THE GREEKS VALUE SYSTEM

THE GREEKS VALUE SYSTEM

Introduction

The source majorly talks about Zeus who was the father of gods and men. He was one of the children born by Rhea and Cronos.[1] It was believed that his thunder made the wide earth shake. Cronos had learned from Earth and Starry Heaven that he was to be overcomed by his own sons. For this reason, he swallowed each of them as they came out of their mother’s womb. When Rhea was about to bore Zeus, the father of gods and men, she sought the help of her parent Earth and Starry Heaven. She did this so as to conceal the birth of her child and that retribution might also overtake Cronos for his own father and the children he had swallowed down. They listened to her and sent her to Lyetus, the rich land of Crete when she was about to bore Zeus the youngest of her sons. She gave birth and hid him in a remote cave beneath the secret places of the holy earth.

As the years went on, the strength and glorious limbs of the prince increased. The great Cronos was brought against by his own offspring. He was vanquished by the arts and might of his own son. Zeus set it fast and became a sign and marvel to the mortal men. He then set free his father’s brothers and his brothers who were the sons of heaven and whom his father had killed. They thanked him by giving him thunder and the glowing thunderbolt and lightening that were initially hidden by the huge earth. They considered him and entrusted him as the ruler of the immortals and mortals.

The Limping God formed on earth the likeness of a shy maiden as the sons of Cronos willed. She had a crown which the Limping God had made as a favor to Zeus. The Limping God had put most upon it, all the beautiful things such as living beings with voices. The Limping God brought the maiden out and regarded her as the beautiful evil. She was the evil to mortal men with a nature to do evil. She was the origin of all women and females. The females then lived among the mortal men. Zeus made them a second evil to be the price for the good they had. He told them that whoever will avoid marriage and women will reach old age with no one to look after him. He also added that at his death his people will divide his possessions among themselves.

Zeus made himself a wife, Metis who was the wisest among gods and mortals. When she was about to give birth, Zeus cunningly put her in his mouth as he had been advised by Earth and Starry Heaven.[2] This was so as to ensure no one hold the royal sway other than him. He then married bright Themis who bore him several children. Eurynome the daughter of the ocean bore him three fair –cheeked Charites. (Graces). He also married Mnemosyne who gave birth to the nine gold –crowned muses. Leto also joined in love with Zeus and bore Apollo and Artemis who were delighting in arrows. Lastly he made Hera who brought forth Hebe and Ares and Eileithyia. Besides he wives, Zeus also gave birth from his own head to bright –eyed Tritogeneia.

The ancient Greeks had values which they dearly held. From this excerpt, we see that Zeus was very intelligent and courageous. He had the intelligence of making his own child from his own head, He was also able to create his own wives and overcome his own father. Were it not for the intelligence, he wouldn’t have been able to over[3]throw his father and be the ruler of both the mortals and the immortals.

Conclusion

The ancient Greeks implemented their values into their everyday life. This values helped them have good relationships with each other.³ Intelligence and wisdom was highly valued and determined one’s leadership ability. Zeus intelligence came in handy in his quest to overcome his father.

[1] http://sourcebooks.fordham.edu/ancient/hesiod-theogony-ex.asp

[2] Price, S.R. and Price, S., 1999. Religions of the ancient Greeks. Cambridge University Press.

Murray, O., 1993. Early Greece. Harvard University Press.

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