Prometheus, Epimetheus, and Pandora

i was just looking up stuff on mythology for my story. i just finished peicing together the story of Prometheus, Epimetheus, and Pandora. i had to look at several to be able to make it sound a bit more...impressive. some versions didn't tell all the gifts the gods gave Pandora, some had different ideas as to whether it was just fire Prometheus stole from the Gods for mankind, so on and so forth...
here's my finished product...



Prometheus and Epimetheus were two sons of a Titan, Iapetus, and an Oceanoid, Clymene. During the Titanic wars, they sided with Zeus, earning his gratitude. To repay them, Zeus asked them to creat the creatures of the world, and mankind.

Epimetheus, who was very foolish, and who's name means "Afterthought," created all the animals and gave them all of the best gifts. when the time came to create mankind, he realized his mistake and asked his brother's help.

Prometheus, who's name means "Forethought," was very wise, more wise then even the Gods. Prometheus took over the creation of mankind. Using earth and water, he gave them a noble, upright shape, like that of the Gods themselves. Then, Prometheus traveled to the heavens, and stole fire from the Sun. He carried his torch back to earth and gave the fire to Men.

Not only did Prometheus steal fire from the Gods, he tricked Zeus so that humans would receive the best part of animal sacrifices. Taking a pile of the good cuts of meat, he wrapped them in the skin and covered them up with the innards. Then, taking the bones, he covered them with the shiney fat. Taking them to Zeus, he asked him to pick a pile, telling him that the pile he picked would be used as sacrifices to the Gods on their alters, and the other pile would be used to feed mankind. Zeus, seeing the shiney fat, chose that pile, becoming angered when he saw how he had been tricked. From then on, fat and bones were given to the Gods on their alters, and the meat for man to keep.

This caused Zeus to look upon Prometheus with disfavor. Zeus had Hephaestus, his son the smith god, creat the first woman, in the image of the Goddesses, out of earth and water, as Man had been made. Aphrodite then gave her grace, cruel longing, and "cares that weary the limbs." Athena then clothed her and taught her needlework and weaving. Hermes gave her the power of speech, persuasion and the charites gave her necklaces and other jewelry and finery, and Horae gave her a garland crown. Hermes then named her Pandora, meaning "All-Gifted," because all of the Olympions had given her some gift.

Zeus's gift was a curious nature, and a Jar, which he told her she must never open.

Zeus and Hermes then brought Pandora to the house of Prometheus as a gift, which he refused. They changed course and offered her to his brother, who, though he was warned by Prometheus to not accept any gift from Zeus, fell in love with her and accepted. Pandora then became epimetheus's wife.

Pandora's curious nature and the mystery of the jar Zeus had given her grew, until it eventually got the better of her. She opened it, and out flew all the sorrows, all the evils in the world. In fright, she slammed it shut, but was too late. All that remained in the jar was the only good thing that had been placed inside of it: Hope, which stayed as a comfort to all man.

Zeus still had a score to settle with Prometheus, so he had him chained to a mountain, where an eagle came, every day, to tear out Prometheus's liver, which regrew at night. He was eventually released by Hercules, years later, in his quest for the Golden Apples.



cool, huh? i could go on about all sorts of other mythology things, but i don't believe i will. i might bore you; i could go on for hours.

you know, it's not very fair that the female is always the one to screw things up for humans in the creation stories, and they're almost always made last. (scowl.) not fair.

well, i'm working on a book. i'm not going into details at all, because i'm paranoid and i'm afraid of someone stealing my ideas.

but i will talk about my concerns.

how will i know if it's good enough? my friends (who can be brutally honest) give me advice, and tell me that when i have them read through something, i leave them hungry for more, but how do i know for sure that they're not just filling me full of shit? i mean, how do i know if it will be what I think it is? (bites lip) i suppose i'll find out, huh?

Quote of the Day

The best way to prepare to have ideas when you need them is to listen to and encourage your obsessions.
~Tamora Pierce


love,
Brii333