What Are Some Examples of Myths ?
Some examples of myths include the Greek story of Persephone’s abduction by Hades and the tale of Prometheus tricking Zeus into choosing a lesser offering. Myths are ancient stories that are typically used to explain some natural phenomenon or cultural practice.
In Greek mythology, Persephone was the daughter of Zeus and Demeter and eventually became the queen of the underworld. Hades, the god of the underworld, was so enraptured by Persephone’s beauty that he abducted her to be his queen. Demeter, the goddess of the harvest, was so upset by her daughter’s abduction that she made all crops wither and die. While Persephone was eventually retrieved from the underworld, Hades tricked her into eating the seeds of a pomegranate, which bound her to the underworld for a quarter of the year. The myth was used to explain the season of winter, with spring representing Persephone’s return.
Prometheus was a son of the Titans, predecessors to the Olympian gods. Though immortal himself, Prometheus was a friend to humans, seeking to help them in their dealings with the gods. In one myth, Prometheus tricked Zeus into choosing a pile of bones made to look appealing instead of actual meat presented unappealingly. The Greeks used this story to explain the practice of sacrificing bones to the gods, rather than the meat itself.
