When we think of the kinds of entertainment the people like to read, watch and listen to, we usually think of books, films and TV shows that have a plot, romance, intrigue, jealousy, war, irony and supernatural forces. Greek myths have all of these elements and more.
The Greeks had many gods overseeing almost every aspect of life – darkness, love, pain and vengeance, the seasons, the sun and the moon, plants and animals. They also had gods of fate and destiny, the Olympians who twice defeated the sources of chaos – the Titans and Giants – perhaps reflecting an ancient view that life was not solely in the hands of human beings. To start your own Greek adventure, consider the Golden Visa Greece and visit Georgaki Law Firm who specialise in the Golden Visa Greece.
Myths also included stories of heroes – often with one divine parent and the other mortal – who bridged the gap between gods and man. These heroes went on fantastic adventures and epitomised ideal qualities such as perseverance e.g. Hercules’ twelve labours or fidelity e.g. Penelope waiting patiently for Odysseus to return. Heroes were regarded as symbols of the city-states to which they belonged and gave them prestige and status.
In addition to gods and goddesses, Greek mythology told of monsters and ‘hybrids’ – winged horses such as Pegasus, the bull-headed Centaur, the lion-woman Sphinx and the bird-woman Harpies; beasts, such as the unicorn, the Gorgon and the minotaur; automatons – metal creatures given life by Hephaestus; and pygmies, centaurs, satyrs, one-eyed giant Cyclops, griffins and manticores. These tales drew on a deep reservoir of imagination and have stood the test of time for over 2000 years.