The Lessons We Can Learn From The Greek Mythology
Even though the stories in Greek mythology and heroes of divine ancestry who noted for superhuman courageous acts doesn’t exist in life nowadays, the characteristics of the heroes are just like any of us, as they not flawless, they not only made good choices but made mistakes as well. They also have both positive and negative traits in personality which everyone can either learn from or avoid. Different heroes show the importance of different traits, for instance, Jason, Theseus, and Perseus are risk-takers and also courageous. In addition, Hercules, Perseus, and Odysseus kept trying and overcome trials and challenges. Lastly, faithfulness to loved ones are demonstrated by Odysseus and Theseus but disobeys by Jason who also gets his punishment for it.
One of the lessons the Greek Mythology teaches is to take risks and be courageous, which was done by Jason, Theseus, and Perseus. Even though Jason is the rightful heir to Iolcus, his uncle took away the kingdom from him who was forced to hide away in safety. Furthermore, Pelias tries to dispose of him as he sends Jason to get the golden fleece and hopes he will die of danger along the way. Jason shows his courage by passing through the trial of courage present by King Aeetes which is to pow the field with two bulls yoke together whose feet are made of bronze and breathe fire, to cast dragon’s teeth into the furrows and to fight the army of warrior that appears after that. He faces the trials without stepping back from it and finally completes his mission. In addition, Theseus volunteers to be a tribute bravely and kills the minotaur even it’s said to be impossible. According to the myth, 7 boys and 7 girls send each year to feed the beast in the Labyrinth. When Theseus hears this, he volunteers to go and kill the minotaur, despite the disagreement his father makes because it’s said that everyone who goes in will get lost and be eaten by the minotaur. Regardless of how he can avoid it by just live in wealth as a prince and stays out of the trouble since it’s not his business. He still takes the risk by saving the other 13 tributes and everyone that Athens needs to send in the future.
One other hero also shows that trait in his act - and that’s Perseus. Perseus tries to kill Medusa since she’s the only mortal one among the three gorgons and brings her head back to Polydectes as a wedding gift he requested for even though Polydectes is fully aware that it’s a deadly job because even a single glance from the snake-haired monster is sufficient to turn someone into a stone statue. Facing the trials and challenges that seem impossible to complete, Hercules, Perseus, and Odysseus did it with perseverance. Hercules is famous for completing all twelve labors of courage without giving up and pushing himself through trials that seemed impossible to complete. Such as when he has to kill the Lernean Hydra which would rise up and terrorize the countryside. The hydra is a monstrous serpent with nine heads which are immortal and therefore indestructible. Nevertheless, Hercules use fire to prevent the head from regrowing and buried the chopped off heads under a heavy rock, with that, he slays the monster successfully. Despite all the barriers in Perseus' way, he bravely trudges forward, overcoming the challenges. Even though the task of delivering Medusa's head to his king seems impossible, he never quits.
Odysseus never gives up even though it took him the longest to get home, he is persistent and overcomes any temptation that gets in his way. Odysseus tries to cheer his men up by reminding them that they have persevered through worse, he also urges his men to have courage so they can overcome the challenge together. His perseverance and determination is contagious and is passed on to his men. During his journey out on the sea, the god of the sea, Poseidon is mad at Odysseus and sends a storm to destroy his ship. Although the ship is battered to pieces, he continued onward to reach his home, not giving up hope and keeps going. No great hero ever became a hero without a more than a little perseverance which is shown by the three heroes that we need to learn from. Eventually, the Greek Myths teach us life lessons such as be faithful to your family and the one you love.
Odysseus is always focused on one objective and that is to get home whenever and wherever he was for ten years. Even after all the years of fighting and bloodshed in the Trojan war, he still had home in his mind. An example of this is when the beautiful nymph Calypso who jails him on her island for seven years on his way back home. She offered him immortality to be her husband and leave his thoughts for home but he refuses and gives it all up for his family and home. He never gave up hope facing all the difficulties and continued to trudge his way back home finally after she releases him. If not for the thought of home and his family, he would be dead instead of how he overcome all the challenges. Despite the heroic acts done by Jason, in some ways he’s not as perfect due to his betrayal to his beloved ones. Odysseus is always focused on one objective and that is to get home whenever and wherever he was for ten years.
Even after all the years of fighting and bloodshed in the Trojan war, he still had home in his mind. An example of this is when he is with the beautiful nymph Calypso who jailed him on her island for seven years. She offered him immortality to be her husband and leave his thoughts for home but he refuses and gives it all up for his family and home. He never gives up hope when facing all the difficulties and continued to trudge his way back home. If not for the thought of home and his family, he would be dead instead of how he overcome all the challenges. When Theseus first saw Ariadne who’s the Cretan princess, they both fall in love with each other. She helps him to kill the minotaur by shows him how to not get lost in the Labyrinth. However, Theseus is forced by Dionysus to leave Ariadne on the island of Naxos, and in grief, he forgot to take down the black sail which occasioned in the death of his father.
