Characters who defy or anger the gods are punished, and those who honor and praise the gods find rewards. Humans, not only those in the myths but also those who hear the myths, generally go even further and believe that the gods actually exist. For one thing, those who hear the myths must in some way believe they are true in order for them to be meaningful. Faithįaith is perhaps the most widely important theme in Greek mythology. Generosity, altruism, or freely giving to others may not seem to be in the immediate interest of the giver, which might be why these myths reinforce the idea that it is a good quality that should be valued. In these generosity stories, one can see a way in which Greek myths were used as morality tales, explaining what is right and what is wrong, how to live and how not to live. Their selfless behavior saves them from the flood and secures their respect in the eyes of the gods.

When the poor couple take two travelers into their home, they have no idea that Jupiter and Mercury are testing their hospitality. In the case of Baucis and Philemon, the theme is much more pronounced. Hospitality is a particularly important species of generosity. Sometimes, generosity subtly reinforces a story, such as when Metaneira takes in Demeter, disguised as an elderly woman, or when Dictys takes in baby Perseus and Danae when they wash up on his shore. Throughout the Greek myths, generosity appears to be noble. Through these figures, the modern reader can understand many Greek values. Their stories are some of the most memorable consider Theseus, Hercules, and Perseus.

Exceeding the limits of average men, the heroes act somewhere between gods and mortals in the hierarchy of the Greek myths. For example, Perseus could not have killed Medusa if he did not have the smarts to steal the Gray Women's eye. They also depend upon a certain degree of clever ingenuity to achieve success. Greek heroes tend to share uncommon strength, immense bravery, and noble morality.

Edith greek mythology