Introduction
Ancient Greece was the birthplace of western civilization. It’s culture is the embodiment of the ideals which are pursued even today. The richness of Greek mythology inspired artists from the middle ages to modernity, with motives of myth occurring sporadically throughout history. Starting from the middle ages, when Christian and ancient traditions started to mix together, forming the basis of modern western culture, Greek myth has been in the centre of interest. It is intriguing to note that Roman mythology is not as potent as Greek in modern art.
Ovid’s Metamorphoses was the most influential text in the Middle ages, and it served as inspiration to writers, painters, musicians and other artists. However, Christianity did not accept ancient myths in their true, religious meaning. Myths were used to paint symbols, allegories and allusions to contemporary issues, mainly religious. Mythical beings and heroes were fitted – in a sense, into a medieval Catholic frame (Von Hendy, 2).
Homer’s Iliad is probably the most frequently read of all the Greek myths. It tells the story of Troy, and its fall to Greek armies led by king Agamemnon. The war began when Paris, a young Trojan prince took Helen, the wife of Menelaus and ran with her. This led to a great war, which resulted in the destruction of Troy. This epic work has been a source of endless inspiration for artists throughout the ages. Since the beginning of Renaissance, and the rebirth of classical spirit in Europe, Illiad and the Odyssey became an endless source of inspiration. Countless writers, poets, painters and composers incorporated elements of Homer’s work into theirs, but the meaning was always different. English writers like Marlowe often used mythological characters in their work. However, their use was not intended to reminiscent of Greek myths, but rather used as an allegory that portrayed a certain ideal – for Marlowe that was Helen of Troy, the ideal of beauty. In a way, Helen is transported to Marlowe’s world and represents both ancient and modern ideal of beauty (Highet, 2).
“Come, Helen, come give me my soul again. Here will I dwell, for heaven be in these lips, And all is dross that is not Helena” (Faust, 1328-1334 in Morford et al.)
German “renaissance” started in the eighteenth century, with the rise of romanticism. Greek mythology became the focal point for German writers, poets and painters. Goethe, one of the foremost German writers uses myth of Helen of Troy, much like Marlowe does, but his Helen is much more in tune with the spirit of German revival – she is powerful, as well as beautiful.
“Have I still eyes? Is the spring of beauty most richly poured deep into my soul? My fearsome journey has brought blessed prize. How empty was the world to me and closed!” (Faust 2 6487-6500 in Morford et al.). Music also makes note of Helen, in Strauss’s “Die Aegyptishe Helena”, released in 1929. The story tells of two Helen’s, one real who is faithful, and one phantom, who runs with Paris (Morford et al., 570)
When looking at the three examples noted above, and other, similar representations of Greek mythology in contemporary texts it becomes clear that the authors rely on mythology to relay messages, arguments and positions through universally understandable and accessible stories. Despite the fact that they were created nearly 2 000 years ago, Greek myths are still deeply embedded in the western culture. This is apparent even today. Number of movies, songs and works of art that are influenced by Greek mythology is rising. Naturally, the messages relayed by the authors are not a reflection of the meanings attributed to myths, they serve merely as a mean to translate modern events into a mythical form. When watching a movie like Troy, which is clearly off-set from the original story, one still feels and sees the presence of the mythical. It is a mystifying experience, one that brings the author and the viewer closer together in a common medium. Highet (520) said it well, “they (myths) are reflections of natural processes, eternally recurring”. There is something appealing in Greek myth that drives artists towards new interpretations of well known facts. Again citing Highet (524), it is clear “all these characters are not so much historical individuals as projections of the wishes, passions, and hopes of all mankind”. Conclusion
To conclude, myth has surpassed a mere literary form. It has become the embodiment of human nature. Whenever a writer or a painter wishes to express some human quality, he/she draws from the rich compendium of ancient heroes and heroines – Aphrodite for beauty, Athena for wisdom, Heracles for strength, Achilles for persistence.

Works cited

Highet, Gilbert. The classical tradition: Greek and Roman influences on Western literature. Oxford University Press, 1949.
Von Hendy, Andrew. The modern construction of myth. Bloomington: Indiana University Press, 2002.Feldman, Burton, and Robert Dale Richardson, eds. The rise of modern mythology: 1680-1860. Indiana University Press, 2000.
Morford, Mark Percy Owen, and Robert J. Lenardon, eds. Classical mythology. Oxford University Press, 1999.