The myths and legends man knows of today mostly grew out of interpretations of natural phenomena. Even still, after thousands of years, these ancient tales crop up in various forms today. Evidence of mythology's presence in the modern day can be seen in plays, novels, television programs, movies, and even in advertisements. These myths also manifest themselves in some days of the week, months, names of spaceships and rockets, and in words used every day in normal conversation. The English Language derives much of its vocabulary and figurative language from Greek myths and legends.
Many words used today in America have their origins in Greek mythology.
It is interesting to trace these origins and note how a culture has modified and adapted the language for its own use. An example is the mythical one-eyed Cyclops, which a great hero named Odysseus encounters on his adventure. On an island that Odysseus and his companions landed their ships, they became trapped by the most fearsome cyclops, Polyphemus. They hurled the spear into the cyclops's only eye, blinding him. This root is present in words such as optometry and optics.