The Greek gods and goddesses from our past few blog posts are important since they are characters in various Greek myths. These myths explain how the world came to be or explain natural phenomena.
Here are some popular stories related to Greek mythology that you may wish to explore in more depth.
Scylla and Charybdis:
These two Greek monsters inhabited the Straits of Messina between Sicily and the Italian peninsula and were responsible for the deaths of seamen. Scylla is a sea monster said to have six heads with rows of teeth to attack the seaman. There are several stories about Scylla’s creation since it is believed she was once a beautiful nymph until she was transformed by either the sorceress Circe or the sea nymph Amphitrite out of jealousy.
Opposite Scylla was the monster Charybdis, a dangerous whirlpool and the daughter of Poseidon and Gaia. Scylla and Charybdis inspired the popular idiom “between a rock and a hard place” since ships had to choose between the lesser of two evils to pass through the strait.
Prometheus:
The myth of Prometheus explains how humans discovered fire. Prometheus was a Titan and the god of fire. He tricked Zeus into accepting bones and fat as a sacrifice instead of meat. In return, Zeus hid fire from humanity until Prometheus returned it to Earth against Zeus’s wishes. As punishment, Zeus nailed Prometheus to a rock and had an eagle eat Prometheus’s liver after it regrew each day.
Medusa:
Medusa originally was a beautiful mortal until Athena transformed her either because of her boastfulness or because of an affair with Poseidon. Medusa became a monster with snakes for hair and a look from her could turn a man into stone.
Eventually, the King of Seriphos sent the hero Perseus on a quest to kill Medusa. Medusa was pregnant when she died. When Perseus killed her, her two children Chrysaor and Pegasus sprang from her neck.
These are just a few of numerous Greek myths that have endured over time. The myths preserve what Greeks believed and have inspired sayings and writing by various authors today.
Do you have a favorite Greek myth? Which one do you find the most interesting? We’d love to hear from you!