CLAS 430 Lecture 4: Five Races; Flood
Document Summary
Five race (ages) of mortals - from hesiod, "works and days" From long easy life to short hard life. Happy and blessed, became spirits on earth after death watching over and. Child would stay young for hundred years then age suddenly and die. Silver race acted with violence and did not respect the gods. After dying they descended into the realm of hades (dwelling in the darkn. They fought at thebes and troy to win back helen. Some heroes didn"t die and live in the isles of the blessed, under the rule o. Hesiod"s world of crime and sorrow: more pessimism. Hesiod thinks that conditions in this era might improve (even reach those might not be in decline (in contrast to the mythical models) Divine powers send destruction to correct overpopulation, reflects h of the gods. Also explains the origin of barren women and stillbirth.
