Mythology and History

Echetlaeus

Echetlaeus

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Do you believe that Mythology is somehow related to History? Are there any traces of truth in it?
 
Mythology is nothing more than an antiquated belief systems rooted in oral tradition. The oral tradition is rooted in perceived truths, so yes at one time mythology was real history. Christianity in 200-300 years will be looked at as mythology, but there is some good history in it's pages.
 
mythology often finds his root in history, but the story is distorted and used for the own purposes of the story-teller
 
bicicleur said:
mythology often finds his root in history, but the story is distorted and used for the own purposes of the story-teller
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I would also add grossly exaggerated, to impress the listeners. It still happen today in instances such as movie making. If its not exaggerated it will not look good and won't impress.
 
Most of the early histories were written by priests so there would be embellishment of the leaders moral-wise. The leader was such a good man he never told a lie and so on. Next the opponents or enemies were demonized. Yeah, they worship the devil or their leader is a demon. Ghosts, miracles and disasters used included to scare people to control them. Weird explanations were given to natural phenomenon. The Aztecs in order to appease the gods (or else they would swallow the sun "eclipse") sacrificed captured prisoners, ripped their hearts out on their stepped towers. But there were kernels of truth in most of them. In the recitation of the mythologies they were festive affairs with music and plays. Mythologies were the entertainment of the period. At harvest time there was a festival to celebrate and rejoice at the good harvest and thank the gods. Stories were told and retold in an entertaining manner for the illiterate audience. The Ramayana is retold in stories and movies. I watched a lot of them. The Bible even has musical notes in the pages. So Hollywood is not too far from the religious tradition of a mix of truth with fantasy.
 
The best way to put it - IMO,

""Myth is truthful, but figuratively so. It is not historical truth mixed with lies; it is a high philosophical teaching that is entirely true, on the condition that, instead of taking it literally, one sees in it an allegory.""

Paul Veyne - Did the Greeks Believe Their Myths?
 
Yes and no. Some of it should more properly be called oral historic tradition, like the norse sagas and Homerian epics. It's no doubt the shakespeare version of history but history nonetheless. Remember a lot of ancient written history is no doubt embellished as well.

Talk of gods and such, creation/founder myths fall into mythology. They might have some grain of truth but can't be taken too seriously.
 
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