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 Jason and the Argonauts
The story of Jason, his fellow Argonauts and the trip to get the Golden Fleece has entralled the world for many centuries now. It is a story of excitement, danger and, most of all, a stroy of adventure. In the end, Jason did manage to get the fleet but the story of his life has a tragic and unexpected end.
The Amazons
The myth says that they were the most powerful women ever. In the ancient times, they were said to be a tribe of independent, mighty women who had rebelled against the men-dominated society. They used to live in isolate places, exclude men from their society and make wars against them. Today, we can call them as the first extreme feminists.
The fall of Icarus
Man has forever pushed himself to the limits trying to achieve the impossible. Discoveries and inventions are perhaps man’s way to escape from the mundane or simply to alter his life. Such an effort is the myth of Daedalus and Icarus, a brilliant story of how necessity facilitated the invention of something that was never meant for man and how it led to his downfall. Myth though it may be, the story of Daedalus and Icarus wants to show us that the power of man has no limits but also that we should be very careful how to use this power.
Atalanta, an independent female
Atalanta is one of the few women in Greek mythology, apart from goddess Artemis, who seem to have physical strenght and masculine skills. She was admired for being as strong and quick as a man. However, in the end, her female personality prevailed and decided to have family, the way all women do. Fates though had other plans and a torturous end came.
Asclepius, the god of medicine
Asclepius was originally a mortal and later became the god of medicine and healing, according to the ancient Greeks. The myth of Asclepius is connected to the origins of medical science and the healing arts. His cult was particularly popular all over Greece and people from all Meditarranean countries used to come to his temples, named "Asclepieion", to be cured. Remains these temples can be seen till today. His story is pretty interesting and is actually a story of punishment.
Europa, the godmother of a whole continent
This myth is about a beautiful girl that was abducted and then seduced by Zeus, the chief of the Gods. This concept is pretty usual is Greek mythology. The remarkable thing is that this girl gave her name to the whole continent of Europe. Her story has been particularly popular since the ancient times and has been depicted in many ancient pieces of ceramics and coins.
The name-giving of Athens
It is well-known that Athens was the most powerful and glorious town of ancient Greece. Its residents managed to develop a wonderful civilization that is admired till today. It is also known that the city got its name from Athena, the goddess of wisdom and courage. But how did Athens got its name? Here is a charming little story about the origin of the city's name.
Orpheus and Eurydice
The story of Orpheus and Eurydice is a great tragic myth. Orpheus gets in love with nymph Eurydice and when she dies, right after their wedding, he descends to the Underworld. There he convinces the God of the Dead, Pluto, to give his wife back to Earth so that they could lead a normal life. Pluto agrees but unfortunately, something in the end goes wrong...
This tragic story has inspired many painters, such as Paul Rubens and Nicolas Poussin and is the basic concept for many operas and songs. This myth has been told in many versions and the oldest version dates from the 6th century B.C.
The Danaides
The myth of Danaides is the story of fifty women who commit a horrible wrongdoing: guided by their father, they all kill their husbands on their wedding night! This great massacre was unbelievable, even for the bloody ancient Greek myths. It was a crime that both people and gods would punish. Indeed, the Danaides were punished for this after their death with a horrible and eternal torment.
Pygmalion and Galatea
The story of Pygmalion and Galatea is quite known and popular till nowadays. Pygmalion, a famous sculptor, falls in love with his own creation and wishes to give this creation life. This simple and imaginary concept is actually the basis from a psychological understanding of male behaviour and wish. This nice myth is considered as the depiction of the masculine need to rule over a certain woman and to inanimate his ideas into a female living creature. The modern concept of Pygmalion is thought as a man who “shapes” an uncultivated woman into an educated creature.
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