Miscellaneous Myths: Astraea

Summary

The speaker, who identifies as a 'jack of all trades, master of none,' discusses their skepticism towards 'fakelore' and their passion for debunking myths. They recount their initial doubts about the Greek goddess Astraea, who was believed to be the last immortal to live among humans during the Golden Age. Despite their suspicions, they find that Astraea's story, including her eventual departure to the heavens and the prophecy of her return to herald a new Golden Age, is genuinely supported by ancient sources like Aratus's 'Phaenomena' and Ovid's 'Metamorphoses.' The speaker also reflects on the political and religious manipulation of Astraea's prophecy throughout history.

Takeaways

• 😀 The speaker identifies as a lifelong learner but not an expert, with a particular interest in Greek mythology.
• 🕵️‍♀️ They have developed a 'spidey-sense' for detecting 'fakelore', or false historical attributions, in various fields of art.
• 🌟 The speaker expresses frustration with forgeries and false attributions that complicate the research of genuine historical and mythological content.
• 📚 They recount their skepticism towards the myth of Astraea, the virgin goddess of justice, innocence, purity, and precision, due to its seemingly modern tropes.
• 📖 The speaker's initial suspicion about Astraea's story is based on its thematically coherent divine domain, which contrasts with the more complex and varied roles of gods in actual mythologies.
• 🗝️ Upon further research, the speaker finds that Astraea's story is indeed supported by ancient sources like Aratus's 'Phaenomena' and Ovid's 'Metamorphoses'.
• ⏳ The myth of Astraea reflects a nostalgic view of a past 'Golden Age' and a critique of the moral decline of humanity through the ages, as depicted in the transition from the Golden Age to the Iron Age.
• 🌌 Astraea's retreat to the heavens and her transformation into the constellation Virgo symbolizes the end of a utopian era and a longing for a return to innocence and justice.
• 📜 The prophecy of Astraea's return, associated with the return of a Golden Age, has been co-opted throughout history to support various social, cultural, and political agendas.
• 🔮 The speaker concludes that while they were initially skeptical of the prophecy's authenticity, its realness is underscored by its historical utility and the tendency of people to interpret it according to their own contexts.

Q & A

What is the speaker's self-perception regarding expertise?

The speaker perceives themselves as not an expert but rather someone who loves learning new things and has a broad but not deep knowledge, often referred to as a 'jack of all trades, master of none.'

Why does the speaker develop a sense of skepticism when encountering new stories?

The speaker develops skepticism because they have encountered many forgeries or fabricated stories in their research, which are often given false historical contexts to seem more impactful and exotic.

What is the significance of Astraea in Greek mythology according to the script?

Astraea is the virgin goddess of justice, innocence, purity, and precision, and is associated with the constellation Virgo. She is noted for being the last immortal to live with humans during the Golden Age in Greek mythology.

Why does the speaker initially doubt the authenticity of Astraea's myth?

The speaker doubts Astraea's myth because her thematic coherence and the narrative of her being the last immortal to leave humanity feel unusually modern and well-constructed, which contrasts with the complexity and inconsistencies found in traditional mythologies.

What sources does the speaker reference to verify Astraea's myth?

The speaker references Aratus's 'Phaenomena' and Ovid's 'Metamorphoses' as sources that support the mythological aspects of Astraea's story.

How do Aratus and Ovid describe Astraea's departure from Earth?

Aratus and Ovid describe Astraea as leaving Earth during the transition from the Golden Age to the Silver Age, as she becomes disheartened with humanity's increasing conflict and violence, eventually retreating to the heavens to become the constellation Virgo.

What is the prophecy associated with Astraea's return?

The prophecy associated with Astraea's return suggests that she will come back to Earth, signaling the beginning of a new Golden Age of peace and prosperity.

How does the speaker view the use of Astraea's prophecy in different historical contexts?

The speaker views the use of Astraea's prophecy as politically and religiously useful, noting that it has been co-opted throughout history to support various social, cultural, or political agendas.

Why does the speaker find the modern application of Astraea's prophecy frustrating?

The speaker finds the modern application of Astraea's prophecy frustrating because it is often used dishonestly to support agendas without acknowledging the original mythological context or the fact that it has been manipulated over time.

What is the speaker's final conclusion about the authenticity of Astraea's myth and prophecy?

The speaker concludes that Astraea's myth and prophecy are indeed part of ancient Greek mythology, but their prominence is largely due to their usefulness in various historical contexts rather than their inherent significance in the original myths.