Myths of Destruction and (Re)Creation

Cosmic Cycle

• Creation and Recreation

• Not Armaggedon (the end of the world)

• But a refinement of creation

• Ages of Humankind

Themes

• Destruction by Flood– Bible– Ovid’s Metamorphoses– Gilgamesh

• Destruction by Fire– Prose Edda

• Rebirth

Ea/Enkiin Epic of

Gilgamesh

Clylinder seal impression showing the Mesopotamian "god of Wisdom," called Ea (Aya, Ayya or Enki) with two streams of water pouring forth from his shoulders. Ea warned the Mesopotamian Noah, Utnapishtim of Shuruppak of the coming Flood advising him to build himself an ark for his family and animals. On the 7th day of the Flood, the SEBITTU DAY, Ea rested with ALL the other gods, the Flood having destroyed mankind whose noise and clamor had earlier prevented the gods from resting by day or sleeping by night.

Ages of Man

• Hesiod. Works and Days (lines 156-201)– Gold Age of Cronus– Silver Age of Zeus– Bronze– Heroic– Iron

• Ovid, Metamorphoses Book I– Gold– Silver– Bronze– Iron

Lucas Cranach. Golden Age. 1530

Lucas Cranach. Silver Age. 1530

Iron Age. Engraving by Virgil Solis for Ovid's Metamorphoses Book I, 141-150. Fol. 3v, image 5.

Mesoamerican

The Aztec tradition of Five Suns also involves four previous ages. Present world preceded by other cycles of creation and destruction.

Mesoamerican

Jaguar Sun (Nahui Ocelotl)

Wind Sun (Nahui Ehecatl)

Rain Sun (Nahui Quiahuitl)

Water Sun (Nahui Atl)

Earthquake Sun

Hindu-Vedic YugaThe Hindu and Vedic writings (Manusmṛti or Manusmriti ) make reference to four age or Yuga:

Satya (Golden) 1,728,000 yearsTreta (Silver) 1,296,000 yearsDwapara (Bronze) 864,000 yearsand Kali (Iron) 432,000 years

Maha Yuga 4,032,000 years

1000 Maha Yugas = one day of Braham or 4.32 billion years.

Greco-Roman FloodNo Flood in Hesiod

Only in Ovid’s Metamorphoses

Key Elements

Human Sin/Offence Against the GodsDivine Anger/RetributionArk“Adam and Eve” (Deucalion and Pyrrha)OraclesMetamorphoses

Human Offences in Ovid: LycaeonLycaon

Juppiter destroys Lycaeon’s Palace

Lycaeon tries to trick Juppiter into eating human flesh)Compare TANTALUS!

Lycaeon’s Punishment:Lycanthropy

Hendrik Goltzius (1558-1617)

Divine Assembly

Johann Wilhelm Baur, Edition 1703) Ovid, Met. I, 167

Political Dimensions

Compare the Assembly of the Gods to the Roman Senate

The Greek Flood:Deucalion, and Pyrrha

Pyrrha and Deucalion, painted basin, Oraza Fontana or his workshop, 1565-71Los Angeles, J. Paul Getty Museum.

Nicola Giolfino (Italian, 1476–1555)The Myth of Deucalion and Pyrrha, ca. 1550Tempera on panel40 ½ x 57 ¾ in. (102.9 x 146.7 cm); frame: 50 ½ x 67 ¼ in. (128.3 x 170.8 cm)Samuel H. Kress Study Collection, 62.159

Religious Dimensions: Piety

Deucalion and Pyrrha ask Themis for help.(Johann Postumus, 1542) Ovid, Met. I, 375-380

Human Implications?

Tower of Babel

Pieter Bruegel: The Tower of Babel 1563

Tower of Babel (Genesis 11:1-9) Futile Human Attempt to become gods

hybris

cp. Tantalus

Aetiology of LANGUAGE

Biblical FloodKey terms: aetiological function of mythcovenantElohist writer Genesisimmanent godIsraelitesLeviathanMesopotamiaNephilimNoahPriestly writerrainbowTiamattranscendent godYahwist or Jehovist writer

Biblical Flood

• Key Elements– Human Sin/Offence Against the Gods– Divine Anger/Retribution– Ark– Covenant (rainbow)– Dietary Restrictions (eating meat)

Noah and the FloodCOVENANT

Influence of Babylonian Flood Story

Recreation

From the Nuremburg Chronicle at Beloit College, by Hartmann Schedel (1440-1514),

Two by Two

NOAH'S ARKby Edward Hicks (1780-1849 )

The Dove and the Rainbow

COVENANT

Noah in the Koran.Nūḥ (the Arabic form of Noah) is a prophet in the Qur'an نوح

Because the Qur'an is more poem than prose, references to Noah are scattered throughout the Qur'an, but no historical account of the entire Deluge is given. Generally speaking, the references in the Qur'an are consistent with Genesis and Islamic tradition generally accepts the Genesis account as historical. However, the degree of detail varies between the two accounts.

Generally, the Qur'anic account emphasizes Noah's preaching of the monotheism of God, and the ridicule heaped on him by idolators.

The Koran (Surah Hud: 37) (Surat al-Mumenoon: 23-26)

We sent Nuh to his people: He said, “O my people! worship Allah! Ye have no other god but Him. Will ye not fear (Him)?” The chiefs of the Unbelievers among his people said: “He is no more than a man like yourselves: his wish is to assert his superiority over you: if Allah had wished (to send messengers), He could have sent down angels; never did we hear such a thing (as he says), among our ancestors of old.” (And some said): “He is only a man possessed: wait (and have patience) with him for a time.” (Nuh) said: “O my Lord! help me: for that they accuse me of falsehood!”

God later instructed Nuh to build the ark:But construct an Ark under Our eyes and Our inspiration, and address Me no (further) on behalf of those who are in sin: for they are about to be overwhelmed (in the Flood).

Noah’s Other Son

The Qur'anic account contains a detail not included in the Biblical account: a reference to another son who chose not to enter the ark:

So the Ark floated with them on the waves (towering) like mountains, and Nuh called out to his son, who had separated himself (from the rest): “O my son! embark with us, and be not with the unbelievers!” The son replied: “I will betake myself to some mountain: it will save me from the water.” Nuh said: “This day nothing can save, from the command of Allah, any but those on whom He hath mercy!” And the waves came between them, and the son was among those overwhelmed in the Flood. (Surah Hud: 42-43)

More on the Islamic Noah

Also, the Qur'anic account lacks several details of the Genesis account, including the crime of disrespect by Noah's son Ham in mocking, rather than covering his father's nakedness (Genesis 9:22), and the resultant cursing of his grandson Canaan.

Some Muslims assert that the flood during Noah's time was a local event, in contrast to the Biblical account which asserts that it was global. They infer this from several Qur'anic verses. Other Muslims, however, hold that the flood was indeed global. The Qur'an is not explicit on the point, allowing for some variety of interpretation.

RagnarokKey terms: AesirAsgardBaldrBifrostEinherjarepithetGanglieriGarmGylfiFenrirFriggHeimdallHelHigh OneHoddmimir's WoodHyrm

Lif and LifthrasirLokiMidgard SerpentMimir's SpringMjollnirNaglfarOdinSurtThorTyrRagnarokVigridYggdrasil

Add: Muspell

Odin Fighting the Wolf Fenrir

Ragnorok “Doom of the Gods”

Signs and Portents

Assembly of the Enemies of the Good

The Gods Prepare

The Battle between Good and Evil

After the Battle—A Different Life

The Survivors

The New World and a New Order

Sons of Muspell

Odin and Fenrir

Comparative MythologyCompare Germanic Biblical, Greco-Roman, and Babylonian Destruction Myths

CauseTaking ActionExceptionsWarningSurvivorsProvisionsThe Disaster (Flood/Fire)Gods’ Fear of Total DestructionGods’ RegretSafetyThanksgivingRewards