I figure the up side to polytheism is being able to pick favorites. Sure, there was some deep meaning there, but never underestimate the value of a poll.
My favorite goddess would be Artemis (or if you prefer the Roman version, Diana), goddess of the hunt, childbirth, the moon, and a few other things.
Favorite myth: I always liked that of Oedipus (and yup, have read the play)- the whole thing about fate coming in was just so awesome when I first heard about it when I was younger. And Persephone’s was pretty fascinating too. I’ll post a couple more if I think of any…
Artemis was always my favourite Goddess as well. I prefer the Greek names to the Roman versions.
Considering that I never want children, it’s odd that my favourite would be the goddess of childbirth (among other things that have nothing to do with childbirth). But then again, she never had children either.
The story of Orion is my favourite myth … as well as constellation.
another Artemis fan, checking in.
i don’t really have a favorite myth, actually. i like most of 'em (yup, blood, guts, and all. and why are you looking at me so funny? :D)
Dionysos. All the wine you want, never any hangovers.
(Pratchett fans: wasn’t there a Discworld book that had a hapless deity who was the “Oh God” of Hangovers (he got all the larger-than-life hangovers the wine god of the pantheon should have had)? What was his name?)
I mean what a guy. Hacked off his dad’s testicles witha sickle. Slept with his sister, who wasn’t too pleased, but then neither was his mother about who she had slept with, which of course is why she helped her son defeat her mate like her mother before her. Anyway then Cronus eats all of his children except for Zeus since Rhea tricks him with a stone. So he’s not that bright but still my favorite bad guy.
Hades is my fav. Lord of the Underworld, but not evil, just guarding the dead, misunderstood, got the short end of the stick when choosing straws. His brothers get earth and sky, he gets death and underground caves.
And of course, depending on the interpretation you believe, the story of Hades and Persephone is the original Beauty and the Beast archetype, no question.
Favorite Greek God: Dionysus (The God of wine and revelry)
Favorite Myth: The Myth of Sisyphus - Sisyphus was condemned by the Gods to roll a huge boulder up the side of a mountain. When he reached the top, the boulder would invariably roll back down again, and Sisyphus would have to start all over again. This happens for eternity. Seems pretty hellish, doesn’t it? Well try to read Camus’ take on the situation. He explains why he imagines Sisyphus as being happy in this situation. And if you really think about it, aren’t we all in the same situation. Don’t we all do our “jobs” every day, only to do them again the next day, and then the next day, and so on. Are we really accomplishing anything, or are we all just modern day Sisyphuses, with our spreadsheets and pencils taking the place of the boulder? And by having these “jobs” to perform, don’t we now have a purpose to our lives? Existentalists have forever searched for a universal “purpose” to our existence. But when none is found, we still have to live our lives. So we set up goals for ourselves, because they give us a reason to live. While there is no universal reason for our being here, we can always invent subjective reasons. That’s why I like the story of Sisyphus. It’s because it’s really the story of all humans.
