Jared Benson
HUM 115
Myth and History Synthesis
23 June 2015
The Many Spoils of War, a Greek Perspective
The epic story told in Trojan War is considered by many to be a starting foundation of Greek mythology and to other modern stories we still tell today. It is a story of envy, disloyalty, cleverness, and persistence that few stories can challenge. Greek myths such as The War on Troy tell of epic tales of gods and goddesses working together and even feuding among each other in order to create a more desirable world for themselves. They are the stories of people dealing with and overcoming personal and cultural issues as represented by the gods in a society where history and storytelling go hand in hand. These so called myths …show more content…
These myths were told to people and it helped them realize the difference between right and wrong. It helped them come to terms with understanding their own humility and it also helped them gain an understanding that they should never think themselves higher than their immortal gods. These myths tell the tales of mighty heroes and how their greatness was achieved while at the same time illustrating the flaws these heroes had in their personal quest to become gods. A deeper look into the Trojan War reveals meanings, attitudes, and life lessons that the Greeks were very adamant in preserving for the betterment of their society and to the world around them. These tales seldom ended in happy endings like the ones we are accustomed to observing in our culture today and is important to remember that they weren’t written solely for entertainment—they were written with a greater purpose. In truth, these myths give people the opportunity to glimpse at the way the Greeks lived and how they thought back then. These myths were an integral part of ancient Greek culture, this was how they passed down lessons from …show more content…
One of the most famous heroes during the Trojan War, Achilles, had divine parents who were Thetis and Peleus, the king of the Myrmidons. Although he was by no means a god, he had godly features such as his great strength and nearly impenetrable body which propelled him to be a mighty hero during the war in the eyes of the Greek; essentially linking the bridge between god and man. The heroes and events in the Trojan War represented an age when men were greater and life had a greater purpose. Heroes like Achilles were examples to aspire to, and by doing great deeds a certain immortality could be reached, either absolutely or through remembrance in myth and