Divine MythsDivine Myths

Myths of Creation: The Origins Myths of Creation: The Origins of Mortalsof Mortals

What about human beings?What about human beings?

• Why is our world the way it is?Why is our world the way it is?

• Where did we come from?Where did we come from?

• Why are we here?Why are we here?

• Why are we unique?Why are we unique?

• Why do we suffer?Why do we suffer?

Prometheus: Protector of Prometheus: Protector of MortalsMortals• Prometheus is the clever creator, inventor Prometheus is the clever creator, inventor

of many thingsof many things• Folktale character — the tricksterFolktale character — the trickster• Doublet brother is Doublet brother is EpiEpimetheus metheus

(afterlearner, dummy, or idiot) (afterlearner, dummy, or idiot) • Epimetheus means “hindsight” which fit

because he never learned anything until he had suffered the consequences of his ignorance

• Prometheus (forethought, or forelearner) Prometheus (forethought, or forelearner) the son of Iapetus and Themis, the Titansthe son of Iapetus and Themis, the Titans

Prometheus: Maker of Prometheus: Maker of MortalsMortals Made man from earth and water, and Made man from earth and water, and

because the earth contained divine seed, because the earth contained divine seed, the human was a superior beingthe human was a superior being

anthropomorphic – to think, act and speak anthropomorphic – to think, act and speak like humanslike humans

autochthony – the spontaneous creation of autochthony – the spontaneous creation of people from the soilpeople from the soil

Prometheus: Protector of Prometheus: Protector of MortalsMortals

• At MeconAt Meconê, Prometheus ê, Prometheus offered sacrifice offered sacrifice bundles to Zeus and asked which Zeus bundles to Zeus and asked which Zeus preferred.preferred.

• Zeus chose the worseZeus chose the worse• Etiological to explain why Greeks ate the Etiological to explain why Greeks ate the

meat and offered the bones and fatmeat and offered the bones and fat• Hesiod protects Zeus by offering an Hesiod protects Zeus by offering an

explanation how Zeus could be explanation how Zeus could be “deceived.” So Zeus could plan a horrible “deceived.” So Zeus could plan a horrible future for manfuture for man

Prometheus: Protector of Prometheus: Protector of MortalsMortals

• Outraged, Zeus removes fire from Outraged, Zeus removes fire from the treesthe trees

• Prometheus sneaks some fire in a Prometheus sneaks some fire in a fennel stock to manfennel stock to man

Prometheus’ Punishment for stealing the fire back

He suffered the wrath of Zeus.

He was bound with chains to a rock.

To add to his torment, an eagle or vulture swept down and devoured his liver.

During the course of the night, the liver grew back.

• Vicious criminals were taken to the boundary of a territory, stripped, nailed and allowed to die as eaters of carrion consumed their flesh

PrometheusPrometheus

Prometheus: Protector of Prometheus: Protector of MortalsMortals• A play in a trilogy about Prometheus, the other A play in a trilogy about Prometheus, the other

two of which are losttwo of which are lost– Aeschylus, Aeschylus, The Prometheus BoundThe Prometheus Bound

• Zeus eventually learns to rule with justice Zeus eventually learns to rule with justice

• Note also that mankind was allowed to evolve by Note also that mankind was allowed to evolve by Prometheus : he taught them all the civilized artsPrometheus : he taught them all the civilized arts

• shelter, farming, seasons, math, letters, using shelter, farming, seasons, math, letters, using animals for work, sailing, medicine, animals for work, sailing, medicine, interpretations of dreams and sacrifice, mining for interpretations of dreams and sacrifice, mining for precious metalsprecious metals

Prometheus: Protector of Prometheus: Protector of MortalsMortals

““Before [me], they had eyes that Before [me], they had eyes that blankly gazed, ears hearing empty blankly gazed, ears hearing empty sound. Shapes in a dream, they sound. Shapes in a dream, they blundered through long years . . .”blundered through long years . . .”

• He gave us understanding, and He gave us understanding, and thereby all the arts thereby all the arts

• Greek view of human evolutionGreek view of human evolution

Prometheus: Protector of Prometheus: Protector of MortalsMortals

• Zeus allows Heracles (Greek spelling) to Zeus allows Heracles (Greek spelling) to break the chainsbreak the chains

• Prometheus told him from which female Prometheus told him from which female deity the threat to his rule would come : deity the threat to his rule would come : “Son greater than the father.”“Son greater than the father.”

• It’s Thetis, whom he then marries off to It’s Thetis, whom he then marries off to a mortal, Peleus: the son will be Achillesa mortal, Peleus: the son will be Achilles

Pandora

The Creation of Pandora

1. To avenge the theft, Zeus prepared an evil yet seductive gift

2. Until this time, there had been no mortal women; their

female counterparts were nymphs and goddesses

3. To punish man for stealing fire, and perhaps to complete creation, Zeus decided to change things

4. Zeus ordered Hephaestus to mix earth and water and fashion a clay woman

5. She was a shy, modest maiden, modeled after the goddesses

6. Other immortals also contributed to the creation of her

7. Hermes named her Pandora which means “all gifts” or “Gift of all” because of all the gods had given her

8. Hermes after filling her with lies and thievish ways then brought Pandora down to Epimetheus, the brother of Prometheus

9. Before the arrival of Pandora, men had lived free of illness, suffering, etc.

10. Gods gave Pandora a vessel filled with things they had put in and she was forbidden to open it.

11. Pandora became curious about the vessel the gods had given her, so she opened the it to see what was inside

12. The “gifts” Pandora opened, such as woe, vice, etc., brought only grief and trouble to men

13. The only gift remaining was hope (some say it was left inside the vessel, while others believe it was let out)

14. Thus, the first woman, like Eve, became the mother of all wicked women

Pandora’s Descendants Pandora’s Descendants (Hesiod)(Hesiod)• Women are a useless stomachWomen are a useless stomach

• Unproductive consumer of food and wealthUnproductive consumer of food and wealth

• Males produce, females consumeMales produce, females consume

• Hesiod forgets womens’ tireless labor Hesiod forgets womens’ tireless labor bearing and raising children, production of bearing and raising children, production of cloth and clothing, and the maintenance of cloth and clothing, and the maintenance of the household.the household.

• But men must marry and find joy mixed But men must marry and find joy mixed with trouble.with trouble.

MisogynyMisogyny

• Hatred, dislike, or mistrust of women.Hatred, dislike, or mistrust of women.• All the texts contain hostile relations between the All the texts contain hostile relations between the

sexes, especially married couples perpetuating a sexes, especially married couples perpetuating a dislike and mistrust of women that affects their dislike and mistrust of women that affects their status in the society.status in the society.

• Two reasons: male resentment of monogamy Two reasons: male resentment of monogamy and literature was composed by males for males and literature was composed by males for males in an environment ruled by males.in an environment ruled by males.

• Does this still happen today?Does this still happen today?• What is the fix whether societal, political, or What is the fix whether societal, political, or

familial?familial?

The Five Races (the stages through which gods created mortals)

A. The Golden Race

1. Man created during the age of Cronus were fashioned from gold an lived a life full of laughter, dancing and other pleasures

2. Lived free from pain, cares, miseries, sorrows, fears and death

3. Beautiful world filled with everything they wanted

4. Lived in peace, free from aggression, no weapons, no threat of retribution, laws or judges

5. They were mortal and did die but could not perpetuate the race because there were NO WOMEN

6. When their race died out, they became the holy spirits of the earth

7. Later ages protected mortals from injustice and bestowed wealth upon men

Nature's first green is gold, Her hardest hue to hold. Her early leaf's a flower; But only so an hour. Then leaf subsides to leaf. So Eden sank to grief, So dawn goes down to day. Nothing gold can stay.

- Robert Frost

B. The Silver Race

1. During the age of Zeus, a second race of mortals was fashioned

2. By this time seasons were in place, so the earth was not in perpetual beauty, and men had to cultivate fields, build houses, etc

3. Still no women, the men remained infantile, spending 100 years maturing as babies

4. Adulthood was brief because these mortals were move by greed and lust for power and committed reckless acts of violence against one another

5. The gods of Olympus were offended because no sacrifices were made to honor them

6. Zeus destroyed this race, and their spirits became thespirits of the Underworld

C. The Bronze Race

1. These mortals were fashioned from ash trees

2. Mighty and violent race formed by Zeus who were much more aggressive than even those in the Silver Age

3. All weapons, tools, and even homes were forged in bronze

4. Fighting brother against brother, they killed themselves

5. Nameless, they sank down to the icy palace of Hades, lord of the Underworld

• The Race of Heroes

1. This race was also created by Zeus.

2. However, they were braver and juster by far

3. They were a godlike race.

4. They are called half-gods.

5. For most of the heroes, death was the end.

6. But for some, Zeus created a new way of living at thevery end of the earth.

7. They remained in Isle of the Blessed.

8. Cronus rules as their king.

E. The Iron Race

1. The human race came here and was the basest race ofall

2. Gave evil free reign over the earth

3. Modesty gave way to shamelessness; truth to deceit; righteousness to violence and vice

4. Men were abetted by the creation of women to scheme,cheat or kill to fulfill their greed

5. Life was full of constant work, day and night with no restfrom pain or labor

6. Property was cordoned off

7. Men went to war against each other; gold their aim, irontheir weapon

8. Hosts attacked their guests, guests plundered their hosts; no civilitywas practiced

9. Brother killed brother; sons pushed their fathers towards death

10. Poets agreed that this is the age in which we were born

11. This race banished justice, loyalty and piety from the world