Personification in Greek Myth

[abaris]

Was it meant literally? Or was it all just metaphorical language? Or did these beings actually exist in humanoid form in some other plane of existence with the natural world being some very imperfect representation of them? What were Greeks thinking?

You realize that the Egyptian Ra or Re is doing the same. Travelling the underworld at night and the sky by day. I guess they all personified them. They all, according to Greek mythology, were born to reside on Mount Olympos. They also mingled with humans in their earthly matters. Homer's Ilias reporting on an actual war between the gods, taking sides with the attackers or the defenders.

So it's a good guess that they all were personas in the Greek's minds.