Lecture 1: Creation Myths and Creation of Man Creation myths: many parallels in world mythology The creation according to Hesiod (Greek poet, 700 BC) in the Theogony: First, Chaos (= yawning void) then all the rest came out of chaos: Gaia (Ge), Tartarus Eros, Erebus and Night. Gaia = earth Tartarus = located deep in the depths of the earth (a place) Erebus = the dark gloomy place in Tartarus, may become synonym for it Eros = love a very potent force in creation (not to be confused with Eros, Aphrodite s son, Roman: Cupid) The creation according to Ovid (Roman poet, 43 BC-AD 18) in the Metamorphoses: Chaos = a crude an unformed mass of elements in strife an unnamed god emerges from chaos and creates/forms the universe. Back to Hesiod: From Gaia emerges Ouranos (Uranus) Ouranos = sky covers and mates with earth, and their offspring are: 1. The Titans (Oceanus, Coeus, Crius, Hyperion, Iapetus, Theia, Rhea, Themis, Mnemosyne, Phoebe, Tethys, Cronus) = 12 2. The Cyclopes (Brontes, Steropes, and Arges) fashioned/gave Zeus his thunderbolt Cyclops = orb-eyed, Cyclops have one eye, but are not always offspring of Gaia e.g. Prometheus
3. The Hecatonchires (Cottus, Briareus, Gyes) = arrogant/unspeakably violent Hecatonchire = hundred-handed invincible arms *Ignore all the mother-earth father-sky crap! The Titans: maybe personifications of aspects of nature Oceanus + Tethys = Oceanids (3000 daughters and 3000 sons!) Oceanids = spirits of rivers, waters, springs (people are usually only familiar with the springs that come from their region. Hyperion + Theia = Helius, Selene and Eos. * Both Hyperion and his son Helius are sun gods!!! The story of Phaëthon Helius has son (Phaëthon) with mistress (Clymene). Phaëthon goes to his father to confirm his ancestry, lays aside the rays from his head, embraces him and swears on the river Styx to give him any gift he could want. Phaëthon asks to drive the chariot of the sun for a day (gods always regret the promises they give!) Helius tries to persuade him not to do it, but must stick to his promise. Phaëthon cannot control the chariot, it gets too close to the sun, and hurtles to the earth. Earth is ablaze, and Phaëthon is finally stopped by Zeus (Jupiter), who throws his thunder and lightning at the chariot. * Ethiopians darker skin and the Libyan Desert explained by the heat. Selene = goddess of the moon, drives a chariot like Helius Only myth connected with Selene involves her love for a shepherd, Endymion. She strayed from her duties to lie beside him every night, and for one of various possible reasons (punishment, so she can lay by him every day), Zeus grants Endymion perpetual sleep. Hyperion/Apollo & Selene/Artemis
Hyperion and Helius attributes and mythologies become associated with Apollo. Phoebus Apollo = bright Apollo not originally sun god Phaëthon becomes Apollo s son Artemis also becomes associated with an older divinities domain- the moon. Phoebe = the feminine form of Phoebus = bright, and both Artemis and Selene are given this epithet Artemis becomes the lover of Endymion in some versions Eos = goddess of the Dawn also drives a chariot rosy fingered and saffron-robed The Story of Eos and Tithonus Eos most famous lover is Tithonus, from Troy; she carries him off to her dwelling. Eos asked Zeus to make Tithonus immortal, but forgot to ask that he would remain young once his hair was grey, she no longer longed for him, but kept him well. When he could no longer move his body, she laid him in a room, where his faint voice trails. Oscar Wilde: When the gods choose to punish us, they merely answer our prayers. Back to the Titans! Cronus and the Sickle Whenever Gaia would give birth to a child, Ouranos would hide them in the depths of Gaia and not allow them to come into the world. * This may mean that Ouranos wouldn t stop having sex with Gaia Gaia was pained by this, and created a sickle, asking her children to fight against their father. Only Cronus, the youngest, comes forward. When Ouranos lay on Gaia next, Cronus castrates his father, so that he and the other children can be born. * theme of son rising up against and defeating his father * out of the foaming genitals, Aphrodite is born (metaphor of her sexuality) *also born out of castration: the Gegeneis and the Erinyes (Furies)
The Next Generation Cronus + Rhea = A chunk of the Olympians! Children: Hestia, Demeter, Hera, Hades, Poseidon, Zeus Again, theme of son taking power from father: Cronus is afraid that the same thing will happen to him, so he swallows each child as it is born. Rhea, in distress, goes to Ouranos and Gaia and asks for advice. Ouranos, pissed about what happened to himself, tells Rhea to give him a rock wrapped in clothes to eat instead of next child. Zeus is born and grows up to seize power from his father and depose him. Zeus (male important god), born from Rhea = an attempt to link the Indo- European Mycenaean religion with Minoan matriarchy? Demeter at Eleusis: fertility goddess contrasting the Olympian gods. The Titanomachy Zeus grows up, makes his father bring up his brothers and sisters. A large battle: Side A: Zeus, Hestia, Demeter, Hera, Hades, Poseidon, Hecatonchires (helpful in throwing rocks) the Cyclopes (created lightning bolts for Zeus) and Themis and her son Prometheus. Side B: Cronus and the other Titans (Atlas was big for this side) The war lasted 10 years, Zeus side won Atlas punished: must hold up the world; Hecatonchires guard the Titans that are imprisoned in Tartarus (in some accounts, they are later freed). The Gigantomachy When Ouranos was castrated, the Gegeneis were born. Gegeneis = earth-born
Giants lose, are imprisoned under the earth (in volcanic regions, indicative of their explosive natures) The Creation of Mortals The Four or Five Ages Four: Ovid Five: Hesiod The Golden Age: Everyone perfect, lived when Cronus was king. Carefree, no toil, died as though overcome by sleep, become spirits that inhabit the world and protect mortals. The Silver Age: Far inferior to gold, live a long time as babies and children (a hundred years), prime very short and in distress, arrogant against one another, Zeus hides them away (didn t give gods their due). The Bronze Age: Terrible and mighty, carry weapons, everything made of bronze (weapons, homes), they all killed each other. The Age of Heroes: Zeus creates valiant race, godlike warriors, heroic feats and battle kill them, in death they inhabit the Isle of the Blessed in Hades, carefree (eat ripe honey-sweet fruit, rest by the water, peaceful). The Age of Iron: Never cease working, gods give them troubles, there is no honor amongst friends, family members, they will be destroyed by Zeus The ages decline, except for Heroes (otherwise mythology doesn t make sense!) Prometheus vs. Zeus Prometheus bound by Zeus, with an eagle coming every day and eating his liver (at night it would grow back). Herakles rescues him (angry that this goes against his plan, happy his son did something heroic).
Prometheus trick: division of the ox (hence the punishment); also punishes man: no fire. Prometheus steals fire in fennel stalk for man the creation of Pandora ( all-gifts ) Pandora s box (jar) holds all evils Epimetheus accepts Pandora (Prometheus warned him never to take gift from Zeus) and she lets all but hope out of the box What does that mean?