Accounts Quote by Mary Hunter Austin
“Some think that even the ancients who lived long before the present generation, and first framed accounts of the Gods, had a similar view of nature; for they made the Oceanus and Tethys the parents of creation, and described the oath of the Gods as being by water, to which they give the name of Styx; for what is oldest is most honourable, and the most honourable thing is that by which one swears”
About This Quote
Source Book: The Land of Little Rain by Mary Hunter Austin, 1903
Ancient myths person water deities to explain natural order, valuing age and honor in divine oaths.
In simple terms: Ancient myths used water gods to explain nature and honor.
Key Takeaway
Respect tradition and seek deeper meaning in natural symbols.
Themes
mythology
nature
honor
tradition
Mood
reflective
inquisitive
Type
philosophical
educational
When to use this quote
- studying mythology
- teaching literature
- exploring cultural history
Key Concepts
symbolism
cosmology
anthropology
Questions to Reflect On
- How do modern views reinterpret ancient water symbols?
- What does honoring the oldest traditions teach us today?
A Different Perspective
Myths may oversimplify complex scientific explanations.
![“It is a curious mystery [...] that the exact same notions of the Seven Sages as the bringers of civilization in the remotest antiquity, and of the preservation and repromulgation of “writings on stones from before the flood,” turn up in the supposedly completely distinct and unrelated culture of…” quote by Graham Hancock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/745/graham-hancock-10752_ancient-egypt_it-is-a-curious-mystery-that-the-exact-s_2747014.jpg)
