CREATION OF THE FIRST GODS

There are many stories of the creation of the world and of the first gods. One account of the origin of the world by Homer speaks of a flood called River Ocean. This violent water surrounded the land and was the source of all things. Other myths speak of Night and Darkness as the first elements and they were combined to create the Light. The three most popular mythological theories of creation are the Pelasgian Creation myth, The Orphic Creation Myth and the Hesiod story Cosmogony.

The Pelasgian Myth says that in the beginning there was a Goddess of all things called Eurynome. Eurynome rose naked from Chaos but found nothing that she could stand on. Because of this she divided the seas from the sky. She danced and with her motions created the North wind. As she continued to dance she caught hold of the wind, rubbed it between her hands and created Ophion. Ophion saw her dancing and fell in love with her. He then wrapped himself around her and Eurynome became pregnant. Seeing that she was now with child she transformed herself into a dove and then laid the Universal Egg. Then Ophion wrapped himself around the egg until it split in two and out poured all of the things of the world.

The Orphic Myth tells of a beautiful black-winged goddess. This goddess, unlike Eurynome, seems to have continued to live in the presence of her newly formed gods. She is told to have been in contact with many of the most powerful gods such as Cronos and Zeus. This unnamed Goddess, like Eurynome, was courted by the wind and then laid a silver egg in the womb of Darkness. From this egg hatched Eros whom then set the world in motion.

The most popular myth of creation Hesiod's Cosmogony. It says that first there was Chaos. Hesiod does not say that Chaos always was but also suggests that he was somehow created. Chaos ruled with his wife Nyx (night) until their son Erebus (Darkness) decided to over throw his father. After he assumed the throne he married his mother and they had two children Aether (light) and Hemera (day). Soon Aether and Hemera could no longer stand the Darkness so they seized the thrown from their parents. They decide to create "a thing of beauty" but they could not do it alone. They then summoned their child Eros (love). With Eros help they created Pontus (sea) and Gaea (terra) or Earth.

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