Why is Greek mythology more popular than Norse mythology?

Originally posted by Symmetric Chaos
I wasn't aware of a difference.

Originally posted by inimalist
isn't that redundant?

K.

Originally posted by The Nuul
I have always wondered this....

We see Vikings at times but hardly ever do we see or hear from Odin, Thor etc.....but we see and hear from Zeus and Herc often.

A few reasons, I'd imagine.

One is that the Norse myth was spread more through word of mouth than the Greek and Roman myths which were often written down. Greek and Roman civilization was more widespread, with libraries from Rome itself down to Egypt at one point, and this helped them become "classics".

Two is that the Renaissance focused on those classics and dragged them back into the spotlight. Norse mythology, never in said spotlight, did not enjoy a rediscovery. In any case, Norse mythology would have been difficult to integrate, seeing as it was very dark and violent and Christianity spent a lot of effort and time stamping it out only a few hundred years ago.

the greeks have more style imean the norse are like cold thundra imean the vikings always lived in cold harsh enivronmentalish places if u come to think bout it so there isnt much color in there myth the grek myth are more coloful in theme like litararily greeks are more relatable this is basicall like marvel vs dc both options are great but i go for greek and marel ....[ wid ragnorak and batman being the only exception ]

Frankly better stories, people ****ing animals, animals fusking people. So much murder and betrayal. Corruption, Rape (lots of rape)......

It's simply cooler than Thor drinking a ****ing flagon of mead connected to the sea.

Likely because the Classical Greek culture has more influence than Norse culture on the Modern Western World (along with Latin culture). I don't think Greek Mythology is better, in fact I think Norse myths are superior to Greek myths, but that's just me.

the norse also lived in a climate that destroys historical relics that might have been built to their gods, and, iirc, the norse didn't have a written language

Originally posted by inimalist
the norse also lived in a climate that destroys historical relics that might have been built to their gods, and, iirc, the norse didn't have a written language

Lots of Viking relics last till this day, they weren't really about statues and shit. More funeral pyres, raping and pillaging. Most stuff they made we have a pretty good idea of. Temples and shit was not their thing they lived in villages and travelled oceans. They were in small bands who tended to join together. Greece, was also about the raping but that was usually the gods on humans and animals, althouth they liked that shit when they won battles etc as a people.

comparatively though, even if they did build stuff like the parthanon, there is no way it would have existed hundreds of years later for the Rennisance Europeans to go nuts over.

Originally posted by The Nuul
I have always wondered this....

I haven't. But, I can't say why. I just don't find their mythology all that interesting. Sure there's a legitimate reason to know it so you can contextualize other mythology and differentiate cultures, but I've never found it all that interesting. Neither have I ever though Greek mythology was all that interesting. Egyptian is where it's at for me.

Because Greek mythology has interesting stories.

Originally posted by ADarksideJedi
Because Greek mythology has interesting stories.

IMO once you get past the incest and self-righteous heroes there isn't much to Greek Myth.

I think Inimalist hit the nail on the head when he pointed out that the Greeks became super popular thanks to the Rennaisance. If it weren't for all those painters, sculptors, and writers celebrating them the myths wouldn't be nearly as popular as they are today.

Originally posted by The Nuul
I have always wondered this....

We see Vikings at times but hardly ever do we see or hear from Odin, Thor etc.....but we see and hear from Zeus and Herc often.

Originally posted by 753
because western civilizations trace their origins back to greece and not scandinavia.

That's just the way it is, those filthy barbarians were culturally assimilated into a matrix of christianity and greco-roman culture. It wasn't just the germanic peoples either, Europe and almost all of America (continent) have been 'artificially' westernized, usually through some unseemingly methods.

Originally posted by Omega Vision
And Norse Myth doesn't?

IMO once you get past the incest and self-righteous heroes there isn't much to Greek Myth.

I think Inimalist hit the nail on the head when he pointed out that the Greeks became super popular thanks to the Rennaisance. If it weren't for all those painters, sculptors, and writers celebrating them the myths wouldn't be nearly as popular as they are today.

It does not have as much.

Originally posted by 753
That's just the way it is, those filthy barbarians were culturally assimilated into a matrix of christianity and greco-roman culture. It wasn't just the germanic peoples either, Europe and almost all of America (continent) have been 'artificially' westernized, usually through some unseemingly methods.

Excuse me who are you calling filthy barabarians? You do realise that Viking culture is actually a religon to some people today. Furthermore they weren't anymore violent than the rest of Europe people just liked to protray them that way because they were pagan. You have an example of an early type of Democracy in Iceland.

😒:

Originally posted by inimalist
the norse also lived in a climate that destroys historical relics that might have been built to their gods, and, iirc, the norse didn't have a written language

There are still lots of relics eg statues, drawings etc. I think you're right about the Vikings not having a written language however alot of Viking lore was written down shortly after the Viking Age (I think there may have been a transition point between them becoming Christian were they might have started writting). Eventhough they had to convert to Christanity some people still practised and believed in the Norse Gods.

Essentially I think Greek mythology is more popular because I think there is some stigma attached to the Vikings ie they were barabaric and uneducated while the Greeks are seen as being more sophisticated. You have a similar thing with the Anglo-Saxons (Anglo-Saxons are essentially Vikings that lived in England) and Normans.

Originally posted by Corrupt_America
More funeral pyres, raping and pillaging. Most stuff they made we have a pretty good idea of. Temples and shit was not their thing they lived in villages and travelled oceans.

You are sterotyping of course they had statues and I think some of there fortifications exist today. Not all Norse people travelled around. Everybody was into raping and pillaging. facepalm

Viking culture reminds me of African culture, stigmatised and underated.

Originally posted by Deadline
[B]Excuse me who are you calling filthy barabarians? You do realise that Viking culture is actually a religon to some people today. Furthermore they weren't anymore violent than the rest of Europe people just liked to protray them that way because they were pagan. You have an example of an early type of Democracy in Iceland.

😒:

It was a joke you dickhead. I don't think nonwestern or nonchristian peoples are filthy. I was mocking the greeks' and christian's stereotypical views of foreigners and pagans.

Originally posted by 753
It was a joke you dickhead. I don't think nonwestern or nonchristian peoples are filthy.

Originally posted by Deadline
You're not very funny dickhead. Its also the sort of thing I expect you to say, now run along.

Originally posted by 753
People who need a joke explained to them don't get to say it isn't funny. If you didn't care for an explanation then why waste our time quoting me in the first place?

Anyway I edited my post, don't want an argument. I can be a sensitive subject if it means alot to you, thats all.