Classical Mythology

I've just completed another of the Great Courses -- Classical Mythology. Once again, it was well worth my time -- and far better than listening to talk radio!

So, what did I learn? Well, as with the other courses, there were so many facts, ideas and subtopics that I can't possibly remember them all, let alone list them if I did, but there are some very interesting points that stick with me.

• "Gods" in classical myth are not very "God-like" -- as we tend to think of God in today's monotheistic cultures, especially the Judeo-Christian culture. The gods of the Greeks were not interested in humans, with very few exceptions. They were limited in power and knowledge. And they were ruthless in acquiring their goals or enforcing their rules.
• "Heroes" in classical myth are often not very "Heroic" -- as we encounter and expect them in modern entertainment. Oh, I'm not talking about a "Hero's Journey" hero, but rather the kind of modern hero we see in popular movies. Our modern heroes are "good guys" with morals we want to emulate, but the heroes of the Heroic Age were often quite immoral, even according to the morality of their day.
• Many of the classical myths we think we know are likely to be significantly modified from the versions that were originally told and believed. Many of the basic myths we read (in sanitized form) during our elementary school days were taken primarily from Ovid's Metamorphoses, and it is likely he was writing them in part to make fun of the Roman Emperor's laws. These laws were not only trying to quash the sexual immorality the emperor perceived as being rampant in the people, they were also intended to force people to take the gods more seriously again. Hence, Ovid's treatment of the gods in the myths probably twisted the stories to help him make his point.
• Shakespeare's work is so infused with myth, especially Metamorphoses, that the former cannot be fully appreciated without knowing the latter. I should probably take another look at the two subjects in conjunction. The example Dr. Vandiver uses from "Romeo and Juliet" was very instructive, and deepened my appreciation both for the passion of the Juliet character and the skill of Shakespeare himself.

This Great Course was what I wanted, what I expected, and more. Another winner!