Comparing Myths

The story of Diana and Actaeon was the first of three myths that I read today. It tells how Diana turned Actaeon, a prince who saw her naked, into a beast as a punishment. I liked the way Actaeon's desperation was described when he tried to do things he could easily do when he was a human, such as talking, and how he no longer found hunting a fun activity. It is also a good example of how the Gods' anger has harsh actions but no consequentions towards them. The second was one named Latona and the Rustics, a short one that tells how the godess Latona (previously unkown to me) punished a group of clowns that denied her water when she was thirsty. According to the story, she let them live, but just like Diana, turned them into animals. This time they turned out to be frogs. The third and last was that of Phateon, the son of Apollo and a nymph called Clymene. A schoolmate of his did not believe that he was a descendant of a God, maling Phateon ask for a sign that indeed he had divine blood inside him. He was told he should go to India, and once there he was told that indeed he was who he thought he was. However, Phateon was tempted by Phoebus's task, that of riding the chariot of the sun. He was told it was a dangerous task, but Phateon persisted. Although he was given advice, at the moment of actually performing his task Phateon got it all wrong, coming too close to the stars and such. He burned the world, which cracked open and then cried out to Heaven asking why all of this was happening. Zeus, in response to her plead, shot Phateon to death. This was my favorite of all myths because it had the best story with more specific details, making it more interesting. Again, it also shows what happens on a whim of a, in this case, part-God, with the difference that here the angered one did suffer terrible consequences.