Download The Origins of Ancient Greek Mythology: The History of the Titans and the Greeks' Creation Story AudioBook Free

"The only real skill that suits me is whatever, growing from unrest, is inclined toward serenity." This estimate by André Gide perfectly encapsulates the storyline of the Titans. Common as the antagonists of the pantheon of gods led by Zeus, the Titans embody "unrest" and "transience" for the present day listener, but for reasons significantly less than the obvious. History, after all, is the storyline of the winners, and the world of the traditional Greeks was a world of an extremely real, highly querulous pantheon that this behooved ancient authors to glorify in their works. Unlike the other gods, the Titans' appearance in ancient Greek writing is limited, and the entire treatment of their "history" appears, predominantly, in only two works: Hesiod's Theogony and Works and Days. The storyplot of the Titans shows up in both works in several degrees of fine detail, and so, any work about their tale has to incorporate referrals from each. Instead of becoming ensnared in source criticism, it's necessary to incorporate the works to create a fuller picture of the mythology Hesiod expounds. For example, it's worthy of noting that the Theogony, at least, has all the hallmarks of any "hymn to the glory of Zeus the Ruler." The reason for this is the fact, throughout the work, Zeus is lauded as being the progenitor of "order" in the cosmos, once he previously defeated his foes and ceased to fight monsters. It'll soon become clear that Zeus isn't just the "lord of gods and men," but also the revolutionary leader of a fresh ability system. This understanding of the cosmos as a political arena is vital to the interpretation of the misconception of the Titans. By looking at these works of Hesiod, it's possible to get a better understanding of how the ancient Greeks seen their cosmos, their pantheon of gods, and the power challenges their deities went through in order to become dominant celestial beings. The Titans play a much bigger part in this technique than they are generally given credit for, and the value of their lasting effect after the cosmos, the mythology, and the ancient Greek psyche can't be overstated.

Category: Classics