FIRE IN MYTHOLOGY
Group Members: Adarsh PV, Anagha A, Arjun A, Nandana R, Aditya R
In ancient times, people considered fire one of
the basic elements of the universe, along with water, air, and earth. Fire can
be a friendly, comforting thing, a source of heat and light, Yet fire can also be
dangerous and deadly, racing and leaping like a living thing to consume all in
its path. In mythology, fire appears both as a creative, cleansing force and as
a destructive, punishing one, although positive aspects of fire generally
outweigh negative ones.
People in all parts of the world tell myths and
legends about fire. Numerous stories explain how people first acquired fire,
either through their own daring or as a gift from an animal, god, or hero.
LEGEND ABOUT THE ADMIRALTY ISLANDERS
The ability to make and control fire—which is
necessary for cooking, making pottery and glass, and metalworking—sets people
apart from the animals. The ADMIRALTY
ISLANDERS of the Pacific Ocean have a myth in which a snake asks his human
children to cook some fish. The children simply heat the fish in the sun and
eat it raw, so the snake gives them fire and teaches them to use it to cook
their food. The bringers of fire are legendary heroes in
many traditions.
THE OTHER REPRESENTATIONS OF FIRE
SUN HEARTH PHOENIX
RITUALS
In many cultures, people practice rituals related
to fire. These rituals are often based on myths and legends about fire or fire
gods.
ROMAN GODDESS VESTA
In ancient Rome, a sacred flame associated with the goddess
Vesta represented national well-being. Women called the Vestal Virgins had the
holy duty of keeping that flame alive.
The Aztecs of ancient Mexico believed that the fire god
Huehueteotl kept earth and heaven in place. At the end of each cycle of 52
years, they extinguished all fires, and Huehueteotl's priests lit a new flame
for the people to use.
NORTHERN EUROPE – PAGAN FIRE
In northern Europe, which has long, dark, cold winters, fire
was especially honored. Pagan fire festivals such as lighting bonfires on May 1 have
continued into modern times in European communities.
APOCALYPSE
Apocalypse predicts a sudden and violent end of the world. Fire's
energy is not always a good thing. Flames can bring punishment and suffering,
as in the Christian image of hell as a place of fiery torment. Some myths
of apocalypse predict that the world will end in fire—but it
may be a purifying, cleansing fire that will allow the birth of a fresh new
world.
Names of some fire Gods in Mythology
Mythology
|
Name of Fire God
|
Hindu mythology
|
Agni
|
Greek mythology
|
Hephaestus |
Roman mythology
|
Vulcan
|
Egyptian mythology
|
Ra
|
AGNI HEPHAESTUS VULCAN RA
FIRE
MYTHS
Hindu Mythology
Agni, the god of fire in Hindu mythology,
represents the essential energy of life in the universe. He consumes things,
but only so that other things can live. Fiery horses pull Agni's chariot, and
he carries a flaming spear. Agni created the sun and the stars, and his powers
are great. He can make worshipers immortal and
purify the souls of the dead from sin. One ancient myth about Agni says that he
consumed so many offerings from his worshipers that he was tired. To regain his
strength, he had to burn an entire forest with all its inhabitants.
Chinese Mythology
It includes
stories of Hui Lu, a magician and fire god who kept 100 firebirds in a gourd.
By setting them loose, he could start a fire across the whole country.
There was also a hierarchy of gods in charge of fire. At its head was Lo Hsüan, whose
cloak, hair, and beard were red. Flames spurted from his horse's nostrils. He
was not unconquerable, however. Once when he attacked a city with swords of
fire, a princess appeared in the sky and quenched his flames with her cloak of
mist and dew.
The Story
of how Prometheus Gave Fire to Men (Greek Mythology)
Many years ago,
according to the stories told by the people of ancient Greece, there lived two
brothers who were the sons of one of the Titans who had fought against
Zeus and had been sent in chains to the prison of the Lower World. The name of
the elder of these brothers was Prometheus (which means Forethought).The
younger was called Epimetheus (which means Afterthought).
Prometheus did not want
to live amongst the clouds on Mount Olympus. He was too busy for
that. While the gods were spending their time in idleness, he was
planning how to make the world wiser and better than it had ever been before. So
instead of living on Olympus, Prometheus went out amongst men to live with them
and help them and he quickly noticed that they were no longer
happy. He found them living in caves and in holes of the earth,
shivering with the cold because there was no fire, dying of starvation, hunted
by wild beasts and by one another—the most miserable of all living creatures.
"If they only had
fire," said Prometheus to himself, "they could at least warm
themselves and cook their food; and after a while they could learn to make
tools and build themselves houses. Without fire, they are worse off than
the beasts."Prometheus went boldly to Zeus and begged him to give fire to
the people, so that so they might have a little comfort through the long,
dreary months of winter."I will not!" said Zeus, "Not one spark
will I share with them! For if men had fire they might become strong and
wise like us, and after a while they would drive us out of our kingdom.
Besides, fire is a dangerous tool and they are too poor and ignorant to be
trusted with it. It is better that we on Mount Olympus rule the world
without threat so all can be happy."
Prometheus didn't
answer, but he had set his heart on helping mankind, and he did not give
up. As he was walking by the seashore he found a tall stalk of
fennel. He broke it off and then saw that its hollow center was filled
with a dry, soft substance which would burn slowly and stay alight for a long
time. He carried the stalk with him as he began a long journey to the top
of Mount Olympus."Mankind shall have fire, despite what Zeus has decided,"
he said to himself. And with that thought, he sneaked quietly into Zeus'
domain and stole a spark from Zeus' own lightning bolt. Prometheus
touched the end of the long reed to the spark, and the dry substance within it
caught on fire and burned slowly. Prometheus hurried back to his own
land, carrying with him the precious spark hidden in the hollow center of the
plant.
When he reached home, he
called some of the shivering people from their caves and built a fire for them,
and showed them how to warm themselves by it and use it to cook their
food. Men and women gathered round the fire and were warm and happy, and
thankful to Prometheus for the wonderful gift which he had brought to them. One
chilly winter evening, Zeus gazed down from Mount Olympus and noticed fires
burning cheerfully at the hearths of men and women in every village across the
land. It did not take him long to realize that Prometheus had disobeyed
him and given fire to men. Zeus was very angry and ordered that Prometheus
be chained to the side of a mountain to suffer there for all eternity.
