Creation and Evolution of the Universe Hesiods Theogony
- Slides: 11
Creation and Evolution of the Universe Hesiod’s Theogony
Divine Dynastic Succession 1 st generation: Gaia + Ouranos 2 nd generation: Kronos + Rhea (Titans) 3 rd generation: Zeus + Hera (1 st generation Olympians) 4 th generation: Children of Zeus (2 nd generation Olympians)
Hesiod (ca. 700 B. C. ) • A farmer and poet from the region of Boeotia • Theogony • Works and Days
Theogony – Theo + gone = “birth of the gods” – Cosmogony: birth of the world-order – Divine Dynastic succession – Elaborate Hymn to Zeus – Oral Epic tradition – Near Eastern influence (e. g. Enuma Elish or Epic of Creation)
Features of Oral Epic Tradition • dactylic hexameter • repetition • formulae and epithets • ring-composition • catalogues • invocation of Muses
Muses Zeus + Mnemosyne (Memory) | Nine muses
The Beginning • First only Chaos • Then Gaia (Earth), Tartaros, Eros (Desire) • Gaia produces Ouranos (Sky, Heaven), Mountains and Sea by asexual reproduction • Mating with Ouranos, she produces the 12 Titans, the 3 Cyclopes and the 3 Hundred. Handed Ones • Ouranos does not allow them to be born.
The Second Generation (Titans) • Kronos castrates and overthrows his father Ouranos. • Birth of Furies, Giants and Aphrodite • Kronos and his sister Rheia mate, produce the 6 firstgeneration Olympians • Hestia, Demeter, Hera, Hades, Poseidon, Zeus • Kronos swallows them
The Third Generation • Rheia tricks Kronos and hides the baby Zeus in a cave on Crete. • She gives Kronos a stone in swaddling clothes. • Zeus grows up and overthrows his father, tricking him into vomiting up his siblings. • The stone (omphalos) is placed at Pytho (Delphi).
Zeus • Frees Cyclopes and Hundred-handed Ones, who were imprisoned by Ouranos • Cyclopes give Zeus lightning-bolts • Punishment of Prometheus and eventual glorification of Herakles • Titanomachy (Battle with the Titans) • Typhonomachy (Battle with Typhoios) • As king of immortals, Zeus distributes roles and privileges.
The Divine Wives and Children of Zeus • Metis (swallowed by Zeus, who then produces Athena from his head) • Themis (Seasons, Justice, Fates) • Eurynome (Graces) • Demeter (Persephone) • Mnemosyne (Muses) • Leto (Apollo and Artemis) • Hera (Ares, Hebe, Eileithyia) – Hera produces Hephaistos asexually • Maia (Hermes) • Semele* (Dionysus)
