A myth is a story. Myths were told or written to answer some of the biggest questions a person could ask -- Who are we? Where did we come from? Why do these things happen? A myth is often a story of gods and goddesses, heroes, great deeds, and supernatural powers. It may explain things that are mysterious or unknowable to us. In ancient times, myths sometimes explained things that we now understand through science, like the movement of the stars and planets and the changing of the seasons.
Who wrote the myths?
Ancient Greek myths evolved over hundreds of years. At first the stories were simply told by one person to another. Details changed with each telling and the stories passed through many generations this way. Eventually, some of the myths were written down. Many of the Greek myths that we know today were first recorded by the poets Homer and Hesiod in the 8th century BC.
What were the gods like?
The most powerful Greek gods lived high atop Mt. Olympus. They looked and acted much like humans, but they were more powerful, beautiful, and far more gifted. The gods also had human feelings and emotions, like love, anger, and jealousy. They married, had children, fought with each other, and generally acted like the Greek people they ruled.
For example Aphrodite was the goddess of love, Dionysus was the god of wine, and Zeus was the king of the gods.
Each god had a special area of influence, such as love, war, hunting, music, or agriculture. Many of the best-known gods had temples dedicated to them. People thought that the gods would treat them well if they brought offerings of grain or animals to these temples . Learn more about Greek mythology.
