Study Questions on Prometheus, Pandora, and the Ages of the World
1. Do you think Zeus is really fooled by Prometheus’ deception during the animal sacrifice? Why
or why not? What are the implications for our understanding of Zeus if he wasn’t deceived?
2. What does Prometheus’ theft of fire represent? Why does he do it? What are the consequences
for him? What are the consequences for humanity?
3. What forces do you think Prometheus represents in Greek mythology? Why do you think he
has a stupid brother? When do he and Zeus become estranged? Why? What are some comparable
figures from other traditions? What other traditions do you know that lack any such figure
altogether?
4. What do you make of Pandora? To what degree do you think that Hesiod has incorporated
material that already existed and to what degree does his depiction of Pandora reflect his own
biases?
5. What are Hesiod’s ages (“races” in Powell) of the world? How do they differ from the version
told in Persia? Hesiod’s Greek version is clearly influenced by the earlier eastern story. Think
carefully about how the changes in the later version might have taken place. Do you think they
were inserted by Hesiod? Or was he recording a version that was told orally?
6. Compare the biblical account of Noah to the one from mesopotamia (especially Sumeria). Do
the differences (like those in the creation stories) somehow reflect the world view of the differing
cultures? The Sumerian version is by far the oldest: do you see any refinement or significant
changes in the later versions?
7. Now compare these eastern versions to the one Ovid tells of Deucalion. How does Deucalion
differ from Noah and Ziusudra (a.k.a. Uta-napishti, NOT Atrahasis)? Ovid is a Roman writing
750 years after Hesiod. In what ways (if you know) was the world different in the 1st century
A.D.? What might the differences mean for the version of the story that he is telling?
