Hesiods Ages of Man circa 700 BC

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Hesiods Ages of Mancirca 700 BC
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Age of Gold

• Time of Cronus (Saturn)
• Men made of Gold by Cronus
• No sorrow or work always spring
• Always youthful and long-lived earth fed them
• When they died, they passed away like a dream
• Became kindly spirits dwelling on earth,
  guardians of man

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Golden Age
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Age of Silver

• Duller than the first men made of silver by Zeus
• Had very long lives, but they were contentious
• Didnt honor the gods and fought with each other
• Zeus buried them under the earth where they
  became underground spirits

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Silver Age(Saturn leaving)
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Age of Bronze

• Men made of bronze from ash trees (source of
  spears)
• Terrible and warlike nature weapons and houses
  made of bronze
• Hostile and aggressive, they killed each other
  off
• Died and went to Hades, nameless and unremembered

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Age of Heroes

• Made by Zeus, they were half-gods (e.g., Cadmus)
  and spoke with gods
• Died in warfare but went to the Islands of the
  Blessed (Elysian Fields) in the afterlife, a
  beautiful and peaceful place, like Eden

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Age of Heroes
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Iron Age

• This is our own life is hard and miserable
• We grow old quickly and die hard after a life of
  labor
• Men lie and cheat, betray their friends,
  disrespect their parents
• A time of sorrow and suffering