The Cornucopia, or Horn of Plenty, is actually the horn of the goat Amalthea, the nurse of baby Zeus in Greek mythology. Zeus, ruler of the Greek pantheon, had a rough upbringing. His father Cronos knew that a son was destined to depose him, just as he had deposed (and castrated!) his father Ouranos. Cronos, [...]
Mythphile
all the myth that’s fit to print
Browsing the archives for the Greek tag
1 Nov 10
The Myth of Arion and the Dolphin
My retelling; based mostly on accounts by Ovid and Herodotus, with a few original additions. There was a youth in ancient Corinth who played the lyre with such skill that many said he was taught by the legendary musician Orpheus, for he had the power to charm beasts with his songs. Once upon a time, [...]
29 Oct 10
The Goddess Athena: Feminist or Misogynist?
Applying modern standards to ancient symbols, myths, and civilizations is as anachronistic as a Shakespearean production of Antony and Cleopatra in Elizabethan garb. Nevertheless, when we hail these ancient gods and goddesses, we must remember whom we are calling. As a graduate of Bryn Mawr College, which regards Athena as a muse of the mind, [...]
12 Oct 10
Greek Mythology Trivia Quizzes
The Goddess Athena wants you to strap on your thinking caps and test yourself! I’ve created a series of Greek Mythology Trivia Quizzes. Some are tough; they’re designed for students of Greek mythology and classics to test themselves. Others are easier. For all of them, I’ve included “mini-myths” and Greek art (mostly vase paintings) following [...]
10 Nov 08
Hope, Blessings, and a Return
Well, that was a longer absence than intended. Moving into my new home, starting my dissertation, and a flurry of life happenings pushed my mythology blog onto the back burner for nine months. Let me jump right back in on a current topic: politics and myth. The recent U.S. election campaigns revolved largely around myth [...]