Creation-myth has to do with the presentation of a distinctive story of the origin, organization, culture, spirituality, and existence of beings in a sensible world this is otherwise known as cosmogony. It has been argued that a creation-myth can rarely be differentiated from a narrative of origination; this is because a narrative of origination would present the existence of a deity in a period of infinite chaotic potentials (Houtzager, 2003; Penchansky, 2005). By citing stories of origination, there could be a connection with antiquity and fabled times with an expression of a beginning (Campbell, 1964; Miller, 2004).
A lot of studies have been carried out on creation-myth notably is the works of Weigle, which reflected on mythological cosmogony/parturition or highlighted nuanced creation-myth typology. Weigle development much of his typology from the works of Eliade and Von-Franz. From one such work, Weigle noted that:
Readers from Western cultures tend to rank metaphysical or spiritual cosmogonies like the account of Elohim-God speaking the world into existence in Genesis higher than physical, natural, or elemental accounts of creation by accretion, excretion, copulation, division, dismemberment, or parturition (Leonard & McClure, 2004, p. 33).
This notion is acceptable and supported because this creation-myth is significantly marked by a monotheistic figure that is comparable to quite a number of creation-myths of antiquity Mesopotamian; an exception, it has distinguished secrecy inline with Christianity/Judaism or canons of the Bible- faiths where a majority of western readers are inclined to. This particular impression is driven by a clear distinction from several convictions of a deity fashioning form/substances from disparate matter (Bouteneff, 2008).
A Conceptual Creation Myth
As convincing as the creation-myth of genesis appears, and there is an obvious attraction to it by readers of western culture, it either presents unconvincing accounts of the very origin of the monotheistic creator, or it lacks substances of proof of the instrument of creating beings. From laws of matter, it is known that mater can not be called into being if it doesnt preexist in any form. By this, it implies that the argument of calling beings coming into existence from nothing is vague.
There is only one support to this myth; that the instrument for creating being by a possible monotheistic deity existed in a period before that recorded in genesis. This suggests a pre-genesis period where there was an existence of mater, which was later fashioned into beings- a period when the monotheistic deity itself come into form. This conceptual myth, therefore, is based on this period where elements, atoms, the monotheistic deity, energy, forces, and other instruments for forming beings fashioned themselves from continual competitions to attain stability- a period that could be considered the true beginning.
Scientifically, if from the actual beginning (pre-genesis era) there was the absence of formed mater, there was possibly the absence of light, temperature, atoms, elements, or any other instruments that could be used for forming beings- except there was the existence of darkness. Incidentally, the darkness had particles moving randomly in an attempt to attain stability- as it is the nature of all matter which contains energy.
Now as these particles of darkness moved randomly, they collided with one another, and either continually lost their energy to other particles (and become less stable) or they acquired attracted energy (and became more complex), and this began a self-creation of elements from single-energy-level hydrogen to, helium, to oxygen, and so on. All these took place in the complete absence of interfering temperatures, probably for millions of years. With the formations of the element, there was also a loss of energy from the collision of particles of darkness that moved freely without the attached shell (in the form of a spirit) and formed a self-formed deity over a period. Now, the deity had elements that were formed during the complexity of darkness particles, which formed the earth and the beings which are presented in genesis.
Reference List
Bouteneff, P. C. (2008). Beginnings: Ancient Christian Readings of the Biblical Creation Narrative. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Academic.
Campbell, J. (1964). Occidental MythologyThe Masks of God, Volume III. New York, NY: Penguin Compass.
Houtzager, G. (2003). The Complete Encyclopedia of Greek Mythology. The Netherlands: Rebo Publishers.
Leonard, S., & McClure, M. (2004). Myth & knowing: An introduction to world mythology. New York: McGraw-Hill.
Miller, S. G. (2004). Ancient Greek Athletics. New Haven, CT: Yale University Press.
Penchansky, D. (Nov 2005). Twilight of the Gods: Polytheism in the Hebrew Bible (Interpretation Bible Studies). U.S.: Westminster/John Knox Press.
People worldwide are usually held up in debates revolving around the issue of belief in myths and mythology, and up to now the issue of myths still mystifies and baffles many, and continues to be mysterious on how it influences individuals lives globally. The main sides of the debate are those in favor of myths (traditional cultural theorists), and those against myths (modern scientists). Many hold strong believes on myths and how they(the myths) dictate their lives, while others criticizing myths to be typical traditional ways of thinking which have been overtaken by the modernized lateral thinking, which are complemented with scientific justifications on explaining a certain phenomenon. Parker, n.d attempted to give a succinct meaning of a myth as a typical story usually sacred, aiming at giving an explanation or a basis to justify why a certain event occurs or happens. The phenomenon usually being a natural event or a practice based on a certain peoples culture. The traditional mythology usually revolved around heroes as well as the workings of gods.
Thesis Statement
In my opinion, mythology and myths resides in every human beings mind, in thoughts either consciously or unconsciously, and even though modern scientists deny the fact, at some extend they are unable to scientifically justify some phenomena in life, like the origin of life.
The modern myth
The modern myth distinct itself from the traditional perspective in that it is more supported by religious faiths as well as some scientific bases, but not always (Walters, n.d).In North America like any other region of the world, myths were and are usually associated in the explanation of various phenomena. Among these myths, majority revolve on the issue of mans originality, a supreme power above all, land, spiritual forces as well as cultural events such as ceremonial practices. For instance the native Indians of the northern woodlands of the United States of America hold mythic thoughts in almost every aspect of life (Seneca History, n.d). According to these people, the issue of power mythically dictates other phenomena such as life, seasons, originality of man and the earth the linkage between the living human beings and their ancestors and spirits (Donald-Grim, 2005).
The creation myth by the Seneca Indians
The Seneca Indians in North America believed on the existence of different worlds and other celestial bodies. In one of these worlds, there existed a supreme person who was the chief of the world. The floatation and movements of this world were commanded by this great chief. This world had a great celestial tree, and onetime in his sleep, a dream ordered him to uproot it to appease his spirits The chiefs anger provoked by his wifes dissatisfaction during the uprooting of the tree led to her expulsion from the celestial world, which led to her fall into another world under the celestial world which was full of water and creatures. All the creatures then decided to seek way to the bottom with the aim of making a new world for the woman. Its from this point that a creature called Muskrat found the bottom by his nose where after touching the bottom, the earth was formed.
This myth attempts to explain the origin of the land or the earth by the Seneca people, and like many other myths on the issue of the originality of land, these people held to the believe that there existed a supreme being with powers to command everything residing below it. Their believe that there were other celestial bodies around earth, is fact which can be justified scientifically. This myth is in line with many believers in the modern world that some being somewhere which is more powerful than all is responsible. This myth has greatly shaped peoples values especially in the theological aspect of life. For instance Christians and Muslims hold to the believe that the earth was created by a certain being whom they refer to as God and Allah respectively. The myth influences peoples theological faiths as well as modeling their worshiping practices and other values dictated by this believe of the sacred most high being. Such values are like respect to everything created by this being, which in turn implies respect to the people around an individual. The social impact of respect is evidenced in a peaceful society void of crimes and all other social misconducts (Parker, n.d).
Conclusion
In a traditional perspective, myths were among some ways of explaining and justifying events and even though some lacked scientific justification, most of them were aimed at cultivating important values such as respect of life in the society. Myths dictate every thought in individuals either consciously or unconsciously, and even though some people try to criticize myths, it is evident that there is a deeper meaning in myths and this should not be eroded by the modern lateral thinking in modern human beings. Therefore myths should be adopted in a modernized way and complimented with scientific processes if applicable, otherwise they should be geared in reinforcing peoples positive believe.
References
Donald, John & Grim, John (2005). North American Indians: Indians of the Northeast Woodlands. Encyclopedia of Religion, Vol. 10.(2nd ed). Pp6679-6688.
Parker, Arthur, Seneca Myths and Folk Tales. 2009. Web.
Seneca Indian Tribe History. 2009. Web.
Walters, Samuel, Lost In Faith and Science Modern Myth. 2009. Web.
Myths can be discussed as the important elements of each culture because ancient people expressed their vision of the world and its laws in the form of mythological stories as the attempt to explain the unfamiliar objects and processes.
Thus, myths included the description of the processes which nature was rather difficult to be understood by the ancient people. That is why, a lot of myths which are presented in different cultures are based on the similar topics, but the details of the myth can be various.
From this point, the theme of the world creation is one of the most popular topics of myths, and the creation myth is typical for different cultures.
To understand the significance of the creation story for different cultures and explore the particular features of the myth, it is necessary to focus on the Mesopotamian myth known as the Enuma Elish, on the Pelasgian myth characteristic for the Greek culture, and on the Egyptian myth about Atum.
Although the Mesopotamian, Egyptian, and Greek cultures developed their own mythological stories based on the topic of the world creation, these myths have a lot of similarities which accentuate the common form of the creation myth and its significance for different cultures.
The problem of the worlds beginnings is one of the most controversial points for the discussion today. Furthermore, it is the central idea of many ancient myths. According to Murtagh, at the foundation of nearly every culture is a creation myth that explains how the wonders of the earth came to be (Murtagh).
The ancient people could not understand the world processes and explained them with the help of mythological imagery. Different cultures used their own approaches to explaining the birth of the Universe, but the basic aspects of the process are similar because they depend on the peoples beliefs, values, and expectations.
According to peoples visions, the world can have its origin from the chaos or water, and the myths where the earth emerges out of water are known as diver myths (Murtagh). For instance, the story of creating the world out of water as a result of the struggle with the chaos is depicted in the Mesopotamian Enuma Elish.
The role of the water and chaos is also significant for the Pelasgian creation myth. Furthermore, the watery chaos Nu is accentuated in the Egyptian creation myth as the roots of the Universe.
The role of water in the creation stories can be explained with references to the role of water in the ancient peoples everyday life as it was in Egypt or in the Mesopotamian territories.
Nevertheless, it is possible to determine various actors as the world creators in different cultures. It is stated in the Enuma Elish that the Universe was organized as a result of the struggle between the body of water Tiamat who lost her husband Apsu and the god Marduk ( The Babylonian Creation Story ).
The bodies of water have definite gender features, and they are perceived as the god and the goddess. When Marduk killed Tiamat in the struggle for superiority, the heavens and the earth were made from her body. Thus, it is possible to speak about the origin of the Universe from the water body of Tiamat.
In the Pelasgian creation myth, the main actors are Eurymone and Ophion, and the major symbol is the Cosmic Egg after breaking which the Universe was made ( Greek Creation Story ). The Egyptians focused on their sun-god Ra or Atum and his children as the gods creating the world (Hagin).
In spite of the fact different gods and creators of the world depicted in various creation myths have different names and characteristics, there are a lot of similar features in their portraying. The Enuma Elish and the Pelasgian creation myth are similar in depicting female powers of Tiamat and Eurymone known as the Goddess of All Things.
According to the Enuma Elish, the world was made out of Tiamat, and Eurymone who was born from the chaos divided the water and heavens to dance on the sea waves in the Pelasgian myth.
In the Egyptian creation myth, the accents are made on the role of male gods, but the goddess Tefnut as the daughter of Atum plays the important role in creating the other gods.
It is necessary to pay attention to the fact that those myths the central idea of which is to present the story of the Universe creation include definite elements which are typical for all the myths on the topic.
The creation myth should include not only the mentioned images of the worlds creators and describe the process of creating the earth and sky but also present the processes of creating the other gods and the man.
Moreover, the Universe can be created by the definite god who is alone as it is in the story about Atum, by the god with assistants or by the active and passive creators as it is in the myth about Eurynome, or as a result of the gods struggle as it is in the Enuma Elish. From this point, the processes of creating the earth and sky, the gods and the man can be discussed as the mythemes of creation stories.
The water and the chaos are two important symbols which are used in all the studied myths as the source for the other parts of the Universe. However, the birth of the man is the next important mytheme. According to the Mesopotamian myth Enuma Elish, people are created from the blood of Kingu, the henchman of Tiamat.
It is stated in the Pelasgian creation myth that the first man is made from the dust of Arcadia. The usage of dust or dirt as the source for creating the man is typical for many myths and religious traditions. Nevertheless, the Egyptians were inclined to think that the first man was made out of Atums tears of joy when the Universe was created.
However, there are similar stories about the birth of new gods. According to the Enuma Elish, there were several gods, and they fought with each other before the Universe was created, but the emergence of gods in the Egyptian and Greek traditions is a result of the main gods unions.
Thus, Shu and Tefnut became the parents of Geb and Nut who became the parents of the other gods in relation to the Egyptian myth. Moreover, Eurynome gave the birth to Eros, also known as Protagonus or firstborn, and then to the seven Powers which also became the gods ( Greek Creation Story ).
Those myths which are based on the topic of the world creation have a lot of specific details characteristic for different cultures, but there are many similarities in the basic symbols of these myths.
The specific details accentuate the uniqueness of the cultures and the particular features of the peoples interpretation of the world with references to the geographical and social characteristics. The similar aspects which are depicted in the myths with the help of certain symbols stress the importance of the topic for all the cultures and its universal character.
According to Hindu Creation Myth, Brahma is the divine creator of the world, as well as other things in the universe. However, different views on how actually the creation process occurred. The most famous one is recounted in the Vedas. The sacred book runs, all living creatures were made from the ghee (purified buter) that came from Purusha (Gibson and Wootten 48).
Thus, parts of Purushas body were used to create different objects of the universe. Navel was used to create the earths atmosphere, the head was used to create the havens, the earth was made up of his feet and the sky was made up of his ears. Purusha was also responsible for creating the four varnas of Indivian society the Brahmis, which came from Purushas mouth, the Kshatriyas coming from his arms, the Vaishyas that came from his thighs, and, finally, Shudras coming from Purushas feet.
The story of Hindu creation myths differs from Ancient Greek creation myths in a number of facts, including the beginning of the world, and some elements of the creation of the living creatures. The divinity creation also has certain tangible discrepancies.
As per the beginning of the world, the Hindu world creation starts with the God Brahma who initiated the beginning of the universe: Hindus believe that God, in the form of Brahma, is the creator of the universe and everything in it (Gibson and Wootten 48). Unlike the Indian version, the Greek world begins with an emptiness called Chaos the yawning gap (Martin 23).
With regard to these creation myths, significant difference lies in using nothingness as the beginning in Greek myths, which is absent in the Indian legends. In contrast, Indians focus on the divine origins of the world which produced all creatures whereas Greeks refer to emptiness which created divinity.
In Hinduism, there was one creature that gave life to all living beings on earth. It has been torn apart to form water, earth, atmosphere, and various social layers of people.
In such a way, Hindu myths prove the divine origin of all people, including all varnas. Unlike Hindu, Greek mythology provides an account of creating divine and mythological creations where there is no place for human beings: Earth brought forth Ouranos, the Sky, to be her cover and protector and a place for the blessed gods (Martin 23).
In Greek mythology, however, includes humans at the end of creation, which underlines the emergent hierarchy with gods at the top and humans in the bottom. However, both myths prove the divine origin of all human beings on the planet.
There are different concepts of evil origins on Earth with regard to Greek and Hindu mythology. In particulars, Greek myths show &there is not principle of evil & but Greek tales acknowledge that there are all sorts of bad influences and misfortunes in the world, including the shortness of human life (Martin 21). In Hinduism, evil is presented as an opposition to good: Hindus believe that Vishni is the preserver of the universe and protects the world from evil (Gibson and Wootten 16).
In conclusion, despite the divergence in creation mythology represented by Greeks and Hindus, there are certain similar points which provide a solid basis to explore the origins of the world. This is of particular concern to the analysis of divinity creation, human beings creation, and conception of evil in ancient world.
Works Cited
Gibson, Lynne, and Pat Wootten. Hinduism. US: Heinenmann, 2002, Print.
Martin, Richard. Myths of Ancient Greeks. US: New American Library, 2003. Print.
Ovids (Publius Ovidius Naso) Metamorphoses is a set of poems based on Greek and Roman myths that appeared in the Golden Age of Latin Literature and for centuries served as an inspiration for many writers from different countries. Metamorphoses is a complex profound work that has become a brilliant example of classical immortal literature of European civilization.
In this paper I am going to compare and contrast three versions of the creation of the world: the Greek one presented in the first chapter of Ovids Metamorphoses and two Indian myths of the beginning of the world about Brahma and Purusha. Ovids myth of world creation and two Hindu myths of the origin of the world reveal that the world and the universe were created by some supreme God, different in each culture, who emerged out of chaos in Ovids version and out of ocean in Hindu myth about Brahma, meaning that everything was derived from emptiness. Another Indian myth states that the world was created out of the body of a sacred man Purusha sacrificed by the Gods.
In diverse India several creation myths existed that explained the beginning of the world differently ranging from familiar themes such as dismembered giants and magical eggs to the most delicately expressed doubts as to the possibility of knowledge on such a matter (Solodow 5).
It is necessary to point out that as far as the myths are concerned, they are considered to be an essential means of posing and clarifying the questions of human existence in ancient times (Solodow 7).
Metamorphoses include fifteen chapters that concern human beings whose bodies are changed into various new forms, into animals, trees, rocks, birds, springs, flowers, constellations, insects, reptiles, and so on (Solodow 6). Ovid defines the book from the very beginning: I want to speak about bodies changed into new forms (Ovid 30). Ovid commences with the description of the creation of the world touching every age and events that has taken place.
Three variants of the origin of the world I am going to compare have both similarities and discrepancies. In fact, all the creation myths have some motives common for every culture.
Ovids myth of the creation of the world comprises the creation of the earth, skies, living creature, the development of their life with gods and the events that preceded gods departure to heaven. Thus, Ovid describes the creation of the world that emerged out of chaos and emptiness: Before land and was and sea before air and sky arched over all, all Nature was all chaos, The rounded body of all things in one, the living elements at war with lifelessness; No God, no Titan shone from the sky or sea (Ovid 30).
Similar to Ovids story, Indian myth of the god Brahma describes the origin of the world as coming from emptiness: Before time began there was no heaven, no earth and no space between. A vast dark ocean washed upon the shores of nothingness and licked the edges of night (Leeming 142). It is clearly seen that these myths are similar in that they identify the beginning of the world that comes from emptiness. However, in Indian myth the chaos of Greek myth is substituted for peaceful and silent waters of the ocean where the god Vishnu slept.
In Ovids version the God of Nature gave birth to the world when he calmed the elements: Land fell away from the sky and sea from the land, and aether drew away from the cloud and rain (Ovid 31). Similar to Hindu myth of Brahma, God creates everything: universe, earth, elements of nature, nature itself. Ovid presents a very detailed picture: At Gods touch, lakes, springs, dancing waterfalls streamed downhill into valleys, waters glancing through rocks, grass and wild-flowered meadows; some ran their silver courses underground, others raced into seas and broader Ocean (Ovid 32). It should be emphasized that the world is created by the separation of the Earth from sky.
Compared to Ovids myth, Indian myth of Brahma comprises a lot of similarities. One obvious similarity is that The Vishnus servant, the God Brahma, in Hindu myth also comes to create the world. Brahma appeared from a lotus flower that he broke into three parts and tossed while in Ovids myth the God of Nature used no additional materials. In Hindu myth the first part was heaven, the second was the earth, and the last one was the skies, similar to Ovids version of the world creation. Then Brahma set out to create nature, mountains and rivers, trees and flowers, animals and birds. In addition, Brahma taught the creatures how to see, feel, smell, and hear. As soon as the god finished, the world was created.
Brahma also gave birth to creatures that in their turn were the forefathers of people. It is noteworthy that these creatures appeared not from the body of Brahma but out of his mind. Contrary to this myth in Ovids version people were created directly in their human form and had no forefathers. The core idea of this myth is the recreation of substance in every new god, i.e. Brahma is derived from Vishnu, people from Brahma.
Ovids God of Nature also creates people, to be precise, a man. Contrary to the Hindu myth, Ovid tells that a man was created from the living fluid of the god (Ovid 35). Contrary to the myth about Brahma in Ovids version people were created directly in their human form and had no forefathers. The similarity between these two creation myths lies in the creation of gods; both Brahma and the God of Nature create gods themselves.
As it has already been mentioned Indian mythology embraces several variant of world origin myths (Dimmitt 12). One of them is the myth of Purusha. Comparing Ovids story of creation of the world with this myth we can trace a lot of differences.
First, Purusha is regarded as the universe itself, the time and the space; he was the one the world was created of. The obvious difference is that the God of Nature in Ovids myth was not the chaos itself but only emerged from it. Thus, Purusha, sphere in shape, is torn apart to form the world, trees, mountains, rivers, animals. Moreover, Purushas mind gave birth to celestial bodies, air, earth and the sacred Vedas (Dimmitt 17).
Another difference is that the God of Nature created everything himself and had no intention to tear some parts of his body. Here the leitmotif of sacrifice is basic and underlies the creation of the world whereas the Greek myth in Ovids Metamorphoses suggests that the god of Nature did not sacrifice himself.
It should be stressed that one more sticking difference between Ovids and Hindu world creation interpretation is that in Ovids version the God that creates the world and the universe is not yet known: When God, whichever God he was, created the universe , while in Indian myth the name of God is known Brahma (Ovid 33). In the myth about Purusha we know that some supreme gods called Purusha to sacrifice but the names are not given.
Proceeding with narration of the myth Ovid points out that initially people lived in peace through the first age, Golden Age. People were provided with everything they needed for living, nothing forbidden, no fears, all the men knew of earth were shores of home (Wheeler 123). Contrary to the two Indian myths of world creation Ovid goes into details and divides the time of world creation into several Ages while Hindu myths possess no details about the development of humans and gods.
At that time when Titans ruled the world the gods came to overthrow them. The Silver Age brought Jove, the main God, to rule the world. During this time people discovered that it is possible to live in houses and to run a household. Besides, four seasons were created then. The Bronze and Iron Ages were full of cruelty: Hard steel succeeded then: And stubborn as the metal, were the men. Truth, modesty, and shame, the world forsook: Fraud, avarice, and force, their places took (Wheeler 124). As opposed to Ovids myth two Hindu myths under consideration state that no additional forces came to ruin the world but it were the Gods themselves that ruined it in a certain period of time in order to recreate it, i.e. creation is always recreation (Dimmitt 18).
Thus, in Ovids myth the Giants War followed the four Ages as a consequence of their attempt to get hold of Olympus where gods lived. Contrary to this, in two Hindu myths under discussion the gods lived in the heavens and never rested in the mountains or even the earth.
While Ovids myth reasons the gods decision to kill people, the gods were tired of human hatred and brutality; two Hindu myths reveal no reason for the same decision. In Indian myths of world creation it is natural to kill and recreate the world regardless of peoples behavior.
Similar to Ovids myth where Jove sends heavy pouring rains that partially destroy people, and then Neptune sends waters that leave only two people on the world, in two Hindu myths the waters are also sent to earth to destroy human race. However, the difference lies in that in two Hindu myths the heat preceded the flood (Dimmitt 18). In Ovids myth, the human race has not wiped from the face of the earth: the stories about the mother earth that the survivors tell turn into people. And a new circle of life fills the world. Contrary to Ovids myth the human race in two Hindu myths have been destroyed by the Gods and recreated again. And as we can clearly see in Ovids myth people survived.
What differentiate Ovids story and Hindu myths is that Hindu myths assume that various cosmic forces which might have fashioned the universe concluding with the words: But, after all, who knows, and who can say whence it all came, and how creation happened (Leeming 146). Ovid, on the other hand, is certain that it is only the God of Nature that created the whole universe. Another difference is that in Ovids myth the gods initially lived on the earth together with people and only then had to leave to the heavens whereas Brahma and the gods he created never lived on the earth.
Another similar tendency is traced in Hindu myths of the origin of the world. As well as Ovids interpretation of Greek myth unfolds the story of four consequent ages Indian myths of the origin of the world state that the world is created, destroyed, and recreated in an eternally repetitive series of cycles. It continuously moves from one Maha Yuga (great age) to the next (Leeming 147). At the end of one age the gods destroy the human race and create a new one (Leeming 147). As it has been already mentioned, in contrast to Greek gods that used flood to kill people, the Hindu gods use heat to evaporate the water from the earth and thus, leave no chance for any living creature to survive (Leeming 147). In doing so the circle of life is ensured to experience a new survival.
Concluding it should be mentioned that, this way or another, the world-view of ancient people of such different cultures as Indian and Greek and Roman, still possessed many fundamental features though different in details.
Works Cited
Dimmitt, Cornelia. Classical Hindu Mythology: a Reader in the Sanskrit PurGas. Philadelphia: Temple University Press, 1978.
Leeming, David Adams. Indian. Creation Myths of the World: An Encyclopedia. Santa Barbara, Calif.: ABC-CLIO, 2009.
Ovid, Horace Gregory. The Metamorphoses. New York: Signet Classic, 2001.
Solodow, Joseph B. The World of Ovids Metamorphoses. NC: UNC Press, 2002.
Wheeler, Stephen M. Imago Mundi: another view of the creation in Ovids Metamorphoses. American Journal of Philology. 113 (1995): 121-124.
There was a time when the sky was just space, a dark, silent and hollow space with nothing in it. Then, there came the gods. Hann and Hùn were their names, strong and powerful the former, delicate and contemplative the latter. Hann was the masculine force, Hùn was the feminine creative power. Why and when they entered the sky, it is not known, but it is told that even the nothing in it shivered with expectation when they came.
Then, very simply, they started to sing and beautiful, celestial harmony spread. No words, just music to give forms to the pictures they were imagining. As the music flowed, the forms became the universe as we know it. First, they create the sun, the moon, and the stars, then, the Earth and the other planets. The sky was no longer empty, but full of life, with light and dark following each other in the eternal game of day and night. Planets and the other celestial bodies began to rotate and move according to the complex trajectories created by the music of Hann and Hùn.
One day, they rested on Earth, and new music flowed from their voices, a different, less majestic melody, but richer in tones and nuances. On that day, they shaped Earth, creating mountains, forests, plains, and seas; they sang the fishes, and the oceans were flooded with swimming creatures; they sang the animals, and the land was swarming with life. Finally, they sang the man and the woman, and the world was complete. However, the last effort was so intense that Hann lost his sight. Hùn, then, invented the words to describe the creation to Hann, putting words in music and music in words. Since then, they wandered across the whole earth, contemplating and singing the creation, even if mankind cannot see them. However, an attentive, inspired ear and a crystalline soul can eventually catch a glimpse of the divine, if they manage to feel the vibrations of the Music of Creation.
Background for the Music of Creation Myth
Every civilization, at some point in its history, proposed a myth of creation. Cosmogony, Theogony, and anthropogony mirrored the differences in culture and geographical environment. For example, the river Nile influenced the creation beliefs in ancient Egypt, while ballgames, popular among the Maya population, had a strong influence their mythology. In composing my narrative, I drew inspiration from the Celtic and the Nordic mythologies.
Many religions, especially those originated in the Mediterranean milieu, stressed on the importance of the word, including the Christianity: “In the beginning was the Word” (John 1:1–14). However, other traditions and philosophies gave music, rather than words, a predominant role in their pantheon of divinities, suggesting a general harmonic law underpinning the universe. In the Irish mythology, the Dagda Mor, the God with the Harp, was the most important deity of the Tuatha Dé Danann, the main divinities of ancient Érin (Monagham, 113). In relatively more recent times and within the same geographical area where Christianity flourished, Pythagoras proposed a fascinating relation between music and vibrating energy of the planets (Pliny The Elder, Naturalis Historia, Book 2, Chap. 20). The Old Norse mythology provided the source for the blindness of Hann. In the old poem Hávamál, the god Odin sacrificed one of his eyes to discover the Runes, introducing knowledge to humanity (Hávamál, 138). In my adaptation, the sacrifice is somehow shared between the feminine and the masculine divinities, suggesting complementary roles between the two genres. One last comment on the names of the deities: simply, Hann and Hùn are the Icelandic for He and She respectively.
Indeed, my narrative of the creation winks at both the Irish and Nordic traditions, stressing on the importance of vibrations and feelings rather than words and culture.
Work Cited
Monagham, Patricia. The Encyclopedia of Celtic Mythology and Folklore. Facts On World egg File, New York, 2004.
There have been a lot of contention in regard to how life came into being. Christians and other religious groups have maintained that creation was done by God as described by the Bible and other holy books. Christians have stuck to the genesis account of creation with some modifying it to suit their respective doctrines and disciplinary influences.
Many conservative Christian groups regard the myths of creation that appear in the initial parts of genesis to be literally correct (Frigge, 2009). They do not doubt that it was conducted by God in six days. Many believe that creation was actually done by God exactly as it is described in the Bible and this actually took place circa 4004 BCE as worked out by Bishop Ussher (Frigge, 2009).
Other groups of conservative Christians have tried to bring together the genesis creation version with findings in science. They, therefore, believe that God created the Earth and all that is in it; in addition, they believe that the Earth is billions of years old (Frigge, 2009).
Most liberal Christian groups simply reject the inerrancy described by the Bible (Halbur, 2007). They point out the fact the individuals who wrote genesis existed in pre-scientific times. Even elementary geology, cosmology, astronomy and biology were far much beyond their knowledge (Frigge, 2009).
This group of Christians tends to accept the creation stories described in genesis as imaginative creative works that have no bearing on reality or myths derived from earlier Mesopotamian creation stories that were re-worked by the ancient Israelites (Halbur, 2007).
This paper seeks to describe creation truths and myths as described in different written Christian interpretations. The paper will greatly refer to two written works, the Saint Mary’s Press College Study Bible and the Frigge’s textbook, The Beginning Biblical Studies. References will also be made from the “book of Genesis” (Frigge, 2009).
Genesis creation narrative
The creation myth is found in the beginning of the book, in the first chapters. The first chapter describes how God created the whole world within six days through divine speech. The creation included mankind on the sixth day and rested on the seventh day (Frigge, 2009). The second chapter of genesis describes the identity of God as the “God of Israel” creating the first man named Adam, placing him in the Garden of Eden and making the first woman Eve from his rib (Halbur, 2007).
Basically, the creation narrative is composed of these two parts that form the initial two chapters of the Bible. While the second part of genesis is a simple narrative that picks from the formation of the first man in the Garden of Eden to the creation of the first woman and the establishment of the institution of marriage, the first part of genesis stands out due to its organization (Halbur, 2007).
The chapter is organized in eight instances of creation that supposedly took place over a six day period. In the first three days of the creation, according to the first chapter of Genesis, God conducted three important divisions.
During the first day, he separated darkness from light, on the second day, he separated the waters below from the waters above and, on the third day, he separated the sea from land (Frigge, 2009). According to Frigge, in the next three days, God creates the stars and the sun, creates fish and fowl in the seas and skies respectively (2009). On the last day, he creates land animals which include mankind.
Genesis story as a myth
It is important to note that myths have varied origins. Many of them are usually fictional but there are some that are based on events that actually took place. Myths, whether fictional or based on actual events are used for different purposes such as explaining things that cannot be explained, to convey religious messages or to keep a group together (Frigge, 2009).
Several texts give an explanation of how a myth develops from a historical event that actually took place. They state that major events that took place in the history of a community are retold and retold to different generations. Eventually, the stories take a deeper level giving rise to a myth. One such myth is the story of exodus (Frigge, 2009).
There have been a lot of controversy surrounding the issue of whether creation is a myth or the truth or whether what is written in genesis is what really took place or it was engineered to suit the needs of the time.
Indeed, many contemporary biblical scholars have asserted that the first major comprehensive draft of the Pentateuch (five books beginning with Genesis to Deuteronomy) were written in the late 7th or 6th century BC by the Jahwist source and they were later expanded to incorporate additional narratives and laws from the Priestly source to create the work we have today (Halbur, 2007).
In the view of these contemporary scholars, the purpose was to come up with a monotheistic creation version in opposition to the polytheistic myth that was being advanced Babylon (Frigge, 2009).
In the Frigge’s text book “Beginning Bible Studies”, the challenges faced by the priestly group are clearly outlined. The priestly was at pains to create a writing that would sound well for reestablished but struggling Jews who were just returning after spending more than a century in exile. These people had gone through enough trouble with their creator (Frigge, 2009).
In setting out to do their work, the priestly had to put into consideration the kind of people they were writing for, their questions and their needs at that time.
The priestly group had to devise a writing that would resonate well with them and lead them back to the ways of God. The priestly redactor decided to create a chronological account of the salvation history that would teach the present and future generations the fundamental beliefs about their God (Halbur, 2007). The chronological account had to have a beginning and, thus, the need for a creation myth. This was important in order to address the people of Israel particularly in regard to the situation they were in at that time.
Thus, the creation myth in Genesis was purely designed to deal with questions that could have been raised by the people (Frigge, 2009).
The truths in the creation myth
The book of Genesis has two creation stories that fit into one narrative (Halbur, 2007). It is said that the words translated in English do capture the full meaning that was in the Hebrew language. This is due to the fact that the Hebrew language uses verb tenses that cannot be found in the English language.
Other words in the Hebrew language are only used in conversations or writings that are related to God. For instance, the bara refers to creation that is done only by God but English does not have such word that describes creations done by God alone. This implies that the myth of creation contained in Genesis has a deeper meaning when described in Hebrew (Frigge, 2009).
Indeed, the myth of creation contains hidden truths that apply to the everyday life. It is also important to note that the translation of the Bible from Hebrew to English led to a significant lose in the meaning.
For instance, creation is popularly associated with the creation of Adam and Eve but a closer analysis of the Bible reveals that it does not feature prominently in the first three chapters of the book of Genesis. Another major misconstruction can be seen by carefully reading chapter 1:27 which states that “God created man in his image, in the divine image he created him; male and female he created them” (Frigge, 2009).
This verse seems to be grammatically wrong it was wrongly translated from the Hebrew language. For English, the word “man” can stand for the male sex or whole human race (Halbur, 2007). In Hebrew, there are two distinct words. Ish refers to a male person while Adam is more commonly used to refer to humankind. Thus, the use of Adam in the book of Genesis simply implies that God created and continues to create the Human race.
There is evidence that in ancient Hebrew, the word Adam was used to symbolize all human beings. Thus, in saying that “God created Adam”, the statement refers to the creation of all human kind (Frigge, 2009). On the other hand, the symbolic meaning of the name “Eve” can be found in Genesis 3:20. It refers to the mother of all (Halbur, 2007).
The story of Adam and Eve is usually introduced to people from an early age. The story usually remains ever present in one’s mind through to adulthood. Scholars have pointed out that this wonderful story can have very serious consequences on a person’s spiritual health.
They warn that the story should not be taken for its literal meaning. For instance, in the first chapter of Genesis, man and woman are created simultaneously but, in the second chapter, the woman is created later (Frigge, 2009). Indeed, the two versions cannot be taken to be literally true. They are simply used to reflect on the human condition.
The story of Adam and Eve in the book of Genesis has been taken literally by many putting people in an awkward relationship with God. Many people who take the story literally think that the story proclaims subservience of women to man (Halbur, 2007). The story seeks to establish the fact that no human being can exist on his/her own.
Another controversial issue that comes up in the creation myth is the statement that humankind, male and female, is created in the divine image of God (Frigge, 2009). Christianity forbids humans from comparing anything o God. It is, thus, not always accepted that humans were created in the same way as God.
Biblical scholars are still debating to identify the precise meaning of this statement. Many have sought assistance from the book of psalms. In psalms 8:6, God is praised for creating humans a bit less than God, crowned with glory and honor (Frigge, 2009). It is important to note that in Hebrew language, an equivalent of the word glory (kabod) is often used to refer to God. But, in this verse, it is applied to humans too.
The word kabod or “glory” refers to the manifestation of God that is visible (Frigge, 2009). The book of psalms indicates that in a way God shares his divine nature with humankind. Thus, the statement that humans were created in the image of God implies that there is a part of God that is shared with humankind. According to the scriptures, the main purpose that humans serve on Earth is to manifest the presence of God.
The statement that humans were created in the image of God was evidently applied by the Priestly redactor to contrast the Israel religious beliefs from that of Babylon (Frigge, 2009). In the Babylon creation myth, human beings are created in order to serve Gods just the same way as slaves serve their masters (Halbur, 2007).
The myth of creation also talks of human beings giving care to other humans and all other living things. An in-depth analysis of this finding shows that God involves human beings in his creation work. Thus, man acts as a co-creator with God and also with other humans. These studies show that woman and man corporate to give the breath from God the creator to new life.
The creation of a woman out of the man’s ribs has long been held as implying that women are subordinate to men. However, the careful study of the book of Genesis with apparent reference to the Hebrew language show that this belief falls (Halbur, 2007).
In the first book of Genesis, God instructs humankind to have dominion over all plants and animals. Many Christians have taken this to mean that human beings can exercise power over plants and animals in any way they feel necessary. When this call to human beings to exercise dominion is analyzed in Hebrew, it means something quite different.
In ancient Israel, the human king was like God’s representative on Earth and, therefore, he was required to rule in the same way as God. In regard to this, the call to “have dominion” implies that the ruler should direct all living things to exist in a peaceful, harmonious and justified manner. Therefore, God’s call to Adam to have dominion over plants and animals did not imply that human beings should manipulate other creatures in whatever way they deem necessary (Halbur, 2007).
The call was intended to mean that human beings should act as God’s representatives on Earth and ensure that everything is moving in the right direction. Thus, in as much as humans are required to depend on God at any given moment, they have the power to rule over other animals. They are simply created to assist God and represent him on Earth.
This description of the creation of human beings and their purpose is seen in the first story of creation. The first story is often thought to have been sourced from Priestly own writing tradition. Priestly must have seen this account of creation to be incomplete (Frigge, 2009).
They must have taken a look at how the relationship between God and Israel had changed over the years. Priestly saw that the relationship described in the first chapter of Genesis had not materialized. The initial plan that God for humanity had failed and so Priestly had to create another myth.
According to Frigge, the second story or myth was sourced from the Jewish tradition and it told of how God had made man out of clay from the ground then blew into his nostrils the breath of life (2009). In genesis 2:7, the Bible describes how God formed humans out of Earth. In Hebrew, the word used to represent the wind that God blew into Adams nostrils can be used to mean wind, breath or spirit. Thus, Adam only becomes a living human after he has been infused with the spirit/breath (Frigge, 2009).
The symbolic meaning of this is to portray human beings as being complex combinations of very different things. The divine part of humans can be regarded to be God’s own spirit. Human beings can also be described as weak earthly creatures. But human beings forget that they should depend on God for life and more often they put themselves at the same level as God (Halbur, 2007).
Conclusion
This paper sought to describe creation truths and myths as described in different written Christian interpretations. It has been established that the two first chapters of the book of Genesis are made of two contrasting myths that describe how God created man kind and all other things. However, things accounts are only contrasting when the literal meaning is taken. Deeper analysis, with a lot of support from the original Hebrew language, establishes the real meaning of these creation myths.
References
Frigge, M. (2009). Beginning Biblical Studies. Winona: Anselm Academic.
Halbur, V. (2007). Saint Mary’s Press College Study Bible. Winona: Saint Mary’s.
Creation myths are related to the process of the world’s creation, and they also help people navigate the world and different cultures that often have their own creation myths. Myths of this type also serve as the explanation of non-mythological parts of the culture and as the sources for other types of myths (Castleberry, 2021). Different scholars usually single out different types of creation myths, but the most common of them are the following five.
The first type of creation myth is related to the Great Nothing, or the world’s creation out of nowhere, when first, there was a void then the Earth appeared. For instance, in the Enuma Elish, which is the ancient Babylonian depiction of the world’s creation process, it is stated that before the world appeared, there was nothing, and then something appeared (Castleberry, 2021). Creation myths of the second type often relate to the creation by a supreme deity. In that case, the world appeared with the help of wise, powerful, and is able to change the world or influence things that happen in it. This conception is applied in many countries’ myths, in particular, in those of Africa, Japan, or South America.
The third theory of the world’s creation concerns the appearance of the world is connected with world parents for whom the world is the child. Mother and Father, in that case, symbolize the Earth and the sky. In the majority of creation myths of this type world’s parents often appear when the world is almost created, for instance, in Enuma Elish, chaos existed before the world’s parents (Castleberry, 2021). World’s parents often look motionless, though, in many cultures, they are portrayed hugging each other.
The fourth theory concerns the creation of the world from a cosmic egg. For instance, in Japanese mythology egg symbolizes the chaos that contains the creation of germs (Castleberry, 2021). The creation of the world, in this case, is symbolized by an egg’s breaking. The fifth type concerns the creation through emergence, and in that case, the world does not appear without prerequisites and is created slowly, step by step. Thus, the development and further appearance of the world is compared to the metamorphosis from the embryonic state to maturity (Castleberry, 2021). For instance, in the Navajo myths, the world appears after people who live under the Earth created some sort of catastrophe that caused the changes.
Etiological myths are stories that try to provide an insight or a mythological explanation on events or customs that have an origin but has long been forgotten. There are myths that try to define the very origin of thunder. These kinds of creation myths are a symbolic narrative way of trying to define genesis. Such myths as the American Gods, Native American Folklore, and Hesiod’s Theology go beyond the simple etiological myths.
Creation of the world and its organization is understood differently in every society. Creation myths are etiological as they try to explain the origin of the world. Birth stories of humans are identified through explications such as the creations stories. They distinguish reality in terms of primary and relative. They also act to distinguish from the being and the non-being. They do serve a philosophy of life but they at times go beyond simple etiological myths. This is to mean that they express and convey through symbolism in terms of rites, life and phenomena other than using systematic reasoning. Humanity can be framed through time and purpose.
Looking at the three kinds of etiological myths, American Gods, Native American Folklore, and Hesiod’s Theology, they go beyond to explain the origin of thunder. All these myths they bring the world into being through narrative and dramatic means. Further more they deal with matters that are only metaphorical in that they talk about one thing in terms of being another. In this was they bring out the being of something that did not exist before. It therefore goes that only through the invocation of potential presences and negating those potential presences does the absences being to be or is established. For these myths to be we have to tell the story in order to establish the fact. The creation myths according to Dictionary of Myths (1994) identifies that there are five main qualifications through which these myths come to be.
Chaos
This is the existence of things through primal chaos of which is a state of disorder. Primal chaos often happened to be gigantic expanse of water though which creation began. Some other Native American groups like the Hopi and the Zuni believed that the creation of the universe began from emergence from the earth (Pope 206).
This is creation from nothingness or what can be better termed as ex nihilo. From the point of Hesiod’s Theogony, it deals more with the creation of the gods or how they came into being. The cosmic order comes from “Chaos,” which is Greek for “abyss” or “gap.” After this abyss, three more first powers “come into being” which are mainly Gai or earth, Tartaros which the dark areas under the earth described in lines 720-750 and Eros which means desire. At first earth does not require the sky for her to reproduce as she desires no love and joy for the sky. Division later becomes part of the world when the two mate. Through this kind of separation or division, there are different kinds of humans who are created. They differ in the cases of variety and complexity. Unions, marriages, births and even separations have resulted to theogony, which in other term is the beginning of t he world. Further through the reading of the book there are various kinds of unions that are encountered. Others include births and separation.
Creation from cosmic egg or the primal maternal mould
This is the creation of the world or universe from things that exist or are just there in a state that is unexplainable. This case is well depicted in the thunderbird myths as the gods of thunder, lightning and storms. In the Native American the use of thunderbird is very legendary. They consider it a supernatural bird that has power and strength as it is believed that it can direct the wind and thunder. The Thunderbird among many other related gods rules the thunder, lightning and storms. Thunder and wind is believed to have been caused by its eyes and wings. Through its methods of feeding it searches for insects by cutting open trees and it can also feed on large animals as the whales among others. The inhabitants of Algonquian believe Thunderbirds are ancestors of the human race and they took part in establishment of the world. The tribe of Shawnee believes that these kinds of god birds could make an appearance in the form of young boys with the ability to communicate in a backward manner. Other Native American cultures have myths that show the existence of thunderbirds that offer protection to an egg. This egg is believed to have hatched into other variety and kinds of birds (Steer 19).
Lakota Sioux believe that the thunderbird created the humans and populated it with the presence of humans. Another thunderbird, Unktehi, wanted to drown the people thinking that they were a kind of insect species. As a result the people retreated to the high mountains to ask the Thunderbird Wakan Tanka to save them. In the course of the fighting between the two gods Wakan Tanka sent lightning to the world that caused a crack that drained the water thus saving humanity.
Crypto- zoologists believe that these birds could be the avian. Avian reside in America and are large enough to fit the description of these thunderbirds. They feed on flesh and it could be the reason why many of the cultures in Native America believe that they carried off children to feed on them. On this note it goes to prove how creation myths go beyond simple etiological myths.
Creation from a process of earth-diving
The American Gods myth shows instances where there are visits to the underground. It is believed in the myths that people with given powers that were also termed as gods could travel to the underworld for missions. In other Native American myths they believe the origin of man was from as a result of the mating of a pair of parents. As believed by the Maori of New Zealand who believed that the mating of the mother earth and father sky who were cosmic was the resulting of the creation. Creation or genesis of the world and even people could originate from thoughts and desires of supreme creatures or gods. This is well shown in the book of Genesis and other accounts of creation can be found in many religions these days (Jahnke 27).
Creation from several stages of emergence from other worlds
At other times myths depict the theme of sacrifice which is seen in myths from the native America. Creation by the gods could involve mixing of different substances. It could also include the gods giving their blood for the creation of human beings. In the concept of the supreme beings having the intentions of human creation, the religion myths depict that God created man out of dirt and breathed into him life. It also goes to say that the earth and the heavens were created for the desire of God to have a residing place for man and the animals he created. The heaven and the earth according to the tribe of Enuma Elish believe that there was a waging war between two gods. God Marduk had worn the battle by cutting up goddess Tiamat. From the two pieces in which the goddess was cut into represents the earth and heavens. In this case the myth can be said to be classified under creation from several stages of its emergence.
Conclusion
Myths have been in existences since time immemorial and they try to give explanations as to why things are the way they are. They try to give a genesis to issues in relation to the creation of gods, man, and the universe. They also try to humanize forces within the universe such as lightning, thunders and storms. All in all these myths though giving a philosophical view of point they use metaphorical sayings through depicting one thing as another, they at times go beyond simple etiological myths as clearly shown in instances where birds are believed to have fed on children. In other cases the birds are believed to have fed on as large animals as the whales. In presence practicality, there is no bird large enough to carry off a whale. The myths give the existence of things but not others. In such a case they do not explain the origin of the gods such as the thunderbirds or even the genesis of the egg that the four birds were guarding. They communicate through symbolism other than using systematic reasoning.
There are themes depicted in most myths which include imperfection, tension between opposing forces and separation. Titans are gods within the Greek myths. In the myths there are a lot of forces that oppose each other. There are also instances where parents are in war with their children.
Almost every community, country, religion or culture in the world has its sacred stories or a body of myths which explains their origin as well as that of the world, values, beliefs and operating principles which are supposed to be respected.
Studies indicate that since time immemorial, mythologies have been accorded maximum respect. Arena (2007) points out in her article that there are two major creation myths. These are the Roman and Greek creation mythologies. It is against this scope that this paper examines the Roman creation myth and how it has been reflected in the history of the Romans.
Arena (2007) posits that the Roman mythology offers two types of creation myths. However, the most common myth indicates that before creation of the heavens, the sea and the earth were made and whatever existed could only be described as lifeless, disorganized and shapeless matter.
The myth further indicates that there were chaos everywhere and massive opposition were witnessed in instances where cold conflicted with hot, dry with wet, light with heavy and soft with hard. Arena further states that out that confusion, a higher force, which the Romans refer to as a god appeared and resolved the conflict (Arena, 2007).
Some of the activities that this god did included separating the heavens from the earth, parting waters to form dry land, detaching the clouds to obtain clear air and ensuring that everything was organized to form a balanced union. Flannery (2006) concurs with Arena’s argument and adds in his article Religions of the ancient world: A Guide that this god resolved the chaotic mass by setting order, putting them into components and organizing them into a harmonious unit.
In addition, Flannery (2006) continues to observe that this god then shaped the earth into a ball and later caused the seas to spread in all directions. The earth was then organized into five zones similar to the organization in heaven which has two regions on the left, two on the right and a central one. This earth was then hanged in the air amidst clouds, mists and thunder bolts. Flannery adds that the Roman god assigned purpose and limits to four winds around the earth and formed stars to shine across the sky during darkness.
Of great importance in the myth was the birth of man. Arena (2007) points out that either god made him from divine seeds and put him on earth or Prometheus used a clump of earth separated from ether to make man in the image of gods. Despite the lack of clarity on who created man, it is important to note from the myth that the man who was created was different from animals in the sense that he gazed up to the heavens and not towards the ground like other animals.
In her publication, Helmer (2006) indicates that certain people believe that the Roman mythology was created in 12th BC after the Asia-Greece War. Aeneus who was a popular and very strong soldier of the Greek army led his team to victory against Asia after which he moved Italy and founded Rome.
He met new gods there and together with his cultural background, formed a mythology that explains the creation of Rome. Another creation myth Helmer points concerns Remus and Romulus who were two Greek men who were products of the relationship between Rhea Silvia, a mortal woman and God Mars.
These two men lived with their uncle after losing their parents but this did not last long since their uncle thought of killing them to assume the power their father possessed. In the conflict, Romulus survived and escaped to a new land which he named Rome (753 BC) and became its King (Helmer, 2006).
It is important to note that like many other societies in the world today, the Romans had their list of deities with each performing a role. Some of them included Apollo the god of music, prophecy and sun; Jupiter, the supreme king; Vulcan, the god of fire and Mithras, the god of light and sun among others. Lin (2010) argues that in the Roman mythology, there were 21 gods who represented not only the earth, but those who lived in it.
This was because these gods related to touchable objects like water and untouchable ones like prosperity, peace, beliefs and feelings. Of all the gods, those with authority over others were Minerva and Jupiter. They also represented imaginations and did not have a physical appearance. Lin continues to indicate that it was until the 6th century BC that the Roman gods were given physical appearances (Lin, 2010).
A figure showing Roman Gods.
Since creation, the Romans have worshipped their gods throughout their history at communal and individual levels. At the individual level, a person or a family offered prayers at home for blessings or food, while communally, groups of people would congregate for a communal celebration (James, 2004).
Their beliefs for gods were held with respect. For instance, they believed in Vesta, the goddess who protected the earth and showed honor to her by throwing small pieces of cake to the fire. Other forms of worship to the god of agriculture for massive harvest include offerings of wine and corn meal at the graves where family members are buried (James, 2004). To sum up, it is evident that the Romans have a body of creation myths that explains their origin, values and the kind of worship they have today.
The Roman gods are important deities among the Romans due to the unique roles each play in life and on earth. Additionally, the various versions of the myths are almost unanimously agreeing that the gods created the universe and that it is part of the creation and demands respect and honor from human beings.
References
Arena, V. (2007). The myths of Rome. Phoenix, 61(3/4), 375-377.
Flannery, F. (2006). Religions of the ancient world: A Guide. Journal of the American Oriental Society, 126(1), 125-127.
Helmer, D. (2006). The Lincoln library of Greek and Roman mythology. Reference & User Services Quarterly, 46(1), 74-75.
James, Stuart. (2004). A Comprehensive Dictionary if Gods, Goddesses, Demigods, and Other Subjects in Greek and Roman Mythology. Reference Reviews, 18(8), 11-12.
Lin, Y. (2010). Separation of heaven and man and oneness of heaven and man: the relationship between divine and man from genesis 1-3 and creation myths in ancient Chinese texts. Journal of Sino – Western Communications, 2(1), 1-11.