Greek Mythology Lecture 2 COSMOGONY THE GODS What

What is cosmogony? kosmos: the world/universe l gignesthai: to be born l ‘birth of

Hesiod C 7 th BC Boeotia l Epic poems: Theogony (birth of the gods);

Generational strife Gaia + Ouranos = Titans (hidden inside Earth) l 180 ff: Kronos

Round 2… Kronos + Rhea = Olympians: Hestia, Demeter, Hera, Hades, Poseidon, Zeus (swallowed

Round 3… Zeus swallows Metis before she can produce a son = Athena l

Alternatives l Archaic period: l l l Classical period: l l l Aristophanes Birds

The Olympians Kronos + Rhea Aphrodite Zeus + Metis = Athena + Hera =

The Ages of Man l Golden Age (in time of Kronos) l l l

Significant features Creation of universe l Generational strife l Role of female: force for

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Greek Mythology: Lecture 2 COSMOGONY & THE GODS

What is cosmogony? kosmos: the world/universe l gignesthai: to be born l ‘birth of the universe’ l OR theory/myth/account of creation l l What creation myths do you know?

Hesiod C 7 th BC Boeotia l Epic poems: Theogony (birth of the gods); Works & Days (creation of man, Pandora) l Succession of generations: l l Primordial gods l Titans l Olympians l Demigods/heroes l Mankind

In the beginning…

Generational strife Gaia + Ouranos = Titans (hidden inside Earth) l 180 ff: Kronos castrates Ouranos at Gaia’s behest l Blood = Furies, Giants, Ash-nymphs l Foam in sea = Aphrodite l

Round 2… Kronos + Rhea = Olympians: Hestia, Demeter, Hera, Hades, Poseidon, Zeus (swallowed by father) l Rhea tricks Kronos into swallowing stone l 617 ff: Titanomachy l 820 ff: Gaia + Tartarus = Typhoeus l Zeus wins & establishes timai (honours) of gods l

Round 3… Zeus swallows Metis before she can produce a son = Athena l Marries/sleeps with many goddesses l Zeus + Hera = Hebe, Ares, Eileithyia l Hera = Hephaestus (parthenogenesis) l 930 ff: children of other Olympians l 964 ff: gods + mortals = heroes l

Alternatives l Archaic period: l l l Classical period: l l l Aristophanes Birds 683 ff Plato Timaeus 40 e Later l l Homeric Hymns esp. to Hera Iliad (esp. 1. 396 -406, 14. 201 -2, 15. 18 -21) Orphica 12 Hyginus Fabulae ‘preface’ (Latin) Philostratus WHY MIGHT DIFFERENT TEXTS GIVE DIFFERENT VERSIONS?

The Olympians Kronos + Rhea Aphrodite Zeus + Metis = Athena + Hera = Ares + Leto = Apollo Artemis Hera + Semele = Dionysus + Maia = Hermes Hephaestus Demeter Poseidon

The Ages of Man l Golden Age (in time of Kronos) l l l Silver Age l l Violent Destroyed themselves Demigods l l l Hubris – refused to honour Olympians Zeus put them away Bronze Age, made of ash-trees l l Lived like gods Natural death Godlike heroes Died at Thebes & Troy Iron Age (current generation) l Doomed to labour & die

Significant features Creation of universe l Generational strife l Role of female: force for change l Separation of gods & men l