Man has always been fascinated by ancient Mythology, be it Norse, Greek, Roman or whatever. The movie makers has romanticized these stories into almost uncountable films with super heroes, like Zeus, Odysseus, Odin, Thor etc. just to mention a few.
If you are one of those who finds Mythology interesting, what is it that fascinates you?
NORSE GENESIS
THE CREATION OF THE COSMOS
The Norse creation myth or cosmogony (a view on the origins of the cosmos) is perhaps one of the richest of such accounts in all of world literature. Not only is it an exceptionally colorful and entertaining story – it’s also bursting with subtle meanings.
Norse Genesis
The gaping void of perfect silence, chaotic and so black
where light has never touched the veils of everlasting dark,
there, Ginnungagap, laid motionless between the fire and ice.
A godforsaken desolated place, where only stillness hides.
Once designed to keep extremes apart, this fragile cold divide
in total perished when heat and cold crossed over the divide.
Muspelhein, the giants domain, where dwells the gods of fire
invaded then the Neflheim world, the world of frost and ice.
The sweltering heat transformed all ice to hissing misty steam.
When water droplets searched to form the first hermaphrodite
Ymir, the first of godlike giants eventually took on a form.
Agamic giant who, through his sweat gave birth to next of kin.
Then from the ebb of frost and ice, an ungulate emerged.
The cow, Audhumbla, with ample milk, provided for the giant.
She in turn found nourishment by salt-licks in the ice,
and so unveiled gigantic Buri, the Adam of the Aesir’s kind.
Half gods, half giants, the offspring of the Aesir’s kind
Began to dominate with Odin, the self-proclaimed tyrant.
Creation of more universe can’t be ‘ex nihilo’, the firm belief,
and necessitates the destruction of that what was before.
To build the earth, and inhabit it, the giant, Ymir was slayed.
His blood would fill the oceans vast, the soil his skin afore,
the flora from his bushy hair and his brains the clouds up high.
And from his scull the clear blue sky, where the birds could soar
Four dwarves, so powerful, would hold the scull aloft,
and with unmatched strength, support the corners of the sky.
Following the creation law of ‘all the living feeds on death’,
to form the first of human kind, two trees was made to die.
In Midgard, in a garden dwell, Embla and Ask was placed
and for a meted time onwards protected from the giants
In dreams and ominous prophesies the cycle will repeat
In Ragnarok, or the doom of gods, destruction is foretold
as a cataclysm on cosmic scale will destroy the universe.
Round and round the cycle goes, the end’s the start, behold.
Ginnungagap, will live again, a divide with endless still
Muspelhein of the fire gods, and Neflheim with bitter cold.
Someone has well said, “In the beginning God created man in His own image. Ever since then men have been creating god(s) in their own image…gods with whom they can be comfortable…gods who will not trouble them about their sin…gods much like themselves.”
“I am the LORD, and there is no other; apart from Me there is no God” Isaiah 45:5.
The Living God; Dr. Peter Masters:
Present-day Western ‘idolatry’ is the worship of a god invented by us, or of earthly objects and goals which we substitute for God. Here are the massive differences between the true and living God and all substitutes…
http://www.metropolitantabernacle.org/Sermons-on-Psalm/The-Living-God
To me, the most interesting bit is the importance of love, including physical love.
Zeus and Hades could not resist Aphrodite’s powers. Even Tanatos fled before her.
The Romans claimed to be descendants not of Iupiter, but of Venus.
Odin chose Freya as leader of the Walkyries because of her powers.
@disqus_N3I7NTXnpK:disqus: Hello there, COUP FIGHTERS. My name is Ryan Williams, but here on MNC and on other “DISQUS”-type websites, I’m known as @ryan_l_williams:disqus. Anyways, I’m sending you this post just to see if it gets through to you, on account of according to my profile, I had you listed as “BLOCKED”, and so I went ahead and “UNBLOCKED” you, and now I want to see if this message gets through to you. Please send me a response right away, okie-dokie?
Māori Mythology of Aotearoa, New Zealand. The Māori are an Eastern Polynesian people.
In Māori mythology, and in a wider Polynesian mythology, Māui is a great hero famous for his exploits, and also for his trickery. Note: there is a 21st Century addition appended to the story…
Tales from the mythologies of Creation, Maui and Aoraki
https://youtu.be/P6q8E1laQjY
[ A story from Māori culture of Aotearoa New Zealand. The Māori are an Eastern Polynesian people. This story is told using CGI tools. Produced by ARL Ltd. : Animation Research Limited ]
Did you like Neil Gaiman’s take on the Norse myths? I thought he did an excellent job.
All mythology is based on truth or teaches a message. Our Bible is a very good example.
It also contains a good sex and crime section (life of David: it’s like a cross between “House of Cards” and “Game of Thrones” minus dragons)
Man on the Moon and Darwin’s Theory of Evolution are inspiring mythological stories –
The Earth is also flat.
Correct .. that is also called Mythology –
The Sekret Machines books (yes, that is spelled correctly) claim that alien contact is what started the whole concept of mythology. Worship of gods might have never happened had the alien contact never happened.
You may have a point. If you happen to have a Bible handy, read the first couple of pages of Ezekiel. That has got to be the description of an alien encounter, Remember, that there were no words to describe what he saw, e.g., There was no glass or plastic at that time, so it was described as crystal, etc.
I remember trying to draw once what he saw. And I came up with something that looks an awful lot like an helicopter. But you are right, he had no frame of reference..
Yeah, they talk about Biblical stuff in that book that I mentioned, and they also talk about how lots of religions have significant similarities that, in the opinion of the books’ authors, are unlikely to have developed spontaneously.
The concept of which the encounters with aliens can be traced back more than 5000 years in India. They have some pretty mysterious writings of airborne machines having battles in the sky. Back then chroniclers could only write about what they saw … and they could describe it only the the terms with which they were familiar.
Unfortunately, there are too many psycho’s out there striving for their 15 minutes of fame.
I had a copy of Edith Hamiltons Mythology. My middle daughter read her when she was 12. I credit that book for my daughter’s love of reading. And for her voracious appetite and love for literature and Art.
I know Odin from watching Vikings and Thor.
The Vikings believed that those who died in war would join Odin in Valhalla.
I see difference Odin in the movie Thor and I actually got inspired by this Odin of Thor’s father, the King of Asgard. I see him as a powerful King, great ruler, good father and a wise leader. And what I like the most about him was how he was resistance to all earthly diseases and toxins, and resistance to magics. He was so real..:))
He must have had a flu shot. 🙂
I read Snori’s Edda. There’s more to it.
Odin isn’t that powerfull. He was the ruler because of his intelligence, not based on his powers. According to the prophecy (Ragnarök, “Doom of the Gods”) he’ll die like the other inhabitants of Asgaard (except Freya). He’ll be replaced by a ressurected Baldur, the gentle, peacefull God who was murdered by Loki.
The Nordic Gods weren’t that powerfull. They weren’t even immortal: they were vulnerable to violence (Baldur), and only Iduna’s lifestock of magic apples protected them from aging.
In my country we have ancient mythology but also modern mythology. People worship the Gods VW, BMW, Benz etc.
Wotan, Donar and Freya can’t keep up with speed of their modern colleagues.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x-G28iyPtz0
And so the myth lives on, creating a page a day and new chapter each generation.
There are still many more: Aston Martin, Ferarri, Lamborghini, Porche, Rolls Royce, Bentley, Audi…..they are only the myth for those who drive regular cars..:))
Apart from Porsche and Audi, the others are not from my country. I said that in the beginning of my comment. It’s true that in other countries there are similar worships, but she we take these things ultra-seriously, I think we are a special case. (I have no car btw, I now am at risk of losing my citizenship I fear)
Not everybody regard a luxury car as a status symbol. A car should be a good car and trustworthy.
I honestly hope you do not lose your citizenship.
Germany, got it.
And I was referring to all luxury cars.
What makes you at the risk of losing citizenship?
he was jokeing. That was an hyperbole: As in “you are no American if you don’t love baseball and applepie” and in a similar vein “You are no german if you don’t have a car” which might still “count” for some rural areas
I know…..=D
Not having a car. (just kidding)
Got it….*Smile
indeed, there was quite some uproar in England when BMW bought RR.
I hate to bring is to you, but most BMW are now manufactured in South Carolina.
If you listen to children the make up their own explanations for things, personal mythologies. We’d be better for believing those myths than the sexist, violent clap trap created too get us to the machines on time every morning that gets taught
Children can be very resourceful in their imaginations, if we allow them to be children.
Thank you for your comment.
The complex systems of gods and myths like the Norse and Greek and Indian are informative and instructive. Not only are they a view of the relationship between the gods and man, but an insight into the patterns and habits of thought of the old cultures. The history of the earth, the memories of the glacial periods, the comet impacts, the now extinct species of homo that we shared the earth with are referenced. There is technology in the Vedas that only becomes comprehensible as we rediscover it.
Best, to me, is the relationships among the gods. The stories of rebellious youth, murder, love, leadership good and bad, incest, drugs, sexual obsession, alcohol, sibling rivalry and more. It is all in there and ways that the gods handled it good or bad. I used them in therapy and instruction with those who were familiar to some degree with a writing.
The Aeneid. A wonderful book that was once required reading. Kids(12 to 22) love it, the characters, the adventure, the density of the writing is glorious in translation, and must be better in the original Latin. Arma virumque cano …, “Of arms and the man I sing..”, so it begins. It is great fun, sheer joy to read with others and share. Think Star Wars and Harry Potter combined and then times ten. Like Homer, it is myth, and it is truth.
Virgil’s The Aeneid is a beautiful epic poem and so is Homer’s Iliad. You also mentioned the technology (knowledge) in the Vedas. Have you ever read Gnani Yoga by Yogi Ramacharaka that was written in the early 1900’s. There are some raw but awesome concepts that is worth reading. There were indeed some valuable truths in ‘illiterate’ and ‘uneducated’ people that is amazing.
You were/are a teacher? What subject did you teach, if I may be so bold to inquire. You don’t have to answer if it makes you uncomfortable, I am just curious because you are very well diverse.
You may. Not uncomfortable. I went to school a long time. A few times. Got degrees. Taught some communications and counselling classes as a grad ass and adjunct. Loved to learn. My best use was as a tutor, mentor, therapist . I helped people become doctors, college professors, politicians.. .
I myself was not smart, but too intelligent. There is a factor of a disorder. Perhaps like Asperger’s. A long series of jobs, some lasting several years. I can hold it together for hours, weeks, but at some point I will do something incredibly insensitive while focusing on the wrong thing, something rude, or stupid. I can design a program, speak to “experts” on their level in half dozen disciplines, and teach people to do what I cannot; or I once could. I could never hold on to a job or a relationship.
But water does seek it’s own level. The scholarships, the education. The elite training. It can’t change the roots. I am lower class. Never fit in academe. Even at my age I still am happiest sitting in a dive bar, using my skills to brighten the night of the drunks and habitués of the demimonde. They are my people. My real home.
Thanks for asking, and thanks for the compliment.
You are quite welcomed. I went to schools graduated but what was easy for some to comprehend was very difficult for me. I had no social life the first two years of college because I was always in the library or my head in books. I wasn’t one of those people that like reading so I read only what was necessary to pass. Through all that I learned how to be social and can deal with the worst or the best but most times I research things now before I speak about them.
I’m kind of into mythology. I got into it from watching the 1981 movie “Clash Of The Titans”, and it sort of grew from there.
https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/85f9e8226d4679c6ff54744433111b4c90f803a208efaeea2d48b8ac57ad7000.jpg
Interesting field with footprints in strange places.
I enjoyed reading Greek Mythology in jr. high. Though my favorite was aphrodite I found something interesting from all the Greek Gods. They all had something they possessed power in or over. Goddess of beauty, love, desire, and pleasure. In Hesiod’s Theogony, she was born from sea-foam and the severed genitals of Uranus; in Homer’s Iliad she is daughter of Zeus and Dione. She was married to Hephaestus, but bore him no children. She had many lovers, most notably Ares, to whom she bore Harmonia, Phobos, and Deimos. She was also a lover to Adonis and Anchises, to whom she bore Aeneas. She is usually depicted as a naked or semi-nude beautiful woman. Her symbols include myrtle, roses, and the scallop shell. Her sacred animals include doves and sparrows. Her Roman counterpart is Venus.
The Geek mythology is probably the most known. Although you finds many counterparts in other mythologies, especially Roman. I really enjoy reading all there stories.
Thank you for your comment.
You’re welcome Palapie. I like knowing the godly powers they possess and the rise and fall of some. It’s awesome..
Ever thought, and I’m sure you have (I have) we could possess those powers today. Given our bias approach to life it would probably be an even greater disaster. But it could have been fun as well, I know, if I had the powers and the hammer of Thor there would have been some change…Lol.
Recommended.
I love all types of mythology but I probably include more books in that said realm than others do, so, no further comment and enjoy the thread. 🙂
Thank you Kizmet.
I love Norse mythology. I admit I came upon it as a boy reading The Thor of Marvel Comics. I loved echoes of it in The Lord Of The Rings, particularly with the Rohirrim.
Northern Europe has interesting mythology. As do Slavic traditions. Themes of tribe, vice, virtue, battle, and the cycle of life.
Yes they do. But so have the American Indians, especially the Hopi Indians.
Thank you for your comment.
I appreciate mythology and associated religions. They are complex social constructs that offering evolving spirituality to build a more positive psyche. Our ancestors wanted to be purposeful, lawful, and mark life with rites…and simply wanted to know what it is all about.
Interestingly, I found out about a lot of different mythologies also through Dungeons And Dragons, the roll playing game. They have a Deities and Demigods manual that is pretty cool. In includes Egyptian, Greek, Indian, Chinese, Maya, Aztec, and others.
https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/KkAAAOSwe4hd3e5l/s-l640.jpg
I think many of the younger generation discover most of the mythologies through comic books and games. For most it is just an acceptable ‘fantasy’ and they don’t researched the origins of the different mythologies. Not that I say it is not a ‘fantasy’ or a romanticized story from fertile imaginations in comic books or movies, but I do think there are much more to it. There are parallel stories to be found in cultures that were thousands of miles and even generations apart. The best one I can think of at the moment is the Noah flood in the Bible (±2000 BCE) and the Gilgamesh Epic, which is almost word for word the same and ± the same date.
I had an interest in mythology from a very young age. I cannot recall what triggered it. But today almost a ‘century’ (Lol) later it still fascinates me.
https://media.giphy.com/media/Ch1zCx8tu6DQY/giphy.gif
Hi @Palapie:disqus
Your topic is here.
I am sending the invites but sorry I’ll have to come back later in my evening.
Have fun with your thread..:))
Thank you Murn
Thank you for posting and for sharing your beautiful works on here…:))
The thank you comes from my heart.
Mythology
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