The Creations of Mankind Creation of the Earth

The Creation(s) of Mankind

Creation of the Earth The violence/strife of the creation of the land Ouranos’ cruelty Cronus’ patricide Titan/Olympian war Olympian / Giant war ALL WERE NECESSARY

Creation of the Earth Land had to be pacified Man could NOT strive against the gods/Giants/Titans… Land had to be “made ready” for habitation by humans

Creation of Mankind: Stories Differ Prometheus & Epimetheus (afterthought) gave all “good” traits to animals first Flight, claws, strength, courage, cunning… Prometheus (forethought) took over Fashioned man in the gods’ image Gave man FIRE

Creation of Mankind: Stories Differ 5 Ages of Man Gold (1) Lived like Gods Land grew crops “of itself” Flocks abundant After death became “pure spirits”

Creation of Mankind: Stories Differ 5 Ages of Man Silver (2) “very inferior” to Gold Little intelligence Spirits did NOT live on after death

Creation of Mankind: Stories Differ 5 Ages of Man Bronze (Brass? ) (3) Terrible men Violent “lovers of war” Completely destroyed by their own hands

Creation of Mankind: Stories Differ 5 Ages of Man “Heroic” (4) “godlike heroes” Fought glorious wars Great adventures After death – “isles of the blessed” ONLY age to “improve” upon the previous age

Creation of Mankind: Stories Differ 5 Ages of Man Iron (5) Current age Evil times Grows worse as generations pass Eventually, will grow so evil Zeus will destroy them

Creation of Women Prometheus Only men created Certainly through the “golden age” P. tricked Zeus Man gets the “best part” of animal sacrifice Zeus’ revenge: Pandora

Pandora (2 stories) “great evil” Given gifts of all the gods “Given” to man (to torment? ) All women descended from P. Evil race, “evil to men, in their nature to do evil” HARSH

Pandora (2 stories) NOT evil Curious Given box into which each god put something harmful Given to Epimetheus, who accepts despite Prometheus’ warning Pandora opens box, unleashes plague/suffering/evil upon the world Hope remains

Prometheus Punished by Zeus DESPITE Prometheus’ role in the Titan war Chained to a rock, eagle eats his liver DAILY Prometheus’ secret Hermes sent to “pry” secret from P. NOPE

Prometheus refuses to tell Zeus eventually relents Chiron allowed to die for him? Hercules slays the eagle & saves P. ? Prometheus was NOT the one who caved

Flood Story Prometheus’ story Man is either Bronze / Iron age Fire necessary for both ANOTHER creation story

Flood Story Zeus angry (recurring theme) Wickedness of man Sends flood with Poseidon’s help Covers all the earth EXCEPT for top of Mt. Parnassus

Flood Story 2 survivors Deucalion (Prometheus’ son) Pyrrha (Epimetheus’ and Pandora’s daughter Prepared by Prometheus, survive in a chest w/provisions Pious, faithful worshipers of the gods (gods okay with survival)

Flood Story Deucalion & Pyrrha “Stone people” Hard, enduring race Pious, faithful worshipers of the gods (gods okay with survival)