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Aetiological Myths
Aetiological Myths
Adapted from Brandy Wright
Aetiological Myths
Religious
Natural
Etymological
Aetiological Myths
- Also known as etiological myths
- They were used to explain how something was created or the reason why something is the way it is today in the world
- Also, used to explain origins and caused
- Creation myths are a type of etiological myth
- Not scientific explanations, they just helped people understand the world they lived in
- There are 3 subtypes: natural, etymological and religious
Natural Myths
- Natural aetiological myths explain aspects of nature such as:
- Lightning, thunder, hurricanes, earthquakes, etc.
Example 1
1
- Zeus was referred to as "the god of thunder and the 'cloud gatherer'"
- He controlled the weather and people used his anger as an explanation for why lightning and thunder occurred
Example 2
- Poseidon is the god of the sea, earthquakes, sea storms and horses
- Sailors relied on him for safe passage
- This is why he was worshipped before voyages
- Therefore, if there were strong tides/treacherous waters, it was explained to be the cause of Poseidon being angry or moody
2
Etymological Myths
- Etymological myths explain the origin of a word
- Etymology means the study of word origins
Example 1
1
- There was a mortal named Arachne who was a very talented weaver and believed she was better than the goddess, Athena
- Athena challenged her to a contest and lost so she turned Arachne into a spider
- In Greek, "arachni" means spider
- Therefore, people used her name as reasoning to name these odd creatures, Arachnids
- It was a way for them to understand how they originated
Example 2
- Aphrodite is the goddess of love, beauty and passion
- She was born in sea-foam
- the word "aphros" means sea-foam
- The people of this time used this reasoning to explain her name and origin although, her name was not actually derived from the word "aphros"
2
Religious Myths
- Religious aetiological myths explain the origin of a religious ritual
Example 1
- The Greeks had religious rituals of the Eleusinian Mysteries that they held every year
- These were for the cult of Demeter and Persephone based at Eleusis in ancient Greece
- People would explain that these religious rituals originated when Demeter came down to the city of Eleusis and taught the people how to worship
1
Example 2
2
- A popular religious ritual the Greeks had was they would visit the Delphic Oracle
- The priestess there would prophesy for Apollo on the seventh day of the first month as it was believed that Apollo was born on the seventh day of the seventh month
- Therefore, seven was sacred to him
- The Greeks used this to explain why the seventh day was the best day to practice this religious ritual of visiting the oracle who prophesied for Apollo
Next Steps
Next Steps
Go to Canvas and click on Creation Stories.
Follow the directions.
Works Cited
“About Apollon.” Temple of Apollo - About Apollo, www.templeapollo.com/apollon.html.
Metmuseum.org, www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/grlg/hd_grlg.htm.
Mellenthin, Jessica, and Susan O. Shapiro. “The Three Types of Myth.” Mythology Unbound An Online Textbook for Classical Mythology, press.rebus.community/mythologyunbound/chapter/three-types-of-myth/.
Cartwright, Mark. “Zeus.” Ancient History Encyclopedia, Ancient History Encyclopedia, 10 July 2019, www.ancient.eu/zeus/.
“Poseidon • Facts and Information on Greek God Poseidon.” Greek Gods & Goddesses, 2019, greekgodsandgoddesses.net/gods/poseidon/.