Theogony: Difference between revisions
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[[File:chaos_8639.png|link=Total Chaos|frame|In the beginning there was Chaos, and then it only got worse.]] |
[[File:chaos_8639.png|link=Total Chaos|frame|In the beginning there was Chaos, and then it only got worse.]] |
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{{quote|''ή τοι μεν πρώτιστα Χάος γένετ' ...''}} |
{{quote|''ή τοι μεν πρώτιστα Χάος γένετ' ...''}} |
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As the Muses taught [[Hesiod]], in the beginning there was Chaos - and indeed, this is one of the [[World of Chaos|most chaotic]] texts in the world's literary canon. Written most probably in the 7th century in classical epic dactylic hexameter, it is mainly a genealogical treatise with not a few elements of theological gossip about which god slept with whom and who was born as a result. 'Theogony' means 'The Origin of Gods', and it is [[Exactly What It Says on the Tin]]. Presenting the whole divine family on one genealogical tree is [http://www.theoi.com/TreeHesiod.html almost] impossible, but the Greeks apparently had little problems with memorizing all the details, as numerous stories from Greek mythology are perfectly consistent with the version of events described in ''Theogony'' (though, to complicate things even more, there is also a rival version written by Pseudo-Apollodorus, known as ''The Library''). |
As the Muses taught [[Hesiod]], in the beginning there was Chaos - and indeed, this is one of the [[World of Chaos|most chaotic]] texts in the world's literary canon. Written most probably in the 7th century in classical epic dactylic hexameter, it is mainly a genealogical treatise with not a few elements of theological gossip about which god slept with whom and who was born as a result. 'Theogony' means 'The Origin of Gods', and it is [[Exactly What It Says on the Tin]]. Presenting the whole divine family on one genealogical tree is [http://www.theoi.com/TreeHesiod.html almost] impossible, but the Greeks apparently had little problems with memorizing all the details, as numerous stories from Greek mythology are perfectly consistent with the version of events described in ''Theogony'' (though, to complicate things even more, there is also a rival version written by Pseudo-Apollodorus, known as ''The Library''). |
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To cut a long story short, in the beginning there was not only Chaos but also Gaia (Mother Earth), Tartarus (Ineffably Deep Abyss), and Eros (who in those times resembled rather Will To Procreate than Romantic Love). Then, Gaia gave birth, among other creatures, to Ouranos (Heaven) and Pontus (Sea), both of whom later [[Squick|fathered on her]] many children. This strange family had three main branches: |
To cut a long story short, in the beginning there was not only Chaos but also Gaia (Mother Earth), Tartarus (Ineffably Deep Abyss), and Eros (who in those times resembled rather Will To Procreate than Romantic Love). Then, Gaia gave birth, among other creatures, to Ouranos (Heaven) and Pontus (Sea), both of whom later [[Squick|fathered on her]] many children. This strange family had three main branches: |
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* [[Action Girl]]: Athena and Artemis. The former was not only a [[Lady of War]] but also a [[Genius Bruiser]], and both had particularly impressive [[Virgin Power]]. |
* [[Action Girl]]: Athena and Artemis. The former was not only a [[Lady of War]] but also a [[Genius Bruiser]], and both had particularly impressive [[Virgin Power]]. |
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* [[Almighty Janitor]]: Tartarus. Apparently powerful enough to hold the titans, cyclopes, and hekatoncheires prisoner for eternity, the only thing he ever actually does is sleep with Gaia to father Typhon. Even then, it's Gaia who sets Typhon on Zeus, not Tartarus. Tartarus is apparently content to sit back and enjoy his role as jailor/jail for the gods. |
* [[Almighty Janitor]]: Tartarus. Apparently powerful enough to hold the titans, cyclopes, and hekatoncheires prisoner for eternity, the only thing he ever actually does is sleep with Gaia to father Typhon. Even then, it's Gaia who sets Typhon on Zeus, not Tartarus. Tartarus is apparently content to sit back and enjoy his role as jailor/jail for the gods. |
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* [[Anthropomorphic Personification]]: Loads of them. Virtually all the primordial divinities were this. |
* [[Anthropomorphic Personification]]: Loads of them. Virtually all the primordial divinities were this. |
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* [[Apron Matron]]: Gaia. She even gave birth to one of her children ([[Mix and Match Critter|Typhoeus]]) only to revenge the previous ones on their father, who thrusted them down into Tartarus. Tartarus himself was the father of Typhoeus, which makes it even more weird. |
* [[Apron Matron]]: Gaia. She even gave birth to one of her children ([[Mix and Match Critter|Typhoeus]]) only to revenge the previous ones on their father, who thrusted them down into Tartarus. Tartarus himself was the father of Typhoeus, which makes it even more weird. |
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* [[Badass Family]]: It doesn't come much more Badass then Divine. |
* [[Badass Family]]: It doesn't come much more Badass then Divine. |
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{{reflist}} |
{{reflist}} |
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[[Category:Useful Notes]] |
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[[Category:Classic Literature]] |
[[Category:Classic Literature]] |
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[[Category:Oral Tradition]] |
[[Category:Oral Tradition]] |
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