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Elucidation
Myth is no arbitrary
invention, but the account of the inspired poet,
who, enjoying natural authority, became the founder
of culture. His account, rich in contents and form,
tilled the land on which humanity built her
cultural life. Culture is a child of myth. When
culture languishes, civilization, which rests on
culture, is endangered.
The myths and the notion
of the sacred reach man not through whim or
intellectual theory, but through poetic inspiration
which unveils the twin heights of beauty and
significance. By advancing the cognition of forms,
the acute observation of the world, and the
veracious comprehension of human motivation, the
myths allow serene navigation across the
fundamental issues of life.
Therefore when we say
'myth', we do not mean 'nonsense' or 'lies', since
upon such shortcomings no culture could ever have
been built. Instead we mean by 'myth' the most
luminous representations ever to seize the mind and
heart of mankind, sustaining the spiritual life of
generations, the art of ages, and the very pillars
of society.
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