Admittedly, they weren’t ashamed of rape here or flooding there. However, you can learn a lot from the stories of the Greek gods who once inhabited Olympus. About how to live, and how best to deal with the absurdity of your existence.
These are the six most important lessons you can learn from these divine manifestations.
There is tremendous power in curiosity
Once it piques your curiosity, there’s nothing to stop it. Pandora proves it like no other: This woman brought back to life by Hephaustus is responsible for all the misery we know on Earth. How can this be achieved? because of her curiosity. Zeus gave her a beautiful wedding gift: a chest decorated with gold and precious stones. He gave her the key to the box, and told her that if she wanted to live happily, she should never open the box. But Pandora’s curiosity overcame her distrust. I opened the box and filled the world with disease, pain and evil.
Embrace your weaknesses
The most characteristic of the Greek gods were the flaws woven into their characters. Zeus married Hera, but was not completely loyal to her. Medea, who took revenge on her husband’s new lover, by burning her skin. Heracles who was suffering from uncontrollable fits of rage before going into battle. However, it does not seem to particularly bother the gods: they accept their weaknesses and try to deal with them as best they can.
It can be really good to feel revenge
And no, you don’t have to do something to someone right away — like Hera did when Zeus again had a child with someone else. But it may be a good idea to accept your feelings. Yes, you were hurt. This is painful. Feeling these feelings can be a huge relief – as long as you make sure you don’t take action. Because that’s usually not a good idea.
With magic go a long way
Hermes was the most enchanted deity on Olympus. He was born because Zeus bore his mother Maya (with whom Hera was not particularly happy). Within an hour of his birth, he learned to walk, talk, and light a fire. After a while, he decided that he also wanted to see what was outside his original cave and went out into the world. There he discovered a herd of cows which he took home. So he slaughtered one and roasted him and Maya. As the smoke of the body drifted into the air, Apollo became suspicious. Those were his cows! Deciding to track them down, he climbed into the cave of Hermes and Maya. There he was so amazed at the charm of the little boy – who at the same time cut the meat off the spit, and gave him a slice – that his anger left him.
If someone offers you something that’s better than real, it probably is
Trojans can tell you all about it. While they were at war with the Greeks besieging their city, one night a surprise stood at the gate. Giant wooden horse left with the apostle Sinon. He tells them that if they put the horse inside their walls, Pallas Athena will protect their city. When they bring the horse, all the men come out of the horse’s belly. Greek soldiers captured the city in a jiffy, and Troy fell.
Never underestimate the primal strength that mothers feel for their children
This is where the Ouranos story went wrong. This Titan had a relationship with Gaia, Earth. They had quite a few children, but because Uranus was afraid that these would expel him from his throne, he ate them. Jaya was angry at this, and devised a trick. When she got pregnant again and gave birth, she fed him a stone that looked like her newborn. When Ouranos ate it quietly, he lost his balance due to the weight of the stone. At that moment his son Kronos beat him, and with the whip of the sword he separated his genitals from his body. This way the children of Gaya will never eat again. (Nice to know: From the genitals of Uranus was born Aphrodite: the goddess of beauty).
Want to read more life lessons?
These are life lessons you learn in the gym, and you can learn it from the moment the ground is pulled out from under your feet. For those who wish to delve deeper into Greek myths and epics: Stephen Fry’s Mythos is told in a funny and accessible way.