Greek Myths Never Claimed To Be True

[volgadon]

On a recently closed thread there was the following exchange.

"Greek mythology mentions real places. Why don't you believe in Greek mythology?"

"Apples and oranges. Greek mythology does not claim to be true. The Bible does and the Book of Mormon does. Would you care to try again, sir?"

I find the second claim a little bizarre. Did the ancient Greeks for the sheer thrill of it offer sacrifices, build temples and compose hymns to beings they didn't feel existed?

There are many examples showing that they did believe their myths to be true. Here is one from book 8 of Herodotus's History.

The following is a tale which was told by Dicaeus, the son of Theocydes, an Athenian, who was at this time an exile, and had gained a good report among the Medes. He declared that after the army of Xerxes had, in the absence of the Athenians, wasted Attica, he chanced to be with Demaratus the Lacedaemonian in the Thriasian plain, and that while there, he saw a cloud of dust advancing from Eleusis, such as a host of thirty thousand men might raise. As he and his companion were wondering who the men, from whom the dust arose, could possibly be, a sound of voices reached his ear, and he thought that he recognised the mystic hymn to Bacchus. Now Demaratus was unacquainted with the rites of Eleusis, and so he inquired of Dicaeus what the voices were saying. Dicaeus made answer- "O Demaratus! beyond a doubt some mighty calamity is about to befall the king's army! For it is manifest, inasmuch as Attica is deserted by its inhabitants, that the sound which we have heard is an unearthly one, and is now upon its way from Eleusis to aid the Athenians and their confederates. If it descends upon the Peloponnese, danger will threaten the king himself and his land army- if it moves towards the ships at Salamis, 'twill go hard but the king's fleet there suffers destruction. Every year the Athenians celebrate this feast to the Mother and the Daughter; and all who wish, whether they be Athenians or any other Greeks, are initiated. The sound thou hearest is the Bacchic song, which is wont to be sung at that festival." "Hush now," rejoined the other; "and see thou tell no man of this matter. For if thy words be brought to the king's ear, thou wilt assuredly lose thy head because of them; neither I nor any man living can then save thee. Hold thy peace therefore. The gods will see to the king's army." Thus Demaratus counselled him; and they looked, and saw the dust, from which the sound arose, become a cloud, and the cloud rise up into the air and sail away to Salamis, making for the station of the Grecian fleet. Then they knew that it was the fleet of Xerxes which would suffer destruction. Such was the tale told by Dicaeus the son of Theocydes; and he appealed for its <a name="783">truth to Demaratus and other eye-witnesses.

[Calm]

I can't copy my post for some reason so will just provide this link to the Genesis of Greek mythology:

http://www.sacred-texts.com/cla/hesiod/theogony.htm

Note in the second section a claim of "true things".

[Anijen]

There is also the fact that Alexander the Great thought himself a literal descendant of Hercules and other deities...

[Ron Beron]

I find the second claim a little bizarre. Did the ancient Greeks for the sheer thrill of it offer sacrifices, build temples and compose hymns to beings they didn't feel existed?

There are many examples showing that they did believe their myths to be true. Here is one from book 8 of Herodotus's History.

I believe there are two types of belief: the lesser and the great traditions. In the lesser tradition the people's religion with its superstitions and less sophisticated views hold sway while the greater tradition accepts the views of the scriptures as stories signifying a greater more philosophical message. For example, the ancients, particularity Native American tribes didn't worship the sun, per se, but the power behind the sun. They used the symbol of the sun, etc., to show their deities which are invisible. Similarly we don't really believe in Santa, but we believe in the message that he holds.

[Calm]

Similarly we don't really believe in Santa.....

What!!??!?

[jo1952]

What!!??!?

I suppose next he will say that we don't believe in the Easter Bunny!!

[Zakuska]

How about Hindu "myths"?

http://www.mormondialogue.org/topic/55960-mahabharata-hinduism-and-krishna-all-proven-historical-by-archeology/

[ERayR]

I suppose next he will say that we don't believe in the Easter Bunny!!

That one is easy for me. Years ago one of my daughters at 3 years old told me the Easter Bunny wasn't real. She said "How can a bunny carry a basket in its mouth".

[Storm Rider]

On a recently closed thread there was the following exchange.

"Greek mythology mentions real places. Why don't you believe in Greek mythology?"

"Apples and oranges. Greek mythology does not claim to be true. The Bible does and the Book of Mormon does. Would you care to try again, sir?"

I thought the statement was a sign of absolute ignorance the first time it was said. It remains stupid and ignorant. We should all learn to keep our mouths closed (our fingers still) when we don't know what we are talking about.

[jskains]

Uh.... I bet if you dropped into Ancient Greece, and asked any wondering citizen if there was a man on a mountain named Zeus, they would say yes without any complex ideas of "traditions" or whatever....

[Zakuska]

Uh.... I bet if you dropped into Ancient Greece, and asked any wondering citizen if there was a man on a mountain named Zeus, they would say yes without any complex ideas of "traditions" or whatever....

It's absolutley hillarious for Evangelicals to claim that Greeks didn't beleive in their myths and that they were just fiction, when Paul in the very book they pretend to beleive says just that!

Acts 14

8 ¶And there sat a certain man at Lystra, impotent in his feet, being a cripple from his mother’s womb, who never had walked:

9 The same heard Paul speak: who stedfastly beholding him, and perceiving that he had faith to be healed,

10 Said with a loud voice, Stand upright on thy feet. And he leaped and walked.

11 And when the people saw what Paul had done, they lifted up their voices, saying in the speech of Lycaonia, The gods are come down to us in the likeness of men.

12 And they called Barnabas, Jupiter; and Paul, Mercurius, because he was the chief speaker.

13 Then the priest of Jupiter, which was before their city, brought oxen and garlands unto the gates, and would have done sacrifice with the people.

14 Which when the apostles, Barnabas and Paul, heard of, they rent their clothes, and ran in among the people, crying out,

15 And saying, Sirs, why do ye these things? We also are men of like passions with you, and preach unto you that ye should turn from these vanities unto the living God, which made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and all things that are therein:

16 Who in times past suffered all nations to walk in their own ways.

17 Nevertheless he left not himself without witness, in that he did good, and gave us rain from heaven, and fruitful seasons, filling our hearts with food and gladness.

18 And with these sayings scarce restrained they the people, that they had not done sacrifice unto them.

Edited October 26, 2011 by Zakuska

[Calm]

I wish the individual who started all this would comment here...I didn't see a response in the original thread either and I am curious about his thoughts on the matter

[jo1952]

I wish the individual who started all this would comment here...I didn't see a response in the original thread either and I am curious about his thoughts on the matter

Hey! Get out of my head!! I was thinking the same thing a few posts ago.....

jo

[Ron Beron]

Uh.... I bet if you dropped into Ancient Greece, and asked any wondering citizen if there was a man on a mountain named Zeus, they would say yes without any complex ideas of "traditions" or whatever....

So....don't ask the hoi polloi ask the sophist.

[altersteve]

That's an absurd claim to make. Every religion claims to be true.