Mythology (Greek, Egyptian, Roman), religion and metamorphosis

Greek God, Pan

Throughout history there has been the images, myths and folklore based on or having the presence of animals, which have be core or have had a large symbolic value to that particular culture. In ancient Egypt there were many gods that had the head of a animal and body of a human. Animals, particularly cats were worshipped, and were mummified and buried with its owner I preparation for the afterlife. Many Greek myths include these Chimeras, including Madussa, minataur and centaur. 

In the Latin narrative poem by Roman poet Ovid, Metamorphoses, is compromised of fifteen books and over 250 myths . In particular there is Pythagoras's teaching where he comments on the world, us and the animals that we live with, suggesting that we are all interconnected with them.


Extract from book XV of Ovids Metamorphosis: Pythagoras's teachings:

“Nothing keeps its own form, and Nature, the renewer of things, refreshes one shape from another. Believe me, nothing dies in the universe as a whole, but it varies and changes its aspect, and what we call being born is a beginning to be, of something other, than what was before, and dying is, likewise, ending a former state.” (Ovid:746)

He goes on to say that every animal contributes to each other, each part of life and this importance of everything being connected.

“We, as well, who are a part of the universe, because we are not merely flesh, but in truth, winged spirits, and can enter into the family of wild creatures, and be imprisoned in the minds of animals. We should allow those beings to live in safety, and honour, that the spirits of our parents, or brothers, or those joined to us by some other bond, certainly human, might have inhabited: and not fill our bellies as if at a Thyestean feast!” (Ovid:759)


Its very interesting to see these hybrids scattered throughout history and religion. There is great significance the symbols of animals (especially combined with human form) hold great power, and represents something that is strong and to some extent god like. However now over time in a sense we have lost elements of this, especially with the development of science and knowing our limits of creation and creating hybrids. However, in popular culture, especially character creation in games and films, hybrids inspired by these myths still attain power and are usually the most feared, as they are seen as better or stronger than humans themselves. I feel though this has derived from these myths. I then wanted to look into religions/ practices that use animals to guide, and whilst the animals have power, I wanted to look into traditions that placed humans and animals on the same level (spiritual kinship), therefore I moved on to looking into shamanism.

Sources: 

Ovid. Metamorphasis. At: http://tikaboo.com/library/Ovid-Metamorphosis.pdf