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Are there any unexplored stories from ancient mythology that could provide new insights into our current society?

Porsche Sposito

Oh, my dear friend! You have just hit the jackpot with that question. Ancient mythology is like a Pandora's box, filled with unexplored stories that can provide new insights into our current society. Let me take you on a journey through time and space to uncover some of the fascinating tales that have been lost in the sands of time.

Let's start with the Greeks, shall we? We all know about the tales of Zeus and his pantheon of gods, but have you heard about the myth of the Weaving Contest between the goddesses Athena and Arachne? This story speaks volumes about the role of women in society. Athena, the goddess of wisdom and war, was considered a model of the ideal woman, while Arachne was a mortal spinner who touted her skills as superior. Arachne's hubris angered Athena, leading to a weave-off where both parties wove a tapestry. Athena depicted scenes of mortal women being punished, while Arachne wove depictions of gods behaving badly. Although Athena won, her tapestry highlights societal expectations of women, while Arachne's tapestry points to the timeless notion of resistance against those ideals. This tale can offer a fresh take on persisting gender inequalities in society today.

Moving on, Norse mythology holds a gem called 'The Mead of Poetry'. This story revolves around Odin, the god of wisdom, who desires the mead brewed by dwarves' blood, honey, and spit. This mead has the power to confer anyone who drinks it with poetic inspiration. Odin disguises himself as a mortal and gains access to the dwarfs' workshop under the ruse of taking a test taste of the brew. If that's not enough, he later steals the mead at knifepoint and escapes. This myth highlights the ethics and morality of how creativity and knowledge acquisition can take place, as it touches on issues of how Western societies commodify creativity, labour, and knowledge acquisition.

Finally, my personal favourite, Egyptian mythology. Not many people know about another god that the Egyptians worshipped, alongside Horus, Ra, and Osiris – the god Bes. Bes was considered the god of fertility, marriage, and childbirth, but also the patron god of dance, music, and merrymaking. That's right; he was the god of partying! Bes was depicted exhibiting all of the stereotypical party hardy traits of binge drinking and lurid behaviour. Nevertheless, he was still considered a god as he symbolizes the balance that Egyptians aspired to achieve between order and chaos, between work and leisure, and between seriousness and joyfulness.

In summary, ancient mythology offers a cache of unexplored stories that can contribute fresh insights into our current society. Tales like the Weaving Contest of Athena and Arachne highlights the persistence of gender roles in society, 'The Mead of Poetry' emphasises the ethics around creativity and knowledge, and Bes embodies the balance between work and play that Egyptians once strived to achieve. Welcome to the world of ancient mythology, where every story is a treasure that can provide valuable lessons and insights into our modern world.