Comparision Of Greek Myth Of Prometheus And Judaeo-Christian Adam And Eve
Essay Preview: Comparision Of Greek Myth Of Prometheus And Judaeo-Christian Adam And Eve
Report this essay
When comparing the ancient Greek creation myth of Prometheus and the Judaeo-Christian Adam and Eve story we find some striking similarities in both of them.
Analyzing Hesiod’s Theogony and other sources we come to the conclusion that the old Greek religion did not include a direct link as to the creation of the humans. They just co-existed with the Gods. Maybe they sprang from Gaea herself, it is not certain.
Other sources for the creation of man, point to Zeus giving the task of creating men and animals to the sons of Iapetus, Prometheus (before thought) and Epimetheus (after thought). Zeus had told both of the brothers to give them gifts, but while Prometheus was working hard creating the men, Epimetheus had already finished making the animals and gave them all gifts. When Prometheus asked his brother about the gifts, he foolishly admitted that he had already used up all of the gifts that Zeus had given them.
What is certain is the way they lived, which is described in great detail. They lived in Caves and knew nothing of the crafts, artwork and other things that have become identifiable with great civilizations of the time.
Among the Gods, Prometheus was the champion of humanity, which took pity upon them and gave them the gifts of which they lacked and needed to advance. Prometheus created men in the image of the gods out of clay, but they had no gifts. The one gift left in the world was considered divine and Zeus would not let Prometheus give it to man who he thought did not deserve it anyway. This was the gift of fire.
Prometheus waited for his chance, defied Zeus and stole a branch and gave men fire, in addition to other things. He gave them architecture, inventions such as carriages, saddles, ships, sails, drugs, mining, and animal sacrifice. On one famous instance at the meeting of the Gods and men there was an ox sacrificed and the myth has it that he covered up the bones with the skin of the ox and gave the humans the best part and the gods the bones and fat to trick them.
The gift of fire encouraged the humans to come out of their caves and spurred a great deal of inventiveness, the people realised that they were alive and came to respect the Gods. They ceased to live in the darkness and came into the light. They farmed, built cities, and soon had a flowing civilization. They created a Utopia.
Zeus was angry at Prometheus for tricking him (twice) and had him shackled to a great rock in the Caucaus mountains. His punishment would be a great eagle pecking out his liver during the day. Since he was an immortal, his liver would grow back at night and the eagle would return the next day to peck out his liver again.
To the rapidly-expanding humans and Prometheus’ dim-witted brother he gifted a maiden with insastiable curiosity called Pandora (Giver of All). Crafted by Hephaestus, the girl was also given a box which she was told never to open. Sooner or later curiousity would get the better of her and while her husband (Epimetheus) was away, she opened the box, letting out all of the world’s problems evil, pain, suffering, despair. Realising what she had done, she quickly closed the box just fast enough to leave Hope inside. Hope beckoned to Pandora to let it out and she opened the box a second time. Inexhaustible hope would mend the woes of humanity.
Now we must also include the Judaeo-Christian belief in the bible as both the stories are very related. According to the Bible, God created the world in 6 days and on the seventh (a Sunday) he rested. On the 6th day God Created man. “God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.” —Genesis 1:26.
He named him Adam (red earth) and he gave him a home in paradise, the Garden of Eden in which to spend his immortal days. Adam was given the task of cultivating the garden and naming of the lesser creatures (birds and beasts). He could eat the fruits of any trees except the apple tree (the tree of knowledge).”Of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil thou shalt not eat of it; for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.”
Adam was lonley so God created Eve (life), a woman from one of Adam’s ribs and she became his wife. They lived together in the garden for some time along with the other beasts until the serpent (who later on was said to have been satan) convinced Eve to eat the apple, telling her she would not die, but become a God. At this point, humanity lost it’s innocence. Both Adam and Eve realised that they were naked and fashioned coverings for themselves. God was angry and to punish them they were sent into exile into the world. Their immortality was taken away and Angels called Cherubim were placed at the gates of Eden to guard the way to the Tree of Life. A flaming sword which spins in every direction was also placed to ward off intruders.
It is interesting to note that Adam and Eve are mentioned in all the Judaeo religions including Islam. In the Qur’an Adam is regarded as a prophet (a person spoken to by God). Eve is mentioned ad Hawwa, his wife. In this version when Adam came to life, God sent a number of angels to fetch clay from the earth to form him and they took the clay from a variety of sources to signify the variety in human beings. Their version of Satan is Iblis who refuses to bow down to Adam when God orders the angels to do so and is banished