Simple question. How do you think a mythological Greece would develop into modern times?

 

Personally, I feel like the gods might be divided on how modern technology is affecting the world.


Gods like Apollo, Hermes, and Dionysus might throw themselves into the decadence and entertainment of humanity.


While gods like Artemis, Demeter, and Hera may dislike how it's causing nature to die, fewer animals to hunt, or even mortals not worshipping gods as much.


Athena and Hephaestus may try to focus on the good, more arts and knowledge, more machines, and simply accept the bad.


I see Poseidon and Hades not really caring much, and Zeus being like an old boomer.


With the "back in my day" stuff.

 

Another thing perhaps is the culture change.


Most greek stories of heroes have them striking out and killing monsters, doing tasks mostly on their own.


Sure sometimes they have an avengers team up like the Argonauts, but Greek heroes are usually on their own.


With the advancements of technology comes the ability to fight monsters without relying on the 'heroes'.


Perhaps they'll be a monster-hunting corps or something.


Which conflicts with people who believe or want to be like the olden heroes of legend. Like a herd-mentality vs lone mentality thing.


Also, I have an image in my head of like a dude in full spartan armor walking beside a dude in like a high-tech Iron-Man suit on a normal street with no one blinking an eye.

 

I'm interested, have you ever read the Percy Jackson series?

 

Yes, it's actually one of my inspirations for this idea.

 

Like what I have in my mind is like a steampunk world, but no steam, instead its greek magitech.

Greekpunk.

 

No.

 

?

 

Firstly, your post title/question doesn't really match what you're looking for.

When you mostly have knowledge of greek mythology through pop fiction books & movies you end up with a marvelized notion of the ancient religion that's quite different from actual history. Neither ancient Greek people nor their Gods were marvel heroes, so you what are you even talking about.

 

Golden boy, please stop double posting. Also, do some more research on ancient Greek mythology. Are you planning on writing a story about this concept?

 

Have you read American Gods by Neil Gaiman? I didn't very much like it, tbh, but if you're looking for inspiration on this sort of thing you might find it useful.

 

I Second the American gods Idea. Classic urban Fantasy with supernatural beings living in the Cracks and dark places of our world.

 

One thing about Greek Mythology is that the deeper you dive into it the more of a convoluted mess it becomes. Most stories, even ones that are lesser told and borderline obscure, often have multiple and sometimes conflicting variations. In one a god could come off as having a certain personality trait, in another they could seem the opposite.

Which all is to say that someone looking to adapt the ideas to modern times would have a lot of options depending on which interpretations they opt for.

But after skimming your ideas Golden boy, I think I see a problem. It seems like your ideas of what the greek gods is defined by Riordan's versions of them form his series. I have no problem with Riordan's versions - in fact I like them a lot. But if you're envisioning your own world you cannot rely on interpretations of interpretations.

My advice if you want to do anything with the concept would be to read up on a lot of mythology, actual original myths, until you feel like you have a good understanding of their content. Then, from there, you kind find interesting connections or ideas to build off of.

 

I second what @Mr. Mixed Bag said, although I don't think there is as much contradiction between different variations. The Greek gods were very fallible but their personalities were mostly set. Their myths served multiple purposes and made up by many people throughout the centuries, like the ultimate fanfiction, so conflicting variations may arise, but within a general consensus on who the gods were and how they behaved (mostly).

Myself, I've never been able to get into/enjoy versions like Percy Jackson where they stray too far (IMO) from the mythology, since I have very firm opinions on who the gods were (from reading myths since a kid).

Nikos Tsiforos wrote entire history and mythology books in a Greek argot using the slang of a criminal subculture that was full of profanity, sarcasm and disdain for authority and polite society to treat scholarly subjects like the Francocracy, the Conquistadores and the histories of Greece, France, Britain and the United States (in the '50s). Perhaps his books have not been translated, but if you find his "greek mythology" book in English, I heartily reccomend it. Very humorous and very accurate.

 

You guys are probably right. I should go and read some greek myths to at least broaden my knowledge.