Hercules and
other Tales from Greek Myths
Written by Olivia E. Coolidge
Illustrated by David Lockhart
‘How the seasons came to be’
Is the story about Demeter, the great earth mother and goddess of harvesting,
and her daughter Persephone. Persephone is a young spring maiden full of joy.
Hades the king of the underworld falls in love with her and seeks permission
from Zeus for her hand in marriage. Hades receives permission and takes Persephone
unwillingly to the land of the dead where she is sad and doesn’t eat
or drink. Demeter despairs and makes a vow never to care or look after her
duties as the harvest goddess, until her Persephone comes back. The gods worry
as people are dying from lack of starvation so Zeus sends Hermes to fetch
Persephone and bring her upon earth. Hades makes Persephone eat a pomegranate
before she leaves but she only manages to eat seven seeds. When mother and
daughter are reunited, Demeter is devastated that she ate the pomegranate.
Poor Persephone has to return to the underworld and rule with Hades as his
queen for 7 months of the year, but for the remaining 5, she may live with
her mother. So that is why for 7 months of the year trees shed their leaves,
cold comes and the earth lies dead for Demeter is mourning for her daughter.
On the 8th month when Persephone returns wheat springs up, flowers unfold,
birds sing and young animals are born.
‘The Fateful contest’
There once lived a maiden by the name of Arachne who was famous throughout
Greece for her spinning. People would come for miles and miles to see her
beautiful work and say that she must have learnt her skill from the talented
goddess Athene. This made Arachne mad as it was her own skill and hard work
which made her work brilliant. The rude Arachne condemns and criticizes the
goddess’s work and challenges her to a spinning contest. Athene wins,
spinning the most beautiful piece of work, which makes Arachne mad, so she
spins something very offensive and refuses to apologize to the goddess. Athene,
pretty upset tells Arachne that she may spend the rest of her life spinning,
turning her into a spider.
In Greek Myths;
• Creation stories, very moralistic and there are always consequences
for actions. E.g. ‘How the seasons came to be’ Creation of the
seasons, ‘The fateful contest’ Being arrogant and selfish and
being punished for it.
• Majority of Greek tales includes Gods
• Good vs. Evil, good always prevailing. ‘What are viewed as desirable
and undesirable role models or characteristics for either sex?’ (Prain;
The Academic Study of Traditional Literatures) This becomes evident in most
of the tales I read in Greek mythology. The hero is always a hard working
citizen, honest and noble, whereas the villains always get what they deserve.
‘The winning
of Atlanta’
Atlanta was a swift-running huntress, famous for her beauty and courage. She
loved to be free and did not want to marry but her father begged for her to
choose a suitor. Not wanting to disappoint him she agreed to marry any suitor
who could beat her in a race, but if he failed, he must die. Hippomenes, who
was in loved with Atlanta went and received advice from Aphrodite so that
he may win his maiden. Hippomenes races Atlanta tricking her with 3 golden
apples. He wins the race and marries his beauty.