I am sure that most of you will have already read the first part of this blog, if not please go and check it out.
As I had said in the previous part, I find it both interesting and important some to know mythologies. Because every countries mythology besides being a combination of truths and tale are also part of the countries culture and in most cases are used to explain natural phenomena regarding the beginning of human beings the civilization etc.
So without further ado let’s dive into three nice mythologies for this part as well
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Dimitra and Persephone
Persephone was the daughter of Zeus and Dimitra. One day while her mother Dimitra was away, Persephone was playing with her friends, the Nymphs, in the meadows, somewhere on the edge of the world, collecting wreaths and lilies. At one point she bent down to cut a flower and to smell it but suddenly; the Earth was torn in two and Hades - the god of the Underworld, who he liked for a long time- appeared from inside on his chariot dragged by his immortal horses. He approached Persephone took her and left so quickly that no eye saw him, neither human nor animal.
When later Dimitra returned she searched for her daughter but couldn’t find her. She searched and searched for a long time. Demeter blackened from her grief. She was asking everyone everywhere if they had seen her daughter, but no one had. But the worst part was that no one cared much to help her. For nine nights and days with torches lit in her hands she roamed the land and sea all over the places she ruled in search of her daughter. She couldn’t find her anywhere. Such was her grief at that time that all year long not a single flower, not even a little grass, grew on the ground, even to dry after a while. People began to starve, with no seeds to eat anywhere. The animals themselves began to quarrel and kill each other to eat.
At some point final, God Helios told her that Hades fell in love with her and took her to the Underworld. She went to Zeus and pleaded to help her get back her daughter. Zeus in the face of this catastrophe, the destruction of the whole earth and the people together, order Hermes to go to Hades and tell him to let Persephone return back home.
When Hermes went to Hades and told him the order from Zeus, Hades confronted him by saying that he could not let Persephone go as from the time she had ate a pomegranate in his kingdom and that bounded her with the Underworld. Persephone though rushed to say that she had ate only six seeds of the pomegranate. Hermes gave it a bit of a thought to decide which would be the fairest solution and at the end was decided that as from the time she had ate just six seeds from the pomegranate, that from now on Persephone should stay six month with her mother Dimitra and six month with Hades.
And it was believed that, this is how the seasons were formed, the six months Persephone was with her mother, Dimitra, the nature was blooming and everything was lively which equaled to the Spring and the Summer on the other hand when Persephone was in the Underworld with Hades, Dimitra was grieving and neglecting her duties and no flower was blooming no grass was growing, which brought the Autumn and the Winter
Ikarous and Daedalous
The myth of Daedalus and Icarus is one of the most known and fascinating Greek Myths, as it consists of both historical and mythical details.While in Crete Daedalus created the plan for the Minoan Palace of Knossos, one of the most important archaeological sites in Crete and Greece today. It was a magnificent architectural design and building, of 1,300 rooms, decorated with stunning frescoes and artifacts, saved until today. The sculpture of Ariadne in Knossos and many others in Elounda and Karia are also his.
King Minos and Daedalus had great understanding at first, but their relationships started deteriorating at some point; there are several versions explaining this sudden change, although the most common one is that Daedalus was the one who advised Princess Ariadne to give Theseus the thread that helped him come out from the infamous Labyrinth, after killing the Minotaur.
The Labyrinth was a maze built by Daedalus; King Minos wanted a building suitable to imprison the mythical monster Minotaur, and according to the myth, he used to imprison his enemies in the labyrinth, making sure that they would be killed by the monster.
Minos was infuriated when found out about the betrayal and imprisoned Daedalus and his son Icarus in the Labyrinth.
The flight of Daedalus and Icarus
Icarus was the young son of Daedalus and Nafsicrate, one of King Minos’ servants. Daedalus was way too smart and inventive, thus, he started thinking how he and Icarus would escape the Labyrinth. Knowing that his architectural creation was too complicated, he figured out that they could not come out on foot. He also knew that the shores of Crete were perfectly guarded, thus, they would not be able to escape by sea either. The only way left was the air.
Daedalus managed to create gigantic wings, using branches of osier and connected them with wax that he was melting from the candles. When everything was ready Daedalus told Icarus to keep away from the sun because the heat would make the wax melt, destroying the wings as well as to be cautious to not fly very low, close to the sea as from the time the humidity of the sea will melt the wax as well.
Daedalus and Icarus managed to escape the Labyrinth and flew to the sky, free. The flight of Daedalus and Icarus was the first time that man managed to fight the laws of nature and beat gravity.
Icarus death
Although Icarus was warned, on the other hand he was too young and too enthusiastic about flying. He got excited by the thrill of flying and carried away by the amazing feeling of freedom and started flying high to salute the sun, diving low to the sea, and then up high again.
His father Daedalus was trying in vain to make young Icarus to understand that his behavior was dangerous, and Icarus soon saw his wings melting. Icarus fell into the sea and drowned. The Icarian Sea, where he fell, was named after him and there is also a nearby small island called Icaria.
The Myth of Narcissus
The myth of Narcissus is one of the most known Greek Myths, due to its uniqueness and moral tale; Narcissus, was the son of River God Cephisus and nymph Lyriope. He was known for his beauty and he was loved by God Apollo due to his extraordinary physique.
The myth of Narcissus comes in two different versions, the Greek and the Greco-Roman version, enhancing it with different elements.
The Greek Version of the myth of Narcissus
According to Conon, Aminias, a young man fell in love with Narcissus, who had already spurned his male suitors. Aminias was also spurned by Narcissus who gave the unfortunate young man a sword. Aminias killed himself at Narcissus’ doorstep praying to the Gods to give Narcissus a lesson for all the pain he had provoked.
Then Narcissus was once walking by a lake or river and decided to drink some water; he saw his reflection in the water and was surprised by the beauty he saw; he became entranced by the reflection of himself. He could not obtain the object of his desire though, and he died at the banks of the river or lake from his sorrow.
According to the myth Narcissus is still admiring himself in the Underworld, looking at the waters of the Styx.
The Roman Version of the Myth – Ovid
The myth presented by Ovid the poet is slightly altered. According to this myth, Narcissus’ parents were worried because of the extraordinary beauty of the child and asked prophet Teiresias what to do, regarding their son’s future.
Teiresias told them that the boy would grow old only if “he didn’t get to know himself”. When Narcissus was sixteen he was walking in the woods and Nymph Echo saw him and felt madly in love with him. She started following him and Narcissus asked “who’s there”, feeling someone after him.
Echo responded “who’s there” and that went on for some time until Echo decided to show herself. She tried to embrace the boy who stepped away from Echo, telling her to leave him alone. Echo was left heartbroken and spent the rest of her life in glens; until nothing but an echo sound remained of her.
Nemesis, though, the Goddess of Revenge, heard the story and decided to punish Narcissus. From this point the stories are similar; Narcissus sees himself in the pond and he is amazed by the beauty of the reflection. Once he figured out that his love could not be addressed, he killed himself.
The myth of Narcissus in modern life and Art
The myth of Narcissus is known also for one additional reason; the flower Narcissus that is found usually at the banks of rivers and lakes, took its name after the mythical hero. It is a graceful flower featuring 40 different species, mostly grown in Europe. It blooms in early spring and is considered fragile and very beautiful, with white, yellow and pink blossoms.
The Myth of Narcissus has inspired several artists as well; the most known is Caravaggio who painted a young man admiring his reflection in the water.
The painters Turner and Dali were also inspired by the myth, while poets, such as Keats and Housman, used his example in many of their works.
The Russian writer Fyodor Dostoevsky created several characters with the mentality and loneliness of Narcissus, such as Yakov Petrovich Golyadkin.
That's All She Wrote
Laura Melkonian
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