Prometheus, creator of man

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Prometheus - creator of man

Prometheus is believed to be one of the seven titans created the human race. He gave them knowledge and other skills which man would know how to live. One of these gifts Prometheus gave man which he was punished for.

It is not sure who was Prometheus's father but the two suspected gods are Eurymeydon or Iapetus and the mother is said to be the Nymph Clymene.

Prometheus has three brothers Atlas, Epimetheus and Menoclius. Atlas was the eldest of them. He knew the depths of all seas. He ruled over a kingdom with precipitous cliffs which was "The Land of Atlantis". This land lay beyond the pillars of Heracles and a chain of fruit bearing islands which separated it from a distant continent which is not connected with our own.

Atlas was the father of the Pleyiades, the Hyades, and the Hespeirdes; and has held up the heaves ever since. Except one occasion, when Heracles temporarily relieved him from his task. Some say that Perseus petrified Atlas into Mount Atlas by showing him the Gorgon's head; but they forget that Perseus was reputedly a distant ancestor of Heracles.

This civilization mentioned as being in the "land of Atlantis" had knowledge of irrigation, temple building, including race courses and a great harbor. It was at war with the East as well as the west.

There were five twins who all swore allegiance to Prometheus by sacrificing a bull on a pillar's peak.

These five twins first used to obey the rules but later they asked for Zeus's permission. The Athenians defeated these gods single handed and removed their power. Because of this there was a major flood which destroyed everything.

Prometheus who noticed that this would happen fought on Zeus's side, persuading Epimetheus to do the same. Prometheus was taught by Athene, at first who was born out of Zeus's head. She taught him Architecture, Mathematics, Navigation, medicine, metallurgy, and useful other arts which he passed on to mankind.

Zeus grew angry at this and the human race was saved only by Prometheus's pleas to let them live. Zeus was angered by the power and talents they were gaining.

One day Prometheus, while performing a sacrifice and having to decide which part would be for man and which for the gods decided to fill two bags made of skin, one with bone, the other with flesh. Zeus picked the one with the bones and since Prometheus was laughing this angered him. He then withheld fire from the humans and said "Let them eat their flesh raw".

Prometheus later went to Athene and asked her permission to go to Olympus, and he was granted this right. Here he lit a torch at the fiery chariot. He presently broke from it a fragment of glowing charcoal, which he thrust into the pithy hollow of a giant fennelstalk. Then extinguishing his torch, he stole away undiscovered, and gave fire to Mankind.

Zeus swore revenge. He ordered Hephaestus to make a clay woman and the four winds to blow life into her, and the godess of Olympus to adorn her. This woman, Pandora, The most beautiful ever created, Zeus sent as a gift to Ephimesteus, under Hermes's escort. But Ephimetheus, having being warned by his brother to accept no gift of Zeus's respectfully excused himself. Zeus was maddened by this.

Prometheus was chained to a rock and a hungry vulture came and tore at his liver which grew back everynight to give him eternal suffering.

Epithemeus alarmed by his brother's fate married Pandora which was as intelligent as she was beautiful. She opened a box, which Prometheus had warned his brother never to open. Within this box which Prometheus had tried to lock away were old age, labour, sickness, insanity, vice and passion. These flew out in a cloud and stung both people and attacked the race of mortals. Delusive hope luckily had also been in the box and so the lovers were prevented from committing suicide.


Pandora = "all gifts"


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