4.1: Prometheus, Architect of Humankind

Where did our people come from? Why do we suffer while others appear to prosper? Who, or what, controls our fate? Such universal questions and others like them are addressed through the myths of early cultures, many of which contain rationale to justify our state of existence. The Babylonian creation epic explains that humans were created to assume the labor of the gods, freeing said gods to receive the subsequent worship of the humans. One version of Ancient Egypt’s creation epic explains that humans were created by the joyful tears of Atum, so moved after the return of his two children, Shu and Tefnut. Atum’s tears fell upon the ripe soil of earth and became the first humans (Mark “Egyptian Mythology”). The humans, in return, offered love and praise to their creator. Biblical stories explain why women suffer childbirth pains, why men must toil and why people were separated for want of a common language. Greek myths, specifically those by Hesiod, emphasize the de-evolution of humans, from an idealized golden race to the iron race, beset with petty quarrels and unscrupulous dishonesty.

Despite their miserable disposition, the Titan Prometheus [prō-MEE-thee-uhs] offers himself as a benefactor to humanity.

Prometheus, Architect of Humankind

Unlike other ancient myths, Greek mythology demonstrates less interest in the creation of humans. In both the Theogony and his second major poem, Works and Days, Hesiod focuses on the stages of humankind, with no explicit magical creative moment, like seen in God’s creation of Adam and Eve. While authors like Hesiod, Aeschylus and the Roman poet Ovid linger over the human experience, thoughts of birth are reserved for the gods, again drawing the theatrical spotlight to their greatness.

Throughout the works of these authors, references to the creation of mortals are predictably contradictory. However, a reliable consistency is the hand of Prometheus in the creation of people.

Similar to Zeus and Kronos, Prometheus’ intellectual wit is widely referenced. The poet Ovid, a contemporary of the historical Jesus, used Hesiod as his source and wrote the most complete remaining narrative of Prometheus’ divine act. Following the genesis of the earthly spheres from Chaos, the poet writes of Prometheus mixing water and primordial soil made potent with the divine seed, resulting in the first human:

A being more divine,

Of soul exalted more, and form'd to rule

The rest was wanting. Then he finish'd MAN!

Or by the world's creator, power supreme,

Form'd from an heavenly seed; or new-shap'd earth

Late from celestial ether torn, and still

Congenial warmth retaining, moisten'd felt,

Prometheus' fire, and moulded took the form

Of him all-potent. Others earth behold

Pronely;—to man a face erect was given.

The heavens he bade him view, and raise his eyes

High to the stars. Thus earth of late so rude,

So shapeless, man, till now unknown, became (Ovid 1.88-100).

Figure \(\PageIndex{1}\): Roman fresco painting that depicts Prometheus (seated left) fashioning the first man who will be animated by Athene, who stands to the right watching Prometheus at work. The painting comes from the arcosolium of a tomb from the Sepolcreto Ostiense (Roccia di San Paolo). (Following Hadrian, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia)

Ovid’s vision venerates the act and product of Prometheus akin to biblical tones. “The Book of Genesis,” which predates Metamorphosis by 1,300 years, may have influenced Ovid’s rendering. Yet, this auspicious tone towards mankind as being supreme is in direct contrast to earlier texts, such as Enuma elish which describes human creation as a byproduct of Quingu’s bloodletting, his penalty for leading the rebellion of Tia’mat. From Quingu’s blood, "Ea created mankind/On whom he imposed the service of the gods, and set the gods free" (Tablet VI.33-34, qtd. in Mark). Humans, created to serve the gods by toiling up the earth, are subjected to difficult lives before they return to the earth in death. In contrast, Prometheus’ generous and welcoming creative effort offers humans a more prominent and esteemed position in the cosmic narrative.