5,389
edits
Hope: Difference between revisions
m
→Pandora's myth
m (→Pandora's myth) |
m (→Pandora's myth) |
||
| Line 39: | Line 39: | ||
The most significant of these gifts, however, was a jar, (later mis-translated as "box"), given to Pandora either by Hermes or Zeus. Before he was chained to the rock, Prometheus had warned Epimetheus not to take any gifts from the gods. Epimetheus did not listen to his brother, however, and when Pandora arrived, he fell in love with her. Hermes told him that Pandora was a gift to the titan from Zeus, and he warned Epimetheus to not open the jar, which was Pandora's dowry. | The most significant of these gifts, however, was a jar, (later mis-translated as "box"), given to Pandora either by Hermes or Zeus. Before he was chained to the rock, Prometheus had warned Epimetheus not to take any gifts from the gods. Epimetheus did not listen to his brother, however, and when Pandora arrived, he fell in love with her. Hermes told him that Pandora was a gift to the titan from Zeus, and he warned Epimetheus to not open the jar, which was Pandora's dowry. | ||
Until then, mankind had lived a life in a paradise without worry. Epimetheus told Pandora never to open the jar she had received from Zeus. However, Pandora's curiosity got the better of her and she opened it, releasing all the misfortunes of mankind (plague, sorrow, poverty, crime, despair, greed, etc.). Once opened, she shut it in time to keep one thing in the jar: hope | Until then, mankind had lived a life in a paradise without worry. Epimetheus told Pandora never to open the jar she had received from Zeus. However, Pandora's curiosity got the better of her and she opened it, releasing all the misfortunes of mankind (plague, sorrow, poverty, crime, despair, greed, etc.). Once opened, she shut it in time to keep one thing in the jar: hope. The world remained extremely bleak for an unspecified interval, until Pandora "chanced" to revisit the box again, at which point Hope fluttered out. Thus, mankind always has hope in times of evil. | ||
In another version of the myth, hope (Elpis) is considered the worst of the potential evils, because it is equated with terrifying foreknowledge. By preventing hope from escaping the jar, Pandora in a sense saves the world from the worst damage. | In another version of the myth, hope (Elpis) is considered the worst of the potential evils, because it is equated with terrifying foreknowledge. By preventing hope from escaping the jar, Pandora in a sense saves the world from the worst damage. | ||
| Line 46: | Line 46: | ||
;'''''There are a few parallels with the Biblical myth of the Original Sin. Epimetheus was a Titan, and was ascribed by Zeus to give a positive trait to all living creatures (just as Adam gave out names). Pandora comes as Eve, and the opening of the box triggers a process similar to the Flight from Eden. Initially, Man was moulded out of clay by Prometheus and Epimetheus (which, in another way, links to Adam too). | ;'''''There are a few parallels with the Biblical myth of the Original Sin. Epimetheus was a Titan, and was ascribed by Zeus to give a positive trait to all living creatures (just as Adam gave out names). Pandora comes as Eve, and the opening of the box triggers a process similar to the Flight from Eden. Initially, Man was moulded out of clay by Prometheus and Epimetheus (which, in another way, links to Adam too). | ||
;'''''Another guy Heracles freed as a bonus to one of the 12 labours is Theseus : that was during his descent to Hell, to steal Cerberus. | |||
===Hope as a form of evil=== | ===Hope as a form of evil=== | ||