Okay, this is interesting.
I just read the article Why Is Our Galaxy Called The Milky Way?
I’m not sure why I haven’t heard about this before. I guess it must not be in Edith Hamilton’s Mythology book (which I know from a high school English class).
According to mythology, Hera was breastfeeding Zeus’s half-mortal son Heracles when she abruptly withdrew her nipple, spraying her milk and leaving a spectacular white streak smeared across the night sky. Inspired by this account, the Greeks invented the term galaxias, which has its root in the word ‘gala’, meaning milk.
In later years, the Romans adapted this to ‘Via Galactica’, which translates as Milky Way. The modern English term ‘lactic’ – denoting anything related to milk – is therefore derived from ‘galactic’, implying that the white stuff is in fact heavenly in origin.
Benjamin Taub
So, based on Greek mythology, the Milky Way galaxy did not exist until after Heracles was born! Of course, this means that the Earth and Sun must have joined the Milky Way galaxy somewhat later.
What I love about mythology is that it provides evidence that humans have always been asking fundamental questions. Why are we here? What is our place in the Universe? What is the meaning of life?
While science may provide some of the answers today, plenty of mysteries remain.
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