Greek Mythology

                                                                                                                       By Lukas Dammer    3/21/2024

Do you know how much modern media is based on the legends and tales of Greek mythology? It is unlikely you don't know about one piece of media that wasn't inspired by Greek mythology. Greek mythology was thought up by the Greeks to explain natural phenomena they did not know the cause of.

One of the best ways to understand Greek mythology-inspired media is to know the origins of the gods and heroes. It all began with Gaia and Uranus who gave birth to 12 beings called Titans then Gaia told the youngest Kronos to defeat his father which he did. He then married his sister Rhea and had many children and ate them. Rhea was tired of begging for her children to stop being eaten so she had a child named Zeus when Kronos went to eat him Rhea fed him a rock instead to trick him and sent Zeus to grow up with nymphs but once he came to age to fight Kronos he made him barf his siblings Poseidon, Hades, Dementor, Hera, Etc. With him and his fully grown siblings by his side he defeated Kronos. They all formed Olympus and had many more demigods and godly children.

One of the most popular book series inspired by Greek mythology is Percy Jackson and the Olympians. It is a book series about a 12-year-old kid named Percy who discovers he is a demigod and son of Poseidon, god of the Sea, Horses, and Earthquakes. He has to beat a great evil to protect his friends and family. It was made by the esteemed author Rick Riordan who made other book series inspired by mythology.

Another piece of media based on Greek mythology is “Jason and the Argonauts” This movie is about Jason who gets sent on a quest to get the Golden Fleece by his uncle Pelieas hoping he dies so he can't take the throne of Iolcus which he stole from the king before him. Jason however will not do this quest alone and gains the help of Hylas, Acastus, and Hercales. This movie is a great portrayal of the myth it is inspired by.

There are many more forms of media inspired by Greek mythology. These forms of media only prove the memory of Greek gods and heroes has remained intact as their stories get retold in different ways living on to this day.  May the memory of Greek legends be instilled in you!

Sources

Britannica

History.com