MYTHOLOGY
Myth is a legend that is a product of human reason, usually spread through oral transmission, about nobles, heroes and supernatural beings, and aims to explain the reasons for beliefs and practices.
Mythology; is the science of myth or legend. All countries and people have their own myths; Turkish Mythology, Sumerian Mythology, Egyptian Mythology, etc.
GREEK MYTHOLOGY
Homer, who lived in 800 BC and was a poet of land-owning aristocrats, describes the years between 1200-1100 BC in his epics. The works acknowledged to belong to him are the "Iliad", which recounts the story of the Trojan War, and the "Odyssey", which tells the story of Odysseus' return home after the fall of Troy. As land gradually ceased to be the basic measure of wealth and was replaced by money, Hesiod wrote myths suitable for the new rising classes; "Works and Days", which recounts farming life, and "Theogony", which narrates the birth of the gods. In Homer, being a warrior is considered a virtue, while in Hesiod, being diligent is considered a virtue. In epics, the gods are human-shaped (anthropomorphism), they also participate in wars between people and take sides.
In Greek mythology, the 12 gods on Mount Olympus;
Zeus (king of the gods, god of the sky),
Poseidon (god of the seas, earthquakes and storms),
Demeter (god of agriculture and harvest),
Hephaestus (god of craftsmen, blacksmiths, carpenters, fire and volcanoes),
Ares (god of war and courage),
Hermes (messenger of the gods, god of messengers, travelers, thieves),
Dionysus (god of wine, fertility, joy, madness, theater),
Artemis (god of hunting, wilderness, birth, childcare and chastity),
Aphrodite (god of love and beauty, passion),
Athena (god of wisdom, war and crafts),
Hera (god of women, marriage, family),
Apollo (god of music, dance, poetry, prophecy, truth, healing).
The emergence of the gods in Theogony; First Gaia (earth) emerged from Khaos. Then Erebos (underground darkness), Nyx (night darkness) and Eros (love) emerged and from the love of these two darknesses, luminous beings were born: Aither (heavenly divine light) and Hemera (earthly light, day). Gaia gave birth to the sky, mountains and the sea. With the waves of love coming from Eros, Uranus (sky god) and Gaia formed the god belt.
The myth of the Ophic religion based on the singer, prophet and magician Orpheus is as follows; “After Khronos (time) created the universe, the god Phanes, who was both male and female, was born. Phanes first gave birth to Nyx (night). From their union, Gaia (earth), Uranus (sky) and Kronos (titan) came to the world. After Zeus took over the sovereignty, Dionysus-Zagreus was born from his union with Persephone. The Titans tore Dionysus-Zagreus apart and swallowed him. Zeus was very angry about this and burned the Titans with lightning. Then he created humans from their ashes. The evil traits of the Titans and the good traits of Dionysus, whom they swallowed, coexist in humans. Athena saved the heart of Dionysus-Zagreus, who was torn apart by the Titans. Zeus ate this heart. After this, he created Dionysus-Lyseus (the savior).”
In ancient Greece, there were also religions termed mysteries, which were structured as closed sects. The religion of Demeter was at the forefront of these, and the Dionysian tradition was later added to this religion, which offered beliefs about the afterlife. These and similar religions, which were based on inspiration rather than revelation, were mostly based upon the beliefs of the middle and lower classes.
The belief in life after death is very rudimentary in Homer and Hesiod. Reward and punishment were valid in this world. The idea of transmigration of souls originated from India, and the belief in life after death came from Egypt.
ASIA IN THE 6TH-5TH CENTURIES BCE
ZOROASTER
There is no consensus on the time period in which Zoroaster, the founder of Zoroastrianism (Majusism) in Iran, lived. There are claims that it dates back to 2000 BCE. It is considered a monotheistic religion because he wanted only Ahura Mazda to be worshipped. Ahura Mazda is the God of Wisdom. Ahriman represents evil. The world is dominated by the war between good and evil.
SIDDHARTHA GUATAMA (563-545 BCE);
The Indian prince Siddhartha first traveled the entire country to find a solution to the crisis experienced by humanity, then retired into seclusion, and after a mystical awakening, he developed a doctrine that suggested that people could find peace by following the “middle way”, purifying themselves from false desires and seductive passions. A few centuries after his death, he was known as Buddha (the awakened, enlightened one), and his followers formed a rather elaborate religious/philosophical tradition (Buddhism).
CONFUCIUS (551-479 BC)
Confucius was one of the greatest teachers of all time in China. His interests were in political matters, good governance, and family relations. He saw the foundation of the ideal state in the strong family. He laid out the ideal of the superior man and its conditions. The teachings of balance and the middle way were the basic rules of life, and the idea of harmony and justice were the basic rules of politics. He had no interest in nature or the essence of things.
LAO-TZU (6TH CENTURY BC)
The founder of Taoism, the author of the Tao Te Ching, the fundamental text of Taoism. He lived during the same period as Confucius. Effortless action, being in harmony with nature, simplicity, and humility were important virtues. For Lao-Tzu, the path cannot be expresse dor explained through a manual or philosophy and it is a very mysterious path. A person can find this path and organize his life accordingly.