Greek Creation MythGreek Creation MythOut of CHAOS (matter without form) came two

beings:

Gaea (Mother Earth)

and Uranus (Father of the Heavens)

Their children were called the TITANSTheir children were called the TITANS(The Tennessee football team and the (The Tennessee football team and the

Titanic were named after them.)Titanic were named after them.)

The TITANS were: Oceanus and Tethys who ruled the Sea.

Hyperion who ruled the Sun.

Thea who ruled the Moon.

Rhea who was the Great Mother.

Themis who ruled Law and Justice.

Promethius- forethought (did not think things through) gave fire

Epimethius- afterthought

Mnemosyne who ruled memory.

Cronus who was the youngest and the strongest.

There was also 3 Hecatonchires (a

monster who had a hundred hands)

and 3 Cyclopes (who were one-eyed

monsters). Total 15 children

Uranus hated all of his children, but Uranus hated all of his children, but especially the monsters.especially the monsters.

He sent the monsters to Tartarus, the underworld.

Gaea asked the Titans to rescue the monsters but only Cronus helped.

Cronus won, castrated Uranus, and overthrew him.

Cronus married his sister RheaCronus married his sister Rhea

• Cronus and Rhea had six children: 3 daughters and 3 sons. These are the Olympians because they ruled from Mt. Olympus

• The daughters were: Hestia, Demeter, and Hera.

• The sons were: Hades, Poseidon, and Zeus

• Cronus, afraid that his children would destroy him like he destroyed Uranus, swallows all of them except for Zeus (who Rhea helps escape).

• When Zeus grew up he and Rhea waged war on Cronus.

• Zeus battles Cronus and makes him vomit up the other Olympians.

• The monsters help Zeus and give him weapons.

• Cronus and some of the other Titans were defeated by the Olympians and exiled to Tartarus.

Zeus divided the world between his Zeus divided the world between his brothers and sisters.brothers and sisters.

• Zeus ruled over gods and men from Mt. Olympus

• His symbols were the eagle, the thunderbolt, and the oak tree.

HadesHades

• god of the underworld

• Symbols were Cerebrus (three-headed dog) and cypress tree

PoseidonPoseidon

• god of the oceans, horses, and earthquakes

• Symbols were the trident, dolphins, and horses

HeraHera• Queen of the gods

• goddess of Women, Marriage, and Childbirth

• Symbols: peacock, pomegranate, cuckoo

HestiaHestia

• goddess of Hearth and Home

Demeter

-goddess of Agriculture

-Symbol: wheat

Four Ages of ManFour Ages of Man1. “Golden Age”

The Golden Age was a “Garden of Eden” existence under Cronus: eternal spring, no work, men happy and good, no fighting, no

poverty.

2. “Silver Age”

• Zeus ruled, was the beginning of the Fall of Man – seasons were created, work became necessary, hunger and cold began, shelters needed, men courageous but overbearing.

3. “Bronze Age”3. “Bronze Age”• Men learn to use arms and go to war.

• Prometheus, a Titan, tried to help man by giving them fire. He was punished, tied up forever, and birds eat him constantly.

4. “Iron Age”• Period of cruelty and dishonesty and

abuse by the gods. Sinks into a depression.