Greek Primordial Gods
The ancient Greeks had several theogonies different, and even if they have certain common characteristics, it is difficult to stop a static list of deities of primary importance for the Greek mythology , this list - and the role of the deities involved - ranging from one source to another.
Summary |
Sources mythological
Hesiod
The most famous of this is undoubtedly the Theogony of Hesiod, so much so that often confused with the Greek pantheon important one given by the book. The first deities he cites are: Chaos (Incompetent, Fault), followed by Gaia (Earth), Tartarus (the bowels of the Earth), Eros (desire), Nyx (Night) and Erebus (Darkness) , then by Ouranos (Heaven), Ether (Heaven above) and Hemera (Day).
See the detailed article: Theogony (Hesiod).
Homer
Least known, seems to regard the Homeric theogony Ocean and Tethys as the parents of all other gods, which relates their rise to the sea
Alcman
In Alcman, Thetis (the sea-nymph) is the first goddess who "orders all things", followed by Poros (the path that opens), Tecmor (terminal) and Scotos (dark path).
Epimenides
Epimenides made of Aer (Air) and Nyx the two primordial beings, who come together to give birth to Tartarus. Two Titans were born then, to produce an egg from which emerge a new order.
Traditions Orphic
Orphic poetry is usually the first principle of Nyx. In Aristophanes (in birds ), it appears with Chaos, Erebus and Tartarus, and Eros leads / Phanes by laying an egg, which in turn leads to other gods.
Sources philosophical
There were many philosophers and Greek philosophical schools that offer their own versions:
- Pherecydes Syros distinguished three primordial species existing from all eternity: Chronos (Time), Zeus and Chthon (Earth).
- In Empedocles , Aphrodite and Ares (Love and wrestling) were contradictory to the principles behind the separation of the universe into four elements.
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