MythologyThe Creation of Mankind

*Notes*

Before Mankind Chaos—formless confusion

Bears two children: Night Erebus—depths of Hell All is black, empty, silent

Night and Erebus bear Love Love creates Light and Day—banishes confusion

Creation of the Earth Light and Day give birth to the Earth

(Gaea), naturally.

Earth first bears Heaven (Ouranos)

Personification of Earth What is personification?

The universe is alive with the same kind of life you know in yourselves. Nature moves and changes.

Winter, summer Shifting stars in the sky, restless sea

Personification of Earth (cont.) Natural forces receive distinct shapes:

Children of Earth (Gaea) and Heaven (Ouranos): 3 Monster Races

Hundred-Handed Ones—hundred hands, fifty heads

Cyclops—one eye, monstrous Titans—some beneficent

Personification of Earth (cont.) Greeks make Heaven out to be a very poor

father (ironic): Imprisons Hundred-Handed Ones in a secret

place within Earth Leaves Cyclopes and Titans at large on Earth

Earth’s Reaction Mother Earth is furious at Father Heaven

Appeals to her Titan son, Cronus, for help Wounds Heaven terribly—Giants (4th race of

monsters) spring from Heaven’s blood The Erinyes (Furies) are also born of his blood

Pursue and punish sinners “those who walk in darkness” Eyes weep blood, writhing snakes for hair Cannot be banished from Earth as long as there is sin

Cronus and Rhea From that time and ages hence, Cronus

ruled with his sister-queen, Rhea.

Their son, Zeus, rebels Hundred-Handed Ones, Prometheus Punishes Titans (Atlas) Typhon Giants

Before Humans Earth—cloud-wrapped, misty, endless night

Cimmerians—melancholy people Ethiopians—south—gods held them in their favor Hyperboreans—exceedingly fortunate—North Muses—lived near Hyperboreans

Hair bound w/ golden laurel, feasted merrily No sickness, death

Before Humans (cont.) Ocean (great river of Earth)

Bank is abode to blessed dead No precipitation Zephyr (West Wind) sings to refresh the souls of

men

Creation of Mankind Gods assign creation of mankind to the twin

Titans, Epimetheus and Prometheus

Father/Brother = Atlas

Epimetheus Means “Afterthought”

Scatterbrained, follows first impulses then changes mind

Gives best traits to animals before creating man, none left for man

Asks his brother, Prometheus, for help

Prometheus Means “Forethought”

Very wise

Fashions men to walk upright like the Gods

Goes to heaven, the sun, lights a torch, and brings FIRE to mankind

Creation of Mankind Pt. II The Gods themselves created Mankind.

Make 5 races Golden Silver Brass Godlike heroes Iron

The Golden Race Men are mortal, but without sorrow

Heavenly—everything goes well

Become pure spirits, guardians of mankind in death

The Silver Race

Very inferior to the Golden race

So little intelligence that they always hurt each other

Spirits did not live on after death

The Brass Race Terrible, immensely strong

Lovers of war and violence—completely destroy themselves

The Fourth Race Follow the Brass race

Godlike heroes, sung about for ages

Fought glorious wars, went on great adventures

The Iron Race

Fifth and final race that currently inhabits the Earth

Live in evil times; no rest from toil or sorrow

Sons are always inferior to their fathers

The Iron Race (cont.)*A time will come when they have grown so wicked

they will worship power

Might = Right Reverence for good ceases to be

The Iron Race (cont.) When no man is angry anymore at

wrongdoing or feels shame in the presence of the miserable, Zeus will destroy them.

Common people must arise and put down the rulers that oppress them.

Agreement Both stories—the brothers and the five

races—agree in one point:

No women

Creation of Women Zeus creates them because of his anger

towards Prometheus

He gives the best parts to man Tricks Zeus Zeus creates women as revenge on Prometheus

and mankind

Pandora “The Greatest Gift of All”

Very beautiful, a wonder to behold

From her comes the race of women Evil to man Evil nature

Pandora’s Box It was her curiosity, not her nature that was

an evil to mankind. Gods present her with a box—each put

something harmful into it

Epimetheus taker her against his brother’s warning

Pandora’s Box (cont.) Pandora’s curiosity overwhelms her

Opens the box Innumerable plagues upon mankind

Hope—remains man’s sole comfort

Never try to deceive Zeus

The Torture of Prometheus Zeus’s servants retrieve Prometheus

Force Violence

Bind him at Caucases—”Groans shall be your speech, lamentation your only words”

Punishment, confession

The Torture of Prometheus Zeus sends Hermes to Caucases to pry

secret from Prometheus

“Go and persuade the sea waves to break.

You will persuade me no more easily.”

Hermes’ Warning Hermes warns Prometheus:

“An eagle with red blood

Shall come, a guest unbidden to your banquet.

All day long he will tear to rags your body,

Feasting in fury on the blackened liver.”

Prometheus’ Response Nothing could break Prometheus—his spirit

was free Refuses to submit to tyranny and cruelty Would not give in to brutal power, no matter the

cost

“There is no force which can compel my speech.So let Zeus hurl his blazing bolts…None of this will bend my will.”

The Torture of Prometheus Hermes leaves Prometheus to suffer and

die

Chiron (Centaur)—immortal who volunteers to die for him

Hercules slays the eagle

3rd Creation Story Men become too wicked

The Deluge Zeus gets Poseidon to flood the world—9 days

and 9 nights

Only Mount Parnassus is not covered

3rd Creation Story (cont.) Wooden chest stumbles upon the peak of

Parnassus

Duecalion (Prometheus’ son) and Pyrrha (daugther of Epimetheus and Pandora)

Protected by Prometheus—he knew the flood would come

3rd Creation Story (cont.) Zeus pities them, dries the land

“Veil your heads and cast behind you the bones of your mother”

Earth’s bones are the stones (rocks)

Stone people—rocks take human form—rescue Earth from desolation