Aztec Religion
A flood myth is a story in which a massive flood is typically delivered by gods in an effort to wipe out civilization. The floods usually come about as a result of punishment for disobeying certain orders. Some of the flood myths used to teach a lesson to people in their different communities include those from the Turkish and Aztec religions. This essay focuses on these two as a way of examining the impact of flood myths in society; contrasting the two is also important to prove the veracity of the claim.
Aztec Flood Myth
The first flood myth is given in the Aztec religion. According to research, the Fourth sun by the name of Nahul-Ati (Four Water) is believed to have ended in a massive flood. The people believe that the flood lasted for a period of 52 years causing massive destruction of property and loss of lives. In the myth from the Aztec religion, it is part of a creation myth. Based on the Aztecs, it is normally a continuous story of the destructions and creations known as suns. However, the element related to the fourth sun is water. The god that had been chosen to reign the world is Tlaloc’s sister by the name of Calchiuhtlicue. During the fourth sun, Tezcalipoca and Quetzalcoati are known to have been filled with jealousy and as a result brought the sun down. As a result, the entire population on earth were turned into fish and eventually the age was eventually terminated through a great flood (Apri, n.p). Only one woman and one man survived the horrific ordeal after sheltering in a large cypress. However, they were eventually turned into dogs by Teczalipoca as a result of their disobedience to the orders given.
Turkish Myth of Isklender (Alexander the Great)
In Turkey, the myth of Isklender or Alexander the Great is another example of a flood myth. In this particular myth, Alexander the Great in his conquests is known to have demanded tribute from the Queen of Smyrna by the name of Katife. However, she refused to hinder to his requests insultingly and also threatened to drown him if he continued to persist. As a result, the king was enraged by her insolence and determined to punish her by drowning her in a very huge flood (Gaster, n.p). He made an arrangement with infidel workmen and Moslens to assist him in making a great canal and promised to pay them a certain amount. However, the king failed to honor their pay and the infidel workmen quit in disgust leaving the Moslens to continue working on the canal. As a result, the flood swept the workmen and spread to the whole of Queen Katife’s country and drowned different cities in Africa.
Similarities in the Flood Myths
There are several similarities from the two flood myths. Firstly, there is an element of anger in both stories. In the first myth, Tezcalipoca and Quetzalcoati are known to have been filled with jealousy and a result brought the sun down because they were annoyed that they had not been appointed to reign over the world. This in turned caused floods in the earth turning everyone into fish. Also, in the second myth, from Turkey, Alexander the great is known to have been annoyed by the Queen’s defiance. As a result, he sought to punish her in the most gruesome way by drowning her and her countrymen in a great man in a bid to punish her. Secondly, both myths show that disobedience of orders given by a superior has consequences. Normally, every single action that we take tends to have consequences. The truth is that there will always be repercussions for sins or failing to obey the orders given. In the first myth from Aztec religion, the only man and woman that had survived the great flood after sheltering in a large cypress were turned into dogs by Teczalipoa after disobeying her orders. This just goes to show that disobedience tends to have consequences. The third similarity is that both myths tend to have a moral story. In both cases, the flood was brought about to act as punishment for those involved. It just teaches the people in those societies to remain obedient to their gods and to their leaders.
Evidence and Conclusion
The myth from Turkey has some truth in it. This is because evidence of the great flood may still be seen in the form of different drowned cities, particularly on the coast of Africa. In addition, the shop moorings are normally way above the cost of the Black Sea. According to the myth from Aztec creation identified as the fourth sun, there is not really a part where the people can confirm whether the story was true or false and whether the tragic event really took place unlike in the case of the myth from Turkey where houses are submerged in the areas that the flood is said to have taken place.
In conclusion, it is evident that flood myths are often narrated to societies with the intention of instilling a moral concept of obedience to those in command. This includes gods and the leaders in charge. Failure to abide by the stipulated rules and regulations has grievous consequences. In this particular case, the use of great floods was one way to punish individuals.
Work Cited
Holloway, April. Aztec Creation myths. (2013). Retrieved from:
Gaster Theodor H. Myth, Legend and Custom in the Old Testament, Harper & Row, New York (1969).
