Cosmogenic Myths of Hesiod | Theogeny & Genesis of the World

The Theogeny of Hesiod

-Theogonywas written in the 8th century BC and:

• record the birth of the first divine entities

• explains the origins of the Olympian gods

• presents the transition from chaos to order

It is a foundation text of Greek mythology.

The Chaos – The beginning of everything

According to Hesiod:

«First born Chaos...»

TheChaosis not disorder, but:

• amorphous gap

• primary state of existence

• primitive matrix of creation

They are born of Chaos:

• Nyx(Night)

• Erebus(Dark)

• LaterLightandHemera

Gaia – Mother Earth

-Gaiaappears self-existent:

• fixed

• fertile

• eternal

Born:

• TheUranos

• TheMountains

• ThePoint

It's the basis of every life and existence.

Uranus and First Conflict

-Uranus, association with Gaia:

• birthTitans

• TheCyclops

• TheHecatoncheires

Fearing their power:

• He imprisons them in the bowels of the Earth

???? The firstsecular power conflictIt's starting.

The Fall of Uranus

-Cronus, with Gaia's scythe:

• castrates Heaven

• releases his brothers

Symbolism:

• generation succession

• roll over old power

• birth of new order

The rule of the Titans

TheTitans:

• rule the universe

• personify physical and secular forces

-Cronus:

• Afraid of prophecy

• swallows his children

Power is based on fear.

The birth and victory of Zeus

-RheaSave himZeus:

• He hides him in Crete

• Give Saturn a stone

Zeus:

• releases his brothers

• Head ofTitanic War

• defeat the Titans

The establishment of secular order

After winning:

• Titans are imprisoned in Tartarus

• the world is organized

Zeus:

• Shares powers

• (ii) the establishment of a European Agency for the Evaluation of Medicinal Products;divine justice

• Installs Olympians

???? Theorder replaces chaos.

Philosophy and cultural symbolism

The cosmogenic myths of Hesiod express:

• the transition from amorphous to organized

• the necessity of the law

• the birth cycle – conflict – balance

Educational value

Suitable for:

• teaching mythology

• philosophical thought

• comparison of cosmogons

• understanding ancient worldview

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George Bibas

George Bibas
Written by George Biba — Researcher and creator of Mythoi.org, on the subject of Greek mythology, ancient religion and heroic myths.