Theories as to the Origin of Man: Humans
In Greek mythology, there were many stories about how humans came to be. Some believed that humans were born from the earth itself. Just like flowers and plants that sprout after winter, the Greeks thought mankind must’ve sprouted from the soil, untamed and wild, with no homes or shelter except what nature provided. At first, humans were like wild animals, living in caves and forests, just trying to survive.
But, as time passed, the gods stepped in. They didn’t like the way humans were living, so they decided to teach them how to build homes, work with metals, and live a more civilized life. Still, humans didn’t turn out all that great. They became wicked and corrupt, so the gods decided to wipe them out with a great flood. Only two people survived – Deucalion and his wife, Pyrrha. Why them? Because they were pious and good-hearted.
Deucalion, the son of Prometheus, built a boat to survive the flood, which lasted for nine days. When the waters finally receded, the boat rested on Mount Othrys (or sometimes Mount Parnassus, depending on the myth). Deucalion and Pyrrha wanted to know how to repopulate the earth, so they went to the oracle of Themis for guidance. The oracle told them to cover their heads and throw the bones of their mother behind them. They were confused at first, but then figured out that the "bones of their mother" meant the stones of the earth. So, they threw stones over their shoulders. From Deucalion’s stones came men, and from Pyrrha’s stones came women.
Later on, though, this belief was pushed aside. In time, priests began teaching that the gods created humans. They explained that humans had gone through different ages – the Golden, Silver, Brazen, and Iron Ages.
The Golden Age? That was the best. No work, no pain, no war. Humans lived happy, peaceful lives, and when they died, they peacefully passed away and became spirits watching over their loved ones. In the Silver Age, things were a little different. People were weak as children and only grew into adults after a long time. They didn’t honor the gods and hurt each other, so they were sent to Hades.
The Brazen Age was full of conflict. These people were tough, strong, and loved to fight. Everything they used was made of brass, and they were as hard-hearted as the metal. The gods finally got fed up and sent them to Hades too.
Then came the Iron Age, the worst of all. People worked hard for everything, and without the guidance of the gods, they became full of sin and wickedness. Zeus was so mad at them that he sent a great flood to wipe them all out—except for Deucalion and Pyrrha, of course.
Now, the most famous version of humanity’s creation comes from the Titan Prometheus. He made humans out of clay and breathed life into them with help from Athene. Prometheus didn’t stop there. He loved these beings and taught them everything—astronomy, math, healing, and even the alphabet. But the gods grew concerned. They needed humans to honor them with sacrifices. So, they called for a meeting to decide what should be offered.
Prometheus was tasked with dividing an ox into two parts for the gods. He tricked Zeus by hiding the bones in fat, and giving the edible parts wrapped in skin. Zeus wasn’t fooled and, as punishment, he took fire away from humans. Prometheus wasn’t happy about that, so he stole fire from the sun and gave it back to mankind. Zeus was furious, so he decided to punish humans and Prometheus.
To punish humans, Zeus had Hephaestus create Pandora, a woman who was the perfect temptation. She was gifted with beauty, charm, and the ability to make anyone fall for her. Despite being warned, Pandora opened a jar full of evil and suffering, letting all of it escape. The only thing left inside? Hope. That’s the one thing that stayed behind to help humanity cope with their miseries.
As for Prometheus? Zeus wasn’t done. He chained him to a rock, and an eagle came every day to eat his liver. But Prometheus was immortal, so his liver grew back each night. After thirty long years, Prometheus was finally freed by Heracles (Hercules), Zeus's son.
