![]() Perseus thus sets the bar: "The mass of men appreciate and pay homage to the courage and sacrifice of the warrior, defender of home and country. Because of the importance of warfare in defending the Greek way of life, becoming a worthy fighter was an important step in the lives of many young Greek men. Martial valor was one of the highest virtues of the Greek society Victory itself was even deified and honored with a temple in the Acropolis. The Perseus myth provides a valuable example of the ideal Greek man. The mythological story of Perseus and its subsequent astronomical associations contain reflections of cultural fears and values for the ancient Greeks. The Greek hero Perseus provides one such example of this connection between mythology, astronomy, and culture, and since his legend was well known since at least the seventh century B.C., he is also one of the oldest such examples (Masks 83). Both mythology and astronomy are thus profoundly affected by the cultures of which the mythmakers and the astronomers were a part. Similarly, even if a cluster of stars looks exactly like a horse, it takes an astronomer to give it the name Pegasus. No matter how much evidence exists showing that the Trojan War really happened, still it is Homer who made the myth what it is today. Stories do not exist without storytellers, and astronomy cannot be studied without astronomers to do it. However, it is imperative to remember the human element in both of these pursuits. Thus it is no surprise that many of the ancient star watchers graced the names of the constellations with those of the heroes of their mythologies. One cannot help but feel like an insignificant speck floating through space when one approaches the magnanimity of the night sky. The cosmic insignificance of the normal human being is also suggested through the study of astronomy. It is common to think of mythical heroes as being "larger than life." The stories of their legendary pursuits put these warriors on a level above that of the mere common man.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |