Myths and Legends of the World

Mnemosyne, Titan goddess of memory, was considered one of the most powerful goddesses of her time. After all, it is memory, some believe, that is a gift that distinguishes us from the other creatures in the animal world. It is the gift that allows us to reason, to predict and anticipate outcomes, and is the very foundation for civilization. Ironically, the goddess Mnemosyne is largely forgotten, lost in the mists of time.  When she is remembered it is usually only in the context of her being the mother of the Muses, though all acknowledge that without memory the lively arts of the Muses would never have been possible. Mnemosyne was a Titaness, a daughter of the first generation of deities in Greece.  Her parents were the rulers Uranus and Gaia, Mother Earth. The goddess Mnemosyne is sometimes credited with being the first philosopher, her gift the power of reason. She was given responsibility for the naming of all objects, and by doing so gave humans the means to dialog an...

To end Women's month with the one of the greatest superheroines (one of my favorite) named Wonder Woman.Wonder Woman is a superhero from DC comics who has her own series as well as being a regular member of the Justice League, she is an Amazon princess who fights crime with aid from her bulletproof wristbands, magical lasso and superhuman-strength. Molded from clay by her mother, Queen Hippolyta, Princess Diana was bestowed with powers and abilities from the Greek gods and goddesses, and trained by her fellow Amazons on the paradise island, Themyscira, to use her powers carefully - even though Princess Diana bested them in battle. When Colonel Steve Trevor crash landed on Paradise Island, Hippolyta was instructed by the Goddesses Athena and Aphrodite to hold a contest to see which Amazon would accompany Steve back to "Man's World" to fight evil, because entities were spreading deceit, enmity, contempt, and discord. The contests consisted of one-on-one combat, ar...

School officially start today. One of the mythology greatest teacher is Chiron  Chiron Trainer of Heroes Father of the Healing Arts Chiron is last son of Kronos, who was in the form of a horse at the time. He was born from Kronos and the nymph Philyra. He was half-horse because Kronos was half-horse when he was with Philyra. His mother, Philyra abandoned him at birth because of her disgust at his appearance. Later the sun Titan, Helios, and his family took care of the child and taught him all his skills. Chiron is not a true centaur, as centaurs are notorious for being overly indulgent drinkers and carousers, given to violence when intoxicated, wild, lusty, and generally uncultured delinquents. Chiron, by contrast, is intelligent, civilized, and kind. Also, true centaurs are born of sun and cloud (Ixion and Nephele), and are not immortal. However, Chiron gained his immortality from the Olympians as a reward for side with them in the Titan War. Throughout the...

Look! Up in the sky! It’s a bird! It’s a plane! It’s…Well, you know how it ends, don't you? It’s a sentence so iconic; that kids around the world know it. Being Superman is the childhood fantasy of every little boy. He is an enduring emblem of the American dream, the young immigrant who comes to the United States, embraces the culture and makes something of himself and enriches his adopted nation. He is a classical hero in the modern age that fights criminals, rescues the helpless and has a sense of morals and justice as strong and unshakable as he is. The most recognized superhero in pop culture, Superman has been elevated to mythic hero status. Born as Kal-El on the dying planet Krypton, his parents Jor-El and Lara sent him in a rocket to the planet Earth where he would be the last surviving member of his race, the Kryptonians. His rocket was discovered by the kindly Jonathan and Martha Kent, who raised him as their son Clark Kent in the town of Smallville, Kansas. Youn...

The question whether homosexuals make good soldiers has been a controversial issue in many Western countries in the twentieth century. In the United States gays' right to serve had sparked a heated debate on a national scale, recently resolved in favor of a controversial 'don't tell' policy which allows gays and lesbians to enlist provided they do not divulge their sexual orientation. If you ever run into anyone who gives you a mouthful of right-wing nonsense about how gays shouldn't serve in the military, or protests that gays have never been allowed to openly serve in the military, tell them about the OTHER 300. Not the soldiers at Thermopylae celebrated in the movie "The 300," but another group equally deserving of attention. Known as "The Sacred Band of Thebes," these 300 gay men (150 couples) were recruited to form an elite band of soldiers, known for their bravery and devotion. It's a fascinating and often-overlooked morsel of h...

Ok recap: Suitor’s military alliance: Helen’s “kidnapping” sparked a war with Troy and her allies. Leaders of Greece assemble for the Rescue of Helen and the Destruction of Troy. Death of Lover: Patroclus, Lover of Achilles, was killed by Hector and unleash the fury of Achilles To War: Achilles came to the battlefield, with new armor and shield from his mother, fashioned by the god Hephaestus. Homer gave a long description of the shield's design. Achilles was determined to seek out and kill Hector in single combat. Zeus decreed that the Olympians were allowed to visit the battlefield, now that he had fulfilled his vow to the goddess Thetis. Another reason that the other gods was allowed to re-enter the battlefield, is to check Achilles from sacking Troy today. Achilles was not allowed to capture Troy; the city would not fall until its appointed time. This seemed to indicate that Achilles could change the course of history if his murderous rage was left unchecked. Ac...

In Iolcus; Pelias, son of Poseidon and Tyro, had anger the Goddess Hera, by murdering his stepmother, Sidero, at the goddess' altar! To further anger Hera, when Pelias became king of Iolcus, he banned people from worshipping her. Talk about a death sentence. Hera is Queen of the Gods and tormentor of Hercules and Zeus’s other illegitimate children. So can you say royally screw? Let back up a bit. Tyro (Pelias’s mother) married her uncle Cretheus, king of Iolcus in Thessaly years ago. Tyro bore him three sons: Aeson, Amythaon and Pheres. When her husband died; Aeson, being Cretheus' eldest son, should have inherited the throne from his father. Pelias seized the throne and had his half-brother Aeson thrown into prison. But Aeson had a son, Jason, who as baby was send to be in the care of Chiron,  a wise Centaur and Trainer of Heroes. Pelias learned from Delphi that a man (Aeolid) with one sandal would cause his death. Many years later, Pelias was holding games in ho...