Theogony/Cosmogony as Genre

Myth : A Traditional Tale Retold to meet the needs of succeeding generations: tales explain or describe or model the cosmos, nature, social structures, and human nature

Philosophy and Science develop in Greece when myth no longer satisfactorily

defines or explains the world

and human

life

Hesiod’s Hymn to the Muses, Theogony, 1-115

• Themes:

• Honor to Major Deities

• Primary Position of Zeus

• Zeus as Arbitrator, Model for good kings

• Importance of Muses

• Development from the beginning

Theogony as Cosmogony

Our Cosmos Was Not Built in a Day

Theogony, ll. 233-370

From the CastrationBlood Falling to Earth

• Furies

• Giants

• Meliae,

• Nymphs of the

• Mountain Ash

Genitals Falling into Sea

Cronus, His Children, and Zeus

Threats to Zeus 1. Superior Wisdom

• Prometheus and Pandora Metis and the Birth of Athena

• 507-615 891-905

Threats to Zeus 2. Superior ForceTitanomachy 621-725 Typhoios 826-885

New Order in CosmosTheogony

• Opening Hymn – 72-75

• Hekate 413-455

• Zeus enlists enemies of Cronus

• Threat of cosmic destruction 695-709

• Development of Tartaros after

• Titans’ defeat 726-825***

• Battle with Typhoios threatens cosmic destruction 844-859

• Typhoios blasted to Tartarus where he can only threaten mortals with fierce winds 875-885, but cannot destroy cosmos

Zeus in Power 886-890

• Gaia suggests Zeus be king and rule the immortals, distributing their privileges and rights.

• Balance in good and evil, balance in cosmos, balance in distribution, reciprocity as protection against transgression

Zeus as Arbitator, Not Antagonist to Siblings and Children Who Model

Potential and Perils of LifeThe Divine Family

Lesser Children: 906-928, Personifications of Order, Graces

The Older Generation of Olympian Family

Brothers Sisters

• Zeus Poseidon Hades Hera Demeter Hestia

Offspring with Unusual BirthsAthena , 891-905 Hephaistos, 929-934

Zeus’ Most Important Divine Sons

Ares Apollo Hermes Dionysus

Zeus’ Most Important Divine Daughters

Athena Aphrodite Artemis Persephone

Semi-Divine Offspring Who Slay Monsters

Perseus Heracles Jason

Semi-Divine Participants in Trojan War

Achilles Aineias

Explanation 1. for Bad Aspects of LifePrometheus’ Theft of Fire , Works and Days, 47-105

Explanation 2, Works and Days, 106-200

Degeneration from Golden Age to Silver, Bronze, Heroes, and Iron

Explanation 3: Imperfect Material

Orpheus and Mystery Religions