The great god Pan
May 20th
I was extremely lucky that my first exposure to Greek myths came from a book by Robert Graves. It was a good and interesting read for a teenager, with a gripping narrative and detailed analysis of the myths without the infantilism and Americanism that is common in popular mythology books now — be it Greek, Nordic or Hindu myths. Among all the gore, blood, incest, crime, violence, and politics one myth really grabbed my attention — the myth about the god Pan.
Probably because it was such a bucolic story. A god who doesn’t want to be involved with internal politics of all the intrigue on Mount Olympus. A god who doesn’t want to hang around other gods. A god who rather spends his time idling in the meadows, or by streams and groves with animals and swineherds. A god who wants to eat, drink and be merry. A god who wants to play flute and chase after the nymphs. A god who doesn’t want to do anything in particular, but just create an art form in laziness. And yet, a god who is worshipped as the protector of nature and fertility. What a guy and what a life!
And the fact that he died — I was shocked to read that a god, or rather a belief in god or remembrance of god among people, can be forgotten. I was shocked to discover that a religion or a part of religion can just be gone from the consciousness of people. And I was shocked that even at the age when those myths were created, there was already knowledge that with the passage of time there will be no return to an easy, rustic lifestyle. The unstoppable progress of urbanization and busyness and hurrying and career was already evident then, I guess. So there was no need anymore for an idler who spends his time walking in the wild places in nature instead of doing something productive.
I kind of miss that god and wouldn’t mind hanging around with him. Somehow with god Pan, there was a possibility that religious belief could be fun. Why there is no fun religion, or fun in religion, anymore?
