“Mythology” by Edith Hamilton

Mythology By Edith Hamilton Mythology is mainly known for the gentile religions that dominated Europe during the times of the Greek and Roman Empires. The main hea henceish religion being that of the Greek gods like Zeus, Hera, Ares, and Hercules which was the most prevalent and current amongst Europeans at the time. The religions although very harsh and unforgiving were prevalent because the populate required a strong spiritual source to depend on. The people mandatory a sense of unity in order to have their wage increase civilizations succeed. The people need someone to blame for the m whatever negative things that may have happened during their times.All of these things contributed to the success and need for the pagan religions in Europe. The Greek pagan gods were a very harsh and unforgiving lot. Zeus the father of the gods along with his br new(prenominal)s betrayed and banished his father Kronos after he tried to devour them all. Zeus then tricked his brother Hades int o being the master of the Underworld where only demolition and sorrow prevailed and Poseidon the king of the Oceans. He then proceeded to make himself the ruler of the gods effectively making sure he wasnt challenged as he control from the heavens.In the same way the people of the Greek and Roman empires pursued business office and fame. The Greek metropolis states warred with each other endlessly, constantly making and open frame alliances in order to gain the upper hand in the form of their respective god or gods. The two gods who were the cause of the greatest of catastrophes were genus Athene and Ares. Which were the gods of the city states of Sparta and Athens. Both of the city states believed that their god was superior and that they should in do work rule over the other Greek city states and all the other lesser gods.This led to great conflicts between the two nations which in mythology is depict by the grand arguments and betrayals that Athena and Ares committed on o ne a nonher. The people always praised their gods and offered them bountiful gifts and sacrifices. They believed that in doing this the gods would grant them the ability to win any war or avoid any catastrophe. With this feeling of superiority and godly intervention they felt invincible and so always went out to compartmentalize out their empires at the expense of lives and money.Because of all the bloodshed brought forth from the unalike gods and different cultures ending in wars it was necessary for the Greek and Roman city states to have gods that were strong and merciless. The people needed to know that their god would non allow any other nation or god to misemploy his people or disturb his domain. Anywhere where the dominant god was not of a warrior personality city states fell to more aggressive ones and anywhere that these aggressive city states went they carved out territories and imposed even great control of entire regions. A weak god was indeed a weakness and a str ong, merciless one was indeed the way to go.