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Favourite stories from Mythology?

AGXStarseed

AGXStarseed

Well-Known Member
I've been watching a lot of Overly Sarcastic Productions on YouTube recently and I do like their takes on things such as history, mythology, tropes, fables/folktales, etc. - making it interesting and yet funny at the same time.
Watching it has made me think, though; with all the various mythologies and stories out there, do you guys have any favourite stories from mythology - whether it's sad, funny, unusual, a short story, a grand epic, etc?

To start us off, I'll throw in one of OSP's videos - talking about the Welsh mythological hero Pywll, Prince of Dyved. This video tells three of his stories - him meeting/befriending Arawn (the King of Annwn, the Welsh "Otherworld"), him getting married and him having a child - and while all of them are entertaining, the first one is my favourite because of one particular thing that Pywll does (or rather doesn't) do, which earns him a pretty lofty reward:

 
I enjoy mythology and ancient religious rites. Studied this relationship mostly with Greek (and some Roman as a footnote) - the actual rites are much different from the parables, though related. Also very interested in Norse and Egyptian. I know there are a lot of good Celtic stories, as well, but haven't looked into them very deeply.
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I haven't read Campbell extensively, I have though found many connections between the different stories. A lot can be told of a culture's norms and values by their stories.
 
I like Edith Hamilton's Mythology. Narcissus and Echo, the first cornfield... The House of Rumor in Ovid's Metamorphoses. Oedipus Rex, if it counts (it certainly has the power of myth). Beowulf. The Kalevala. Blood Clot Boy and other Native American myths.

This web series is funny (the summaries, anyway):

 
Mr. Stevens said:
I like Edith Hamilton's Mythology. Narcissus and Echo, the first cornfield... The House of Rumor in Ovid's Metamorphoses. Oedipus Rex, if it counts (it certainly has the power of myth). Beowulf. The Kalevala. Blood Clot Boy and other Native American myths.

This web series is funny (the summaries, anyway):

Click to expand...
As I take it, Oedipus Rex does indeed count as "mythology". Homer wrote of "Oedipus" before Sophocles made it popular. And it touches on very real values of the collective unconscious for the ancient Greek world.
 
The Trojan War and the Odyssey are two stories I also find interesting to listen to - with both been epic tales in their own right with a lot of sad, funny, stupid and awesome moments thrown in.

For example, I find it funny how the Trojan War begins because Paris of Troy has to choose between the Goddesses Hera, Athena or Aphrodite regarding who deserves a Golden Apple with the words "To The Fairest" engraved on it.
In the end, Paris chooses Aphrodite after she bribes him with the promise that he can get together with Helen of Sparta, who is said to be the most beautiful woman in the world and despite her been married to King Menelaus.
The funny bit for me is that when Paris dies in the Trojan War, it's from him been hit by two poisoned arrows - one of which hits him right in the crotch.
 
AGXStarseed said:
The Trojan War and the Odyssey are two stories I also find interesting to listen to - with both been epic tales in their own right with a lot of sad, funny, stupid and awesome moments thrown in.

For example, I find it funny how the Trojan War begins because Paris of Troy has to choose between the Goddesses Hera, Athena or Aphrodite regarding who deserves a Golden Apple with the words "To The Fairest" engraved on it.
In the end, Paris chooses Aphrodite after she bribes him with the promise that he can get together with Helen of Sparta, who is said to be the most beautiful woman in the world and despite her been married to King Menelaus.
The funny bit for me is that when Paris dies in the Trojan War, it's from him been hit by two poisoned arrows - one of which hits him right in the crotch.
Click to expand...
I blame Eris :)
 
AdamG said:
I blame Eris :)
Click to expand...
Yeah, there's always the one who wants to show up at a party/wedding just to cause drama. Heck, they even tried to bar her entry to stop that and she still ended up causing a divine cat-fight.
What makes it somewhat funnier is that when it comes to choose who deserves the apple, Zeus - the King of the Gods - basically declares "Nope, I'm not getting involved!" because he doesn't want to pick one of the three and have to deal with the wrath of the other two.

To be fair, it's probably one of his wiser decisions; angry women can be terrifying and when those angry women are Goddesses who could do a lot of awful stuff to you if you annoy them (like what Athena did to Arachne), I wouldn't want to be the one to choose who the apple should go to.
 
AGXStarseed said:
Yeah, there's always the one who wants to show up at a party/wedding just to cause drama. Heck, they even tried to bar her entry to stop that and she still ended up causing a divine cat-fight.
What makes it somewhat funnier is that when it comes to choose who deserves the apple, Zeus - the King of the Gods - basically declares "Nope, I'm not getting involved!" because he doesn't want to pick one of the three and have to deal with the wrath of the other two.

To be fair, it's probably one of his wiser decisions; angry women can be terrifying and when those angry women are Goddesses who could do a lot of awful stuff to you if you annoy them (like what Athena did to Arachne), I wouldn't want to be the one to choose who the apple should go to.
Click to expand...
Yeah, I'd have left the apple alone.
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Greek mythology is full of Zeus being afraid of women, and envious of them. He sewed Athena into his thigh to birth her himself. There are other examples. :)
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I think my favorite myth is that of Prometheus (which includes Pandora and her urn).
 
Not being content with just one, Ovid's narrative poem Metamorphoses was my early exposure to Mythology. I first read the poem in my teenage years and that exposure has served me well, in my opinion.
 
Talking about the Trojan War and the Odyssey, there's a musical that's been made at the moment - with some of the songs released on YouTube.
The musical is called "Epic: The Musical" and is described as a 'loose' adaptation of Homer's The Odyssey, so expect changes between the story and the musical. It's split into 9 Sagas with a total of 40 songs - although only two sagas have been completed so far.

Here's the first - The Troy Saga:

01. The Horse and the Infant

02. Just a Man
03. Full Speed Ahead
04. Open Arms
05. Warrior of the Mind
 
There's two heroes from Celtic Mythology (more specifically that of Ireland) that I think should be more well known, and Overly Sarcastic Productions cover them both here.
Be aware - some of the stuff in the first video isn't the kind of thing you can chat about in front of younger/easily offended viewers, so bear that in mind if you choose to watch the first video.

Cú Chulainn​

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Miracle of Sound - The Tale Of Cú Chulainn (Song)


Fionn Mac Cumhaill

 
The story of "Tokoyo and the Sea Monster" is another interesting/weird story I like, although considering that it's from Japan that's no surprise that it's both interesting and weird:

 
"Do what you like and the money will follow." "Politicians are public servants." "The Policeman is your friend." " WW I is the war to end all wars."
 
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