Expert: Maria - 7/7/2008

Question
Maria,

I am currently a student at the University of Canterbury and I am conducting a research assignment on the topic of Ancient Greek and Roman mythology, i am trying to find out if there is any truth in any of the myths- did they evolve from an actual events from their time? I would appreciate any information that would be useful to this topic. Thankyou for your time, hope to hear back from you.

regards,
Gillian Beckett


Answer
Hello,


First of all in ancient times  myths originated first to explain the existence of natural phenomena, secondly to recount the deeds of heroes and gods, or to seek  to justify some institutions.

Myths lie in fact at the beginning of ancient civilizations and their transmission was simply oral so that even Homer and Hesiod in the first stage of Greek literature in the 9th-8th. century BC did not create myths, but merely put them in writing, after hearing them from the “aoidoi” (literally, "singers”) or the “rhapsodes” (literally, “those  who sew songs together”).

As for any truth in any of the myths and the possibility that  they  have  evolved from some events happened in those times, this can  be true especially   with reference to mythical heroes such as e.g. Herakles (Hercules, in Latin), known as the strongest of all mortals, Theseus who defeated  the Minotaur, Perseus who cut off Medusa’s  head,  since their legends  originated probably from either  from some historical persons admired for their great courage, or  from some great historical event which have been transmitted first orally, later in writing, where actual events and persons have been embellished from time to time, as it often happens.

In short, we can say that  myths deal with various aspects of a culture and have often a truth hidden within the fictional story like e.g. in the legend of Jason and the Argonauts,whose voyage to Colchis reflects merely the first adventurous trips  of the Greeks to the Black sea dangerous regions.


Hope these brief remarks help you so that you can develop this matter by consulting for example:

-"Interpretations of Greek Mythology" by Jan Bremmer at: http://theol.eldoc.ub.rug.nl/root/BremmerJN/1987/102/

-"Origins of Greek Mythology" in " A History of Greek Religion” by Martin P.Nilsson at:
http://www.questia.com/read/17656827?title=A%20History%20of%20Greek%20Religion%2...(Chap.%20II%20%22Origins%20of%20Greek%20Mythology%22)

http://www.questia.com/read/17656827?title=A%20History%20of%20Greek%20Religion%2...(Chap.%20II%20%22Origins%20of%20Greek%20Mythology%22)

Best regards,
Maria