Online platforms are also a great source. Websites like Project Gutenberg offer free e - books of many classic works that contain full myth stories. Also, some mythology - specific websites have detailed retellings of various myths from different cultures.
In Egyptian mythology, the story of Osiris is quite complete. Osiris was a god - king who was murdered by his brother Set. His wife Isis then searched for his body parts to resurrect him. This myth is not only about death and resurrection but also about the cycle of life and the power struggles in the divine realm.
The story of Hercules begins with his birth. He was the son of Zeus and a mortal woman Alcmene. Hera, Zeus's wife, was jealous and tried to kill Hercules from the start. Hercules grew into a man of extraordinary strength. One of his most famous tasks was the Twelve Labors. These included slaying the Nemean Lion, whose skin was impenetrable. He had to strangle it to death and then wore its skin as a cloak. Another labor was defeating the Hydra, a multi - headed serpent. Every time he cut off one head, two more would grow back, but he managed to defeat it with the help of his nephew Iolaus. Hercules also had to capture the Ceryneian Hind, a deer with golden horns. He completed many other arduous tasks like cleaning the Augean stables in a single day, which were extremely filthy. His story also involved his bouts of madness, which were caused by Hera. Eventually, after his death, he was made into a god for his great deeds.
The myth of Icarus is about a father and son. Daedalus was a brilliant craftsman who made wings for himself and his son Icarus out of feathers and wax. They were trapped on an island. Daedalus warned Icarus not to fly too close to the sun as the heat would melt the wax. But Icarus, in his youthful exuberance, ignored his father's warning. He flew too high, the sun melted the wax, and he fell into the sea and drowned.
The Narcissus myth is about a very handsome young man named Narcissus. He was so beautiful that many nymphs fell in love with him, but he rejected them all. One day, while he was hunting, he came across a pool of water. As he bent down to drink, he saw his own reflection in the water. He was immediately entranced by his own beauty. He fell in love with his reflection and couldn't tear himself away. He stayed by the pool, staring at his reflection until he eventually died. Where he died, a flower grew, which was named the Narcissus flower after him.
The Medusa myth is a well - known Greek myth. Medusa was once a beautiful maiden. She was a priestess in the temple of Athena. But Poseidon lusted after her and violated her in Athena's temple. Athena, enraged by this desecration of her temple, punished Medusa instead of Poseidon. She transformed Medusa into a hideous monster with snakes for hair. Anyone who looked directly at her would turn to stone. Eventually, the hero Perseus was sent on a quest to kill Medusa. With the help of the gods, he managed to behead her while looking at her reflection, avoiding her direct gaze. From her severed neck sprang the winged horse Pegasus and the giant Chrysaor.
The 'Myth of Sisyphus' is about Sisyphus, a figure in Greek mythology. He was condemned by the gods to roll a huge boulder up a hill, only to watch it roll back down every time he neared the top. This was his eternal punishment. It represents the absurdity of human existence. Sisyphus's struggle is endless, yet he still has to keep repeating this futile task.
In the Arachne myth, Arachne was a young and talented weaver. She was so confident in her abilities that she dared to challenge Athena. When they competed, Arachne's work was indeed very impressive, but it showed disrespect to the gods. Athena couldn't tolerate such insolence. As a result, she transformed Arachne into a spider. This way, Arachne would be condemned to spin webs for all eternity, which is a form of punishment for her pride. It also serves as a warning about not challenging the gods too much.
The story of Daedalus and Icarus is a Greek myth. Daedalus was a brilliant inventor. He and his son Icarus were imprisoned on the island of Crete. Daedalus made wings for them out of feathers and wax so they could escape. He warned Icarus not to fly too close to the sun. But Icarus, in his excitement, ignored his father's warning. The sun melted the wax on his wings, and he fell into the sea and drowned. Daedalus, grief - stricken, continued his flight to safety.
The Orion myth is quite fascinating. Orion was a great hunter in Greek mythology. He was known for his strength and hunting skills. He boasted that he could kill every animal on Earth. But Gaia, the Earth goddess, was displeased. She sent a giant scorpion to kill him. In the end, Orion was stung by the scorpion and died. Zeus then placed Orion among the stars as a constellation.