related to the story of creation

Question 1

What is Hesiod’s book of creation called? What does it translate to?

Answer 1

Theogony - “origin/birth of the gods”

Question 2

What is the purpose of the Hymn to Zeus?

Answer 2

The poem tries to explain that Zeus being in charge is the perfect world.

Question 3

What three motifs of a creation story?

Answer 3

1. Reproduction - gods birthing one another
2. Intergenerational strife - the ultimate fear of one generation is the rise of the next.
3. Gender tension - male (patriarchy) v. female (matriarchy)

Question 4

What are two examples of creation stories from Greek antiquity?

Answer 4

1. Hesiod - Theogony
2. Homer - Tethys & Oceanus (water elements)

Question 5

What is something that nature just can’t help but do?

Answer 5

Reproduce.

Question 6

Who are the first four cosmic entities to be present in the universe?

Answer 6

1. Chaos - abyss, “to yawn or gape”
2. Gaea - mother earth
3. Tartarus - cavern inside of Gaea
4. Eros - principle of motion, desire, attraction

Question 7

Who was born from Gaea and Chaos (not from reproducing together but independently)?

Answer 7

1. Erebus - darkness
2. Nux - night
3. Aether - radiance
4. Hemera - day
5. Mountains
6. Uranus - heaven (this guy is important)
7. Pontus - sea

Question 8

What three categories of beings come from the second generation? What’s notable about each category?

Answer 8

1. Titans - “to strive”
   -Oceanus & Tethys, Rhea & Cronus
2. Cyclopes - Brontes “Thunderer”, Steropes “Flasher”, Arges “Brightener”
3. Hecatonchires - “hundred hand ones”

Question 9

What is the castration of Uranus etiological for?

Answer 9

The separation of heaven and earth.

Question 10

Why was Uranus castrated?

Answer 10

1. It is said that he was always on Gaea, he was like a rabbit (iykyk).
2. Gaea kept becoming pregnant but because Uranus was always on her, she was plugged and couldn’t give birth to any of her children. Instead she got fuller and fuller.
3. Gaea conspired with Cronus is castrate Uranus to stop him from plugging her and in doing so separated heaven and earth, freeing the children.

Question 11

Uranus’ sliced genitalia produced who?

Answer 11

1. His penis mixed with water creating a white foam, from this came Aphrodite (aphros - “foam”)
2. The blood that fell to the earth (Gaea) created the furies, the giants, and the nymphs.

Question 12

Where did the third generation come from?

Answer 12

1. Rhea and Cronus

Question 13

What are the steps which resulted in the birth of the Olympians?

Answer 13

1. Cronus is concerned about be dethroned from a new generation as he dethroned his father Uranus. He receives a prophecy that confirms he will be dethroned.
2. Rhea gets pregnant 5 times, each time giving birth and Cronus eating the child to prevent the prophecy.
3. Rhea saves her 6th child (Zeus) by hiding him on Crete, instead she gives Cronus a bundle of stones, he eats the stones.
4. Zeus grew up and forced Cronus to throw up his siblings, resulting in the Titanomachy (war of titans v. Olympians)

Question 14

How was humanity created according to Ovid?

Answer 14

Prometheus created humanity.