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How the World and Mankind Were Created

How the World and Mankind Were Created. “First there was Chaos, the vast immeasurable abyss” Two children of Chaos: Erebus and Night Erebus: becomes the depthless world of death Night: what it says. Death’s and Erebus’ Child. Love: the light in the darkness

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How the World and Mankind Were Created

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  1. How the World and Mankind Were Created

  2. “First there was Chaos, the vast immeasurable abyss” Two children of Chaos: Erebus and Night Erebus: becomes the depthless world of death Night: what it says

  3. Death’s and Erebus’ Child • Love: the light in the darkness • Love created Light, and the opposite of Night—Day • From the coming of Light and Love, earth was created • No description of how Earth was created given

  4. Gaea and Ouranos (Uranus) • Mother Earth and Father Heaven • Monsters: not in the sense that they are bad. • First creatures to come to life

  5. Giants • Gaea and Oranos were giants • These are creatures larger than what we think of as normal today • Includes cyclops • Creatures with a hundred hands and fifty heads • Titans

  6. Domestic Dispute • Oranos hated his children • Imprisoned the hundred-hand, fifty-head creatures within the earth (Gaea) • Gaea is enraged at the maltreatment of her children

  7. Cronus • A Titan who defeated Oranos • Drove the monsters from the world • Caused the creation of Erinyes (Furies) from the blood of Oranus • Ensured the continued life of the Furies as long as sin remained in the world • Cronus becomes ruler of the Universe

  8. Cronus’ Children • Cronus learned one of his children would rebel against him • He swallowed them as they were born • Zeus was born in secret

  9. Zeus’ Rise To Power • Zeus enlists the aid of his five brothers and sisters to wage war with Cronus • Zeus released the hundred-headed, fifty-handed monsters from their prison to aid his cause • Zeus defeated Cronus and the Titans

  10. Zeus’ Punishment • The god was terrible in his punishment • The conquered were chained “as far beneath earth as heaven is above” • 9 days falling from earth • Atlas: Titan must hold the weight of Heaven and Earth on his shoulders for all eternity; he must stand in the nether regions, where it is neither night or day—separation; utter loneliness

  11. The First Challenge • Zeus is challenged by the birth of his last brother: Typhon • Zeus owns thunder and lightning • Zeus ensures his position as supreme ruler by striking Typhon with “The bolt that never sleeps,/Thunder with breath of flame.” • Suggests that the power of heaven is unquenchable

  12. Another Challenge • The Giants, who helped Zeus initially, rebel against him • **Hercules finally arrives to help his father defeat the Giants • Zeus’ punishment is the same for the Giants as it is for the Titans and Cronus: banishment to the uttermost nether regions

  13. The Creation of Man • Prometheus (forethought) • Epimetheus (afterthought) • Both are Titans who sided with Zeus in his war against the Titans • Epimetheus began man; Prometheus finished him • Initially, the animals had the superior qualities of speed, endurance, etc. • Prometheus gave man the “nobler shape” of being upright like the gods—thus they look like gods

  14. The Creation of Man II • The gods themselves created man • The “Golden Race” – created from gold • The “Silver Race” – created from silver • This continues through all the precious metals • These races departed the world in pure spirit form

  15. The Iron Race • The fifth race created • They must toil tremendously to make a living on earth • They do not convert to pure spirits when they die • Eventually, Zeus will destroy them when “no man is angry and more at wrongdoing”

  16. Only Men • During the “Golden Age,” only men inhabited the earth • The precious metal races were entirely men • All new people had to be created from scratch by the gods • Women were created by Zeus, in anger at Prometheus’ love for mankind

  17. Prometheus’ Deceit • Prometheus gave fire to the “Iron Race” • Prometheus nurtured mankind by reserving the best parts of the sacrifices for men

  18. Zeus’ Revenge • Zeus created Pandora—the gift of all • The first woman • Beautiful beyond all men’s dream • She is the wonder of the gods, and an evil to men, with the nature to DO evil • Pandora releases all the evil in the world—plague, sorrow, misfortune • This is tempered only with Hope

  19. Prometheus’ Punishment • Zeus had Prometheus bound in the Causasus (mountains far away) • He was bound with unbreakable chains (he is a Titan, afterall) • He would be bound until he submitted to Zeus • Prometheus eventually had his liver eaten by an eagle, which would return every day to eat the newly re-grown liver

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