In Search of Myths and Heroes

Ratings: 7.29/10 from 17 users.


In Search of Myths and HeroesWatch the four myths that inspired Michael Wood to embark on his journey: The Queen of Sheba, the earthly paradise of Shangri-La, King Arthur and Jason and the Argonauts. Myths are more than mere stories and they serve a much more profound purpose in ancient and modern cultures. Myths are sacred tales that explain the world and man's experience. They instruct, inspire, console, and warn. They embody the wisdom of a culture and serve to pass that wisdom to the next generation.


Shangri-La. The mythical land of Shangri-La is the novelist James Hilton's fictional account of the legendary Tibetan paradise Shambala. In Hilton's 1933 novel, Lost Horizon, he changes the name of the paradise to Shangri-La. This lost Tibetan paradise is a valley cut off from the world. The wisdom of the human race is being conserved there against the threat of imminent catastrophe. Hilton's novel was turned into a hit Hollywood movie and the name Shangri-La came to mean a lost paradise.

King Arthur. Arthur, a Celtic king born of deceit and adultery, grew to become one of the most famous rulers of Britain. He was a warrior, a knight and a king who killed giants, witches and monsters and led a band of heroes on many daring adventures. He is known for his Knights of the Round Table and for uniting the peoples of his land. Even though his end was tragic, he is still known and celebrated all over the world today. His story is painted on the halls of the British Parliament.

Jason and The Golden Fleece. The Greek myth of Jason and the Golden Fleece is one of the oldest myths of a hero's quest. It is a classic story of betrayal and vengeance and like many Greek myths has a tragic ending. It begins when Jason's Uncle Pelias kills Jason's father, the Greek King of Iolkos, and takes his throne. Jason's mother brings him to Cheiron, a centaur (half man, half horse) who hides him away and raises him on the Mountain of Pelion.

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10 Comments / User Reviews

  1. Golan

    Great movie about Shangri-La!
    It's said that Shambala is not mythical kingdom but real, but only people with no mental veils are able to see it.

  2. sky

    The Queen of Sheba's name is Balkees. You should prob search for her with that alias, you might get more information. Obviously most of what you found out was folklore and myth. The real Balkees was no semi-god with hoofs for feet, but a talented woman who was held with high esteem by her people, infact, her subjects thought her an earthly goddess and actually prayed to her. She had no personal relationship with King Solomon, because she believed she truly was a goddess and thus should not take part in such relations. After her visit to the Wise King, she returned to her kingdom in Yemen and decided she was no goddess after all, just a ruler for her people. Later on she married a wealthy man from her country and sired an heir. She lives on in history because she was the most powerful, beautiful woman of her time who regarded herself as superhuman, but upon her return from Jerusalem she changed dramatically due to Solomon's guidance. She realized that Solomon truly was the wisest, and told her people such. She then ruled like she never did before, leading her people into greater prosperity. She truly was a remarkable femme fatale.

  3. Kurrrt

    Shangra-La. Ahh man- I invisioned it so much nicer. Or was that just the road to it? Thought it was inside the planet too, arrh...

  4. Girma

    Ethiopia: The Solomonic Dynasty
    Although some foreigners dispute, it is only in Ethiopia where its kings and queens officially and historically trace their origin to the Old Testament through the courtship of King Solomon and Queen Makeda (Queen of Sheba), shifting the Zion from Canaan to Ethiopia, and continuing the seed of King David until the birth of Jesus Christ from the
    Virgin Mary.
    This was the crucial turning point in the Divine Plan. For, the entitlement and legitimacy of succession for the eligible Ethiopian to be anointed for the Throne of David as Elect of God switched from the dynastic line of physical birth to that of the spiritual birth from God through the Christian Sacrament of Baptism, as clearly stipulated in John 1:12-13.

    Ethiopia: Judges of Humanity
    Jesus Christ said in Matthew 12:24 and Luke 11:31 that it would be Queen of Sheba and her Lambs, the representatives of Ethiopia, that would judge humanity. In Revelations 5:1-6 it describes that non-Ethiopians, would overlook the true nation, the Lion of Judah, and
    its people, the great descendents of David, who would be worthy and became the Lambs.
    But it details that when those non-Ethiopians finally see this truth, this nation would appear “half dead,” brought on by the sin of man. Are the peoples of the world witnessing this in today's Ethiopia?

  5. Khat

    "How does your light shine, on the road to Shambala?"

  6. sknb

    Golden Fleece = Alchemical Treatise.

    So much has been written on this concept I find it strange that he didn't even mention it!

    Also the boat "Argo" comes from "argus" meaning "guardian or watcher".

    How do I get Micheals job? How do I do this kind of adventure for a living? My goodness, what a pleasure it would be...what a dream....

  7. Diogo Cavaleira

    holy crap if what you said is true the whole world is damned. and you know what, I hope you are right. no one else but them deserve heaven and I am not a christian.

  8. landofsun

    i don't know how this stupid dump is in search of sangri LA ,he seems to be unaware of geographical regions as he show Nepal inside Indian map and only Himalayan region on Nepal. I think his British ancestor didn't tell him the story how they loose battle with Nepal when most of the Indian Land was on their control. Nepal is soverent from its ancient time to since. Also most of Himalayan regions lie in Nepal only few Hundreds Kms on India and Pakistan.

  9. Jacek Walker

    As long as people get hot be words like "king" or "queen" or "god", there is no hope for humanity to evolve.
    These stupid games played amongst kings, queens, subjects, worshippers, saints, sinners, prophets etc. are so infantile and pathetic in themselves, that there is little wonder we are miles of light years from becoming a civilized planet.

  10. god

    well said 10/10

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