Quote by Ambrose Bierce
Mythology: the body of a primitive people's beliefs, concerning its origin, early history, heroes, deities and so forth, as distinguished from the true accounts which it invents later
Summary
This quote highlights the distinction between mythology and historical truth. It suggests that mythology consists of the beliefs and stories that a primitive society creates to explain their origin, early events, heroic figures, gods, and other aspects of their culture. It implies that these myths are not based on factual accounts but rather invented narratives that develop as the society evolves. The quote implies that as civilizations progress, they might create more accurate and reliable historical accounts separate from their initial mythological beliefs.