Traces of Greco-Roman mythology in classical Turkish literature: The Thread of Life

Abstract

It is wholly acknowledged that prior to the Turks’ conquest of Anatolia, this land was inhabited by diverse cultures and civilizations. Following its conquest, however, large segments of the various populations living in Anatolia continued to reside in their native homelands, indicating that the Turks lived together with these indigenous cultures for centuries. Greeks and Romans made up only one aspect of these various cultures. Although nowhere near as pervasive as their Persian and Arab counterparts, the cultures and mythologies of both the Greeks and Romans are discernible in Turkish culture, which is only natural after having shared the same homeland for many years in Anatolia and Europe. One such example is the occasional likening of a beloved’s hair to snakes in classical Turkish literature, reminiscent of Medusa’s own snake-like hair in Greek mythology. Indeed, the poems written in Greek by Mawlānā Jalāl al-Dīn Rūmī and Ahmed Pasha demonstrate that Turkish poets were not complete strangers to Western sources. After providing information about the three Moirai sisters known as the goddesses of fate in Greek and Roman mythology, this article will move on to address how they indirectly appear in classical Turkish literature.