The Riddle Of The Sphinx :: essays research papers

The Riddle of the SphinxThe study of myths probably began in the 4th century. BC. when Euthemerusexplained them as exaggerated adventures of historical individuals. Theallegorical interpretation of myths , stemming from the 18th century study ,says that at one time myths were invented by wise men to point out a truth, furtherafter a time myths were taken literally. The linguistic decadencyinterpretation says that myths could be understood as allegory for regularts foundin nature. The Jungians school denoted myths as a mechanism of wish fulfillment.Sir James Frazer, believed that all myths were before connected with theidea of fertility in nature, with birth, death, and resurrection of vegetationas a constantly recurring motif. Though the modern interpretation of myths isnot general but a specific explanation for myths of a single people. Thetheological interpretation states that myths are foreshadowings of facts of theScripture or corruptions of them. This view, which is not con temporarily popular,is surprisingly enlightening when attention is paying to the meaning of names ofcharacters and places in relation to Biblical stories. Even recent fairy taleswhich fall into the category of myth, often reveal through metaphor more than truthin scripture than one would anticipate.The most relevant and necessary topic for the apprehensiveness of theimagery and symbolism of myth is found in the role model of the celestial zodiac.The pictures found today in the zodiac were not developed by the Greeks, butwere in place perhaps as early as 4000 B.C. predating even the civilizations ofSumaria. The pictures were not arranged in haphazard order to aid in thetracking of the star movements but with order and purpose of depicting an epicnarrative. This understanding of the zodiac reveals an intelligence andscientific understanding that was corrupted through time . The symbolism whichremains can be analyzed to reveal the basic truth potty it.The story of the sphinx is an e xcellent example of the zodiac / mythconnection. The sphinx a composite creature with the head of a woman or man andthe body of a king of beasts was associated with the guarding of sacred sites of antiquity.It represented the whole of the narrative of the zodiac, with the head of awoman, Virgo the beginning of the celestial cycle and the body of a lion,Leo,the end of the cycle. In fact, the actual objective for what scripture calls acherub is in actuality,a sphinx. The angels were beings whose sole purpose wasto reflect the will and the glory of the God who created them.