Page "Mythology" Paragraph 8

One theory claims that myths are distorted accounts of real historical events.

According to this theory, storytellers repeatedly elaborated upon historical accounts until the figures in those accounts gained the status of gods.

For example, one might argue that the myth of the wind-god Aeolus evolved from a historical account of a king who taught his people to use sails and interpret the winds.

Herodotus ( 5th century BC ) and Prodicus made claims of this kind.

This theory is named " euhemerism " after the mythologist Euhemerus ( c. 320 BC ), who suggested that the Greek gods developed from legends about human beings.