Mythology Essay, Research Paper
Greek Mythology
Mythology is a way that the ancient societies explained why things are the way they are and how they came to being. Two ancient societies are infamous for their mythology. These societies are Greece and Rome. Great authors were made be the mythological works they wrote. Homer was a famous author who is best known for his epics. It is from these epics that most of the gods and actual myths well known. I am writing of two of these gods in particular, Saturn and Dionsysus.
The first god that I would like to focus on is Saturn. Saturn was the god of agriculture to both the Roman and Greek. He was, however, known to the Greeks as a different name. His name was Cronus. He had all of the same qualities and powers that Saturn did. This is found to be true very often in mythology. In the time of mythology, cultures would simply borrow another culture’s gods and change their names. He was the husband of Ops and the father of Zeus, Jupiter, Hestia, Demeter, Posiedon, Hades, Pluto, and Hera. Saturn was the ruler of the gods. He found out that his son, Zeus, would be more powerful than himself, thus threatening his position. In effect, Saturn ate all of his children as soon as his wife conceived them. Thus, killing all chances of his rule being taken away. His wife tricked him and their son, Zeus, was born, and took the throne that was rightfully his.
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The second god that I want to focus on is Bacchus. Bacchus was the Greek and roman god of vine and wine. He was the son of Zeus and Semele. The Romans identified him as Dionsysus. Myth has it that he was very ugly at birth. He was horned and was crowned with a crown of snakes. He was boiled in a cauldron and banished to Mt Nysa by his parents. It was here that he invented wine. He eventually returned to Greece where he organized drunken revelries. He married Andriadne, daughter of King Minos. Myth also has it that he died in the winter and was reborn in the spring.
Dionysus was a wanderer. During these journeys he explored the world. On these journeys he came across many different people and taught them how to keep their vines healthy. On one of his journeys he was captured by pirates. While he was in bondage of these pirates they tried to tie him down. Wherever the rope would touch him it would fall apart. In the end he made the boat become overcome by vines. The vines wouldn?t let the boat move. The pirates realizing his powers let him go.
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Hendricks, Rhonda A. Classic Gods and Heroes. New York: Fredrick Ungar Publishingc Co, 1972
http://encarta.msn.com/find/concise.asp?2=1&ti=01367000. 10-9-99
Littleton, Scott C. ?Dionysus. ? World Book Encyclopedia. 1991 ed.