A Companion to Greek Mythology: Myth and Place - Essay Example

A Companion to Greek Mythology: Myth and Place Greek mythology was intended to be a tool to enlighten people on the environment, their connection to it, and the passing of life and time. Its connection and relationship to religion is meant to inform individuals on the origin of some of the gods and goddesses that existed in ancient times. The telling of myths, as with any ancient cultural system, was meant to educate and bring people closer to elements that would explain the occurrence of different phenomenon. In this case, myths were told for the sole purpose of enabling people live better lives, and to respect what they might not have understood. However, the presence of myths often brings about skepticism and doubt, but there is no question about the relationship between myths, their origins, and what they are meant to represent (Dowden and Livingstone 36). This paper will examine the relationship between a myth and a place it represents, and how this representation brings out an aspect of life that may not have been completely grasped. In Greek mythology, every element and aspect that surrounds human life can be explained through the different myths present. The manner in which they are explained brings into focus some of the things that individuals, even in present day, take for granted. Myths tend to imply that gods have a hand in everything that humans do, and this is evident in the fact that humans may not be entirely in control of their fates. The presence of different myths that explain the different phenomena that exist presents insight into how the world operated in ancient times. One thing that can be taken from all that is said about myths is that there will always be a connection between gods, mortals, and the environment in which all beings reside (Dowden and Livingstone 41). That being said, it is vital for human beings to preserve their environment, because it may be the only thing that ensures the survival of everyone. One of the many Greek myths whose purpose is not often overlooked is the myth of Daedalus and Icarus. Individuals often take a lot of lessons from this story, which tries to talk of the consequences that emanate from over ambition. The story of Daedalus and Icarus is one that is told whenever a lesson needs to be taught, especially on the importance of following instructions and orders. As the story is told, Daedalus is seen as an inventor in Athens, but has mixed emotions when his nephew builds a better invention. In his state, Daedalus decides to throw Talus off of the Acropolis so that he could no longer pose a threat to the inventor’s illustrious image. According to the myth, the goddess Athena turns the boy into a partridge and is seen to fly away. After this incident, Daedalus leaves Athens. From the above, it is clear that Athens plays a significant role in the development of Daedalus’ character (Dowden and Livingstone 47). It is in Athens that individuals get to comprehend the nature of Daedalus, his ingenuity, and also get to see a darker side of human nature. He is seen to be jealous of people who might be better than him in inventing things. His nephew invents a saw, which he believes is better than some of his inventions. This sends Daedalus into a jealous rage that makes him try to kill Talus. It is also through Athens that individuals get to think of an area that is full of individuals with talent and gifts of invention. The Acropolis from which Talus is thrown from is testament to the architectural prowess of the Athenians when it comes to building things from anything and everything available (Dowden and Livingstone 52). Due to guilt or banishment, Daedalus leaves Athens and heads to Crete, where he tries to rebuild his life. This may also be symbolic as a move from one place to another often signifies new beginnings. In Crete, he befriends the Island’s ruler (King Minos), and his building and creative streak continues while he is there. It is believed that while in Crete, Daedalus made it possible for the Island to build in Knossos the Minoan Palace, which is still an architectural site that countless individuals often visit. The building of this palace is a reminder that a place can influence the ingenuity or resourcefulness of an individual, and can bring on designs that may last for long periods, even after passing of time (Dowden and Livingstone 56). This is also the place where Daedalus met people he felt close to, and even had relations with that made it possible for him to have Icarus as a son. He met and fell in love with the king’s servant in Crete, which made him a part of the land as any other man. His designing ways made it possible to have friends that had influence on the land, which made him popular and loved among those who knew him. As his time in Crete moved on, his work could be seen and felt through the sculptures he made in honor of the princess Ariadne. However, during his stay, the relationship began to turn sour because of the trickery and betrayal he carried out to save the man the princess was in love with at the time. In Crete, there was a mystical creature that was feared throughout the land. Upon learning that a certain beloved hero was in love with his daughter, King Minos ordered that Theseus be thrown into the labyrinth, which was considered the creature’s living place/prison. This place served many purposes for the king in Crete. He would use this prison as an avenue to imprison his enemies, and would ensure their death. The presence of this labyrinth meant that individuals would always play a certain role in society, and obey the king’s wishes at all times (Dowden and Livingstone 59). Such places exist because they are meant to instill fear in people, and restrain them from doing certain things. The labyrinth, even in modern times, has been used as an expression to talk of the different situations that individuals often end up in, and cannot escape no matter how hard they try. It is often seen as a maze that is full of different challenges that one must overcome in order to get to the next phase (Dowden and Livingstone 61). In the case of Theseus, he decides to find a way to kill the beast and return to the land of the living. This is where the betrayal by Daedalus comes into play as he gives the young man a ball of yearn to use to find his way back after slaying the Minotaur. Theseus kills the beast and returns to get Ariadne, and they both leave Crete. The king decides to imprison Daedalus and his son in the labyrinth as punishment, but he decides to escape, not by land or sea, but by air. Different places and the situation one is exposed to often bring out different sides of an individual. In this case, Daedalus thought it wise to escape the labyrinth for his sake, and his son’s. Since the land and sea would be guarded, he thought of the birds and the air, and through his imaginative mind, came up with the idea of creating wings for himself and his son. By using twines, wax, and feathers, it was possible for him to build huge wings that would enable them to defy the laws of gravity. The place that the two were imprisoned did not deter the inventor from doing something to help his situation, which goes to show the will that Daedalus had, even in his dire situation. Individuals should learn from this to avoid giving up whenever things go awry. After the completion of the task, Daedalus decides to test his invention, which turns out to work (Dowden and Livingstone 64). He gives his son Icarus instructions on how to use the wings; how high he could go, and how low he could get. These instructions were just to keep him safe from the scorching sun and deep sea water. Their escape was made possible through the skill that had made Daedalus famous, both in Athens and in Crete. These places had helped shape the man that Daedalus was and who he had become, which should be testament of what the environment in which one is exposed to can do to an individual. The commencement of the journey saw the two men defy gravity and nature, which was rather exciting for the younger man, Icarus. The sea is another feature of the island that is mentioned extensively (Dowden and Livingstone 69). Its mention brings into focus the threat that both men face in the escape from the island. It may also be symbolic of the threat that individuals face everyday whenever trying something new. As the journey commences, Daedalus ensures that his son knows of the dangers that the sun and sea pose to both of them. By flying too close to the sea, the feathers that they used would be dampened, hence; making them heavy and harder to use as expected. Also, by flying too close to the sun, the wax would melt. Unfortunately, Icarus ends up defying or forgetting his father’s warnings and flies too close to the sun. The wax melts off and Icarus plunges to his death in the sea. Daedalus cannot do much to save his son, and with heaviness in his heart, he looks on as feathers appear on the spot his son fell. As he comes to terms with the fact that his craft and/or art may have been responsible for his son’s death, he curses the work of his hands (Dowden and Livingstone 73). Daedalus had journeyed from Athens to Crete in search of better things after throwing Talus from Acropolis, and now his son was dead in the sea. He could do nothing to even get his son’s body. He goes on with his journey and finds the island of Sicily. As Icarus died in the sea, there was not much Daedalus could do, so he did what he thought would honor the memory of his son. He named the place the Icarian Sea. To this day, the sea is referred to by that original name, and an island that was near where the boy fell was also named Icaria (Dowden and Livingstone 76). Coincidentally, Evdilos, a village in the island, even has graffiti that depicts a flying man, which might suggest the flight and fall of Icarus into the sea. Places offer individuals something to believe in, even if most of what is said may be doubted and met with suspicion, especially in modern times. However, as with any stories by other ancient cultures, the Greek mythologies are meant to tell of different moralizing lessons to different generations. Also, they are a testament of how times and places have changed due to the evolution of the human mind; turning away from nature, and embracing technology more. In the different myths told, it is common to hear of different rituals carried out by the main focus of the myths. In the myth about Daedalus and Icarus, rituals are also carried out and this is done by Daedalus upon his arrival to Sicily. He performs some funeral rituals, and goes on to construct a temple to the god Apollo (God of Light), where he also hangs the wings that allowed him escape Crete. His inventions and creativeness allow him to befriend the king of Sicily (Cocalus), who protects him even when King Minos comes looking for the inventor. All the mentioned places in the myth are real places that can be traced through time to where they existed, and if they still do. The Icarian Sea, presently, is part of the Aegean Sea (Barnard and Spencer 83). The connection between myth and place is symbolic, because without these places, it may be impossible to have the facts right about the different fables told. More often than not, the features that are often emphasized in myths or fables are large water bodies, mountains, islands, and kingdoms. They help shape what individuals believe in the fables, because they enable the characters in focus to come into being. Daedalus was just a man that loved to invent things. This would ultimately enable him to become famous in ancient Greece. His talent was nurtured in Athens and flourished in Crete; places that both understood the value of exceptional artistry and inventiveness, and they led to the creation of different architectural monuments that, to this day, are referred to in countless places in Greece (Barnard and Spencer 91). The fact that the journey did not give Daedalus what he wanted (happiness), he did get his freedom. This is another way in which the relationship between a place and a myth can be characterized in a fable. Different places should offer individuals the freedom to choose what they want to do, and how they wish to do it. The movement of Daedalus from Athens to Crete enabled him to search and find something different that would help him become better at what he loved doing. This meant that despite what he had done, he wished to be better, and not just at his job, but also as a human being. This is seen when he decides to help the two lovers, Ariadne and Theseus, escape Crete after the killing of the Minotaur. Furthermore, he came to comprehend the nature of having other feelings/emotions such as loss, especially when he lost his son Icarus to the sea. Before leaving Athens, it is not made clear what makes him leave; maybe guilt or banishment, but it is my belief after the loss of his son, he felt what Talus’ parents may have felt when their son did not return home. Myth and place also have another special connection or relationship. Places act as a distinguishing factor among the fables present. They describe the nature and culture of the people in the area, their special traits, and what they do to satisfy the desires of where they live. The most important thing that comes out of the places described by the myths is the culture of the people that exist there at any given time (Barnard and Spencer 96). Whenever fables or myths are told, there is often the main character, whose role and tales fascinate and instill pride in the people that live there and the generations that follow. The place in which they come from is often associated with strength, courage, humility, and bravery. These traditions live on provided the fable gets the attention it deserves, and provided the generations that follow keep following certain beliefs. In conclusion, myths and place have a special connection that may not be entirely brought out whenever myths are told. The purpose of the myth is to educate and inform people of the different characteristics and mannerisms of people from different places, and how they came into being. They are meant to instill certain traits in people from where the fables emanate, thus; creating a certain allure and fascination to the place and the people. It is through maintaining the connection of these myths that people can keep the place where they originate from mystical and magical. Furthermore, by making sure this relationship is maintained, the cultures present can emphasize that the traditions of the place be maintained so as to appease the spirits of those that the myths glorify. It is this belief that keeps these places from fading into obscurity, and maintains a connection between the gods, humans, and the places they live and love (Bulloch 1). Works Cited Barnard, Alan and Jonathan, Spencer. Encyclopedia of Social and Cultural Anthropology. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1996. Print. Bulloch, Anthony. Home page. Ancient Greek Mythology. Dept. of Classics, University of California: Berkeley, 2003-2013. < http://greekmyth.org./> Dowden, Ken and Niall, Livingstone. A Companion to Greek Mythology. New York: Macmillan Publishers, 2011. Print. Read More