A
mythographer, or a
mythologist, according to a strict dictionary definition, is a compiler of
myths.
Mythography (from
Greek μυθογραφία -
mythografia, "writing of fables",
[1] from
μῦθος -
mythos,"speech, word, fact, story, narrative" +
γράφειν -
graphein, "to write, to inscribe") is then the rendering of myths in the arts. These are rather restrictive definitions, which can be said to fail to take into account the large body of twentieth century work on myth from many angles. The compilation of myths assumes some
field work; and the aim may be to produce something of value to
cultural anthropology,
religious studies, or a
myth theory, rather than simply as raw material for transformation into artistic productions.
The word /μῦθος/ is cognate perhaps with Sanskrit /mūḍha/ 'perplexed' and possibly with (geminated from */mud/) Sumerian /mamud/[2] 'dream'. (In many cultures, such as the Yuma, myths are dreamed.)[3]
One of the first Western attempts at rationalization of mythology, and more generally of religious beliefs, can be traced to Euhemerus. This Greek mythographer at the court of Macedon in the late IV century BC held that myths were actually true stories of historical persons, twisted and amplified. This doctrine is called Euhemerism. Even today, the Ancient astronaut theories has been described as "neo-Euhemerism" by French sociologist Jean-Bruno Renard.
The philosophes, such as Voltaire, were interested in dispelling myths, not explaining their existence. While the basic understandings of the Western world were informed by Christianity in all areas of study, the term mythographer referred to someone who attempted to explain pagan myths in terms of misremembering the events of the Old Testament or wilfully altering them. Some of the theories of explanation from classical times were also used, such as the apotheosis of a local hero. This was before the Enlightenment, or, speaking more precisely, before the arrival of historicism.
