Momus, Greek God of Satire
The ancient Greeks considered Momus to be the personification of satire and mockery. Stories tell of Momus’s exile from the company of the gods on Mount Olympus for mocking Zeus’ violence and lustful nature (of course, he mocked everyone else as well). He was birthed spontaneously from Nyx (“Night”) and had no father, and was the twin to Oizys, the goddess of misery, anxiety, and depression. His name became synonymous with fault-finding or blame. He likely gained this epithet for his behavior outlined in two of Aesop’s Fables, a collection of stories credited to a slave that may have never existed.
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
In the tales, Momus criticizes various gods for their creations (the gods in question vary depending on the tale). Specifically, Momus finds fault with humans as there is no way to look into their heart to discern their true thoughts/intentions, with homes because they have no wheels to avoid annoying or disruptive neighbors, and with bulls because they don’t have eyes on their horns (to guide their charge). Given these complaints, it is no surprise that his twin was the personification of misery.
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
Beyond being a somewhat annoying and persnickety — though sometimes funny — critic, Momus is also credited with aiding in the incitement of the Trojan War to reduce the human population. In later years Momus’ persona was used as a mouthpiece to criticize authority and tyranny, as well as society at large. His memory has aged well, evolving from a bitter critic to a witty satirist.
*****My debut sci-fi/mythology novel — The Gods Who Chose Us — is available! https://amzn.to/2Bby3hH *****
If you liked the article, please consider following us on Facebook, Medium, and/or Instagram
