10 Examples of Moral Myths

The moral myths They are narratives that explain the origin and existence of good and evil or that have a moral teaching, that is, they state how people should act.

The myths are narratives of oral transmission that include supernatural events and that are taken as true by certain civilizations or religions, because they arose to respond to different questions.

In addition to moral myths, there are cosmogonic (they narrate the creation of the world), anthropogonic (narrate the origin of human beings), theogonic (narrate the origin of the gods), the etiological (They narrate the origin of other beings and phenomena), the foundational ones (they narrate the foundation of places) or the eschatological ones (they describe what the end of the world will be like).

Characteristics of moral myths

Examples of moral myths

1. The origin of the hospitality rule (Greek myth)

Zeus, the god of kings, and Hermes, the god of travelers, messengers and borders, took the form of humans and arrived in Phrygia, a city, in the middle of a storm. The gods asked the inhabitants for a place to spend the night, but most refused and only Philemon and Baucis allowed them to enter their house.

Baucis realized that the two foreigners were deities because he had served them food several times, but they were never satisfied. Baucis told it to Philemon, who decided to sacrifice his goose to give it to the gods. When he went to look for the bird, it ran to where Zeus was, who told the owner of the house that it was not necessary to do such a sacrifice and he told him that he was going to destroy the city, because most of the inhabitants had not accepted the gods in their houses.

Baucis and Philemon went up with the gods to a mountain and Zeus flooded the city, but he saved the house of that couple who had received them. In addition, the king of the gods told them that they could make a wish, Baucis and Philemon told him that they wanted to be guardians of a new temple and that they wanted to live many years and die together. Zeus granted their wish.

This myth explains the origin of the law of hospitality, which was very important in Ancient Greece, and has a moral teaching: those who welcome strangers into their homes will be rewarded.

1. Plato's Ring of Gyges (Greek myth)

Gyges was a shepherd and one time when he was walking in the field he found a bronze horse on which was the body of a deceased person. This person had a ring, which Gyges did not hesitate to grab. The ring was magical and when turned it made the person wearing it invisible. The shepherd used it to trick the queen, kill the king, and take over the kingdom.

This myth does not narrate the origin of good and evil, but explains that in any society there will be men who will do wrong, for that reason, for Plato, it was necessary that there were laws that condemned robberies and murders.

1. Lycaon (Greek myth)

Lycaon was a king who founded the city of Licosura. At first he was a very righteous king, but over time he began to make sacrifices for the gods. Once, Zeus pretended to be a pilgrim, to see what was happening in the city of Licosura. The king of the gods stayed in the palace of Lycaon.

The king wanted to sacrifice the pilgrim, that is, Zeus, but the god punished him by transforming Lycaon into a wolf and setting his palace on fire.

The aim of this myth was to transmit the teaching that there was no need to make human sacrifices and that the laws of hospitality had to be respected.

1. King Midas (Greek myth)

Midas was the king of Phrygia and, having been hospitable to Silenus, Dionysus, the god of fertility and wine, told him that he would fulfill a wish for him. Midas told him that he wanted to have the power to transform everything he touched into gold and Dionysus granted his wish.

But Midas hadn't thought very well of his wish, as the food he touched turned to gold. Therefore, Midas asked Dionysus to take away his power and the god told him to try washing his hands in the Pactolo River. Midas went to the river, but when he dipped his hands in it, the river turned to gold.

This myth seeks to convey a moral teaching: you don't have to be greedy and you have to be careful when you ask the gods for something.

1. The Punishment of Atlantis from Critias from Plato (Greek myth)

Critias was in a debate about the ideal society and when it was his turn to speak, he told the story of Atlantis, a city that was submerged under the sea. This city was beautiful, the people were virtuous and honored the gods. But, over time, the citizens began to misbehave and disobey the gods. The gods decided that they would punish the Atlanteans for their behavior and therefore covered the city in water and mud.

This myth seeks to convey the teaching that one should not be arrogant with the gods.

1. Pandora's box (Greek myth)

Pandora was the first woman to inhabit the earth and she was engaged to Epimetheus. They got married and as a wedding gift they were given a box that had a warning written on it: it was forbidden to open the box.

Epimetheus forgot about the box, but Pandora couldn't stop wondering what was inside of it and so she opened it. But nothing good came out of the box, but all the evils in the world came out.

This myth explains the origin of the evils of the world and, in addition, it was used to transmit the teaching that all acts have consequences.

1. Daedalus and Icarus (Roman myth)

Daedalus was an architect and Icarus was his son. King Minos had asked him to help build a labyrinth in which he would lock the Minotaur. Daedalus agreed to do the construction and went to Crete with his son, but when the construction was finished, Minos locked them in the labyrinth so that no one would know how to get out.

It occurred to Daedalus that they could make wings out of feathers and honey to escape. Father and son made the wings, put them on and Daedalus warned Icarus that he had to be very careful, as that if he flew too high the honey would melt with the sun and if he flew too low the feathers would get wet with the water from the sea.

At first Icarus obeyed his father, but later he began to fly very high. The honey melted, the wings fell apart, Icarus fell into the sea and drowned. Daedalus was saddened by the death of his son and buried him on an island that he named Icaria to honor him.

This myth was used to explain the importance of being obedient and careful.

1. The origin of Satan (Christian myth)

Lucifer was an angel who lived with God in heaven. But this angel was very proud and he rebelled against God, since he wanted to be like him. Pride was a very serious sin and, therefore, God expelled him from heaven forever and, from that moment, he acquired the name of Satan (in Hebrew it means adversary).

This myth explains the origin of evil, which is represented by Satan, as opposed to good, which is represented by God.

1. The origin of sin (Christian myth)

Adam, the first man on earth, and Eve, the first woman on earth, lived in Eden, a very beautiful natural place where they lacked nothing. Adam and Eve could do whatever they wanted, except eat a fruit, since God had forbidden them.

One day, the serpent, who was the representation of the devil, convinced Eve to eat the forbidden fruit. Eve realized that the fruit pleased her and that, in addition, she gave her wisdom, so she convinced Adam that she also eat one of it.

However, God realized what Adam and Eve had done, expelled them from paradise, and sentenced them to be mortal and to work for their food.

This myth explains the origin of sin and is known as the "original sin", since it is the first sin and is, according to the Christian religion, a sin with which all people are born.

1. The punishment of vanity (Roman myth)

According to this myth, there was a young man named Narcissus who was the most beautiful man in the world. Many people fell in love with him, but the young man was very vain and made fun of and mistreated people who declared their love for him.

For his behavior, Narcissus was punished by the gods for falling in love with the reflection of him. Once, the young man was walking through the forest, he saw a river and went to drink water. Seeing his reflection, he fell in love with himself and couldn't stop looking at himself.

After a while, the young man died of hunger and loneliness.

This myth explains the serious consequences that vanity can have.

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