The Greek poet Hesiod (c. 700 BCE) is most famous for his works Theogony and Works and Days. In this passage from Theogony, Hesiod relates the birth of the gods from cosmic Chaos and follows the lineage through the great Zeus, King of the Olympian gods, worshipped by Hesiod's contemporaries:
This is a companion discussion topic for the original article at https://www.worldhistory.org/article/150/hesiod-on-the-birth-of-the-gods/.
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- Why do you think Hesiod begins the world with Chaos?
- What does this story suggest about Zeus as a ruler?
- How do you feel about the gods being born from conflict and violence?
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