The CreationMyths and Legends

The First Generation

Chaos

UranusFather Sky

GaiaMother Earth

•According to the Greeks, the universe sprang from the unknown, from Chaos—born into darkness

Viewpoints

Ovid—Roman Poet

• believed land, air and sea already existed

• saw the hand of a Divine Creator, a male

Hesiod—Greek Poet

• stated Earth came into being to serve as a solid foundation for the home of gods

• viewed creation without explanation

Creation

• Earth brought harmony and order to Chaos, bringing about orderly separation

• Driving force behind almost all Creation is Eros: love

• After this, virtually all Creation came through mating

• Gaia and Uranus brought forth the 12 Titans, the first rulers of the Universe

Family Tree

Uranus + Gaia

Cronus“Saturn”

The Harvest

10 other Titans

Rhea“Ops”

Fertility

Uranus hated his children and imprisoned them. Gaia resented this and convinced Cronus to overthrow his father.

Cronus ate his children in fear of being overthrown.Zeus rescued siblings and lead a

revolt against the Titans.

Generations

• First Generation: The Protogenoi (gods that served as key concepts, e.g. Erebus “Darkness,” Nyx “Night,” Tartarus “The Underworld”

• Second Generation: The Titans, born from Uranus and Gaia (Oceanus “The Ocean,” Crius “The Constellations”)

• Third Generation: The Olympians, born from Cronus and Rhea (Poseidon “Neptune,” Hades “Pluto,” Zeus “Jupiter,” Hera “Juno”)

The Ages of Man—The Golden Age

• The first race of mortal men was created during the reign of Cronus, the Titan who overthrew Uranus as king

• Fashioned from gold

• Live golden lifestyle—free from aggression

• No laws

• No punishment—justice cherished

• Race died off—no women to repopulate

• Became holy spirits of the earth

The Ages of Man—The Silver Age

• During reign of Zeus, ruler of Olympian gods who overthrew Cronus and the Titans

• Fell short of standards set by Golden race

• Greed, lust and violence

• Offended Olympian gods—no sacrifices

• Zeus destroyed this race

• Spirits of the Underworld

The Ages of Man—The Bronze Age

• Created by Zeus

• Mighty, violent and aggressive

• Killed each other off with forged weapons of bronze

• Sank into Hades palace

The Ages of Man—The Iron Age

• Greedy schemers

• Sinful

• We are born into this race

• Race that has banished justice, loyalty and piety

Humans?

• Some Greeks believed gods built the first men of earth, fire and other elements

• Others believed they simply sprang out of Earth, children of Gaia

• The most compelling tale: Prometheus, a Titan, fashioned humans out of clay and water in the likeness of the gods