f:\12000 essays\mythology & legends (75)\acupuncture.TXT +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ ACUPUNCTURE A Chinese medical technique; acupuncture is a medicine originating in the orient over four-thousand years ago. Used primarily for pain relief, but also in curing disease and general health improvement. Oriental Medicine views (illness and pain) as an imbalance of one's energy. With Acupuncture the energetic balance can be restored, thus helping the body to rid itself of disease. Often illnesses can be diagnosed and treated at an early stage. Acupuncture consists of inserting hair thin needles through specific spots in the skin called acupuncture points. These specific spots of insertion are over neuroreceptors in underlying muscles. These needles are inserted along meridian points throughout the body; There are hundreds of these meridians, all serving different purposes. "Evidence proves that needling simulates peripheral nerves in the muscles which send messages to the brain to release endorphins (morphine-like peptides in the brain). These natural chemicals then block the sending of painful messages from the brain." (Acupuncture-Microsoft Network Nov. 30, 1996). Acupuncture needles are typically inserted 1/10 to 4/10 on an inch deep. Although some procedures require needles to be inserted as deep as 10 inches. Acupuncture points are then stimulated by various forms of needle stimulation. Acupuncture is an incredibly effective form of medicine; This essay will present details explaining some of the uses of acupuncture. Acupuncture; the insertion of needles into the body through specific spots, over neurorecepters. These needles are then stimulated by either: rotation, heat, or by a weak electrical current. Acupuncture is a medical technique used primarily as a relief of pain, but is known to cure disease, as well as improve general health. "The theory suggest that acupuncture blocks the transmission of pain impulses from parts of the body to the central nervous system." (Compton's interactive encyclopedia). Three main sites have been found for endorphin acupuncture analgesia. This type of acupuncture blocks the sending of pain messages from the brain. The pituitary gland being one; this gland, when stimulated by needles, releases endorphin. The second site are the periaquaductal gray neurons in the mid brain which release endorphins when stimulated. The third, electrical stimulation to the spinal cord endorphin system. The spinal cord releases endorphins to block the release of neurotransmitters, which carry the painful messages from the brain. Acupuncture, used in Asia for over four thousand years; Originally for the relief of pain. "Acupuncture appears to be undeniably effective in relieving pain." (Compton's interactive encyclopedia). Western observers witnessed, ordinarily painful surgical operations carried out on fully conscious patients. These patients were only locally anesthetized by acupuncture and exhibited no signs of discomfort. The reason for acupuncture's success is not known, except for the belief that acupuncture needles stimulate the body's production of such natural pain-killing chemical substances as endorphins and enkephalins. Acupuncture; known to cure disease and improve general health. With the enormous problem of high blood pressure in the United States, acupuncture has been very effective in the control of pressure; aiding Americans in the fight to keep their blood pressure down. In many arthritis patients, acupuncture has almost completely eliminated the pain and suffering. We as a society understand the problem with obesity in the United States; acupuncture successfully aided in the control of appetite. "At one time acupuncture was believed to be related to hypnosis, but extensive experiments in animals undergoing surgery in veterinary hospitals have disproved that theory." (Compton's interactive encyclopedia). Meridians; the entire theory of acupuncture is on the belief of these meridians. These "meridians" are energy trails or channels throughout the body; believed by the Chinese to hold the opposite forces Yin and Yang, acupuncture keeps these two forces in balance. For example, the ancient Chinese designated that a master force or vital energy called Ch'I coordinates and controls the fundamental activities of different organs in the body. Modern physicians have a difficult time accepting these elaborate systems of fanciful theories developed thousands of years ago to explain the mechanisms of acupuncture. Modern science teaches that the nervous system and various hormonal substances perform the functions that these ancient doctors attributed to Ch'i. These energy channels are like rivers flowing through the body to irrigate and nourish the tissues. An obstruction in the movement of these energy rivers is like a dam that backs up in others. The meridians can be influenced by needling the acupuncture points; the acupuncture needles unlock the obstructions at the dams, and reestablish the regular flow through the meridians. (Acupuncture-Microsoft Network, Nov. 30, 1996). Stimulation of acupuncture needles; once all the needles are inserted for the specific meridian, the needles must be stimulated. The stimulation is what causes acupuncture to be so effective. There are several ways in which stimulation is reached: One being, a gentle twirling motion. The physician, by use of his/her fingers gently rotates the needles. Second, there is heat stimulation, the physician heats the needle with a cigar looking tool designed specifically for acupuncture. Third, electrical stimulation; the physician agitates the needles with a low powered 2 hz electrical current. The physician connects the needles to a low output electrical stimulation machine. Stimulation is key to the success of acupuncture. Acupuncture, a medical technique originating in the Orient, more than four-thousand years ago. Used primarily for reduction of pain, but to cure some disease, as well as improvement of general health. The most spectacular reason for acupuncture's success is: Stimulation of needles by the acupuncturist. Stimulation of the meridians; the rivers of energy throughout our bodies. These rivers get stopped up from time to time, acupuncture is the key to clearing the stop... Acupuncture a method of encouraging the body to promote natural healing and to improve bodily functions. f:\12000 essays\mythology & legends (75)\Ancient Greece A Time Of Great Cities And Lives .TXT +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Ancient Greece A Time Of Great Cities And Lives Ancient Greece was an interesting time and place with huge markets in which people could sell items of every kind. Strict laws with even stricter penalties if broken, a place where women were did not have as many rights as they do today, and along with the most outstanding army in their time. A quote that goes along with this time is; "I have killed one I have killed two -- the vampire who said he was youo." - Sylvia Platts. Likewise in the Ancient Greeks so called modern civilization, which has often been compared with the Nazi Germanies ethics of male domination. very cruel and yet enticing time to be alive. "Get your pots and pans..." Compared to today Ancient Greece was a city far ahead of its time and possibly the time in which people now live. Down in the streets of there was always someone willing to buy, trade or sell anything that you had or desired. With Ancient Greeks booming economy it's no wonder that it attracted almost one quarter of the worlds businesses and various smiths. These included bronze smiths, tanners and potters. It is no wonder that Ancient Greece was in its time considered the beginning of the of a new era that would be recognised as the centre of the worlds economy and was to be home to more than twice as many shops and people than the city already held. Although women in the world today are always talking about women and their rights and how they deserve to be equal in everything that they do and -2- receive, it was not a problem to Greeks in their society which has been described as a place where women's freedom was restricted and their lives were restricted to that of a slave in some cases but was really no different than a women's freedom in today's society. In Greece it was a mans world in which a man could do what he pleased to a certain extent of the law. Which is better than today due to women's rights movements and decency laws that have been implemented in the past years. It also would have been interesting to see how the women really were treated instead of from books and and assignments. Along with all of the amazing feats that Greeks accomplished it is of no surprise that they had one of the strongest and most feared armies in all of the world in its time. Of all the battles and wars that the Ancient Greeks army had engaged in there was always a plan of attack, just like in today's armies. Today's armies might have even adapted some of their strategies from the Greeks. It is also fascinating on how they praised war heros like Hector and Achilles both from the Trojan War. Ancient Greece, a place with markets in which people could sell items of every kind, strict laws with even stricter penalties if broken, a place where women were did not have as many rights as they do today, and along with the most outstanding army in their time. What a great place to live where everyone even the poor had food to eat, water to drink, people to protect them -3- while they slept and plenty of wonders to behold from the great architecture right down to the shops and smiths at every turn. Ancient Greece, what an interesting time of great cities and lives. f:\12000 essays\mythology & legends (75)\Antigone 2.TXT +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Raygan DeFillippo ENG 101 Kreitzer June 17, 1996 Antigone Critics have traditionally divided over the question of whether Antigone or Creon is the protagonist in the play, Antigone, by Sophocles. The answer lies in ones interpretation of the play. Is it a play about a woman doomed by the sins of her father, r is it a play about a king who holds himself more powerful than the gods? Antigone is the daughter of Oedipus. Oedipus, once the king of Thebes, unwittingly killed his father and married his mother. Four children, Polyneices, Etocles, Antigone, and Ismene were the products of that union. When Oedipus learns the true ident y of Iocaste, his wife and mother, he blinds himself and leaves Thebes. His two sons, Polyneices and Etocles, wage war over the control of Thebes, and kill each other in doing so. When the play opens, Antigone is speaking with her sister, Ismene, about Creon's (present king of Thebes) decree that Polyneices be denied a burial. Polyneices' body will be put into the fields, unburied, as punishment for his attack on Thebes. Antig e decides she must bury the body. If Antigone is the protagonist of this play, then the action is a further saga in the chapter of Oedipus. Oedipus and his family are doomed for his sin against the gods. Sophocles describes this in Ode II: Where once the anger of heaven has struck, that house has shaken For ever: damnation rises behind each child Like a wave cresting out of the black northeast, When the long darkness under sea roars up And bursts drumming death upon the whindwhipped sand (336). Creon becomes a tool of the gods used to further the doom of the family of Oedipus. Antigone knows that she is cursed. In the prologue, Antigone says, " . . . You would think that we had already suffered enough for the curse on Oedipus . . ." (322). She decides that it is her duty to defy Creon's proclamation and bury her brother, P yneices, so that his soul can rest in peace in the Underworld. Antigone is not concerned with the punishment of death that he (Creon) has promised to impose on anyone who dares defy his edict, because her death has been foretold by the gods. Antigone ooses to bury Polyneices so that they can both die with honor. She notes that life is short, but that death is forever. Antigone remarks, "It will not be the worst of deaths - death without honor" (325). If Antigone is the protagonist, all the action of the play is derived from this choice. Creon is the antagonist, the means by which Antigone makes the choice to die with honor. Creon becomes a pawn between the struggle of Antigone and the gods. Ant one chooses to make her peace with the gods by sacrificing her life to uphold their laws of burial. She tells Creon " . . . all your strength is weakness itself against the immortal unrecorded laws of the gods" (333). If Creon is the protagonist, this is a play about the hubris of a man who thinks himself more powerful, and more important than the gods. He has decreed that Polyneices remain unburied to pay for his crimes against the state. But in making this procl ation, Creon defies the laws of the gods and prevents the gods from claiming Polyneices, after his death. When Antigone is brought to Creon, after her crime has been discovered, Creon is enraged. Antigone explains that there is a higher law than his, at of the gods, and she is obeying the gods proclamation. But Creon can only see that she has broken his laws: The girl is guilty of double insolence, Breaking the given laws and boasting of it. Who is the man here, She or I, if this crime goes unpunished (334)? He condemns Antigone to death by entombing her in stone. With this action, Creon seals his fate. Creon listens to no ones advice. His son Haimon and Charagos warn him against challenging the gods. Creon, however, can not see past his own pride. Teserias finally convinces him of his foolishness. He tells Creon that " . . . the Furies and the da gods of Hell are swift with terrible punishment for you" (347). Creon goes to set Antigone free, but it is too late, his fate has been written. Antigone has hung herself, and Haimon is grief stricken that his love has taken her own life. Haimon atte ts to kill his father, but fails, and kills himself. Creon returns home to find that his wife, grief stricken by her son's death, has also killed herself. Creon realizes that all that has happened is a result of his arrogance. "Fate has brought all m pride to a thought of dust" (354). If Creon is the protagonist, the action of the play is derived from Creon's choice to make his laws more important than the laws of the gods. Antigone is the antagonist, the means by which Creon defies the gods. He chooses to hold himself above the g s, and is severely punished for this action. While there is evidence for both Antigone and Creon being the protagonists, I believe the action of the play is centered around Creon. While Antigone's basic character remains the same, Creon's character undergoes a profound change. He begins as an a ogant, proud king, and ends as a broken humble man. Choragos states the theme of the play: There is no happiness where there is no wisdom; No wisdom but in submission to the gods. Big words are always punished, And proud men in old age learn to be wise (354). f:\12000 essays\mythology & legends (75)\Antigone.TXT +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Antigone: A Tragic Hero Heroes come in many forms. Some such as immense in size and strength as Hercules, some in the form of people that are shunned upon, such as Harriet Tubman, and some that are only valorous heroes to some, such as Kurt Cobain. These heroes have many characteristics that make people flock to their side and follow them without a thought of hesitation. In Sophocles' Antigone the hero is a women that believes in her heart far stronger than that of her leader's rule. This brings up many characteristics that are shown within her that are also seen in other heroes. One being that she is up against an impossible enemy, one who does not fit well into society's mold, and is destroyed by her own pride. For these characteristics Antigone is given the title of an epic Heroin. Antigone is one of the lucky townsfolk to be born of a royal house, yet is unlucky to be born in the House that she is born into. As Antigone defies Creon's law, she is cast into a pool of danger between what she believes is right and what the state's law decrees is right. As Antigone is charged with the burying of her brother, an action which the King has declared unlawful, she holds like stone to her undying gratitude for her deceased brother. She holds to this thought because of the fact that she believes that her, who died fighting against the state, must be interred with the same honor as her brother who died defending the state. She believes that this will help lift the curse plagued on the household. The curse in which there father tried to hold at bay and failed. Her sister Ismene warned Antigone by exclaiming "Sister please, please! remember how our father die: hated, in disgrace, wrapped in horror of himself, his own hand stabbing out his sight. And how his mother-wife in one, twisted off her earthly days with a cord. And thirdly how our two brothers in a single day each achieved for each a suicidal Nemesis" (166). This has already gave Antigone the mind set that even the Gods are against her will. She is also up against a great foe in fighting that of Creon's edict. Ismene has said this: "The rest, if we defy our sovereign's edict and his power. Remind ourselves that we are women, and such not made to fight with men. For might unfortunately is right and makes us bow to things like this and worse" (167). So as one would believe Antigone sees herself as not only on who can defy the power of the Gods but the power of the state. Thus she would be up against an force greater than her own. Second, another characteristics of a tragic hero is that the person does not always fit into society's mold. The tragic hero is usually one who wants change, yet also needs the peace that goes along with stability. The fact that the tragic hero also usually thinks that they are in there right mind when yet the rest of the society thinks that they are mad. Antigone has said "Say that I am mad, and madly let me risk the worst that I can suffer and the best" (168). this shows that although Antigone thinks she is doing is right, she also does not care how the other members of society deem her for her action. Antigone also must believe that she must be different from not only society but members of her family. Creon notes on this when he is asking her about his proclamation "O, she's the man, not I, if she can walk away unscathed! I swear I hardly care if she be my sister's child, or linked to me by blood more closely than any member of my hearth and home (181). This should also show one that Creon does not care about her nobility and that he will treat her just like one any other member of society. Lastly, Antigone is inherently destroyed by the one thing that is her tragic flaw: excessive pride. This was also a downfall of her father Oedipus. This pride could also be confused with honor. Antigone not only defies Creon's edict but also makes a mockery of it when he asks her about it. When asked if she knows the edict her exclamation is "Of course I knew. Was it not publicly proclaimed?" (179). This line clearly shows that Antigone has knows that she broke the edict and also is not shamed to admit it to the creator of the edict himself. She almost revels in telling Creon about it. Antigone also shows that she choose what to do not based on the law of the state but on the laws of the Gods. Antigone also embellishes her statement by telling Creon that he is a fool to judge her on what she has done. "I feel no twinges of regret. And if you think I am a fool, perhaps it is because a fool is judge" (180). If anything this clearly states that she has excessive pride for what she has done and will make sure that Creon knows this and her unfeigned gratitude for her dead brothers. As one can tell the role of a tragic hero is one that Antigone plays well. Although she dies at the end of this play, Antigone feels no regret in what she has done. She also shows that she is proud of the fact that she never denied burying her brother. One would infer that although of her death, Antigone died for what she believed. This is the utmost characteristic in the portrait of a tragic hero. f:\12000 essays\mythology & legends (75)\Aphrodite.TXT +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ . Bullfinch once said "Mythology is the handmaid of literature...". That means that mythology is necessarily subservient or subordinate to literature. I personally think that is not true. Let me introduce myself. My name is Aphrodite, goddess of beauty and sexual desire. Mythology is important and interesting . In fact, I think I may be the most interesting of all the gods. Well, at least the most beautiful. In this auto biographical paper I will reveal to you who I am, how I relate to mythology, and a famous story about myself. Let me start with my birth. Many think I was born out of murder. They say that when Cronos butchered his father he flung the dismembered body into the sea, where it floated spouting blood and foam. From the foam rose me, a tall beautiful maiden with long blond hair the color of daffodils. Other legends say that I am the daughter of Cronos and Rheia or Jupiter and Dionne. I am married to Hephaestus, god of fire and metal work. Shortly after birth my poor husband was cast out of Olympus because of his deformities. My son is the famous arrow shooting Cupid. We are almost always together and Cupid is always shooting darts of desire in to the bosoms of Gods and men. I hate to admit it but in a way I am responsible for the Trojan War. One day Discord threw an apple on to Olympus to be given to the most beautiful goddess. Hera, Athene, and I all tried to claim the title. Each of us tried to persaude the judge, Paris, in our favor. Hera told him he would be a powerful ruler, Athene promised him that he would receive great military fame, and I guaranteed him Helen of Troy's hand in marriage. He then declared me the fairest of all, and abducted Helen of Troy thus beginning the Trojan War. I have also inspired many paintings, sculptures, and poetry. The most famous painting featuring me is the Birth of Venus. It is a very famous painting from the Renaissance. As you can see I am one of the most important goddess and have influenced mythology immensely. I relate to mythology by being the goddess of love and beauty. My Roman name is Venus. My work is my pleasure, my profession, and my hobby. I think about nothing but love and nobody expects any more from me. My job is to make other gods and goddess fall in love with each other. I am ashamed to say that I have had many lovers and have had children from these other men. They are Lyrus, Eryt, Beroe, Herophilus, and many others. It must be that darn magic girdle. It enables the wearer to have any man or god she chooses under her spell just by him saying her name or catching a glimpse of her. As you can see it causes me a lot of trouble and embarrassment. I think being the goddess of love and beauty was an important role in mythology that left its effect on the rest of civilization. One of the most famous stories about me is one that includes my lover Ares. One day Helios the sun god, who sees everything, noticed me and my lover Ares lying side by side. He told my husband Hephaestus who said nothing. Later that night he prepared an invisible net, which he spread around my bed. When I went to bed with my lover the net closed around us and we found ourselves completely immobilized. My husband then summoned all the gods to come and view the spectacle. When he released me I ran off in shame and embarrassment. Another one of my famous stories is about me starting the Trojan War which I already mentioned. Being a goddess can be exciting but also scandalous!! Revealing to you who I am, how I relate to mythology, and famous anecdotes about myself was the main theme of my paper. Now you know a little about me and mythology. Mythology is an important part of our history and understanding mythology will help you to understand many works of literature and poetry. This paper is only a brief piece of all the parts of mythology and I encourage you all to go out and discover about the Greek gods and goddess of long ago! f:\12000 essays\mythology & legends (75)\Astrology Applications in Business.TXT +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ v Astrology is the science of certain cryptic relations between the celestial bodies and terrestrial life. It is considered an art and a practical science. It lays no claim to be what used to be called an exact science, but studies certain predispositions or tendencies in human life, which are sometimes indicated so clearly that they become virtual certainties. The possible uses of astrology are endless and may be used to a variety of means. Since the days of the Chaldeans, it was known that the sun, moon, and planets followed similar paths, the zodiac. It is a zone of the celestial sphere that extends from 8.5 degrees on either side if the path of the sun. As a primitive calendar, the zodiacal belt was arbitrarily divided into twelve sections of 30 degrees each. these are the famous signs of the zodiac. The orgins of the names given to each sign extend into the most remote regions of antiquity. Terrestrial animal gods, whether real or imagined , were one day projected onto the constellations which, in the Chaldean imagination, they resembled. This celestial menagerie has furthermore given the zodiac its name, for in greek, it means "route of animals." The sun enters the first zodiacal sign, Aries , and then continues its path through the remaining eleven signs. The twelve signs of the zodiac are: Aries, Taurus, Gemini, Cancer, Leo, Virgo, Libra, Scorpio, Sagittarius, Capricorn, Aquarius, and Pisces. The moon and the planets pass through the signs too, but obviously at different speeds from those of the sun. The moon, which is close to the earth, circles the zodiac in twenty-nine days, while the planet Pluto needs two hundred fifty years. Planets also can be seen to slow down, stop, and even reverse directions in relationship to the constellations that they cross. In reality, the planet inexorably continues along its way. But the speed of the earth itself interacts with that of the planet to occasionally give this impression. The symbolism of the twelve signs is a very ancient tradition passed along from Manilius and Ptolemy of Alexandria. It ascribes well-defined properties to each sign, influences transmitted to the child at birth that determine his character, health, and destiny. Passing through twelve signs, the planets, play different parts. Being born at the moment when one of the signs is occupied by several planets confers the properties of this sign on the individual. The most important celestial figure is that of the sun. This what determines what sign the child was born under. In this way an ancient tradition has divided human beings into twelve psychological types whose descriptions are intuitive of human nature. This interpretation of the twelve signs is a blend of several different works but generally agree on the signification of the signs of the zodiac. ARIES (March 21-April 20) Ruled by Mars, the Aries is the incarnation of violent will, impatience, impulsiveness, and rapid, often precipitated, decisions. The principal qualities are enthusiasm, courage, independence, and pride. But Aries is too aggressive and impulsive. Like the animal that it symbolizes, he has a great tendency to thrust ahead with his horns without having reflected beforehand. To succeed in life the aries must keep his enthusiasm but moderate his ardor. The Aries essence is the principal of acceleration personified. "Fast" is the word that governs all activities from falling in love to saving a hopeless situation. Ariens talk fast, think fast, move fast and have no patience for people who don't. Ariens thrive on challenge and are born leaders, eager to break through old barriers to watch their ideas take hold. Their nature is dynamic, fiery and fiercely determined to have its own way, regardless. And because they can be such an audacious, impassioned, overwhelming force to handle, they get their own way more often than not. A displeased Aries can be like a tornado: if caught standing in the path of either, there is no way to remain impervious. There may be disturbing sounds and things may begin to fly, but it doesn't last long. Ariens are highly generative and immensely positive in their approach to all they undertake. There is an extraordinary courage in this sign that springs from vitality and confidence that sings of miracles. This is a sign that senses possibility in the improbable and that can create new conditions out of chaos. The Aries vision is progressive and expansive, and their approach enthusiastic and inspiring. They bring an incandescence to everything they care about. One strength this sign is missing is subtlety. And one way this deficiency comes through is with the kind of candor that can kill. When Ariens are good, they are very good; when they are bad, they are very bad. Taurus (April 21-May 22) It is Venus who governs this sign. In general, Taurus is a concrete being, firmly attached to the goods of this world. He has a strong but peaceful sensuality. His anger is rare, in the image of the peaceful beast that is his totem, but it comes abruptly and violently: he easily "sees red." Most often however, he demonstrates his good sense, stability and fidelity. He can sometimes be reproached for lack of detachment and disinterestedness. Taurus is archetypal earth, steady and enduring, solid as the ground beneath one's feet. By nature, Taureans are strong and basic, practical and uncomplicated in their approach to life. Taureans are loyal and loving in pragmatic ways that promote positive feelings. Builders of bonds, nests, and families, Taureans know instinctively how to make a house a home. Taureans have a way of consuming their own possessions, or preserving and cherishing them like objects of fine art. The sheer sensuous pleasure that a Taurean is capable of taking in life is something the more mental signs can learn from. However, like anything else, it is prone to excess and can pose problems. The Taurean tunes negative can be cold, brutal, violent, and sadistic, the type of person to take a life simply to make an angry point. Bottled up and often displaced anger is a key problem for they do not deal well with their deeper emotions. When fixed in a chosen direction and highly motivated, the typical Taurean can outendure all competition, opposition and obstacles of every kind. However, the motivation has to spring from something that is highly valued. Gemini (May 21-June 21) It is Gemini that influences the gemini, the crafty Mercury, god of eloquence, merchants and thieves. He is above all a shrewd being, constantly proving his adaptability in all circumstances. He enjoys social contacts. All recognize Gemini's brilliance and spirituality. He must nonetheless guard against falling into easiness that would make of him a superficial, unstable and mixed-up individual. He should put intelligence in the service of a durable cause. In love,he must be careful of artificiality, and put more sincerity into rushes of feeling. "I think therefore I am" is the classic Gemini code for carrying on with life. Geminis meet all of their problems "head" on and have a set of reasons for all their motivations-including those that are purely emotional. People born under this sign are smart and glib, social and superficially clever. Gemini is the sign of communication, and most Geminis can talk their way out of a maximum-security prison. Or, when the guileful trickster takes over, they can manipulate somebody else behind bars. Geminis tend to be self-involved and fear those who sabotage their sense of freedom. Seeking stimulation but having a strong sense of self-preservation, they will avoid anything that seriously threatens their ego base. Instinctively, they select and sort out what or who is most important in their scheme of things. Quite often such discriminations are based on a desire for power. Highly verbal and gregarious, Geminis have a gift for talking and taking advantage of the attention that their clever words attract. There is great power in their ability to generate an eager and receptive audience. Caught up in the moment, they lack self-consciousness and have the ability to get the most dolorous crowd to break into contagious laughter. Because the thinking process overrides their ability to feel, Geminis have to train their minds to work for them rather than against them. A powerful mind is a calm, focused and disciplined one. On the other hand, a mind that is out of control gets nowhere, and is a Gemini pitfall which finds expression in many aspects of life. Cancer (June 22-July 22) Like the moon that governs this sign, Cancer is an imaginative, sensitive, and dreamy individual. Somewhat self- effacing, he enjoys family life, where his timidity- and somewhat weakness- seems to be protected from the hardness of this world. The feeling for the past is more attractive that the future. He often feels a nostalgia for childhood and the protection of his mother and must try to overcome this attitude. Cancer must strive to impose his qualities of shrewdness and intuition on groups of people. In love, it is not good for the cancer to give too much importance to the wounds of self-love, and he must learn to declare himself at the right moment. Ruled by the tides of their fluctuating emotions, Cancers are Moon people, mysterious as the sea at night, delicate as a moon beam shimmering on the surface of a still and haunted lake. In their own unique ways, Cancers are haunted-by their fears and anguished fantasies, their attachment to the past, their driven compulsions and their quiet, self-obsessed dramas that sometimes move them to the brink of madness. Self-enclosed and saturated with their own emotions, Cancers feel everything that they don't deliberately shut out. it is a highly strung inner world of intense emotional velocity that is ignited by any threat to their sense of control. Sometimes sensitive and compassionate, sometimes cold and cut off from the world, Cancers are influenced by both the inner and outer atmosphere. The result is a person easily pressured by onslaughts on their self-preservation. In the Cancer mind, the unconscious is very close to the surface. as the first of the three water signs, much of life is about learning to live with this emotional makeup in the middle of a cold an insecure material world. Cancers are often criticized as being extremely self- centered people. However, it is, in truth, as if there is no self, only a self-protective shell. With emotions so close to the surface, Cancers are hopelessly sentimental. Generous to a fault, they can be a fool for love. When it comes to work , the classic Cancerian has the concentration of a brain surgeon and the drive to go along with it. Tenacious, task-oriented and intense, Cancers tend to be perfectionists who take their work personally-and sometimes a little too seriously. There are Cancers who leave the office at the office. However, it is likely that they work overtime, don't take time for lunch, and go home hours after the cleaning lady. Leo (July 23-August 22) Having elected to reside in this sign, the sun confers its force, amplitude, and radiance on those born in Leo. Leo is a proud, individualistic, and generous being. Authority and willpower are among the dominant character traits. Thus he has strong trump cards to help obtain success in life. Leo must be wary, however, of pride and unmeasured action, and govern ambitions with the measure of his abilities. He must avoid being too susceptible to flattery. In love, he has a tendency to transform his life into the stage of the theater. He should be more reserved in the manifestations of his rushes of feeling. those who love him will be grateful for this. Leo is the sign of the sun, and like the sun itself, Leos shine with stellar incandescence. Leos' magnetism makes them highly memorable people who exude power and personableness. Personality is the Leo strong point. When so desiring, the Leo charm can tame serpents and turn the world at large into an adoring enclave. At their best they give off a scintillating sort of radiance. They are positive and enthusiastic, spirited, dynamic and larger than life. Leos expect the best from themselves and everyone around them. It is this attitude that helps them achieve their dreams. This is the sign that is determined to do things its own way, at all costs, with no patience for the opinions of others. When this works, the Leo energy and willfulness can create miracles. When it backfires, it's probably more comfortable hanging out in a towering inferno. Although Leos are overachiever with highly successful track records, they tend to underestimate their accomplishments. The anxiety deep within them concerning performance never allows them to rest and gives them problems delegating authority. They embrace perfectionistic standards and feel contempt for mediocrity. Virgo (August 23-September 23) It is mercury that rules this sign. But it is not the subtle and airy Mercury of gemini. Intelligence is more matter-of-fact: less gifted but deeper. The Virgo is rightly considered calculating, prudent and attached to minor details to the point of fixation. For the Virgo, reason overcomes the heart; precision seems to be more important than intuition, of which he is wary. In love, Virgo is not very demonstrative, or at least, unable to decide, a late marriage will be his lot. Commonly known as the sign of the nitpicking perfectionist, Virgos often consider themselves to be discriminators graced with divine sanction. Seeing flaws like Librans see beautiful faces, Virgos are often controlled by their visions. In time, their visions go into what makes up a life. The single most important challenge in the Virgo experience is to see things in larger terms. Virgos' visions determine their career success, quality of experience in relationships, health, and overall quality of life. The perfectionism so often associated with this sign, has in fact far less to do with perfection than with a diminished view of the whole. It is the sort of perception that focuses in on the loose thread rather than the color of of the fabric. Virgos are victimized by a deadly dreariness that is born of duty and discipline, self-control and routinized regimes. People born under this sign often have to wake up to the possibilities of their own life and the power within themselves. Shortsighted, Virgos settle easily for the minor roles that are so often assigned to them rather than stretching them beyond and utilizing the gifts of what could be a superior mind. Libra (September 23- October 22) Governed by Venus, the planet of harmony and arts, one word characterizes Libra: equilibrium, as the sign it symbolizes. Libra is sociable, refined, and understanding, party to conciliatory solutions. But be careful, for he is gifted with a very fine sense of justice, and will engage in battle if he considers that he has been ridiculed. In sentimental relationships, Libra is praised for hi sweetness and elegance, with an occasionally somewhat exaggerated coquetishness. Aggressiveness must be stimulated, for Libra's distinguished nonchalance can prevent his social success. In many respects, Libra is a sign of paradox. Librans sprout from a series of contradictions: self versus nonself, mental versus emotional, pleasure versus pathos, generosity versus greed, control versus chaos. Underneath the smiling face and stellar charm lies a character with many convolutions, confusions, frustrations and ambivaleces concerning its identity. Combine this with very high intelligence and you have people who think a great deal about how they ought to be, how they should have been, how they might have been and how they will be if only...and so on. While this highly complicated process sounds self-centered, it is in fact the workings of a self that doesn't feel complete by itself. It always seems that something is missing, and whether that appears to be another person, a significant promotion, or a successful project that will prove one's worth, the day-to-day drama is often a torturous spiral. The need to affirm one's self is so strong in Libras that it makes many of them burn with ambition. In the intensity of striving and accomplishing, one leaves a sense of lacking behind. Alas the fuel for such ambition is the kind of anxiety that never lets one calm down. The satisfaction that comes from having achieved one's goal is soon supplanted by the necessity for a new creation. And so continues the rise and fall of doing and being. In between each gap is like a gasp in which a threatening, self- diminishing voice sneaks through. Scorpio (October 23- November 21) Mars, the god of war, and Pluto, the god of the underworld, share this kingdom. It suffices to say that the child of Scorpio is not a being of rest. There is in him a depth of violent aggressiveness and undiscipline, but also of anguish. Scorpios enemies must contend with his piercing critical sense, which permits the rapid discovery of the chinks in their armor, for it is certain that he has flair. There is also scientific curiosity which penetrates the depths nature's secrets, even if they are dangerous. Passionate and jealous in love, possessing strong sexuality; in a word, Scorpio has the best and the worst. By developing the best, he is able to have exceptional success in life. Scorpio might be the most misunderstood sign in the zodiac. It is a convoluted sign, commonly associated with mystery, sex, power, and intrigue. In social gatherings where the conversation has descended to the most superficial astrological chitchat, Scorpio gets more than its share of abuse. Much of this has to do with the fact that at any given point a great deal of the Scorpionic agenda remains hidden. Intensely private, strongly secretive and rather suspicious, Scorpio does not reveal itself to anyone, nor does it form close overnight friendships. For the most part, members of this sign stand aloof from more obvious social interactions. Scorpios prefer one-to- one situations to large parties at which people present their social facades. This is a sign of depth and depth perception. Scorpios see and feel more than most people, and not infrequently these feelings are complicated and problematic. Because of this, at a very early age, they develop a deep need for control, along with a list of goals and game plans that will take them where they want to go. Scorpio is the power behind the throne, and has the substance of which CEO's are made. Success is what they are after. They ca be secretive and ruthless to achieve their desired position. Sagittarius (November 22-December 20) Jupiter is the master os this sign. He confers an honest, generous and loyal nature. Sagittarius has true nobility of character that works through goodness and moderation. He enjoys escaping from the banality of day-to-day life, and travelling attracts him. Furthermore, these travels can be imaginary as well as real. Sagittarius is a sign of the philosophical mind. In love, he prefers legality and lasting feelings to brief and violent passions and adventures. The essence of sagittarian nature is possibility personified. Diminishment of any kind depresses the classic Sagittarian, as does anyone or anything interfering with the Sagittarian's sense of freedom. Sagittarians always want to feel free to make choices and to move in any direction that suits them. Sagittarius is the sign of the adventurer, bound only by his own beliefs. Sagittarians have expansive minds and are eager to learn, and experience, always restless and impatient to move ahead. The classic Sagittarian is a democratic individual with ideals that often define the lifestyle. The Sagittarian soul desires expansion at all costs and is sensitive to social issues that affect the functioning of self and fellow man. Sagittarians want the best possible worlds. They will never stop searching until they find it. For a great many members of this sign, the entire experience of life is one endless exploration. Sagittarians see possibility where other signs perceive limitations. They also have a genius for seeing splendid things that the common mind might consider silly. The Sagittarian nature wants to soar, and after landing, to remain unimpeded. This can cause some unsettling problems when encountering the situation called "daily life." Sagittarians want life to be perfect, and they don't want to waste their perfect time dinking around with petty, boring details or being bothered by a moronic boss with no vision. Capricorn (December 21-January 19) This region of the winter sky has been attributed by astrologers to the morose Saturn. Capricorn is serious, often on the defensive; decisions are taken in a calm atmosphere, and he is farsighted. He is very ambitious, but is careful not to show it, preferring to act in the shadows rather than in the broad daylight. It is not worth the trouble to attempt flattery, for Capricorn will not be susceptible. He is cold, objective, and wary by nature. He will not try to please in love, and some might reproach a lack of spirit; feeling exist, but they are buried deep inside. Capricorn will never sacrifice his carer to a passing fling or even to a passion. A born executive with sky-high goals, Capricorn is the classic accomplishmentarian. Driven beyond high ambition, this is a sign that doesn't believe in giving up. Patient, enduring and steadfast in the face of all obstacles, Capricorn instinctively understands the value of time. This is a sign that can outwait all opposition and then confidently move in for the kill. Invariably, Capricorn gets what it wants because it goes about it in all the right ways. Hardworking, highly organized, diligent, down to earth and quietly determined, Capricorns make great tycoons, business chieftains, politicians, presidents and entrepreneurs. The Capricorn mind is intrinsically materialistic. It knows the value of a dollar in several different countries and the most recent fluctuation in the price of gold. Capricorns value their possessions like some people value their children, and they look at life through a prism of appearance-what you see is what you get. Capricorns are born climbers who will make it to the top and eventually own it. And once securely positioned in place, attest that there is no other way to go. Like everything else. Capricorns take their status very seriously and never tire of their material rewards. The material to Capricorn is worth, their worth. Having an eye for fine quality, they fully enjoy the luxury of owning the best. To the Capricorn mind, excellence is always its own reward. Aquarius (January 20- February 18) Modern astrologers have assigned this sign to the planet Uranus. Like it, Aquarius is gifted with a lively intelligence, and taken dy the new, sometimes by the utopian. Originality and idealism are two principle character traits. Very disinterested, Aquarius is enthused by great revolutionary causes, but will not descend into the arena. The battle of ideas is sufficient, for the Aquarius always has a depth of reserve, dreaminess, and sensitivity. He is not very realistic in love, and demonstrates much independence and fantasy. He is able to please and to be devoted but does not like to become attached. Aquarius must beware of solitude. Authentic airheads, Aquarian minds are airborne and aglow with ideals that often have to do with utopian empires and progressive, inventive lifestyle alternatives. In astrology, the element of air has to do with the cerebral realm and all that this implies, such as mental creations and concoctions, communications and intellectual vistas contained by the frameworks of the mind. Aquarians are often brainy people, full of brilliance and visionary explosions, seeing so far ahead that they leave the present behind. The characteristic Aquarian is far more mental than emotional. Aquarians, in fact, have feelings about their mental constructs and intellectual aspirations. Their most beautiful love experience passes straight through the brain. The craving for a sense of possibility is a pervasive one in the Aquarian's scheme of things. It is the motivational force behind the humanitarian involvements and strongly cherished dreams and ideals. The end of the sixties, which sang of the "Age of Aquarius," epitomized the spirit of blind ideas put forth as truth, without deeper understanding of the comprehensive whole, or the complicated timing of social change. The Aquarian mind, rolling on a track, does not take detours. Nor, is it intellectually open to their possibility. This is a sign associated with a great deal of fanaticism and willful rebellion. Aquarians are heedless and reckless, throwing caution to the wind creating situations that are self-destructive. It is this blind which brings them their share of headaches, heartaches and trouble. Pisces (February 19- March 20) Naturally it is Neptune, god of the sea that governs this sign. Everyone agrees that Pisces is emotive and impressionable. He is praised for intuition, poetic ability, sense of compassion, and devotion. But Pisces must overcome the indecision of his character as well as his nonchalance; for activity can suffer from them, and Pisces can be thrown into a dreamy existence, one that is more than a little inefficient. Feelings are marked with a blend of mysticism and sensuality, and the feeling of sacrifice dominates. Pisces is the sign of the psychic, the healer, the intuitive who is in tune with the synchronicities of the universe. Pisces nature is emotional, sensitive and subjective. Their imagination and intelligence are subtly insightful. The Pisces soul is one of mystery and longing. Deep inside a slumbering divinity haunts a more conscious experience of life. There is an unearthly quality to the Pisces sensibility that is associated with the twelfth house. This is a place of monasteries and hidden meanings, astral experiences, dreams, drugs and superconsious states of mind. Pisces is a sign that deeply reflects its ruler, Neptune, the planet of fantasy and illusion, romanticism, compassion, sympathy and the supernatural. Like the vibration of Neptune, the Pisces mind is changeable and fluid, fanciful and ready to flow in any direction. Pisceans are secretive and hold a place inside themselves that they share with only a soul mate. Because they are so psychic, subjective and idealistic, this soul experiences often unsatisfied. Instead, they will merge with and see themselves mirrored in their life supports and security blankets and the deeper need for unity will be sublimated by the experience of sharing. They are constantly searching for their true soul-mate. There is no real way to know if astrology is reality or fiction, but it does broaden our horizons to a new way of thinking. Perhaps time and seasons have caused the similarities to be there, perhaps it is just a coincidence. You must be the judge. f:\12000 essays\mythology & legends (75)\Athena.TXT +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Athena Jason Stowe Period 2 The god to be the topic of discussion in this report is Athena. Athena was an important member of the Olympic pantheon. She was born fully armed from the forehead of Zeus, the chief god. Athena was Zeus's favorite child. He entrusted her with the Aegis, his breastplate, and with his thunderbolt. Athena's role as a goddess varied. She was a major warrior and most images depict her dressed in armor and holding a spear. In Homer's Iliad, she is described as a fierce battle goddess who continually intervened on the side of the Greeks. She also took an interest in handicrafts and agriculture. The olive tree, which she said to have created, is sacred to her. She was noted for her wisdom which explains her close association with the owl, an ancient symbol of wisdom and reason. The most famous temple to Athena was the Parthenon (5th century BC) which was named for Parthenos ("the Maiden"), which still stands atop the Acropolis in Athens. The interior of the Parthenon stands a statue of Athena Parthenos, sculpted by Phidais. When I was reading through myths, I decided I would talk about "The Gift of Athena" which, in my opinion, best illustrates Athena's colorful personality. Here is how "The Gift of Athena" goes: Long, long ago, when this old world was a very young place, and when the few people there were had just begun to live together in groups for their own protection, the great gods selected the places for humans to build the cities. They looked down upon the earth, through the clouds that shrouded their home on the very peak of the high mountain called Olympus, and they chose the sites they thought would provide everything mortals needed to live and prosper. Now, each god and goddess was eager to have a great city built in his or her honor, and so the prime locations-the very best places for the great cities to be built came to cause much bickering and jealousy among the many deities for all wanted a great city built in their honor, a city whose people would worship that particular god or goddess above all others. It happened that great Zeus, the king and ruler of all the gods, had found a spot on earth that appeared absolutely ideal for the building of a noble city; indeed, he foresaw that the city that would be built there would someday become the noblest city on earth. Well, you can imagine that all the gods and goddesses wanted this city for their own, and you would be right. But the two who wanted it most of all were Athena, the goddess of wisdom, and Poseidon, the god of the seas and rivers. Now, Athena was one of Zeus's daughters, and you might expect that her father would honor her request, but Poseidon was Zeus's brother, and Zeus did not want to disappoint him, either. Poseidon appealed to Zeus, saying that this location would provide the city with the greatest natural harbor in all of the world and destine it to be a great seaport. Therefore, as god of the sea, it was only right that he, Poseidon, should be its chief god. But Athena argued just as earnestly that the greatness of this city would not lie in its commerce, but rather in the respect its people would someday have for art and learning. As goddess of wisdom, therefore, she should be its guardian. Zeus, at last, decided upon a way to end this quarrel and to choose, fairly, between the two. He called for a great council to be held at the very site of the new city, and there, with all of the gods and goddesses arrayed before him, Zeus spoke from his golden throne in a clear, commanding voice. "Listen," he said, "to the will of Zeus, who judges now between Poseidon and Athena. The city that is desired by each shall bear the name of that god who shall bring forth from the earth the better gift for the mortals who will dwell here. If Poseidon's gift be judged more useful, this city shall be called Poseidonia, but if Athena's gift be deemed the better, the city shall forever after be known as Athens." Upon hearing this, Poseidon arose in all his majesty, and he struck his trident (that is, the long, three-pronged spear that he always carried)-he struck this trident hard into the ground right where he stood. The earth shook violently all around until, at last, a great crack opened up in the surface. Out of this steaming chasm leaped a magnificent horse, his powerful white body fully arrayed in battle gear, a war-horse like none had ever seen before. "Behold my gift," said Poseidon, "and call the city after my name, for who can give these mortals a better present that the horse, which will ensure their protection from all their enemies." But Athena looked steadfastly with her keen gray eyes at the assembled gods, and she stooped slowly down to touch the earth where she stood. She said nothing but continued to gaze calmly on that great council. Presently they all witnessed a small shoot growing from the ground where Athena had touched her hand. It grew swiftly and in minutes had sprouted thick and luscious boughs and leaves; higher and higher it rose until green fruit appeared on its clustering branches. "My gift is better, O Zeus, than that of Poseidon," she said. "The horse he has given shall bring war and strife and anguish to these morals and their children, but my gift-the olive tree-is the sign of peace and plenty, of health and strength, and the pledge of happiness and freedom. Is it not more fitting, then, that the city to be founded here should be called after my name?" Then the voices of the gods rose in the air as one: "The gift of Athena is better by far, for it is the token that this city shall be greater in peace than in war, and nobler in its freedom than it its power. Let the city be called Athens forevermore." Hearing their appeal, Zeus then bowed his head as a sign of his judgment that the city should be named for Athena. The earth trembled as he rose from his golden throne to return to the halls of Olympus. Athena stood gazing over the land that her victory had given her, and she decided that it was here that she would make her home. "Here," she said, "my children will grow up in happiness, and they will come to understand that freedom is the greatest gift a people can receive. And when the torch of freedom has gone out in Athens, it will be passed on to other peoples in other lands throughout the world." This myth shows how Athena longed for peace and wisdom rather than war. Also, Poseidon held a trident. Trident is actually a combination of a Latin prefix tri-, meaning "three" and the Latin root or stem dent-, meaning "tooth". So, the trident is like a spear with three teeth! Words like tricycle, triangle, etc. also originated from this tri- prefix. Words like dentist and denture originated from this dent- stem. So, these are good examples of how today's words originated from the Greek and Roman times! f:\12000 essays\mythology & legends (75)\atlantis.TXT +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Atlantis Atlantis: We will never know Fantasy is a tough sell in the twentieth century. The world has been fully discovered and fully mapped. Popular media has effectively minimized the legend and the fantastic rumor, though to make up for this it has generated falsities not as lavish but just as interesting. Satellites have mapped and studied the earth, leaving only a space frontier that is as yet unreachable. But standing out is a charming fantasy the modern world has yet to verify or condemn: the lost continent of Atlantis. The father of the modern world's perception of Atlantis is Plato (circa 428- circa 347 b.c.). (1) The Greek philosopher spoke in his works Timaeus and Critias of a continent in the Atlantic ocean larger than Africa and Asia Minor combined which rivaled Athens as the most advanced in the world. (2) According to the legend surrounding Plato's dialogues, the island of Atlantis was violently thrown into the sea by the forces of nature, and its few survivors managed to swim ashore and relate their story. (3) There the legend was passed by word of mouth until an Egyptian priest related the story to Solon, a character in Timaeus. The priest admired the achievements of prehistoric Athenians, because when the rulers of Atlantis threatened to invade all of Europe and Asia the Athenians, on behalf of all Greeks, defeated the Atlanteans to avoid enslavement. (4) The works of Plato opened the floodgates to endless speculation on whether the continent described was fact or fiction. Atlantis has since been placed in Spain, Mongolia, Palestine, Nigeria, the Netherlands, Brazil, Sweden, Greenland and Yucatan. Every nook and cranny of the globe has been hypothesized; mountain peaks, desert lands, the ocean floor and even the barren wasteland of Antarctica have been mentioned in theories. (5) While some of these theories are compatible with Plato's works and are within relative reason, numerous crackpot theories have been developed using the lost continent as a basis. One of these theories, posted on the computer internet where it has access to over fifteen million people, talks in twenty-one pages of pre-historical lands with names like Oz and Luxor. These world wide web pages list over two hundred separate articles of proof for the existence of Atlantis, as in the following: (6) "Most all ancient civilizations believed in the TITANS, the race of giant humans that inhabited Earth long ago. Different races knew them by different names. These 7 to 12 foot humanoids were thought to be legendary until the excavation of over a dozen skeletons 8 to 12 feet tall, around the world, shocked archeologists. These skeletons were positively human. Some of these skeletal remains are on Maui in lava caves near Ulupalakua and Olowalu. The Spanish Conquistadors left diaries of wild blond-haired, blue-eyed 8 to 12 foot high men running around in the Andes during the conquest of the Incas. A couple were reportedly captured but died en route to Europe. If giant animals (dinosaurs) were possible then why not giant men? And why are these goliaths populating both Eurasia and the Americas? Only on a land bridge created by the vast continent of Antarctica can there be a sufficient bridge for the spread of these giants."(7) This text, written by self-proclaimed Atlantologist Steve Omar, represents Plato's text taken to the extreme- using his ideas as a basis for outlandish and unfounded ideas. These unverified fantasies make a dubious complement to the other dark side of the Atlantean fantasy: hoaxes. Atlantis has been "discovered" many times, but most notably in the fall of 1912 by Dr. Paul Schliemann. Schliemann introduced himself as the grandson of the famous Heinrich Schliemann, the archeologist who discovered the ruins of ancient Troy in 1873. His "discovery" made front page news (The New York American, October 1912.) and boasted of an advanced civilization with aircraft, power-driven boats and the like. Schliemann said his grandfather told him on his deathbed of the family's secret: the location of Atlantis. Schliemann's claims made waves, but didn't hold water; when pressed for details, Schliemann was unresponsive and eventually disappeared from public view. (8) Unfortunately, the falsities concerning Atlantis frequently overshadow the possibilities. The subject has gathered its share of honest journalists as well. Ignatius Donnelly wrote the first extensive study of the possibility of existence in 1882, and his views have not been found to be false with twentieth century technology. Donnelly believed in Atlantis, but believed it to be worldly; his reasons for Atlantis's existence are unable to be proven, but make sense. Some examples: -There is nothing improbable in Plato's narrative; it describes rich, cultured and educated people but doesn't mention things of fantasy like giants, hobgoblins etc. (9) -Plato speaks of hot and cold springs in the center of Atlantis, a feature common to islands with volcanic activity. Chances are Plato didn't know this. (9) -Plato says in his stories that the Poseidon, the Greek god of the sea, is always seen on a chariot with horses because he was originally the god of Atlantis, where horses were domesticated. But when Atlantis fell to the sea, the Greeks believed Poseidon brought his horses with him. (9) Responding partly to Donnelley's theories and partly to the urge to discover, some 20th century archeologists have used twentieth century technology to look for Atlantis. But many have dismissed Atlantis as glorified myths of volcanic eruptions in the island of Thera in 1450 b.c. The eruption may have destroyed that island and caused a small earthquake and tsunamis that ruined the civilization of Crete, but didn't sink a continent. (10) Therefore, none of Donnelley's theories can be proved without the actual discovery of the continent. The legend of Atlantis is only a huge collection of theories and guesses, but theories and guesses also led to the discovery of the lost Roman cities of Pompeii and Herculaneum, discovered after being buried and preserved by the volcanic ash of nearby Mt. Vesuvius. Because of this, the mystery of Atlantis's existence will tantalize the world until the continent is either proven or disproven. (11) f:\12000 essays\mythology & legends (75)\Being a Hero.TXT +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Being a Hero Thesis: Despite his accomplishments and the glory associated with his life, Aeneas only achieves the status of hero through divine intervention, and this god-given position causes him just as much grief as it does splendor. What is a hero? We would like to think that a hero is someone who has achieved some fantastic goal or status, or maybe someone who has accomplished a great task. Heroes find themselves in situations of great pressure and act with nobility and grace. Though the main character of Virgil's Aeneid, Aeneas, is such a person, it is not by his own doing. He encounters situations in which death is near, in which love, hate, peace, and war come together to cause both good and evil. In these positions he conducts himself with honor, by going along with what the gods want. Only then goes on to pave the way for the Roman Empire. His deeds, actions, and leadership would never have come to be if it were not for the gods. The gods took special interest in Aeneas, causing him misfortune in some cases, giving him assistance in others. On the whole, the gods constantly provide perfect opportunities for Aeneas to display his heroism. Without them, Aeneas would not be the hero he is. This gift does not come without a price, though; he must endure the things heroes endure to become what they are. Despite his accomplishments and the glory associated with his life, Aeneas only achieves the status of hero through divine intervention, and this god-given position causes him just as much grief as it does splendor. Aeneas is the son of Venus. This fact alone brings about much of the hero in him. Venus, a concerned mother, always looks out for her son. She does everything she thinks will help to ensure his safety and success. At the beginning of his journey from Troy, she prevents his death at sea. Juno has persuaded King Aeolus to cause vicious storms, rocking Aeneas' fleet and nearly killing all of them. Venus then goes to Jupiter and begs him to help Aeneas: Venus appealed to him, all pale and wan, With tears in her shining eyes: "My lord who rule The lives of men and gods now and forever, And bring them all to heel with your bright bolt, What in the world could my Aeneas do, What could the Trojans do, to so offend you? Jupiter then assures Venus that he will keep his promise to allow Aeneas to live on to set the stage for the coming of the Romans. In this case, without Venus' watchful eye and concern, Aeneas would have no kind of protection or security as he made his way to Italy. Another instance in which Venus uses her influence to assist Aeneas is during the fifth book. When Aeneas and the Trojans leave Sicily, Venus fears that Juno will attempt to kill Aeneas again, and so asks Neptune for safe passage over the ocean: Beset with worries, Venus turned to Neptune, Unfolding from her heart complaints and pleas: "Juno's anger, and her implacable heart, Drive me to prayers beneath my dignity. ... But as to what comes next, I beg you, let them Safely entrust their sailing ships to you" Once again, Aeneas would have to deal with the wrath of Juno on his own, if it were not for the divine influence of his mother. In book eight of the Aeneid, with war between the Trojans and the Italians imminent, Venus once again fears for the safety of her son. To ensure the well-being of Aeneas, she cajoles her husband, Vulcan into making a suit of armor for Aeneas: "Most dear husband, I never wished to tax you, make you toil In a lost cause, however much I owed To Priam's sons, however long I wept Over Aeneas' ordeals. Now, however, ... I do come, begging your sacred power For arms, a mother begging for her son." Venus is willing to put on this facade of extreme passion for her husband in order to help Aeneas. She goes to lengths that many mothers would not. This is not quite enough, though; average mother's concern alone does not make Aeneas a hero. A divine mother's concern makes him a hero. Without her willingness for personal sacrifice, Aeneas would never survive through the Aeneid. Occasionally, as is the case with most mothers, Venus' judgment of what is best for Aeneas contradicts what fate and the other gods have in store for him. During the Trojans' time at Carthage, Juno and Venus both agree that a union between Dido and Aeneas is in order. They use the attraction that Aeneas and Dido already have for each other and use it to cause them to fall in love. The intensity of this love is enough to cause Dido to break her vow of fidelity to her dead husband and she neglects her responsibilities to the development of the city. Jupiter disapproves of this union, and sends Mercury to remind Aeneas of his responsibility to Rome: Approach the Dardan captain where he tarries Rapt in Tyrian Carthage, losing sight Of future towns the fates ordain. Correct him, Carry my speech to him on the running winds: ... What has he in mind? What hope, to make him stay Amid a hostile race, and lose from view Ausonian progeny, Lavinian lands? The man should sail: that is the whole point. Aeneas is in love with Dido and would gladly stay with her, building up Carthage, but the gods know that there is more important business to which he must tend. Jupiter has to intervene to get Aeneas to do what his destiny dictates him to do in the first place. He would not have done his duty as a hero. Naturally, Aeneas' own mother would don the role of his protector, but not all the gods deemed his plight worth of support. Juno, specifically, did nearly all she could to hinder him. From the start of his journey, Juno makes things difficult for Aeneas; as is previously mentioned, Juno has Aeolus nearly sink all of the Trojans' ships. The survival of the storm and the leading of his followers to safety are good examples of Aeneas' heroism, but he would not even have had this opportunity to be a hero without Juno. In addition, if it was not for Neptune's help, he would not have survived the incident. In book seven, Juno realizes that she cannot change the fate of Aeneas and the Trojans, but is still so bitter that she decides to make things as difficult as possible for them. She summons Allecto to incite hatred and hostility within the residents of Italy, resulting in a desire for war against the Trojans. Here is a service all your own That you can do for me, Daughter of Night, Here is a way to help me, to make sure My status and renown will not give way Or be impaired, and that Aeneas' people Cannot by marriage win Latinus over, ... Break up this peace-pact, scatter acts of war, All in a flash let men desire, demand, And take up arms. Allecto arouses Queen Amata's animosity toward Aeneas. She also spurs Turnus to believe that Aeneas is the enemy, and to fuel the flame that is Turnus' jealousy toward Aeneas. Allecto's work is successful; it helps give rise to the war between the Italians and the Trojans. Juno also directly helps the war happen when she personally descends from the heavens and bursts open the doors of the temple of Janus: Heaven's queen At this dropped from the sky. She gave a push To stubborn-yielding doors, then burst the iron-bound Gates of war apart on turning hinges. All Ausonian lands as yet unroused, Unawakened, now took fire. The Italians look at this as a good sign and many people rally for the war. Juno has almost turned all of Italy against Aeneas, and single-handedly starts the war against the Trojans. This war, and the fact that the Trojans prevail is a large part of what makes Aeneas a hero. Despite the fact that she was not trying to help him become a hero, Juno does help him achieve this status by starting the war and giving him this opportunity to use the help of the other gods to come out and shine. Aeneas accomplishes much and earns immense glory throughout the Aeneid. Nevertheless, this achievement of hero status relies on the assistance of the gods, and this assistance does not necessarily come in a positive form. Juno causes storms, hate, and war, either to stop Aeneas or at least make things more difficult for him. Venus, the divine mother, does everything she can to counteract the obstacles that Juno makes. Other gods and supernatural beings all play a part in affecting Aeneas' life. Without all this divine intervention, Aeneas would have been an uninteresting, average Joe. f:\12000 essays\mythology & legends (75)\Beowulf 2.TXT +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Beowulf was written in a time when Christianity was a newly budding religion in England. Throughout the book there are obvious references to both Christian and Pagan rituals. The characters in the epic are newly found Christians who are trying to remain true to their new faith but are weak and hence, in times of great trouble, they resort back to their Pagan traditions and gods out of fear. Pagan rituals in the book are usually present only as reflections of the past or in times of the characters's greatest turmoil. Otherwise, in times of happiness and rejoicing, they worship their one, almighty, Christian God. When Grendel is attacking Herot, and it's people think they are in their greatest danger, the people of Herot "sacrificed to the old stone gods / Made heathen vows / hoping for Hell's Support, the Devil's guidance in driving their affliction off." (175-178). With the use of the word "old" in this section, it can be inferred that the stone gods are things of the past. The rest of the passage shows that it was because of the doubt and fear, instilled in the people by Grendel, that the people of Herot regressed back to their old gods. The use of the word "heathen" shows that the soldiers were already Christian and reverted back to their old ways. Soon after this statement, the poem reads: Beware, those who are thrust into danger, Clutched at by trouble, yet can carry no solace In their hearts, cannot hope to be better! Hail To those who will rise to God, drop off Their dead bodies and seek our Father's peace! This says that the people whose fear consumes them to the point that they lose faith that, after death, their souls will not be granted eternal peace by the Father, God. This illustrates that the soldiers who have fallen from faith in their worship are doing so only because of great fear, but that they are looked down upon by God and good Christians. It says that only those who will sacrifice themselves and trust in God will be let into Heaven. These soldiers know this but are too scared to keep faith. During the telling of the origins of Grendel, there is mention that Grendel is a product of Cain, a Christian character. This is a way that the characters of the book justify their belief in monsters. If they can say that the monster comes from a biblical character, then they can't hold themselves as blasphemers for believing in the Pagan idea of monsters. The characters are both scared of the monster that is taking their lives and of what will happen if they show a lack of faith, as is shown in the above quote. This fearful rationalization is made again when Beowulf is bragging about all his victories and stops to say that he is not boastful but that he is truthful. Having too much pride had been the downfall of many Biblical characters and is the first deadly sin in Christianity. Beowulf proceeds to tell his story but only after he has put on a facade of humility, demonstrating that, at heart, he certainly isn't an orthodox Christian but only needs to appear to be one. In the reflections of Shild's burial at sea which was reminiscent of a Norse ceremony, in which they sent their great warriors across the River Stix to Valhalla, we see the obvious Pagan tradition. At the end of the book, Beowulf is cremated which is far from a proper Christian burial. It is also said that the smoke from the fire is swallowed up by the Heavens which is very similar to the Egyptian idea that the light which hits the top of a pyramid carries the spirit into the afterlife. Both events were times of great sadness where one might question one's faith. In fact, throughout the story, all but Shild's death ceremonies are conducted by cremation, a non-Christian burial. Indeed in times of question the people of Beowulf's England were not the devout Christians they would have liked to be. From the beginning of the novel to the end, there is this ever present return to the old Pagan ways. There is little transition because even after the monsters are defeated there is still the greatest fear of all in death. It shows that it will take time for these people to fully accept their new faith and they are fragile. However, when making glorious speeches and trying to impress one another, the Christian beliefs are expressed. When the story tells of the times before Herot fell to Grendel, one of the images used to paint them as a beautiful time in history is the poets of Herot singing the Creation Song. When more closely examined, the song is very similar, if not the same as, the Christian myth of creation. Throughout the entire poem there are numerous examples of both Pagan and Christian rituals. The people of the times were Christians. As is seen when the threat of Grendel is looming, when Beowulf is bragging about his accomplishments, and when Beowulf is dead, these people are weak and susceptible to the ideals that other religions offer them. All the examples can be used to focus on the conclusion that, in this text, the Christians are weak and often revert back to their Pagan ways when they are most frightened. f:\12000 essays\mythology & legends (75)\Beowulf and the Song of Roland.TXT +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ The Theme of Father/Son Relationships in Beowulf & The Song of Roland Thomas Lazzaro Professor Fisher Literary Patterns of European Development Paper #1 2/6/97 The representation of father-son type relationships in early Medieval literary works is a key theme early authors used to give their works more depth and meaning. Two works that use the theme of father-son relationships are Beowulf and The Song of Roland. In Beowulf, the relationship between Hrothgar and Beowulf is one in which there is no actual blood father-son tie, but the two characters take on all the characteristics of a real father son relationship. Hrothgar, although Beowulf's senior, has to rely on this new warrior who comes to Heorot to help him rid his kingdom of a great danger which he can not get rid of by himself, and Hrothgar treats him as if he were his own son. In The Song of Roland, Charles' relationship with his nephew Roland also takes on the characteristics of a father-son type relationship. In this work, although Charles is the better warrior than Roland, he relies on Roland to watch the rear guard of his army and Roland loses his life while serving his King. The significance of these inter-generational relationships will be looked at in this paper, as well as what the authors through the guise of these father-son relationships were trying to say about various different aspects of life during their time. In Beowulf, the function of the relationship between Hrothgar and Beowulf helps to further the plot in several ways. Whenever there is a reliance on family in any literary work, it gives any story more meaning and significance. When Beowulf first arrives in Hrothgars' hall, we get a sense of the old and incapable state Hrothgar is in "old and gray-haired among the guard of earls" (Beowulf, pg. 62) is how he is first described. When hearing who Beowulf's father is he states in a joyous tone "I knew him when he was a child!..Well does the son now pay this call on a proven ally!" (Beowulf, pg. 62-63) Immediately there is a fond relationship here which will develop even further. When Beowulf claims that he is in Heorot to cleanse the people of the monster named Grendel who is plaguing them, Hrothgar is very grateful and he states "So it is to fight in our defence, my friend Beowulf, and as an act of kindness that you have come to us here!" (Beowulf, pg. 65) We see here that Hrothgar is indeed grateful to have the services of so brave a warrior. When Beowulf slays Grendel, the pride that the old Hrothgar feels towards Beowulf can almost be equated to the pride a father will feel towards his son when he accomplishes a great deed. He even claims Beowulf as his son when he holds up the slain Grendel's hand and states "Beowulf, I now take you to my bosom as a son, O best of men, and cherish you in my heart. Hold yourself well in this new relation!" (Beowulf, pg. 80) This claiming of Beowulf as his son and his later bestowing to him gifts customary to their society shows how strong their bond is. After the slaying of Grendel's mother, the relationship grows even stronger, and Hrothgar from this point on will be ever grateful to his new son who saved his kingdom from so great a peril. In The Song of Roland, the relationship that exists between Charles and Roland is just as significant as in Beowulf, but is somewhat different. Roland is recognized as a prized knight and the King's nephew before he is assigned to the rearguard, (as can be seen as through the protests of the thought of him going to negotiate with the treacherous Saracens) but not until after Roland's betrayal and death is he esteemed so high in Charles' mind and all the others involved. When hearing of the betrayal Roland states "Where are you, fair nephew? ......God!" , Says the King, "how bitter my reproach, that I was absent when they struck the first blow" (The Song of Roland, sect. 177) in utter desperation. When later Charles finds out Roland has definitely been slain by the Paynims, while lying down to sleep he thinks of his nephew who he thought of as a son. "Charles lies awake and weeps for Roland's plight...The King is weary, for grief weighs on his eyes; " (The Song of Roland, sect. 184) The deep pain in Charles heart is different than in Beowulf, because Charles is in mourning, while Hrothgar was joyous, and while Hrothgar could be proud of his son Beowulf, Charles feels as if he has let his son down bye letting this whole situation happen when he trusted the evil Ganelon. He then goes on with a new vigor to destroy those who killed Roland and the Franks, and the resulting battle can be seen as a revenge mission for Charles, which further helps to give the story more depth. Although the result of the two father-son relationships is different in some of the respects that are stated above, both relationships are essential in establishing the plot of the two works and giving the reader a sense of all the intricate forces that were at work in the two societies. The person who wields the power in the two stories also varies in each work. In Beowulf, Hrothgar is seen as old and unable to challenge the forces of evil that have befallen his kingdom, and Beowulf is seen as the young powerful warrior who will bring a new energy to the fight against evil. Beowulf's arrival marks a time when the son is taking over from the father the responsibilities of a great threat, and further help to give the character of Beowulf more stature and prestige. In The Song of Roland the situation is almost the complete opposite. In this work, Charles will be the one who ultimately triumphs over the evil, and therefore it is essential to build his stature up. Although Roland is regarded as a great warrior, Charles is seen as the Christian conqueror of the enemies of Christ. In Charles' case, his old age is to his advantage, and his long white beard and hair are stressed by the author to help paint him as very old. The fight scene between Baligant and Charles further goes to shed light on the experience, leadership and general legend of the old King Charles. So who has the power in a father-son type relationship clearly depends on the individual work itself. Whoever the main and essential character is of the particular work is going to be granted the superior power and prestige. The strong father-son relationship in Beowulf is a way of stressing how the people of the time felt. The comitatus of the Scandinavian kingdoms of the time Beowulf was written emphasized family and clan above all else, and by having the Hrothgar-Beowulf relationship act out in a certain way, you can get a great sense of what the comitatus system was like. The political and economic ideas of the time are also commented on through this relationship. The gift giving of Hrothgar and Beowulf in turn for deeds done shows what the essence of the comitatus was, how services were rewarded and great deeds applauded. The entire relationship between Hrothgar and Beowulf is the prime example of the comitatus, and the author was clearly trying to stress that when writing Beowulf. The author of The Song of Roland also clearly had the idea also of commenting on the society of the time by using the father-son relationship as a model. Roland's complete faith to his lord and King Charles gives the impression of how all loyal subjects should be to their lord. When deciding if they should trust the Saracens and talk with them Roland warns "Nevermore trust Marsile!" (The Song of Roland, sect. 14) Later on we see the paternal instincts and wisdom of Charles when Roland and other members of the twelve offers to speak to the Saracen Marsile. Roland states "That shall you not!" (The Song of Roland, sect. 18) , showing how much he valued his closest warriors, almost like it was a family, again showing how the feudal system was a two way relationship. Roland's willingness to face anything that his King wishes also goes to comment on the social characteristics of the day and what was expected from the code of chivalry. The final revenge theory is also something that is interesting to look at. Charles' sadness and anger at the death of Roland sparks his energy, and makes him take the war up as a revenge for Roland and the others. The emphasis on revenging Roland is also representational of Medieval society, and how if a family member was killed it was expected that a fellow family member would revenge them. The father-son relationships portrayed here clearly help give an emphasis on the values of the society in which the two writers are writing in. The significance of the father-son relationship in these two works are essential in both works development. Just as one could argue the good-evil, or Christian-pagan conflicts are essential to them both, the father-son relationship is just as important. Through the relationship we can get a window on the past that lets us see the societies that are written about, we can get a sense of their social, political, and economic customs. Clearly both authors use this great technique to give their stories more depth and meaning, and by doing so Beowulf and The Song of Roland are not only considered great literary works of their respective periods because of the stories they tell, but also because of the valuable information they give the reader on the society in which they take place. f:\12000 essays\mythology & legends (75)\Beowulf.TXT +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ [Anonymous] period 1 10/09/96 R.A.F.T.: Here I lay, old worn and tarnishied Once a glorious, strong savior... Now here I sit, maybe forever to stay.... The Sun The Moon The Stars They are the only ones, that will outlast me... Here I look back, Having been passed from hand to hand, To and fro.. Then a prized posession.. Now a remnant, collecting dust... I once belonged to a great warrior One unsurpassed in greatness Strong and mighty, more than any ever known He was the best there was, maybe the best of all to come.. His name, was Beowulf, son of Edgetheow... I was with him, for a great many seasons.. I was there to see, all that he saw... I was there to feel, all that he felt.... He had sewn a great many deeds, to have brought him great fame. He wanted no fortunes no kingship, nor material gains. His life led nothing other, than that of the Warrior Code. I am his instrument of destruction, I am that which bludgeon's injustice I am the defender of good, and killer of evil I am his tool of mortality I am his sword.. f:\12000 essays\mythology & legends (75)\chinese myths.TXT +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ James walker Mr.Johnson E3 December 20, 1996 The Chinese culture This report is about the myths and beliefs of the Chinese culture. It's about the stories the Chinese created to explain the world around them, and generally how they perceived their surrounding environment. This report deals with ancient myths and the people who believed them, and what the current believes of these people are. The Southwest Creation Story The Southwest creation story is a myth which explains why people are different. The myth begins by saying that there were people on earth who were all alike, meaning there weren't people who were black, white, oriental, etc.. It states that the humans on earth all generally were the same. There were also gods who lived above the clouds in the heavens. And there was a huge heavenly ladder which started on a mountain and reached all the way up to heaven's door. It goes on to tell a story of a man who had two children. One was a girl and the other was a boy. They lived in a house which had a huge very thick roof. The man had built the roof so thick because it rained almost every day. He hated the rain. He knew it had its benefits but too much of it ruined his crops, destroyed his livestock and every time it rained the roof of the house was destroyed. And every time the man rebuilt it, he made it thicker and thicker. He blamed all his misfortune on the Duke of Thunder. The Duke of Thunder was one of the gods who lived in the heavens. He was the god of rain and thunder. The man dispised the Duke very much and had a pure hatred of him. Every time it rained the Duke would descend from the heavens and stand on a hilltop. There he would watch with pure delight as the rains and thunder came down harder and harder. Finally the man had had enough. One day he took his axe and waited on the hilltop for the Duke to arrive. When the rains came so did the Duke, and the man slashed him in the back. The Duke was hurt but not killed because he was a god. The man caged him and brought him home. He put him in a corner and warned the kids not to go near him. And to especially not give him water. The next morning was a beautiful sunny one, but the Duke looked horrible almost as if he was dehydrating. The man told the children he had to go to the market and said again not to go near the Duke no matter what he does and don't give him water. After the man left the Duke started moaning. He begged the children to give him some water but they refused following their father's orders. The Duke pretended he was dead with his mouth hung open and he had his lips very dry. The girl was worried, she thought he was dying so she gave him one drop of water. The Duke instantly jumped back up and tore apart the cage. The children were terrified. He came over to them and promised them that they will be rewarded for their deed. He gave them a small egg and told them to plant it in the ground and then he left. When the man came back he was shocked by what had happened. He knew the Duke would be very angry and would punish him. So he didn't waste any time and started to build a ship. After a month's time the ship was finished. It was built out of the strongest material known to him. Meanwhile the egg the children planted had grown to a size of about two small people. Then one day what the man had anticipated came. Huge torrential downpours of rain started and there were tremendous floods. The man jumped into the ship he built, in his panic he had forgotten about the children. They had ran into the egg which had become soft. The floods were so great that the man in his ship reached all the way to the door of the heavens. He banged the doors and yelled let me in! The gods didn't want mortals in the heavens, so the Duke was ordered to recede the floods. He took the floods back so fast that the man fell back to the earth and was crushed by his ship. The children in the soft egg bounced back to the ground safely. When they came out, they saw everything was destroyed. They were the only ones left. They lived happily for a while and after some time they had a child. Because they were brother and sister the child was deformed and died a short time later. The two kids chopped up the baby into tiny pieces and put him in a bag, and they started climbing up the heavenly ladder. The bag ripped before they could reach to the top and all the pieces fell back to earth. They fell all over the continents, and from them the new people developed. They were different in appearance from each other depending on where they lived. This myth explains why there are people who look so much different from each other. This myth suggests that man was more responsible for the creation of the new humans than the gods. Because of the actions of the man the people were created. The Heritage of a King This is a myth about fate. In this myth a man named Zoa chi who is a king tries to find out his fate. Zoa was a survivor. When he was little his parents were assassinated. An attempt at his life was also made but his older brother protected him. The murderer was his uncle who betrayed his father and overthrew his power. He stayed in exile with his brother until he was older. Over the years his hatred of his uncle had made Zoa a very stern man. He had wowed to get his revenge. He became a great fighter and started a group of followers who also were against the king. Then finally the day he had been waiting for had arrived. With his small army he overpowered the kings army. Growing up on the streets had made Zoa a great strategy leader, so he was able to defeat the huge overconfident king's army. He killed the king and took over the throne. Years went by and he himself became overconfident and selfish. He created a fantasy image of himself as a great man. He thought that nothing on this planet could defeat him. As time went by he became just like his uncle. Absolute power had corrupted him. Then one day he declared to all his subjects that he was a god and expected to be worshipped. This was too much for the people, they rebelled but Zoa crushed all their resistance. One of his advisors told Zoa that he knew a magician who could greatly help him in keeping down further rebellions. He said that this man could see the future and help him stop protesters before they could organise and challenged him. The king immediately called the man to his castle. The man's name was Hou. He told the king that there will be a man who will kill him soon. And that man would be a close relative of his. The king knew exactly whom Hou was talking about. Zoa's son Zhuan was almost the age where he could become king if something happened to his father. Immediately Zoa ordered Zhuan to be imprisoned. He said this was another example of how clever he was, he said he saw the future and beat fate's destiny. He even said that he was better than any other god the people believed in. When he went to see Zhuan his older brother went with him. Zhuan pleaded with Zoa and said he would never even think of killing his own father. But Zoa didn't believe him. He sentenced Zhuan to death. But before Zhuan could be killed older Zoa's brother beheaded him when he facing his son. Zoa was killed by his own brother who was ashamed of what his younger sibling had become. What the magician didn't tell Zoa was which close relative would kill him. Zoa who had become overconfident wasn't as great as he thought he was. And he was too arrogant to not know that the gods should not be challenged. This myth tells that becoming overconfident will eventually hurt you and that no one could beat their destiny. The Chinese in this story believed in the gods, they were very religious people and this myth tells that the gods should not be challenged. Both of these myths were written a long time ago and I don't think that the people today still believe in these myths as strongly as the people who wrote them did. I think it's like Halloween in our culture. We still practice the custom as the ancient people did but we don't have as much as a strong believe in ghosts and goblins as our ancestors did. Bibliography Birch, Cyril. Chinese Myths And Fantasies. Great Britain: London, 1992. Fei, Charles. Strange Creatures. New York, 1990 Ke, Yuan. Dragons And Dynasties. China: Beijing, 1993 *Chinese Myths.* Grolier Encyclopaedia, 12th ed. 1996. f:\12000 essays\mythology & legends (75)\Chivalry.TXT +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ We live in an age where the brutality and the vigilante justice of the knight errant is no longer acceptable for people with positions of stature in society. While courage and honor are still praised by society, one rarely finds a man true to his word regardless of cost. Chivalry towards ladies is sometimes mistakenly decried by those supporting equality for women. And Courtly love, in it's modern form, is frowned upon. Those who might have a keen sense of justice often have only indirect methods of fighting for the right -- legislation just can never be as satisfying as clouting a knave over the head with the flat of a blade. It seems that justice in American society is often tempered by compromise, rather than a blacksmith. Skill at arms is more often attained as an exercise, rather than a useful tool, and strength of body, while glamorized, is degraded by large numbers of "men of the mind." Chivalry is a lot like ethics; it is a governing principle concerning fair play as far as medieval combat among your peers was concerned. Do not attack an unarmed knight - allow him to arm himself first, if you unhorse your opponent and your opponent is still able to fight, get off your horse to fight, etc. - fair play with honor and respect. At the end, there still was a winner, and the winner ended up with more respect and admiration from those concerned that had he fought without chivalry. What am I getting at? Capitalism can be much the same way. American businesses have taken advantage of this system though, a system that one can cheat in and get away with, instead of being honorable and respectable institutions that children could look up to. So many things are like this that I just shake my head and sigh when I think about them - is American just a scam? Where did all the honor and respect go? In "Sir Gawain and the Green Knight," Gawain made a promise to the huntsman to give him whatever gifts he received that day in exchange for whatever gifts the huntsman received that day. On the third and final day of Sir Gawain's visit, he received a green girdle from the huntsman's wife, who was his secret lover. The only reason that he accepted it was because he, like Lancelot, had fear in his heart; only Gawain's fear was dying. The huntsman's wife told Gawain that the girdle had magic powers and would protect him from his fate, for the next day Gawain was going to fulfill a promise that he had made to the Green Knight and get his head chopped off. At the end of the day, when Gawain met the huntsman to exchange gifts, he did not give the huntsman the girdle, and broke his promise so that he would fulfill his promise to the Green Knight. He, like Lancelot, betrayed the code of chivalry for their own purposes. The most prominent example of Arthur's "great" honor is depicted in the story "Day of Destiny." In the story King Arthur and his knights have one the arduous battle against his half son Mordred's army. The only one's left standing on the field is King Arthur and two of his knights Sir Lucan and Sir Bedivere. Lucan says to Arthur "sir, let him be,"... "for he brings misfortune. And if ye pass this unfortunate day ye shall be right well revenged. And, good lord, remember ye of your night's dream and what the spirit of Sir Gawain told you last night, and God of His great goodness hath preserved you hitherto. And for God's sake, my lord, leave this battle field, for yet be here three alive, and with Sir Mordred is not one alive. And therefore if ye leave now, this wicked day of destiny is past!" Arthur's response to Sir Lucan's speech is "Now come death, come life,". What this proves is that Arthur shows his honesty and loyalty to his promise; the purpose of the killing was to kill Sir Mordred and that exactly is what transpired in the end. In the movie "Excalibur" that we had viewed in class, Lancelot attempts to be honest by refusing the love and attention of Guenevere. Nevertheless he becomes enchanted by the beauty and charm of the lady and he falls for her. Although obviously disobeying the Knights code of honor he continues his affair with Guinevere. Although people always endeavour to be as honest and just, a honourable knight cannot afford to deceive anyone, because consequences could have an adverse affect on them later. Honor is not a virtue. It is the essential quality that accrues to a man when other people view them as being virtuous-i.e. they honor them. The drive for honor earns a knight or man-at-arms renown, his fame, his good name. It is always a very strong motivator for some soldiers. Honor in a personal sense is often confused with such 'public' honor, but I say rather that this is not honor but integrity. Chivalry is a romantic ethic, doomed to failure; Arthur fails because he had too much pride in himself although his heart was in the right place his mind never was. But I come away from good events with a heart full of courtesy and generosity, with a strengthened sense of my own honor, and with a little more courage and persistence in the face of a less than ideal world. That is the reason that during the Middle Ages warriors and rulers at their leisure turned to dreams. That is the reason we today are drawn to these virtues of chivalry. We may never live out a romantic ethic, but it is a food as nourishing as any at the table, and a wealth as dear as any coin of the time. f:\12000 essays\mythology & legends (75)\Contrasting Apollo And Dionysus.TXT +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Contrasting Apollo & Dionysus In Greek mythology, Apollo and Dionysus are nearly opposites of one another, and as with many opposites, life would not operate just quite right without both of them. They each played a specific role for the Greeks. They had very different things associated with them. Apollo was often associated with logic and the power of the mind. He was basically in charge of the Work section of the people. Logic is something the Greeks used often, and when they didn't, things often happened for the worst. He is also associated with intellect. The followers of Apollo would consist of those who strongly believed in the things he was thought to control. These people would believe in logic, they would believe in reason, and they would also pay attention to the power of the human mind. Another thing Apollo is associated with is music, so he would also be worshipped by music lovers. Apollo is worshipped in religion to provide his followers with logical thought and a good intellect. As for Greek thought, he was also very in control of this. The Oracle at Delphi, mentioned in, but not only in, Sophocles' Oedipus Rex. The Oracle was there to bestow knowledge from Apollo onto those who came to it. Another reason people looked to Apollo was to help heal the sick and the dying, because he is associated with medicine, probably because of his vast knowledge. Dionysus, on the other hand, represents the Play side of life. He is the god of emotions, the god of wine, and also the god of fertility. Some things attributed to Dionysus are the dithyrambs, or choral hymns, sung for him but the people. This was how they praised him. Drama is also directly associated with him. Being the god of wine and the god of fertility led to some very strange things in situations where Dionysus prevailed over Apollo. Many drunken orgies took place during this time. The Dionysion followers might be thought of as all the people who enjoyed wine, the people who attended and enjoyed the Festival of Dionysus (leading to perhaps all current people who enjoy the drama), and to those who prayed for fertility. The Greeks also acknowledged the existence of Dionysus as much as they did the existence of Apollo, so everyone who worshipped them dually would also be a follower. This means that Dionysus probably had just as large a following as Apollo, of not more because of the social aspect of life. The status of Dionysus for religion is that the is the god of fertility, so the dithyrambs that were in honor of Dionysus were also a way of praying for a good harvest or for many children. Like Osiris, he was reborn after dying, and it is believed that these festivals may be linked to ceremonies that took place in Egypt. Most Greeks worshipped both Apollo and Dionysus. This acceptance of both their existences brings about a balance of the two forces. It is interesting that the Temple to Apollo is right next to the ruins of a Dionysion theater in Ancient Greece. Also, Apollo was represented with music, and Dionysus with the theater, and these two things go hand in hand. This dual worship is very similar to the phrase, "All work and no play..." f:\12000 essays\mythology & legends (75)\Cyclops.TXT +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ An Unusual People The Cyclopes were unique and unusual mythical people. They had very interesting lives. They had an unusual beginning and they had an unusual lifestyle. Also, the Cyclopes appeared to be completely different when described by opposing viewpoints. Overalll, the Cyclopes were an unconventional race in mythical legends. The Cyclopes had an intriguing origin. They were the eldest sons of Mother Earth, Gaia, and Father Heaven, Uranus (Evslin 1). While the Cyclopes were still in the womb of Gaia, Uranus got jealous of the babies. He sent a bat to eat one eye out of each baby to make them hideous and thus make everybody hate them (Evslin). Because of what Uranus executed, the baby Cyclopes were born with one eye. They grew to be of gigantic size (Hamilton 65). This beginning of the era of the Cyclopes proved to be a unique situation. Although the Cyclopes were born disfigured they led attracting lives. The Cyclopes had a brother named Cronos who killed his father Uranus (Evslin 13). Since everyone was afraid of the Cyclopes (2), Cronos punished them by tricking them into imprisonment. Zeus, the son of Cronos and the new god king, freed them after Cronos had imprisoned them (31). The Cyclopes were very good smiths (12). They forged thunderbolts for Zeus because he freed them (Schmidt 74). A war was in the midst so the Cyclopes made armor and weapons for the gods of Olympus (Evslin 39). Even though the Cyclopes performed all of these good deeds the people still disliked them so much that they were forced to return to their smithy in the middle of a volcano for eternity (71). The Cyclopes lives were filled with helpfulness to others, but they were still shunned and hated. The Cyclopes were basically good people, but there were other Cyclopes. Homer wrote of Cyclopes that were extremely bad. They were downright savage shepherds (Schmidt 74). They were so savage that they did not give a thought before they devoured humans. They almost ate Odysseus, the main character of the Odyssey (75). The Cyclopes were born disfigured and hated. Though shunned by many people, the Cyclopes helped the gods and were basically kind to everyone. Other Cyclopes were bad but nonetheless an appealing tribe of people. The Cyclopes suffered greatly, but although they suffered, they continued to lead exciting and productive lives. Works Cited Evslin, Bernard. The Cyclopes. Chelsea House Publishers: New York, 1987. Hamilton, Edith. Mythology. Penguin Books: New York, 1969. Schmidt, Joel. Larousse Greek and Roman Mythology. Librairie Larousse: Paris, 1965. f:\12000 essays\mythology & legends (75)\Damn the Fates.TXT +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ D.T. Suzuki, a renowned expert on Zen Buddhism, called attention to the topic of free will in one of his lectures by stating that it was the battle of "God versus Man, Man versus God, God versus Nature, Nature versus God, Man versus Nature, Nature versus Man1." These six battles constitute an ultimately greater battle: the battle of free will versus determinism. Free will is that ability for a human being to make decisions as to what life he or she would like to lead and have the freedom to live according to their own means and thus choose their own destiny; determinism is the circumstance of a higher being ordaining a man's life from the day he was born until the day he dies. Free will is in itself a far-reaching ideal that exemplifies the essence of what mankind could be when he determines his own fate. But with determinism, a man has a predetermined destiny and fate that absolutely cannot be altered by the man himself. Yet, it has been the desire of man to avoid the perils that his fate holds and thus he unceasingly attempts to thwart fate and the will of the divine.. Within the principle of determinism, this outright contention to divine mandate is blasphemous and considered sin. This ideal itself, and the whole concept of determinism, is quite common in the workings of Greek and Classical literature. A manifest example of this was the infamous Oedipus of The Theban Plays, a man who tried to defy fate, and therefore sinned. The logic of Oedipus' transgression is actually quite obvious, and Oedipus' father, King Laius, also has an analogous methodology and transgression. They both had unfortunate destinies: Laius was destined to be killed by his own son, and Oedipus was destined to kill his father and marry his mother. This was the ominous decree from the divinatory Oracle at Delphi. King Laius feared the Oracle's proclamation and had his son, the one and only Oedipus, abandoned on a mountain with iron spikes as nails so that he would remain there to eventually die. And yet, his attempt to obstruct fate was a failure, for a kindly shepherd happened to come upon the young Oedipus and released him from the grips of death. The shepherd then gave the young boy to a nearby king who raised him as his own, and consequently named him Oedipus, which meant "swollen feet." Upon Oedipus' ascension to manhood, the Oracle at Delphi once again spewed its prophecy forth, this time, with the foretelling that Oedipus shall kill his father, whom he thought to be the king that had raised him as his own, and marry his mother. Oedipus, like Laius, was indeed frightened of such a dire fate, and thus resolved to leave his land and never return, so that the prophesy may not be fulfilled. Oedipus tried to travel as far away from home as he possibly could, and along his journey, he crossed paths with a man who infuriated him with his rudeness. Oedipus killed the man without the knowledge that that man was indeed his father Laius and ultimately, half of the prophecy had been fulfilled. And when he came to Thebes, the remaining portion of the prophecy was fulfilled as he became the champion of the city with his warding off the Sphinx, hence winning the hand of his own mother Jocasta in marriage. Together they bore four children, and Oedipus' dire fate had been fulfilled, all without his knowledge. The Theban Plays begin with a plague that ravages the city of Thebes, and Oedipus sets out to find the cause. At length, he discovers that he himself is the cause for he was guilty of both patricide and incest. When that realization is manifested, the utter shock and disgust of the horrific situation causes the tormented and disillusioned Oedipus to blind himself of a self-inflicted wound2. According to some scholars, this was the retribution he paid for his crime, but others would argue that Oedipus had no choice in the matter and simply had fulfilled his destiny. The latter argument seems to be more convincing because Oedipus does not consciously know of what he was doing at the time, and thus, his crime was not entirely premeditated. And one cannot condemn ignorance no more than one can realistically condemn good intentions, for Oedipus was both truly unaware of what he had done and of no desire to harm whom he had thought to be his parents. In the aspect of ignorance, Oedipus purely lacked a consciousness of his actions. This particular consciousness is described as a "sensory element3 "-that which affects one's decisions. The senses are what pull people to make the choices they do, e.g. the sensing of danger causes a fearful retreat into hiding. At times, these sensory elements can constrict the true inhibitions of humans, as they tend to alter the decisions that humans make and pull them from doing what they truly want, i.e. Oedipus sensed from the Oracle that he was to commit a grave sin and thus went against his inherent desire to remain with his parents. According to St. Thomas Aquinas, free will is the acting without interference of sensory elements in total regard to one's own inner psyche4. Oedipus and Laius both had sensory elements, namely a fear of their fate, and they acted in accordance to their sense of fear, thus they did not have free will,. In consideration of good intentions, Oedipus meant well in his leaving his country and defeating the Sphinx; but as it turned out, in his departure he killed his father, and in his conquest of the Sphinx he won Jocasta's hand. In fact, it seems as if he was, shall we say, "in the wrong place at the wrong time," for obviously, had he known that the man he was about to kill was his father, and the woman he was about to marry was his mother, the events that followed would most likely never have taken place. With this in mind, free will in Oedipus' case is altogether unlikely as he would have never willed to commit those crimes. Determinism again scores a victory with proof that one simply cannot run from nor thwart fate. If one can imagine the unbelievable agony and fear that consumed Oedipus upon his hearing of his own fate, of how he was to kill his own beloved father and have bear children with the very woman that bore him, perhaps the sin of running from fate may seem somewhat understandable. His fate was not one that can either be swallowed or simply pushed aside, for even the mere thought of such a thing causes a neurotic shudder. This is the reason why he ran from fate. But ultimately his attempt was an disastrous one, and he suffered severe consequences. His town suffered the punishment for his physical crime, and he himself was the incarnate sufferer for the spiritual crime. Determinism maintains that Oedipus, as a man subject to the will of the gods, whether it be right or wrong, should not have attempted to outwit them for he cannot. But perhaps the premise of free will managed to unearth a tiny, though dramatically enticing piece of itself to Oedipus. With such a thing as free will, "no matter how strait the gate, or charged with punishments the scroll," he was the ultimately the "master of his fate, and the captain of his soul." 5 That proposition seemed entirely the more attractive to Oedipus than what he had been offered, and so he took it. He went against the gods for he willed his own end and the means by which to achieve it6. His suffering is a portent to any man who would try to do things beyond his own means for he is doomed to fail in the attempt and will consequently suffer some type of repercussion for it. A nice little analogy would be an attempt to escape from prison. The situation at hand is this: if the escape is successful, a life of freedom awaits, but if it is a failure, additional punishment shall be added to the current one. The question is whether or not a life of freedom is worth the risk, and most men answer this as "no." Oedipus, unlike most people, answered "yes", and because he his escape failed, he suffered much more greatly than most people. f:\12000 essays\mythology & legends (75)\Dionysus and Semele.TXT +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Sanez Pezeshki Per.2, English 2 Tuesday, December 24, 1996 MYTHOLOGY: DIONYSUS AND SEMELE Semele was the daughter of Cadmus and Harmonia, king and queen of Thebes, and the mother of Dionysus, god of wine. Zeus fell madly in love with her and made an oath to do anything that she asked. Hera, the jealous wife of Zeus,realized Zeus was in love with Semele and tricked Semele into asking Zeus to let her see him in his majesty. Bound by an oath, Zeus appeared before the unfortunate woman in all his divine glory. (Morford-Lenardon 187) As she looked at him, she was consumed by the lightening bolts and light that radiated from him. Zeus was able to rescue her unborn child, Dionysus, and hid him in his side until it was ready to be born. Hermes carried Dionysus to be cared for by the nymphs of Nysa- the loveliest of earth's valleys.(Hamilton 65) When Dionysus had grown up, he wandered to many far and strange places. Everywhere he went he taught men the culture of the vine and mysteries of his worship and everywhere he had been, he was accepted as a god. Dionysus went to Thebes to establish his worship, since that was his mother's city. He was accompanied by the Maenads. Pentheus, the King of Thebes, was not happy with the behavior of this group of strangers. He ordered his soldiers to imprison the visitors, but he had no idea that Dionysus was a new god. The soldiers tried to imprison the maidens but said that the doors unbarred themselves. Pentheus was furious. He ordered his soldiers to imprison Dionysus but the prison could not hold him. Dionysis tried to show that the wonders of this new worship of a new and great god was divine but when Pentheus only heaped insults and threats upon him, Dionysus left him to his doom.(Hamilton 71) When Pentheus went to pursue the maidens that had escaped his prison, many Theban women joined him, and that is when Dionysis made them mad and they thought Pentheus was a wild beast and tore him apart.That is when Pentheus realized that he had fought with a god and must now pay with his life. Some time during his wanderings, Dionysus came upon the princess of Crete, Ariadne, when she was utterly desolate, having been abandoned on the shore of the island of Naxos by the Athenian prince, Theseus, whose life she had saved. (Hamilton 67) Dionysus rescued her and later fell in love with her. When she died, Dionysus took her crown and put it among the stars. His mother, Semele, whom he had never seen, was not forgotten. He longed for her so much that he went to the lower world, defied the power of Death and brought her to live on Olympus. Even though she was a mortal, the gods accepted her as one of themselves since she gave birth to a god. The Maenads, or the Bacchantes, were women frenzied with wine. They were the followers of Dionysus. The most important festival, the Greater Dionysia, was held in Athens for five days each spring.They were days of pure enjoyment. It was held in a theater, and the ceremony was the performance of a play. The greatest poetry in Greece was written for him. Dionysus died with the coming of a cold, but he was always brought back to life. It was this joyful resurrection celebrated in his festivals. f:\12000 essays\mythology & legends (75)\Egyptian Babylonian and Hebrew Mythology The Door to a Civi.TXT +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Egyptians, Babylonians, and Hebrews have similarities yet also differences in their religions. The importance is not in the similarities as much as it is in the differences that distinguish the cultures from each other and their views on life. I would like to point out each civilization's creation and flood story. By analyzing these stories we can come to a better understanding of their world views. The Hebrew creation story from the book of Genesis is one that most people know well. In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. The earth was without form and void. God said, "let there be light," and there was light. He then separated the light from the darkness. He also created the land, plants, and animals. He saw everything he created and, behold, it was good. The heavens and earth were completed and all that dwelled within them. On the seventh day he rested. The earth was complete, but there was nothing to take care of this creation. So, God created man in the image of himself. Man was created from the dust of the ground. God gave him the breath of life and the man became a living soul (Moses 1:1-2:7). With the background of that story, one should look at the Egyptian interpretation of the beginning. At first there was nothing but chaos that contained the seed of everything to come. In this confusion the sun god dwelled. By an effort of his will he emerged from chaos as Ra and gave birth to Shu, the god of air, and Tefnut, the goddess moisture. Shu and Tefnut gave birth to Geb and Nut, the earth god and sky goddess. Thus the physical universe was created. People were created from Ra's tears. Time passed and Ra grew frail, so the ungrateful race of men plotted against Ra. When Ra learned of this he called the gods together. The gods decided that mankind must be destroyed. Tens of thousands of men were killed until only a few were left. Then Ra relented and man was spared. Nevertheless Ra was sick of the world and retreated into the heavens, leaving Shu to reign in his place. At that time the present world was established. The Babylonians have their own interpretation of the beginning. All things came from the water. From the mixture of sweet water, Aspu, with salt water, Tiamat, the gods arose. Aspu and Tiamat gave birth to a pair of gigantic serpents, Lakhmu and Lakhamu. These two serpents produced Anshar and Kishar, the heavens and the earth. Anshar and Kishar then conceived Anu, Enlil, and Ea. Aspu and Tiamat grew angry because the younger gods were noisy. So, they decided to destroy the new gods. Ea, the all knowing, learned of this plan and used his magic to capture Apsu. Tiamat became furious and created and army of gods and monsters to punish Ea and the others. Marduk was asked to stand against Tiamat and her army. Marduk promised to defeat Tiamat if he was given supremacy over the gods. Marduk defeated Tiamat and her army. While he was cutting up Tiamat's body he used half her body and created the dome of the heavens. With the other half he made the earth. Then to make the other gods happy he created men from the blood of the battle. He then made rivers, plants, and animals completing creation. With these stories' background one can now analyze the likeness and differences among them. The Egyptian and Babylonian stories show several gods in charge of creating the world. The difference between these two is that Marduk was given leadership by the gods bestowing their powers upon him. The Egyptians do not actually raise one god above another. The Hebrews have only one God, who created the earth. The gods from each story created man from different items. The Egyptian and Babylonian gods created man from tears and blood respectively. The Hebrew God created man from dust, but in the image of himself. This seems to forge a connection or bond between the Hebrews and their god. They are not gods themselves, but with his image they have the ability to be godlike. The flood stories of the cultures also show how they view their gods and the attitude the gods have toward the people. The Hebrew God flooded the world because people had turned their backs on God and were no longer worshipping him. In short, one could say that the people in a way deserved the punishment they received. This is also shown in the Egyptian creation story when the people turned against Ra. Both of these gods showed compassion and remorse after the killing was done. However, the Babylonian gods flooded the earth because it was so noisy that they could not sleep. Not a fitting punishment for the crime committed. The Babylonian gods were outraged when they realized Utnapishtim was delivered from the catastrophe. The Egyptians do not have a flood story, is this because of the regularity of the Nile's flooding. The Egyptian saw balance and harmony with the Nile's example. The different cultures' attitude toward their gods is also shown in their literature. The Egyptians and Hebrews loved and worshipped their gods.. This is shown in the Egyptian "The Hymn to the Aten" and the Hebrew "Psalms." Each of these works praises and exalts their respective god. The Babylonians feared their god as they did their rivers that were unpredictable. The lifestyles and geography of each civilization helped shape each cultures view of their gods. For nature was the only physical manifestation of their gods. Works Cited Fiero, Gloria K. The Humanistic Tradition. 1992 Madison: Wm. C. Brown Communications. 1995 Godolphin, F, ed. Great Classical Myths. New York: Modern Library, 1964. Moses. "Genesis." The Holy Bible. Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1976. The Epic of Gilgamesh. Translated by N. K. Sanders. Baltimore: Penguin, 1960. f:\12000 essays\mythology & legends (75)\Et hjem g†r dukken.TXT +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Et hjem går dukken siste akt. Rolleliste: Nora Helmer. Handlingen foregår i Helmers bolig. Helmer(med wiskyflasken i hånden): Nora, kan jeg aldri bli, hikk, noe annet enn en fremmed for deg? Nora(kommer inn i rommet kledd i miniskjørt): Huff, da måtte det vidunderligste skje. Helmer(med håp i blikket): Du men er vel ikke deeeet vidunderligste ????????? Nora(irritert): NEI. Helmer(mer irritert): Nei, men så se å fortell meg dette vidunderligste da, for svarte. Nora: Da måtte både du og jeg forandre oss slik at ... Å pokker Torvald jeg gidder ikke å tro på det vidunderligste mer. Helmer: Jammen jeg vil tro på det, hikk, vidunderligste. Si det !! Forvandle oss slik at hva da Nora? Hva? Nora(med trist og sutrete stemme ): Slik at detta samlivet mellom oss to kunne bli et ekteskap, men det tror jeg ikke noe på, for det kommer det aldri til å bli, så det så. Helmer: Sånn er det hver forbaska gang vi krangler, du begynner å preike om ekteskap og sånn dritt, vi er jo gift for pokker, holder ikke det. Nora: Snufs, hulk. Helmer(reiser seg fort opp og smeller til Nora i ansiktet): Ha, ha, Sånn går det, din store merr. Nora: Der ser du. Det er en av grunnene til at jeg vill reise fra deg, din voldelige idiot. Helmer: Kaller du meg en voldelig idiot? Nora: Nå gidder jeg ikke mer, farvel for alltid. Helmer: Nora, det sier du alltid, men etter noen timer kommer du tilbake. Nora: Å nei du, ikke denne gangen. Helmer: Phø. Nora: Farvel. (Nora går ut gjennom døren og smeller den igjen etter seg) Helmer(Sint): Nora!!!!!!!!!!! Noooooooora!!!? Helmer(synker ned i en stol ved døren, Kikker ned i whisky flasken): Tomt her er det ikke mer. (Nora Sparker opp døren, tar frem maskingeværet, retter det mot Helmer og trekker av) Nora(Kikker ned i det tomme magasinet og blåser på det): Tomt. Han er her ikke mer. Av Arne Hjalmar Jenssen M(+) f:\12000 essays\mythology & legends (75)\Excalibur.TXT +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ EXCALIBUR "Guards, Knights, Squires; prepare for battle!" hollers one of the kings noble knights. The rumbling thunder of horses trotting across the wooden mote bridge echoes throughout the castle. Brave knights gallop their horses into the foggy mist where swords and shields smash, the sounds of their armor and their striking metals echo across the land they battle over. Blood oozes from severed bodies as limbs are sliced off men like cheese. These barbaric and berserk behaviors were the everyday duties of men during the Middle Ages. Becoming a knight was the ideal manhood during this time. Every aspect of a mans life revolved around their desire to one day serve their king as a knight. The yearning aspiration to become a knight is portrayed in several ways in John Boorman's movie, Excalibur. Arthur's responsibility as a squire (before he was king), Lancelot's challenge of worthiness and Perceval's ambition illustrate the urge that exists in men to serve their king as a knight. The responsibilities of a squire serving a knight is one way in which a man is eventually knighted. In the early opening scenes of the movie Excalibur, young Arthur serves as a squire to his brother Kay. Squires were the duties of young men who served their knights by preparing their armor and weaponry. During some of the jousting scenes squires retrieve jousts and pass them over to their knights, but never really assist in combat. Just from the experience and duties as a squire, it is typical that a young squire may eventually become a knight. However, in the movie during an Easter afternoon the knights are jousting for the right to attempt to draw the sword from the stone, and young Arthur forgets his brother's sword. So young Arthur runs back to the camp to retrieve it and finds it has been stolen. He chases after the peasant thief into the woods but the thief gets away. Arthur then turns and faces the sword in the stone and unintentionally draws the sword from the stone and he becomes king. If Arthur had not been the pre-chosen king, he probably would have grown up as an ordinary squire and then eventually become knighted. Later in the movie when Arthur is an admirable king, he and his knights come across a bridge where they meet a knight by the name of Sir Lancelot of the Lake. Lancelot and King Arthur's men joust to cross the bridge but Arthur's knights fail. Although Lancelot is already a knight, he seeks a king worthy of his skill to serve under. So King Arthur and Sir Lancelot joust each other; it is evident that Lancelot was supposed to win the battle but Arthur's rage for power overcomes him and he calls upon the magical power of Excalibur to win his battle with Lancelot. Since the sword's power was meant to unite all men and Arthur uses it to defeat Lancelot, the sword snaps in half like a chocolate bar. Arthur tosses the broken sword into the lake. After Arthur recognizes what he has done, the lady of the lake returns Excalibur to King Arthur in perfect condition and Lancelot is revived. Arthur then makes Lancelot his champion and Lancelot becomes Arthur's noblest knight. While Lancelot is resting in the forest, a peasant comes across Lancelot and attempts to steal Lancelot's sword. But Lancelot is too keen to have his sword stolen by a peasant boy. The boy, Perceval wants to become a knight and wants to follow Lancelot back to Camelot to be knighted. Lancelot offers the boy upon the horse back to Camelot, but the boy wishes to run behind Lancelot all the way to Camelot even though it is twenty days away. The persistent boy who craves to become a knight follows behind Lancelot all the way to Camelot, to prove his worthiness one might conclude. But he is not knighted right away. Later on, Gawain accuses Lancelot for his betrayal to the Kings wife. During the middle ages the process for settling disputes was not by any form of court, but they choose to settle by jousting. Unfortunately, Lancelot does not show up in time for the trial joust. Not one knight steps forward to take Lancelot's place , so Perceval steps forward and chooses to champion the queen. Therefore Arthur has no other choice but to knight Perceval in order for him to joust Gawain. Just in the nick of time Lancelot shows up and Perceval is relieved from any danger. Although jousting was extremely dangerous, Perceval saw it as his only chance to become a knight and serve King Arthur. During the Middle Ages it was important for men to have the honor to serve their king. Honor, humility, faith, pride, purity and nobility were Medieval virtues that men cherished. Men strived at the chance to become a knight and be member of the kings aristocracy, the knights of the round table. f:\12000 essays\mythology & legends (75)\Fate & Destiny 2.TXT +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Date sent: Thurs, 23 Jan 97 07:37:48 Subject: myth1.TXT Report for system password Fate & Destiny In the beginning a man and a woman were born. They married each other and lived a life that was filled with much happiness and joy. One day a terrible car accident occurred that killed them both. In this world we live in we face everyday choices. Maybe these people did not choose to die, but they maybe chose to drive in the car that day. Was what happened to them an accident or a bad twist of fate that was their destiny? Were these two wonderful people predestined to die at that moment or was it just an accident or did they just make a bad choice to drive in a car that day? It is my belief that we are here for some purpose. Some meaningful some not. Each of us has our own opinion whether that is so. Fate is a part of this world. In mythology fate/destiny is often looked upon for guidance, prophecies made concerning fate often come true, and even the gods in mythology respect their own destiny. In mythology, when people were facing hard times they visited temples of guidance on what they were destined to do. Like in the story of Cupid and Psyche. Psyche's parents went to seek an oracle (in Apollo's temple) for advice on what to do with her. The oracle directed Psyche in the right direction of her fate or gave a hint to what was destined to happen anyway. Also, in the Odyssey where Odysseus visits Hades to see an old blind dead soothsayer to find out what he should do in order to get home. Last is the destiny of Oedipus who seeks help to make his country a better place, only to find out what his real destiny was. A strange thing happened in all of these different prophecies and destines of all these gods/humans. They all came true. All of them. For instance, it was said that it would take Odysseus ten years to return home. Low and behold, he came back in ten years. Halitherses who warned the suitor's of their own destiny if they don't change. Of course they do not listen they do not change their ways and end up meeting their ultimate demise. And we don't want to forget about the fate of Oedipus whose destiny was to kill his father and marry his mother. Sad thing is that it came true. In the mythological tale of Oedipus the main character tries to avoid his destiny. In the end however that did not work. He was mentally destroyed from what he tried to avoid. You see he tried to avoid what you cannot avoid and that made for drastic consequences. Even the gods like the almighty Zeus pays heed to his own fate. He knows when his time will come and even he has to obey. If the most powerful god on Mt. Olympus knows that you cannot fight what is already decided for you, why shouldn't you? In closing, we are here on this planet. Is there a purpose for it, or is this an accident? Why are we here? We would all like to believe that there is a purpose for being here, but we also want to believe that we all have the freedom of choice. After all this is America, and we've grown quite used to the idea. In mythology fate/destiny means you have some purpose. Because we are here on this small little planet among a vast solar system, among countless galaxies, we must be here for a purpose. Do you really think this is all an accident? I don't. f:\12000 essays\mythology & legends (75)\Fate & destiny.TXT +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Fate & Destiny In the beginning a man and a woman were born. They married each other and lived a life that was filled with much happiness and joy. One day a terrible car accident occurred that killed them both. In this world we live in we face everyday choices. Maybe these people did not choose to die, but they maybe chose to drive in the car that day. Was what happened to them an accident or a bad twist of fate that was their destiny? Were these two wonderful people predestined to die at that moment or was it just an accident or did they just make a bad choice to drive in a car that day? It is my belief that we are here for some purpose. Some meaningful some not. Each of us has our own opinion whether that is so. Fate is a part of this world. In mythology fate/destiny is often looked upon for guidance, prophecies made concerning fate often come true, and even the gods in mythology respect their own destiny. In mythology, when people were facing hard times they visited temples of guidance on what they were destined to do. Like in the story of Cupid and Psyche. Psyche's parents went to seek an oracle (in Apollo's temple) for advice on what to do with her. The oracle directed Psyche in the right direction of her fate or gave a hint to what was destined to happen anyway. Also, in the Odyssey where Odysseus visits Hades to see an old blind dead soothsayer to find out what he should do in order to get home. Last is the destiny of Oedipus who seeks help to make his country a better place, only to find out what his real destiny was. A strange thing happened in all of these different prophecies and destines of all these gods/humans. They all came true. All of them. For instance, it was said that it would take Odysseus ten years to return home. Low and behold, he came back in ten years. Halitherses who warned the suitor's of their own destiny if they don't change. Of course they do not listen they do not change their ways and end up meeting their ultimate demise. And we don't want to forget about the fate of Oedipus whose destiny was to kill his father and marry his mother. Sad thing is that it came true. In the mythological tale of Oedipus the main character tries to avoid his destiny. In the end however that did not work. He was mentally destroyed from what he tried to avoid. You see he tried to avoid what you cannot avoid and that made for drastic consequences. Even the gods like the almighty Zeus pays heed to his own fate. He knows when his time will come and even he has to obey. If the most powerful god on Mt. Olympus knows that you cannot fight what is already decided for you, why shouldn't you? In closing, we are here on this planet. Is there a purpose for it, or is this an accident? Why are we here? We would all like to believe that there is a purpose for being here, but we also want to believe that we all have the freedom of choice. After all this is America, and we've grown quite used to the idea. In mythology fate/destiny means you have some purpose. Because we are here on this small little planet among a vast solar system, among countless galaxies, we must be here for a purpose. Do you really think this is all an accident? I don't. f:\12000 essays\mythology & legends (75)\Gawian essay.TXT +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ English 120 November 19, 1996 In Sir Gawain and the Green Knight the three hunts of Bercilak were similar to the three seductions of Gawain. Bercilak and Gawain made a bargain at the castle. Bercilak said "Whatever I earn in the woods will be yours, whatever you win will be mine in exchange." (Gawain 81) The Green Knight tells Gawain that he was sent by Morgana Le Fay because she wanted to test Gawain's pride and "determine the truth of the Round Table's fame, and the tales that tell of it." (Gawain 123) During Bercilak's first hunt, they hunted deer. The hunters were on one side with the peasants and dogs on the other, surrounding the deer. The peasants and dogs made noise and cashed the deer towards the hunters. The hunters slaughtered them as they came near. In Gawian's bedroom, Bercilak's wife came into his room and tried to seduce him. She came in and locked the door trapping him in the room. Gawian was trapped like the deer were trapped in the forest. Gawian used words to talk his way out the situation, but before she left she gave him a kiss. On the second hunt, they found a boar and trapped it on a mountain. The boar attacked and fought back aggressively. Bercilak faced it one on one and killed it. In Gawain's bedroom, Bercilak's wife made another pass at him. This time she was more aggressive. The hunters used the same tactic on the boar as Bercilak's wife used on Gawain. She tried to wear him down, but it had no used because Gawain still put out. She gave him two kisses before she left his room. For the third hunt Bercilak tracked a fox. The fox was sly and clever and he chased it all over. Bercilak swung at it and it swerved and ran into the dogs. The dogs killed it. Bercilak's wife tried to be sly like a fox on her third attempt to seduce Gawain. After failing to seduce Gawain, Bercilak's wife tried to give him something to make him break his word. First she offered to give him a ring, which he refused. Then, she offered a magical scarf which he accepted. The two different situations paralleled each other in symbolism. Bercilak hunted the animals like his wife hunted Gawain. The whole experience was only a test for Gawain and he managed to pass except for taking the scarf and breaking his word. f:\12000 essays\mythology & legends (75)\Gods and Goddesses of Greek Mythology.TXT +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ The gods and goddesses that the Greek people believe in make up the Greek mythology studied today. These divine characters represent a family living on Mount Olympus who intervene frequently in the lives of the human characters in Greek plays. They are omnipresent, for they are always observing mans actions and working through human nature. The gods are a higher power, and provide explanations for otherwise unexplainable events. The gods help humans in trouble and give them guidance about the future. The Olympians influence men on earth both psychologically and physically. In Homer's epic poem, The Iliad, the intervention of such divine powers as Athena, Apollo, and Zeus play significant roles in the lives of the characters and the events of the Greek-Trojan War. Athena plays a very influential role in the Greek-Trojan War. She is the most constant divine supporter of the Greeks and divine enemy of the Trojans. Athena's function is to be a goddess of pro-Greek warfare. She came to the aid of the Greeks many times throughout the war. For instance, Athena came down from the sky to stop Achilleus from attacking Agamemnon (Willcock). Andre Michalopoulous confirms this action by quoting what Athena says to Achilles : I came from heaven to stay thine anger, if perchance though wilt hearken to me, being sent forth of the white-armed goddess Hera, that loveth you twain alike and careth for you. Go to now, cense from strife, and let not thine hand draw the sword.(65) Achilles listens to Athena's request, and therefore he returns his sword to its sheath, and withdraws from battle. Athena also assists Achilles in his battle with Hektor. Malcolm Willcock quotes, "After deceiving Hektor into fighting Achilles,she comes to his aid by returning his sword to him" (244). This intervention is the greatest assist of a divine power to a human being in The Iliad. Athena also plays an influential role in the battles of Diomedes. Martin Mueller reveals, "Athena is closest to Diomedes. " She is with him at the beginning and end of his aristeia and she addresses him without disguise" (136). Athena also urges Diomedes to fight Aphrodite. With this command, she removes the cloud from his eyes which made him able to see the gods. Furthermore, as Robert Graves states, "She put fresh strength into his legs and arms," which allowed him to sustain in battle with Aphrodite (104). Athena instructs Diomedes not to attack any other gods; but, Diomedes does not take her advice, and fights against Apollo and other gods, which causes Diomedes to retreat until he is saved by being reunited with Athena. This powerful goddess assistsd Diomedes greatly as she does the other characters in The Iliad. Another Greek warrior who is helped by Athena was Pandaros. Athena encourages him to break the truce with Menelaos , but, as Willcock states, " This does not lessen his own responsibility for his treachery - He is a fool to be persuaded" (46). Then, she switches to Menelaos' side, to prevent any serious harm from the arrow that was shot. Athena protects these warriors as she protects the other Greeks. She usually protects the characters who were natural winners. Athena supports those who have the potential to be successful and therefore she assists many of the Greek heroes (Willcock). In Addition to Athena, Apollo also plays an influental role in the Greek-Trojan War. Apollo is the most important divine supporter of the Trojans. Willcock tells us, "He is the archer god who strikes from afar, the god of disease and healing" (4). Apollo's first intervention occurs after Agamemnon had taken Apollo's priest daughter as a war prize. Apollo sends a nine day pestilence upon the Greeks. "Pack animals were his first target, and dogs, / but soldiers, too, soon felt transfixing pain from his hard shots and pyres burned night and day" (Iliad I. 23-24). Apollo also intervenes in the Greek-Trojan War to assist the human characters. One of the warriors Apollo assists is Pandaros. In fact, Apollo is the one who gave Pandaros his bow after he broke the truce with Menelaos by shooting an arrow at him. But, this passage does not truly refer to the actual action of Apollo handing Pandaros his bow, but rather that, as Seth Schein believes, "Pandaros was a specifically good archer" (57). Because he is a good archer, it is believed that Pandaros is blessed by the god of archery. Agenor, Hektor's half brother, is another Trojan warrior that Apollo aids. Agenor is debating on whether or not to run into the city of Troy to save the Trojan people, because if he does he probably will be caught and killed by Achilles. Finally, he decides to run into the city and stand and face Achilles. He hit Achilles with a spear cast, and Achilles begins to fight back. But, before Achilles could do anything, Apollo intervenes by taking the form of Agenor, and removing him from the battle. Then, runs away to lure Achilles apart from the rest of the Trojans. Mark Edwards believes "Because of Apollo's intervention, both Agenor and the Trojans are saved from Achilles' wrath (290). An additional god that intervenes in the Greek-Trojan War is Zeus. Zeus is not only the most powerful god in The Iliad, but he also plays the most influential role of any of the other gods. As Willcock states, "Zeus is the supreme god without whose will nothing important happens in the world below" (14). This will, or plan, of Zeus is central to the plot of The Iliad and plays a decisive role in the main events of the play. Perhaps the reason Zeus is such an influential god is because he intervenes in both the affairs of the Greeks and the Trojans. He is a neutral god, who is a "tandom dispenser of good and evil" throughout the play (Mueller 147). Zeus' neutrality is expressed by Willcock , as he states "Zeus, king of the gods, is impartial but knows that Troy is in doom" (283). Zeus remains neutral throughout the play by coming to the aid of both the Greeks and the Trojans whenever he deems it necessary. Zeus assists the Greeks during the war in many ways. One of the ways in which he comes to the aid of the Greeks is by sending an omen. Agamemnon prays to Zeus that his army might not perish. In response to his prayer, Zeus sends an eagle as a sign that he had granted his wish. This prayer is demonstrated as John Scott says : Just at the moment when the Trojans seemed on the point of victory an eagle appeared on the left with a live snake in its talons. The snake kept striking at the neck and breast of its captor until the eagle was forced to drop it and fly away, while the snake fell and squirmed within the ranks of the Trojans.(215) Because of this affirmation, the Greeks rejoice and rally. The Trojans decide that this is the a sign from Zeus to end the battle, even though it seemed it was going to be a success for the Trojans. In addition to Agamemnons prayer, Zeus receives a prayer from Thetis. Thetis, the mother of Achilles prays to Zeus : Father Zeus, if ever before in word or action I did you favor among immortals, now grant what I ask for. Now give honor to my son short - lived beyond all other mortals. So long put strength in the Trojans, until the Achaians give my son his rights and his honor is increased among them. (Iliad 256-64) Zeus decides to grant Thetis' wish and help the Trojan army. This action is an answer to Thetis' prayer because she wanted the Trojans to start winning battles to bet back at the Acheans and Agamemnon for dishonoring Achilles by taking his war prize. Therefore, Thetis is granted the wish that she wanted through the mighty power of Zeus. Answering the prayers of the Greeks such as Achilles and Thetis is just one of the ways in which Zeus helps the Greeks. Although Zeus is essentially a neutral god sometimes he shows favortism to one side or the other. In many instances, he aides and intervenes in the Greek-Trojan war in favor of the Greeks. Not only did Zeus assist the Greeks in the Greek-Trojan War, but he also aides the Trojans. For instance, Zeus is tempted by Hera before the battle that destroys the city of Troy. In return for this destruction, Hera would give Zeus the cities that she loved the most - Argos, Sparta, and Mycena. Edwards confirms this temptation as he states : Before the battle really begins there is a prelude in which Zeus speaks of his love for Troy and Hera offers to sacrifice her own favorite cities in return for Troy's destruction; the traditional reasons for her hatred - the judgement of Paris and Zues' love for the Trojan boy Ganymede are left unmentioned, perhaps to make her anger more irrational. (128) Zeus' decision to avoid destructing the city of Troy immensly aggrivates Hera. His decision also shows that he was protecting the city of Troy, thus helping the Trojans in the Greek-Trojan War. Zeus assists the Trojans in another instance by directly intervening in a battle. Mueller says, "After a general account of indecisive fighting, the turning point in the second day's battle comes when Zeus intervened on the side of the Trojans (103). Zeus aids the Trojans by sending down a lightening bolt to make Diomedes, the Greek warrior, retreat. Because of Diomedes' retreat, Hektor is able to push the Acheans back on their ships that are now threatened with fire. Zeus gives the Trojans another victory later in the war when the Greeks and the Trojans begin fighting over Patroklos' body, a battle arises between the two enemies. At this time, Zeus intervenes in the battle and once again comes to the Trojans aid. Mueller states, " At length Zeus gives victory to the Trojans, and in a passage richly studded with similies the poet describes the retreat of the Acheans, with Meriones and Menelaos carrying the body while the two Aiantes provide cover" (107). Zeus plays an important part in the victories of the Trojans. He "inspires terror into the Greeks" (Willcock 98) and enables the Trojans to overcome the Greeks many times throughout the Greek-Trojan War. The Greek-Trojan War in The Iliad is not only a War between human characters, but it is also a battle between divine characters. While the Olympians' immortality separates them from man and leaves them free from death and suffering, there power brings them closer to humans because it is constantly being used to either aid or hamper mans progress. These gods are central to the poem because they are actually responsible for the war's beginnings, and every event that occurs has been affected by a god in some way. The gods have the power to control the outcome of the events on earth because man can be persuaded so easily. Therefore, the divine intervention in the war is frequent and significant to the war's outcome. The power of the gods such as Athena, Apollo and Zeus is crucial to the events in The Iliad, for the Greek-Trojan War is a battle between not only the heroic human warriors, but also the mighty dine gods. f:\12000 essays\mythology & legends (75)\gods.TXT +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ The ancient Greek and ancient Roman religion was the belief in gods. They had similar beliefs, but also vast differences. They came from each other and gave their people a form of morality. It was composed of many meaningful gods and goddesses that all played a part in the everyday life of the average Roman and Greek person of that time. They believed in something called polytheism. It is the belief of many gods; each given a personality, function, relationship to each other through family, and to be the subject of many myths and legends that were to be told for many of years to come. They were to become the basis for a religion that would last for hundreds of years and would yield thousands of followers to believe in the made stories of these enchanted people or gods as they were called. ( Grolier) The Roman mythology was to consist of twelve to thirteen main gods. Each having a function in the life of the everyday Roman that would require some sort of worshipping. The Roman gods were taken from the beliefs of the Greek gods. They are directly descended from their neighboring religion. The Roman mythology consisted of the high god Jupiter, his wife and sister Juno, son Vulcan, son Mercury, daughter Diana, daughter Venus, son Mars, daughter Minerva, son Apollo, sister Vesta, brother Pluto, brother Neptune, and Janus.(www, hunt) Jupiter was the ruler of the gods. He is also known as Zeus to the Greeks. He became ruler of the gods through him drawing that lot from his brothers after they overthrew the Titans. He was the god of sky and rain. He was the keeper of the thunderbolt which he hurled at anyone that displeased. That is how he is portrayed through the Greeks, but through the Romans; he was still the ruler of the gods and used his thunderbolts. They portrayed as the lord of life and death and he never visited mankind on earth.(www. hunt) Neptune was the god of the sea. This is the lot he drew from his brothers. He was worshipped mostly by seaman. He was the creator of the horse and the user of his three- pronged spear, the trident. It could shake the ground and break any object at will, but in his Roman sense he was still the god of the sea. It only took longer for him to be noticed as it. He started out as a minor deity of the water, but his importance increased as the number of seamen increased. (www. hunt) Pluto the god of the underworld. This is the lot he drew from his brothers. He is one of the greediest of the gods and is always looking for more ruling subjects. He is the god of wealth also because of all the precious metals mined from the earth. He is also the king of the dead and married to his abducted queen Persephone in the Greek mythology. (www. hunt) Vesta was the goddess of the hearth and the symbol of the home. She was the watcher of households and family activities. She is a virgin goddess and plays no parts in myths. She is known as Hestia in the Greek religion. (www. hunt) Juno was the goddess of marriage and the protectress of women. She was the queen of the heavens. She was the wife and sister to Jupiter.(Grolier) In Greek mythology She was all and the same. She was forced into marrying Zeus(Jupiter) because he raped her. To hide her shame she married him.(www. hunt) Mars was the god of war, agriculture, and of the state. He appeared in three different ways: Mars Sylvanus, the god of vegetation; Mars Gradivus, the god of war; and Mars Quirinius, the god of state. (Grolier) In Greek mythology he was also considered the god of war, but not of the others. He was disliked by his parents and was a coward. Apollo was the god of music, healing and truth. He was the player of the golden lyre, shooter of the silver arrows, teacher of medicine to mankind, and god that could not tell a lie. He was the also the carrier of the Sun across the sky by his chariot of winged horses. He was represented in the same way in both the Roman and Greek religions. (www. hunt) Minerva is the goddess of wisdom, art and craft, and war. She was a deity of the dawn. She was originally said to be the daughter of the giant Palla, but was later said to have sprung from the forehead of Jupiter fully armed and grown. (Grolier) That is said in both religions, but in the Greek religion she is the goddess of the city, handicrafts, and agriculture. She is the inventor of the bridle, the trumpet, the flute, the pot, the rake, the plow, the yoke, the ship, and the chariot. She represented reason, wisdom, and purity. Venus was the carrier of four things in the Roman religion as: Venus Felix; bringer of luck; Venus Victrix, bringer of victory; Venus Verticordia, protector of female chastity; and Venus Libentina, patroness of sensual pleasure. (Grolier) In Greek mythology as Aphrodite, she was the goddess of love, desire, and beauty. She is also said to have a magic girdle that makes anyone she wishes to desire her. (www. hunt) Mercury was the messenger of the Roman gods. He darted around quickly with his winged shoes and hat. He was also the god of merchants, science, astronomy, thieves, travelers, vagabonds, and of cleverness. (Grolier) In Greek mythology he is also the god of thieves and messenger of the gods. He guides the dead to the underworld and was the inventor of the lyre, pipes, musical scale, astronomy, weights and measures, boxing, gymnastics, and the carer of the olive trees. (www. hunt) Diana was at first a minor deity of the forest and woodland, but was later known as a great hunter, patron of women, and the goddess of the moon. (Grolier) In Greek mythology Artemis is also the hunter of the Greek gods. She is the protector of the young, goddess of the moon, goddess of chastity, and the overlooker of childbirth even though she was a virgin goddess. (www. hunt) Vulcan was the god of fire and was recommended by the other gods to also prevent fires. He was ugly and lame and married to the ever pretty goddess Venus, but she was unfaithful and involved in many affairs. He was married to Venus only because she felt sorry for his ugliness. (Grolier) In Greek mythology he was the god of fire and forge and was the smith and armorer of the gods. He used volcanoes to produce his weapons and armor. He is also the god of smiths and weavers. He is also married to Aphrodite. He is still ugly and lame, but is the kindest and the peace lover of the group. There are many rumors to his lameness. He was either flung from Mount Olympus because Hera was upset with his ugliness and broke his legs as he fell into the sea or he was flung off the mountain as he took Hera's side in an argument with Zeus. (www. hunt) Janus was the god that was not represented in Greek mythology. He was the god of entrances, coming and going, doorways, bridges, ferries, harbors, and boundaries. Janus was also the doorkeeper of heaven. He was said to be the supreme god, but was later said to be second to Jupiter. In Greek mythology Poseidon was second in charge. He was asked for blessings before the beginning of the day, month, week, and year. He was said to of have two faces that faced each way to see the coming and the going which symbolized how much he knew about the present and the past. (www janus) At this time another religion was up and coming. It was Christianity. It was unaccepted by the Roman government. They met without permission which was a major violation of the of the old laws of the Roman government. (Crowell, 193) In the Jewish religion, it was the same game for them too. The fact that they represented only one god and should be worshipping more. So they got treated as a whole with the Christians since both of their religions were the same in the eyes of the Roman government. So when one of them got persecuted then one of the other would feel the same way too. (Arnott, 288-9) The old religion started to lose its touch and Christianity was beginning to gain in popularity. It was easily understood and its teaching of mercy, gentleness, kind-loving, and charity towards others even if they were your enemies. It brought upon a knew look on life. It taught them self-discipline, care for the rejected, and the belief in the seriousness of sins. It taught of faith in one God and the expectation of life after death causing the grasp of the religion to come easy to people. This later took over the Roman society and became the official religion of Rome. (Cowell, 193-4) In all and all the mythology of both Romans and Greeks was surprising similar, but in ways they were very much apart. The Greeks were very much involved in their religion with stories, myths, legends, and in depth descriptions of their personality and physical appearance. They all lived the life that is dreamed of by many, but not achieved by much. They all expressed something with their powers and their ability of ruling over normal mankind. The Romans had nothing to do with any of this. Their religion wasn't as serious as of that of the Greeks. They did not have the mystical life like that of the Greeks, but rather they were represented in statues and worshipped at certain times of the year. This all could not make their time of worship last, but it was rather the end of a great time of religious beliefs. It was the end of a legacy to some and the beginning of the new to others. The age had to come to an end, but it never ended in the lives of some. So today in its own way it plays its part, it is just how in is thought about in the eyes of society and accepted by the people of the day. The ancient Greek and ancient Roman religion was the belief in gods. They had similar beliefs, but also vast differences. They came from each other and gave their people a form of morality. It was composed of many meaningful gods and goddesses that all played a part in the everyday life of the average Roman and Greek person of that time. They believed in something called polytheism. It is the belief of many gods; each given a personality, function, relationship to each other through family, and to be the subject of many myths and legends that were to be told for many of years to come. They were to become the basis for a religion that would last for hundreds of years and would yield thousands of followers to believe in the made stories of these enchanted people or gods as they were called. ( Grolier) The Roman mythology was to consist of twelve to thirteen main gods. Each having a function in the life of the everyday Roman that would require some sort of worshipping. The Roman gods were taken from the beliefs of the Greek gods. They are directly descended from their neighboring religion. The Roman mythology consisted of the high god Jupiter, his wife and sister Juno, son Vulcan, son Mercury, daughter Diana, daughter Venus, son Mars, daughter Minerva, son Apollo, sister Vesta, brother Pluto, brother Neptune, and Janus.(www, hunt) Jupiter was the ruler of the gods. He is also known as Zeus to the Greeks. He became ruler of the gods through him drawing that lot from his brothers after they overthrew the Titans. He was the god of sky and rain. He was the keeper of the thunderbolt which he hurled at anyone that displeased. That is how he is portrayed through the Greeks, but through the Romans; he was still the ruler of the gods and used his thunderbolts. They portrayed as the lord of life and death and he never visited mankind on earth.(www. hunt) Neptune was the god of the sea. This is the lot he drew from his brothers. He was worshipped mostly by seaman. He was the creator of the horse and the user of his three- pronged spear, the trident. It could shake the ground and break any object at will, but in his Roman sense he was still the god of the sea. It only took longer for him to be noticed as it. He started out as a minor deity of the water, but his importance increased as the number of seamen increased. (www. hunt) Pluto the god of the underworld. This is the lot he drew from his brothers. He is one of the greediest of the gods and is always looking for more ruling subjects. He is the god of wealth also because of all the precious metals mined from the earth. He is also the king of the dead and married to his abducted queen Persephone in the Greek mythology. (www. hunt) Vesta was the goddess of the hearth and the symbol of the home. She was the watcher of households and family activities. She is a virgin goddess and plays no parts in myths. She is known as Hestia in the Greek religion. (www. hunt) Juno was the goddess of marriage and the protectress of women. She was the queen of the heavens. She was the wife and sister to Jupiter.(Grolier) In Greek mythology She was all and the same. She was forced into marrying Zeus(Jupiter) because he raped her. To hide her shame she married him.(www. hunt) Mars was the god of war, agriculture, and of the state. He appeared in three different ways: Mars Sylvanus, the god of vegetation; Mars Gradivus, the god of war; and Mars Quirinius, the god of state. (Grolier) In Greek mythology he was also considered the god of war, but not of the others. He was disliked by his parents and was a coward. Apollo was the god of music, healing and truth. He was the player of the golden lyre, shooter of the silver arrows, teacher of medicine to mankind, and god that could not tell a lie. He was the also the carrier of the Sun across the sky by his chariot of winged horses. He was represented in the same way in both the Roman and Greek religions. (www. hunt) Minerva is the goddess of wisdom, art and craft, and war. She was a deity of the dawn. She was originally said to be the daughter of the giant Palla, but was later said to have sprung from the forehead of Jupiter fully armed and grown. (Grolier) That is said in both religions, but in the Greek religion she is the goddess of the city, handicrafts, and agriculture. She is the inventor of the bridle, the trumpet, the flute, the pot, the rake, the plow, the yoke, the ship, and the chariot. She represented reason, wisdom, and purity. Venus was the carrier of four things in the Roman religion as: Venus Felix; bringer of luck; Venus Victrix, bringer of victory; Venus Verticordia, protector of female chastity; and Venus Libentina, patroness of sensual pleasure. (Grolier) In Greek mythology as Aphrodite, she was the goddess of love, desire, and beauty. She is also said to have a magic girdle that makes anyone she wishes to desire her. (www. hunt) Mercury was the messenger of the Roman gods. He darted around quickly with his winged shoes and hat. He was also the god of merchants, science, astronomy, thieves, travelers, vagabonds, and of cleverness. (Grolier) In Greek mythology he is also the god of thieves and messenger of the gods. He guides the dead to the underworld and was the inventor of the lyre, pipes, musical scale, astronomy, weights and measures, boxing, gymnastics, and the carer of the olive trees. (www. hunt) Diana was at first a minor deity of the forest and woodland, but was later known as a great hunter, patron of women, and the goddess of the moon. (Grolier) In Greek mythology Artemis is also the hunter of the Greek gods. She is the protector of the young, goddess of the moon, goddess of chastity, and the overlooker of childbirth even though she was a virgin goddess. (www. hunt) Vulcan was the god of fire and was recommended by the other gods to also prevent fires. He was ugly and lame and married to the ever pretty goddess Venus, but she was unfaithful and involved in many affairs. He was married to Venus only because she felt sorry for his ugliness. (Grolier) In Greek mythology he was the god of fire and forge and was the smith and armorer of the gods. He used volcanoes to produce his weapons and armor. He is also the god of smiths and weavers. He is also married to Aphrodite. He is still ugly and lame, but is the kindest and the peace lover of the group. There are many rumors to his lameness. He was either flung from Mount Olympus because Hera was upset with his ugliness and broke his legs as he fell into the sea or he was flung off the mountain as he took Hera's side in an argument with Zeus. (www. hunt) Janus was the god that was not represented in Greek mythology. He was the god of entrances, coming and going, doorways, bridges, ferries, harbors, and boundaries. Janus was also the doorkeeper of heaven. He was said to be the supreme god, but was later said to be second to Jupiter. In Greek mythology Poseidon was second in charge. He was asked for blessings before the beginning of the day, month, week, and year. He was said to of have two faces that faced each way to see the coming and the going which symbolized how much he knew about the present and the past. (www janus) At this time another religion was up and coming. It was Christianity. It was unaccepted by the Roman government. They met without permission which was a major violation of the of the old laws of the Roman government. (Crowell, 193) In the Jewish religion, it was the same game for them too. The fact that they represented only one god and should be worshipping more. So they got treated as a whole with the Christians since both of their religions were the same in the eyes of the Roman government. So when one of them got persecuted then one of the other would feel the same way too. (Arnott, 288-9) The old religion started to lose its touch and Christianity was beginning to gain in popularity. It was easily understood and its teaching of mercy, gentleness, kind-loving, and charity towards others even if they were your enemies. It brought upon a knew look on life. It taught them self-discipline, care for the rejected, and the belief in the seriousness of sins. It taught of faith in one God and the expectation of life after death causing the grasp of the religion to come easy to people. This later took over the Roman society and became the official religion of Rome. (Cowell, 193-4) In all and all the mythology of both Romans and Greeks was surprising similar, but in ways they were very much apart. The Greeks were very much involved in their religion with stories, myths, legends, and in depth descriptions of their personality and physical appearance. They all lived the life that is dreamed of by many, but not achieved by much. They all expressed something with their powers and their ability of ruling over normal mankind. The Romans had nothing to do with any of this. Their religion wasn't as serious as of that of the Greeks. They did not have the mystical life like that of the Greeks, but rather they were represented in statues and worshipped at certain times of the year. This all could not make their time of worship last, but it was rather the end of a great time of religious beliefs. It was the end of a legacy to some and the beginning of the new to others. The age had to come to an end, but it never ended in the lives of some. So today in its own way it plays its part, it is just how in is thought about in the eyes of society and accepted by the people of the day. The ancient Greek and ancient Roman religion was the belief in gods. They had similar beliefs, but also vast differences. They came from each other and gave their people a form of morality. It was composed of many meaningful gods and goddesses that all played a part in the everyday life of the average Roman and Greek person of that time. They believed in something called polytheism. It is the belief of many gods; each given a personality, function, relationship to each other through family, and to be the subject of many myths and legends that were to be told for many of years to come. They were to become the basis for a religion that would last for hundreds of years and would yield thousands of followers to believe in the made stories of these enchanted people or gods as they were called. ( Grolier) The Roman mythology was to consist of twelve to thirteen main gods. Each having a function in the life of the everyday Roman that would require some sort of worshipping. The Roman gods were taken from the beliefs of the Greek gods. They are directly descended from their neighboring religion. The Roman mythology consisted of the high god Jupiter, his wife and sister Juno, son Vulcan, son Mercury, daughter Diana, daughter Venus, son Mars, daughter Minerva, son Apollo, sister Vesta, brother Pluto, brother Neptune, and Janus.(www, hunt) Jupiter was the ruler of the gods. He is also known as Zeus to the Greeks. He became ruler of the gods through him drawing that lot from his brothers after they overthrew the Titans. He was the god of sky and rain. He was the keeper of the thunderbolt which he hurled at anyone that displeased. That is how he is portrayed through the Greeks, but through the Romans; he was still the ruler of the gods and used his thunderbolts. They portrayed as the lord of life and death and he never visited mankind on earth.(www. hunt) Neptune was the god of the sea. This is the lot he drew from his brothers. He was worshipped mostly by seaman. He was the creator of the horse and the user of his three- pronged spear, the trident. It could shake the ground and break any object at will, but in his Roman sense he was still the god of the sea. It only took longer for him to be noticed as it. He started out as a minor deity of the water, but his importance increased as the number of seamen increased. (www. hunt) Pluto the god of the underworld. This is the lot he drew from his brothers. He is one of the greediest of the gods and is always looking for more ruling subjects. He is the god of wealth also because of all the precious metals mined from the earth. He is also the king of the dead and married to his abducted queen Persephone in the Greek mythology. (www. hunt) Vesta was the goddess of the hearth and the symbol of the home. She was the watcher of households and family activities. She is a virgin goddess and plays no parts in myths. She is known as Hestia in the Greek religion. (www. hunt) Juno was the goddess of marriage and the protectress of women. She was the queen of the heavens. She was the wife and sister to Jupiter.(Grolier) In Greek mythology She was all and the same. She was forced into marrying Zeus(Jupiter) because he raped her. To hide her shame she married him.(www. hunt) Mars was the god of war, agriculture, and of the state. He appeared in three different ways: Mars Sylvanus, the god of vegetation; Mars Gradivus, the god of war; and Mars Quirinius, the god of state. (Grolier) In Greek mythology he was also considered the god of war, but not of the others. He was disliked by his parents and was a coward. Apollo was the god of music, healing and truth. He was the player of the golden lyre, shooter of the silver arrows, teacher of medicine to mankind, and god that could not tell a lie. He was the also the carrier of the Sun across the sky by his chariot of winged horses. He was represented in the same way in both the Roman and Greek religions. (www. hunt) Minerva is the goddess of wisdom, art and craft, and war. She was a deity of the dawn. She was originally said to be the daughter of the giant Palla, but was later said to have sprung from the forehead of Jupiter fully armed and grown. (Grolier) That is said in both religions, but in the Greek religion she is the goddess of the city, handicrafts, and agriculture. She is the inventor of the bridle, the trumpet, the flute, the pot, the rake, the plow, the yoke, the ship, and the chariot. She represented reason, wisdom, and purity. Venus was the carrier of four things in the Roman religion as: Venus Felix; bringer of luck; Venus Victrix, bringer of victory; Venus Verticordia, protector of female chastity; and Venus Libentina, patroness of sensual pleasure. (Grolier) In Greek mythology as Aphrodite, she was the goddess of love, desire, and beauty. She is also said to have a magic girdle that makes anyone she wishes to desire her. (www. hunt) Mercury was the messenger of the Roman gods. He darted around quickly with his winged shoes and hat. He was also the god of merchants, science, astronomy, thieves, travelers, vagabonds, and of cleverness. (Grolier) In Greek mythology he is also the god of thieves and messenger of the gods. He guides the dead to the underworld and was the inventor of the lyre, pipes, musical scale, astronomy, weights and measures, boxing, gymnastics, and the carer of the olive trees. (www. hunt) Diana was at first a minor deity of the forest and woodland, but was later known as a great hunter, patron of women, and the goddess of the moon. (Grolier) In Greek mythology Artemis is also the hunter of the Greek gods. She is the protector of the young, goddess of the moon, goddess of chastity, and the overlooker of childbirth even though she was a virgin goddess. (www. hunt) Vulcan was the god of fire and was recommended by the other gods to also prevent fires. He was ugly and lame and married to the ever pretty goddess Venus, but she was unfaithful and involved in many affairs. He was married to Venus only because she felt sorry for his ugliness. (Grolier) In Greek mythology he was the god of fire and forge and was the smith and armorer of the gods. He used volcanoes to produce his weapons and armor. He is also the god of smiths and weavers. He is also married to Aphrodite. He is still ugly and lame, but is the kindest and the peace lover of the group. There are many rumors to his lameness. He was either flung from Mount Olympus because Hera was upset with his ugliness and broke his legs as he fell into the sea or he was flung off the mountain as he took Hera's side in an argument with Zeus. (www. hunt) Janus was the god that was not represented in Greek mythology. He was the god of entrances, coming and going, doorways, bridges, ferries, harbors, and boundaries. Janus was also the doorkeeper of heaven. He was said to be the supreme god, but was later said to be second to Jupiter. In Greek mythology Poseidon was second in charge. He was asked for blessings before the beginning of the day, month, week, and year. He was said to of have two faces that faced each way to see the coming and the going which symbolized how much he knew about the present and the past. (www janus) At this time another religion was up and coming. It was Christianity. It was unaccepted by the Roman government. They met without permission which was a major violation of the of the old laws of the Roman government. (Crowell, 193) In the Jewish religion, it was the same game for them too. The fact that they represented only one god and should be worshipping more. So they got treated as a whole with the Christians since both of their religions were the same in the eyes of the Roman government. So when one of them got persecuted then one of the other would feel the same way too. (Arnott, 288-9) The old religion started to lose its touch and Christianity was beginning to gain in popularity. It was easily understood and its teaching of mercy, gentleness, kind-loving, and charity towards others even if they were your enemies. It brought upon a knew look on life. It taught them self-discipline, care for the rejected, and the belief in the seriousness of sins. It taught of faith in one God and the expectation of life after death causing the grasp of the religion to come easy to people. This later took over the Roman society and became the official religion of Rome. (Cowell, 193-4) In all and all the mythology of both Romans and Greeks was surprising similar, but in ways they were very much apart. The Greeks were very much involved in their religion with stories, myths, legends, and in depth descriptions of their personality and physical appearance. They all lived the life that is dreamed of by many, but not achieved by much. They all expressed something with their powers and their ability of ruling over normal mankind. The Romans had nothing to do with any of this. Their religion wasn't as serious as of that of the Greeks. They did not have the mystical life like that of the Greeks, but rather they were represented in statues and worshipped at certain times of the year. This all could not make their time of worship last, but it was rather the end of a great time of religious beliefs. It was the end of a legacy to some and the beginning of the new to others. The age had to come to an end, but it never ended in the lives of some. So today in its own way it plays its part, it is just how in is thought about in the eyes of society and accepted by the people of the day. The ancient Greek and ancient Roman religion was the belief in gods. They had similar beliefs, but also vast differences. They came from each other and gave their people a form of morality. It was composed of many meaningful gods and goddesses that all played a part in the everyday life of the average Roman and Greek person of that time. They believed in something called polytheism. It is the belief of many gods; each given a personality, function, relationship to each other through family, and to be the subject of many myths and legends that were to be told for many of years to come. They were to become the basis for a religion that would last for hundreds of years and would yield thousands of followers to believe in the made stories of these enchanted people or gods as they w f:\12000 essays\mythology & legends (75)\Greek And Celtic Myths.TXT +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ The Celtic myth, "The Dream of Oenghus," relates the tale of Oenghus the Celtic god of love and his long search for true love. Oenghus is the son of Boann and Daghdhae. Boann the white cow goddess, and Daghdhae the father of all gods, the "good god." In a dream Oenghus sees "the loveliest figure in Ireland..." His memory of this vision makes him ill with loneliness and he begins to waste away. With the help of his mother, and another of his fathers' sons, Bodhbh, he begins his search for the girl he dreamt of. When, after years, he successfully completes his search the lovers' travels to Bruigh Mac, his home. Chronologically and geographically distant, Apuleius second century record of the original Greek myth of Cupid and Psyche also relates a story of amorous pursuit. In Apuleius account Psyche is the most beautiful of all mortals. "The fame of her surpassing beauty spread over the earth...Œand men would even say that Venus herself could not equal this mortal." Out of jealousy, Venus commands Cupid to make Psyche fall in love with "the vilest and most despicable creature in the whole world." However, dispatched on his errand Cupid is astonished by her beauty and "as if he had shot one of his arrows into his own heart" falls completely in love with her. Cupid dumbfounded by the love he suddenly feels carries Psyche off. Although Psyche is never able to gaze on Cupid she is confident of the love her unseen paramour expresses in the dark each night. Eventually, prompted by her unbelieving and somewhat envious sisters she lights a lamp and discovers that her lover is Cupid. Unfortunately, Cupid hurt by both the oil sputtering from the lamp and her faithlessness fees. Psyche deeply grieved by her lack of faith and subsequent loss of love pledges to search for Cupid forever. "I can spend the rest of my life searching for him. If he has no more love left for me, at least I can show him how much I love him." Eventually after many trials and tribulations, largely at the inspiration of the still jealous Venus, she is reunited with Cupid and comes to live the live of the immortals. These myths share a common fundamental theme. In both instances, the myths document a love between a mortal and a god. Moreover, both of the courtship's involve long periods of separation, difficult and desperate journeys in pursuit of the beloved, and deep ongoing uncertainty as to the ultimate outcome of the fat of the lovers. Clearly, it is not unreasonable to contend that they cover some common ground and address a conventional human dilemma. At the same time one can identify significant differences in the myths. "The Dream Of Oenghus" a god, Oenghus, pursues a mortal. In "Cupid And Psyche" a mortal Psyche, must illustrate her love for the immortal, Cupid. Oenghus, receives the willing assistance of other immortals in his search for his beloved. Cupid is also occasionally assisted by other immortals. However, Cupid and Psyche also endure the wrath of Venus and her endless demands on Psyche. In their relationship they must labor against malevolent gods. In the "Dream Of Oenghus" Caer, the mortal object of Oenghus' passion, is remarkably free of the influence of the gods. Oenghus must seek her, he must identify her, and he cannot simply buy her. In the tale of "Cupid and Psyche" it is psyche who must demonstrate her love and endure humiliation and hard labor to win back her ideal and supernatural lover, Cupid. Thus, these myths share a common theme, courtship and the pursuit of love: Specifically, the pursuit of divine or ideal love. However, their representations of this vary significantly. Nevertheless, these variations serve to reveal a great deal about the assumptions underlying these myths. Assumptions that relate to the nature of the gods, human nature, and the experience of love. The remainder of this discussion will focus on these slight but specific variations in an effort to enlighten the assumptions underlying offer significant information about the perceptions of love in Celtic and Roman culture. It would be a serious understatement to suggest that the course of love runs smoother for Oenghus than it does for Psyche. Following his vision Oenghus is overwhelmed by melancholy, a depression so pervasive that he falls into a generalized malaise. However, when the root of his affliction is diagnosed by Finghin, "you have fallen in love in absence," the assistance of Boann is immediately enlisted. When this is of no use both Daghdhae and Bodhbh willingly join the search. The gods are united in their assistance to Oenghus. On the other hand, the gods are remarkably incapable of influencing mortal behavior. When the girl is identified the gods cannot simply seize her. Oenghus is taken to identify her, which he does, and Bodhbh explains, "Even if you do recognize her, I have no power to give her, and you may only see her." To actually obtain the girl they must enter into a complex bargaing process. First the Daghdhae travels to Ailill and Medhbh and requests that they give the girl to his son. They explain that they cannot, thus the Daghdhae's men are forced to attack the fairy hill and capture Ehal Anbhuail, the girl's father, they demand that he hand the girl over. He refuses. They then threaten him with death, he confesses he cannot for she has magical powers. Yearly she alternates between human form and animal form. If Oenghus truly wants her he must follow certain procedures. Having identified her in human form he must do the same when she is in the shape of a swan. (which he does.) Then he must request her companionship on her terms. Finally, when he promises, "I pledge your protection," the two are united. Oenghus is enthralled with the mortal, Caer. In fact, their separation makes him ill. Nonetheless, the lovers can only be together if Oenghus satisfies Caer's condition: He must prove his love to her. He must illustrate that he recognizes her human and animal essence. He must guarantee her freedom, and he must pledge himself to her protection before she will come to him. This tale captures the distinct nature of the Celtic gods. According to Noma Chadwick the "Irish gods" do not emerge as gods in the usual meaning of the term. They are neither worshipped nor sacrificed to. They are supernatural beings with magical powers... If such a name is not appropriate, they might be described as mundane or pedestrian gods. In this tale it is the male, and the immortal that must earn his beloved. Caers appear indifferent to the struggle being waged for her affections. He must prove that Caer is the woman of his dreams and that he knows her in any guise. Also he must accept her terms and guarantee her safety before she will commit herself to him, and satisfy his longing. In essence, it Oenghus that yearns for Caer. It is the god who must pursue, woo and win the hand of Caer, the mortal woman (although she possesses magical powers). In Apuleius tale it is the mortal, the female, Psyche, who must toil to win her beloved Cupid. In Celtic myths the gods crave the love of mortals while in the classical myths it is the mortals who crave the love of the gods. Moreover, in "The Dream Of Oenghus" the gods must satisfy mortal conditions to win their true love. In the tale of "Cupid and Psyche" it is Psyche, the mortal, who must satisfy the conditions of fate amoung the gods. When Psyche's search for Cupid proves fruitless and her plea for sympathy and relief have been completely repulsed she decides to throw herself on Venus's mercy and to satisfy her rage with meekness. Venus challenges Psyche to a series of tasks, that lead up to her making a trip to Hades, the underworld. Through favorable and periodically divine intervention Psyche is able to complete all these tasks although a second act of faithlessness condemns her to exhaustion. However, at this point Cupid has recovered from his wound, and is wasting away from loneliness for Psyche, he takes leave from his chamber, and finds Psyche. A touch of one of his arrows awakens Psyche and he pledges to fulfill their relationship. Cupid obtains Jupiter's blessing and the two are wed. Eventually, their union produces a daughter who comes to be named Pleasure. In certain senses, both of these myths deal with the reunion of lovers. Cupid and Psyche are united only to be separated by her faithlessness. Oenghus has already seen Caer in a vision, and realized his infatuation with her, when he sets out to find her in the world. Therefore, they are, in essence, both tales are of how to obtain love. In the Celtic tale one obtains love by proving its divine inspiration-by recognizing the beloved in both human and animal form-and by meeting her demands for freedom and protection. Oenghus gathers all of his resources to convince Caer of his love. He solicits the help of his father and many other people along the way. They use their influence, and negotiating skills to aid Oenghus in his pursuit. In fact, in stark contrast to the Roman Myth, the gods are united in their support for Oenghus's quest. There is none of the indifference's and deceit of the classical gods. Ultimately though, Oenghus's divine resources only present him with the opportunity to plead Caer for her love. His divine powers only set the stage. He wins the his true love through his altogether human expression of love. His use of divine power stands as evidence of his desire and just how intense it was. It does not, however, insure his success in his quest for Caer's affection. On the otherhand, Psyche's attempts to return to Cupid are carried out with the direct and aggresive hostility of Venus. Repeatedly, Venus demands that Psyche undertakes tasks that appear humanly impossible to complete. However, in each instances natural forces abide with Psyche and assist her. When she must sort grain, the ants aid her; when she must obtain the golden fleece, she is advised by a reed; and, finally, her trip to Hades is facilitated by a sympathetic tower. In this sense true love is identified with nature in both myths. In "The Dream Of Oenghus," proof of his true love is provided by his ability to separate Caer from a crowd of other swans. In "cupid and Psyche," Psyche only survives the arduous tasks assigned by Venus because she has the support of the sympathetic natural realm. A behavior that is in sympathy with, and supported by the natural order. Also, in both myths trust is seen as a fundamental element of natural love. It is lack of the faith that leads Psyche to illuminate Cupid and ultimately forces them apart. On the other hand, it is Oenghus's faith in his love and Caer's integrity, and trust, that leads him to promise Caer freedom and protection; the very conditions that win her love. Ultimately, it is Psyche's dedication to her search for Cupid, an expression of trust, that leads to the reunion of the two lovers. Thus, in general terms' one can identify certain similarities in the two myths' portrayals of love. In both myths love is aligned with the natural order and predicated on mutual trust and respect. Moreover, the lovers can become physically sick when they are separated. Thus, beyond these broad similarities the two myths present remarkably different perceptions of love. In the Celtic tale the god of love is captivated of human a human and he must use all his resources to win her affection. He is assisted in his pursuit by all of the divine family and even all of the mortals they must deal with. Only, Caer's father, the fairy king, refuses to help and that is because he cannot: His daughter's magical powers is stronger than his. In this sense, love is, in the Celtic myths, a relatively straightforward proposal. A lover, committed to his beloved, and willing to demonstrate that commitment, may encounter obstacles but ultimately, the gods do not interfere with his pursuit and the natural world sympathizes. In Roman mythology the course of love does not run as smoothly. Cupid and Psyche are in love with on another. Nevertheless, for that very reason, coupled with Psyche's extreme beauty, Venus is resentful of their relationship. Consequently, her malevolent jealousy is a constant theme in their relationship. The classical god's war with one another, and exhibit human emotions in contrast to the united front of the Celtic gods. Love must triumph over adversity and ill will in "Cupid and Psyche," while Oenghus's love only confront adversity. Moreover, in the Celtic tale true love can proceed once the lovers have satisfied one another. In the classical tale true love can only proceed when it has the blessing of Jupiter himself-who can then restrain the other gods from interfering. In general terms a more natural conception of love is presented in the Celtic myth. Divinely inspired by a vision Oenghus' pursuit of Caer is remarkably prevalent. While he must verify the divine inspiration for his love by identifying Caer on the basis of his dream, he pursues her in a very traditional manner. He seeks out her father and requests her hand. After doing so he then seeks her, and charms her with his care and concern as well as devotion for her well-being and needs. On the other hand Cupid and Psyche must battle divine anger and vengeance, a trip to Hades , and numerous other unnatural interventions in the world in pursuit of their relationship. Despite its naturalness love must satisfy the needs and desires of the gods before it may progress. These gods act more like a dysfunctional family than divinity-Love, must satisfy the natural order and confront the cruel hand of fate in the classical myth. The only natural element of Psyche and Cupid's love is that their final union produces Pleasure. The Celtic myth, "The Dream of Oenghus," relates the tale of Oenghus the Celtic god of love and his long search for true love. Oenghus is the son of Boann and Daghdhae. Boann the white cow goddess, and Daghdhae the father of all gods, the "good god." In a dream Oenghus sees "the loveliest figure in Ireland..." His memory of this vision makes him ill with loneliness and he begins to waste away. With the help of his mother, and another of his fathers' sons, Bodhbh, he begins his search for the girl he dreamt of. When, after years, he successfully completes his search the lovers' travels to Bruigh Mac, his home. Chronologically and geographically distant, Apuleius second century record of the original Greek myth of Cupid and Psyche also relates a story of amorous pursuit. In Apuleius account Psyche is the most beautiful of all mortals. "The fame of her surpassing beauty spread over the earth...Œand men would even say that Venus herself could not equal this mortal." Out of jealousy, Venus commands Cupid to make Psyche fall in love with "the vilest and most despicable creature in the whole world." However, dispatched on his errand Cupid is astonished by her beauty and "as if he had shot one of his arrows into his own heart" falls completely in love with her. Cupid dumbfounded by the love he suddenly feels carries Psyche off. Although Psyche is never able to gaze on Cupid she is confident of the love her unseen paramour expresses in the dark each night. Eventually, prompted by her unbelieving and somewhat envious sisters she lights a lamp and discovers that her lover is Cupid. Unfortunately, Cupid hurt by both the oil sputtering from the lamp and her faithlessness fees. Psyche deeply grieved by her lack of faith and subsequent loss of love pledges to search for Cupid forever. "I can spend the rest of my life searching for him. If he has no more love left for me, at least I can show him how much I love him." Eventually after many trials and tribulations, largely at the inspiration of the still jealous Venus, she is reunited with Cupid and comes to live the live of the immortals. These myths share a common fundamental theme. In both instances, the myths document a love between a mortal and a god. Moreover, both of the courtship's involve long periods of separation, difficult and desperate journeys in pursuit of the beloved, and deep ongoing uncertainty as to the ultimate outcome of the fat of the lovers. Clearly, it is not unreasonable to contend that they cover some common ground and address a conventional human dilemma. At the same time one can identify significant differences in the myths. "The Dream Of Oenghus" a god, Oenghus, pursues a mortal. In "Cupid And Psyche" a mortal Psyche, must illustrate her love for the immortal, Cupid. Oenghus, receives the willing assistance of other immortals in his search for his beloved. Cupid is also occasionally assisted by other immortals. However, Cupid and Psyche also endure the wrath of Venus and her endless demands on Psyche. In their relationship they must labor against malevolent gods. In the "Dream Of Oenghus" Caer, the mortal object of Oenghus' passion, is remarkably free of the influence of the gods. Oenghus must seek her, he must identify her, and he cannot simply buy her. In the tale of "Cupid and Psyche" it is psyche who must demonstrate her love and endure humiliation and hard labor to win back her ideal and supernatural lover, Cupid. Thus, these myths share a common theme, courtship and the pursuit of love: Specifically, the pursuit of divine or ideal love. However, their representations of this vary significantly. Nevertheless, these variations serve to reveal a great deal about the assumptions underlying these myths. Assumptions that relate to the nature of the gods, human nature, and the experience of love. The remainder of this discussion will focus on these slight but specific variations in an effort to enlighten the assumptions underlying offer significant information about the perceptions of love in Celtic and Roman culture. It would be a serious understatement to suggest that the course of love runs smoother for Oenghus than it does for Psyche. Following his vision Oenghus is overwhelmed by melancholy, a depression so pervasive that he falls into a generalized malaise. However, when the root of his affliction is diagnosed by Finghin, "you have fallen in love in absence," the assistance of Boann is immediately enlisted. When this is of no use both Daghdhae and Bodhbh willingly join the search. The gods are united in their assistance to Oenghus. On the other hand, the gods are remarkably incapable of influencing mortal behavior. When the girl is identified the gods cannot simply seize her. Oenghus is taken to identify her, which he does, and Bodhbh explains, "Even if you do recognize her, I have no power to give her, and you may only see her." To actually obtain the girl they must enter into a complex bargaing process. First the Daghdhae travels to Ailill and Medhbh and requests that they give the girl to his son. They explain that they cannot, thus the Daghdhae's men are forced to attack the fairy hill and capture Ehal Anbhuail, the girl's father, they demand that he hand the girl over. He refuses. They then threaten him with death, he confesses he cannot for she has magical powers. Yearly she alternates between human form and animal form. If Oenghus truly wants her he must follow certain procedures. Having identified her in human form he must do the same when she is in the shape of a swan. (which he does.) Then he must request her companionship on her terms. Finally, when he promises, "I pledge your protection," the two are united. Oenghus is enthralled with the mortal, Caer. In fact, their separation makes him ill. Nonetheless, the lovers can only be together if Oenghus satisfies Caer's condition: He must prove his love to her. He must illustrate that he recognizes her human and animal essence. He must guarantee her freedom, and he must pledge himself to her protection before she will come to him. This tale captures the distinct nature of the Celtic gods. According to Noma Chadwick the "Irish gods" do not emerge as gods in the usual meaning of the term. They are neither worshipped nor sacrificed to. They are supernatural beings with magical powers... If such a name is not appropriate, they might be described as mundane or pedestrian gods. In this tale it is the male, and the immortal that must earn his beloved. Caers appear indifferent to the struggle being waged for her affections. He must prove that Caer is the woman of his dreams and that he knows her in any guise. Also he must accept her terms and guarantee her safety before she will commit herself to him, and satisfy his longing. In essence, it Oenghus that yearns for Caer. It is the god who must pursue, woo and win the hand of Caer, the mortal woman (although she possesses magical powers). In Apuleius tale it is the mortal, the female, Psyche, who must toil to win her beloved Cupid. In Celtic myths the gods crave the love of mortals while in the classical myths it is the mortals who crave the love of the gods. Moreover, in "The Dream Of Oenghus" the gods must satisfy mortal conditions to win their true love. In the tale of "Cupid and Psyche" it is Psyche, the mortal, who must satisfy the conditions of fate amoung the gods. When Psyche's search for Cupid proves fruitless and her plea for sympathy and relief have been completely repulsed she decides to throw herself on Venus's mercy and to satisfy her rage with meekness. Venus challenges Psyche to a series of tasks, that lead up to her making a trip to Hades, the underworld. Through favorable and periodically divine intervention Psyche is able to complete all these tasks although a second act of faithlessness condemns her to exhaustion. However, at this point Cupid has recovered from his wound, and is wasting away from loneliness for Psyche, he takes leave from his chamber, and finds Psyche. A touch of one of his arrows awakens Psyche and he pledges to fulfill their relationship. Cupid obtains Jupiter's blessing and the two are wed. Eventually, their union produces a daughter who comes to be named Pleasure. In certain senses, both of these myths deal with the reunion of lovers. Cupid and Psyche are united only to be separated by her faithlessness. Oenghus has already seen Caer in a vision, and realized his infatuation with her, when he sets out to find her in the world. Therefore, they are, in essence, both tales are of how to obtain love. In the Celtic tale one obtains love by proving its divine inspiration-by recognizing the beloved in both human and animal form-and by meeting her demands for freedom and protection. Oenghus gathers all of his resources to convince Caer of his love. He solicits the help of his father and many other people along the way. They use their influence, and negotiating skills to aid Oenghus in his pursuit. In fact, in stark contrast to the Roman Myth, the gods are united in their support for Oenghus's quest. There is none of the indifference's and deceit of the classical gods. Ultimately though, Oenghus's divine resources only present him with the opportunity to plead Caer for her love. His divine powers only set the stage. He wins the his true love through his altogether human expression of love. His use of divine power stands as evidence of his desire and just how intense it was. It does not, however, insure his success in his quest for Caer's affection. On the otherhand, Psyche's attempts to return to Cupid are carried out with the direct and aggresive hostility of Venus. Repeatedly, Venus demands that Psyche undertakes tasks that appear humanly impossible to complete. However, in each instances natural forces abide with Psyche and assist her. When she must sort grain, the ants aid her; when she must obtain the golden fleece, she is advised by a reed; and, finally, her trip to Hades is facilitated by a sympathetic tower. In this sense true love is identified with nature in both myths. In "The Dream Of Oenghus," proof of his true love is provided by his ability to separate Caer from a crowd of other swans. In "cupid and Psyche," Psyche only survives the arduous tasks assigned by Venus because she has the support of the sympathetic natural realm. A behavior that is in sympathy with, and supported by the natural order. Also, in both myths trust is seen as a fundamental element of natural love. It is lack of the faith that leads Psyche to illuminate Cupid and ultimately forces them apart. On the other hand, it is Oenghus's faith in his love and Caer's integrity, and trust, that leads him to promise Caer freedom and protection; the very conditions that win her love. Ultimately, it is Psyche's dedication to her search for Cupid, an expression of trust, that leads to the reunion of the two lovers. Thus, in general terms' one can identify certain similarities in the two myths' portrayals of love. In both myths love is aligned with the natural order and predicated on mutual trust and respect. Moreover, the lovers can become physically sick when they are separated. Thus, beyond these broad similarities the two myths present remarkably different perceptions of love. In the Celtic tale the god of love is captivated of human a human and he must use all his resources to win her affection. He is assisted in his pursuit by all of the divine family and even all of the mortals they must deal with. Only, Caer's father, the fairy king, refuses to help and that is because he cannot: His daughter's magical powers is stronger than his. In this sense, love is, in the Celtic myths, a relatively straightforward proposal. A lover, committed to his beloved, and willing to demonstrate that commitment, may encounter obstacles but ultimately, the gods do not interfere with his pursuit and the natural world sympathizes. In Roman mythology the course of love does not run as smoothly. Cupid and Psyche are in love with on another. Nevertheless, for that very reason, coupled with Psyche's extreme beauty, Venus is resentful of their relationship. Consequently, her malevolent jealousy is a constant theme in their relationship. The classical god's war with one another, and exhibit human emotions in contrast to the united front of the Celtic gods. Love must triumph over adversity and ill will in "Cupid and Psyche," while Oenghus's love only confront adversity. Moreover, in the Celtic tale true love can proceed once the lovers have satisfied one another. In the classical tale true love can only proceed when it has the blessing of Jupiter himself-who can then restrain the other gods from interfering. In general terms a more natural conception of love is presented in the Celtic myth. Divinely inspired by a vision Oenghus' pursuit of Caer is remarkably prevalent. While he must verify the divine inspiration for his love by identifying Caer on the basis of his dream, he pursues her in a very traditional manner. He seeks out her father and requests her hand. After doing so he then seeks her, and charms her with his care and concern as well as devotion for her well-being and needs. On the other hand Cupid and Psyche must battle divine anger and vengeance, a trip to Hades , and numerous other unnatural interventions in the world in pursuit of their relationship. Despite its naturalness love must satisfy the needs and desires of the gods before it may progress. These gods act more like a dysfunctional family than divinity-Love, must satisfy the natural order and confront the cruel hand of fate in the classical myth. The only natural element of Psyche and Cupid's love is that their final union produces Pleasure. The Celtic myth, "The Dream of Oenghus," relates the tale of Oenghus the Celtic god of love and his long search for true love. Oenghus is the son of Boann and Daghdhae. Boann the white cow goddess, and Daghdhae the father of all gods, the "good god." In a dream Oenghus sees "the loveliest figure in Ireland..." His memory of this vision makes him ill with loneliness and he begins to waste away. With the help of his mother, and another of his fathers' sons, Bodhbh, he begins his search for the girl he dreamt of. When, after years, he successfully completes his search the lovers' travels to Bruigh Mac, his home. Chronologically and geographically distant, Apuleius second century record of the original Greek myth of Cupid and Psyche also relates a story of amorous pursuit. In Apuleius account Psyche is the most beautiful of all mortals. "The fame of her surpassing beauty spread over the earth...Œand men would even say that Venus herself could not equal this mortal." Out of jealousy, Venus commands Cupid to make Psyche fall in love with "the vilest and most despicable creature in the whole world." However, dispatched on his errand Cupid is astonished by her beauty and "as if he had shot one of his arrows into his own heart" falls completely in love with her. The Celtic myth, "The Dream of Oenghus," relates the tale of Oenghus the Celtic god of love and his long search for true love. Oenghus is the son of Boann and Daghdhae. Boann the white cow goddess, and Daghdhae the father of all gods, the "good god." In a dream Oenghus sees "the loveliest figure in Ireland..." His memory of this vision makes him ill with loneliness and he begins to waste away. With the help of his mother, and another of his fathers' sons, Bodhbh, he begins his search for the girl he dreamt of. When, after years, he succes f:\12000 essays\mythology & legends (75)\Greek Gods in the Iliad.TXT +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ With our view of God, it can sometimes be difficult to comprehend the actions and thinking of the Greek deities. The Christian God does not tend to take such an active role in the affairs of people's lives, where, on the other hand, the Greeks regarded direct involvement by the gods as a daily, uncontrollable part of life. Needless to say, divine intervention was a major variable in the equation of Homer's Iliad. The gods picked who they would favour for different reasons. Except Zeus: As the symbol of supreme authority and justice, he makes judgement calls as to the other gods' involvement in the war, remains impartial, and doesn't seem to get caught up in picking favourites. Even when his own son, Sarpedon, was about to die, Zeus chose to let the outcome go unaltered. On the other hand, Zeus's wife, Hera, displayed the more typical actions of a god. After Paris, a Trojan, judged Aphrodite the fairest over Hera, and, after her daughter Hebe was replaced as cupbearer to the gods by a young Trojan boy, she was quite resentful towards Troy and its people. Obviously she sided with the Greeks and would stop at no length to express her will. Scheming and manipulating she even dared to trick her husband, King of the Gods. Hera, along with Athena, who was also passed over by Paris, is seen as the chief divine aid to the Greeks. Being the god of the sea, Poseidon was another strong supporter of the ocean-faring Greeks. Whenever Zeus turned his back Poseidon tried to help the Greeks in the fight. Poseidon felt that he was somewhat Zeus's equal as his brother, but recognizing Zeus's authority and experience, he looked to Zeus as an elder. There were also Gods who favoured the Trojan side of the conflict. Both Apollo and Artemis, twin brother and sister, gave aid to the city of Troy. Although Artemis takes a rather minor role, Apollo, perhaps angered by Agamemmnon's refusal to ransom Khryseis, the daughter of one of his priests and was constantly changing the course of the war in favour of the Trojans. Responsible for sending plague to the Greeks, Apollo was the first god to make an appearance in the Iliad. Also, mainly because Apollo and Artemis were on the Trojan side, their mother, Leto, also helped the Trojans. Aphrodite, obviously supporting Paris's judgement, sided with the Trojans. Although she was insignificant on the battlefield, Aphrodite was successful in convincing Ares, her lover and the god of war, to help the Trojans. One view of the gods' seemingly constant intervention in the war was that they were just setting fate back on the right course. For instance, when Patroklos was killed outside of Troy, Apollo felt no guilt for his doings. It had already been decided that Patroklos would not take Troy, he should never have disobeyed Achilles in the first place. As a god, he was just setting fate on a straight line. Achilles laid blame on Hektor and the Trojans. He did not even consider accusing Apollo, who never came into question, although he was primarily responsible for the kill. Apollo's part in the matter was merely accepted as a natural disaster or illness would be today. This general acceptance of a god's will is a recurring trend throughout the poem. A prime example of this trend is in book XXIV. Achilles, angry over the death of Patroklos brutally disgraced Hektor's body. Tethering Hektor's corpse through the ankles, Achilles dragged him around Patroklos's tomb every day for twelve days. This barbaric treatment was uncalled for and displeased the gods greatly. Achilles mother, Thetis, was sent by Zeus to tell him to ransom the body back to the Trojans. One may think Achilles would be possessive of the body and attempt to put up a fuss as he did before with Agamemmnon in Book I. But, Achilles showed humility and respect for the gods and immediately agreed to ransom the body to the Trojans, showing that all mortals, even god-like Achilles, were answerable to the gods. This ideology would seem to give the gods a sort of unlimited freedom on earth, although, the gods could not always do as they pleased and eventually had to come before Zeus. Zeus acted as a balance of sorts throughout the Iliad. He had to keep the gods in order and make sure that what fate decreed would happen. For example, after Achilles re-enters the battle Zeus declared that if Achilles was allowed to go on slaughtering the Trojans with nothing to slow him down, he would take Troy before fate said it would happen. Therefore, to counter Achilles massive retaliation against the Trojans, Zeus allowed the gods to go back to the battle field. In Zeus's own interests, he preferred to deal with issues more personal to the individual heros of the Iliad. This can be seen throughout the book as Zeus attempted to increase the honour of certain individuals. Zeus knew that Hektor was going to be killed by Achilles, and, feeling sorry for Hektor Zeus attempted to allow Hektor to die an honourable death. For instance, when Hektor stripped Achilles armour off Patroklos, Zeus helped Hektor "fill out" the armour so he would not seem like less of a man then Achilles. Zeus also gave his word to Thetis that Achilles would gain much glory showing his involvement on a personal level. Homer used the gods and their actions to establish twists on the plot of the war. It would not have been possible for him to write the story without the divine interventions of the gods. Indeed, they affected every aspect the poem in some way, shape or form. Yet, from the immortal perspective of the Greek god, the Trojan war, and everything related to it, was only a passing adventure in the great expanse of time. f:\12000 essays\mythology & legends (75)\greek mythology 2.TXT +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ History 106-05 Nov. 27, 1996 Eng. 265-01 Oct. 1, 1996 Prof Janice Antczak Myth- Aliki , The Gods and Goddesses of Olympics , Harper Collins Publishers , 1994 . After reading The Gods and Goddesses of Olympus , my first reaction was that it was a wonderful and fascinating example of how Greek mythology explains the theories about life , death , and the wonders of nature . Although I enjoyed the book , I also wondered if it was a little too confusing to a young child , since many long Greek names were used and many characters interacting together became too complicated and involved. The story began with the creation of the earth , sky, all living things, and with the birth of the Gods and Goddesses that reigned on Mount Olympus . The author also took each of the twelve gods and goddesses and individually summarized their personality and duties and their purpose and connection to the world . The author who also illustrated the book , used brilliant and vibrant colors and also portrayed the personality visually by scenes and images that clearly showed the emotional side of the gods . This myth contained some violence , sinister and inappropriate behavior among the gods and cruel and even frightening illustrations that I thought might be too overwhelming for a young impressionable mind . An example of this would be when " Cronus married his sister Rhea , and they had many children . But Cronus was afraid that one of them might overthrow him just as he had overthrown his father . So as each child was born , he swallowed it ." Although Cronus eventually "throws up" the unharmed children in the end, I feel the initial reaction might be more lasting , as well as the fact that Cronus married his sister , which is an unacceptable taboo in society . There were other strong images conveyed , both verbally and visually dealing with death , jealousy , deceit , and deformities of man and beast . Although I enjoyed this book , I felt it should be read to an older audience that will not be negatively impressed by some parts of the story . Tall Tale : Kellog Steven , Sally Ann Thunder , Ann Whirlwind Crockett , Morrow Junior Books , 1995 In this tale , author Steven Kellog depicts the incredible story of a girl named Sally Ann Thunder Ann Whirlwind who has an amazing amount of strength, vitality and agility and who sets off for the frontier at age eight . She lived with the animals and loved her life in the wilderness until one day she meets a stranger in the woods that needs her help . It is Davy Crockett , the most famous woodsman in America . They fall in love and marry, but the amazing feats of strength and courage fill her daily life and continue to surprise the town folk in this nineteenth century tale . My first reaction to this tall tale was that it was funny , light , and had a lot of vitality . The plot was simple for children to follow and had only one main character , which would let the children focus on the cumulative events that happened to this character and how the story leads to it's climax. I definitely got the feeling that I was looking at a nineteenth century story by the authors illustration and colors used. Earth tones of brown, yellow , green and blue set the stage for an early American atmosphere . This tale , portrayed in a humorous way , showed how the rugged heroines of long ago dealt with the hardships and dangers of frontier life . I feel young children will like this book and enjoy it's funny and whimsical dialogue and illustrations , and perhaps get a comical glimpse of life on the frontier of long ago. Folktale : Aardema Verna . Why Mosquitoes Buzz in peoples Ears , Illustrated by Leo and Diane Dillon , Dial Press , 1975 . I found this African folktale to be a delightfully imaginative and entertaining tale that has a simple lesson that young children would be able to understand and relate to . The tale begins with a mosquito that tells a tall tale (lie) to an iguana . This sets off a chain reaction that ends in a terrible disaster involving the death of a baby owl , and a mother owl that reacts to this disaster by refusing to hoot and wake the sun the next morning . As the talking jungle animals tried to pinpoint who was the cause of this terrible accident , a sequence of events recounts back to the origin and eventually the mosquito is incriminated. This is a cumulative tale which used repetition , accumulation and rhythm to make a interesting and appealing story for young children .This folk tale teaches the most basic lesson that you should never lie or there will be serious consequences as a result . In the end, the mosquito would not admit to his lies and therefore as a result he had a guilty conscience thereafter . In the last paragraph the author ties the entire story together by saying that because the mosquito has a guilty conscience he always goes around whining in people's ears asking " zeee ! Is everyone still angry at me ?", and that is the reason "why mosquitoes buzz in people's ears ". The illustrations were colorful, bold and gave the reader the feeling and flavor of an African jungle . The only part I thought was sad was when the baby owl died , and I thought it brought a solemn note to an otherwise entertaining and creative folktale . The author also uses certain words three times whenever describing the sounds of the animals or an important emotion to be emphasized . An example of this is when the monkey "flew into the forest crying "kaa, kaa ,kaa !" When expressing the sadness of the mother owl the author repeated the words "so sad , so sad, so sad !"I felt this book would be enjoyed by a young audience and would teach a valuable lesson about the importance of truth as well as being a fun and entertaining edition to a school or home library . Fable :Jones , Carol. Town Mouse Country Mouse , Houghton Mifflin Co. , 1995 The Town Mouse Country Mouse was a an adorable fable that I felt was excellent for young children . The basic and simple story begins with two cousins , Town Mouse and Country Mouse who decide to visit one anothers homes . Town Mouse has unrealistic expectations about life in the country , and soon he is out of place in an environment filled with unusual sights, sounds , and dangers . He begins to long for his familiar world in town and heads back home along with his country cousin who longs for a glimpse at city life . Country Mouse discovers also that he is happier in his own familiar world and both realize that there's no place like home . This story would be very easily understood and enjoyed by small children .The two main characters have a simple plot and dialogue however , it is very descriptive which gave me the feeling of being there and going through each encounter that the mice did. The timeless fable also teaches a very moralistic lesson of how people can falsely believe the grass is always greener on the other side . The author , who also illustrated the book , created cut out peep holes through the pages in order to see future happenings which added a different dimension and creativity to the book . I thought the illustrations were cozy and charming and certainly gave the reader the feeling of being in the country and the city . The Town Mouse Country Mouse had a touch of humor and warmth that would delight any age group and both children and adults can relate to it's wise message and moralistic lesson for generations to come . f:\12000 essays\mythology & legends (75)\Greek Mythology.TXT +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Greek Mythology Mythology was an integral part of the lives of all ancient peoples. The myths of Ancient Greece are the most familiar to us, for they are deeply entrenched in the consciousness of Western civilization. The myths were accounts of the lives of the deities whom the Greeks worshipped. The Greeks had many deities, including 12 principal ones, who lived on Mt. Olympus. The myths are all things to all people - a rollicking good yarn, expressions of deep psychological insights, words of spine-tingling poetic beauty and food for the imagination. They serve a timeless universal need, and have inspired great literature, art and music, providing archetypes through which we can learn much about the deeper motives of human behavior. No-one has the definitive answer as to why or how the myths came into being, nut many are allegorical accounts of historical facts. The Olympian family were a desperate lot despite being related. The next time you have a bowl of corn flakes give thanks to Demeter the goddess of vegetation. The English word "cereal" for products of corn or edible grain derives from the goddess' Roman name, Ceres. In Greek the word for such products is demetriaka. Demeter was worshipped as the goddess of earth and fertility. Zeus was the king and leader of the 12. His symbol was the thunder and in many of his statues he appears holding one. Poseidon, god of the sea and earthquakes, was most at home in the depths of the Aegean where he lived in a sumptuous golden palace. When he became angry (which was often) he would use his trident to create massive waves and floods. Ever intent upon expanding his domain, he challenged Dionysos for Naxos, Hera for Argos and Athena for Athens. Ares, god of war, was a nasty piece of work - fiery tempered, bloodthirsty, brutal and violent. In contrast Hestia, the goddess of the hearth, symbol of security, happiness and hospitality, was as pure as driven snow. She spurned disputes and wars and swore to be a virgin forever. Hera was not a principal deity; her job was a subservient one - she was Zeus' cupbearer. Athena, the powerful goddess of wisdom and patron of Athens, is said to have been born (complete with helmet, armor and spear) from Zeus' head, with Hephaestus acting as midwife. Unlike Ares, she derived no pleasure from fighting, but preferred settling disputes peacefully using her wisdom; however, if need be she went valiantly into battle. Hephaestus was worshipped for his matchless skills as a craftsman. When Zeus decided to punish men he asked Hephaestus to make a woman. So Hephaestus made Pandora from clay and water, and, as everyone knows, she had a box, from which sprang all the evils afflicting humankind. Apart fro one misdemeanor, Hephaestus' character seems to have been exemplary. During the Trojan War Athena asked the god to make her a new suit of armor. Poseidon, on hearing this, teased Hephaestus by saying that when Athena came to his forge she would expect him to make mad passionate love to her. As Athena wrested herself from the eager Hephaestus, he ejaculated against her thigh. She removed his seed with wool and threw it away, and Gaea, who happened to pass by, was inadvertently fertilized. When Gaea's unwanted offspring was born, Athena brought him up, and he eventually became King Erichthonius of Athens. Apollo, god of the sun, and Artemis, goddess of the moon, were the twins of Leto and Zeus. Many qualities were attributed to Apollo, for the Ancient Greeks believed that the sun not only gave physical light, but that its light was symbolic of mental illumination. Apollo was also worshipped as the god of music and song, which the ancients believed were only heard where there was light and security. Artemis was worshipped as the goddess of childbirth and protector of children; yet, paradoxically, she asked Zeus if he would grant her eternal virginity. She was also the protector of suckling animals, but loved to hunt stags! Hermes was born of Maia, daughter of Atlas and one of Zeus' paramours. He had an upwardly mobile career. His first job was as protector of the animal kingdom. As the chief source of wealth was cattle, he therefore became the god of wealth. However, as civilization advanced, trade replaced cattle as the main source of wealth, so Hermes became god of trade. However, a prerequisite for good trade was good commerce, so he became the god of commerce. To progress in commerce a merchant needed to be shrewd, so this attribute was assigned to Hermes. Later it was realized that to excel in commerce one needed to use the art of persuasion, so Hermes was promoted to god of oratory. Last but not least of the 12 principal deities was the beautiful Aphrodite, goddess of love, who rose naked out of the sea. Her tour de force was her magic girdle which made everyone fall in love with its wearer. The girdle meant she was constantly pursued by both gods and goddesses because they wanted to borrow the girdle. Zeus became so fed up with her promiscuity that he married her off to Hephaestus, the ugliest of the gods. Hades never made it to Mt. Olympus, but his job was nevertheless an important one. Hades' dominion was the vast and mysterious underworld (Tartarus). He was the benevolent god who gave fertility to vegetation and who yielded precious stones and metals. But he was also the feared guardian of a dark realm, from which no-one, having once journeyed, ever returned. A number of the countless lesser gods were powerful but never made it to Zeus' inner circle. Pan, the son of Hermes, was born with horns, beard, tail and goat legs. His ugliness so amused the other gods that eventually he escaped to Arcadia where he danced, played his shepherd's pipe and watched over the pastures, shepherds and herds. Dionysos, son of Hera and Zeus, was even more hideous at birth - horned and crowned with serpents. His parents boiled him in a cauldron, but he was rescued by Rhea, and banished to Mt. Nysa in Libya where he invented wine. He eventually returned to Greece where he organized drunken revelries and married Ariadne, daughter of King Minos. In addition to the gods the Ancient Greeks revered many beings who had probably once been mortal, such as King Minos, Theseus and Erichthonious. Intermediaries between gods and humans, such as the satyrs, also appear in the myths. The satyrs lived in woods and had goat horns and tails; they worshipped the god Dionysos, so, appropriately, they spent much of their time drinking and dancing. Nymphs lived in secluded valleys and grottoes and occupied themselves with spinning, weaving, bathing, singing and dancing. Pan found them irresistible. The Muses, of which there were nine, were nymphs of the mountain springs; they were believed to inspire poets, artists and musicians. Finally, mention should be made of the three crones Tisiphone, Aledo and Megara - sometimes called the Furies - whose job it was to deal with grievances from mortals, and punish wrongdoers. They had dogs' heads, snakes' hair, bloodshot eyes, coal black bodies and bats' wings and carried brass-studded scourges. It was considered unlucky to call them by name - they had to be called Eumenides - the kindly ones! Bill Gates f:\12000 essays\mythology & legends (75)\Helios the Greek God of the Sun.TXT +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Helios, the Greek sun god, was also known as Sol in Roman mythology. He was the father of Aeets and Circe. He was married to Perseis. He had two sisters, Selene, the goddess of the moon, and Eos, the goddess of dawn. Ancient Greeks believed that everyday Helios drove a chariot pulled by four horses across the sky with a giant flaming ball in it. He rode with his sister Eos, the goddess of dawn. There are several different stories about how he got back to the East. One story says that he rode in a giant golden cup on the river Oceanus. In other stories he returned by boat. Helios fed his horses herbs on the Isle of the Blessed. When Zeus was dividing up the universe, Helios was either gone or forgotten so Zeus gave him the island of Rhodes where a giant statue of him stood. The statue was knocked down by a giant earthquake. Helios' journeys made him an all-seeing god, and people often called upon him to witness their oaths. He is often confused with Apollo the god of ligh f:\12000 essays\mythology & legends (75)\Hephaestus & Aphrodite The Dispute.TXT +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ As Hephaestus was walking down Rhea Street on Mount Olympus, he noticed his wife, Aphrodite, kissing Hermes, the messenger-God, next to the area's one and only Burger God (very well-known for its char-broiled Whoppers). "Wait just a tootin' minute," he said aloud to himself. "Why is my wife kissing Hermes? She is supposed to be devoted to me!" He was furious. It was very rare when Hephaestus became angry for any reason, so he was certain to have taken notice of his odd and unusual reaction. "I must settle this like a calm, rational person," he told himself at last. "This matter can very easily be resolved." He sighed. "I shall speak to her when she returns home. Until then, I am going to go home and rest a while-think things through." And with that thought, Hephaestus made his way home, being absolutely sure not to look in the direction of the scene Aphrodite and Hermes was putting on for all the gods to see; however, it was not easy. After several hours of waiting, Aphrodite finally came home-and Hephaestus was there waiting for her. It was now dark, so she fumbled through the room to find a light. One was turned on before she could come across one. It startled her so! She whipped around toward the direction of the source of the light, only to find Hephaestus sitting in his favorite easy chair, a glass of red wine in one hand and a grape bushel in the other. He had the most peculiar grin on his face. "How was your day, dearest?" he asked his wife charmingly. "Did you enjoy yourself?" "Why, yes, thank you," she said cautiously, wondering why on Olympus he was acting so out of the ordinary. "How was yours?" she asked after a small moment's hesitance. "Oh, it was remarkable, thanks." The grin never left his face. "Tell me, Aphrodite, did you make anyone happy today?" She gave him a confused look, as if she did not understand the question. Hephaestus picked up on it quickly and he re-addressed the question. "By that I mean, since you are the Goddess of Love and Beauty, did you make anyone happy? Perhaps, send them a reason to fall in love?" "Oh," she said at last, "of course I did. My day wouldn't be complete if I hadn't. Why do you ask, Hephaestus?" "I only ask because I just want to know how your day was, that's all," he responded almost immediately after the question was addressed. "No particular reason behind it." "I see," she said, still confused, and made her way to the giant marble staircase. "Well, I suppose I shall be heading up to bed now. I've had a very tiring day, you know. I will see you in the morning." "Okay then," he said, getting up from the chair. "One more thing, my love..." He walked toward her with a limp, grimacing slightly at the response his crippled leg gave him when he stood upon it. Nonetheless, he made his way to the bottom of the stairs. "Yes?" she asked, halfway up the stairs. "Was that Hermes I saw you with today next to the Burger God? You know, the one on the corner of Cronus and Rhea?" "Oh!" she almost said bluntly, but instead, "Yes, I suppose you could have. Why do you ask?" She had turned around completely now, and was slowly walking back down the stairs, step...by step...by step. "Well," he began, straightening his robe, "I happened to be taking a stroll down Rhea Street to drop off a sword for Zeus, and I noticed that you and he were...well, very fond of each other." At that, Aphrodite's heart became very shallow and almost non-existent. Then it sped up, out of nowhere, and her face and ears turned bright red. "But...well...you see, I..." She tried to speak, but nothing would come out. There would have been a very long pause of silence if Hephaestus hadn't said: "Aphrodite, dear, please tell me either he was choking on something and you were only trying to get it out of him, or..." He stopped right there, tears slowly forming. He had seen the look in her eyes, and knew right then and there that there could not be an alternate to what he knew was undeniable. Tears began to flood his eyes, rage and anger pushing up from his stomach. He tried to hold back, being successful at first, then letting it all out. "How could you?" he sobbed, then boomed, "You broke my heart, Aphrodite! You ripped it from my chest, tore it into halves and quarters, threw it to the ground, stomped on it, then spat"-he took a deep breath, tears now streaming from his face-"then spat on it." Hephaestus removed his left hand from his hip, covered his eyes with it, and began to sob indefinitely. "Hephaestus, I'm truly sorry..." she said, achieving nothing. Then, in more effort to comfort him, she said, "I didn't want to hurt you." Hephaestus looked up, looking through the tears that flooded his eyes and face. He sniffed, "Did you do it because of this?"-he pointed to his deformed leg. "Is it because I am not the most beautiful immortal you have ever seen? Why must you be so shallow?" He now just stared at her, his eyes blazing with fury. Red, red fury. "Me, shallow?" she asked at once. "How can you accuse me of being shallow? All you do is spend all your time making goods and tools for other gods. You never ever sit and talk with me. We never do anything together." She stopped pleading, for the moment, and began to speak extremely...well, snobby. "I hardly think I am the one to blame for this mess, anyway." She turned a quarter of a turn, her left shoulder now facing her husband. "How can you say that?" he rasped. "You know just as well as I that I was not the one getting fresh with Hermes! Hermes, of all people. Ha!" His voice was now extremely loud, filled with anger. Hephaestus was not one to get so angry. If one were watching such an argument, they would surely know that Aphrodite had done something extremely terrible for him to be acting so unusual. "Oh, do shut up, will you!" Hephaestus was stunned. Never, in their many many years of marriage, had Aphrodite ever told him to shut up. "I don't want to hear another word about it. I will go upstairs to rest for the night; meanwhile, you will sleep down here in the easy chair. Sleep on the floor, for all I care! We shall talk about this in the morning." With that, she made her way upstairs. "No I won't!" he boomed, and rushed out the door, slamming it behind him. He did not return the rest of the evening. Or the next day...or the day after that...or the day after that... f:\12000 essays\mythology & legends (75)\Heroes.TXT +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Heroes A hero is a brave and strong person, who is also very human. A hero feels fear and every other emotion that we do. A true hero is a person who does something great and does not expect to be given any thing in return. A hero does something that effects a large number of people. A hero thinks more of others than he or she thinks of him or her self. The characters in the poem, "Women", and The Odyssey are both epic heroes. Odysseus is a strong and brave man, but I think he lacks one of the major characteristics of a hero. I think he thinks of himself more than of others. I think the characters in the poem, "Women," are better heroes because they can be related to easier. I don't think the poem characters are like an epic hero because they are less into them selves than an epic hero. They also seem to have done lesser things, I mean epic heroes always do something so great, like take twenty men on, or lead an army to victory. Everyday heroes seem to be more realistic and do something that's great, but its not written up in every news paper in the country. Odysseus is a brave man that did great things. In The Odyssey he conquers a monster using smarts and strength. He also looks out for his crew mates. He is faithful to his wife, well, in his mind he is. He kills many men on his own in a battle at his home. He cries a couple of times in the story, showing sensitivity. Overall, Odysseus is a brave and caring human that is a little too conceited He is also very smart, like in the book when Odysseus said, "He thought he'd find out, but I saw through him."(on page 750 line723.) Also like most epic heroes Odysseus is physically strong, like when Odysseus said, "I rammed it deep in his eye."(on page 751 line 843.) Odysseus rammed a large spike into the beast's eye. The poem "Women" was a great description of black women in the mid 1900's. They had many of the traits that Odysseus had, like in the poem the author wrote, "How they knew what we must know." Saying that they were smart and knew that they had to make a better life for their children. The women were also strong, but calm, like when the poem read, "With fists as well as hands." Saying that these women had fists to fight with and hands write with. These women had a hard time, but they continued to do great things and do things that were never done by a black person before. These women were true heroes. Odysseus and the women in the poem have many similarities. They are both brave in how they faced things that nobody had ever faced before and conquered it. Even though they were brave they still had a human flaw. They feared. They would conquer things, but they were scared through the whole thing. I think the one thing that separates these two brave and strong characters is the way they see them selves. The women seem to do things without any recognition, they do the great heroic acts for someone else, like their future children. While Odysseus seems to go out and do things expecting people to fear him and love him. He does most every thing for him self. I thought both of the characters, Odysseus and the women, were both heroic and human. I think Odysseus is a brave and strong person, but he seemed to be into himself to much. I think the women were much more heroic in the way that they did so much even though there was so much against them. I think the women characters are more of a role model to kids today. Kids need to be told true stories of hope and bravery. I think Odysseus was too violent and conceited. The women tell children to respect their moms and to go and do something that you want even though people say you can't. The real message is if you put your mind to it you can do anything. Odysseus and the women are both great heroes and I think that they are both role models for children of today and yesterday. I think the women are much greater heroes. And they are true, unlike Odysseus who is a fictional character. Both of these characters are great and brave and heroic, but The Odyssey is more likely to be put on Saturday morning cartoons than the "Women." f:\12000 essays\mythology & legends (75)\Jason and The Argonauts.TXT +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ The characterization of Talos' in "Jason and the Argonauts" is portrayed very different in the myth and the movie. One major contrast was that Talos was the last Bronze person in the myth. In the movie, Talos was lifeless until Hercules broke into Talos's chamber and stole a hairpin. However, in the myth, he was awake and ready to take on Jason and the Argonauts. The film had Talos picking up the ship, Argo, and throwing it in a violent way, but in the myth it says he hurls a crag at the Argo. In the original legend, Hercules, one of the Argonauts, did not fight against Talos, but in the movie, Hercules is there to help. Hercules then leaves Jason and the Argonauts to look for a friend that was killed in the fight. The true story had Hercules leaving long before this, on the first Island, to look for a long lost friend. The motion picture altered many of the actions in the myth, don't you think this added to the excitement of the film? f:\12000 essays\mythology & legends (75)\King Arthur The Legend.TXT +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ By the ninth century people all over were telling the fabulous tales and romances about Arthur and his kingdom. The common people heard them sung by bards, while in the court poets wrote different versions. In each retelling the speaker would select certain details for emphasis and introduce new elements, so that the story could be adapted to the particular time and audience. Although most historians believe that there actually did exist an Arthur, they differ on how major his role was on influencing society during his time. To understand the most widely accepted view on when and how Arthur gained fame, one must be aware of the historical time period surrounding Arthur. The unity that the Roman government imposed on Britain disappeared around 410 AD. In its place arose small villages whose rulers struggled for political and military supremacy. Around 540, a Welsh monk and historian named Gildas wrote in his book Concerning the Ruin and Conquest of Britain that "The disasters that the British people suffered at the hands of the Anglo-Saxons after the Roman withdrawal were clear evidence that god was punishing them for their sins." It was during these disasters that the monk was referring to that Arthur held up resistance for the Britons against the Saxons, at a time when Britain was constantly being threatened by invaders. Through being the commander who routed the battles against the enemy and thereby saving the south of Britain from distruction of the Saxons, "Arthur became the image of the hero and savior whose death people refused to believe in and whose return was yearned for." The opinion that Arthur was a genuine figure in history, though not the glorious King Arthur that most people know him to be, is largely based on the writings of Nennius, a Welsh historian, who gave the first and only historical account of Arthur's military career in Chapter 56. The passage starts with a date. "After the death of Hengist, his son Octha came from northern Britain and settled in Kent, whence come the kings of Kent. Then Arthur fought against them in those days, with the Kings of the Britons, but he himself was the leader of the battles." Here Nennius implies that Arthur was not a king but a general of some sort, who helped the rulers of small British kingdoms organize themselves, combining forces to fight against the Saxons. In another section entitled The Marvels of Britain, Nennius calls Arthur a soldier: Here he tells of Cabal, the dog of Arthur the Soldier, and of the grave of Anwr, the son of Arthur the Soldier. The passage then continues describing the twelve battles that Arthur fought and won. The last battle, the greatest in the history of the country, was at Badon Hill. It resulted in a total massacre of the Saxons, establishing fifty years of peace from the Saxon's horrible brutality of slaughtering, burning and senseless vandalism (Jenkins 30-31). Nennius's historical account is backed up by a set of Easter Tables. They were calculating tables as to when Easter would fall out for the next given number of years and in them were noted events of outstanding importance. In the annals were two dates regarding Arthur. The first date is disputed: It is put as either 499 or 518 A.D. The first entry reads: "Battle of Badon, in which Arthur carried the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ on his shoulders for three days and three nights and the Britons were victors (Jenkins 28)." The second entry dated 539 reads: The Battle of Camlann, in which Arthur and Modred perished. And there was plague in Britain and Ireland (Jenkins 28)." These accounts of Arthur are not only the basis for his fame, but they also show us the broad terrain of Arthur's military activity. While the Battle of Mount Badon was fought in Southern England, the battle of Cat Coit Celidon, mentioned in the Historia Brittonum, was fought in Scotland. The implications of Arthur's widespread battles lead to two conclusions of him. One is his political position as agent of a number of kingdoms, and the other is his easy mobility of his forces (Alcock 18). The mobility of Arthur's army makes it nearly impossible to pin Arthur down to a set region. However, there was an archeological search for Arthur's castle Camelot in southern Cadbury, Somerset, England attempted by The Camelot Research Committee in 1966 to 1972. They discovered "markings denoting the existence of an elaborate hill- fort. Enormous concentric rings of earthen embankments covering over 18 acres outlined a fortification that only a powerful warlord would have maintained (Schlesinger 107)." Unearthed artifacts enabled the searchers to determine that the "castle" was active in the sixth century. The architectural style resembled the style of Roman forts prior to the Arthurian age. All evidence found gave proof that the fort was used during Arthur's time, but none positively proved that Arthur actually lived there (Schlesinger 107). The earliest search for physical proof of Arthur occurred in the twelfth century under the command of King Henry II. During his reign it was rumored that the town of Glastonbury was Arthur's resting place, the legendary island of Avalon. It was said that the king's tomb laid between the two pillars in the cemetery of Glastonbury Abbey. King Henry ordered the Glastonbury monks to search for the tomb. A tomb was found after King Henry II died. At that time a monk wrote : "Seven feet down the diggers found a slab of stone and a lead cross inscribed HIC IACET SEPULTUS INCLITUS REX ARTURIUS IN INSULA AVALONIA- Here lies buried the renowned King Arthur in the Isle of Avaon (Schlesinger 102)." The monk also described the contents of the tomb. They found the skeleton of a tall man and also some slighter bones with a scrap of yellow hair, presumably that of Arthur's queen. There is much debate on the authenticity of "Arthur's Tomb." It is impossible to say that strands of human hair could have endured a period of 600 years. The blond hair couldn't have existed if one wants to believe this is the tomb of Arthur. The lead cross that was supposedly found by the monks, that marked the location of Arthur's burial place, had been lost and is thought to have been made by the Glastonbury monks in order to give more credence to their find and in order to gain more glory for their abbey (Schlesinger 103). There are several reasons why archeological proof is rarely available for the "quest of truth" regarding the Arthurian time period. The prime reason for this is the fact that Britons used perishable materials such as earth and wood to build their forts and homes. Their daily tools were made from carved wood. The clothing and armor they wore were made from leather, cloth, and fur, which all disintegrate quickly with time (Schlesinger 101). In addition to this, any archeological evidence that might be found would be useless without a clear time scale into which it can be fitted. Also, their does not exist an accurate historical time scale for events in Britain between the end of the fourth century and the beginning of the seventh century. The archaeology can tell us how Arthur might have lived but still would not resolve the prime question of who Arthur was and when he lived ( Barber 23). A third reason for this is that we can't pin Arthur down to one region or place, because of the hasty mobility of Arthur and his troops. It would be very difficult to do a large scale archaeological dig on such a vast piece of territory. None of Arthur's place names are accurate. Arthur's Seat, the various Arthur Stones, and the Round Tables have no valid connection to him. Some of these items refer to archeological monuments dated two or three thousand years after Arthur (Alcock 18). Though Nennius's documents are more widely known, the earliest historical reference referring to an Arthur is Life of Columba. It is written by Adomnan around 700 A.D. Adomnan wrote about an Arthur who is the son of Aedan mac Gabrain, King of Dalriada. This Arthur is a warrior who dies (before his father, never giving him the chance to become king) fighting a tribe called Miathi. There are other occurrences with the name Arthur, associated with the north of Britain (Barber 21). There are several interpretations by historians of that earliest historical reference to an Arthur. Richard Barber in King Arthur, believes that is the original Arthur that was transformed into the legendary hero. He believes that we should reject Nennius' historical account and dating. Richard Barber believes that Nennius fabricated from literary sources his account to suit the political needs of the moment. He created a new image of the hero with which to encourage his contemporaries. According to Richard Barber, Nennius had his own purpose for history (Barber 22-23). According to Richard Barber's interpretation, one can still believe that the Arthur mentioned in the poem the "Gododdin" is referring to the first Arthur written about in Life of Columba. The "Gododdin" was a famous Welsh poem in the year 600 that describes the strength of a recently slain warrior. However, the poet admits about this warrior, "But he was not Arthur." This incidental mention of Arthur's name, which is the first mention of the legendary King Arthur, provides us with two conclusions. First, Arthur had to be so well known that a simple mention of his name would bring to the audience's mind the ideas of valor and heroism. Second Arthur had to have lived some time before the 600's but not too much before so the figure of Arthur would still be fresh in the audience's mind (Schlesinger 14). Others disagree with Barber. They believe that the Arthur mentioned in the Life of Columba is not the same Arthur of the legend. Arthur back then was a popular name because it was associated with heroism. They believe the Arthur who was made into a hero lived towards the end of the fifth century, early sixth. In order to establish the historical validity of the "Gododdin," one must understand that it was not the custom of Welsh poets to invent people and events; this is a modern invention. Therefore, historians believe that all of the characters in the early poems of Welsh literature are real people with actual events (Schlesinger 17). In other early Welsh literature, Arthur is still a shadowy figure. This is partly due to the fact that we only have fragments of early Welsh poetry in which Arthur's appearances are brief as a poetic hero. "So the process by which the first legends were woven around whatever historical nucleus there once was remains a puzzle (Barber 25)." During the eleventh and twelfth century Arthur became so popular as a hero that Welsh literature contains several references to Arthur which include actual incidents from his legendary career. The Welsh poets probably invented the incidents in order to enhance their work. Because of this there is no historical evidence on exactly what Arthur did, but one can see from this his popularity as a hero at this time. Welsh poetry usually portrays Arthur favorably. An ideal, heroic, active leader of a band of successful warriors and knights. Other times it talks of his knights' exploits, portraying him as the idol king who stays at home in a splendid romantic setting while his knights underwent the hardship and adventure. Unfortunately, not many of their triads have been preserved, though we do have many of their "headlines," which reflect on Arthur's increasing popularity. In some of the earlier triads, we are introduced to Arthur's wife Guinevere, and the magician Mordred, both of whom we meet again in later romances. Chretien de Troys, a French poet in the late twelfth century, adapted five tales about Arthur's court for the French society. He replaces the rugged, masculine world of the early tales of Arthur with the conflicts between the spiritual and the physical worlds. In Chretien's tales the deeds King Arthur accomplished are less important than the society that assembles at his court, the tales of the knights, and the beautiful ladies that gather there. Chretien's most common subject is the problems arising from earthly love. One of his famous stories is the romance between Lancelot and Guinevere. Like other poets of the time Chretien was influenced by a code of "courtly love" (Schlesinger 73-76). Chretien de Troys was the first to invent Camelot, a place with no historical authenticity (Alcock 14). It is never mentioned in the earliest traditions, or early evidence of Arthur. He saw Arthur as a monarch who needed the necessary furnishing and therefore invented "The finest court that ever has been"(Schlesinger 73). He created Arthur's court as a gathering place for nobles and courageous lords during the twelve year period of peace between the Saxons and Romans. Arthur's period of transition from reality to romance was long and complex. He was remembered as a hero by the Welsh bards who embellished and added to his legend in their own creative way. From Wales these tales traveled to Britain and France, where they became popular during the twelfth century through being spread by jogleurs and minstrels who wondered from castle to castle reciting Arthur's stories at feasts. The French poets eagerly seized on to the new material, and developed it into the earliest versions of the Arthurian legends that we possess today (Barber 34). f:\12000 essays\mythology & legends (75)\Legend of sweating moose balls!.TXT +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ THE LEGEND OF SWEATING MOOSE-BALLS: A long time ago, there was nobody on the land except for one Indian tribe: The Cranchids. Then, the white man moved in, burning down their huts, killing all of the men, and taking the women to be slaves. They left all of the children alone, to survive on their own. One of the children was named Sweating Moose-Balls. His father was the chief of the tribe, and the greatest warrior that ever lived. His name was Dancing Prairie Chicken. Now that the chief was dead, Sweating Moose-Balls would become the Chief, at the age of eight winters. Sweating Moose-Balls learned quickly, and soon the other orphaned children were learning to collect food, build shelters, and hunt. Many winters had passed, and the village was as good as new. Sweating Moose-Balls was already a man, with a wife and five children. One day, one of the hunters ran back to the village, telling of white men in their forest. Sweating Moose-Balls took his ten best warriors with him to avenge the death of their families. They came into view of the enemy, and Sweating Moose-Balls recognized one of them. The man was old now, but he had been the one who had killed his father. The other ten warriors also recognized him, along with a few of the older men. Wanting revenge, the tribe encircled the men and moved in. Soon, the white men were trapped, and they noticed. Sweating Moose-Balls stepped forward, and spoke to the first old man. "You are the one who killed my father." he said. "yes, and we want to apologize. Your mothers have taken over our houses, and we need you to take them back." the old man pleaded. Sweating Moose-Balls thought for a moment. He could see that the man was sincere; he was practically begging. But then, Sweating Moose-Balls got an idea. He started to smile. "No, we will not take them back. You are our prisoners now, and we command you to take our whole tribe with you to your own land. We will have you make something called a Government, and they will give us money - a lot of it. All of the white men will have to pay taxes, which will go to us. In this way, we will not be your slaves anymore, but you will be our slaves. We will become rich off of you. You will live crowded together in places called cities, while we have all of the good land for ourselves, in places called reservations. The white men realised what this meant for them, but they had to do it. Today, all of the nations of that land can thank a proud hero, who let the natives be a major nationality, for all that they have. And white men still shudder when they hear the name that caused them so many nightmares: Sweating Moose-Balls. f:\12000 essays\mythology & legends (75)\Maya Creation.TXT +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ The Mayans believe that Mother Earth was a gigantic monster. It was an alligator, toad, and a turtle combined. Above her was a sky with a layer for each planet and spheres of movement for the sun and the moon. Below her was the underworld where heavenly bodies passed when out of sight. All around her were the spirits of rain and thunder. The deities of the food plants and animals attended her. All nature was alive and it was constantly dying and being reborn (Burland 1771). The Mayans are American Indian people who lived in southern Mexico (Miller "Maya" Grolier). The Yucatan was the center of the Mayan civilization from about the 1st century B.C. ("Yucantan" Grolier). They flourished in Mexico and central America from 250 to 1600 A.D. ("History of Agriculture" Grolier). Their ancestors had crossed the Bering land Bridge from Asia (Miller "Maya" Grolier). Honduras was once a part of the Mayan Empire. It had flourished between 250 and 950 A.D. (Seligson "Honduras" Grolier). The Mayans also had lived in Mexican states: Yucantan and Chiapas, British Honduras, Guatemala, Honduras, and El Salvador (Burland 1770) By 1200 B.C., they had dominated trade routes. The trade routes extended from the modern Mexico state of Guerrero to Costa Rica (Miller "Maya" Grolier). The Mayans had constant cultural and commercial contact from other tribes such as the Aztecs. They were with the central and coastal Mexican civilization that had influenced them and influenced other cultures (Harrison "History of Latin America" Grolier). The Mayans worshiped peace deities (Matthews 45). They also worshiped a creator who lived beyond the sky, and believed it was male and female. Mayans also believed that males were more important (Burland 1771). They explain this with the fact that man came first (Thompson Internet). They also believe in satisfying the creators and fear death. The Mayans had similar beliefs of creation and similar and not similar gods with the Greeks, had a belief in a Heaven and a Hell, four attempts at making humans and three different worlds made. The Greeks had believed there was nothing, that the world began with Chaos, which is similar to the Mayan belief that there was no Earth, no sun and no moon. The only existence was the house of Gucumatz, which is Heaven where the father and mother of all creatures lived. The other is the house of the Ahauab de Xibalba, which is Hell. In Hell, Hun Came and Vucub Caquix, Lords of Hell lived (Eufraccio Internet). The Mayans had many gods: Ah Puch, a god of death; Akhushtal, the goddess of childbirth; Cit Bolon Tum and Ahau Chamahez, the gods of medicine; Kan-u-Uayeyab, the god who guarded cities; Kukucan, the wind god; Ekahau, the god of travelers and merchants (The Mythical Encyclopedia Internet); Ixtab, the goddess of the noose and the gallows. The Mayans believed that if a person committed suicide by a noose, he or she would go to her paradise. And Izamna is the sun and sky god, he rules over the night. They also call him "God D." His title is "lord of knowledge." He was the founder of Mayan culture. He taught them script, healing, and the use of calenders and brought them his people maize, which is corn, and cacao, a coca seed. Ixchel is the earth and moon goddess and patroness of pregnant women. She invented the art of weaving. They think that she was the consort of Itzamna. She had also given birth to the Bacabs (Eufraccio Internet). Bacabs, the children of Izamna and Ixchel, are a group of four protective deities. They are the canopic gods. There are four Bacabs. They stand at the four corners of the world, the cardinal points. They also supported the heavens. The first one four of the Bacabs is Cauac. He is the south and his color is red. Next is Ix. He is the west and his color is black. Next is Mulac. He stands for the north and his color is white. Kan is the last one of the Bacabs. He is the east and his color is yellow (The Encyclopedia Mythica Internet). Hun Came and Vucub Caquix were the rulers of the underworld, called Xibalaba. The steep road that leads to the underworld is very dangerous. There are torrents; it is flanked by the abysses, and it is covered with thorns. Vucub Caquix had two children. Kabrakan causes earthquakes and the disappearance of mountains. His brother Zipakna makes' mountains rise through earthquakes (Eufraccio Internet). Hun Came and Vucub Caquix invited Hun Hunahpu and Vucub Hunahpu to a ball game. When Hun Hunahpu and Hunahpu arrived, Hun Came and Vucub Caquix killed them. Hun Hunahpu's head was placed on a dead tree that came to life. Ixquic, a virgin, wanted a fruit. Hun Hunahpu told her to open her hand, where he spit. She instantly became pregnant. She gave birth to Hunahpu and Ixbalanque. Hunahpu and Ixbalanque killed Hun Came and Vucub Caquix to avenge their father's death (Eufraccio Internet). There are some Mayan gods that have similar functions with the Greek gods. Hunab Ku is the god of gods, as Zeus is the god of gods. He also is a creator. Nacon is the god of war, as Aries is the god of war. Ah Kinchil is the sun god, as Apollo is the sun god. Kinich Kakmo is also a sun god whom the Macaw symbolizes. Ahmakiq is the god of agriculture, as Demeter is the goddess of agriculture. Hun Hunahpu is a fertility god. His son is Hunahpu. He also is a creator god. Him and his brother, Ixbalanque became rulers after their father's death. Hunahpu became the sun god and Ixbalanque a female moon deity. They are the parents of the first pair of humans (The Encyclopedia Mythica Internet). The creators made four attempts to create creatures. The creators wanted creatures to worship and praise them. All attempts failed but the last attempt. The last attempt was with corn. The corn is important to the Mayans. The creators called them the "First Fathers." The four animals that found the corn were a mountain cat, a coyote, a crow, and a parrot. They were to look for suitable building materials (Cotterell Internet). The first creatures consisted of wood. They displeased the creators with them, so they created a great flood. The flood knocked them over. Eagles would peck out their eyes while some bats chopped off their heads and jaguars broke and mangled their bones. What was left of them had climbed to the roofs. After climbing to the top, the house collapsed. The animals then killed the survivors (Thompson Internet). Hunab Ku rebuilt the world after three deluges that poured from the mouth of a sky serpent. Dwarfs, the builders of the cities, lived in the first world. An obscure race, Dzolob or "the offenders," had lived in the second world. The third and final world was for the Mayans (Eufraccio Internet). As in any myth, the Mayans believed in many things that started the creation of their time. They believed that there were four attempts at creating man, there was a Heaven and Hell-like most beliefs, there were three different worlds created, and that there were different gods for almost everything. WORKS CITED Bray, Warwick. "Quetzalcoatl." The 1995 Grolier Multimedia Encyclopedia. CD-ROM. Connecticut: Grolier Electronic Publishing, Inc., 1995. Burland, C.A. "Maya." Man, Myth, and Magic. 1983 ed. Cotterell, Maurice, and Adrian Gilbert. The Mayan Prophecies. (1995). Online. Internet. 4 February 1997. Eurfraccio, Particio. "Hunahpu and Ixbalanque." The Encyclopedia Mythica. (1995). Online. Internet. 4 February 1997. Faron, Louis C. "Lacandon." The 1995 Grolier Multimedia Encyclopedia. CD-ROM. Conneticut: Grolier Electroni Publishing, Inc., 1995. Harrison, John P. "History of Latin America." The 1995 Grolier Multimedia Encyclopedia. CD- ROM. Connecticut: Grolier Electronic Publishing, Inc., 1995. "History of Agriculture." The 1995 Grolier Multimedia Encyclopedia. CD-ROM. Connecticut: Grolier Electronic Publishing, Inc., 1995. Matthews, Warren. World Religions. Minnesota: West Publishing Company. 1995 Miller, Mary Ellen. "Maya." The 1995 Grolier Multimedia Encyclopedia. CD-ROM. Connecticut: Grolier Electronic Publishing, Inc., 1995. The Encyclopedia Mythica. (1995). Online. Internet. 4 February 1997. Seligson, Mitchell A. "Honduras." The 1995 Grolier Multimedia Encyclopedia. CD- ROM. Connecticut: Grolier Electronic Publishing, Inc., 1995. Thompson, Suzzane. In The Beginning. Online. Internet. 4 February 1997. "Yucantan Peninsula." The 1995 Grolier Multimedia Encyclopedia. CD-ROM. Connecticut: Grolier Electronic Publishing, Inc., 1995. f:\12000 essays\mythology & legends (75)\Medea.TXT +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Medea:Looking for Revenge Medea, a play by the Greek playwright Euripides, explores the Greek-barbarian dichotomy through the character of Medea, a princess from the "barbarian", or non-Greek, land of Colchis. Throughout the play, it becomes evident to the reader that Medea is no ordinary woman by Greek standards. Central to the whole plot is Medea's barbarian origins and how they are related to her actions. In this paper, I am attempting to answer questions such as how Medea behaves like a female, how she acts heroically from a male point of view, why she killed her children, if she could have achieved her goal without killing them, if the murder was motivated by her barbarian origins, and how she deals with the pain of killing her children. As an introduction to the play, the status of women in Greek society should be briefly discussed. In general, women had very few rights. In the eyes of men, the main purposes of women in Greek society were to do housework such as cooking and cleaning, and bear children. They could not vote, own property, or choose a husband, and had to be represented by men in all legal proceedings. In some ways, these Greek women were almost like slaves. There is a definite relationship between this subordination of women and what transpires in the play. Jason decides that he wants to divorce Medea and marry the princess of Corinth, casting Medea aside as if they had never been married. This sort of activity was acceptable by Greek standards, and shows the subordinate status of the woman, who had no say in any matter like this. Even though some of Medea's actions were not typical of the average Greek woman, she still had attitudes and emotions common among women. For instance, Medea speaks out against women's status in society, proclaiming that they have no choice of whom to marry, and that a man can rid themselves of a woman to get another whenever he wants, but a woman always has to "keep [her] eyes on one alone." (231-247) Though it is improbable that women went around openly saying things of this nature, it is likely that this attitude was shared by most or all Greek women. Later in the play, Medea debates with herself over whether or not to kill her children: "Poor heart, let them go, have pity upon the children." (1057). This shows Medea's motherly instincts in that she cares about her children. She struggles to decide if she can accomplish her goal of revenge against Jason without killing her children because she cares for them and knows they had no part in what their father did. Unfortunately, Medea's desire to exact revenge on Jason is greater than her love for her children, and at the end of the play she kills them. Medea was also a faithful wife to Jason. She talks about how she helped Jason in his quest for the Golden Fleece, then helped him escape, even killing her own brother. (476-483). The fact that she was willing to betray her own family to be with Jason shows her loyalty to him. Therefore, her anger at Jason over him divorcing her is understandable. On the other hand, Medea shows some heroic qualities that were not common among Greek women. For example, Medea is willing to kill her own brother to be with Jason. In classical Greece, women and killing were probably not commonly linked. When she kills her brother, she shows that she is willing to do what is necessary to "get the job done", in this case, to be with Jason. Secondly, she shows the courage to stand up to Jason. She believes that she has been cheated and betrayed by him. By planning ways to get back at him for cheating on her, she is standing up for what she believes, which in this case is that she was wronged by Jason, but in a larger sense, she is speaking out against the inferior status of women, which effectively allows Jason to discard Medea at will. Third, she shows that she is clever and resourceful. Rather than use physical force to accomplish her plans, she uses her mind instead: "it is best to...make away with them by poison." (384-385) While physical strength can be considered a heroic quality, cleverness can be as well. She does in fact poison the princess and the king of Corinth; interestingly, however, she does not poison them directly. "I will send the children with gifts...to the bride...and if she wears them upon her skin...she will die." (784-788) This shows her cleverness because she is trying to keep from being linked to the crime, though everyone is able to figure out that she was responsible anyway. In a way, though, she is almost anti-heroic because she is not doing the "dirty work" herself, which makes her appear somewhat cowardly. Finally, there is the revenge factor. Many times heroes were out for revenge against someone who did them or a friend wrong, and in this case Medea is no exception, since she wants to have revenge against Jason for divorcing her without just cause. There are two main reasons why Medea decides to kill her children. The first, and more obvious one, is that she feels that it is a perfect way to complement the death of the princess in getting revenge on Jason. When she tells the chorus of the plans to kill the children, they wonder if she has the heart to kill her children, to which she replies, "[y]es, for this is the best way to wound my husband." (817). This shows that she believes that by killing her children, she will basically ruin Jason's life, effectively getting her revenge. The second reason for f:\12000 essays\mythology & legends (75)\Mitologia del Mexico Antiguo.TXT +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Mitologia del Mexico Antiguo Maya Cuando se inicio el periodo clasico, los mayas contaban con una religion bien cimentada, desarrollada a traves de los siglos a partir de conceptos y practicas magicas que deben de haber caracterizado gran parte del preclasico. Su importancia abarcaba todos los aspectos de la vida individual y colectiva. Diferentes niveles pueden reconocerse en sus conceptos, expresados por medio de numerosas deidades. Deidades Siendo el pueblo maya basicamente agricultor, a un nivel elemental, popular, se hallaban los dioses que representaban los elementos esenciales de su vida, principalmente las fuerzas de la naturaleza y sus productos mas vitales. Entre las deidades al alcance de la gran masa de la poblacion citare las mas importantes, cuyos nombres se ignoran, salvo algunos : la tierra, el sol (Kinich Ahau o Kinich-Kakmoo), la luna y el agua (Ixchel), la lluvia (Chaac), el viento )Kukulcan, en el periodo posclasico), la vegetacion y en particular el maiz (Yum Kax), el cielo (Itzamna), el cacao (Ek Chuah), la muerte (Ah Puch o Yum Cimil). La mayor parte, si no todos los oficios, tenian dioses particulares : agricultores, cazadores, pescadores, guerreros, mercaderes, curanderos, etc., con variados nombres que se citan en los libros de Chilam Balam. A un nivel mas alto, y solo comprensible por el sacerdocio, se encontraban deidades correspondientes a conceptos abstractos, tales como los numerales, los dias, los meses y demas periodos calendaricos. Por encima de todos los dioses, mas bien como concepto metafisico, estaba Hunab-Ku, que no tenia representacion y al que no se le rendia culto. Muchas de las concepciones de la religion maya no son exclusivas de ella, sino que forman parte de ideas y creencias generalizadas en mesoamerica. Es asi como ciertas deidades son buenas, otras malas, y algunas tienen doble aspecto, uno favorable al hombre y el otro dañino, como de hecho ocurre en la naturaleza : la lluvia, benefica en su tiempo y en cantidades normales, pero peligrosa si cae fuera de epoca o en volumen excesivo ; el sol, indispensable para la vida pero responsable de sequias si otros factores no atemperan su accion. Lo mismo puede decirse del viento y de la luna (segun las creencias populares). Otro concepto difundido en mesoamerica es el de cuadruplicidad, que asocia distintos elemetos a los puntos cerdinales, entre ellos algunos colores. Para los mayas, el rojo estaba asociado al este, el negro al oeste, el blanco al norte, y el amarillo al sur. Cuatro deidades, o mas bien cuatro representaciones de una misma deidad, diferenciadas entre si solo por el color, reinaban en los puntos cardinales : eran los Bacabes, que, sobre la tierra, sostenian la boveda del cielo ; los Chaac, en le cielo, eran los proveedores de lluvia ; los Pauahtunes, debajo de la tierra, tenian a su cargo enviar los vientos. Los mayas se imaginaban la tierra cuadrada, sostenida sobre el agua por un gigantesco animal, especie de pez o lagarto. El cielo se componia de 13 capas superpuestas, en que reinaban los 13 dioses, Oxlahunyiku, con una gran ceiba en el centro por cuyas ramas se podia ascender. El mundo subterraneo, a su vez, comprendia 9 pisos, en los que moraban los 9 dioses, los Bolontiku ; alli estaba el Mintal, adonde iban los muertos. f:\12000 essays\mythology & legends (75)\My Eyes Have Seen The Glory.TXT +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ "My Eyes Have Seen The Glory" 1st-My eyes shall see the glory of the firing of the fools; They are tramping on our county, they are breaking all the rules. We will march into their office and remove the Sheriff's men; then truth shall go marching once again. -Glory, Glory, alleluia, the law should have all new rules. We will draw them up short and haul them in to court, and they won't tramp on our county anymore! 2nd-We have seen their flashlights a' circling in the parks; are they looking for a clue , are they looking for their marks? Well, they couldn't find a clue if it bit them on the leg, and the truth just leaves them in the dark. -Glory, Glory, alleluia, they are out to stick it to you. We will grab them by the pants and fill them full of ants, and they won't go out patrolling anymore! 3rd-Maybe they think they come from Russia far away across the sea, they want to take our freedoms away from you and me. If they think that they can do that, then they are way out of their tree; because we will go marching 'till we're free. -Glory, Glory, alleluia, we are 'o so tired of you. We have become enraged with the way you rant and rave, and we just won't take it anymore!! f:\12000 essays\mythology & legends (75)\Myth or Reality Todays Perception on Monsters.TXT +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Myth or Reality, Today's Perception on Monsters Monsters, which are seemingly just myth and fantasy, do have some truths to their legend. In fact, some creatures may have actually existed and still do today, even though they should not be percieved as monsters. What if the stories of a giant "ape-like" creature that have circulated over the globe for centuries were true? There have been numerous sightings and first-hand accounts of this creature everywhere in the world, from the United States to the Himalayas. One of the more famous sightings took place at Bluff Creek in 1967. Roger Patterson and a friend were horse back riding when they saw a huge hair covered creature. It began to run away when it noticed the two men, but not before Roger shot some film of the creature. The creature that was filmed was a female, while you cannot see in this view, breasts are clearly visable in other frames of the film. Scientists who have studied the film have said that the estimated stride of the creature is larger than that of a man. They also say it would have been very difficult for a man to simulate this larger stride. Footprints were the same type as typically found at a Bigfoot sighting. A more recent sighting of Bigfoot took place last year on July 11, in the Wild Creek area in the foothills of Snoqualmie National Forest.The picture was obtained from the photographer bt Cliff Crook, the director of Bigfoot Central. The cameraman was out on a hike when he heard splashing coming from the stream below him. He then found himself face to face with the creature. Usually after most sightings, footprints of the usually large creatures can be found. Footprints have been found everywhere including at these two mentioned sightings. The length of the prints has varied between 1' to 2.5' indicating from scientific study that Bigfoot could be as tall as nine feet. Also the deep inprint that is left indicates that the creature could weigh as much as 600 pounds. Researchers at Ohio State University hope to come within a hair of verifying the existence of Bigfoot. Scientists are using a new DNA matching process to determine whether there may be more to the Sasquatch legend than some blurry film footage and a few giant footprints. The evidence consists of two tufts of hair, each with about a dozen individual strands, recovered in Washington State after a recent sighting. "This is the first time that I'm aware of that anybody will be able to do any DNA extractions on Bigfoot," said Frank Poirier, chairman of Anthropology. "I don't expect anything to happen because I'm pretty sceptical about this. But good science requires some wild goose chases from time to time." The hair that is being tested was from creatures reportedly observed at a distance of about 100 feet in a dence, dark forest. If the Washington hair samples turn out to be from an unknown primate, it will be compared with hair samples reputed to be from the ancient Chinese "wildman", a human-like primate that was investigated in Asia. There is much evidence that to prove that a Sasquatch could be an actual species of ape, maybe even a decendant of Human beings themselves. The Loch Ness Monster is one of the most compelling myths in human lore, and for good reason because some of the scientific fact that lay behind it is amazing. The vast majority of the Earth's oceans and seas are unexplored. Is it really hard to believe that there are creatures that live so far down or in such remote areas, that they are rarely, if ever, seen by humans. The Giant Squid was thought of as a creature of myth and legend until recently, when scientists found corpses of such a creature. Many of these "sea serpents" descriptions are similar to creatures that are thought to be extinct. The Coelacanth was thought to be extinct for 70 million years until it was discovered alive and well in 1938.Loch Ness is located in the North of Scotland and is one of a series of interlinked lochs which run along the Great Glen. The Great Glen is a distinctive incision which runs across the country and represents a large geological fault zone. For many years it has been supposed that there is a large dinosaur-like "monster" resident in Loch Ness. The evidence for it's existence are a series of sightings of a Plesiosaur-like dinosaur throughout the last 100 years. The case has been occasionally been supported by indistinct photographic evidence. However, several scientific studies have been conducted, including thorough sonar surveys of the Loch, and these have not revealed any presence of such a "monster". Many people believe that the size (21 square miles) and great depth of the Loch (almost 800 feet), together with potential underwater caves, gives the monster many places to hide. Regardless of the truth, suggestion of the monster's existence makes Loch Ness one of Scotland's top tourist attractions. One of the more famous sightings of the monster occured on July 22, 1933. Mr. and Mrs. George Spicer of London were driving along the Loch Ness Lakeshore Road returning from a holiday in Northern Scotland when their car nearly struck a huge, black long-necked creature. The "prehistoric animal," as Mr. Spicer described it, shambled across the road, slithered through the underbrush, and splashed into the murky Loch. Had the Spicers experienced a rare land encounter with the Loch Ness Monster? To date there have been over 3000 recorded sightings of the celebrity monster, according to cryptozoologist Roy P. Mackal, author of "The Monsters of Loch Ness". This figure may be on the high side, but whatever the figure is, Nessie is certainly one of the most-sighted monsters in the world. Only a month before the Spicer sighting a less-talked about sighting had been reported by James MacIntosh. He was travelling home to Inverness after a fishing trip with his son, also named James. Young James had first sighted the unidentified object, telling his father, "Dad, that's not a boat." "I was concentrating on my driving but I looked over the Loch and I suddenly saw this brown thing with a neck like a giraffe break the surface. It was was an eerie experience. It was swimming quite swiftly at the time," recounted the elder MacIntosh. While the world first learned of a Loch Ness Monster in July, 1933, there had been numerous earlier sightings of a large unidentified creature in the Loch, dating back to St. Columba's oft-mentioned encounter with an unknown creature in the River Ness in 565 A.D. Now with all the popularity of Nessie in the 30's there have been quite a few hoaxes. One insodent involved a couple of teenagers building a raft which looked like Nessie and taking a picture. The picture made them famous but was exposed as a hoax shortly after. One theory on the Loch Ness Monster still holds true today. The theory is that Nessie is a Plesiosaur, a dinosaur which was thought to be extinct along with all the other Dinosaurs. Not only could there be on Monster, but it would make more sense to say that there is a community of Plesiosaurs living in the Loch. Plesiosaurs were air breathing amphibians, which would explain why there have been so many sightings of a sea creature, even on land. Because of numerous sightings, and some good scienific theory, Nessie has built a reputation for being a possible reality. Sharks, viewed as monsters by most, are just part of the ecosystem and deserve to be treated as any other predator, not as monsters. In the movie "Jaws", a shark is seen terrorizing a small community of people in the heat of Summer. The shark in this movie is a Great White, which nowadays is the largest and most feared shark at up to 15 feet long. However the movie does exaggerate quite a bit, and the shark is made to be 22 feet long, a huge exaggeration by any means. This movie made sharks out to be massive, unthinking maneaters, which in real life is not true. Most people, even now have that same attitude about sharks, which is completey ignorant. Personally, after I saw the movie, I was afraid of the swimming pool, but as I was educated about the subject, I lost my fear completely. A trip to Sea Worldand the Florida Keys, where I swam with sharks proved that I was over that. Most shark attacks happen for some reason, whether it be because the shark confused the surfboard for the underside of a seal, or the bright colours of the man's swimsuit peaked the sharks curiosity. Besides, shark attacks are so few and far between that you are more likely to die from a bee sting than a bite. Very few people actually know what goes on when a shark feeds. Just imagine........a young Californian sea lion splashes about on the surface of the Pacific Ocean but ten metres from it's safehold, a massive rookery of the sea lions all basking on the rockey shores of Northern California. Luckily, the unexperienced sea lion is among a small "raft" of older sea lions, a tactic used by sea lions to ward off predators that go after sole, lone individuals.........and then the young pup strays a little far from the frolicking adults, out into the open waters. The pup looks around, confused as to where everyone has gone. He at once spots the raft, and starts a feeble attempt towards them. Splashing about like a puppy dog walks, the young sea lion inches towards the group of adults, nearly there. Suddenly from behind the pup, a wall of water rises up in the sinister outline of a large shark , it's caudal fin swishing violently from side to side. The pup keeps swimming, but it is no match for the twelve foot long Great White Shark closing in from behind. The shark takes the pup quickly and quietly, closing it's massive jaws and jerking it's head repeatedly. This feeding described was a more passive attack, by the Great White's standards. Usually the first encounter is a massive blow from the snout of the shark or a small bite to get a feel for it's prey. That is also why 90% of shark attack victims survive, humans do not taste as good as a fatty seal and can usually escape after the enitial contact. Even though sharks have the capacity to behave like monsters, they act on instinct alone and do not hunt humans beings purposely. Monsters, whether they be fictional or not, all have some truth in them. Whether they be real or not all depends in how you see them. f:\12000 essays\mythology & legends (75)\Mythical Ananlysis of A Yaqui Way of Knowledge.TXT +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ A MYTHICAL ANALYSIS OF A YAQUI WAY OF KNOWLEDGE 4-11-95 In the summer of 1960, Carlos Casteneda, a UCLA anthropology student traveled to the southwest to do research on medicinal plants. While at a bus station, he met an extraordinary man. His name was don Juan Mateus, but I will refer to him as don Juan. Don Juan, a Yaqui "brujo" or shaman, decides to teach Carlos the "Yaqui way of knowledge." It is not known if these stories are fiction or non-fiction and many critics still debate over his writings. I interpret his books as modern mythological stories for several reasons. The "Heroic Journey Archetype" and shamanistic ideologies, and also the general moral, explainative, and philosophical content of his writings indicate that these stories can be viewed as "modern myth". Throughout Casteneda's stories you can see the "Heroic Journey Archetype". Carlos goes through a restless stage and breaks ties with his studies and professors at school. He moves forward with the help of don Juan, whose shamanic wisdom enlightens and guides Carlos along his spiritual path. He also faces death many times in his quest to become a warrior. Finally, after many years, he "passes through". This mythological archetype is one of the main reasons I believe his stories are mythical in nature. There are also many shamanistic idealogies that run throughout his stories. Views of the natural world including plant life, animal life, and elements are all personified. Everything is embodied with spirit. Concepts of reality are altered through drug induced states. Mushrooms and peyote are mainly used in rituals that don Juan uses to teach Carlos his way of knowledge: Mescalito, the "spirit" of the peyote plant, indicated to don Juan that Carlos was the "chosen" one, the person to whom don Juan should pass on his knowledge(CLC,87). Don Juan speaks of many different spirits and separate realities. His teaching's gave an explanation to man's view of existence and his ignorance resulting from attachment to the material world. Mythological proof is also found in don Juan's teachings, which compare Indian folklore, mysticism, and philosophy. Don Juan explains that there are many different planes of reality and that a warrior must detach himself with the aid of an ally. Carlos's ally is "Mescalito" or the spirit of the peyote plant. Don Juan's ally is "the little smoke"; a mixture made from hallucinogenic mushrooms. He explains that all life is made up of controlled folly and attachment to the material world causes ignorance and blindness. A warrior must learn to "see" and an ally helps achieve these states of non-ordinary "seeing." Don Juan's teachings are closely related to Buddhist philosophy. By achieving these states of non-ordinary reality a warrior learns how to live correctly without any material distractions. Carlos Casteneda's stories contain many mythical elements. "Heroic Archetype", shamanistic ideals, and eastern philosophical ideals are just a few. His views of reality and the spiritual journey to true knowledge are remarkable. "For me there is only the traveling on paths that have heart, on any path that may have heart. There I travel, and the only worthwhile challenge is to transverse its full length. And there I travel, looking, looking, breathlessly."-Don Juan BIBLIOGRAPHY Contemporary Literary Criticism, Vol. 12 The Teachings of Don Juan: A Yaqui Way Of Knowledge Carlos Casteneda Washington Square Press Copy. 1968 The Tall Candle, The Personal Chronicle of a Yaqui Indian Rosalio Moises, Jane Kelly, William Holden University of Nebraska Press Copy. 1971 A MYTHICAL ANALYSIS OF A YAQUI WAY OF KNOWLEDGE 4-11-95 In the summer of 1960, Carlos Casteneda, a UCLA anthropology student traveled to the southwest to do research on medicinal plants. While at a bus station, he met an extraordinary man. His name was don Juan Mateus, but I will refer to him as don Juan. Don Juan, a Yaqui "brujo" or shaman, decides to teach Carlos the "Yaqui way of knowledge." It is not known if these stories are fiction or non-fiction and many critics still debate over his writings. I interpret his books as modern mythological stories for several reasons. The "Heroic Journey Archetype" and shamanistic ideologies, and also the general moral, explainative, and philosophical content of his writings indicate that these stories can be viewed as "modern myth". Throughout Casteneda's stories you can see the "Heroic Journey Archetype". Carlos goes through a restless stage and breaks ties with his studies and professors at school. He moves forward with the help of don Juan, whose shamanic wisdom enlightens and guides Carlos along his spiritual path. He also faces death many times in his quest to become a warrior. Finally, after many years, he "passes through". This mythological archetype is one of the main reasons I believe his stories are mythical in nature. There are also many shamanistic idealogies that run throughout his stories. Views of the natural world including plant life, animal life, and elements are all personified. Everything is embodied with spirit. Concepts of reality are altered through drug induced states. Mushrooms and peyote are mainly used in rituals that don Juan uses to teach Carlos his way of knowledge: Mescalito, the "spirit" of the peyote plant, indicated to don Juan that Carlos was the "chosen" one, the person to whom don Juan should pass on his knowledge(CLC,87). Don Juan speaks of many different spirits and separate realities. His teaching's gave an explanation to man's view of existence and his ignorance resulting from attachment to the material world. Mythological proof is also found in don Juan's teachings, which compare Indian folklore, mysticism, and philosophy. Don Juan explains that there are many different planes of reality and that a warrior must detach himself with the aid of an ally. Carlos's ally is "Mescalito" or the spirit of the peyote plant. Don Juan's ally is "the little smoke"; a mixture made from hallucinogenic mushrooms. He explains that all life is made up of controlled folly and attachment to the material world causes ignorance and blindness. A warrior must learn to "see" and an ally helps achieve these states of non-ordinary "seeing." Don Juan's teachings are closely related to Buddhist philosophy. By achieving these states of non-ordinary reality a warrior learns how to live correctly without any material distractions. Carlos Casteneda's stories contain many mythical elements. "Heroic Archetype", shamanistic ideals, and eastern philosophical ideals are just a few. His views of reality and the spiritual journey to true knowledge are remarkable. "For me there is only the traveling on paths that have heart, on any path that may have heart. There I travel, and the only worthwhile challenge is to transverse its full length. And there I travel, looking, looking, breathlessly."-Don Juan BIBLIOGRAPHY Contemporary Literary Criticism, Vol. 12 The Teachings of Don Juan: A Yaqui Way Of Knowledge Carlos Casteneda Washington Square Press Copy. 1968 The Tall Candle, The Personal Chronicle of a Yaqui Indian Rosalio Moises, Jane Kelly, William Holden University of Nebraska Press Copy. 1971 A MYTHICAL ANALYSIS OF A YAQUI WAY OF KNOWLEDGE 4-11-95 In the summer of 1960, Carlos Casteneda, a UCLA anthropology student traveled to the southwest to do research on medicinal plants. While at a bus station, he met an extraordinary man. His name was don Juan Mateus, but I will refer to him as don Juan. Don Juan, a Yaqui "brujo" or shaman, decides to teach Carlos the "Yaqui way of knowledge." It is not known if these stories are fiction or non-fiction and many critics still debate over his writings. I interpret his books as modern mythological stories for several reasons. The "Heroic Journey Archetype" and shamanistic ideologies, and also the general moral, explainative, and philosophical content of his writings indicate that these stories can be viewed as "modern myth". Throughout Casteneda's stories you can see the "Heroic Journey Archetype". Carlos goes through a restless stage and breaks ties with his studies and professors at school. He moves forward with the help of don Juan, whose shamanic wisdom enlightens and guides Carlos along his spiritual path. He also faces death many times in his quest to become a warrior. Finally, after many years, he "passes through". This mythological archetype is one of the main reasons I believe his stories are mythical in nature. There are also many shamanistic idealogies that run throughout his stories. Views of the natural world including plant life, animal life, and elements are all personified. Everything is embodied with spirit. Concepts of reality are altered through drug induced states. Mushrooms and peyote are mainly used in rituals that don Juan uses to teach Carlos his way of knowledge: Mescalito, the "spirit" of the peyote plant, indicated to don Juan that Carlos was the "chosen" one, the person to whom don Juan should pass on his knowledge(CLC,87). Don Juan speaks of many different spirits and separate realities. His teaching's gave an explanation to man's view of existence and his ignorance resulting from attachment to the material world. Mythological proof is also found in don Juan's teachings, which compare Indian folk f:\12000 essays\mythology & legends (75)\Mythology Bookreport.TXT +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ February 18, 1997 Dear Rebecca, I am writing to you today to tell you about a few wonderful myths that I have read. I feel that they would interest you as much as they did me. I will give you a brief summary on each so that they will be a little more familiar to you if you decide to read them at some time in the future. The first story I read was the tale of Hermes. Born on Mount Cyllene to his mother Maia, Hermes was an astonishing child. His growth was equally astonishing for he grew at a rapid rate. Deciding he wanted an adventure, Hermes set out one day and stole a herd of cows from Apollo, the sun god. When Apollo discovered the missing herd, he set out to find them but to no avail. Hearing of a reward offered by Apollo for the recovery of the herd, Silenus and his satyrs set out as well. Traveling far and wide their journeys brought them to a small cave, which echoed with the beautiful muffled sounds of a melody to which they were drawn. When finding out the music was produced by an instrument made of cow gut and tortoise shell, it was then understood that young Hermes had taken the herd from Apollo. Formal charges were brought to Mt. Olympus. Apollo, while going to get his remaining cows discovered Hermes' musical invention. Intrigued by this astonishing invention he offered his whole flock for the musical instrument. Hermes agreed, after which he invented a shepherd's pipe, which also awed Apollo. He offered Hermes his golden staff in exchange for the pipe but to no avail. In addition to the golden staff Hermes wanted the knowledge of augury. He felt it was a useful art. Hermes returned to Mt. Olympus to tell his father, Zeus, of all goings on. Zeus was very amused. Hermes suggested to Zeus that he be made into a herald. Zeus complied with this suggestion and showered Hermes with gifts. Sounds like an interesting tale, doesn't it. Well it is much better if you read it yourself. The next tale I read was of Krishna. This one story was the most confusing of the four I read. To fully understand it you must read it and interpret it for yourself. I will try to do the best I can. Rama and Krsna were two children who loved to play in the village. First they crawled and then they walked causing the village women to laugh and giving them great pleasure. Then Krsna started to untie the cows at inappropriate times and steal milk and curds. Krsna's mother was unable to scold him after looking at the child's' frightened face. She could only smile. One day a report came to her that Krsna had eaten dirt. She could not take it anymore and grabbed his hand and began to scold him. Krsna swore he had not eaten dirt and to prove this opened his mouth for his mother to peer inside. While looking into her child's' mouth she saw everything that was in the world. She saw all forms of life and time, she saw actions and hopes, her own village and herself. In the winter a group of girls celebrating vows to the goddess Katayayani went to the river, took off their clothes and chanted to Krsna. Krsna appeared and told them to take their clothes and go back to the village. When hearing the divine word from him the girls felt they had obtained what they wanted and returned to the village under Krshnas' command. To fully understand this story it is necessary to read it yourself and indulge in the vocabulary and trickster ways, which Krshna had shown. The next tale that I would like to share with you is the tale of Old Man Coyote. I hope this story intrigues you as it did me. This story told of a poor old coyote that wished he could renew his youth and vibrancy. One day he spotted a strong proud buffalo. He knew that this animal could help him so he went to ask the buffalo for his assistance. The buffalo said that he could make the old man coyote young and strong but could not restore his powers. Thankfully the coyote agreed to the buffalo's conditions and the process began. Once the coyote was transformed into a youthful buffalo the old man coyote began his youthful days of fun. One day, four years later another old coyote limped toward the buffalo. This time the buffalo was the transformed coyote. The old coyote asked for the buffalo to help him in his elderly days and transform him into a young buffalo as well. Forgetting that he had no powers the old transformed coyote offered his services and said that he knew how to help him. He led the old coyote to the same hill that he used four years ago. Following all the steps in which he had been transformed the buffalo tried to transform the old coyote. The result of this was that the buffalo had become his old coyote self once more. This story proved that if you start something it is always good to finish or the product is not as good as the real thing. This story was much simpler to read then the story of Krsna. The last tale I read concerned Legba, of the Fon tribe. This tale had four different sections, the first two describe why God lives in heaven and not on Earth. The second two describe the oracle's connection with God. The first section involves Legba. The tale explains how Legba and God lived together on Earth. God would blame all the mishaps on Legba. Yet whenever something good happened God would take the credit. One day Legba slipped into Gods sandals and stole the five yams which were growing in Gods garden. Since the rain had left the ground wet, the sandals left clear footprints in the ground so the next morning they were still there. God brought everyone over to see who fit the footprints. Legba offered the idea that maybe God had taken the yams in his sleep, so God put his foot in the print and saw that it was a perfect fit. All the people could not believe God could do this and even though God blamed his son for this act, he still moved off of the Earth leaving Legba to report the doing of the people on the Earth. The second tale tells how Legba asked an old woman to throw her dirty laundry water in to the air, as God got tired of getting hit in the face with dirty water he left Legba to see over the Earth. The other two parts of this tale explain how God watched over the Earth. One idea that has been reported is that Legba is associated with Fa. Fa lived on top of a palm tree and every day Legba would come and open his eyes. Since Fa did not like to convey his wishes out loud he would throw one palm nut down if he wanted two eyes open and two palm nuts if he wanted one eye open. This was done so that Fa could look over the world. Now that I have explained about these stories I have read, I hope you see the pattern that they are all connected by. They are all tales having to do with tricksters. Each story conveys a different characteristic that a trickster displays. In the story of Hermes, the characteristic displayed is cunning. Using his talents, Hermes avoided trouble and received not only respect and promotion but also gifts from the people that he had stolen from. In the tale of Krsna, the mother allowed the boy to get away with his evil deeds because of his divine powers. A perfect example of this divinity occurred when he opened his mouth and the mother could see the whole universe. This example is the divinity inherent in the trickster. In the tale of the old man coyote the characteristic displayed is unmerited kindness. This is demonstrated by the transformed coyote giving up his youth to help another. Even though he did this unwittingly he did not have to try to help the second coyote. The last tale showed the trickster framing another so that he could escape Gods' constant attention, and also so that he would gain the respect that he felt he deserved. This demonstrates the characteristic of guile. In all these stories the trickster does show a good heart but also a cunning side which is primarily what makes him what he is and what he is infamous for. I hope my letter has brought a little insight to the subject of tricksters. Also, I hope my summaries have made you interested in reading the stories in whole at your leisure. Yours truly, f:\12000 essays\mythology & legends (75)\Mythology research proj .TXT +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ English E3-19 September 27, 1996 Assignment: Mythology Research Project In The Yoruba and Madagascar myths of creation, the beginning of the world was a formless Chaos which was neither sea nor land. Orisha Nla, also called the Great God, was sent down from the sky to the Chaos by Olorun, the Supreme Being. His obligatory mission was to create solid land and to aid him in the accomplishment of this task, he was given a snail shell, a pigeon, and a five-toed hen. After the earth and land were separated, a chameleon was sent with Orisha Nla to inspect his work and report to the Supreme Being. Olorun was satisfied with the good things reported to him and sent Orisha Nla to finish. He planted trees, Olorun made rain water fall from the sky and grew the seeds into a great forest. The creation of earth took four days and on the fifth Orisha Nla rested from his work. Orisha fashioned the first people from earth for Olorun, but only the Supreme Being was able to give them life. Orisha Nla hid in his workshop trying to watch him, but a spell of deep sleep was cast onto him so that only Olorun knew the secret. He made the first man and woman and their daughter and her husband. The rest of the human beings descended from the them. As time passed, the Creator noticed that as humans multiplied and prospered, they gave thanks to Mother Earth but forgot about him. He decided thenceforth to take the souls of half the humans signifying a tribute. In the myth, Why Men Must Die told by the Zulu's of Natal in South Africa, we are told how because of a slow moving tiny animal man-kind suffered and still does of mortality. The first man on earth, also a god, sent the chameleon to give humans the message that they will be like the gods and never die promptly. Because he took too long to travel to mankind and spread the good news, he sent a viper out of annoyance with the message that he changed his mind and they will not live forever. In the Egyptian creation story my group has studied, everything descends from Nu, the sea. His son Ra, becomes the Creator and makes a god for everything in our world: Shu, the wind god, his consort Tefnut, "The Spitter", brought rain, Seb, the earth god, Nut, goddess of the firmament, who were the parents of Osiris and his consort Isis, and Set and his consort Nepthys. The story also tells about sins that people had since their earliest existence, such as desire, impatience, deception and lying. Isis, who is greedy for power, goes as far as poisoning the Creator, in order to obtain his secret and sacred name, which is the symbol and holder of the Creator's powers. A short legendary history of some customs (such as those of the New Year's celebration) is given. By reading these stories, one can see some of the similarities present between the myths of Christianity (mainly Roman and Greek) and those of Africa, such as the story of the creation, the deceiving of the God, his anger with the people and the punishment he gave them in order to teach them a lesson and his forgiveness, etc. Death is first introduced in the form of punishment, which Ra is giving the people, with the help of Hathor, who is doing the actual slaying. Ra also divided the world between two of his gods: Osiris, who will rule the dead, and Horus, who will rule on the "island of the fiery flames." Once people die, they enter Osiris' kingdom, where they are divided between those who can stay and those who will be taken by the serpents, "dragging them away, while they utter loud and piercing cries of grief and agony, to be tortured and devoured; lo!" BIBLIOGRAPHY Bierlein, J. F. Parallel Myths. New York: Random House Inc., 1994 Clifford, Eth. The Magnificent Myths of Men. New York: Globe Book Co., 1972 Ions, Veronica. Egyptioan Mythology. New York: Peter Bedrick Books, 1968 Mackenzie, Donald A. Egyptiona Myths and Legends. New York: Crown Publishers Inc., 1978 f:\12000 essays\mythology & legends (75)\Night Marchers in Hawaii.TXT +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ The ghostly apparitions called "Night Marchers" who haunt the islands of Hawaii can be clearly seen in the days known as Ku. Which the dates of the months, plus the new moon or full moon in the sky will mysteriously summon the Night Marchers out of their places. Although I have never really seen a Night Marcher in my life, I have saw another Hawaiian ghost, which generally is a walking, "harmless" ghost that appears in the late Spring(March 28 to April 14), and you can see him walking around the Island late at night(See the last paragraph about him). Days You Could See the Night Marchers Any month on the 12 Any month on the 14 Any month on the 24 Any month on the 25 Any month on the 26 Any month on the 27 Any month on the 28 The list above is a quite accurate days you might see the night marchers walking around. The reason why it is quite accurate is because of the little research that has been done in this field. What inspired me is because of the beginning that I made this report(April 7, 1997), when Mr. Lee talked about the arrival of the Night Marches on April 7, intrigued me to making this report, so I credit Mr. Mike Lee on this(Boy he sure does know a lot of things!). How Night Marches are summoned by these? I don't know, but Mr. Lee's aspect is that ghosts see everything the opposite, the dark would be day, the new moon would be a black moon, while the full moon would be black, and the moon is cut off into the horizon will summon them, I don't really know how. They probably come out at about 7:30 PM to 8:45 PM. Some people say they could see torches, colors of torches, red, green, blue, orange, yellow. The colors of the torches stands for their rank, but it is not fully researched yet. f:\12000 essays\mythology & legends (75)\Oddyssey.TXT +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ JR Audije English 2nd Period In "The Odyssey", Athene helped Odysseus numerous ways physically and mentally by aiding him, Telemachus, and Penelope. In book I, Athene urged Telemachus to give up boyhood, act like a man, present his case to search for his father to the assembly, and take stronger steps to search for his father. After Telemachus presented his case to the assembly and no action was taken on his request for a ship to enable him to search for his father, Telemachus prayed to Athene for help. In response to his prayer, Athene appeared as Mentor and borrowed a ship and crew for Telemachus. Athene also helped Telemachus by appearing to him in a dream, urging him to return to Ithaca and warning him about the ambush of the suitors. Athene helped Penelope numerous way also. Athene helped her by comforting her so she would not go into a nervous break down over all her stress, the suitors and Odysseus returning or not. Athene gave Penelope hope of Odysseus returning. Athene even made Penelope appear more beautiful than she really was, because Penelope was actually really ragged. Athene also helped Penelope by giving her a dream of gulls, representing the suitors, and an eagle, representing Odysseus, killing the gulls. Athene helped Odysseus numerous ways as well. She helped by persuading the gods to free Odysseus from Calypso. Athene even helped Odysseus by telling Naussicaa to do her laundry at the beach and telling her to help the man she meets. So when Odysseus came to shore he was ugly and he scared the other women on the beach away, except Nausicaa. Nausicaa washed Odysseus up, gave him clothes, and told him how to act when they return to her place. As they were going to Naussicaa's place Athene made Odysseus invisible so the guards would not see him and Athene made Odysseus look better by making him look taller, stronger, and giving him more hair on his head. Athene also helped Odysseus by counseling him on how to handle the suitors, and she disguises him as an old begger so no one will recognize him immediatly. Athene later restores Odysseus to his own form when he reveals himself to his son and together after twenty years they plan a vengeance on Penelopes wooers. As Odysseus was fighting the suitors, Athene made Odysseus appear to look stronger to strike fear in the suitors. Athene also made the Odysseus' enemies miss with their attacks and Athene gave Odysseus precise aim. Athene last and final help was when she interrupted the relatives of the suitors from attacking in revenge of the suitors deaths. Athene spoke stating ,"men of Ithaca, cease this dreadful war, and settle the matter at once without further bloodshed." Then Zeus sent a lighting bolt that struck in front of Athene, so Athene said to Odysseus, "Odysseus, noble son of Laertes, stop this battle, or Zeus will be angry with you." Then Odysseus gladly agreed, and in the voice and form of Mentor she made a covenant of peace between the two parties. f:\12000 essays\mythology & legends (75)\Odysseuss Challenges.TXT +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ In The Odyssey, Odysseus had to face many challenges during his travels; a few of these difficulties were a cannibalistic Cyclops, huge whirlpools, determined suitors, along with many hardships. Odysseus fought constantly to return to his homeland of Ithaca, but to accomplish this Odysseus had to be clever, resourceful, and have great leadership qualities. Odysseus proved throughout the story that he was very clever. When he was faced with having to get out of Polyphemus's cave, Odysseus first told the Cyclops, "My name is Nohbdy: mother, father, and friends, / everyone calls me Nohbdy". (pg. 452, 341-342) Odysseus told him this because he knew if the other Cyclopes would come and ask who was with him, they would think that "Nohbdy" was there. In another episode, Odysseus outsmarted the Sirens; he wanted to listen to their sweet song, but he knew he would try to jump overboard. It was then he got the notion to tell his crew, "...you are to tie me up, tight as a splint, / erect along the mast, lashed to the mast, / and if I shout and beg to be untied, / take more turns of rope to muffle me." (pg. 459, 536-539) This and telling the crew members to put wax in their ears ensured that Odysseus, alone, could listen to the Sirens' song and not die. When Odysseus had to figure out how he could kill the Suitors who were staying in his house, he had Athena disguise him as an old beggar and then told Telemachus, his son, to hide all of the Suitors' weapons and armor. If they asked Telemachus what he was doing, he was to tell them he was storing the weapons so that none of the suitors would kill each other if they got into a fight. Many times throughout the story, Odysseus had to be resourceful enough to accomplish a task by using surrounding things, whatever was at hand. When he was drifting back towards Charybdis, Odysseus grabbed onto a nearby fig tree and held on until a piece of driftwood shot out of the whirlpool; then he grabbed a hold of the driftwood and soared to safety. In order to escape from the Cyclops's cave, Odysseus wanted to blind the Cyclops. To do this, he carved a large stave which he planned to use against the Cyclops and poke his eye out. But in order to keep this stave a secret from Polyphemus, he had to hide it in a place where Polyphemus would not suspect. It is here he hid it, "...under / one of the dung piles in profusion there." (pg. 451, 303-304) To make this stave, Odysseus first had to find a tree which he could cut down, "...an olive tree, felled green and left to season..." (pg. 451, 293) Odysseus also had to find a way to prevent the suitor from knowing that he was back, so he prayed to Athena to disguise him as a beggar. Odysseus had to be a good leader in order to make tough decisions about what he and his crew should do. When passing through the strait between Scylla and Charybdis, Odysseus chose to lose six men to Scylla instead of risking losing the entire ship to Charybdis. Upon the Island of the Lotus Eaters, Odysseus had to get the men who had eaten the Lotus off the island. "I drove them, all three wailing, to the ships, / tied them under their rowing benches,..." (pg. 445, 97-98) On the island of the sun god, Helios, Odysseus warned his men not to kill the cattle which belonged to the god; but, unfortunately, his men disobeyed him and slaughtered the cattle, which they feasted upon. Zeus later punished his men with death. Trapped inside of Polyphemus' cave, Odysseus knew he had to be a good leader if he was to get himself and his men out of the cave. Originally he was going to kill Polyphemus when he ate two of Odysseus's men; but when Odysseus was about to stab him, he realized that he should not kill him, because "I had touched the spot / when sudden fear stayed me: if I killed him / we perished there as well, for we could never / move his ponderous doorway slab aside." (pg. 450-451, 273-276) During his adventure Odysseus proved that he was smart, and able to deal with adversity skillfully. He proved an able leader despite all the troubles that he encountered on his adventure. In the end, Odysseus proved he could surmount the challenges which might have prevented him from getting home. f:\12000 essays\mythology & legends (75)\oedipus rex 2.TXT +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ OEDIPUS REX In the story of Oedipus Rex, Sophocles portrays the main character, Oedipus, as a good natured person that has bad judgment and frailty. Oedipus makes a few bad decisions and is condemned to profound suffering because of his pride. I agree with Aristotle that he brings it all on to himself because of his own personal pride. One day Oedipus finds out that there is a prophecy that depicts him killing his father and marrying his mother. The prophecy may have been proven untrue if he wouldn't have put himself on such a high pedestal. It all started one day when he met up with King Laius: Seated in it. The groom leading the horses Forced me off the road at his lord's command; But as this charioteer lurched over towards me I struck him in my rage...I killed him (1.2.764-772). Oedipus met the King Laius on a bridge and was too proud to let him pass first, and then the King pushed him out of the way. In a fit of rage, Oedipus killed him. All the while, an old man, Teiresias, knew that it was King Laius that Oedipus had killed. Oedipus didn't even know that it was King Laius that he killed. In the future, when Teiresias tries to convince Oedipus that he is the killer, Oedipus turns him away and calls him a liar and blames it all on him: And I'll tell you what I think: You planned it, you had it done, you all but Killed him with your own hands: if you had eyes, I'd say that the crime was yours, and yours alone. (1.2.331-334) Teiresius is a blind prophet, and it is possible that if Oedipus had listened to him in the first place, his internal suffering may have been much less severe. He should have accepted what he had to say as fact no matter how unbelievable. Oedipus I think that I myself may be accursed By my own ignorant edict. Jocasta You speak strangely. It makes me tremble to look at you, my King. Oedipus I am not sure that the blind man cannot see, But I should know better if you were to tell me--- (1.2.700-704) The prophecy also stated that Oedipus will be damned in marriage. He marries Jocasta and he rules as the King of Thebes and is well respected by all of his people. Once Oedipus realizes that he has married his own mother and killed his own father and took his throne, he goes into a great depression. He can no longer look into the eyes of the people that have entrusted him for the last few years, so he stabs out his eyes: Ah god! It was true! All the prophecies! ---Now, O light, may I look on to you for the last time! I, Oedipus Oedipus, damned in his birth, in his marriage damned, Damned in the blood he shed with his own hand! (2.4.1115-1124) All of the suffering that Oedipus encounters is brought on by himself because of his immense pride. Aristotle's theories seem to hold true. If he wasn't so proud, he would have never killed King Laius and told Teiresius that he was a liar. In the beginning, Teiresius was simply trying to ease him slowly into the truth. Oedipus was too proud to see any truths and he refused to believe that he could be responsible for such a horrible crime. He learned a lesson about life and how there is more to it than just one person's pride. Work Cited Sophocles. Oedipus Rex. World Literature. Orlando: Holt, Rinehart and Winston, 1993. 307-367. f:\12000 essays\mythology & legends (75)\Oedipus Rex.TXT +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Oedipus Rex In many plays a character has a misconception of his her self and/or his or her world. When this misconception is destroyed it can be a major turning point in the story. "Oedipus Rex" by Sophocles is one such story. In the story Oedipus has such a misconception where he thinks he has a good life, but really his life is morally wrong. This contributes to the theme or themes of the play when they serve as the defining climax of the story. When the misconception is stopped Oedipus sees that you cannot escape or change your past, but you can still do great things even if you have been evil or immoral in your life. When Oedipus was born it was prophesied that he would kill his father and marry his mother. His father naturally feared this and told a shepard to take the boy out and kill him when he was still a child. The kind old shepard could not bring himself to kill a innocent little boy so he gave him to a passing messenger to take as his own. When Oedipus was older he learned of this prophecy and left home because he loved his foster father who he believed to be his real father. A while after he ran away he traveling down a road when he saw a coach coming. It contained his true father, King Laios of Thebes and his bodyguards. When they almost ran him over Oedipus attacked them killing the bodyguards and his father, thinking that they were highway bandits, and by doing so he unwittingly fulfilled the prophecy. When he realizes this he is devastated. This really contributes to the theme, that you cannot escape your past. The fact that he killed a king and his father no less, is a major factor in his exile later in the story. When he discovers that King Laios was his real father he sees that by not running away that he could have prevented this whole catastrophe. This just goes to show that hindsight is always 20/20, Oedipus saw this and realized his mistake. Him realizing that he cannot go back and change his past is also a big theme of the story. This fact too. plays a big part in his mental breakdown later in the story. After he kills his father he is walks further down the road when he is accosted by the Sphinx who tells him that if he cannot answer her riddle correctly that she will kill him. He however does succeed in solving her riddle and she kills herself out of fury. When word gets out the he was the one who caused the death of the Sphinx the people of Thebes ( whose king he just recently killed ) adopt him as their new king, thanking that their real king was killed by bandits, and give him the queen, Queen Jocasta ( his mother ) for his bride. They lived happily for many years and had four children. When Oedipus learns of the heinous crime he has committed he nearly dies. Jocasta upon learning that she had been married to her son hangs herself and when Oedipus sees her body dangling he cuts her down and stabs out his eyes with her brooch. Having disgraced his country he is banished and he and his daughter Antigone leave Thebes. He later dies in exile at a shrine of Apollo in Colonus. Before he leaves Thebes however he states that he will do great things before he dies the horrible death he believes is reserved for him. He speaks with great hubris in the end of the play when he tells Creon to care for his daughters and tells of the things he will do before he dies. This, being able to still accomplish great things even after doing such horrendous crimes such as incest and regicide. Realization that you cannot change or escape your past and that you can still achieve great things even after committing awful crimes in your life are all the things that Oedipus sees after his misconception of his entire life is destroyed and he sees the things he could have prevented. When you look back on your life and see something that brought about bad consequences you most often see how you could have easily avoided the usually small detail that caused the whole ordeal. that is usually a great learning experience for you. f:\12000 essays\mythology & legends (75)\Oedipus the KIng.TXT +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Robert Choi March 7, 1997 English 12E Mrs. Ziminski The Mysteries of Fate Among the first thing a historian discovers in his study of early civilization are records of people's belief, or faith, in powers greater than themselves, and their desire to understand what causes these powers to act. People everywhere wonder about the marvelous things in the sky and on the earth. What makes the rain? How do the plants and animals live and grow and die? Why are some people lucky and others unlucky? Some believe in free will while others believe in fate or destiny. In the play Oedipus the King by Sophocles, Oedipus was a true victim of fate. Gods and goddesses were believed to be responsible for the wonders of science, and the vagaries of human nature; therefore, according to the facts of this story, Oedipus was a true victim of fate for several reasons. Laius and Jocasta, the childless king and queen of Thebes, were told by the god Apollo that their son would kill his father and marry his mother (page 56). A son was born to them, and they tried to make sure that the prophecy would not come true. They drove a metal pin through the infants ankles and gave it to a shepherd, with instructions to leave it to die. The shepherd pitied the little infant so he gave the child to another shepherd. This shepherd gave the baby to a childless king and queen of Corinth, Polybus and Merope. This royal couple named the boy Oedipus, which in its Greek form Oidipous means "swollen foot." Oedipus was brought up believing that Polybus and Merope were his real parents, and Lauis and Jocasta believed that their child was dead and the prophecy of Apollo was false. Many years later, he was told by a drunk man at a banquet that he was not a true heir of Polybus (page 55). He then went to the oracle of Apollo, to ask the god who his real parents were. All he was told was that he would kill his father and marry his mother (page 56). He resolved never to return to Corinth, to Polybus and Merope, and started out to make a new life for himself elsewhere. He came to a place where three main roads met, and in the narrow place was ordered off the road and then attacked by the driver of a chariot in which an old man was riding. A fight started, and Oedipus, in self-defense, killed the old man and his attendants. The old man in the chariot was Lauis, king of Thebes, and the father of Oedipus. Although Oedipus had not known it, he had killed his father and the first half of the prophecy of Apollo was fulfilled. Oedipus continued on his way and arrived at Thebes. He solved a riddle which saved the city from the sphinx. He became the king of Thebes, and then married a lady by the name of Jocasta. The prophecy of Apollo was now completely fulfilled. Oedipus having no knowledge of Apollo's prophecy being true, cursed the individual who killed Laius to be banished from Thebes forever. After putting two and two together, it was he, Oedipus, who had killed Laius, his own father. He did not go back on his word, and like a man, he dethroned himself as king, and banished himself from Thebes. Once again, he was destined to be dethroned and banished. Comparing my life with Oedipus', I've discovered a great deal about free choice and destiny. I learned that one day, you can be the richest person alive, yet be the poorest person the next day and vice versa. In life, anything can happen, whether it is expected or unexpected. That is when fate overrides and overpowers free will. Free will is a choice that an individual decides to do or accomplish. Destiny or fate is what just happens. No one knows when or how something will happen, but it will. Laius and Jocasta heard that their child will kill the father and marry the mother. Even after abandoning the baby and believing that he was dead, the prophecy was destined and somehow came true. With me getting caught for shoplifting was also destined. The voices I heard in my head was a warning, and I chose to ignore it but it was destined to happen. The day our lives end, we don't choose where we will go, we, I believe, are destined to be sent where we belong. In the play Oedipus the King by Sophocles, Oedipus was a true victim of fate. Like Oedipus, there was a time in my life when I too, felt like a victim of fate. The Greeks had an orderly explanation of the creation of the world. From this Greek tragedy, I learned more about their manners, customs and ideals. I've grown to appreciate their love of beauty, their joy and laughter, as well as the sorrows they experienced in life. I also realized how great of power destiny and fate have over free will. The moral of this play I learned is that if it's destined, it will sooner or later happen! f:\12000 essays\mythology & legends (75)\Old Testament Vs Hellenic Text Divine Intervention.TXT +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 1Old Testament vs. Hellenic divine intervention The Old Testament and Hellenic texts we have studied have numerous examples of divine intervention. The range and complexity in human affairs that these interventions occur have similar, yet different attributes. Both texts describe divine intervention as a way of explaining "why things happen(ed) and being "chosen" by God or gods to fulfill a destiny. Both also see divine intervention as something that can not be understood by humans; God or the gods have their reasons why people are "chosen" and why certain gifts, events, and catastrophes happen and we will never understand the reasoning. Differences in the texts stem from the reasons they are the same; why certain people are chosen, why events happen, etc. The range and complexity in human affairs of divine intervention as described in the Hellenic texts and the Old Testament are similar because of the interference in human affairs, yet they are different because of why certain people are chosen to fulfill a destiny. For instance, in the Old Testament, God chooses Noah and his family to be the only survivors after the flood that wipes out the earth. His destiny was to build the ark and take a pair of every living creature to help repopulate the earth after everything is wiped out. This is similar to Oedipus at Colonus, in the Hellenic texts, because the gods choose Oedipus to save the city of Colonus from his own sons. They differ because God, in the Old Testament, chooses rather blindly. He does not choose people for any reason except that is who He wanted. If He does choose, it is based on goodness or loyalty to Him. The gods of Hellenic texts, like in Oedipus at Colonus, the gods choose Oedipus because of his wisdom and his family line. The Hellenic texts choose based on prestige, family, and honor. Another example of this is the story "Joseph" in the Old Testament. Joseph was chosen to be a powerful ruler in Egypt for no reason whatsoever, just because God wanted him to be. In The Illiad, this would never happen, Achilles is chosen to defeat Hector because of his prestige, honor, and family line. Achilles is not chosen because Zeus just wanted him to. Not just anybody could have killed Hector, it had to be someone famous. In the Old Testament, divine intervention, especially in "Genesis," plays a very important part. For example, in "The Creation of the Universe," God wills everything into being. "God said, 'Let there be light,'" (Genesis 1:5) "Then God said, 'Let the earth produce growing things,'" (Genesis 1:11) "God said, 'Let the earth bring forward living creatures,'" (Genesis 1:24). These things, and others, are a way to explain why we have light, plants, animals, etc. Also in "Genesis," in the story of "Adam and Eve," the punishment that mankind receives for Adam and Eve eating the forbidden fruit explains man's hardships. "To the woman he said: 'I shall give you great labour in childbearing...... You will desire your husband, but he will be your master,'" (Genesis 3:16). "To the man he said: '.... the earth shall be cursed. You will get your food from it only by labour all the days of your life; it will yield thorns and thistles for you,'" (Genesis 3:17- 18). The Hellenic texts are different because certain events, good or bad, may only happen because of a god's fondness or dislike for a mortal, or just for the gods' own amusement. An instance of this occurs in The Illiad, when Paris and Menelaus are in combat in Book Three, Aphrodite saves Paris from defeat, and takes him away to his bedroom. She interfered because of her fondness of Paris for her own amusement. Also, in The Illiad, Zeus's fondness of Hector results in Hector's almost invincibility through most of the story. Zeus protects him in every way, except when the other "chosen one," Achilles, comes into battle, which results in Achilles killing Hector. There are; however, several examples in which the Hellenic texts are similar to the Old Testament in respect to divine intervention. For instance, in Oedipus the King and Oedipus at Colonus, Oedipus is destined to become king of Thebes only to be exiled from Thebes to fulfill a greater destiny. "No sickness can destroy me, nothing can. I would never have been saved from death- I have been saved for something great and terrible, something strange. Well let my destiny come and take me on its way!" (Oedipus the King, p. 246 lines 1594-1598). "The gods are about to raise you to your feet- till now they were bent on your destruction." (Oedipus at Colonus, p. 306 lines 432-434). The Old Testament and Hellenic texts' acts of divine intervention are similar because both texts rely greatly on these acts. They are included to explain the unexplainable. They are very different because of the ways God intervenes and the ways the gods intervene. God does not intervene because it is a "game" to Him, like the gods in Hellenic texts do. The gods choose honorable, wise, royalty, type of people to fulfill important destinies, while God chooses based on nothing, and if He does, it is based on loyalty and goodness. In these ways the Hellenic texts and the Old Testament compare a contrast. f:\12000 essays\mythology & legends (75)\Original Myth.TXT +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Once their was a old couple who lived in a village near the country-side. The village they lived in didn't have a lot of food. The couple had a chicken who had just had seven baby chicks. One day a monk came to the village to teach the people there because they had very poor or no education. The monk had not eaten all day and said that he was very hungry. The people in the village panicked because they were so poor and barely had enough food to support themselves. They didn't want to anger him because they knew if they did they would also anger the Gods. The only source of food was the chicken the old couple had. At first the couple didn't want to kill it, but then they thought of what might happen if they angered the monk. Once the mother of the seven chicks found out that she was going to die, she went to tell the oldest of the seven chicks about it and told him to take care of his brothers and sisters. The couple filled a pot with water and started to boil it. Once the water was ready they put the mother chicken in when she was still alive. The little chicks had just seen their mother die and suffer, so they were really sad. The oldest one was so sad that he jumped in the pot right after her mother did and the rest followed him. The monk saw this and felt sorry for them and felt that it was his fault. He made the little chicks who cared so much for their mother into stars in the sky in order to honor them. The constellation that the stars form now are known as the Big Dipper. f:\12000 essays\mythology & legends (75)\Ouija Boards.TXT +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Ouija Boards For those of you that do not know what a ouija board is, it is a device used to supposedly ask questions of and receive answers from a seemingly supernatural force. Using a ouija board has become a controversial subject. Some people regard them as "evil" or a "tool of the Devil", yet they continue to be sold in stores along Scrabble and Monopoly as a game. The Ouija board was invented in the early 1890's by William Fuld. It is now sold by Parker Brothers. A ouija board is a small board with various symbols printed on its surface. These symbols include all letters of the alphabet, the numbers 1 to 9 and 0, and the words yes and no. A smaller board, shaped like a heart, called a planchette or pointer is used to direct the answers. Two or more people rest a Ouija board on their laps and press their fingers lightly on the pointer. One of them asks the board a question. The pointer supposedly answers by indicating a word or a number or by spelling out words. According to people who believe in the ouija board, spirits guide the pointer. Others think the fingers of the questioner influence the pointer. There are basic guidelines that should be followed for using Ouija boards. If any of you are willing to try one you should check out some of the safe things to do to protect yourself or anyone else from possible harm. As many people improvise a ouija board as a game, it is always best to protect yourself. Where there is no protection from 'evil forces' extremely frightening things can occur. Sinister messages can be spelt out, claimed to come from the devil. As to prove that no one person is purposely pushing the pointer, tales have been told of all removing their fingers except one, and the pointer continuing to whiz around in manic fashion - or of the pointer jumping up in the air or hurling itself off the table and smashing. Also evil spirits have been known to lie about who they are tricking the users into further danger. You have to be the judge of the information you receive. To believe everything that comes through on the board just because it's from the other side is extremely gullible, and is like believing everything that you read in the newspaper or see on TV. If your mind tells you there's something wrong, there probably is . If the information you're getting seems new to you, compare it with other channeled material and see if you're comfortable with it. The important point to remember here is Like attracts Like. Ouija boards do work, but the sort of beings you are likely to attract is directly related to the level of spiritual development of the participants and their intent. Remember a Ouija board is just a tool for contact which relies on no practice, learning or spiritual development to make it work. It's like dialing a random telephone exchange and hoping for the best. However, with practice, learning and spiritual development the chances of getting through to the right person are greatly increased. If used properly, the Ouija board can be a positive tool to making new friends and gathering information. However, you should not just stop there and rely on the board. Work on your own spiritual development and this will not only enhance your use of the board, but may render it obsolete - while at the same time improving your whole life. Ouija. (1996). In Grolier's Encyclopedia. [CD-ROM]. Ouija Board. (1996). In The World Book Multimedia Encyclopedia. [CD-ROM]. 525 W. Monroe, Chigago, IL: 1996 World Book, Inc. Ouija Boards. (1991). In Guide to the Supernatural. (Volume 1, page(s) 110-111). Using a Ouija Board. [Online]. (November 24, 1996). Available: http://www.newage.com.au/library/ouija.html. f:\12000 essays\mythology & legends (75)\Pallas Athene versus Minerva.TXT +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Pallas Athene Versus Minerva The Goddess Athena has been an incredibly well-liked mythological character for centuries because of her complex personality and the values which are taught through her actions. The powerful Goddess has been generally thought of as being the same person in both Greek and Roman stories alike, but this is not true. Athena was looked upon and spoken of very differently in Roman and Greek myths, though she remains with the same basic personality traits in both cultures. Rome acquired it's stories of mythology and religion from the Italians (who derived their beliefs from the Greeks), and therefore most of the myths of deities were the same as the Greeks', but with a few changes. The Italians also gave the Romans stories of Diana, Hercules, Venus, and a few minor characters. The Greeks came about with their Gods from past ancient cultures, weaving in some of their own characteristics as time went on. Pallas Athena (the name Pallas being that of her best friend, whom she accidentally killed while practicing with spears) in both cultures is the patron Goddess of arts and crafts, weaving, the olive tree, overseer of Athens, and especially of Wisdom/War. Because the Greek culture was one of intelligence, sophistication and knowledge, Their version of Athena was mainly of a logical and sensible person, who would avoid a fight if possible. The Romans, who were a society of warlike men, focused on Minerva's war capabilities and short temper. Both cultures focused on the parts of the Gods which were most like themselves and best suited their needs. For the Greeks, the Gray-Eyed Goddess was not associated with specific people except for Her rivals. The Romans, however, formed a group of Immortals into the Capitoline triad, consisting of Jupiter, Juno and Minerva. These three assumed a supreme place in the Roman religion, acting like a Jury of Watchers over the mortals. The Romans built a temple in honor of the Triad, named the Temple of Jupiter Capitolinus, which was built in 509 BC. In conclusion, I have been able to see how these two civilizations have viewed one part of their religion and why they do so. There were logical reasons for their viewing of Athene, most of which were based on their strengths as a group. Romans respected her as a powerful Goddess of war which watched over them was they went into battle, while the Greeks saw her as a thoughtful judge who guided them in their adventures. The Romans warped the Greek's beliefs into ideas and concepts which they could relate to better, and which everyone could have a firm grasp on because of it. This project was helpful to me in both teaching me about this specific Heroine and also about why cultures act as they do. f:\12000 essays\mythology & legends (75)\Progression of Light in Aeschylus Oresteia.TXT +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Progression Towards Light Aeschylus' use of darkness and light as a consistent image in the Oresteia depicts a progression from evil to goodness, disorder to order. In the Oresteia, there exists a situation among mortals which has gotten out of control; a cycle of death has arisen in the house of Atreus. There also exists a divine disorder within the story which, as the situation of the mortals, must be brought to resolution: the Furies, an older generation of gods, are in conflict with the younger Olympian gods because they have been refused their ancient right to avenge murders between members of the same family. The Oresteia presents two parallel conflicts, both of which must be resolved if harmony is ever to be desired again. As one can expect, these conflicts eventually do find their resolutions, and the images of darkness and light accompany this progression, thereby emphasizing the movement from evil to good. The use of darkness imagery first emerges in the Agamemnon. In this first play of the trilogy, the cycle of death which began with the murder and consumption of Thyestes' children continues with Clytaemestra's murder of Agamemnon and Cassandra. The darkness which is present in the beginning of the story is further magnified by the death of Agamemnon. This is illustrated when Clytaemestra says, "Thus he [Agamemnon] went down, and the life struggled out of him; and as he died he spattered me with the dark red and violent driven rain of bitter savored blood" (lines 1388-1390). Clytaemestra has evilly and maliciously murdered her own husband; thus the image of the dark blood. The darkness is representative of the evil which has permeated the house of Atreus, and which has persisted with this latest gruesome act of murder. Because darkness results from the death of Agamemnon, Aeschylus clearly illustrates that this murder was nothing but pure evil. As long as this type of evil continues to be practiced in the house of Atreus, darkness will continue to emerge. The Oresteia has not yet seen the light. The beginning of the progression from darkness to light can initially be seen in the second play of the trilogy, The Libation Bearers. Orestes is the embodiment of this light, a beacon signalling a possible end in the evil that has infected the house of Atreus. It is true that Orestes, in revenge for Agamemnon, kills his mother Clytaemestra. Yet the darkness that is expected from such a murder, a matricide, is negated by one of the main reasons that Orestes commits the murder: his fear of the wrath of Apollo, who has ordered him to commit the deadly act. Aeschylus provides Orestes with a justification for his action in the form of the oracle from Apollo. For not only does Orestes' murder of his mother fail to differ greatly from Clytaemestra's murder of Agamemnon, but it can in fact be seen as a worse crime because of the blood ties. Therefore, in order to convincingly prove his assertion that Orestes is justified in killing his mother, Aeschylus must include the order from Apollo, who by no mere coincidence is the god of light. With the divine support of the light god on his side, Orestes is the beginning of the progressive illumination towards goodness and order in the Oresteia. Another example of Orestes' introduction of light into a story of darkness occurs later in The Libation Bearers. The chorus is describing the dream that Clytaemestra has had of giving birth to a snake, which represents Orestes. The chorus sings of Clytaemestra's fear as she awakens from the nightmare: "She woke screaming out of her sleep, shaky with fear, as torches kindled all about the house, out of the blind dark that had been on them" (lines 535-537). Aeschylus describes the house of Clytaemestra, the rightful house of Atreus and the Atridae, as dark; this darkness has been caused by none other than her own murderous deeds. She has dreamt of the coming of her son Orestes to avenge his father, and the torches that light up the house signal this coming. Clearly, Orestes is the man who will restore light to the house of Atreus. Orestes is looked upon by those characters sympathetic to his plight (namely Electra and the chorus of The Libation Bearers) as the light which will bring an end to the evil in the house of Atreus. Soon after Orestes reveals his identity to his sister, he proclaims that he will avenge his father's murder. The chorus, who represent the subjects of the late Agamemnon, express their gratitude for Orestes' decision when they say, "But when strength came back hope lifted me again, and the sorrow was gone and the light was on me" (lines 415-417). Orestes' arrival and his resolution to make his mother pay for her crimes illuminates the darkness which Clytaemestra has brought upon the royal house; the chorus, in proclaiming that the light is on them, recognize that Orestes is the man who will achieve this illumination. Electra also recognizes that Orestes will bring good to an evil situation: "O bright beloved presence, you bring back four lives to me" (lines 238-239). Orestes' presence brightens the dark, gloomy state of mind of Electra just as it brightens the dark, gloomy situation in the house of Atreus. Following the murder of Clytaemestra and Aegisthus at the hands of Orestes, light is finally restored to the conflict within the mortal house of Atreus. Orestes has fulfilled the oracle imposed upon him by Apollo, and the darkness, the evil of Clytaemestra, has been defeated. In reference to this defeat, the chorus proclaims, "Light is here to behold. The big hit that held our house is taken away" (lines 961-962). The disorder and darkness that had reigned in the house of Atreus exists no longer; Orestes has given his family illumination. The evil darkness has been overcome by the good light. Another way in which Aeschylus manifests the imagery of light and darkness is through the conflict between the Olympic and Chthonic gods. The Olympic gods are represented in the Oresteia by Apollo and Athene. Aeschylus ties together the ideas of justice and reason, Athene's domain, with the idea of light, of which Apollo is god. By contrast, the black clad Chthonic gods, the Furies, tie together the idea of darkness with the idea of bloody revenge, which is their area of specialization. In the Eumenides, Pythia says of the Furies, "They are black and utterly repulsive, and they snore with breath that drives one back" (lines 52-53). The contrast between the two different races of gods sets up Aeschylus' second progression from darkness to light in the Oresteia. The Furies are at first incapable of treating Orestes with the justice that he deserves. They do not take into account the circumstances under which Orestes killed his mother, specifically the pressure which he had received from Apollo. Therefore, the Furies are at first enraged that Athene allows Orestes to escape their dark and bloody vengeance. Eventually, however, the Furies' hate begins to subside and they accept the arbitration of Athene, who offers them land and honor in Athens. This acceptance marks the beginning of their movement from darkness to light. They embrace the just attitude of the Olympic gods Apollo and Athene, progressing from a doctrine of bloody revenge to one of reason and justice. The light images emerge along with this progression, and the Furies proclaim near the end of the Eumenides: "So with forecast of good I speak this prayer for them [the citizens of Athens] that the sun's bright magnificence shall break out wave on wave of all the happiness life can give , across their land" (lines 921-925). The Chthonic gods have given up their dark ways and have called for light. This light image is also manifested in the garments that the Furies change into at the end of the Eumenides: where they had previously worn black robes, they now wear bright crimson robes. Now calling themselves the Eumenides, or Benevolent Ones, these gods have progressed from symbols of evil darkness into symbols of bright goodness. In his trilogy the Oresteia, Aeschylus' use of darkness and light imagery coincides with his progression of themes. Orestes, who represents light, brings and end to the vicious cycle of dark death continued by Clytaemestra. He illuminates the dark evil in the house of Atreus. Likewise, Athene and Apollo bring the Furies out of their dark, blood-lusting ways and into an order of justice and reason, transforming them into the brightly clad Benevolent Ones. In the end, goodness prevails over evil just as light conquers darkness. Aeschylus effectively makes use of his images to emphasize this movement. f:\12000 essays\mythology & legends (75)\Queen of Air and DarknessCharacter Analysis.TXT +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ The Queen of Air and Darkness In the Queen of Air and Darkness Morgause raises four boys. She is not a good mother, and she does not give her boys a sense of right and wrong. She often ignores them for days at a time and beats them when they displease her. She acts as if they were pets rather than human beings, to be loved or not at her convenience . But despite this common maltreatment, the boys turn out very differently. Gawaine is the oldest of the boys and in many ways the most normal. He becomes a knight in Arthur's court, fighting for him loyally. The way in which he is affected by his upbringing is his rages. When provoked Gawaine goes into a berserk rage in which he does things he would normally never do. When Gawaine and Agravaine are arguing over whether or not to write a letter to their father about the knights, Agravaine refuses to say he is wrong, so Gawaine goes berserk and attacks him. He does not simply beat him, but chokes him and slams his head against the floor until Gareth pulls him off. If Gareth had not been there, Gawaine very well might have killed his younger brother. Gawaine even kills a women when worked up to a rage. These rages are a product of the unhealthy childhood he endured. The next child, Agravaine, is probably the least well adjusted of the four. He tends to be sadistic and self-centered. The children were told the tale of the King of Ireland by St. Toirdealbhach; the tale where the king gets a head wound and can not be excited, but then he dies while trying to defend his savior. Agravaine does not see any point in putting one's self in danger to protect any one else. He says "It was silly, it did no good," because he does not understand the principal behind the story. He does not understand that there are things other than yourself worth dying for. Agravaine's sadism is evidenced in the Unicorn episode. After the boys agree to capture and not kill the unicorn, Agravaine runs up behind it and begins stabbing it repeatedly. He could not stand that the Unicorn ever leave him, so by killing it he thinks to own it forever. Agravaine is the boy most like his mother, in that he can not see past his own interests. The next child Gaheris, seems to have little personality. He is described as "a stolid child." More often than not he seems to be just along for the ride. He does not take part in the arguments. He generally just sits back and watches. When Gawaine goes into a rage and attacks Agravaine, he does not intercede on either boy's behalf. The only thing he does in the fight is to take the dirk which had been flung from Agravaine's hand and ensure that it was not recovered. He seems afraid of action. He prefers to take as passive a role possible in confrontations. When Agravaine begins killing the unicorn, Gaheris is the last to come out of hiding. When Gareth starts moaning over it being dead, all Gaheris has to say is, "Anyway, now its dead." Unlike Gawaine, Gareth is reclusive and hesitant to act. The final child, Gareth, is by far the kindest. He balances out Agravaine's cruelty with his good will. When Agravaine is being beat by Gawaine, Gareth saves his life by pulling Gawaine off him, despite the fact that Gawaine was much larger than him. When Agravaine kills the Unicorn, Gareth tries to stop him, and he then cries over the unicorn's death. Gareth seems to have the disposition of a monk. He believes that the King of Ireland was correct to attempt to save his savior despite his condition. Gareth puts the welfare of other people before his own. The four boys, all brought up in the same manner, have different and balancing features. Gawaine is outgoing and quick to act, but he is balanced by Gaheris who is reclusive and slow to action. Agravaine is sadistic and selfish, but he is balanced by Gareth who is kind and generous. They compliment each other and together are stronger than they can ever be apart. f:\12000 essays\mythology & legends (75)\Review of J Neighardts BLACK ELK SPEAKS.TXT +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ The book Black Elk Speaks was written in the early 1930's by author John G. Neihardt, after interviewing the medicine man named Black Elk. Neihardt was already a published writer, and prior to this particular narrative he was at work publishing a collection of poems titled Cycle of the West. Although he was initially seeking infor- mation about a peculiar Native American religious movement that occurred at the end of the 19th century for the conclusion his poetry collection, Neihardt was instead gifted with the story of Black Elk's life. Black Elk's words would explain much about the na- ture of wisdom as well as the lives of the Sioux and other tribes of that period. The priest or holy man calling himself Black Elk was born in the December of 1863, to a family in the Ogalala band of the Sioux. Black Elk's family was well known, and he counted the famed Crazy Horse as a friend and cousin. Black Elk's family was likewise acknowledged as a family of wise men, with both his father and grandfather themselves being holy men bearing the name Black Elk. The youngest Black Elk soon experienced a vision as a young boy, a vision of the wisdom inherent in the earth that would direct him toward his true calling of being a wichasha wakon or holy man like his predecessors. Black Elk's childhood vision stayed with him throughout his life, and it offered him aid and wisdom whenever he sought it. It is from the strength of this vision, and the wisdom in his heart that Black Elk eventually realized his place as a leader and wise man in the Ogalala band of the Sioux. The wisdom possessed by Black Elk is immediately present in his recollections of various lessons learned by himself and by others. These stories ran the whole gambit of life experiences from the most innocent acts of a boy in love, to the hard les- sons learned from the treachery of the whites. Through these stories a greater insight can be gained into the ways of the Sioux, as well as lessons into the nature of all men. Most important in these lessons on the nature of man was wisdom, and in all of Black Elk's recollections somewhere a deeper wisdom can be found. The story of High Horse's Courting stands out as a perfect example of one of Black Elk's narratives. Typically, Black Elk's narratives try to bestow a lesson (or les- sons) that the listener can learn from, just as the subject of the story sometimes does. High Horse's Courting begins when a youth named High Horse falls madly in love with a girl of his tribe. High Horse neither possessed the respect nor the wealth to obtain this girl from her parents, so he had to resort to stealth and trickery to gain any access to her at all. Eventually, High Horse did made contact with the girl and learned of her similar feelings for him, but also learned that she wished to be earned from her father like a lady and not to be stolen away dishonorably. The disclosure by the girl only acted to frustrate High Horse more, and he eventually had to turn to his cousin Red Deer for help. To help his cousin, Red Deer advised High Horse on two separate occasions to sneak into the girl's teepee and make off with her, both attempts ended as comical failures. Finally, in a fit of disgust and embarrassment, High Horse proclaimed that he was going on the warpath since he could not have the girl. Red Deer, still wanting to help his friend and cousin, decided to follow. High Horse and Red Deer fell upon a Crow encampment that night. The two youths killed the sentry guarding the Crow horses, and each made off with a small herd for himself. Returning to the tribe with his new herd, High Horse immediately rode up to the girl's family teepee. When shown the herd of horses that High Horse offered the girl's father acquiesced and allowed him to have his daughter, but not solely because of the amount of horses High Horse had offered. Instead the father revealed that the true price High Horse paid was in his showing that he was a man in obtaining the horses in such a skillful manner, and thus able to take care of his only daughter. Thus the lessons of life are displayed to the listener of the story. High Horse gets the girl through persistence and brave acts, Red Deer shows the rewards of loyalty by following his cousin on the warpath and coming out a wealthy man, and the girl's father caps it all with his display of guile in selecting a suitable husband for his daughter. This is how the wisdom of Black Elk comes through in the narrative, as a simple but relative story possessing many nuggets of observant truths. The period in American history in which Black Elk lived witnessed the massive movement of whites into the Sioux territory seeking land and gold. Much of the narrative in Black Elk Speaks describes the tribesmen's actions and fears concerning the encroachment onto their lands. This underlying dread of what is to come is pervasive in the text. From his birth to his old age, Black Elk lived through the entire westward expansion of whites into the land of his ancestors, therefore he possessed a unique perspective on slowly going from a state of total freedom to one of dependence and servitude. The loss of the wisdom gained by his people was a concept that mortified Black Elk. Wisdom was paramount to Black Elk's whole existence since his vision as a child. This wisdom that he relied on so fully predicted the coming of the whites, and it helped him to advise during the struggles that eventually followed. Though his life seemed full of loss and destruction, Black Elk always found meaning in the people and things around him, and his strongest trait seemed to be his ability to see the truth or joy in life when there was not much to be happy about or believe in. Therefore, after seeing his people's culture all but destroyed, Black Elk realized that the wisdom of his vision must not die. Black Elk felt that the telling of his story was ". . . incumbent upon him. His chief purpose was to 'save his Great Vision for men (preface - xix).'" This is why he decided to tell his tale to Mr. Neihardt, because it is not just his story, it is the wisdom of his people and of his vision. The lessons gained in Black Elk Speaks are some that are as relevant today as they were almost two-hundred years ago. The lessons on bravery and wisdom would benefit a child today just as in previous times. Even more poignant is the correlation between the wise posture of the Ogalala towards the land and its peoples, contrasted with the scheming, greedy advancements of the Americans. The Ogalala and the tribes alongside them walked these same lands for possibly thousands of years before the introduction of the white man. In all that time the land stayed fertile, and the people lived like content children under the sun. In little over a hundred years since, the white man has prospered here at the expense of the land. Possibly, Black Elk was acting out of prophesy when he suggested that he needed to tell his story, for he knew what the white men would eventually mean to the health of the land. Black Elk knew that only when the white man acknowledged what he had done to the land and her people, would wisdom ever shine on his nation as it did on the Sioux. f:\12000 essays\mythology & legends (75)\Roman Gods.TXT +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Just like all other religion, the ancient Roman religion was centered around gods. A whole bunch of gods. A stinking lot of gods. From early childhood they were taught about all the gods. All over the house and over the fireplace were icons crowned with flowers representing the gods and spirits of the family. The two faced god Janus who sat over the doorways watched the entry and exit of every door in the house. Penates, god of the interior, protected accumulations of the family in its storerooms, cupboards, and barns. The father and mother, the child was taught, are the embodimentof Genius and Juno, respectively. Both had to be treated and nourished divinely. Hung on the walls were death masks of the Di Manes, warning him to stick to tradition. Other gods included: Cuba, protector of sheep; Abeona, guiding the first steps; Fabulina who taught speech; Terra Mater - Mother Earth; Mars of the soil; Bona Dea for fertility. The farms had gods for orchards, cattle, pasturage, manure, sowing, crops, corn, fire, trees and stones. The Romans called the gods Numina, or spirits. Sometimes they were representative of Health, Youth, Memory, Fortune, Honor, Hope, Fear, Virtue, Chastity, Concord, Victory, and other abstractions. Never was there before a religion with so many dieties. There have been thought to be over 30,000 different gods, others say there were more gods in some towns than men. (Information sited from Caesar and Christ by Will and Ariel Durant.) f:\12000 essays\mythology & legends (75)\Structural Levels of the Iliad.TXT +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Structural Levels of The Iliad Wars are often very complex in nature and are fought for many diverse reasons. The school boy may fight in order to get money for college, the patriot may fight to bring life, liberty and justice to some poor soul, and a coward may fight because he was drafted by force. In the Iliad, powerful gods, great nations, and heroic people all fight for many different reasons. This wide variety of fighting results in unique situations, problems, and structural levels to the war. These structural levels are of special interest, because they help define the consequences and outcomes of the war. The universal war of the gods, social war of the Greeks and Trojans, and the private war of Achilles' honor are structural levels of the Trojan war. These structural levels seem to influence and shape each other in many distinct ways. The universal war between the gods over the apple of discord consequently lead to the social war between the Greeks and the Trojans. For example, Aphrodite promised Paris that he could have the most beautiful woman in the world if he gave the apple of discord to her. He did so, and decided to go and get his reward. Unfortunately, the most beautiful women in the world, Helen, was the wife of the Greek King Menelaus. The abduction of Helen by Paris lead to the Trojan war. The promise made by Aphrodite to Paris in order to get the apple of discord resulted in the abduction of Helen and the start of the Trojan war. Therefore, Aphrodite, in the universal war, set the stage for the social war of the Greeks and Trojans. Another time the gods influenced the social war was when the Greeks and Trojans had a one on one battle to decide the outcome of the war. The Greeks chose King Menelaus and the Trojans chose Paris. Menelaus and Paris fought, but when Paris was about to be killed he was whisked off by Aphrodite. Both sides agreed that the Greeks had won. Zeus decided to start the war again, and he sent Athena to trick Pandaros to shoot at Menelaus, breaking the truce between the Greeks and Trojans. This intervention by Zeus lead to another outbreak of war between the Greeks and Trojans. The universal war of Athena and Hera versus Aphrodite had Zeus so caught up in it that he did not want the social war to end. A god in the universal war once again created the social war between Troy and Greece. The universal war was the cause of the social war of Greece and Troy. The private war of Achilles' honor was an outgrowth of the social war between the Greeks and the Trojans. During the social war, Apollo grew angry at the Greeks for the abuse of his priest, Chryses. The Greeks had abused Chryses when Agamemnon took Chryses' daughter, Chryseis, during the raid of the town of Thebes. Agamemnon wanted a replacement for Chryseis, so he took Briseis from Achilles. This deeply wounded the honor of Achilles, and he decided to stop fighting in the social war until his honor was amended. Achilles was angered by an event that occurred in the social war, thus providing the need for Achilles to reclaim his honor. The social war was the cause of the private war of Achilles. The opportunity for Achilles to carry out his private war came after the death of his comrade, Patroclus. Because Achilles would not fight, Patroclus asked him if he could wear his armor. Patroclus thought that this might make others think he was Achilles, so that the Trojans might be scared and the Greeks might gain courage and confidence. Achilles consented, and during the ensuing battle Patroclus was killed by Hector. Achilles now had a way to go out and fight gloriously, in order to avenge Patroclus' death as well as to mend his honor that was so wounded by the ransack of Briseis. The social war then influenced the outcome of the private war of Achilles. Events that occurred in the social war created and influence the private war of Achilles to reclaim his honor. The universal war of the gods was deeply impacted by the private war of Achilles. In some instances, the private war of Achilles fueled the universal war of the gods. An example of this was when Achilles was killing Trojans left and right in the river Scamandros. All of the dead Trojans in the water made Scamandros angry, and he chased Achilles with a huge wave. Athena and Posiedon both saw this, and they called on Hephaistos to burn the river with fire. This massive conflict between the gods was fueled by the result of Achilles' private war. Essentially, Achilles' private war was a source of major conflict between the gods. The universal war of the gods was also resolved by some of the effects of Achilles' private war. The universal war occurred mainly because Hera and Athena felt that Aphrodite should not have received the apple of discord. This resulted in a symbolic social war that mirrored the war of the gods. Achilles' effect on the social war, during his private conquest, caused the social war to come to an victorious end for the Greeks. In a way, the victory of the Greeks was a reward to Hera and Athena, in order to compensate for the fact that Aphrodite had received the coveted apple of discord. The private war of Achilles swayed the social war to the extent that it effected the resolution of the universal war of the gods. The private war of Achilles motivated the gods to fight and to resolve the universal war. All of these examples show the numerous consequences and influences that the structural levels of the Trojan war had on each other and the outcome of the Trojan war. The universal war of the gods over the apple of discord created the social war between the Greeks and Trojans. This social war lead to Achilles' war to redeem his honor. Achilles' private conquest then had a enormous effect in giving the Greeks victory of the social war. The resolution of the social war eventually lead to peace on Mt. Olympus. The three structural levels of the Iliad thus created, carried out, and concluded the Trojan war. f:\12000 essays\mythology & legends (75)\Summary on The Birds.TXT +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Summary on The Birds Two humans, Euelpides and Pithetaerus, set out with a jay and crow to find Epops. The discuss with Epops how the birds are mightier then the humans and gods and should build their great city. Epops then calls some birds around and they all come. At first, they thought some trespassers had come so they attacked the two humans, but then stopped to listen to what the humans wanted to say. The humans told of how they were the greatest, greater then man and god, and how they should build their great city between the heavens and the earth. They then speak of the ways in which birds are greater then man and god, and the birds are finally persuaded. They start building the city, which they named Nephelococcygian. Many visitors come to check the city out, and he chases them all away. After the visitors their wall is finished. Its a massive wall that can let two chariots pass each other, but the most significant thing is that the birds built the whole wall all by themselves! After this though, a messenger comes with news that a god has passed through the gates and is inside their city. The immortal finally appears and is Iris. She thinks Pithetaerus is crazy when he tries to stop her and says that she is breaking many of their laws. She leaves to tell her father of the news and the people offer Pithetaerus a golden crown. After that incident, some people come to have some wings. Prometheus comes by later and says that Zeus is done for as there is no man that is sacrificing to the gods, all the humans love the birds. Some gods come later and they offer peace with Pithetaerus and the birds as they want no war. Pitheraerus agrees for peace if Zeus hands his sceptre to the birds and lets Basileia marry Pithetaerus. The gods return later with what Pithetaerus demands, and they get married. f:\12000 essays\mythology & legends (75)\The Death Of Balder.TXT +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ The god of light, joy, purity, beauty, innocence, and reconciliation. Son of Odin and Frigg. He was loved by both gods and man and was considered to be the best of the gods. He had a good character, was friendly, wise and eloquent, although he had little power. His wife is Nanna, daughter of Nep, and their son is Forseti, the god of justice. Balder's hall is Breidablik ("broad splendor"). Most of the stories about Balder concern his death. He was dreaming about his death 1, so Frigg extracted an oath from every creature, object and force in nature (snakes, metals, diseases, poisons, fire, etc.) that they would never harm Balder. They agreed that none of their kind would ever hurt or assist in hurting Balder. Thinking him invincible, the gods enjoyed themselves thereafter by using Balder as a target for knife-throwing and archery. The malicious trickster Loki, who was jealous of Balder, changed his appearance and asked Frigg if there was absolutely nothing that could harm Balder. Frigg, suspecting nothing, answered that there was just one thing: a small tree in the west that was called mistletoe, but she thought it was too small to ask for an oath. Loki immediately left for the west and returned with the mistletoe. He tricked Balder's blind twin brother Hod to shoot with a mistletoe fig. Not knowing what he did, Hod threw the fig, guided by Loki's aim, and Balder fell dead, pierced through the heart. While the gods were lamenting over Balder's death, Odin sent his other son Hermod to Hel, the goddess of death, to plead for Balder's return. Hel agreed to send Balder back to the land of the living on one condition: everything in the world, dead or alive, must weep for him. And everything wept, except for Loki (who had disguised himself as the witch Thokk) so Balder had to remain in the underworld. The others took the dead god, dressed him in crimson cloth, and placed him on a funeral pile aboard his ship Ringhorn, which passed for the largest in the world. Beside him they lay the body of his wife Nanna, who had died of a broken heart. Also Balder's horse and his treasures were placed on the ship. The pile was set to fire and the ship was sent to sea by the giantess Hyrrokin. Loki didnot escape punishment for his crime and Hod was put to death by Vali, son of Odin and Rind, who was born for just this purpose. After the final conflict, when a new world arises from its ashes, both Balder and Hod will be reborn. f:\12000 essays\mythology & legends (75)\the giant lives on.TXT +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Daily 1 Ben Daily Carolyn Kremers English 213-002 February 10, 1997 The Giant Lives On Every time I read the Tlingit Legend, "How Mosquitoes Came To Be," there are certain questions that come to mind about where the legend came from and who wrote it. The legend was first published in 1883 and later found by Richard Erdoes, who included it in one of his publications, American Indian Myths and Legends. Why is the human race so selfish to think we can be the hunter and not the hunted. Although giants could be a dominant presence in our lives, humans prove that they will not be over-taken. Each time I read the Tlingit legend, a new question would arise in my mind as to how this legend came to be and particularly, who wrote it? The first question I thought of was, is he the only giant on the planet? This was answered for me with the introduction of the giant's son. As I read on, something seemed puzzling to me, the fact that why humans are so selfish to think they are better than giants, let alone anything else. For instance, why is it okay for humans to kill a chicken, roast it and eat it, and a giant is bad to "kill humans, eat their flesh, and drink their blood"(11)? Later in the story we learn that the giant also liked to roast the hearts of humans. Another puzzling question I asked myself is, if the giant was stabbed by the human and "The monster screamed and Daily 2 fell down dead."(12), why did the giant still speak? I know this is a legend or maybe just a fictionous story, but if the giant is also a spirit then that would be helpful when reading the legend. I will analyze these questions in hopes of understanding the problems with humans and giants, which I might add is still being dealt with today with mosquitoes everywhere. My first question, if this giant was the only one on the planet, seemed answered toward the end of the story with the introduction of the giant's son. When the human threatened the life of the boy giant as he asked where the heart of his father was, why didn't he kill the boy anyway? As we all know, a boy will eventually become a person, and the boy is in fact a giant, therefore by killing the giant by stabbing him in the left heel, the human simply forgot the son. There are a lot of parts in this legend that are very unclear and when we ask why, who, what, where and when, we are led into yet another question to be answered. Which leads me into my next question, What makes a human better than a giant? In the Tlingit legend, a human feels threatened by a giant and kills it, why? I tend to think giants like to kill and eat humans, just as humans like to kill and eat cows, chicken and other animals. So tell me gentle reader, what is the difference? Is it that we are humans and we cannot be subject to be hunted as we do other animals. The only explanation is that human nature will only lead us to believe that we will not be overcome by anything except ourselves. One possibility for the actions of the humans against the Daily 3 giant would be that the giant can speak, and shows some intelligence, after all he did build a home for his son and himself. Therefore the humans might have thought that the giant was beyond reasoning with, thus the basis for killing the giant. Another question that poked at my brain was that even though the giant was declared dead, he still spoke the words "Though I am dead, though you killed me, I am going to keep eating on you and all the other humans in the world forever"(12). Okay, maybe as he was dying he muttered those words, but how do you explain the laughing as his ashes were being thrown into the wind? If the giant was in fact burnt to ashes how could he possibly laugh and talk to the human. My last argument is how the ending was abruptly cut short and how it left the reader hanging without knowing what happened to the giant's son. Also, if there is a boy giant, what about the mother giant? I often questioned the credibility of this legend and the author, but that is something that has to be considered when reading "How Mosquitoes Came To Be." I did a little research about this legend, curious about who wrote it and when exactly it was written. According to the paragraph at the top of page 11 from the legend, the essay was first published in 1883 in an English-language source and was found by Richard Erdoes. Checking the gnosis system in the Rasmuson library for several possibilities as to who and when the legend was written, I came up short. This legend was a simple story about a small community with a big problem. A giant who likes to eat people was a menace who needed to be dealt with. One human decided to take matters into his own hands and try to kill the giant himself. This human Daily 4 played opossum on the trail of the giant and eventually was picked up by the giant. The giant, unknowing that he was being set up to be killed, was overjoyed that he could find a fresh human to feed upon. Throwing the human over his shoulder, he finds his way back home and drops the person on the floor and retreats outside to get some firewood. In the mean time the human gets up off the floor and retrieves and huge knife that belonged to the giant, just as the boy giant comes into the room. The human immediately put the knife to the boy's throat, threatening to kill him if he did not reveal the place of his father's heart. Scared from all of the commotion that seemed to come from nowhere, the boy told the human his father's heart was in his left heel. Just then, the giant walked into the room, the person immediately stabbed the giant in the left heel. As the giant collapsed he vowed to continue to eat humans until the end of time. Foolishly, the human told the giant he would never allow the giant to do such a thing and cut the giant into pieces and burnt him to ashes. The human, thinking he has saved the human race, threw the ashes into the wind. Just as the ashes were thrown into the air, they immediately turned into mosquitoes and began to suck the human's blood. It seems that the giant got the last laugh, continuing to eat humans until the end of time. After reading this legend over and over, I find that looking beyond all of the questions that have come to mind, I found the story to be a change of pace verses the conventional ways about explaining the creation of insects. Yet some parts of the legend seemed sketchy as to how this chain of events took place. My biggest questions, which may never be answered, are who started the legend and when it originated. Overall I Daily 5 enjoyed the legend and the creativity, but after reading it several times the questions began to jump out at me like crickets in the night. Humans need to learn that we are not the only intelligent life on the planet, and if we ever did come across any giants, we should try to act rationale instead of rash. f:\12000 essays\mythology & legends (75)\The Hope of the Phoenix.TXT +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ The Hope of the Phoenix The word phoenix had symbolize immortality, but for the people in Fahrenheit 451, their only hope was that the phoenix would be burn out, and be reborn again. The myth of the phoenix gave optimism to the life of Montag, to the books, and to the world of Fahrenheit 451. The world was now dying, and nobody seemed to care, because the government had brainwashed the people. It was a situation, where not only the brave, but the ones who can think for themselves, who can help break the government's control. The life Montag had been a bumpy road. He thought he had a good life, because he enjoyed his job, and was happy. Soon Montag discovered that he was not happy at all, and that his life was nothing. His wife Mildred did not love him at all, and his only friend (that he could remember) Clarisse died in a car crash. All of sudden, he was not happy, but he did not know why. He thought maybe because his wife had pulled the fire alarm on him, but really it was he did not love her at all. "It's strange, I don't miss her at all(155)" Montag had uncertainly about his marriage, because marriage was suppose to be bonded with love, but with his marriage love was extinct and nowhere to be seen. His life had died, when his wife Mildred pulled the alarm and had told the firemen that Montag had books. To Montag, the books was like a sweet piece of candy. He did not know why he liked them, but he always wanted more. But when Captain Beatty forced Montag to burn his own house, Montag's soul had died, but then resurrected. His life which was suppose to be happy was burning right in front of his eyes. How ironic, that Montag was a fireman himself but like the phoenix, Montag rose from his own ashes. Montag was now reborn, because he knew his life was wrong, and that the world was wrong. He did not know why it was wrong, but he knew that he had to do something about it. He started that by burning Captain Beatty into "a charred wax doll(119)". Montag now had the feeling of hope, not much since he believed he could not do anything. But Montag had now broken the control of the government and was using the books as his aid. How ironic, in the real world, people were always talking about how people wasted paper, which mean wasting trees, but in the world of Fahrenheit 451, every tree that had been cut down, and was use for books was now being burned away. To the people of Fahrenheit 451 "books show the pores the face of life,(83)". The people were scared and uncertain about books, so society decided to hire firemen to burn the books. Although most people were scared of books, the books acted like their own phoenix by giving people some hope. People like Montag, and Faber. If it wasn't for the law of prohibiting books, Montag might have never seen the light, and if wasn't for the old woman burning herself with books, Montag might have seen what the books actually meant to people, therefore the books themselves have been reborn. Ironic, that books were made to be read, but even without reading, Montag was able to see what they meant to society. The world of Fahrenheit 451 WAS quite different from the world now. Instead of people fighting for equal rights, people were already equal. Equal in everything from physical abilities to mental abilities. No problem right? But one constant problem was everyone were always trying to commit suicide. They tried this, because living in the world of Fahrenheit 451 was like hell, because nobody was allowed to think, express their ideas, or to enjoy life. It seemed the world had no hope in changing, because the government thought that they had destroyed the main force against them, books. But the people themselves were optimistic about living a better world, and now had formed an alliance to help restore the world. Montag was one of them, he and many others believed a new world with individuality. All a sudden the phoenix symbolized the suicides, the books and hope. If it wasn't for the suicides, the books, the hope, many people in Fahrenheit 451 would be still living in a nightmare, because they would live in a world, where they would living a life that was controlled by someone. Like the old saying goes out of the old and in with the new really fitted as the motto for the world of Fahrenheit 451 . Many people were dying because they just wanted to escape from the world, but some believed that if they die, a new world will be born with individuality, hoping this time the world would not fly too close to the sun. Hope was a word, many people used to help them succeed in something, but for the people in Fahrenheit 451, the word phoenix was the driving force that would help them fly over the fire. This was a world, which many people had hoped to live in, because in this world nothing happened, and that was the problem. Nothing did happen. Nothing. It was a world where being equal had a price, a price which many people would never want, their individuality. How ironic, although the government tried hard to control the people, it was a myth that came and helped guide the people through the way. A myth that came from books, that were now being burned. It was a myth which people were not allowed to read about, but at the end, the myth over came all obstacles and now had brightened the sun for many. This event had helped proved that not everyone could every be equal, because there would always be people who would write the other way. Written by: Vivian Chan f:\12000 essays\mythology & legends (75)\The King Must Die.TXT +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ The King Must Die Is Theseus to perfect to be a human being? To be considered a human being one must be subject to or indicative of the weakness, imperfections, and fragility associated with human beings. This definition separates us from any lower being, or for this book's concern separates us from any higher being. Theseus had endured a life that during some times showed to be like that of any human. Yet, there were numerous occasions that proved Theseus to be not of human flesh and blood, but that of a god. The most compelling event of the book, in my mind, that would define Theseus to be more than a human being took place under the strength of the Isthmus' current between Athens and Troizen. Theseus was losing strength and falling deeper into his coffin. Theseus had not sooner lost the struggle against the angry current as Poseidon lifted his body, in an invisible form, and carried him to shore safely. Theseus had been looking for a sign from a god. He had been looking for one all his life. When he was old enough his mother told him that he could have been born of a Greek god. Voluntarily or not, his life would become a search for the truth. This sign proved him to be more than human. A hard challenge was brought onto to a younger Theseus' shoulders when he worked under his grandfather at the tender age of eight. Theseus was to teach the inner workings of his job that was soon to be passed on to his apprentice. Yet, this boy tested his patience every day and would push him around and laugh at the year older Theseus. Theseus thought that if he was truly born of a god that he could show this boy who he was. One day Theseus had a small quarrel with this boy. The result of this quarrel was Theseus showing, for the first time in the book that he was not of the ingredients that other humans were. The small quarrel had erupted into a mighty battle. Theseus then pounded his foot on the ground and created a massive earthquake leaving the boy's body hurdled onto rocks and praying for Theseus not to kill him. Theseus remained untouched throughout the event and in return the boy put full trust in the fact Theseus was born of a god. In the later part of this book, Theseus became bolder and now believed himself he was born of a god. What better character to look upon to tell us the truth behind this question then Theseus himself? If Theseus believes that he truly is born of a god, then the events and actions in the book must then prove it with substantial evidence. I believe that the answer to this question is found within the way Theseus acts and thinks, rather then in physical evidence we perceive to be the answer. The changing of his view of life, his interaction with others, and his overall thinking of if he was born of a god was amazing over the course of the book. He was at first doubtful of his status as a human being. He would not overlook the harsh words said to him at his childhood when the matter was brought up as words of no meaning. He was then hopeful and more confident when he received signs from a god that he was not normal, but of something more than human. In the end he was so confident that he slayed the Minotaur, watched the labyrinth fall, then married Ariedne. His confidence was so high with his knowledge of his birth origin that even without the prior events, he could have brought the labyrinth to fall and slayed the Minotaur. Theseus was the King of Athens. He had something inside him that all men do not have. He was special in many ways. His presence on earth was not the same as normal humans. Yet it is not for us mortals to question whether a higher being is not a man but something more. f:\12000 essays\mythology & legends (75)\The Odyssey 2.TXT +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ The Odyssey Report In The Odyssey , Homer uses guest-host relationships as an ethical norm against which behavior is measured. When the ritual is preformed correctly by guest-host, good results ensue. In contrast, the violations of this ethical norm results in misfortune. This idea was taken very seriously by people of that time and it can be found throughout the story. A great example of a guest host relationship where both the guest and the host behave properly is the relationship between Telemachos and King Menelaos. As a guest Telemachos treats his host with respect and dignity. He address menelaos as "my lord" to give reverence to his kindness and to be polite. Telemachos is very complimentary to his host by saying "Zeus must have such a place" when referring to menelaos' house. He does this to let him know that he will be a good guest and that he is a proper gentleman. Menelaos shows that he to can be a good host and gives Telemachos food and shelter even when there is a wedding going on. He says "go and take out their horses, and bring the men in to share our feast". This shows that menelaos must be a good guest especially to give them shelter during a wedding. Menelaos also does not pressure Telemachos into answering any questions before he eats and enjoys the festivities; nor does he give any indication that he wants Telemachos to leave. He says "stay here in my mansion for ten or twelve days and then I will give you a good send off and a handsome gift, three horses and a chariot: I will give you a fine chalice too, that when you pour your drop to the immortal gods you may think of me all your days". This statement shows that not only does he wish Telemachos to stay but that he is a very generous man indeed. Due to kindness of both men good things are bound to ensue. For Telemachos the good outcome he receives is the accurate news of his fathers whereabouts. For Menelaos the good outcome is that whenever he may need help Telemachos is always there for him. Another example in which there is a good host and a good guest is the relationship between Odysseus and Eumaios, the swine herd. Despite Odysseus' appearance as a beggar, since he is in disguise, Eumaios treats him with the same respect as he would any person. He takes him into his home and tells him to "eat away" and to enjoy himself. Also Eumaios "laid a bed for him near the fire, a heap of sheepskins, and their Odysseus lay down". This is a good indication that the swineherd is a good host. Odysseus returns this kindness by saying "I pray Zeus may bless you as I do, for the honour you have done" as a way to show his thankfulness and his gratitude. He also shares his stories of the past as a way to amuse his host. Odysseus continues by regarding Eumaios as "my friend" as a way to let him know he is very appreciative. When Telemachos enters Odysseus, the beggar, offers his seat at the table, but Telemachos being the good guest that he is refuses the seat. Thus Telemachos can be considered again as another good guest. Their rewards are that Odysseus finds out about the suitors and that Eumaios is a faithful person to him. Odysseus also gains a warrior in the battle against the suitors. Eumaios' reward is that his life is spared by Odysseus. Odysseus also says "I will find wives for both of you, and give you land and well built houses close to myself; and you shall be friends and brothers of my son Telemachos". This is a great honor especially for a swineherd. Finally, even Telemachos is rewarded for his kindness; he is made aware of the beggar's true identity as being his father and their conquer over the suitors. However not all guest-host relationships are ones in which the guest and the host act properly. For instance, the relationship between Odysseus and Polyphemos, the cyclops. When Odysseus first arrives at the cave of Polyphemos it says he "walked briskly to the cave, but found him not at home...so we entered". This action is not a good way to be a guest because he comes in uninvited. He even goes a little further he says "we lit a fire and...helped ourselves to as many cheeses as we wanted to eat". This is another way he is a bad guest because he takes what he wants even without it being offered to him. Upon Polyphemos' return he to shows he can be a bad host because "he picked up a great huge stone and placed it in the doorway" which made escape almost impossible. He continues his streak of meanness by eating some of Odysseus' men. It says he "devoured them like a mountain lion, bowels and flesh and marrow-bones and left nothing". Odysseus get angry and devises a plan which will allow him to escape. He then takes a wooden rod and "thrust the sharp point into his eye and leaned hard on it from above and turned it round and round". This is the punishment Polyphemos receives for his being a bad host. However Odysseus also receives a punishment for entering into Polyphemos' house without permission and being a bad guest. His punishment is the great loss of men which he receives, his quick evacuation of the island, and the anger he brings to Poseidon; which causes him to have the suitors come to his house and reek havoc in his kingdom. The final example of a guest-host relationship in which both the guest and host act unaccordingly is Odysseus and the suitors. Odysseus reaches his home and finds his house in shambles. The suitors continuously refer to Odysseus as a "nuisance" and at one point one of them decides to show his anger. "Then picking up the footstool, he threw it, and hit him full in the back under the right shoulder". This is not the actions of a good host so something bad is bound to happen. However this does not enter into the minds of the suitor and they continue with their verbal and physical bashing. They continue to badger Penelopeia with there empty promises so she will choose another husband and the suitors will gain control of the kingdom. Since it is not polite to marry a man's wife while he is away; this to is another situation in which a good guest or host does not get into. This arouses Odysseus anger and he makes a plan to rid himself of the suitors. He establishes a contest with a bow which he uses to divert the suitors attention and he begin his slaughter. He shots a arrow at Aninoos which "struck him in the throat, and the point ran threw the soft neck". He even goes as far as to remove the "cods" of one of the traitors of his house. This action seems justified to the reader and for the most part it is. However, this is still something a bad guest does and therefore a little punishment must ensue. After all the suitors are dead he tells Penelopeia "to be careful" because "as soon as the sun rises, everyone will hear about the men I have killed". When the families of the slain men hear of this they are obligated to go and kill Odysseus for what he has done. So as his punishment he must flee to his fathers estate and he must live with the fear of death at all times. In The Odyssey, the guest-host relationship is very important to safety and well being of the people. Then believe that if one of the two, either the guest or the host, acts improperly something bad was bound to happen. This idea is practiced almost always by the people and they live there life in harmony; however if one of them breaks these guidelines then something bad ensues. f:\12000 essays\mythology & legends (75)\The Odyssey.TXT +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ THE ODYSSEY The Odyssey was full of wonder, power, and surprises. It is packed with epic heroes, creatures, gods, and goddesses. The gods, goddesses, and creatures had supernatural powers that effected the lives of Odysseus, his crew, and his family. Their actions proved to be powerful, benificial, and deadly. The gods, godesses, and creatures in The Odyssey on many occations proved to be powerful. Zeus, leader of the gods, was a prime example of this. When, "Zeus the lord of cloud roused in the north/ a storm against the ships, and driving veils/ of squall"(p.444, 66-68) , many of Odysseus men died. Another account when Zeus was very powerful was, "Zeus Cronion piled a thunderhead above the ship....then the squall struck whining from the west, with gale force, breaking both forestays"(p.465, 678-682) destroying the ship. When Odysseus tells the Cyclops "Poseidon Lord, who sets the earth a-tremble,/ broke it up on the rocks.....a wind from seaward"(p.450, 254-256) it shows how Poseidon was very powerful. Also how Aeolus gives Odysseus a bag of winds that his men unleash that throw them off course. Although the gods and goddesses were powerful they were also benificial. Zeus was beneficial in the way that he helped Odysseus, "Then Zeus thundered/ overhead, one loud crack for a sign."(p.478, 1032-1033), this sign told Odysseus to start attacking the suitors. The way Circe helps Odysseus in warning him of dangers to come, "Circe forsaw for us and shared with me,/ so let me tell her forcast: then we die/ with out eyes open."(p.459, 528-530) She warned of the Sirens, Charybdis, Scylla, and the island of the sun god. Also Athene help Odysseus fight the suitors and win. She also disguises Odysseus to hide him from the suitors and Penelope. In The Odyssey the gods, goddesses, and creatures proved to be deadly. The six-headed monster, Scylla, killed six of Odysseus' men, "whisking six of my best men from the ship.....She ate them as they shrieked there."(p.464, 652-662) Not far from Scylla was a deadly whirlpool called Charybdis, "dire gorge of the salt-sea tide.....all the sea was like a caldron/ seething over intense fire......when she swallowed the sea water down/ we saw the funnel of the maelstrom."(p.464, 639-645) Also when Zeus was throwing thunderbolts at the ship killing all his men "Zeus let fly/ a bolt against the ship....and all the men were flung into the sea."(p.465, 688-691) Also the Sirens, sea nymphs, lured men to their death on the rocks with sweat songs. In The Odyssey the gods, goddesses, and monstrs influenced the lives of Odysseus, his men, and his family with their supernatural powers. They showed to be fierce, helpful, and lethal. These episodes in The Odyssey came together to make one of the greatest epics of all time. Homer. The Odyssey. Understanding Literature. New York: Scribner Educational Publishers, 1987. f:\12000 essays\mythology & legends (75)\The Riddle of the Sphinx.TXT +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ The Riddle of the Sphinx The study of myths probably began in the 4th century. BC. when Euthemerus explained them as exaggerated adventures of historical individuals. The allegorical interpretation of myths , stemming from the 18th century study , says that at one time myths were invented by wise men to point out a truth, but after a time myths were taken literally. The linguistic corruption interpretation says that myths could be understood as allegory for events found in nature. The Jungians school denoted myths as a mechanism of wish fulfillment. Sir James Frazer, believed that all myths were originally connected with the idea of fertility in nature, with birth, death, and resurrection of vegetation as a constantly recurring motif. Though the modern interpretation of myths is not general but a specific explanation for myths of a single people. The theological interpretation states that myths are foreshadowings of facts of the Scripture or corruptions of them. This view, which is not contemporarily popular, is surprisingly enlightening when attention is paid to the meaning of names of characters and places in relation to Biblical stories. Even recent fairy tales which fall into the category of myth, often reveal through metaphor more truth in scripture than one would anticipate. The most relevant and necessary topic for the understanding of the imagery and symbolism of myth is found in the framework of the celestial zodiac. The pictures found today in the zodiac were not developed by the Greeks, but were in place perhaps as early as 4000 B.C. predating even the civilizations of Sumaria. The pictures were not arranged in haphazard order to aid in the tracking of the star movements but with order and purpose of depicting an epic narrative. This understanding of the zodiac reveals an intelligence and scientific understanding that was corrupted through time . The symbolism which remains can be analyzed to reveal the basic truth behind it. The story of the sphinx is an excellent example of the zodiac / myth connection. The sphinx a composite creature with the head of a woman or man and the body of a lion was associated with the guarding of sacred sites of antiquity. It represented the whole of the narrative of the zodiac, with the head of a woman, Virgo the beginning of the celestial cycle and the body of a lion, Leo,the end of the cycle. In fact, the actual design for what scripture calls a cherub is in actuality,a sphinx. The angels were beings whose sole purpose was to reflect the will and the glory of the God who created them. They were depicted symbolically as composite creatures whose parts reflected the zodiacal narrative. The Greek myth Oedipus Rex contains symbols of relevance to corrupted truth. When Oedipus encountered the Greek sphinx, he was asked a riddle., "What speaks with one voice, yet in the morning walks on four legs, walks at noon on two legs and in the evening walks on three legs?" Oedipus was the only man to answer correctly. The answer was "man". Upon hearing her riddle solved the sphinx screamed in rage, threw herself to the rocks below her lofty perch and died. Such a simple answer to this enigmatic question leaves one to ponder its significance.What more can be gleaned from the content of the story? The sphinx as it has been stated was actually a symbolic depiction of an angel. This angel was not, however, anything like the dutiful messengers of God described in scripture but a horrible monster bent on the destruction of any man it came in contact with. The biblical basis for such a creature is found in Ezekial 28. The "king of Tyre" or "King of the rock" as he is symbolically addressed, was the greatest of all angels. In fact so great was his splendor that he believed himself as great as his creator. f:\12000 essays\mythology & legends (75)\The scientific explanation for the existence of Vampires.TXT +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Vampires have been seen and documented throughout history. The history of vampires goes further back in time than most people realize. The chaldeans, who lived near the Euphrates river in the southwestern part of Asia more than five hundred years before the time of Christ , feared vampire or creatures similar to vampires enough so that they created charms to protect themselves from being attacked by such creatures. The Assyrians and the Babylonians feared a creature similar to a vampire known as an Ekimmu. These creatures known as Ekimmus were believed by the Assyrians to roam the planet searching for food although it was not always a persons blood but rather a persons' vitality or that persons' energy force. It was believed that if such a creature would enter someone's house that person along with his or her family would slowly weaken, get sick and probably die. In the countries of Syria and Palestine references were made to such blood sucking monsters on ancient carved tablets. In Ireland the people believed in these creatures, which they affectionately came to call "red blood suckers" . Due to their belief in these mythical creatures they began the practice of placing stones on these vampires graves to kep them from escaping.This then became standard practice and is still used to this day in the form of a tombstone. Tombstones were used to control ghosts and other spirits instead of their original use in controlling vampires. Due to the fact that vampires seemed to be so commonplace around the globe, there was a large variety of vampires that differed in shape, behavior and method of becoming a vampire. All of these factors varied from region to region. In the country of Bulgaria a vampire had only one nostril. This Bulgarian vampire would rise out of it's grave nine days after death in the form of a shower of sparks and remained in this shape for a period of forty days. After the completion of these forty days the shower of sparks would regain it's human form. Once human-like the vampire goes from playing childish tricks, which it did in it's "spark" form , to more serious matters , such as the attacking of humans and drinking of their blood. Vampires are well known for their craving for blood but in many countries vampires were not limited to just that substance as part of their diet, but would also consume foods that humans ate such as eggs and rice. That, however, does not mean that their yearn for blood was any weaker than before. Most vampires would attack their victims and suck the blood from puncture wounds made in the neck (The Russian vampire would suck the blood directly from the victims heart). Sometimes the vampire would gorge itself until it had drained the victim completely while other times it would take just enough to satisfy that night's thirst and come back the following night and take a bit more. The method of drinking from the same victim night after night would cause the victim to get weaker and weaker . Due to the fact that the victim was indeed attacked by a vampire, that would mean that upon the victims death they too would become "undead." (. Vampires p22) Certain cultures around the globe also had systems to recognize vampires. In some cultures vampires were distinguished due to the color of their hair. In most Christian countries vampires could be recognized because they had red hair like Judas Iscariot, the man who betrayed Christ in the bible, was said to have had red hair. Eye color was another tell-tale sign used to identify vampires. In Greece ,where most people have dark colored eyes, vampires were said to have blue eyes, Rumania they were said to have had gray eyes, and in Ireland they had black eyes. Vampires have been around for centuries , in some cases they have been recognized and feared by cultures that were around thousands of years before the time of Christ, such as the Babylonians and the Assyrians. Throughout the ages many medical explanations that could explain the vampire phenomena have been overlooked. The first reason was the lack of education that many people, because schooling was not an important part of these societies. Their lack of medical knowledge about diseases, some of which are quite rare and hard to explain even to this day was a large factor in the spread of vampire lore. Along with the fact that very uneducated people have always had a tendency of being overly superstitious also contributed to the vampire legend. In 1985 Dr. David Dolphin, Ph.D., a professor of chemistry at the University of British Columbia presented his theory that blood-drinking vampires were not vampires at all but rather victims of a disease known as Porphyria.(Dresser, Norine. American Vampires p171) " Porphyria is an incurable genetic disease which affects at least 50,000 patients in the U.S. that causes sudden symptoms of severe pain , respiratory problems, Skin lesions and sometimes death."(Dresser, Norine. American vampires p171) "Porphyria may well have been responsible for many a vampire tale - especially since the disease is hereditary" (Garden, Nancy. Vampires p98) A person that is affected by Porphyria can seem very scary to the average person since the disease causes the persons gums to tighten. That causes their teeth to be seen much more prominently as well as causing their teeth and nails to gain a fluorescent glow.These traits could then go on to explain the fact that many vampire stories described the vampires as giving off a greenish glow. Victims of this disease are likely to be deformed in other ways as well but usually in the facial area. Because of the skin lesions suffered by victims of Porphyria they are usually very sensitive to light which would cause them to not venture out of their homes until night. This aspect of the lifestyles of people suffering Porphyria would fit in very well with vampire lore. Garlic was used as a repellent of vampires butmore likely victims of the disease known as Porphyria would have a strange chemical reaction with garlic which would cause the person to have a severe porphyria attack. This would then make that person very reluctant to come close to the garlic since it contains large amounts of Dialkyl Disulfide which destroys Heme in the persons blood ( Heme is the pigmented component of Hemoglobin and related substances found in largest amounts in the bone marrow, red blood cells, and the liver ). The further destruction of Heme in a Porphyria victim would set off a severe allergic reaction. Since Porphyria is also a genetic disease several siblings in a family usually carry the defective gene. While the siblings may share the same defective gene sometimes only one of the siblings will display any of the symptoms . It is known that in many vampire tales , vampires return to attack their sibling or other family members.This along with the fact that Porphyria could be triggered in a person who is genetically predisposed to have the disease by a sudden loss of large amounts of blood. When these factor are taken into consideration, one could say that when a vampire came back to attack a sibling and when the sibling also began to show some vampire characteristics , it could be assumed that the Porphyria gene in the second sibling could have been triggered by the loss of blood which was suffered during the attack by the first sibling or the "vampire." This would make it seem as though the vampire attack had caused the second sibling to turn into a vampire as well. Plague was another factor which could explain the growth of the vampire legend. In the Stephen King book Salem's Lot which is the story of a town that is infested by Vampires and due to the infestation of vampires causes the town to become a ghost town. In the book it says" But a little over a year ago something began to happen in Jerusalem's Lot that was not unusual, people began to drop out of sight." (King, Stephen. Salem's Lot p15) This phenomenon which is found in Stephen King's book was not at all uncommon in ancient times especially in remote places. Villagers in these remote places would have believed that blood was a Vital substance that gave life. Since they did not know much about disease their lack of knowledge of diseases and their lack of medical practitioners in these remote areas would give the perfect opportunity for their superstitious beliefs to come into play. If suddenly much of the town began to fall ill at the same time and they all displayed similar symptoms such as weight loss , weakness and paleness they would think that these people must have been drained of the vital substance, blood. Searching for an explanation without any medical knowledge the one thing that would make sense to them would be that a vampire was on the loose while the fact that the town could be in the middle of an epidemic such as the black plague during the Dark Ages. In Stephen King's book a town would just seem to disappear for no reason and the only explanation would be vampires. In the Dark ages the situation would be very similar to that in the Stephen King book except that in Stephen King's book the vampires are real. Tuberculosis or consumption as it was often called is a disease that although was not highly contagious was a very common disease up until the mid-1800's . The beginning stages of this disease do not contain very recognizable symptoms.By the time the symptoms showed up (such as weight loss and fatigue which is where the name consumption came from) the disease was already in it's later stages. Tuberculosis would have been very difficult to diagnose by people with no medical knowledge especially when the most serious symptoms of the disease such as coughing and spitting up blood were not present. Tuberculosis was often openly confused with vampirism as was the case when in the mid- 1800's the corpses of many victims of Tuberculosis were treated as vampires and buried face down or by being dug up and burned when members of their families suddenly came down with Tuberculosis.(Garden,Nancy. Vampires p69) The mental aspect of vampires has always seemed to be that of someone who was not in their right mind. In Anne Rice's book The Vampire Lestat at one point one of the vampires in the book just looks at the other one and simply says "You're the mad one." ( Rice, Anne. The Vampire Lestat p73) not realizing that madness plays a large part towards explaining the vampire legend as well as other mental conditions. One of these conditions which could explain the vampire legend is the condition known as a cataleptic condition which many times is brought f:\12000 essays\mythology & legends (75)\The Story of Atalanta.TXT +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ The story of Atalanta Atalanta was a goddess who wasn't wanted by her father. So her father took and put her in the forest to die. Her dad wanted a boy. She was saved and raised by a bear. For many years she was raised by bears. Soon some hunters found her and returned her to here father. Her father was happy, but soon got sick of her again. She said whom ever chould beat here in a foot race whould be here new husband. If they lost they whould be put to death. Many lost. Intill one boy who asked help from the goddess of another god. The god gave him 3 golden apples. Then was the race. The race started and he threw the first golden apple. Atalanta went to pick it up. He was in the lead, but atalanta caught up. He threw the second one further. Atalanta went to pick it up. He gained more space. The race was near end and atalanta was gaining on him. So he took the last apple and through it real far. Atalanta went to get it. He won the race. They were wed. Soon they whould offend Zues though. And be turned into lioness. f:\12000 essays\mythology & legends (75)\The Trojan War.TXT +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ The Trojan War Homer was the god who wrote three famous poems, the Illiad, the Oddessy, and the Beowulf. The Illiad was the story of the Trojan war. Here's how the trojan war went. Helen, Clytemnestra's sister, was married to Menelaus. A while later, Menelaus went hunting, and Paris from Troy came and took Helen away. Agamemnon heard the news and was furious. So, he got together troops and set off to Troy to get Helen back. But, they couldn't sail out of the bay..the wind held them back. So they had to sacrafice a maiden. Agamemnon sacraficed Iphigenia, his daughter. Clytemnestra, Agamemnon's wife, was NOT happy, for Iphigenia was her favorite daughter. Clytemnestra set out to murder Agamemnon, but it was too late. He was already on his way out to Troy. During the war, Hector had killed Achilles' best friend. Achilles was FURIOUS. So Achilles dragged Hector in a circle 3 times by his hair and gave killed him. Then Agamemnon came back, married to beautiful princess Cassandra. Clytemnestra had even more reason to kill Agamemnon now. So, she killed Cassandra, then took her husband's live. Orestus and Electra, Clytemnestra and Agamemnon's other two chilren, then killed their mother for killing their father. After the war, Odysseus set out on a journey, and killed Achilles. f:\12000 essays\mythology & legends (75)\Theseus and his Adventures in the Labyrynth.TXT +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Theseus Athens great hero At birth Theseus an unknown father. His mother , Aethra , was friendly with both Poseidon and Aegeus (Hunt 3-6). Before Theseus was born Aegeus said to Aethra ." If we are to have a son , when he is grown have him take my sword and sandals from under this boulder to me ," then he was off to Athens. Theseus was born in a small town called Troezen and grew up there, in a normal way. When Theseus was old enough Aethra took Theseus to the boulder where the sandals and sword were and told him what Aegeus had said. Theseus lifted the giant boulder with ease and immediately wanted to go to Athens. He insisted on going by land even though it is much more dangerous for there are thieves and he did not want to heed his mother's warnings. So he was off to Athens on foot to meet his father. On the journey Theseus met many thieves and out whited every one of them from asking to see there nice weapons and using them agents the thieves to seeing what they were trying to do to him and using that to hurt or usually kill them. Either way Theseus showed courage and wisdom in his quick thinking that would make him a great hero that would be remembered for many years to come. The first day in Athens Theseus started looking for Aegeus' castle but what he did not know was that Aegeus was ,at the time, under the power of a sorcerer by the name of Medea. She could see the power in him from afar and saw that he would take her power so she told Aegeus to kill him. At this time either Aegeus nor Theseus knew that they were related. Media told Aegeus to invite Theseus to a party or ball coming in the near feature and to poison his drink. Aegeus poisoned his drink and gave it to Theseus. Just before Theseus drank the wine Aegeus dashed the glass to the ground for he had just recognized his sword. Aegeus and Theseus became good friends and lived together for a time. One day Theseus saw ships with black sails coming and heard that there were taking 20 people to the labyrinth where they would be killed by a monster called the Minitor. Theseus had to stop this annual occurrence and went on the boat and promised if he lived to change the sails from black to white to tell Aegeus that Theseus was alive. Theseus went on the ship to the labyrinth in Crete and met Ariadne , who he fell in love with immediately, who gave him a ball of silk for which to get out of the maze. Theseus got all of the others to follow him and finally found and killed the Minitor by himself. He then followed the silk back out. He loved Ariadne and took her home with him. On the way Dionysis said that he was already to be wed with Ariadne and took her with him. Theseus was so sad that he forgot to change the sails. Aegeus saw the black sails from atop a high cliff while watching for his son and jumped into the sea below him killing himself in what is now called the Aegean sea. f:\12000 essays\mythology & legends (75)\THESEUS.TXT +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ THESEUS GOT A B+ (89%) In Greek mythology, Theseus can truely be thought of as the greatest Athenian hero. He was the son of Aegeus, king of Athens, and Aethra, princess of Troezen, and daughter of Pittheus, king of Troezen. Before Theseus was born his father Aegeus left Aethra in Troezen of Argolis and returned to Athens before he was born. But before he left king Aegeus put his sword and his pair of sandals under a large rock and said to Aethra that when Theseus was old enough to lift the heavy rock that Theseus should take the sword and sandals and come to see him in Athens. At the age of 16 after being brought up in Troezen, Theseus was finally able to lift the heavy rock. Theseus with his long blond hair then took the sword and the sandals and began his journey to Athens to claim Aegeus as his father. The young Theseus made his hazardous journey by the coast road along the Isthmus, clearing the road of six villains, murderers, and monsters which inhabited the road. Theseus killed these villains by the same method by which they had murdered their own victims. Among the villains that Theseus killed, were Sciron, Sinis, Procrustes and Phaea. Theseus arrived in Athens wearing a sword and a pair of sandals that Aegeus had left for him in Troezen. He was then greeted by his father Aegeus and his stepmother Medea who was a sorceress. But she was jealous of his influence over Aegeus so Medea tried to kill him by sending him to kill a wild bull. But Theseus succeeded and sacrificed the bull to Apollo. He then returned to Athens and was almost poisoned by Medea, but as soon as Aegeus got wind of her plot, he proclaimed Theseus his son and heir to the thrown and banished Medea from Athens and she escaped to what is now Asia. According to legend, the people of Athens had to send seven youths and seven Maidens every year as a tribute to Minos, the king of Create, to be eaten by the Minitor, who was a terrible monster, half man and half bull. Theseus decided to go as one of the youths and try to kill the minitor. When he reached Create, Ariadne, the beautiful daughter of Minos fell in love will him and helped him kill the Minitor by giving him a sword which he killed the Minitor with and a ball of thread to help him find his way out of the labyrinth in which the Minitor lived. Theseus then left Create with Ariadne but dumped her on the way back to Athens. On his return from Create to Athens, however, in his hurry to get home, he forgot to hoist a white sail signaling his success against the Minotaur. So when Aegeus saw a black sail, he believed that his son was dead and was so sad that he threw himself from a high rocky cliff into the sea, which has ever since been known as the Aegean Sea in his honor. Theseus then became the King of Athens. And as king of Athens, Theseus was wise and generous, and united the many small communitties of the Attic plain into a strong and powerful nation and brought prosperity and civilization to the people. But he kept his love of danger and adventure and during a war with the Amazon Women he abducted the Amazon Hippolyta, who bore him a son who was named Hippolytus. He took part in the Calydonian boar hunt and in the quest of the Argonauts for the Golden Fleece. He was a devoted friend of Pirithous, king of the Lapithae, whom he accompanied to the underworld to rescue the goddess Persephone. Both men were imprisoned by the god Hades for their rash deed, but Theseus was subsequently rescued by Hercules. Returning to Athens, Theseus found his kingdom in disarray, torn by rebellion and corruption. Unable to reestablish authority, he sent his children away and sailed to the island of Skyros, where Lycomedes, king of Skyros, murdered him by throwing him from a cliff into the sea. Later the Delphic oracle commanded the Athenians to gather Theseus's bones and bring them back to Athens. The Athenians then paid him great honor by building him a tomb dedicated to the poor and helpless whom he had befriended. f:\12000 essays\mythology & legends (75)\Tristans Tragedy.TXT +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ "Tristan's Tragedy" As told to (author's name) By Tristan "What an unusual Christian name, '(author's name)'! And you say you know but two languages? You must jest to render the title of 'scholar' upon yourself. During my training, I have learned seven, all the while being taught horsemanship and swordsmanship. Alas, all of my accolades serve me not here. True nobility never makes excuses for shortcomings; however, in this despair I can know no greater loss. After being wounded in battle with the giant Morolt (who was subsequently slain by my steel) I journeyed to Ireland in search of Queen Isolt and her medicinal power. Disguised as a wandering minstrel, I succeeded in endearing myself to her court by performing deeds impossible for the average. I also taught her daughter, my beautiful Isolt, the art of the lyre. I returned to Cornwall, and upon hearing my account of Isolt's charm, my king Mark resolved to make her his own. After convincing her family to allow her to wed the king, we set back on a ship for Cornwall. I remember the night on which we fell in love. Perhaps it was the wine, or perhaps I was merely intoxicated by her. Nonetheless, she amazingly felt the same drawing to me, and we were unable to contain our affections. We continued seeing one another in secret after the wedding; after all, without love her marriage was invalid. After a while, though, our conniving king took aware of our dealings and banished me to the barren Arundel. It was there I met a woman of average beauty, but with the only name worthy of my attentions: Isolt des Mains-Blancs. (That's "of the white hands" if your other language fails you.) I could not betray my love however, so our marriage was never consummated. Rightly so, because in due time I received a letter from my true Isolt, giving account of her flight from the king. She requested a meeting with me, saying her ship would bear a white sail. I kept the new Isolt on guard for weeks. Finally, I was informed that my Isolt was spotted on a ship, yet one bedecked with a black sail. In shock of my love's betrayal of truth, I fell dead, and I became as you now regard me. Let not this cruel fate befall you, (author's name). Let not your weak education impede your ambitions. Let not a love enter your heart, for you will be only distracted from duties at hand. And finally, let not blind trust influence your decisions, as you will find yourself in the whirlwind where I abode..." f:\12000 essays\mythology & legends (75)\UFO Fact Or Fiction.TXT +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Unidentified Flying Objects: Fact or Fiction? Unidentified flying objects, or UFOs, as they're fondly called, are one of the century's most intriguing and controversial mysteries. Since ancient times, UFOs of all types have been accounted for. More today than ever, hundreds of thinkers, theologians, and scientists have tried to answer why there are or whether there aren't UFOs. According to some, the speculation that UFOs are alien spacecrafts from another world is an absurd and foolish proposal. Others vehemently disagree and assert that extraterrestrial life is not only possible, but such life forms may be superior, technologically advanced beings who visit our Earth regularly. Are these "flying saucers" a figment of our imagination? Or, are they a genuine reality we prefer to dismiss because we fear the scary truth that we are not the only master race? Are we hesitant because society dubs such "immature" psycho tantamount to subscribing to belief in ghosts? These are a few of the many pertinent UFO questions the mature individual must address. One of the most popular theories that support and explains the existence of alien beings is the ancient astronaut theory. This theory contains three main schools of thought. The first states that aliens bred with our primitive forebears thereby creating modern man. The second is quite similar. Aliens performed genetic engineering on apes thereby creating the Homo Sapiens and man's intelligence. The third, and least accepted, is that colonists from another galaxy came to Earth, mated with the primitives and established a high level of culture, before being destroyed by some natural catastrophe. And upon this catastrophe and destruction, we build and grow (Fitzgerald 1). Berossus, a Babylonian scholar, may have been the first astronaut historian. He said that " animals endowed with reason" bestowed the Sumerian culture before 3000 BCE. The Sumerians, along with their cultural inheritors, the Babylonians, never referred to such beings as gods. Rather they were depicted as "disgusting abominations," a description only deserved by uninvited alien visitors (2). One step further takes the astronaut theory and surmises that with it, we can understand the later religious cultures, such as the Hebrews who are thought to have borrowed much of Sumerian practice. Such religions and secret societies, with their elaborate and complicated rituals may actually be "preserving from a previous epoch fragments of an esoteric and little understood knowledge, just as the Egyptian, Hebrew, and Mayan priests guarded in their temples the inspired word of their self-possessed creators (3)." Alien originators may have set down certain rites which became confused over the years, resulting in the various ancient religions; aliens being the source of our notion of God. This also may explain how miles long designs, only viewable from the air, were created in ancient times. The only rationalization for the possibility of such designs is that the ancients had assistance from the sky, namely extraterrestrial assistance. Many UFO theorists, astronomer Morris Jessup being the forerunner, go even further: not only were pre-Biblical and Biblical times full of Alien intervention, but he contends that the UFO phenomenon is the missing link between Biblical supernatural accounts of miracles and established, contradicting science. Jessup explains that "nothing is supernatural and nothing is outside nature (12)." He continues that the Bible is full of UFO accounts, depicted by various descriptions: angels, the revelation on Mt. Sinai, the burning bush, and Elijah's levitation to heaven. Jessup says the Bible is a physical record, not a collection of divine revelation "although the miracles of this and all religions invite rational and physical explanation, if we grant the 'existence of spatial intelligence (13).'" Another thinker, Brinsley Trent, follows the theme of extraterrestrial interpretations of the Bible and claims that the Garden of Eden was, as many ancient texts point out, not the underground, but in the Underworld - i.e. outside the orbit of earth, meaning Mars. When the Great Flood occurred, Noah built a great "boat," a spaceship, and landed on Earth (Life 16). However, Cornell astronomer Carl Sagan warns that this ancient astronaut theory and the "saucer myths" represent a compromise "between the need to believe in a traditional God and the contemporary pressures to accept the pronouncement of science (Fitzgerald 5);" therefore, according to Sagan, the proposition that aliens exist and the astronaut theory should be tossed. Many theorists assume the Bible is a totally separate entity and don't associate or contradict the UFO phenomenon with the well established theological belief system in the supernatural. Wilhelm Reich, for one, a noted Austrian psychoanalyst, claimed to have witnessed various UFO crafts and believed that these aliens are hostile. Such aliens wish to rob Earth of orgone, a "cosmic life energy allegedly present in air, water, and all organic matter (Life 52)." He proceeds to say that saucers run on this orgone energy, hence exhuming a bluish color due to "orgone exhaust." Moreover, orgone exhaust is "deadly orgone (Life)," causing sickness in people and creating parched desert where ever the crafts land. The Swiss psychologist, Carl Jung, totally differed. He theorized that all "people can tap into...(a ) collective unconciousness-an area of the unconscious that...contains information derived from the experiences of the human race as a whole rather than the individual...This storehouse contains universal symbols called archtypes...that present themselves spontaneously in dreams or visions...evoking strong imaginative response...One such image was the mandala, a disk shaped symbol that represents completion...[hence UFOs are not] real objects, but rather mandalas...visioned by people looking for...equilibrium (53)." Jung's approach is quite debatable. However, as shaky an argument it may sound, it's as viable as those who welcome the notion that aliens do exist. Other more common and more understood theories explain that aliens are well intentioned visitors who wish to observe their human contemporaries for purely scientific purposes. However, British astronomers Sir Martin Ryle and Sir Bernard Lovell both warn that we must regard all other life in the universe as potentially a fatal threat to humankind and, in effect, discourage the effort to communicate with such beings (Referring to the many attempts to communicate with aliens via powerful satellite dishes.) (Fitzgerald 7). With all the theories in mind, we come to the next issue. What are people, in reality, seeing? Kenneth Arnold was a normal businessman in Idaho. As an upstanding and reputable citizen and an expert on flying, Arnold was believed when he said that he witnessed a ship zoom back and forth at an approximated 1,350 miles per hour. This incident provoked a considerable amount of national debate and gave birth to what historians termed the "modern flying saucer era." There were sightings before the Arnold case. However, following it, there was a myriad of reports and calls. Although many were hoaxes, not all were. And most of those who have claimed to have witnessed UFOs swear that in no way could they be anything but an alien spaceship. Simply due to the fact, as in the Arnold case, that these crafts maneuver in such humanly impossible speeds and in gravity defying manners. At one moment the UFO is spotted hovering over a house and one second later can be seen 25 miles away. People also have described the crafts as huge cigar shaped buzzing objects or the more popular silent, metallic type saucers. These reports include interference with television signals and the halting of car ignitions. Such claims, as Bob Bletchman, in an interview explained, are the best evidence due to their testimonial consistency. When you have hundreds of people on an individual basis, from all backgrounds, depict the same scenario, time and time again, there is little room to doubt their truthfulness. People even assert that they've seen the pilots: described anywhere between two inch bees to Nazis (Fitzgerald 3) to little green men with six fingers. An eerie complement of UFO sightings are these strange and exact circular patches of parched, bent, but not cracked vegetation. Such mysterious circles are believed to be the place of the saucers' landing. Even more interesting, the circles can't bear any vegetable growth for many years afterwards (Life 125). Many allege that not only have they been visited, but kidnapped too. One of my main research sources, a curious, but perhaps crafty David Jacobs, Ph.D., took 60 men and women who claimed abduction and put them under hypnosis in an effort to document and establish whether all this mumbo jumbo is true. Although generally most abductees remember nothing but the fact that they were abducted, hypnosis proved to uncover many layers of lost memories. Through these hypnotic sessions, Dr. Jacobs claimed to have found many reasons the aliens "gave" for such abductions: scientific research, crossbreeding and general observance of the human condition. He also "discovered" many underlying messages from the aliens: They mean no harm. They care and respect humans and do only that which is necessary. His book sounded very convincing, but perhaps too convincing. Through careful reading, I began to realize that this Dr. Jacobs is full of bologna. Session after session, Dr. Jacobs fabricates his "patients'" conversations with the aliens. However, the conversations sound too repetitive in personality and too sensational in respect to the aliens' response. In an effort to sound very natural, Dr. Jacobs picks up an almost artificial grammatically incorrect tone of voice. For example: "Mm-hmm, but fast, not slow...like whizzed by (Secret 69)," and "I just sink to the bottom and start to breathe (189)," and "inside out, yeah (211)." These are just a few quotes of the literally hundreds of repetitive speech patterns in his book. I get the feeling this "Dr." Jacobs is trying to make a believable, sensational story by feeding the reader what we'd like to hear: Kind aliens, cross breeding, scientific experimentation, etc. (Although I found fault with one of my primary sources, it by no means typifies the value of other such publications. Each book must be valued on its own.) Using super high-tech computer photograph analyzers, scientists were able to determine the validity of the widely known Trent photos. In Oregon, 1950, a Mrs. Trent was feeding rabbits in her backyard when she saw a huge metallic disk, silently gliding through the air. She called her husband to fetch a camera and managed to get two shots. These two shots were scrutinized by the U.S. Air Force and a variety of other investigators. The 1969's skeptical Condon Report stated: "The simplest, most direct interpretation of the photographs confirms precisely what the witnesses said they saw (Life 138)." Later on, a William Spaulding of the Ground Saucer Watch Inc., put these Trent photos under intense computer scrutiny and came out with the same conclusion: It was no hoax (Life). In World War Two, Allied and Axis air pilots witnessed these eerie luminous balls that would either chase planes or zip in and out of the planes' courses. Such oddities were to be eventually called "foo fighters." World War Two was a time of secrecy and great inventions. Instinctively, the allies thought they were some kind of high tech German innovation. Naturally, too, the Germans thought vice versa. Therefore, nothing of an extraterrestrial nature was ever reported (Life 26), at least officially. There are countless reports where U.S. air force personnel witnessed a flying saucer and reported it; only to be told that it was probably a jet or weather balloon. Despite the fact that Project Blue Book (a government UFO investigation) yielded a 1,465 page scientific report containing charts, photographs and analyses, worth about a half million dollars in research, the government stated in a 1969 news release that due to lack of any "significant" conclusions, UFO research would be terminated. Most fans of the research only read the introduction and conclusion sections of the report. Unfortunately those sections were written by an enthusiast of the U.S. Air Force: and hence embraced their policy of denial and falsehood (Life 118). Consequently, the government's decision to halt research was accepted with little protest or suspicion. Yet, the question whether the government is holding back vital UFO information is still very strong. Many contend that the U.S. government is doing so in an effort to ensure national safety and prevent potential mass hysteria by publicizing the existence of alien beings. In 1947, in New Mexico, one of the most famous and potent pieces of evidence literally befell the United States. "Barney" Barnett, and some local archeological students found shriveled and broken up pieces of shiny metal and scattered dead bodies all over. A few days later, the army had quarantined the area, shipped everything away, and told the witnesses that it was their "patriotic duty" to keep the incident a secret. Nonetheless, Barnett and the students went public about it (Life 74). To this day, hundreds of reports and books detail this famous "Roswell incident" and claim that the government, again, is hiding undeniable proof of alien life. The Viking mission to Mars in 1976 is another prime example of the government's policy of non cooperation and denial. The Voyager had taken two pictures of a rock form of a human face on Mars' surface. Before a 1992 Observer voyage to Mars, many requested NASA to take high resolution photos of this "Face" to determine whether it is really a three dimensional rock formation. NASA responded in the negative, although the government gave NASA an extra $90 million for the exact purpose of seeking out Martian life forms. NASA gave a stupid explanation, claiming that the 1992 Observer was only photographing meter long objects, which the "'Face' could be a candidate target. However, there are no plans to tailor the mission to assure that the 'Face' is imaged (Boyce)." In a letter, Bob Bletchman cynically responded: "How can NASA not tilt the camera to possibly answer the most profound question ever asked, 'Are we alone?' (Bletchman)" Nevertheless, many scientists maintain that the many UFO sightings may simply be meteorites, some type of atmospheric phenomena, or high tech, saucer-like airplanes used by the military. One factor that greatly contributes to UFO skepticism is created by the thousands of UFO hoaxes made each year. A prime and famous example of such hoaxes occurred in New Mexico, 1963. Paul Villa claimed that UFO aliens had become so friendly with him that they agreed to pose their ship for a camera shot. Using the same high-tech computers as was used for the Trent photos, scientists revealed a tiny wire that was used to suspend the "UFO" in the air (Life 140). Although it's very easy to scoff at the thought of Martians and flying saucers due to the subject's emotional sensationalistic attributes and attractabilty to the fantasizer, one can not simply dismiss the possibility. There is too much evidence and too many good and honest people out there who can give testimony. Too often, we hear of the many government cover-ups and attempts to keep things concealed. Although the government tries hard, they can't keep it a secret forever. Little by little, as more incidents occur and as more is leaked out, the world will know that we are not alone. It should be noted that this report by no means begins to even scratch the surface of the UFO mystery. Not only are thousands of books written on each issue, but each individual case is worthy of whole books on its own. It therefore follows that this paper was a simple over of an overview of the massive topics and subtopics that follow. Works Cited Bletchman, Bob. National Board, International Mutual UFO Network. Bletchman, Bob. National Board, International Mutual UFO Network. Letters. Connecticut: 1988 Boyce, Jacobs. Discipline Scientist, Planetary Geoscience, Solar System Exploration Division, NASA. Letter. Washington, D.C.: 1988 Editors of Time-Life Books, eds. The UFO Phenomenon. Virginia: Time- Life Books, 1987 Fitzgerald, Randall. The Complete Book of Extraterrestrial Encounters. New York: Collier Books, 1979 Jacobs, David M. Secret life. New York: Simon & Schuster. 1992 Works Consulted Fact or Fiction: The Roswell Autopsy. TV Program. N.p.: n.p., 1997. f:\12000 essays\mythology & legends (75)\UFOs and effect on people.TXT +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ The Effects of UFO's on People By Steve Edwards Almost every civilization in history that has kept a written history has recorded the sightings of strange objects and lights in the skies. These objects have been described as glowing wheels, colored balls of light, and disk shaped objects. Today unexplained aerial phenomena are generally referred to as unidentified flying objects (UFO's) or flying saucers. The effects of extra terrestrial sightings can have an adverse effect on people if influenced the wrong way. No solid proof has shown that UFO's are real, but many sightings cannot be proven otherwise. The media, stories, or one's own experience may often influence what one believes. The government once stated that they had captured extra terrestrials. (60 minutes, CBS) On the contrary, most scientists now agree that almost all sightings and stories of extra terrestrials are not authentic. The United States government has records of thousands of UFO sightings since 1948, including photos of alleged UFOs and interviews with people who claim to have seen them. Since UFOs were considered a potential security risk, the report on these sightings was originally classified as secret. (Craig, 917) When the report was later declassified it showed that 90 percent of all UFO sightings could be easily explained. Most of the sightings turned out to be celestial objects, such as stars or bright planets like Venus, or atmospheric events such as auroras or meteors falling through the atmosphere. Many other sightings turned out to be objects such as weather balloons, satellites, aircraft lights, or formations of birds. Often these sightings were accompanied by unusual weather conditions. Only 5.6 percent of these cases were not explained. Testimonies by people are often very inaccurate and dramatized. People have the tendency to explain everything they see, which is not usually completely accurate. The unaided human eye can be tricked into hallucination and has an inaccurate depth perception. Reflections from windows and eyeglasses can provide an optical illusion of a UFO. Radar is much more reliable to identify objects, but it cannot detect many characteristics that separate natural phenomena and physical objects. Radar often picks up ionized gas, rain, or thermal discontinuities. Electronic interference is also a frequent problem. Either way, scientists are left with many unanswered questions. There are many mysteries about UFO's with many indefinite answers. Many investigators have tried to solve some peculiar questions about UFO's, but many of their conclusions cannot be proven. In 1968 the United States Air Force asked Edward U. Condon, a physicist at the University of Colorado, to head a panel studying the claims of extraterrestrial crafts. (Unidentified Flying Objects, Encarta encyclopedia) The committee's final report was reviewed by a special committee of the National Academy of Sciences and released in early 1969. The 37 scientists who contributed to the report interviewed UFO witnesses and studied physical and photographic evidence. The report, also known as the Condon Report, concluded that not only was there no evidence of extraterrestrial control of UFOs but also that no further UFO studies were needed. Their advice was accepted by the United States, but for other independent laboratories it was not enough. Whether or not a person believes UFO's are, in fact, real or not is probably because of influence from the media. For instance, the smash hit movie Independence Day was a movie about aliens attacking Earth so they can keep it for themselves. The company that made the movie, FOX, has been promoting extra terrestrial ideas to bring media attention to UFO's. The company bought the stretch of highway 375 outside the mysterious secret military base named Area 51, which plays an important part in the movie. In it, several aliens were captured and stored along with their aircraft. In fact, the government has announced that it has captured aliens and their aircraft, but that was later denied. (Woolward, 912) This has been said to be the cause of the vast amount of UFO reports since 1948. The government also denied that Area 51 even existed for several years, even though it had been photographed many times. Today, the military base is thought to be a very heavily guarded test sight for many stealth planes in development for the military, including some possible "flying saucers". This sight is responsible for several of the military's top planes used today. Local residents persist that they have never seen any UFO's that couldn't be explained by the military's aerial experiments. Tourists swear they have seen several UFO's that couldn't be anything else but extra terrestrial. Many magazines and tabloids visit the area to report about such sightings and print there own far-fetched ideas. People interpret these articles in many different ways. Because there is no true proof of any extra terrestrial crafts, people are forced to make their own decisions about reality. For instance, in March 1997, thirty-nine people committed suicide to join with "Ti and Do", two "UFO forces". Printed on their page on the Internet, it stated, "Our 22 years of classroom here on planet Earth is finally coming to conclusion - 'graduation' from the Human Evolutionary Level. We are happily prepared to leave 'this world' and go with Ti's crew." (Heaven's Gate, WWW) Such cases like these are extreme, but recent studies have shown that fifty percent of America does believe that there is life on other planets that may be trying to visit us. However, the majority of these people do not worry about any unwelcome situation. Opinions may vary, but until any conclusive evidence can be shown that life is visiting Earth from somewhere out in space, it is safe to say that humans are alone in their home planet. It is possible that this theorem will be proved wrong in the future, but until then all any person can do is guess, hope, and wait. What the future holds for Earth may not be what is expected, but until then scientists will be examining all the evidence to help provide a better future for the home to life as we now know it. Works Cited "Unidentified Flying Objects" World Book Encyclopedia, 1992. Page 19, volume U-V, 1992 Craig, Pat. "On Nevada's Extra Terrestrial Highway." Tribune News Service August 19, 1996: Page 819 from InfoTrack/Super Tom+. On CD-ROM. Foster City, CA: Information access, 1997 "Unidentified Flying Objects" Groiler's Encyclopedia, 1994. Page 17, volume U-V, 1994 Woolard, John. "UFO Investigators Scoff at Abduction Claims." Tribune News Service, September 12, 1996. Page 912 from InfoTrack/Super Tom+. On CD-ROM. Foster City, CA: Information Access, 1997 60 Minutes, CBS Television Network. April 4, 1997 Heaven's Gate Home Page, http://www.aeok.com/heavensgate/index.htm Steve Edwards, 1