Genealogy of the Greek Gods

Ages of Greece

• Mycenaean Age (1500-1200 BCE)
• Dark Age of Greece (1100-750 BCE) Hesiod and Homer compose
• Archaic Age of Greece (700-500 BCE)
• Classical Age of Greece (490-323 BCE) Sophocles, Aeschylus, Euripides, Aristophanes
• Hellenistic Age (323-31 BCE) from the death of Alexander the Great, who conquered all of Greece and much of the Middle East, to the defeat of Antony and Cleopatra by Octavian. (this is when Greek culture flourishes and reaches the Mediterranean, Near East and Asia)

In Greece it was believed that there was a pantheon of deities—many of questionable moral virtue—who, while they occasionally meddled in human affairs and were keen on seducing mortals, generally remained detached from the everyday workings of the world and were not shown any strict allegiance by humans.

Hesiod’s Theogony

Three generations of gods: Ouranos, Kronos (Titans) and Zeus (Olympians).

Problems with further generations:

As Rheia gives birth to her children, Kronos swallows them whole because he heard from his parents that a child of his would overthrow his throne. Rheia gives Kronos a stone wrapped in a cloth instead of Zeus and he swallows the stone. Zeus is secretly raised by Gaia. When Kronos hears of the trick, he spits his children back out and they give their brother Zeus lightning and thunder as a token of thanks.

The Nine Muses

Kalliope (Epic Poetry)

Kleio (History)

Erato (Love Poetry)

Euterpe (Music)

Melpomene (Tragedy)

Polymnia (Hymns)

Terpsichore (Dance)

Thaleia (Comedy)

Ourania (Astronomy)

“Where Have All the Muses Gone?” is an amusing article written in The Wall Street Journal about the Muses.

 

Hesiod’s Works and Days

The Ages of Man

The Golden race of mortal men — this race thrives under the reign of Kronos and is made by the Olympian gods (Zeus, et al.). They live like the immortals, without strife or toil.

The Silver race of mortal men — this race is inferior to the Golden one, even though they too were created by the Olympian gods. They remain children for 100 years, and then became petulant and violent adults. They commit crimes against each other and refuse to honor the gods.

The Bronze race of mortal men — this race is also made by Zeus and fashioned from the Ash tree. They are a warring race who live off of meat and use bronze tools and weapons. They are the first race to go to Hades upon their death.

The Divine race of heroes — this is the semi-divine race, the demi-gods and heroes we see in the “Odyssey” and the “Iliad.” This race wars as well, but when they die Zeus lets them dwell in the Isles of the Blessed Ones.

The Iron race of mortal men — this is Hesiod’s race (ours, as well). There is no end to their daily toil and strife because the gods bring about many troubles for them.