Creation Mythology PowerPoint

I n t h e R E Ch ao s. Be gi N ningthe WasOnlY

In the BegiNning theRE Was OnlY Chaos.

Then out of the void of nothingness appeared Erebus, the unknowable place where death dwells

... and Nyx, a black bird.

All else was empty, silent, endless, darkness.

With the wind Nyx laid a golden egg and for many years she sat upon this egg.

Finally life began to stir in the egg and out of it rose Love,

bringing a start of order.

From Love, came twins, Aether, which is the light in the upper atmosphere, and Hamera, which is daylight.

One half of Nyx’s egg shell rose into the air and became the sky, from then on named Uranus …

and the other half became the Earth, from then on named Gaia (Gaea).

Rain fell from the sky onto the Earth, making plants grow; animals then appeared from the rivers and ocean.

Next, many strangely-shaped monsters and giants were born. Among these were three Cyclops – one eyed creatures: Lightening (light in the sky), Thunder (sound), and Thunderbolt (bolt of light from the sky)

Uranus did not like them, so he treated them cruelly and banished them to the Underworld, the place where all beings went upon death – it was not hell.

Later, some human-shaped giants, called Titans, were born of Gaia and Uranus; they later became the first gods and goddesses.

TitansTitanesses CronusRhea HyperionThemis OceanusTethys CoeusPhoebe IapetusMnemosyne CriusTheia UranusGaia

Cronus - [Time; King] Saturnus

Hyperion – Fire (Hyper); Observation 16 th Moon of Saturn Thomas Andersen – February 2008 –

Oceanus – Ocean/Sea

Coeus - Questioning, Intelligence Polus Artistic rendering of Polus from the Star Wars: Empire at War game

Iapetus – Voice, Thought Moon of Saturn

Crius – Mastry, Lordship; King of Elsyium (His name means “Ram”) Artistic rendering of Crius from Library.thinkquest.com Elysium – a fabulous section of the underworld for the honorable soldiers after their death.

Rhea – Fertility, Menstruation, Rivers A satellite of Saturn

Themis – Law and Order; Customs; Tradition Themis from the Temple of Nemesis, Rhamnous, Attica, signed by the sculptor Chairestratos, c. 300 BCE.NemesisRhamnous

Tethys – Nursing; Youth Salacia; Moon of Saturn Tethys – Copyright from Nintendo - Japan

Phoebe - Moon Irregular satellite of Saturn

Mnemosyne - Memory Moneta Tiny asteroid

Theia – Sight; Gold, Silver, Gems Theia hypothesis – billion years ago Earth’s sun and moon were once one – not two separate as today.

Gaia and Uranus also had Hecatonchires – one hundred handed monsters.

However, Uranus was a bad father and husband. He hated the Hecatonchires. He imprisoned them by pushing them into the hidden places of the earth, Gaia's womb.

This angered Gaia and she plotted against Uranus, to ensure no more children would be harmed.

She made a flint sickle and tried to get her children to attack Uranus.

All were too afraid except, the youngest Titan, Cronus.

Cronus lay in wait, hidden from view, and when Uranus came to lay with Gaia, Cronus struck.

With one mighty blow from the sickle, Cronus severed the genitals from Uranus' body.

From the blood which fell to the Earth (Gaia) were born the Erinyes (Furies) – punishers of anyone who lies-

and the Giants, enormous creatures with human-like upper bodies and fish tail bottoms (sometimes with webbed feet.

Aphrodite (Venus) was born from the foam created from the sex organs (genitals) of Uranus, after they had been thrown into the sea by Cronus. The Birth of Venus – Sandro Botticelli – c, , tempra on canvas, Ufizzi, Florence.

Aphrodite – Love and Beauty Venus

Once Cronus had castrated Uranus, he and his wife Rhea took the throne.

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The Eating of the Children