ing in a scientific age and therefore make incomprehensible or unacceptable the true message to which they are attached in the Bible" (OED p.177). The definition of the word myth can best be found in a myth itself. "The Creation of Man by Prometheus" is an excellent example of a myth containing gods or superhuman characteristics, a lesson to be learned, and teachings or beliefs of the time period. This myth explains the creation of man in the minds of Greeks through super human characters such as the gods. How was man created in the minds of the Greeks? Prometheus used materials from nature (mud) to create a form similar to that of the gods, which can be seen today as the modern symbol of man. Another Greek goddess, Athena, then blew life into the sculpture. Man was now created. Prometheus then taught man how to survive and also taught them how to make fire. Zeus, the king of all gods and goddesses, was not happy with him giving man the gift of fire and punished Prometheus for the rest of his life. The Greeks in an oral tradition to explain this phenomenon, known as the origin of man (Hunt) then used this story. Many cultures, for example, have a different myth to explain the origin of man. Native Indian myths suggest that the joining of sprits created man. The sprits also taught man how to survive. This myth is similar to that of the Greek version because in both versions the creation of man involved supernatural interaction. As in every culture, the people of it have the individual they believe is responsible. Every culture has a myth explaining how man was created that they believe is correct based on their oral tradition. The Greeks believed that the Gods were responsible for this feat, while the Indians believed that spirits accomplished this task based on taught tradition. The purpose of these myths was to create answers to questions that could not be answered in those early times. The myths eased the minds of mortals and made mor...
