The Five Ages

1
The Five Ages

• Hesiod, Works and Days 106-201

2
The Five Ages

• Gold
• Silver
• Bronze
• Heroes
• Iron

3
The Vision of Daniel

• Dan 231 Thou, O king, sawest, and behold a
  great image. This image, which was mighty, and
  whose brightness was excellent, stood before
  thee and the aspect thereof was terrible. 32 As
  for this image, his head was of fine gold, his
  breast and his arms of silver, his belly and his
  thighs of brass,
• 33 his legs of iron, his feet part of iron, and
  part of clay. 34 Thou sawest till that a stone
  was cut out without hands, which smote the image
  upon his feet that were of iron and clay, and
  brake them in pieces. 35 Then was the iron, the
  clay, the brass, the silver, and the gold, broken
  in pieces together, and became like the chaff of
  the summer threshingfloors and the wind carried
  them away, that no place was found for them and
  the stone that smote the image became a great
  mountain, and filled the whole earth. 36 This is
  the dream.

4
Age of GOLD

• Kronos was ruler
• Created by Olympians
• No labor or sorrow (Garden of Eden)
• No death kindly spirits (angels)

5
Age of SILVER

• Kronos was ruler at start
• Creatures different in form and mentality
• Foolishness and Hybris
• Failure to worship the gods
• Put out of the way by Zeus
• No death. Became blessed though subterranean
  spirits

6
Age of BRONZE

• Made by Zeus
• ate no bread from the earth
• the bloody labor of Ares (warfare)
• the cold house of Hades (real death)

7
Age of Heroes

• Made by Zeus
• Much juster and better
• Demi-gods
• Some died at Thebes fighting over the Oedipus
  inheritance
• Others died at Troy fighting for Helen

8
Age of Iron

• Labor, warfare, quarrels, hatred
• Progeria, sibling rivalry, abuse of parents
• Breaking of oaths, false oaths, treachery
• Retreat of Shame (Aidos) and Retribution
  (Nemesis)
• Nothing left for humans but pain