The Greeks were among the first European civilizations to record complex literature that influenced ideologies, morals, and taboos even in the contemporary world. One of the ancient writing styles was epic poetry, such as the metamorphoses of Ovid and the Iliad and Odyssey. Through Greco-Roman literature, there is often a revelation of morals, ideologies, philosophies and warnings to the society.
The texts in Ovid’s metamorphoses and Homer’s the Essential Homer: Selections from the Iliad and the Odyssey are useful in reinforcing good attitudes towards nature. According to ancient Greco-Romans, nature is a depiction of love. Ancient Greco-Romans believed in the power of love expressed through beautiful nature. According to them, love is a natural force of admiration embodied in the human consciousness of nature. The Greco-Roman culture expressed love in erotic spaces such as the gardens in the countryside. In Homer’s Iliad, the lotus and other kinds of flowers spring up because of the romantic encounter between Zeus and Hera (Homer, 2000). The romantic symbolism of flowers and fields in the Iliad and Odyssey indicates that nature is figurative for fulfilling romantic desires. Therefore, by
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values supported the belief that the gods are supreme and must be respected even when they pose a threat to humans. According to the Greeks, the gods belonged to the supernatural group of perfect persons that were far different from humans. Greco-Romans are Polytheistic, meaning they believe in many gods. However, they believe that the connection between the gods and humans is that they manifest as humans, thus being affected by feelings and emotions. In Ovid’s metamorphoses Ovid, despite their quest for peace, the gods were depicted as full of anger and envy (Ovid, 1994). Ovid depicts Jupiter as a supreme being who was unable to control his passions. The story of Arachne and Minerva also depicted pride and envy. In Iliad, when Agamemnon takes Chryses daughter, Apollo, a god, who bestows a plague on the Achaean camp until Agamemnon agrees to bring back the girl to her father. The gods are depicted as powerful and can go as far as causing a problem that brings suffering to humans to have their ways. According to Greco-Roman culture, the gods are faultless; however, they exhibit human vices like envy, pride and anger because they manifest as humans. Therefore, these beliefs were useful in shaping people’s character in society and warning against enraging the gods through unacceptable deeds.
The core value in Homer’s and Ovid’s writings that the literature reinforce is the culture of hospitality. Hospitality is another social norm expected of everyone in society. In the stories, men were expected to welcome visitors, provide a place to sleep, food, gifts and a promise of safety through the night. In turn, the guests were expected to pose no danger to the host and return the favour when theirs hosts visited them. This value of hospitality is depicted in almost all sections of Odysseus’s journey (Homer, 2000). The Phaeacians host Odysseus when he bathes ashore close to their town. In another instance, Odysseus meets Princess Nausicaa, who offers him food and assists him in reaching Scheria city. Nausicaa offers help despite Odysseus being a stranger and the possibility of becoming the subject of rumour in her city. In Ovid’s Metamorphosis, hospitality is shown when Jupiter and his son mercury and another god visit a couple named Philemon and Baucis (Ovid, 1994). Jupiter was disguised himself as a weary traveller. He walked from home to Philemon and Baucis’s neighbours and got turned away as he had feared (Ovid, 1994). However, they were warmly welcomed in the last cottage, which belonged to Philemon and Baucis. Jupiter was given the best foods that the couple could afford and a good place to rest. In return, the couple was blessed and saved from destruction.
In the Metamorphoses of Ovid, incest is depicted as natural and challenges the thoughts of such actions being taboo. Myrrha’s love for her father is considered natural and agrees to the kind of love that has been deemed unlawful by the Greco-Roman society (Ovid, 1994). However, Myrrha’s physical metamorphosis is part of her punishment for going beyond moral boundaries. Even after her metamorphosis, she lives in pain and the child she bores lives inside of him, even as a tree causing human pain when she births the baby. The literature reinforces incest as a detestable social-cultural norm that brings forth consequences to the sinner. Thus, social-cultural morals can be reinforced from the literature by drawing on the possible consequences of performing incest as described in the story.
In conclusion, The Greek literature of Ovid’s metamorphoses and Homer’s The Essential Homer: Selections from the Iliad and the Odyssey are useful in reinforcing useful ideologies, attitudes and morals in society. Both Ovid’s and Homer’s literature strengthen attitudes towards respect for nature. Also, the support for a supreme being must be respected despite their flaws. Additionally, through the stories, society is taught the importance of hospitality and the consequences of incest as a taboo. The purpose of Greek mythology literature was to enlighten on the origins of ideologies, attitudes, morals, and cultural practices of the society they lived in.
References
Homer. (2000). The Essential Homer: Selections from the Iliad and the Odyssey. (S. Lombardo, Trans.). Hackett Publishing
Ovid. (1994). The metamorphoses of Ovid. (D. Slavitt, Trans.). Johns Hopkins University Press
