Legends of Greece and Rome
The birth of Man
This is one of two popular versions of the story of the creation of man.
The Titan Prometheus (foresight) and his brother Epimetheus (afterthought), were given the job of creating creatures with which to populate the earth. Epimetheus rushed to his task quickly and created the animals. He gave them many attributes which would enable them to survive and protect themselves. Claws, fur, wings etc. Unfortunately, in his haste, Epimetheus had forgotten to save any attributes to give to man for his protection. He looked back over his work and realised that he had made a big mistake, and so he turned to his brother for help.
Prometheus gave man the ability to stand upright like the gods. He then stole fire from the sun and gave it to man so that he could keep himself warm, and protect himself from the beasts. With fire man became the master of the earth.
Zeus was greatly angered by the theft of the fire and punished Prometheus by having him chained to a rock. Each day an eagle would swoop down from the rock and eat his liver, and every night his wound would heal so that the his torture could begin again the next day.
Until this time there had been no disease, pain or weakness to plague mankind. There had also been no women. Zeus sent down Pandora, a beautiful woman made in the form of the goddesses. Men were entranced and distracted by her. Crops and animals were left untended while men attempted to woo her.
Pandora bought with her a box which Zeus had forbidden her from opening, she could not resist the urge however, and when she opened the box all the evils of the world flew out. Anger, hatred, painful death, crime etc. flooded the earth. Pandora panicked and slammed the box, closing it on one last item. Hope. Without that hope, mankind would have had nothing to believe in and no reason to continue their lives during difficult times.
So mankind was now the ruler of the earth, but was also destined to endure all the pains and hardships that Pandora had inadvertantly released.
Source: 'Myths and Legends of Ancient Greece and Rome'
Morgan J. Roberts
