MYTHS, LEGENDS, AND REALITY
4th Year - Option Two
There are many wizards or witches in ancient times, that also became famous among muggles. That was in a time prior to organized written recording of history. Over the years, those famous wizards and witches became parts of muggle myths and legends.
Let me tell you about Odysseus. Not the full story – we'd be here for hours – but a short summary. In Greek Mythology, Odysseus is the king of the Greek island of Ithaca. He was part of the Greek army in the Trojan War. On his way back home after the war, cursed by Poseidon, god of the seas, he had to endure a ten years lasting odyssey, during which he encountered many mythological figures and creatures.Two of them are noteworthy. The first is the Cyclops, a giant with only one eye, which is located on the forehead. The second is Circe, a witch living on the island Aeaea. A highly skilled witch, she was known to transfigure all male sailors coming to her island into pigs.
Image of Odysseus
The second wizard I want to cover before we come to your task is Phillipus von Hohenheim, but you probably know him by a different name, Paracelsus. Born in 1493, he lived most of his life in Switzerland and Austria, where he died in 1541. He worked as alchemist, and also used his knowledge and magic to work as a physician. Throughout his life, he had major impact on muggle medicine, so he is also among them.
HOMEWORK:
Stories from witches and wizards can be found in many forms in the muggle world. Try to find one more figure of muggle history, legends or myths, that might have been a witch or a wizard. Tell me about them – where did they live, what are they famous for in the muggle world, and why you think they are a witch or wizard.
*credit for this lesson belongs to TheSmartpool