mythology the creation of mankind *notes*. before mankind chaos—formless confusion bears two...
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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