Epimetheus

Before Jupiter, humans and animals lived in the dark holes of the earth. The gods decided to bring them up to the earth, out into the light. So they instructed Epimetheus, the son of the Titan Jupiter, to give them powers, weapons and gifts so that they could live.Epimetheus gave all the animals weapons and gifts (teeth, claws, wings, hair, feet, scales) and told them how to live. He did everything wisely and no animal had any complaints.

Prometheus

But he forgot the people and left them naked and thin. The people would then perish, they would die of hunger and cold. But Prometheus, the brother of Epimetheus, took pity on them and helped them to live.The gods kept the fire for themselves. Prometheus, who wanted to make the people look like the gods, hid the fire in a hollow wood and brought it to the people.

The punishment

What he did was not forgiven by Zeus. That's why he tied Prometheus in thick chains on Mount Caucasus. An eagle would come by day and eat his liver and this would happen again at night, because Prometheus was immortal. After centuries, the hero Hercules released him from his chains.

The plan of Zeus

But Zeus also wanted to punish humans to show them that they should not take things from the gods without permission.He ordered Hephaestus, the god who was a good craftsman, to make a woman out of clay, as beautiful as any other.

Pandora

When this woman became real, the gods gave her many gifts: Athena gave her wisdom and skill, Aphrodite gave her beauty and grace, Mercury gave her the ability to speak beautifully and persuade others.

This woman was named Pandora, which means "all gifts".

Pandora - Epimetheus

Zeus gave Pandora a box (or jar) and told her never to open it. He then sent her to earth to become the wife of Epimetheus.Despite Prometheus warning him not to accept any gifts from the gods, Epimetheus saw the beautiful Pandora and married her.

The Curiosity of Pandora

Pandora was very happy with Epimetheus, but she couldn't stop thinking about the box Zeus had given her. Her curiosity was growing every day and finally she couldn't take it anymore. She opened the box to see what was inside.

Box opening

As soon as he opened the box, all the evils of the world sprang up: disease, poverty, pain, envy and other misfortunes. Pandora, frightened, tried to close the box, but it was too late. All the evils had already escaped and scattered everywhere.

Hope

But inside the box there was something very important: Hope. This hope was all that was left to give strength and comfort to people, even in difficult times.

Anger of Zeus

Over the years, the fire people were no longer afraid of the cold and slowly made great progress. But instead of becoming good, they became bad and unjust. Then Zeus decided to spoil this human race with a flood.

Compassion

But in Thessaly lived the son of Prometheus, Deucalion with his wife Pyrrha. They were two good and just people and Zeus decided to let them live. So he told Deucalion to build an ark.

Flood

When Deucalion built it and went in with his wife, Zeus opened the heavens and rained so much water that the whole place became like a sea.

Salvation

The ark of Deucalion wandered for nine days and nights and finally stopped at the top of Mount Parnassus. When the rain stopped, Deucalion and Pyrrha came out of the ark and thanked Zeus for saving them.

New beginning

But they were very sad, and cried, because they were all alone in the world.Then Zeus took pity on them and sent Hermes to ask them what they wanted. And they then asked for people. - Go ahead and throw stones behind you, he said to them, and so they did. And as many as Deucalion threw became men and as many as Pyrrhus threw became women. So there was a new people again, a new race of men.

Greek

Later, from Deucalion and Pyrrha a boy was born, the Greek. The descendants of the Greek were Doros, Aeolus, Ion and Achaeus. The descendants of Doros were called Doris, Aeolus Aeolus, Ion Iones and Achaeus Achaeans.

The Dorians, the Aeolians, the Ionians and the Achaeans, in order to honour the Greek, their great ancestor, named their country Greece and they themselves were called Greeks. The Greeks spoke the same language, believed in the same gods and had the same customs and traditions.