Prometheus Bound and Eve Condemned

It seems that our ancient ancestors had a variety of views of how human beings sought or acquired a thirst for knowledge.  There is a wealth of different mythologies that give us insight into our religious and intellectual heritage.  If one takes the time to study several of them, it becomes clear that our struggle to answer basic questions about our existence is universal, and that any claim to be the absolute truth is dubious.

In Greek mythology, the story of Prometheus explores the creation of humankind and the gift of fire, the arts, science and other knowledge.  Prometheus was a titan whose love for humankind inspired him to oppose Zeus and secretly provide fire to the newly created humans and then teach them language and the love of the arts, literature and science.  Zeus punished him by having him bound in chains on a mountaintop.  Each day an eagle would attack him and eat his liver, which would heal overnight so as to allow the horrible act to be repeated endlessly.

 

Prometheus was celebrated as a heroic figure.  The quest for knowledge and the love of all of the arts and sciences was paramount in Greek culture.  The search for meaning and understanding produced a myriad of philosophers, scientists, mathematicians, dramatists, poets, architects, orators and other luminaries that are still recognized today as the richest lode of human advancement.

 

The bible gives a very different take on human striving for knowledge.  After creating Adam and Eve, God provides an idyllic garden for the new humans, but forbids them to eat the fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil.  Eve persuades Adam to eat the fruit after being tempted by a serpent and this is perceived as the original sin of humankind.  

 

There is no heroic Prometheus in this version, and if the message to quit seeking knowledge wasn’t strong enough, it is repeated in Genesis 6 with the story of the tower of Babel.  Humans began building a tower as a means to achieve new knowledge and capabilities, and God was not amused.  He scattered them across the earth and made them all speak different languages so as to limit their ability to make progress together.

 

Is it any wonder that religions based on the bible have had such a difficult time reconciling the spiritual and the rational?  No wonder a big part of the Christian, Muslim and Jewish world doesn’t accept evolution and is so suspicious of scientific inquiry and research.

 

And what to think of poor Eve, whose curiosity and persuasive arts led to her being cursed with the most dangerous and painful childbirth in nature and branded with the reputation of being treacherous and conniving for most of history.  No heroic treatment for her like Prometheus.

 

But lest we think the Greeks were paragons of gender equality, be aware that the story of Prometheus is often related with the appearance of Pandora, the first woman, whose box of ills and plagues is given by Zeus in retaliation for Prometheus’s gift.  And, of course, Pandora, weak, beautiful, treacherous and deceitful woman that she is, cannot contain her curiosity and opens the box, releasing all the plagues that humankind must endure.

 

Yes, it seems that no matter which mythology you endorse, women get condemned and slandered.  Almost makes you suspect that these mythologies were all composed by men!