Reading Greek and Roman myths, it is possible to notice that simple natural events are presented with the supernatural explanation. It is obvious that Gods have supernatural powers, they are able to guide the nature and all the natural disasters which happen are done under their supervision. Burdette is sure that “gods had supernatural powers that caused natural events such as sunrise or an earthquake” (Burdette 634). However, modern people are likely to believe that these stories are created to explain the natural events.
The God’s anger was reflected in the natural disasters that helped people explain the things they could not get. Natural phenomena were difficult for understanding and it was easier to refer to Gods than to try to explain it by means of science. Ancient people saw the will of Gods in all events that happened to them. Therefore, the myth of Deucalion and the flood is one of the examples when the natural event is explained by means of the supernatural background.
The myth of Deucalion, Pyrrha, and the great flood is a story about the flood which served for punishing people. The main idea of the myth is that one Greek God wanted to get rid of some particular race on the Earth and managed to invent nothing more effective than just to create a flood, the one which was going to destroy everything in favor of two people, “when Zeus wanted to eliminate the race of bronze, Deucalion, on the advice of Prometheus, built a chest, and after storing it with provisions, climbed into it with Pyrrha” (Apollodorus 37). Therefore, the flood is explained as the desire of a God to punish others and to eliminate the race.
Therefore, the myth uses natural phenomena, the flood, to explain the supernatural desire of a God to punish people, “Zeus poured an abundance of rain from heaven to flood the greater part of Greece, causing all human beings to be destroyed, apart from those few who took refuge in the lofty mountains nearby” (Apollodorus 37).
Such natural event as flood is used as the way to punish people. It is obvious that a simple natural disaster is explained as the supernatural desire to make others be afraid of Gods’ punishment. Thus, using natural phenomena as the way of God’s satisfaction or dissatisfaction with the human beings, people wanted to make sure that they were respected.
The rain which run for several days and managed to destroy everything was caused by some climate changes, however, the countries where Gods ruled could not explain the event so simply, therefore, the natural disaster was presented as something supernatural, “Greek religion was based upon many myths that sought to explain the mysteries of nature and life” (Burdette 634).
Trying to consider the reasons of such supernatural explanation of the simple natural events, the reason of motivation and fear comes to mind. There are no more powerful measures than those caused by the nature. Rains, earthquakes, snow and other natural phenomena can destroy the planet. This was really important for ancient people to create the myths which could frighten others as worship was impossible without fear and respect of magnificence.
Therefore, the conclusion may be drawn that many natural phenomena were used to create the impression of Gods’ anger. Either rain or earthquake happened, people tried to relate it to Gods’ dissatisfaction with something. The explanation of the natural events by means of the supernatural reasons is a good way to make others fear and respect as nature is the most powerful measure which may occur in relation to people.
Works Cited
Apollodorus. The Library of Greek Mythology. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1999. Print.
Burdette, Dallas R. Biblical Preaching and Teaching, Volume 3. New York: Xulon Press, 2010. Print.