Bulfinch’s Mythology · Chapter
Origin of Mythology explained
This chapter explores the origins of pagan mythology, presenting and evaluating four main theories: the Scriptural theory (myths as disguised Bible narratives), the Historical theory (myths as embellished accounts of real people), the Alleg
What happens
This chapter explores the origins of pagan mythology, presenting and evaluating four main theories: the Scriptural theory (myths as disguised Bible narratives), the Historical theory (myths as embellished accounts of real people), the Allegorical theory (myths as symbolic truths later taken literally), and the Physical theory (myths as personifications of nature). It concludes that mythology likely arose from a combination of these sources, including the human desire to explain natural phenomena and the origins of names.
Themes in this chapter
Cultural Transmission and Education
The Historical theory emphasizes how myths preserve the memory of real individuals who brought knowledge (e.g., Cadmus teaching the alphabet, Aeolus teaching navigation) to primitive societies.
Mortality and Immortality
The Allegorical theory touches on this theme through Saturn/Cronos (Time) destroying what it creates, reflecting the transient nature of life and the enduring symbolic power of myths.
Characters to notice
- Deucalion
Mentioned in the Scriptural theory as a mythological counterpart to Noah.
- Hercules
Cited in the Scriptural theory as a parallel to Samson.
- Aeolus
Used as an example in the Historical theory: a real king who taught sailing and weather prediction.
- Cadmus
Used as an example in the Historical theory: a Phoenician emigrant who introduced the alphabet to Greece.
- Saturn
Used in the Allegorical theory as a personification of Time (Cronos) who devours his children.
- Io
Used in the Allegorical theory: interpreted as the moon, with Argus as the starry sky.
Key passages
“Thus Deucalion is only another name for Noah, Hercules for Samson, Arion for Jonah, etc.”
According to the Scriptural theory, figures like Deucalion, Hercules, and Arion are simply disguised versions of biblical characters such as Noah, Samson, and Jonah.
Illustrates the Scriptural theory's attempt to link pagan myths to Bible stories.
“Cadmus, who, the legend says, sowed the earth with dragon's teeth, from which sprang a crop of armed men, was in fact an emigrant from Phoenicia, and brought with him into Greece the knowledge of the letters of the alphabet, which he taught to the natives.”
The myth of Cadmus sowing dragon's teeth that grew into warriors is actually a poetic retelling of a real Phoenician immigrant who introduced the alphabet to Greece.
Exemplifies the Historical theory's approach to demythologizing legends.
“Thus Saturn, who devours his own children, is the same power whom the Greeks called Cronos (Time), which may truly be said to destroy whatever it has brought into existence.”
Saturn eating his children is an allegory for Time, which inevitably consumes all that it creates.
Demonstrates the Allegorical theory's method of extracting philosophical meaning from myth.