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My Interest in Mythology

August 17, 2007 at 10:27 am by mahud

The Two Babylons

My studies into mythology began in 1996 (or 7) with The Two Babylons, a strange incomprehensible volume for me back then, being ignorant of all things ancient. I pulled the book from my dad’s shelf one night trying to follow it, but it was rough going, but after obtaining a copy of my own I attempted to decipher it, and came across something that amazed me at that time, that there were other gods, who like Jesus, died and rose again.

I came across references to Bakkus (dionysus), Osiris, Mercury (Hermes), and a Great Goddess, who according to Hislop was none other than, the Prostitute that rode upon the back of a dragon with a cup of abomination in her hand. Was also also introduced to classical writers called Herodotus, Pausanias Livy, Homer, Apollodorus, etc, which opened up a whole new world for me.

Although the book was supposed to prove that Papal Worship was an imitation of the worship of Nimrod and his wife Semiramis, that spread throughout the World, destroying the pure faith preserved by Noah and his sons after the flood.

Problems I have with the book are its crazy etymologies, that interprets all gods of classical tradition using the Chaldean (Which I think is Aramaic but I’m not sure) language. Also Hislop euhemerized the myth (and other myths) of the conspiracy against Osiris (who Hislop believed to be the Nimrod), instigated by the god Set (who was the Biblical Seth, one of the sons of Noah).

Getting deeper into Mythology

World Mythology: The Illustrated Guide, that introduced me to all the major mythologies from around the world, complete with tons of images. The book was published (I think) through the Joseph Campbell trust or foundation, and had a really useful introduction to universally comparative mythological themes. I also book a similar book, called The Encyclopedia of World Mythology. The books gave me my first real taste of world mythology.

Robert Graves

My dad was taking classes on Roman history and mythology, and had picked up a book by Robert Graves Greek Myths: Volume one. As I started reading the book I became excited by the idea of a prehistoric worship of a Goddess and her King-lover who was yearly murdered by his tanist, to become the the new Moon Goddess’ King. At the time I thought this must be historical fact, but after further research, I learned that it was a reconstruction invented by Graves himself, influenced by authors such as Johann Jakob Bachofen (Mutterrecht), James Frazer (The Golden Bough) and I think Jane Ellen Harrison (Prolegomena to the Study of Greek Religion).

I bought a copy of Greek Myths: The Complete Edition, and it is an invaluable reference, although there is a bit of unorthodox reconstruction going on in the so called ‘Pelasgian Creation Myth‘, and the commentary is rather idiosyncratic, but fun to read. Also each paraphrased myth comes with a list of classical sources (although some of them are a bit obscure and difficult to get your hands on).

Three more great Greek mythology reference books

1. The Penguin Dictionary of Classical Mythology
2. Cassell’s Dictionary of Classical Mythology
3. Who’s Who in Classical Mythology

Gathering Material

At this point I began taking notes of certain mythological themes that I felt were related to The Bible, such as the Tree of Life (Axis Mundi), The Sacred Marriage (Hieros Gamos), androgynous gods, the cardinal directions and elements, myths surrounding the sun and moon (I was fixated on the creation account that place the creation of the sun and moon on the fourth day), God’s from whose dismembered limbs form the universe, which I understood to be a parallel to the reference in Revelation of Christ (as the lamb), who was slain from the foundation of the world. I also filled the book with iconic images, that also seemed to fit these mythical patterns.

I began buying any books on mythology I could find, and soon I had a pretty large collection of books on most of the worlds mythologies. I also began buying books on the histories of ancient civilizations, such as Mesopotamia, Egyptians, Hittites, Greeks, Celts, and so on, including a lot of original translations.

James Frazer

Robert Graves led me to the Golden Bough, were Frazer tries to prove that dying and rising gods (Such as Osiris, Adonis, Attis), evolved from a primitive belief in a Corn-Spirit. He also provided tons of evidence supporting the belief in the widespread custom of slaying a King after an alloted term, or had outlived his magical effectiveness. While I don’t accept Frazer’s idea of a corn-spirit, I think that the ritual slaying of a king was a Primitive practice that somehow played it’s part in the mythologies of dying and rising gods.

Joseph Campbell

I’d heard about Joseph Campbell, from my World Mythology: The Illustrated Guide, but didn’t really know what his work was about, until I chanced upon a copy of Occidental Mythology: Masks of God Vol 1. Here, I found, for the first time, a book that dealt with all the mythological subjects that interested me, plus much more. I was instantly hooked and eventually managed to buy the complete Masks of God series. I was deeply saddened after learning a few years layer that he died back in 1987.

Basically the Masks of God is Campbell’s attempt to write a historical account of the origins of religion and myth and their universal diffusion (as apposed to The Hero with a Thousand Faces where Campbell focuses primarily on the psychology of myth), and the modification of mythical themes according to each different culture’s cosmological outlook.

Much of my own studies have been both influenced and supported by Joseph Campbell’s work, and I am totally in his debt, for the world of the ancient religious past, that he opened up for me.

One thing that amazes me about Campbell was that he took time out and read solidly over a period of 5 years. Man, I’d love to do that. Joseph Campbell is without doubt my greatest Hero of mythological studies.

The White Goddess

Returning to Robert Graves, another book, that had a profound effect on me. The White Goddess. I’d recommend this book to anyone interested in mythology and paganism, but be warned, its not the easiest book to follow. I’d say I’ve only been able understand about 5% of the arguments of his book. At the same time I find it compelling reading, and it was a book I’d constantly take down from the shelf and dip into.

Mythology on the Internet

In the beginning of 2004 I finally had access to the internet. It was also at this time, that I started to write my book on the ‘pagan godman.’ I found the internet kind of useful, but hard word and time consuming trying to find credible and well attested The Internet. Finally I decided to create a website rather than write a book, that over the past three years has become Between Old and New Moons. I’ve written and learned so much since I began blogging last year, and now I’m finally in the position to actually write my book.

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