Ancient Greek Mythology By Edith Hamilton

There are many valuable life lessons hidden behind the stories of Greek Mythology. Through elaborate Greek creation stories and tales of gods and goddesses, life lessons are revealed that are still relevant in people's lives today. In her book Mythology, Edith Hamilton portrays love through Ancient Greek stories as a simple emotion that can be interpreted in many different ways. In particular, the ancient love stories of Cupid and Psyche, Pyramus and Thisbe, Ceyx and Alcyone, Baucis and Philemon, and Procne and Philomela hold a much deeper meaning of love. Their stories prove that although a simple emotion, love is so strong that no obstacle, jealousy, or even death can destroy it; love will always find a way. In the story of Cupid
The only hospitable people in the town of Phrygian, Baucis and Philemon passed the test of pleasing the gods Jupiter and Mercury. The lovers of old age were rewarded with whatever they wished for. The couple loved each other so much, that as their wish, they asked that they never would live alone. "—and oh, since we have lived so long together, let neither of us ever have to live alone. Grant that we may die together" (Hamilton 153). This demonstrates a love so strong that they knew death would not destroy it, but only make it easier on the both of them to die together. As they became older and older, their wish was granted and together they turned into trees at death. Hamilton states, "As the words passed their lips they became trees, but still they were together. The linden and the oak grew from one trunk" (Hamilton 154). They may have physically died at that moment, but the two trees growing from one trunk symbolized that their love had found a way to live
No matter the story, love always found a way to be eternal. Whether it was Cupid and Psyche overcoming jealousy driven obstacles, Pyramus and Thisbe overcoming the boundaries set by their parents, Ceyx and Alcyone turning into birds, Baucis and Philemon living eternally as a tree from one trunk, or Creüsa and Ion reuniting after years, no force was ever strong enough to separate two lovers. As Hamilton states in the story of Pyramus and Thisbe, "Only death would have the power to separate us. It shall not have that power now" (Hamilton 138). This is true for each story. Love may be a simple emotion, but nothing will ever destroy it; no distance, no time, no amount of jealousy, not even death. Love will always find a