Introduction
There is a very close link between the Greek and Roman gods and goddesses. However, there are various diversifications, evident on the Roman culture. The gods and goddesses of a given society portray the cultural image of that social setting, and cultural rule. According to Karas (2010), the gods of war exist in societies that reward good fighters thus emphasizing the value of fighting.
America is a patriotic country and this is easy to note because of the leadership style, which emphasize on the value of patriotism. The Greek and Roman mythology are some of the strongest establishments of the western cultures. They influence current styles of governance, ethics/morals, poetry, literature, and commitment patterns. The gods and goddesses from the two cultures present more humane aspects that were easier to deal with especially among the Greek and roman societies.
Elements and functions of gods and goddess myths
The Greek mythology present living things as gods and goddesses with basic human characteristics but having some supernatural supremacy that humans adore. The other representation is that of creatures. These gods presents the animals or monster resemblances. Lastly are the heroes who have a closer link to human beings but stand out from normal human beings for the reason that they possess an extra gift. Different gods represent different stories that relate to various aspects of life or ability to influence performance on the earth.
Myths of male and female divine from the Greek and Roman cultures
One of the important gods in both the Roman and Greek cultures was Apollo. “In the two mythologies, he has a reference of ‘Phoebus’, which means bright. In the Greek myths, Apollo was the son of Zeus and king to other gods. He represented the light, the sun or purity” (Leonard and McClure, 2004).
He played lyre at the Roman cultural setting where he represents a poet, musical performer, and a bona fide champion in the beauty industry. Ares was also a key aspect in the Greek myths as the god of war. Being the son to Zeus and Hera, he represented all the brutality and aspects of warship. He lacked the honorary respects because people never valued war. Both Roman and Greek myths describe Ares as a strong fierce fighter who was pleased by bloody engagements or conflicts (Leonard and McClure, 2004).
In line with Leonard and McClure (2004), “Athena was a goddess who represented… intellectual characteristics of warfare”. The Greek myths praise Athena because of the artisanship aspects she possessed especially spinning and weaving. This is cultural representation of a mortal female.
According to Leonard and McClure (2004), much of the Roman myths have a link from the Greek mythology. The Roman and Greek gods reflected various human qualities but basic myths of the gods indicate they interacted with humans to negotiate for sacrifices in exchange of the requests. They had various imperfections that were more comparable to human beings. For instance, Zeus the Greek God and father of other gods engaged infidelity on his wife.
The goddess, Hera was jealous and thus engaged other stories of marriage to deal with the mythical revelation regarding Zeus’s adultery instead of considering revenge. “The God and Goddess of the Greek, Zeus and Hera, have characterization… that mirrors the Roman god of Jupiter and goddess Juno” (Karas, 2010). The element of trickery is also evident from Hermes, the Greek god of thieves. He is the massager of the other gods and guide for the dead in some myths thus equating to Mercury (Karas, 2010).
Conclusion
The need to learn and understand various elements and myths of gods and goddesses in various cultures is crucial since they present an illusion of civilization. The analysis of the past forms a strong foundation for the present or the future and this is important as people try to understand and appreciate human existence. There are various myths within the history of our cultures that assist in determining some aspects of life such as whom we are and what we shall become as a basic part of heritage.
References
Karas, B. (2010). Young Zeus. New York, NY: Scholastic Publishers. Print.
Leonard, S. A. and McClure, M. (2004). Myth and knowing: An introduction to world mythology. New York, NY: McGraw-Hill Publishers. Print.