The origin of Greek mythology

Greek mythology is the earliest oral creation of the people in Europe, which was produced approximately between the 12th century BC and the 8th century BC. It has been passed down orally by the ancient Greeks for hundreds of years, passed down from generation to generation, and continuously artistically processed. It has been preserved in various literary, historical, and philosophical works in the future.

Greek mythology includes two parts: stories of gods and legends of heroes. The story of God involves the origin of the universe and mankind, the emergence of God and its genealogy, etc. According to legend, there were twelve gods in ancient Greece: Zeus, the lord of the gods, his wife Hera, Poseidon, the sea god, Athena, the goddess of wisdom, Apollo, the sun god, Artemis, the goddess of hunting and the moon, and the god of love and beauty. Aphrodite, Ares, the god of war, Hephaestus, the god of fire and craftsmen, Hermes, the messenger, Demeter, the god of agriculture, and Hestia, the god of kitchen stoves. They are in charge of various phenomena and things in nature and life, forming the Olympus theocracy with Zeus as the center and various phenomena and things in life, forming the Olympus theology with Zeus as the center.

Heroic legends originated from the worship of ancestors. It is an artistic review of ancient history and the struggle between nature and nature by the ancient Greeks. Most of the protagonists in such legends are the descendants of gods and humans, half-gods and half-human heroes. They have extraordinary physical strength and bravery, embodying the heroic spirit and tenacious will of mankind to conquer nature, and have become the embodiment of the collective strength and wisdom of the ancient people. The most famous legends include Hercules' twelve great feats, Jason's taking of the golden fleece, etc.

The gods in Greek mythology have the same shape and sex as humans. They have the beauty of human bodies and the seven emotions and six desires of humans. They understand joy, anger, sorrow, and participate in human activities. The only difference between gods and humans is that the former has eternal life and has no period of death; the latter has a limited life and is subject to birth, old age, illness and death. The gods in Greek mythology have distinct personalities, no ascetic elements, and little mysticism. Therefore, Greek mythology is not only the soil of Greek literature, but also has a profound influence on later European literature.