Prometheus and the Creation of Man

Prometheus and the Creation of Man

Civilization Starts

Prometheus Fixes the Problem

Beginning

Man is Left with Nothing

Zeus Interviens

- Prometheus taught man how to craft weaponds and tools from iron ore using fire

- Prometheus also taught man how to farm and live through agriculture

- man survived the winter seasons with fire and faught off beasts with the weapons

- Zeus gives Promtheus and his dumb brother Epimetheus the task of creating man

- Epimetheus created the animals and gave them all the gifts (trength, swiftness, hardened shells and warm coats)

- Prometheus gives man the upright posture of the Gods (standing on two legs) so they can rain superior over the animals

-He also goes to the sun with a torch and provides man with fire

- Epimethues wastes all the gifts on the animals and leaves man naked with no chance of survival

- Prometheus had disobeyed the will of the Gods

-Zeus has Hephaestus create woman to plague the mens hearts

- Hephaestus gave her gifts of a pleasing voice and unnmatched beauty

Punishment is Unleashed

Pandora

History

Curiosity

- creatures flew out of the box and dispersed themsleves across the earth: disease, famine, plaugue, etc.

- Prometheus is chained forvever to a rock only to have his liver eaten out by an eagle every day for the rest of eternity

-it is also told that Pandora closed the box/jar just before the last thing escaped: hope

- They named the woman Pandora and commanded her to marry Prometheus' stupid brother Epimetheus

- before she was sent to earth she was given a box or jar (depending on the version of the story) and instructed not to open it under any circumstances

-First appeared in 8th century BC

-Authors retold the story between 5th century BC to 4th century AD

-it has parallels with many other religions

- Promethues warns Epimetheus to be careful about gifts given by Zeus, he ignores him and marrys Pandora

- Pandora who has followed the one rule for a long time decides to open her box/jar out of curiosity

Theme 1

Related to Genesis

Origin of Names

Epimetheus had the task of giving the creatures of the earth their various qualities, such as swiftness, cunning, strength, fur, wings. However, by the time he got to man, Epimetheus had given all the good qualities out and there were none left for man. The lesson here is sometimes you should save the best for last.

-Formed man out of clay

-Athen breathed life into them

-Loved man more than anything else

Prometheus: translated directly from Greek, meaning "forethought"

Epimetheys: translated directly from Greek, meaning "hindsight"

Symbols

Theme 2

Pandora was warned to never open the box that she was given by the gods. However, she opened the box and released disease, famine, and plague into the world. The lesson here can be compared to the ten comandments. God told us to never break the ten commandments, but if we do, the generations after us will be punsihed and death will fall upon them.

gift box- tree of knowledge and evil in Eden

gods command to Pandora - 10 commandments

fire- anything that helps humans, but hurts envirornment - cars, planes, trash that cannot be recycled

Zeus chains for Prometheus- sin