Martian Metamorphoses

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An in-depth exploration of the ancient mythology surrounding Mars as the Warrior-Hero archetype, this book takes the reader through wide-ranging cultural traditions of the hero, finding an astonishing unity.

Martian Metamorphoses, the title attests, this book is an exercise in comparative mythology. Our subject of study is the figure we have designated the "warrior-hero." It can be shown that a vast corpus of myths surrounding this figure survives from virtually every corner of the globe, such traditions being traceable in the most ancient literature as well as in recently collected oral accounts. Many of these myths are still with us today, forming prominent themes in modern cinema. Some will be familiar to our audience--those surrounding Heracles, Perseus, Odysseus, and Samson, for example. Others, such as the mythological traditions associated with the names Nergal, Indra, Thor, and Cuchulainn --although equally compelling--will perhaps be new to the reader.

It will be argued that many of the greatest mythological themes reflect ancient man's obsession with the red planet. Indeed, we will attempt to show that Mars' prominence in ancient consciousness is directly attributable to the peculiar behavior of the red planet, which only recently participated in a series of spectacular cataclysms involving the Earth and various neighboring planetary bodies. If our thesis is valid, it follows that the orthodox version of the recent history of the solar system is itself little more than a modern "myth" and stands in dire need of revision. With implications this far-reaching, the ancient traditions surrounding the planet Mars suddenly take on new significance.