The Myths That Make Us

Greek mythology has quite a hold on the world. Despite these legends being centuries old, they still find massive popularity in Disney movies and New York Times bestseller lists alike. When it comes to the weirdest things to ever happen on Greek soil—these are the stories worth remembering.

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1. Gods & Dolphins

Out of all the mighty creatures gods can transform into, a dolphin is unexpected, to say the least. But this is exactly what Apollo turned into when he hijacked a merchant ship and led it to his temple site at Delphi. Unfortunately for the crew, they were expected to dedicate their lives as priests at the new temple.

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2. Pygmalion

Perhaps no one was as obsessed with looks like Pygmalion. Unimpressed by the natural imperfections of the women around him, he instead sculpted his own ideal bride out of ivory alabaster. He then fell in love with the statue, and after some pleading, the goddess Aphrodite brought her to life and married the two of them.

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3. The Swan

Zeus has been known to do some questionable things in his time, but taking on the form of a swan to woo a potential lover is certainly one of the weirdest. What’s even more surprising is that the woman in question ended up laying two eggs, one of which hatched into Helen of Troy.

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4. King Erysichthon

A king of Thessaly, Erysichthon insulted the goddess Demeter by instructing his men to cut down trees in her sacred grove. As punishment, he was cursed with an insatiable hunger. He ended up spending all of his wealth and riches on food but could never feel full again.

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5. Minthe

While everyone knows about Hades and Persephone, one of the King of the Underworld’s first loves was actually Minthe. Minthe was a naiad of the river Cocytus, and in a fit of jealousy, she was transformed into a mint plant by either Demeter or Persephone.

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6. Pan’s Flute

Pan is another Greek god known to get up to weird shenanigans. He was in love with a nymph named Syrinx, who did not feel the same way. To escape Pan’s advances, the nymph prayed to a river god and was turned into reeds. Still in love, Pan used some of those reeds to create his famous pan flute and carried it with him wherever he went.

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7. Arachne

The goddess Athena is known to be quite proud of her skills and was an exemplary weaver. She was challenged to a weaving contest by Arachne, and after some intense tapestry work, Arachne proved victorious. Unable to bear defeat, Athena tore Arachne’s tapestry, only to take mercy on the woman and turn her into a spider during her darkest moment.

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8. Circe

Circe has become quite famous in pop culture, but one of her original stories involved her actions in the Odyssey. She was known to turn humans into animals, especially pigs, and did this several times throughout the myths. She even turned her romantic rival into a sea monster.

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9. The Myrmidons

By now it’s clear that gods enjoy turning themselves and other things into animals. One such instance was when Zeus turned an army of ants into human warriors known as Myrmidons. These Myrmidons were fierce followers who fought alongside Achilles in the Trojan War.

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10. Athena’s Origin

While most gods are conceived through natural means, Athena stands out as a thought that came to life. According to legend, she was an idea Zeus had, which then sprung from his forehead and took form as a tangible goddess. Must have been some headache.

While these lesser-known myths lead to strange and seldom sensible conclusions, here are 10 stories that everyone knows and loves to this day.

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1. Hades and Persephone

Often romanticized to this day, this myth tells the quite questionable love story between Hades and Persephone. After seeing Persephone picking flowers, Hades decides to steal her away into the Underworld. While her mother, Demeter, tries to rescue her, she ends up having to stay for months out of the year due to eating a few pomegranate seeds. According to legend, this is how the seasons came to be.

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2. Icarus

Known for flying too close to the sun, Icarus was the son of Daedalus—who were both prisoners of King Minos. The inventor, Daedalus, created wings from feathers, leather, and beeswax, and the two quickly escaped the island. However, despite his father’s warnings, Icarus kept flying higher toward the sun, which melted his wings and sent him falling.

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3. Hercules

Hercules, or Heracles depending on who you ask, was a son of Zeus who had to undergo a dozen labors to atone for the death of his wife—for which he was responsible—although Hera did drive him a little mad. Either way, Hercules underwent many adventures and was quite a hero in his day.

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4. Medusa

Medusa was once a beautiful woman who caught the eye of the god Poseidon. After an affair in Athena’s temple, the goddess punished the woman by turning her into a gorgon. This led Medusa’s hair to turn into snakes, forcing her to isolate herself from the rest of the world.

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5. Pandora’s Box

Pandora was similar to Eve in that she was the first woman created. The gods had given her a jar with clear instructions to never open it. But due to her curiosity, Pandora ended up opening the box and releasing suffering and sickness into the world.

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6. The Trojan Horse

The Battle of Troy was fought between the Greeks and the Trojans and led to the fame of Helen of Troy and Achilles. Since the walls of Troy were too difficult to siege, the Greeks pretended to abandon the war, leaving behind a wooden horse as a peace offering. In secret, an elite force hid inside the horse, and once the horse was brought inside the walls, the waiting soldiers quickly ambushed the city and opened the gates.

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7. The Odyssey

The Odyssey is another epic that highlights the story of Odysseus, King of Ithaca. After serving in the Trojan War, Odysseus got lost at sea on his way home and had to undergo challenges in the form of sea monsters and cyclops before returning twenty years later to reclaim his wife and throne.

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8. The Minotaur

The Minotaur of Crete refers to a half-human, half-bull creature that was born from an affair involving the Queen. Horrified by what happened, King Minos trapped the child in the Labyrinth, where it grew into a fearsome monster. It was often used as a way to deal with unruly men and women but was eventually defeated by Theseus.

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9. Prometheus

Unlike other gods, Prometheus was actually a Titan. His claim to fame was defying the gods who were keen to let humanity perish. He stole fire and brought it to humans, leading to the beginnings of civilization. Due to this thievery, he was punished by the gods and chained to a mountain.

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10. Touch of Midas

The Golden Touch of Midas is another popular story that leaves readers grappling with the consequences of their desires. While he was able to amass major wealth, he was unable to pick up food items without them turning to gold. One day, he accidentally touched his daughter, which led him to plead with the gods to remove the curse.

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