SUMMARY: Many cultures have a creation myth in which a group of
younger, more civilized gods conquer and/or struggle against a group of older
gods who represent the forces of chaos. In the Greek myth of the Titanomachy,
the Olympian gods defeat the Titans, an older and more primitive divine race,
and establish cosmic order. The Titanomachy was a war between Zeus and the Titans.
This war lasted for 10 years. Zeus had the Cyclopes, Hecatonchires, Themis,
Prometheus, and the Olympian pantheon an his side. The Titans were defeated and
placed in Tartarus. There to be guarded for eternity by the Hecatonchires, cousins of Cyclopses with one hundred hands. They were said to be always watching...
In Hindu mythology, the devas
(gods) battle the asuras (demons). And the Celtic gods of life and light
struggle against the Fomorians, ancient gods of death and darkness.
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| A Hecatonchires, drawn by Rachael Mayo; http://rachaelm5.deviantart.com/art/Tremorworks-Hecatonchires-bw-15889871 |
This myth of the gods conquering demons - and order
conquering chaos - is especially common in Indo-European mythologies. Some
scholars suggest that the myth reflects the ancient Indo-Europeans' conquest of
native peoples during their expansion over Europe and India.
However, non-Indo-European cultures also have such myths.
For example, many Near Eastern mythologies include a "combat myth" in
which a good god battles an evil or chaotic demon. An example of this is the Babylonian
Enuma Elish.
ANALYSIS: A prominent feature in many myths is a major battle between the gods and some other, normally equally powerful, dark force. However, the myths differ in the aspect that the gods aren't always defending their position. On occasion, such as the Greek Titanomachy, the gods are actually the ones challenging the opposing forces.
REFLECTION QUESTION: Why might there be a need for war and feuding sactions in mythology?
CITATION: Camfield, C. (2012). about.com. Retrieved from http://ancienthistory.about.com/cs/grecoromanmyth1/a/titanomachy_2.htm ANALYSIS: A prominent feature in many myths is a major battle between the gods and some other, normally equally powerful, dark force. However, the myths differ in the aspect that the gods aren't always defending their position. On occasion, such as the Greek Titanomachy, the gods are actually the ones challenging the opposing forces.
REFLECTION QUESTION: Why might there be a need for war and feuding sactions in mythology?
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