Every myth carries a truth older than the civilization that told it.
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The myth of the Centaur: the half-man, half-horse beings of Greece embodying the war between reason and wild instinct, from the savage Centauromachy to
The myth of the Sirens: the bird-women whose irresistible song lured sailors to their deaths, survived by Odysseus lashed to his mast and out-sung by
The myth of the Harpies: the foul bird-bodied, woman-faced "snatchers" born of storm winds who seized food and souls, famous for tormenting the prophet
The myth of Polyphemus: the one-eyed Cyclops son of Poseidon who trapped and ate Odysseus's men, until the hero called himself "Nobody," blinded him, and
The myth of Atalanta: the swift huntress raised by a bear who drew first blood on the Calydonian Boar and would only wed a man who could outrun her —
The myth of Cadmus: the Phoenician hero who founded Thebes, slew the dragon of Ares and sowed its teeth to raise the Spartoi, brought the alphabet to
The myth of Perseus: son of Zeus who beheaded the Gorgon Medusa with a mirror-shield, rescued Andromeda from a sea-monster, and fulfilled the prophecy of
The myth of Theseus: the founder-hero of Athens who cleared the bandit road, slew the Minotaur with Ariadne's thread, and unified Attica — whose forgotten
The myth of Jason: captain of the Argonauts on the quest for the Golden Fleece, saved by the sorceress Medea's love and magic — and ruined when he broke
The myth of Bellerophon: the hero who tamed Pegasus with Athena's bridle and killed the fire-breathing Chimera from the air, then fell to ruin trying to
