How Mankind Was How Mankind Was CreatedCreated

FeracoFeraco

English 9English 9

3 December 20103 December 2010

More Than OneMore Than One The Greeks had more than one “creation myth” The Greeks had more than one “creation myth”

regarding humans, and I have two favoritesregarding humans, and I have two favorites The first involves Prometheus and his (slightly The first involves Prometheus and his (slightly

less competent) brother, Epimetheusless competent) brother, Epimetheus Once the world was essentially cleared of Once the world was essentially cleared of

monsters, the gods delegated the task of monsters, the gods delegated the task of creating humans to the twocreating humans to the two

As Hamilton points out, their names are As Hamilton points out, their names are important: “Prometheus” means “forethought,” important: “Prometheus” means “forethought,” indicating wisdom, whereas “Epimetheus” (i.e., indicating wisdom, whereas “Epimetheus” (i.e., “afterthought”) was far more impulsive“afterthought”) was far more impulsive Act first, think laterAct first, think later vs. vs. Think through your actions Think through your actions

before taking thembefore taking them

The Incompetence of EpimetheusThe Incompetence of Epimetheus Just as the gods delegated the task of human-Just as the gods delegated the task of human-

building to the two brothers, Prometheus building to the two brothers, Prometheus delegates the task to Epimetheus…not the wisest delegates the task to Epimetheus…not the wisest decision, ironicallydecision, ironically

After being handed what amounted to a “pile of After being handed what amounted to a “pile of stuff” – wings, claws, fangs, scales, etc. – stuff” – wings, claws, fangs, scales, etc. – Epimetheus was commanded to build men and Epimetheus was commanded to build men and animals from itanimals from it

In his excitement, Epimetheus gave all of the In his excitement, Epimetheus gave all of the best things to the animals – strength and cunning best things to the animals – strength and cunning for the predators, speed and hearing for the for the predators, speed and hearing for the prey, feathers for the birds, armored scales for prey, feathers for the birds, armored scales for the reptiles, and so onthe reptiles, and so on

But when he finishes with the animals, he But when he finishes with the animals, he realizes he left nothing for the men – just soft realizes he left nothing for the men – just soft flesh and little teethflesh and little teeth

SalvationSalvation Realizing he’s made a mistake, Realizing he’s made a mistake,

Epimetheus asks Prometheus for helpEpimetheus asks Prometheus for help Prometheus looked at what was left to Prometheus looked at what was left to

work with – “no good was left for men, no work with – “no good was left for men, no protective covering and no quality to protective covering and no quality to make them a match for the beasts” – and make them a match for the beasts” – and decides to focus on the latterdecides to focus on the latter

First, he changed their posture; the other First, he changed their posture; the other animals essentially crawled, but animals essentially crawled, but Prometheus made men walk upright (in Prometheus made men walk upright (in the fashion of the gods)the fashion of the gods)

Next, he gave them fire, and with it the Next, he gave them fire, and with it the ability to learn and reason; this allowed ability to learn and reason; this allowed men to protect themselves from far more men to protect themselves from far more physically imposing creaturesphysically imposing creatures

The Five AgesThe Five Ages My other favorite is the Five Ages storyMy other favorite is the Five Ages story In this version, the gods essentially build In this version, the gods essentially build

race after race of humans, tinkering with race after race of humans, tinkering with the formula until they arrive at usthe formula until they arrive at us

The first age belongs to the golden race; The first age belongs to the golden race; they were the best of us, literally made of they were the best of us, literally made of metal, and while they could die, they lived metal, and while they could die, they lived virtuously and peacefullyvirtuously and peacefully

When their time came to an end, they When their time came to an end, they evolved into spirits who watched over the evolved into spirits who watched over the other four racesother four races

The Silver AgeThe Silver Age For the second age, the gods enjoyed For the second age, the gods enjoyed

their earlier experiments with metal their earlier experiments with metal races, and thus made one from silverraces, and thus made one from silver

But each race reflects the characteristics But each race reflects the characteristics of its native metal, and just as silver of its native metal, and just as silver tarnishes exceptionally easily, the silver tarnishes exceptionally easily, the silver people proved inferior to the golden onespeople proved inferior to the golden ones

They were clumsy and unintelligent, They were clumsy and unintelligent, “unable to avoid injuring each other,” and “unable to avoid injuring each other,” and their spirits died with themtheir spirits died with them

The Brass and Heroic AgesThe Brass and Heroic Ages For the next race, the gods made men out For the next race, the gods made men out

of brass, the metal of weaponry and of brass, the metal of weaponry and shieldsshields

Unsurprisingly, they were brutal, warlike, Unsurprisingly, they were brutal, warlike, and fierce, and quickly killed themselves and fierce, and quickly killed themselves offoff

After that, the gods briefly ceased their After that, the gods briefly ceased their metallic experimentations, making a race metallic experimentations, making a race of heroes insteadof heroes instead

These were second only to the golden These were second only to the golden race; they are the source of our greatest race; they are the source of our greatest stories, legends, and songsstories, legends, and songs

When their time passed, they headed off When their time passed, they headed off to “the isles of the blessed, where they to “the isles of the blessed, where they live in perfect bliss forever”live in perfect bliss forever”

The Iron AgeThe Iron Age But the fifth race – the race “which is now upon the But the fifth race – the race “which is now upon the

earth” – was metallic once againearth” – was metallic once again The iron race followed the heroes, and if you’ve The iron race followed the heroes, and if you’ve

ever left a bicycle outside in the rain, you know ever left a bicycle outside in the rain, you know how easily iron how easily iron rustsrusts – i.e., degenerates – i.e., degenerates

Hamilton: “They live in evil times and their nature Hamilton: “They live in evil times and their nature too has much of evil, so that they never have rest too has much of evil, so that they never have rest from toil and sorrow. As the generations pass, they from toil and sorrow. As the generations pass, they grow worse; sons are always inferior to their grow worse; sons are always inferior to their fathers. A time will come when they have grown so fathers. A time will come when they have grown so wicked that they worship power; might will be right wicked that they worship power; might will be right to them, and reverence for the good will cease to to them, and reverence for the good will cease to be. At last when no man is angry any more at be. At last when no man is angry any more at wrongdoing or feels shame in the presence of the wrongdoing or feels shame in the presence of the miserable, Zeus will destroy them too. And yet miserable, Zeus will destroy them too. And yet even then something might be done, if only the even then something might be done, if only the common people would arise and throw off that common people would arise and throw off that which oppresses them.”which oppresses them.”

The Big QuestionThe Big Question I re-tell the Five Ages story to my seniors I re-tell the Five Ages story to my seniors

in the Search for Human Potential class in the Search for Human Potential class every year, and ask them to consider every year, and ask them to consider whether we’re living in the Iron Agewhether we’re living in the Iron Age

For the most part, people agree that we For the most part, people agree that we aren’t…but their justification for why we aren’t…but their justification for why we aren’t tends to be faulty, or at least aren’t tends to be faulty, or at least problematicproblematic

Before I explain why, I’d like you to Before I explain why, I’d like you to consider a slightly different question. consider a slightly different question. Which race best correlates with the age Which race best correlates with the age are we living in – the golden, silver, brass, are we living in – the golden, silver, brass, heroic, or iron one?heroic, or iron one?

Discussion to follow…Discussion to follow…