Chapter Five, Lecture Two Origin of Mortals The Five Races and Universal Flood

The Five Races Not compatible with the Pandora stories Different source The descent into the wretched, modern age

The Five Races

Hesiod’s world “blown apart” by the alphabet Later, the Age of Cronus was seen as a Golden Age because it fit chronologically with the Golden Race of the five races.

The Universal Flood

Universal Flood Mesopotamia –Sumerians – 4000–2400 –Akkadians – Semites – 2300 –Bablyonians – Hammurabi 1750 “Terah was a man of Ur” (Genesis 6-) (Genesis 7) (Genesis 8)Genesis 7Genesis 8

Ziusudra, Athrahsis, and Noah The earliest flood (Sumerian) Thousands of years earlier than the biblical texts Mankind is progressing, and the gods decide to exterminate them We’re not told why Enki (Prometheus) decides to save one: Ziusudra

Ziusudra, Athrahsis, and Noah Tells him to build a boat Ziusudra survives the seven-day flood and sacrifices to Utu (the sun god) after it.

Ziusudra, Athrahsis, and Noah The Babylonian variation of the Sumerian flood Humankind proves too fruitful and too noisy Various plagues and other ideas fail to check their growth, so Enlil (storm god) decides to send a flood

Ziusudra, Athrahsis, and Noah But Ea (Enki) warns one “very wise man,” Atrahasis ( = Ziusudra) Instructs him to build a boat and save his family and all kinds of animals

Ziusudra, Athrahsis, and Noah A flood of seven days and nights kills off humanity But the gods, deprived of their smoke, begin to starve They gather around Atrahasis’s sacrifice and breathe the pleasant smoke — even Enlil (who demanded the flood) is pleased

Ziusudra, Athrahsis, and Noah To check population, measures are taken to increase infant mortality and decrease the fertility rate of women: –some would be barren –ritual chastity –demons to kill some of the newborn.

Greek Flood Story Not in Hesiod Perhaps he didn’t know about it — i.e., the story hadn’t made its way into the Greek world yet in 8th/7th c. BCE Source is the Roman Ovid (1c. BCE)

Greek Flood Story Zeus investigates the alleged wickedness of humankind In disguise, comes to the house of Lycaon (“wolf”), king of Arcadia Lycaon planned to test whether the visitor was divine (as some of his people thought).

Greek Flood Story Feed him human flesh and see whether he notices Zeus (of course) knows, and turns Lycaon into a wolf (“lycanthropy”) First he wants to destroy the world with fire Changes his mind to a flood

Greek Flood Story Only Deucalion (son of Prometheus) and Pyrrha survive on a raft They land on Mt. Parnassus (Delphi), near a small temple to Themis Zeus relents and Poseidon orders the rains to stop and the flood to recede

Greek Flood Story How to repopulate the earth? “Toss the bones of your mighty mother over your shoulders.” Deucalion understands the riddle Stones are the bones of the “mother” (mother earth) Most important of the children were eponymous heroes of the Greeks

Greek Flood Story Deucalion / Pyrrha Hellen "Hellenes" Dorus "Dorians" Aeolus "Aeolians" Xuthus Ion "Ionians"

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