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Myths are an attempt by pre-scientific people to explain the environment around them.(Lecture) Oftentimes myths would be started to explain why catastrophes occurred. It was not only easier, but also more entertaining to blame a benevolent being, rather than find the actual source. Myths are commonly confused with legends and fables. Legends are partially based on truth and they are normally started to entertain the masses.(Lecture) Fables, on the other hand, are a way of spreading morality, yet they too contain a level of entertainment.(Lecture) As a way of understanding ancient cultures, historians commonly look at myths. The oldest written myth is The Epic of Gilgamesh, which bares strong resemblance to the Genesis Flood story, written 1500 years before.(Human pg.7) Both stories have very common plot lines and many similarities. Yet, the two stories still have strong differences. Gilgamesh and Genesis have many similarities. Both tell of mass destruction. God of Genesis and the Gods of Gilgamesh killed all humans on the world except one religious man and his family. In both stories the mass destruction takes place by flooding and an ark is built to hold a pair of all the animals of the world.(Human pg.7) A deity intervenes to save mankind and when given the task of hero, both men complain about the assignment of building the ark.
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