ordinary people became the main characters in the texts. Mythology is a holistic picture, a collection of disparate tales.

When creating myths, ancient people believed in the reality of the events taking place in them; in these texts, people tried to find an explanation for phenomena incomprehensible to them, therefore the first and most important feature of the genre is the unity of the rational and irrational principles. Creatures endowed with supernatural power - gods and god-like creatures - lived in the sky, underground and most often resembled people both in appearance and in character traits. They were characterized by greed, malice, deceit, nobility, they fell in love and suffered, died and were at enmity with each other. But they were distinguished from people by the presence of special strength.

The meaning of mythology

In literary criticism, it is customary to highlight the functions of myths, which are presented in the table.

The myth was perceived by the consciousness of ancient man as truth, a reliable story about what happened in reality. With the help of these works, people not only tried to explain to themselves the causes of phenomena they did not understand, but also to form their own picture of the world.

Typology

It is customary to distinguish several types of myths:

• Etiological. They represent an attempt by ancient man to explain the causes of natural phenomena: thunderstorms and thunder, earthquakes and hurricanes. Of course, the etiological function as a whole is inherent in most works of the genre, but there is a certain group of myths in which this particular feature plays a dominant role. Most often, such myths are found among the primitive inhabitants of planet Earth, and with the development of civilization they gradually became less popular. An example is the Greek myth of Arachne, a talented weaver who was punished by the goddess Athena for her pride and turned into a spider, doomed to weave her web forever.
• Cosmogonic. They are revealed by a more complex consciousness; such texts appear among most ancient peoples, as man tried to find his place in the world. These are myths that explain the origin of the cosmos and the gods, the earth and people. Often in texts one can find inclusions of the theory of creating a world from chaos. Many nationalities have their own cosmogonic picture of the world, but similar points can also be identified. For example, the Greeks believed that the first deities, Uranus and Gaia, self-generated in Chaos, who created the rest of the world and its inhabitants.
• Anthropogonic. Some researchers include them in the cosmological group, while others classify them as a separate type. These are myths about the origin of man. So, an example from Greek mythology can be given as follows: the titan Prometheus created people from the earth and asked the goddess Athena to breathe life into them.
• Totemic. They represent an attempt to explain the kinship of a tribe with a certain totem animal, which was understood as an ancestor.
• Astral, lunar and solar. These are texts about stars, planets, the Moon and the Sun. Many similar examples can be found in eastern mythology or in the legends of the ancient Indians. In Greek mythology, there is a mention that the sun god Helios, riding across the sky in his chariot, causes the day to come.
• Calendar. In them, ancient consciousness tried to find an explanation for the cyclicity in nature: the change of day and night, seasons. Often in such texts the deity dies and is resurrected, symbolizing the rebirth of nature itself, the victory of good over evil.
• Heroic. They appeared much later than the above types of myths, examples of which we will get acquainted with later. They represent a description of the exploits and biography of a human hero. Most often, he was distinguished by masculinity and strength or had some unique characteristics. Wandering around the world, the hero performed feats, protected ordinary people, and destroyed monsters. Such works are considered the basis of the heroic epic that appeared much later. These are the exploits of Hercules, Theseus, Perseus and other characters from Greek myth-making.
• Finally, eschatological myths are very interesting, representing an attempt by the ancients to come up with a hypothesis for the end of the world. These are found in many nations.

In understanding the characteristics of the consciousness of representatives of a particular civilization, myth and mythology play a special role. The types of myths are diverse, but similar stories are often found among different peoples who were geographically separated from each other. Researchers have been trying to unravel this oddity for many years, but so far there is no clear hypothesis with reliable arguments.

A different approach to classification

You can often find different types of myths:

• Sumerian;
• biblical;
• antique;
• Scandinavian;
• Egyptian;
• ancient Indians.

Each of them has a unique specificity, its own plots and characters, its own understanding of cosmogony and man’s place in the world.

Mythology of Hellas

Let's consider the types of myths of Ancient Greece. Researchers identify three periods in the development of Greek myth-making, information about which is presented in the table.

The appearance of the Olympic myths is connected primarily with the fact that man had already managed to subjugate nature, therefore this or that phenomenon was no longer explained by the will of some mystical demon, but by the action of a humanoid god, who, although he possessed immortality and strength, looked like an ordinary person. It was during this period that the famous cycle about the 12 labors of Hercules and the wanderings of the cunning Odysseus appeared.

Typology of Greek myths

It is customary to distinguish two main types of myths of ancient Greece:

• cosmogonic;
• heroic.

The first are devoted to understanding the creation of the world, the second reveal the brave adventures of the heroes. For a person to form a picture of the creation of the world and life, myth and mythology are very important. The types of myths of Ancient Hellas are clear proof of this. Thus, the Greeks first formed their own cosmogony, and only then began to invent tales about the exploits of mere mortals. The world was created from Chaos, in which the first two gods were born - Uranus and Gaia, a married couple and at the same time brother and sister. It was they who gave birth to the Cyclops, Titans and younger gods. The history of Olympus was built on bloody wars, there was a revolt of the titans against their father, and an attempt by Uranus to destroy his children - the future inhabitants of Olympus, and the overthrow of Uranus himself by his own son, Zeus.

Pantheon of the ancient Greeks

We examined the concept of myth and types of myths. Now let's get acquainted with the main inhabitants of Olympus:

• Zeus is the supreme deity, the thunder god, stern and powerful.
• Hera is the wife of the supreme god, the goddess of the hearth and family.
• Athena - patroness wisdom and fair fight.
• Aphrodite is the beautiful goddess of love.
• Artemis is the deity of the hunt.
• Hades is the brother of Zeus, owner of the underground kingdom of the dead.
• Poseidon is the god of the seas and oceans.
• Ares is the god of bloody combat.
• Demeter is the goddess of fertility and rich harvests.
• Hermes - patronized trade and art.
• Apollo is the god of science and patron of the muses.

Each god had his own purpose, but they had one thing in common - the ability to help people. Often the deities showed waywardness and punished their “wards”, therefore, in order to appease them, sacrifices were made. The priests who served the Olympians enjoyed honor and respect.

Popular human heroes

We briefly described the types and meaning of the myths of Ancient Greece. Now let's look at what heroes - ordinary people - acted in them.

• Sons of Zeus and mortal women: Perseus - savior of the beautiful Andromeda from a sea monster and winner of the Gorgon Medusa; Hercules, who performed the famous 12 labors. Both heroes are sons of Zeus.
• Mere mortals: Theseus, who managed to defeat the Minotaur and get out of the tangled labyrinth; the musician Orpheus, whose magical singing captivated the ears of both gods and mortals; the brilliant creator Daedalus, who realized the dream of soaring above the earth and paid for it with the most valuable thing - the life of his beloved son.

Often the deities helped people, sometimes they competed with them. And if the Olympic myths reflected the Greeks’ understanding of the structure of the world, then the heroic texts reflect, first of all, ideas about the ideal person.

Main types of myths in philosophy

Philosophical science recognizes the importance and significance of myths in art and adheres to their traditional classification into cosmogonic and heroic. Therefore, it is not surprising that many philosophers used mythological subjects in their works.

The types of myths are diverse; these texts help us penetrate the consciousness of ancient people and understand exactly how they explained this or that phenomenon, what human qualities were important to them, how the process of the creation of the world and its destruction seemed to them.

The debate between supporters of the theory of creationism and evolutionary theory continues to this day. However, unlike the theory of evolution, creationism includes not one, but hundreds of different theories (if not more). In this article we will talk about ten of the most unusual myths of antiquity.

10. The myth of Pan-gu

The Chinese have their own ideas about how the world came into being. The most popular myth is the myth of Pan-gu, the giant man. The plot is as follows: at the dawn of time, Heaven and Earth were so close to each other that they merged into a single black mass.

According to legend, this mass was an egg, and Pan-gu lived inside it, and lived for a long time - many millions of years. But one fine day he got tired of such a life, and, swinging a heavy ax, Pan-gu got out of his egg, splitting it into two parts. These parts subsequently became Heaven and Earth. He was of unimaginable height - about fifty kilometers in length, which, by the standards of the ancient Chinese, was the distance between Heaven and Earth.

Unfortunately for Pan-gu and fortunately for us, the colossus was mortal and, like all mortals, died. And then Pan-gu decomposed. But not the way we do it - Pan-gu decomposed in a really cool way: his voice turned into thunder, his skin and bones became the firmament of the earth, and his head became the Cosmos. Thus, his death gave life to our world.

9. Chernobog and Belobog

This is one of the most significant myths of the Slavs. It tells about the confrontation between Good and Evil - the White and Black gods. It all started like this: when there was only one continuous sea around, Belobog decided to create dry land, sending his shadow - Chernobog - to do all the dirty work. Chernobog did everything as expected, however, having a selfish and proud nature, he did not want to share power over the firmament with Belobog, deciding to drown the latter.

Belobog got out of this situation, did not allow himself to be killed, and even blessed the land erected by Chernobog. However, with the advent of land, one small problem arose: its area grew exponentially, threatening to swallow everything around.

Then Belobog sent his delegation to Earth with the goal of finding out from Chernobog how to stop this matter. Well, Chernobog sat on a goat and went to negotiate. The delegates, seeing Chernobog galloping towards them on a goat, were imbued with the comedy of this spectacle and burst into wild laughter. Chernobog did not understand the humor, was very offended and flatly refused to talk to them.

Meanwhile, Belobog, still wanting to save the Earth from dehydration, decided to spy on Chernobog, making a bee for this purpose. The insect coped with the task successfully and found out the secret, which was as follows: in order to stop the growth of land, you need to draw a cross on it and say the cherished word - “enough.” Which is what Belobog did.

To say that Chernobog was not happy is to say nothing. Wanting revenge, he cursed Belobog, and he cursed him in a very original way - for his meanness, Belobog was now supposed to eat bee feces for the rest of his life. However, Belobog was not at a loss, and made bee excrement as sweet as sugar - this is how honey appeared. For some reason, the Slavs did not think about how people appeared... The main thing is that there is honey.

8. Armenian duality

Armenian myths resemble Slavic ones, and also tell us about the existence of two opposite principles - this time male and female. Unfortunately, the myth does not answer the question of how our world was created; it only explains how everything around us works. But that doesn't make it any less interesting.

So here's the quick gist: Heaven and Earth are a husband and wife separated by an ocean; The sky is a city, and the Earth is a piece of rock, which is held on its huge horns by an equally huge bull - when it shakes its horns, the earth bursts at the seams from earthquakes. That, in fact, is all - this is how the Armenians imagined the Earth.

There is an alternative myth where the Earth is in the middle of the sea, and Leviathan floats around it, trying to grab onto its own tail, and constant earthquakes were also explained by its flopping. When Leviathan finally bites its tail, life on Earth will cease and the apocalypse will begin. Have a nice day.

7. The Scandinavian myth of the ice giant

It would seem that there is nothing in common between the Chinese and the Scandinavians - but no, the Vikings also had their own giant - the origin of everything, only his name was Ymir, and he was icy and with a club. Before his appearance, the world was divided into Muspelheim and Niflheim - the kingdoms of fire and ice, respectively. And between them stretched Ginnungagap, symbolizing absolute chaos, and there, from the fusion of two opposing elements, Ymir was born.

And now closer to us, to the people. When Ymir began to sweat, a man and a woman emerged from his right armpit along with the sweat. It’s strange, yes, we understand this - well, that’s how they are, harsh Vikings, nothing can be done. But let's get back to the point. The man's name was Buri, he had a son Ber, and Ber had three sons - Odin, Vili and Ve. Three brothers were gods and ruled Asgard. This seemed to them not enough, and they decided to kill Ymir’s great-grandfather, making a world out of him.

Ymir was not happy, but no one asked him. In the process, he shed a lot of blood - enough to fill the seas and oceans; From the skull of the unfortunate man, the brothers created the vault of heaven, broke his bones, making mountains and cobblestones out of them, and made clouds from the torn brains of poor Ymir.

Odin and the company immediately decided to populate this new world: so they found two beautiful trees on the seashore - ash and alder, making a man from the ash, and a woman from the alder, thereby giving rise to the human race.

6. Greek myth about marbles

Like many other peoples, the ancient Greeks believed that before our world appeared, there was only complete Chaos around. There was neither the sun nor the moon - everything was dumped into one big pile, where things were inseparable from each other.

But then a certain god came, looked at the chaos reigning around, thought and decided that all this was not good, and got down to business: he separated the cold from the heat, the foggy morning from a clear day, and everything like that.

Then he set to work on the Earth, rolling it into a ball and dividing this ball into five parts: at the equator it was very hot, at the poles it was extremely cold, but between the poles and the equator it was just right, you couldn’t imagine anything more comfortable. Further, from the seed of an unknown god, most likely Zeus, known to the Romans as Jupiter, the first man was created - two-faced and also in the shape of a ball.

And then they tore him in two, making him a man and a woman - the future of you and me.

5. An Egyptian god who loved his shadow very much

In the beginning there was a great ocean, whose name was “Nu,” and this ocean was Chaos, and besides it there was nothing. It was not until Atum, by an effort of will and thought, created himself out of this Chaos. Yes, the man had balls. But further - more and more interesting. So, he created himself, now he had to create land in the ocean. Which is what he did. After wandering around the earth and realizing his total loneliness, Atum became unbearably bored, and he decided to plan on more gods. How? And just like that, with an ardent, passionate feeling for your own shadow.

Thus fertilized, Atum gave birth to Shu and Tefnut, spitting them out of his mouth. But, apparently, he overdid it, and the newborn gods were lost in the ocean of Chaos. Atum grieved, but soon, to his relief, he found and rediscovered his children. He was so glad to be reunited that he cried for a long, long time, and his tears, touching the earth, fertilized it - and people grew out of the earth, many people! Then, while people impregnated each other, Shu and Tefnut also had coitus, and they gave birth to other gods - more gods to the god of gods! - Gebu and Nutu, who became the personification of the Earth and the sky.

There is another myth in which Atum is replaced by Ra, but this does not change the main essence - there, too, everyone fertilizes each other en masse.

4. The myth of the Yoruba people - about the Sands of Life and the chicken

There is such an African people - the Yoruba. So, they also have their own myth about the origin of all things.

In general, it was like this: there was one God, his name was Olorun, and one fine day the idea came to his mind that the Earth needed to be equipped somehow (at that time the Earth was one continuous wasteland).

Olorun didn’t really want to do this himself, so he sent his son, Obotala, to Earth. However, at that moment, Obotala had more important things to do (in fact, there was a gorgeous party planned in heaven, and Obotala simply could not miss it).

While Obotala was having fun, all the responsibility fell on Odudawa. Having nothing at hand except chicken and sand, Odudawa nevertheless set to work. His principle was the following: he took sand from a cup, poured it onto the Earth, and then let the chicken run around in the sand and trample it thoroughly.

After carrying out several such simple manipulations, Odudawa created the land of Lfe or Lle-lfe. This is where Odudawa's story ends, and Obotala appears on the stage again, this time completely drunk - the party was a great success.

And so, being in a state of divine alcoholic intoxication, the son of Olorun set about creating us humans. It turned out very badly for him, and he created disabled people, dwarfs and freaks. Having sobered up, Obotala was horrified and quickly corrected everything by creating normal people.

According to another version, Obotala never recovered, and Odudawa also made people, simply lowering us from the sky and at the same time assigning himself the status of ruler of humanity.

3. Aztec "War of the Gods"

According to Aztec myth, there was no primordial Chaos. But there was a primary order - an absolute vacuum, impenetrably black and endless, in which in some strange way the Supreme God - Ometeotl - lived. He had a dual nature, possessing both feminine and masculine principles, was good and at the same time evil, was both warm and cold, truth and lies, white and black.

He gave birth to the remaining gods: Huitzilopochtli, Quetzalcoatl, Tezcatlipoca and Xipe Totec, who, in turn, created giants, water, fish and other gods.

Tezcatlipoca ascended to the heavens, sacrificing himself and becoming the Sun. However, there he encountered Quetzalcoatl, entered into battle with him and lost to him. Quetzalcoatl threw Tezcatlipoca from the sky and became the Sun himself. Then, Quetzalcoatl gave birth to people and gave them nuts to eat.

Tezcatlipoca, still harboring a grudge against Quetzalcoatl, decided to take revenge on his creations by turning people into monkeys. Seeing what happened to his first people, Quetzalcoatl flew into a rage and caused a powerful hurricane that scattered the vile monkeys throughout the world.

While Quetzalcoatl and Tezcatlipoc were at war with each other, Tialoc and Chalchiuhtlicue also turned into suns in order to continue the cycle of day and night. However, the fierce battle between Quetzalcoatl and Tezcatlipoca affected them too - then they too were thrown from heaven.

In the end, Quetzalcoatl and Tezcatlipoc stopped their feud, forgetting past grievances and creating new people - the Aztecs - from the dead bones and blood of Quetzalcoatl.

2. Japanese “World Cauldron”

Japan. Again Chaos, again in the form of an ocean, this time as dirty as a swamp. In this ocean-swamp, magical reeds (or reeds) grew, and from this reeds (or reeds), like our children from cabbage, gods were born, a great many of them. All of them together were called Kotoamatsukami - and that’s all that is known about them, for as soon as they were born, they immediately hastened to hide in the reeds. Or in the reeds.

While they were hiding, new gods appeared, including Ijinami and Ijinagi. They began to stir the ocean until it thickened, and from it the land was formed - Japan. Ijinami and Ijinagi had a son, Ebisu, who became the god of all fishermen, a daughter, Amaterasu, who became the Sun, and another daughter, Tsukiyomi, who became the Moon. They also had one more son, the last - Susanoo, who, for his violent temper, received the status of the god of wind and storms.

1. Lotus flower and “Om-m”

Like many other religions, Hinduism also features the concept of the world emerging from the void. Well, as if out of nowhere, there was an endless ocean in which a giant cobra swam, and there was Vishnu, who slept on the cobra’s tail. And nothing more.

Time passed, days followed each other one after another, and it seemed that it would always be like this. But one day, everything around was filled with a sound that had never been heard before - the sound of “Om-m”, and the previously empty world was overwhelmed with energy. Vishnu awoke from sleep, and Brahma appeared from the lotus flower at his navel. Vishnu ordered Brahma to create the world, and in the meantime he disappeared, taking with him a snake.

Brahma, sitting in the lotus position on a lotus flower, set to work: he divided the flower into three parts, using one to create Heaven and Hell, another to create Earth, and the third to create heaven. Brahma then created animals, birds, people and trees, thus creating all living things.

In ancient times, humanity developed civilizations. These were isolated nationalities that were formed under the influence of certain factors and had their own culture, technology and were distinguished by a certain individuality. Due to the fact that they were not as technologically advanced as modern humanity, ancient people were largely dependent on the vagaries of nature. Then lightning, rain, earthquakes and other natural phenomena seemed to be a manifestation of divine powers. These forces, as it seemed then, could determine the fate and personal qualities of a person. This is how the very first mythology was born.

What is a myth?

According to the modern cultural definition, this is a narrative that reproduces the beliefs of ancient people about the structure of the world, about higher powers, about man, the lives of great heroes and gods in verbal form. In some way, they reflected the then level of human knowledge. These tales were recorded and passed down from generation to generation, thanks to which we can today find out how our ancestors thought. That is, then mythology was a certain form and also one of the ways of understanding natural and social reality, which reflected the views of man at a certain stage of development.

Among the many questions that worried humanity in those distant times, the problem of the emergence of the world and man in it was especially relevant. Due to their curiosity, people tried to explain and understand how they appeared and who created them. It is then that a separate myth about the origin of people appears.

Due to the fact that humanity, as already mentioned, developed in large isolated groups, the legends of each nationality were in some way unique, since they reflected not only the worldview of the people at that time, but also were an imprint of cultural, social development, and also carried information about the land where the people lived. In this sense, myths have some historical value, since they allow us to make some logical judgments about a particular people. In addition, they were a bridge between the past and the future, a connection between generations, passing on the knowledge that was accumulated in stories from the old family to the new, thus teaching it.

Anthropogonic myths

Regardless of civilization, all ancient people had their own ideas about how man appeared in this world. They have some common features, but they also have significant differences, which are determined by the peculiarities of life and development of a particular civilization. All myths about the origin of man are called anthropogonic. This word comes from the Greek anthropos, which means man. Such a concept as a myth about the origin of people exists among absolutely all ancient peoples. The only difference is their perception of the world.

For comparison, we can consider individual myths about the origin of man and the world of two great nations, which significantly influenced the development of mankind in their time. These are the civilizations of Ancient Greece and Ancient China.

Chinese view of the creation of the world

The Chinese imagined our Universe in the form of a huge egg, which was filled with a certain matter - Chaos. From this Chaos, the first ancestor of all humanity, Pangu, was born. He used his ax to break the egg in which he was born. When he broke the egg, Chaos burst out and began to change. The sky (Yin) was formed - which is associated with the light principle, and the Earth (Yang) - the dark principle. This is how the world was formed in the beliefs of the Chinese. After that, Pangu placed his hands on the sky and his feet on the ground and began to grow. It grew continuously until the sky separated from the earth and became what we see it today. Pangu, when he grew up, fell into many parts, which became the basis of our world. His body became mountains and plains, his flesh became earth, his breath became air and wind, his blood became water, and his skin became vegetation.

Chinese mythology

As the Chinese myth about the origin of man says, a world was formed that was inhabited by animals, fish and birds, but people were still alive. The Chinese believed that the creator of humanity was the great female spirit - Nuwa. The ancient Chinese revered her as the organizer of the world; she was depicted as a woman with a human body, the legs of a bird and the tail of a snake, who holds in her hand a lunar disk (the Yin symbol) and a measuring square.

Nuiva began to sculpt human figures from clay, which came to life and turned into people. She worked a lot of time and realized that her strength was not enough to create people who could populate the entire earth. Then Nuiva took the rope and passed it through the liquid clay, and then shook it. People appeared where lumps of wet clay fell. But still they were not as good as those that were molded by hand. This is how the existence of the nobility, which Nuiva molded with her own hands, and people of the lower classes, created with the help of rope, was justified. The goddess gave her creations the opportunity to reproduce on their own, and also introduced them to the concept of marriage, which was observed very strictly in Ancient China. Therefore, Nuiva can also be considered the patroness of marriage.

This is the Chinese myth about the origin of man. As you can see, it reflects not only traditional Chinese beliefs, but also some of the features and rules that guided the ancient Chinese in their lives.

Greek mythology about the emergence of man

The Greek myth about the origin of man tells how the titan Prometheus created people from clay. But the first people were very defenseless and did not know how to do anything. For this act, the Greek gods were angry with Prometheus and planned to destroy the human race. However, Prometheus saved his children by stealing fire from Olympus and bringing it to man in an empty reed stalk. For this, Zeus imprisoned Prometheus in chains in the Caucasus, where the eagle was supposed to peck his liver.

In general, any myth about the origin of people does not provide specific information about the emergence of humanity, concentrating more on subsequent events. Perhaps this is due to the fact that the Greeks considered man insignificant compared to the omnipotent gods, thus emphasizing their importance for the entire people. Indeed, almost all Greek legends are directly or indirectly related to the gods, who guide and help human heroes such as Odysseus or Jason.

Features of mythology

What features does mythological thinking have?

As can be seen above, myths and legends interpret and describe the origin of man in completely different ways. You need to understand that the need for them arose early. They arose from man’s need to explain the origin of man, nature, and the structure of the world. Of course, the method of explanation that mythology uses is quite primitive; it differs significantly from the interpretation of the world order supported by science. In myths, everything is quite concrete and isolated; there are no abstract concepts in them. Man, society and nature merge into one. The main type of mythological thinking is figurative. Every person, hero or god necessarily has a concept or phenomenon that follows him. This one denies any logical argument, based on faith rather than knowledge. It is unable to generate questions that are not creative.

In addition, mythology also has specific literary techniques that allow us to emphasize the significance of certain events. These are hyperboles that exaggerate, for example, the strength or other important characteristics of heroes (Pangu, who was able to lift the sky), metaphors that attribute certain characteristics to things or beings that do not actually possess them.

Common features and influence on world culture

In general, one can trace a certain pattern in how the myths of different nations explain the origin of man. In almost all versions, there is some kind of divine essence that breathes life into lifeless matter, thus creating and shaping a person. This influence of ancient pagan beliefs can be traced in later religions, such as Christianity, where God creates man in his own image. However, if it is not entirely clear how Adam appeared, then God creates Eve from a rib, which only confirms this influence of ancient legends. This influence of mythology can be traced in almost any culture that existed later.

Ancient Turkic mythology about how man appeared

The ancient Turkic myth about the origin of man calls the goddess Umai the progenitor of the human race, as well as the creator of the earth. She, in the form of a white swan, flew over the water, which had always existed, and looked for land, but did not find it. She laid the egg straight into the water, but the egg immediately sank. Then the goddess decided to make a nest on the water, but the feathers from which she made it turned out to be fragile, and the waves broke the nest. The goddess held her breath and dived to the very bottom. She carried out a piece of earth in her beak. Then the god Tengri saw her suffering and sent Umai three fish made of iron. She put the earth on the back of one of the fish, and it began to grow until the entire earth's land was formed. After which the goddess laid an egg, from which the entire human race, birds, animals, trees and everything else appeared.

What can be determined by reading this Turkic myth about the origin of man? One can see a general similarity with the legends of Ancient Greece and China already known to us. A certain divine force creates people, namely from an egg, which is very similar to the Chinese legend about Pangu. Thus, it is clear that initially people associated the creation of themselves by analogy with living beings that they could observe. There is also an incredible reverence for the maternal principle, for women as the continuer of life.

What can a child learn from these legends? What new things does he learn by reading the myths of peoples about the origin of man?

First of all, this will allow him to become familiar with the culture and life of the people who existed in prehistoric times. Since myth is characterized by a figurative type of thinking, a child will perceive it quite easily and will be able to assimilate the necessary information. For children, these are the same fairy tales, and, like fairy tales, they are filled with the same morals and information. When reading them, the child will learn to develop his thinking processes, learn to benefit from reading and draw conclusions.

The myth about the origin of people will give the child an answer to the exciting question - where did I come from? Of course, the answer will be incorrect, but children take everything on faith, and therefore it will satisfy the child’s interest. By reading the above Greek myth about the origin of man, a child will also be able to understand why fire is so important to humanity and how it was discovered. This will be useful in the child’s subsequent education in primary school.

Variety and benefits for the child

Indeed, if we take examples of myths about the origin of man (and not only them) from Greek mythology, we will notice that the colorfulness of the characters and their number are very large and interesting not only for young readers, but even for adults. However, you need to help the child figure it all out, otherwise he will simply get confused in events and their causes. It is necessary to explain to the child why God loves or does not love this or that hero, why he helps him. In this way, the child will learn to build logical chains and compare facts, drawing certain conclusions from them.

Ticket 1. An artistic image as an ancient communicator. Totemism.

The image is the most ancient communicator of human society. The image is the beginning, it underlies everything. Animals are driven by instincts, humans are not, but before, they certainly were. Man lived the way animals lived, or rather, he imitated them (mimesis); imitation lay at the origins of anthropogenesis (part of biological evolution that led to the emergence of homo sapiens - homo sapiens). Over time, people lost such a life, which helped them take the path of cultural development: if an animal creates a home, it does so based on instincts. For example, ants or bees. A person first needs to imagine the house in his imagination, i.e. he acts based on his ideas. The earliest form of mythological consciousness is totemism (the term was introduced by Long in 1791). The basis of totemism is a fantastic idea of ​​​​a supernatural relationship between a certain group of people and its sacred patron - an animal, bird, amphibian, plant or natural phenomenon, which is considered as the progenitor of this group of people. Initially, the totemic animals and plants were those that formed the basis of the diet of this group of people, because the survival of the clan depended on the availability of food. The patron gods of the clan were not of heavenly, but of earthly origin. A totem is a progenitor who took care of the people associated with it, provided them with patronage, protection, helped them out in trouble, but at the same time required the fulfillment of rituals and rituals. The name of a totem is usually called the genus associated with it. Totemism marked the beginning of the development of all material and spiritual culture, including religious. Totemic ideas played a very important role as a means of identifying and classifying the world. Totemism, with its belief in a totemic ancestor with supernatural powers, with the cult of one’s own as opposed to others, with a system of prohibitions and taboos, turned out to be historically one of the first forms of religious ideas of the emerging social community - the tribal community. Totemism became the basis for the formation of human language and consciousness. Totemism was the basis for the domestication of animals and the cultivation of plants. People associated themselves with animals and plants. Totemistic culture dates back to the Stone Age and is preserved in our consciousness.

Ticket 2. The role of fire in cultural genesis

Culturogenesis is one of the types of social and historical dynamics of culture, which consists in the creation of new cultural forms and their integration into existing cultural systems. Culturogenesis consists in the process of constant self-renewal of culture, both through the renewal and complementarity of already existing forms of culture, and through the creation of new directions and phenomena that correspond to the cultural dynamics of time. Fire as the primary element of the Universe. Along with the substances of the other three elements - Earth, Water and Air, fire acts as the primary element of the Universe, directly involved in the act of cosmogonic creation. The primal principle of fire is associated with the red-hot fiery Sun, personifying life. The use of fire is one of the elements of human adaptation to the natural environment. In the process of cultural genesis, methods of its use developed and improved; fire became an integral part of culture. The use of fire at the earliest stages of cultural development became an important part of sociocultural practice and influenced anthropogenesis. The mastery of fire played a huge role in human development. With the help of fire, people processed food, which became better digestible. In addition, fire warmed them and allowed them to make more advanced tools. Through the purposeful use of fire, man has taken a giant step forward, moving away from the absolute power of nature to conscious control over his life.

Ticket 3. Features of mythological culture and mythological thinking. Types of myths

Mythology corresponds to primitive man. Mythology is a system of ancient man’s ideas about the world around him, in terms of which man expressed himself and how he understands the universe. These are, first of all, ancient, biblical and other ancient “tales” about the creation of the world and man, as well as stories about the deeds of ancient, mainly Greek and Roman, gods and heroes - poetic, naive, and often bizarre. Mythology acts as the earliest, corresponding to ancient, especially primitive society, form of worldview, understanding of the world and oneself by primitive man, as “...nature and the social forms themselves, already processed in an unconsciously artistic way by folk fantasy,” as the original form of spiritual culture of mankind. Myth is a narrative, a collection of “stories” fantastically depicting reality, but this is not a genre of literature, but a certain idea of ​​the world, which only most often takes the form of a narrative; the mythological worldview is expressed in action, dance, song, etc.

A distinctive feature of myth is visibility, the desire to create a visible image. Destructive and comic beginnings. The serious and the clownish went in parallel from the very beginning. The heroes of myths were not isolated; they conveyed the essence of the family.

Early stage of myths: myths are for the most part primitive, short, elementary in content, lacking a coherent plot. Later: myths are created, different in origin, mythological images and motifs are intertwined, myths turn into detailed narratives, connect with each other, forming cycles.

Properties of mythological culture:

1) The myth was built on special ideas about time, world and space. The space had no boundaries.

2) Nature and human beings are inseparable, understanding the unity of the human and animal worlds.

3) The myth often uses a system of repetition. Ancient man constantly creates likenesses. The structure of the myth has a “layered” character.

4) Myth is an oral culture; structures were needed that would allow one to remember and transmit information.

5) The connection of myth with ritual, rite.

6) Genetism of myth. It is very typical for a myth to replace cause-and-effect relationships with a precedent - the origin of an object is presented as its essence.

Properties of mythological thinking:

1) Etiology is an attempt to explain some real phenomenon in the human environment.

2) The mythological event is separated from the “real” time by some large period of time.

3) Syncretism of myth is a total, undifferentiated character.

4) Poor development of abstract concepts. Mythology did not know conceptual thinking.

5) The logic of myth is the logic of opposition; intermediaries arose between oppositional things that connected these oppositions. That is: indifference to contradictions.

6) Mythology is unconscious, sensual, spontaneously imaginative.

Types of myths:

1. Etiological(literally “causal”, i.e. explanatory) are myths that explain the appearance of various natural and cultural features and social objects. In principle, the etiological function is inherent in most myths and is specific to myth as such. In practice, etiological myths mean stories about the origin of certain animals and plants (or their particular properties), mountains and seas, heavenly bodies and meteorological phenomena, individual social and religious institutions, types of economic activity, as well as fire, death, etc. Such myths are widely common among primitive peoples, they are often weakly sacralized. As a special type of etiological myths, one can distinguish cult myths, which explain the origin of a ritual or cult action. If a cult myth is esoteric, it can be highly sacralized.

2. Cosmogonic myths(mostly less archaic and more sacralized than etiological) tell the story of the origin of the cosmos as a whole and its parts connected in a single system. In cosmogonic myths, the pathos of the transformation of chaos into space, characteristic of mythology, is especially clearly actualized. They directly reflect cosmological ideas about the structure of the cosmos (usually three-part vertically and four-part horizontally), and describe its vegetative (world tree), zoomorphic or anthropomorphic model. Cosmogony usually includes the separation and separation of the main elements (fire, water, earth, air), the separation of the sky from the earth, the emergence of the earth's firmament from the world ocean, the establishment of a world tree, a world mountain, the strengthening of luminaries in the sky, etc., then the creation of a landscape , plants, animals, humans. The world can arise from a primary element, for example, from a world egg or from an anthropomorphic giant primordial being. Various cosmic objects can be found, even stolen and transported by culture heroes (see below), generated biologically by the gods or their will, their magic word. Part of cosmogonic myths are anthropogonic myths- about the origin of man, the first people, or tribal ancestors (the tribe in myths is often identified with “real people”, with humanity). The origin of man can be explained in myths as the transformation of totem animals, as separation from other beings, as improvement (spontaneous or by the forces of the gods) of certain imperfect beings, “finishing”, as biological generation by the gods or as production by divine demiurges from earth, clay, wood, etc. etc., as the movement of certain creatures from the lower world to the surface of the earth. The origins of women are sometimes described differently from those of men (from a different material, etc.). The first man in a number of myths is interpreted as the first mortal, because pre-existing gods or spirits were immortal. Cosmogonic myths are related to myths astral, solar and lunar, reflecting archaic ideas about the stars, the sun, the moon and their mythological personifications. Myths astral- about Stars and Planets. In archaic mythological systems, stars or entire constellations are often represented in the form of animals, less often trees, in the form of a celestial hunter pursuing an animal, etc. A number of myths end with the heroes moving to the sky and turning them into stars or, on the contrary, expulsion from the sky not those who stood the test and violated the ban (wives or sons of the inhabitants of heaven). The arrangement of stars in the sky can also be interpreted as a symbolic scene, a kind of illustration of a particular myth. As celestial mythology develops, the stars and planets are strictly attached (identified) to certain gods. Based on the strict identification of constellations with animals in some areas (in the Middle East, China, some American Indians, etc.), regular patterns of the movement of celestial bodies developed. The idea of ​​the impact of the movement of heavenly bodies on the fate of individual people and the whole world created the mythological prerequisites for astrology. Myths solar and lunar in principle, they are a type of astral. In archaic mythologies, the Moon and the Sun often appear as a twin pair of cultural heroes or brother and sister, husband and wife, or less often parent and child. The Moon and the Sun are typical characters of dualistic myths, built on the opposition of mythological symbols, with the Moon (Month) mostly marked negatively, and the Sun - positively. They represent the opposition of the two totemic “halves” of the tribe, night and day, feminine and masculine, etc. In more archaic lunar myths, the month is often represented in the form of a masculine principle, and in more developed ones - feminine (zoomorphic or anthropomorphic). The celestial existence of the Moon and the Sun (as in the case of the stars) is sometimes preceded by the earthly adventures of a pair of mythological heroes. Some specifically lunar myths explain the origin of spots on the Moon (“Moon Man”). Solar myths themselves are better represented in developed mythologies; in archaic mythologies, myths about the origin of the Sun or the destruction of extra suns from their original set are popular. The solar deity tends to become the main one, especially in ancient societies headed by a deified priest-king. The idea of ​​the movement of the sun is often associated with a wheel, a chariot drawn by horses, a fight against chthonic monsters, or a thunder god. The daily cycle is also reflected in the mythological motif of the disappearing and returning solar deity. Departure and arrival can be postponed from day to season. The myth of the daughter of the sun has a universal character.

3. Twins- about miraculous creatures, represented as twins and often acting as the ancestors of a tribe or cultural heroes. The origins of twin myths can be traced to ideas about the unnaturalness of twin birth, which was considered ugly by most peoples of the world. The earliest layer of twin ideas is observed in zoomorphic twin myths, suggesting kinship between animals and twins. In myths about twin brothers, they usually acted first as rivals and later became allies. In some dualistic myths, twin brothers are not antagonistic to each other, but are the embodiment of different principles (see solar myths above). There are myths about twins brother and sister, but there are also more complicated versions, where in incestuous marriages of a brother and sister the presence of several brothers is preferred. A feature of many African twin myths is the combination of both sets of mythological opposites in one mythological image (i.e., twin creatures are bisexual).

4. Totemic form an indispensable part of the complex of totemic beliefs and rituals of tribal society; These myths are based on ideas about a fantastic supernatural relationship between a certain group of people (clan, etc.), etc. totems, i.e. species of animals and plants. The content of totemic myths is very simple. The main characters are endowed with features of both humans and animals. In their most typical form, totemic myths are known among Australians and African peoples. Totemic features are clearly visible in the images of gods and cultural heroes in the mythology of the peoples of Central and South America (such as Huitzilopochtli, Quetzalcoatl, Kukulkan). Remnants of totemism were preserved in Egyptian mythology, and in the Greek myths about the Myrmidon tribe, and in the frequently encountered motif of the transformation of people into animals or plants (for example, the myth of Narcissus).

5. Calendar myths are closely connected with the cycle of calendar rituals, as a rule with agricultural magic, focused on the regular change of seasons, especially the revival of vegetation in the spring (solar motifs are also interwoven here), and ensuring the harvest. In ancient Mediterranean agricultural cultures, a myth dominates, symbolizing the fate of the spirit of vegetation, grain, and harvest. A common calendar myth is about a hero leaving and returning or dying and rising (cf. the myths about Osiris, Tammuz, Balu, Adonis, Ammuce, Dionysus, etc.). As a result of a conflict with a chthonic demon, mother goddess or divine sister-wife, the hero disappears or dies or suffers physical damage, but then his mother (sister, wife, son) searches and finds, resurrects, and he kills his demonic opponent. The structure of calendar myths has much in common with the composition of myths associated with rituals of initiation or enthronement of the king-priest. In turn, they influenced some heroic myths and epic legends, myths about successive world eras, and eschatological myths.

6. Heroic myths record the most important moments of the life cycle, are built around the biography of the hero and may include his miraculous birth, trials from older relatives or hostile demons, searches for a wife and marriage trials, fights with monsters and other feats, and the death of the hero. The biographical principle in the heroic myth is, in principle, similar to the cosmic principle in the cosmogonic myth; only here the ordering of chaos is related to the formation of the personality of the hero, who is capable of further supporting the cosmic order with his own efforts. A reflection of initiation in the heroic myth is the mandatory departure or expulsion of the hero from his society and wanderings in other worlds, where he acquires helping spirits and defeats demonic enemy spirits, where he sometimes has to go through temporary death (swallowing and spitting out by a monster; death and resurrection -initiation symbols). The initiator of the tests (sometimes taking the form of performing a “difficult task”) can be the hero’s father, or uncle, or future father-in-law, or tribal leader, a heavenly deity, for example the Sun God, etc. The hero’s expulsion is sometimes motivated by his misdeeds, violation of a taboo , in particular, incest (incest with the sister or wife of the father, uncle), also a threat to the power of the father-leader. Hero as a term in Greek mythology means the son or descendant of a deity and a mortal man. In Greece there was a cult of dead heroes. The heroic myth is the most important source of formation of both the heroic epic and fairy tale.

7. Eschatological myths about the “last” things, about the end of the world, arise relatively late and are based on the models of calendar myths, myths about the change of eras, and cosmogonic myths. In contrast to cosmogonic myths, eschatological myths do not tell about the emergence of the world and its elements, but about their destruction - the death of land in a global flood, the chaotization of space, etc. It is difficult to separate myths about catastrophes that accompanied the change of eras (about the death of giants or the older generation of gods who lived before the advent of man, about periodic catastrophes and renewal of the world), from myths about the final destruction of the world. We find more or less developed eschatology in the myths of the natives of America, in the mythologies of the Old Scandinavian, Hindu, Iranian, Christian (the Gospel “Apocalypse”). Eschatological catastrophes are often preceded by violations of law and morality, strife, and human crimes that require retribution from the gods. The world perishes in fire, flood, as a result of space battles with demonic forces, from hunger, heat, cold, etc.

8. Cult myths. Many myths serve as an explanation of religious rituals. The performer of the ritual reproduces in person the events told in the myth - the myth is a kind of libretto of the dramatic action being performed. Ritual always constitutes the most stable part of religion, but the mythological ideas associated with them are changeable, unstable, often completely forgotten, and are replaced by new ones that are supposed to explain the same ritual, the original meaning of which has long been lost. Myth and ritual in ancient cultures, in principle, constitute a certain unity - ideological, functional, structural; they represent, as it were, two aspects of primitive culture - verbal and effective, “theoretical” and “practical”. A cult myth is always sacred, it is surrounded by deep mystery, and constitutes the “esoteric” (inner) side of religious mythology. Another group of such myths is the “exoteric” (external) side. These are deliberately invented myths to intimidate the uninitiated. Both groups of myths are usually located around some phenomenon. Mythology is not connected with religion, but already in the early stages of its development, mythology is organically associated with religious and magical rituals and is an essential part of religious beliefs.

Connamination of myths - a mixture of mythological plots and motifs, the characters themselves enter into complex relationships with each other.

Instructions

Myths of the peoples of the world most often tell about the creation of the Earth, Sun, Moon and man by certain intelligent beings - gods. Sometimes these gods fought with each other or with people. And then the wars of the gods and individual battles were reflected in myths and legends. Messages about them were passed down from generation to generation, by word of mouth. Later, with the development of writing, each people tried to write down their history, some on clay tablets, some on parchment, some on birch bark. Only pitiful fragments of that huge layer of literature and history that is a myth have reached modern man.

The most famous myths are the legends of Ancient Greece. Gods, demigods and heroes of human origin are the main characters in them. Moreover, unlike many, the Greeks endowed their gods with completely human traits and vices: passion, lust, drunkenness, envy, vindictiveness. During the period of Rome's conquest of Greece, the Romans liked the culture so much that an amazing, but far from unique event in history occurred - borrowing. Rome took the religion of Greece, and with it its myths. Zeus became Jupiter, Aphrodite Venus, and Poseidon Neptune.

Other equally famous myths are the legends of the ancient Jews. Thanks to the advent of Christianity and Islam, Jewish myths spread throughout the world and are perceived by believers as the most ancient of the world. The difference between Jewish myths and, for example, Greek or Egyptian myths is that there is only one main character in them, he is called the Lord God. In addition, in Jewish myths there is a sequence of narratives, and not fragments of individual stories.

The myths of Scandinavia are darker and more violent than their more southern counterparts, most likely due to the harsh climate, the struggle for survival and constant wars for new territories. In this warlike land there was no place for sentimentality, and therefore their legends were filled with the clanking of axes, blood and the screams of enemies. There is also a supreme god - Thor.

A distinctive feature of the myths of Ancient China is that the Chinese, under the influence of Confucianism, rationalized mythological creatures and heroes and depicted the gods of antiquity in literature not as supernatural beings, but as real people, rulers, and emperors.

There are a great many myths and legends in the world; each nation has its own version of the creation of the world, events of ancient times and explanations for certain natural phenomena. Many were almost completely or partially lost during wars and natural disasters, as happened with the legends of the American Indians with the advent of the Spanish conquistadors to the continent.

Ancient Greek myths tell about the adventures and exploits of many heroes. Legendary heroes and ordinary people who act together with the gods have captured the imagination of people for many centuries. Here are just some of the characters included in the “golden fund” of legends and myths of mankind.

Hercules, according to Greek legend, was the son of the powerful Zeus and Alcmene, the Theban queen. Zeus knew that his son would certainly become a hero, a protector of people. The training of Hercules was corresponding. He knew how to drive a chariot, shot a bow accurately, owned other types of weapons, and played the cithara.

The future hero was strong, brave and over time turned into a real hero.

The greatest fame for Hercules came from him. He dealt with the Nemean lion, killed the disgusting Lernaean, caught alive the fleet-footed Cerynean fallow deer and the Erymanthian boar. The hero accomplished his fifth feat by defeating the sacred man-eating birds.

The sixth task turned out to be very difficult. Hercules had to clean out the stables of King Augeas, which had stood untouched for many years. The hero turned the river beds and directed two streams into the Augean stables, after which the stormy waters washed out the entire barnyard. Then Hercules caught the Cretan bull, stole the horses of Diomedes and, at the risk of his life, took possession of the belt of the Amazon queen. The tenth feat of the Greek hero is the abduction of the cows of the giant Geryon.

After another adventure, during which Hercules brought magic golden apples to King Eurystheus, the hero had a chance to go to the kingdom of the dead - gloomy Hades. Having successfully completed the next and last mission, Hercules set off on long journeys. Being the favorite of the gods, Hercules, by the will of Zeus, eventually gained immortality and was taken to Olympus.

Feat of Prometheus

The ruler of Olympus, Zeus, summoned Epimetheus, the son of the powerful titan Iapetus, and ordered him to descend to earth to give animals and people everything that would allow them to earn food for themselves. Each animal received what it needed: fast legs, wings and keen hearing, claws and fangs. Only people were afraid to come out of their hiding places, so they didn’t get anything.

Epimetheus's brother, Prometheus, decided to correct this mistake. He planned to give people fire, which would bring them undivided power on earth. In those days, fire belonged only to the gods, who carefully guarded it.

Having set himself the goal of benefiting humanity, Prometheus stole fire and brought it to people.

Zeus's anger was indescribable. He brought down terrible punishment on Prometheus, ordering Hephaestus to chain the hero to a granite rock. For many years, Prometheus experienced suffering. Every day a huge eagle flew to the punished titan and pecked his flesh. Only the intervention of Hercules allowed Prometheus to be freed.

Icarus and Daedalus

One of the most famous myths of Ancient Greece is the tale of Daedalus and Icarus. Icarus's father, Daedalus, was a skilled sculptor, architect and artist. Not getting along with the king of Crete, he actually became his hostage and was forced to live permanently on the island. Daedalus thought for a long time about how to free himself, and eventually decided to leave the island on wings with his son Icarus.

Daedalus created two pairs of wings from many bird feathers. Tying them to his son’s back, Daedalus gave him instructions, forbidding him to rise close to the sun, since the heat of the luminary could melt the wax with which the feathers were fastened and glued.

It was also impossible to fly close to the water - the wings could get wet and be pulled down.

Putting on their wings, father and son soared into the air like two large birds. At first, Icarus followed Daedalus, but then he forgot about caution and rose close to the sun. The scorching luminary melted the wax, the wings crumbled and scattered in space. Having lost his wings, Icarus fell into the sea, where he met his death.

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Tip 3: The most famous characters of ancient Greek myths

Mythology describes many feats performed by ancient Greek heroes, while most of the adventures are presented in fairy-tale form. In myths you can find both gods and people acting together. Magical transformations and images of fairy-tale creatures that never existed in reality are not uncommon in the plots. Here are just two of many such legends.

Slayer of the Minotaur

A famous character in ancient Greek myths, Theseus was the son of the Athenian king Aegeus. Having matured, Theseus turned into a strong and stately young man, thirsty for adventure. Having inherited sandals and a sword from his father, the hero performed a number of feats, the most famous of which was the victory over the Minotaur.

It was a sad time for the Athenians. The Cretan king Minos subjugated Athens and demanded that the inhabitants of the city send him tribute every nine years - seven girls and the same number of boys. He gave the unfortunate ones to be devoured by the bloodthirsty Minotaur, who had the appearance of a man the size of a bull. The Minotaur lived in a labyrinth.

Theseus decided to put an end to the atrocities committed by Minos and voluntarily went to Crete along with the young victims. Minos did not take Theseus seriously, but his daughter Ariadne agreed to help the hero cope with the Minotaur.

It was Ariadne who gave the hero a sharp sword and a large ball of thread, with which he was able to navigate the labyrinth.

Together with his future victims, Theseus was taken to the place where the Minotaur lived. Theseus tied one end of the thread to the door, after which he boldly walked through the intricate corridors of the labyrinth, gradually unwinding the ball. Suddenly, the roar of the Minotaur was heard ahead, which immediately rushed at the hero, opening its mouth and threatening with its horns. During a fierce battle, Theseus cut off one of the Minotaur's horns and plunged his sword into his head. The monster gave up the ghost. Ariadne's thread helped the hero and his companions escape from the mysterious labyrinth.

Perseus and the Gorgon Medusa

In distant countries, at the very edge of the world, where night reigned and Thanatos reigned, three lived. They were hideous winged monsters; their bodies were covered with scales, and hissing snakes wriggled on their heads. The fangs of the gorgons were like sharp daggers, and the gaze of each of the monsters was capable of turning all living things into stone.

Two gorgons were immortal creatures, and only the gorgon Medusa could be killed.

But here the Olympian gods helped the hero. Hermes showed Perseus the way to the place where the monsters lived and gave him a magic sword. The goddess Athena handed the warrior a special copper shield with a surface polished to a mirror shine. The nymphs gave Perseus a magic bag, winged sandals and a protective helmet of invisibility.

Magic sandals brought Perseus to the island, where he saw sleeping gorgons with snakes slowly moving on their heads. The gods warned the hero that just one glance from the monsters would turn him into a block of stone. Having flown up to the gorgons, Perseus turned away and began to look at the monsters through the mirror shield, where the reflections were clearly visible. The Gorgon Medusa had already begun to open her eyes when Perseus cut off her head with a sword.

The noise woke up the rest of the monsters. But the cunning Perseus managed to put on an invisibility helmet. He put the head of the defeated Medusa into his bag and calmly disappeared. Where the drops of blood oozing from the magic bag fell, poisonous snakes appeared and crawled in different directions. Perseus subsequently presented the head of the slain monster to the goddess Athena, who attached the trophy to the center of her shield.

Tip 4: What are the deities of the seas in the myths of Ancient Greece

Greek mythology assigns a very important place to sea and water gods in general. After all, Ancient Greece was very dependent on the favor of sea waters.

Myths of Greece

Poseidon on a chariot drawn by sea horses or dolphins rushes along the surface of the sea. If he wishes, with a wave of the trident a storm begins, which calms down as soon as the sea god wishes it.

Homer uses more than forty epithets to describe the sea, which undoubtedly speaks of the special attitude of the Greeks to this element.

Among the sea deities surrounded by Poseidon is the soothsayer Nereus, who knows all the thanes of the future. Nereus reveals the truth to both mortals and gods. He is Poseidon's wise advisor. Elder Proteus, who knows how to change his image, turning into anyone, is also a soothsayer. However, in order for him to reveal the secrets of the future, he must be caught and forced to speak, which, given his variability, is quite difficult. God Glaucus to fishermen and sailors, who attribute to him the gift of divination. All these powerful gods are ruled by Poseidon, whom they worship.

God-Ocean

Oceanus is the only one of the Titans who did not participate in their fight against Zeus and his brothers. That is why the power of the Ocean remained the same even after all his brothers were thrown into Tartarus.

Olympic goddesses

The queen of gods and people, the youngest daughter of Kronos and Rhea, the sister and wife of the thunderer Zeus, the supreme goddess Hera was the patroness of marriage and family, the protector of women and motherhood, and also personified marital fidelity. The symbols of Hera were the diadem and the one-prong.

The eldest daughter of the titans Kronos and Rhea, the goddess of the family hearth and sacrificial fire, Hestia was the bearer and protector of chastity. She protected peace and unanimity in the family, patronized foreigners and the suffering. Hestia's attribute was a torch.

The middle daughter of the titans Kronos and Rhea, the goddess of earth and fertility Demeter patronized farmers and protected all life on earth. The symbols of the goddess were a staff in the form of a stem and a sickle.

The daughter of the omnipotent Zeus, the warrior maiden Athena was the goddess of just war, wisdom, knowledge, sciences, arts, and crafts. The ancient Greeks believed that Athena's presence on the battlefield disciplined and inspired soldiers. The sacred symbol of Athena's wisdom was the owl and the aegis with the head of the gorgon Medusa.

The goddess of the Moon, the daughter of Zeus from the Titanide Leto, the virgin and eternally young Artemis patronized hunting and all life on Earth. Girls worshiped the goddess as a protector of female chastity, and married women asked her to grant marriage and help successfully resolve childbirth. Artemis' attributes were a doe and a bow and arrow.

The daughter of the sky god Uranus, the goddess of love and beauty Aphrodite personified eternal spring and life. The ancient Greeks also worshiped Aphrodite as the goddess of fertility, marriage and childbirth. The symbols of the goddess of love were the dove and the rose.

Lesser ancient Greek goddesses

The queen of the dead, the goddess Persephone, was the daughter of Zeus and Demeter, as well as the wife of the ruler of the underworld Hades. Persephone patronized the forces of spring: the awakening of vegetation and the germination of sown grain. The symbol of Persephone is the narcissus.

The daughter of Hera and Zeus, the goddess of youth Hebe served as cupbearer on Olympus. Later, Hebe was married to Hercules, who received immortality as a reward for his exploits. Hebe's sacred attribute was the cypress tree.

The daughter of the titans Persus and Asteria, the goddess of moonlight, darkness and night visions, Hecate patronized magic, sorcery, shepherding, horse breeding and public activities of people (in courts, in disputes, in public meetings, etc.). In addition, Hecate gave an easy road to travelers and helped abandoned lovers. The symbols of Hecate were the crossroads and the snake.

The daughter of the underwater giant Tautamantas and the oceanid Electra, the goddess of the rainbow Iris served as the messenger of the gods. Her attributes are the rainbow and the iris flower.

The goddess of furious war, Enyo, was part of Ares's retinue. She aroused rage in the warriors and sowed confusion on the battlefield.

The winged goddess of victory Nike was the companion of Athena. Nika personified the successful outcome of not only military enterprises, but also sports and musical competitions.

The goddess Ilithyia patronized childbirth. At the same time, it could serve as both a saving and hostile force.

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