There was a fear of leading an unfulfilling or pointless life, caused by the stories told about the gods becoming greedy, jealous, and showing their flaws, that motivated citizens in Ancient Greece to live generous and selfless lives. It was the legacy of heroes that showed civilians how to live their lives in order to have the most enjoyable afterlife or even gain immortality the way the gods had, with heroes as models for how to act no matter the circumstance and the wrongdoers’ fates as precaution for what will happen if one falls prey to one’s own fatal flaws. By examining the effects of legacy on the life of Greeks in ancient times, it is evident that the impact of one’s life on others will determine their afterlife, affecting one’s literal or figurative immortality, causing those with the goal of being seen with a favorable legacy to live selfless lives and those who do not heed to the warnings of the gods to lead greedy lives and end up with an infamous or even nonexistent legacy. Cronus’ paranoia and Persephone’s sacrifices are two examples that support the previously mentioned theme of legacy, the former being an example of how committing selfish crimes causes a negative legacy, and the latter proving how selfless acts in the present can create a desired legacy for the future.Zeus’s father, a titan named Cronus, swallowed all his children out of fear of being overthrown, the way he had overthrown his own father, giving Zeus the opportunity to create his legacy. Zeus, the only one of his siblings to not be taken by their father, poisoned Cronus and brought back his siblings, and he “and the other children of Cronus defeated the Titans. Zeus then took Cronus’ place and ruled from his home on Mount Olympus” (Phillips). Zeus used his freedom to lead a successful uprising and redefined his “home on Mount Olympus”, consequently creating his legacy as the king of gods, as represented by his victory over
There was a fear of leading an unfulfilling or pointless life, caused by the stories told about the gods becoming greedy, jealous, and showing their flaws, that motivated citizens in Ancient Greece to live generous and selfless lives. It was the legacy of heroes that showed civilians how to live their lives in order to have the most enjoyable afterlife or even gain immortality the way the gods had, with heroes as models for how to act no matter the circumstance and the wrongdoers’ fates as precaution for what will happen if one falls prey to one’s own fatal flaws. By examining the effects of legacy on the life of Greeks in ancient times, it is evident that the impact of one’s life on others will determine their afterlife, affecting one’s literal or figurative immortality, causing those with the goal of being seen with a favorable legacy to live selfless lives and those who do not heed to the warnings of the gods to lead greedy lives and end up with an infamous or even nonexistent legacy. Cronus’ paranoia and Persephone’s sacrifices are two examples that support the previously mentioned theme of legacy, the former being an example of how committing selfish crimes causes a negative legacy, and the latter proving how selfless acts in the present can create a desired legacy for the future.
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Zeus’s father, a titan named Cronus, swallowed all his children out of fear of being overthrown, the way he had overthrown his own father, giving Zeus the opportunity to create his legacy. Zeus, the only one of his siblings to not be taken by their father, poisoned Cronus and brought back his siblings, and he “and the other children of Cronus defeated the Titans. Zeus then took Cronus’ place and ruled from his home on Mount Olympus” (Phillips). Zeus used his freedom to lead a successful uprising and redefined his “home on Mount Olympus”, consequently creating his legacy as the king of gods, as represented by his victory over the Titans. Zeus’ legacy was one of power and heroism, and his bravery led to him and his siblings ruling over realms, keeping order in the mortal world.
Although Zeus and his siblings control nearly every part of the world, Persephone made a legacy for herself that impacted nature itself; she created the seasons when Hades kidnapped Persephone and took her to the underworld with him, where he tricked her into eating pomegranate seeds and forcing her to stay in the underworld four months of the year. Demeter, Persephone’s mother, managed to persuade the gods to allow Persephone to come back to earth for eight months out of the year and “when Persephone left the earth, the flowers withered and the grain died, but when she returned, life blossomed anew” (Columbia University Press). The myth states that Persephone’s absence from Earth is what causes winter and when she returns, spring begins, proving that her legacy as a trapped and kidnapped girl created winter, and her legacy as a beloved member of society created warmth and prosperity in the months following winter. Because of Persephone’s legacy, we have seasons, and because she was selfless and stayed with Hades instead of disobeying him, her legacy is positive rather than demeaning.
The legacy of these gods and goddesses is what makes civilians strive to be their best selves. With an honorable and powerful legacy such as that of Zeus, or Persephone’s heartwarming legacy of staying loyal to both blood and oath, what people would look up to spark an interest in doing good and leading a life of helping others. By examining the effects of legacy on the life of Greeks in ancient times, it is evident that the impact of one’s life on others will determine their afterlife, affecting one’s literal or figurative immortality, causing those with the goal of being seen with a favorable legacy to live selfless lives and those who do not heed to the warnings of the gods to lead greedy lives and end up with an infamous or even nonexistent legacy.
Works Cited
- Philips, F. Carter. “Zeus.” World Book Advanced, World Book, 2018, www.worldbookonline.com/advanced/article?id=ar616740. Accessed 11 Oct. 2018.
- “Persephone.” The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia™, Columbia University Press, 2018.Research in Context, http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A69219134/MSIC?u=skil86135&sid=MSIC&xid=e81c319c.Accessed 10 Oct. 2018.
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